A hostage prince spending the rest of his life in another country wasn’t unusual. Given Wei’s current strength, it would indeed be difficult for Yin Gezhi to return. Feng Chuang wasn’t surprised by this. What puzzled him was why His Highness was so happy about it. Wasn’t this something they had known all along?

The thoughts of those in power were unfathomable to people like them. Helping the Crown Prince into the carriage, Feng Chuang didn’t ask further.

As the carriage slowly drove away, Feng Yue munched on walnuts while listening. Only after the sound had completely faded did she turn to Yin Gezhi with a sweet smile and ask, “Young Master, do I get a reward?”

He took a walnut kernel and put it in her mouth, saying expressionlessly, “Here’s your reward.”

“Just this?” She ate it but was slightly dissatisfied. “Your servant cooperated so well with Your Highness. If you won’t give a generous reward, at least praise your servant a little.”

Putting down his book, Yin Gezhi looked up at her and asked, “How did you know what I wanted to do?”

Her insight was almost frightening. He hadn’t told her anything about his thoughts regarding General Yi, yet she had given him a way out in front of the Crown Prince. It was unsettling when he thought about it.

Feng Yue blinked, looking innocent as she said, “Wasn’t what you wanted to do obviously? You didn’t want to openly oppose General Yi because of Miss Yi, but you also didn’t want to go against the Crown Prince’s wishes! I understand, so I just used myself as an excuse. As for Miss Yi’s side, you can just deceive her.”

So that’s what she thought? Yin Gezhi lowered his eyes and let out a slight breath of relief.

“What’s wrong? Was I incorrect?” Feng Yue asked, puzzled.

“Eat more walnuts,” he picked up his book again to read. “Walnuts are good for the brain.”

Feng Yue: “…”

In the evening, Ling Shu brought back some mung bean cakes. Feng Yue gave some to her to eat, then closed the door and tore open the paper wrapping the cakes.

“Yi is near the capital, reportedly severely wounded. True situation unknown. There’s unusual activity outside the city. Since yesterday, the city guard has been training troops at the northern training grounds.”

The northern training grounds? Feng Yue narrowed her eyes.

With General Yi bringing troops back to the capital, those few thousand soldiers would certainly be stationed outside the northern suburbs—this was traditional practice. But why would the city guard suddenly change their training ground to the north? Though there was nothing technically wrong with it, Yi Guoru was naturally suspicious. This move would surely make him think the royal family was guarding against him. Combined with the Crown Prince’s recent actions, perhaps…

An Shichong wouldn’t change training grounds without reason. Yin Gezhi must know about this, and it might even have been his idea.

What were they planning to do?

After burning the letter, Feng Yue sat at the table, supporting her chin and thinking. Before long, Ling Shu rushed in anxiously: “Master, something’s happened at Fengyue House!”

She tensed up and turned around, frowning: “What happened?”

“Miss He Chou offended a patron who seems to have considerable power. He’s demanding to take Miss He Chou to the authorities! Madam Jin sent someone to ask if you could think of a way to help.”

He Chou? Her heart skipped a beat, and Feng Yue hurriedly lifted her skirts to leave.

“Where are you going?” A displeased voice sounded as she passed through the corridor.

She paused slightly, and turned with an apologetic smile: “You haven’t retired yet? Something’s happened at Fengyue House, your servant needs to go check.”

Yin Gezhi raised an eyebrow, rising from the pavilion to walk over. Standing before her, he asked: “What use would it be for you to go look?”

With no power or influence, and already being a redeemed courtesan, going to look would indeed be useless. Her eyes rolled, and Feng Yue immediately jumped up to embrace this lord, smiling sweetly: “Then why don’t you go take a look?”

“Troublesome.”

“Don’t be like that, after all, everything I give you comes from there. If something happens, it’s not good for either of us. Just treat it as taking a walk since you can’t sleep, please go look?” Her eyes blinked rapidly, her body swaying, as Feng Yue whimpered: “Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.”

Looking at her sideways, Yin Gezhi rubbed his temples: “Something is troubling me. If you can help me resolve it, everything can be discussed.”

“Alright, I’ll do whatever I can!” Pulling him outside, Feng Yue said: “Let’s talk while we walk. Whose matter is it?”

“Fang Wenxin’s,” Yin Gezhi said. “Didn’t you say earlier that this person had never been to Fengyue House, so you didn’t know much about him?”

“That’s correct,” Feng Yue nodded. “Among the people on your list, he’s the only one who hasn’t been dealt with, right?”

Nodding, Yin Gezhi left the door, casually lifting her into the carriage before getting in himself, and letting Guan Zhi drive.

“This person acts with great caution. These days, I’ve been looking for his mistakes. However, he has no direct contact with General Yi, and rarely leaves the palace, making it truly difficult to find any leverage. The Crown Prince said he would handle it, and gave that person leave, hoping to see who he associates with and where he goes. But recently, besides meeting minor characters like Xiao Zhenyu, he truly does nothing.”

Feng Yue listened and smiled: “He’s a clever one!”

“He used to be one of Yi Guoru’s fierce generals, with a body full of battle achievements and no ailments, yet was willing to return and become a deputy commander of the imperial guard,” Yin Gezhi said flatly. “General Yi is very good at training his subordinates.”

Over these dozen or so years, those loyal to him had gradually withdrawn from the battlefield and taken various positions throughout the capital. The Wu Emperor naturally wouldn’t refuse his recommendations, but day by day, most of the military officials in the court had become Yi Guoru’s people. If something happened, they might not even obey imperial orders.

The old emperor had no sense of vigilance against future dangers. Fortunately, the Crown Prince was quite intelligent; otherwise, truly no one in the world could handle Yi Guoru.

However, the Crown Prince was also somewhat radical. In the current situation, he either needed to remove these claws before Yi Guoru returned, or restore all the removed claws to their original state. Otherwise, when the tiger returned to its lair, in this tearing fight, the Crown Prince might not win.

Lightly tapping the cushion, the Great Prince Yin didn’t want to admit that it was the many things he and Feng Yue had gathered that forced the Crown Prince to be so radical. The Crown Prince and General Yi’s fight—they were merely innocent bystanders.

“This matter, your servant will do her best,” Feng Yue said. “But now, please, young master, you must save He Chou’s life.”

“Is she important?” Yin Gezhi asked.

Frowning slightly, Feng Yue said: “Every girl at my Dream Return House is important.”

Looking at her, Yin Gezhi said nothing more, reaching out to take her hand in his palm, holding it gently.

Her heart immediately settled down, and Feng Yue pressed her lips together, letting out a soft sigh.

The evening Flaunting Street was still as lively as ever. However, this time Dream Return House’s entrance was crowded with people, and the officials had just arrived, holding He Chou, about to push her onto the prisoner cart.

Madam Jin anxiously stamped her foot beside them: “Officers, officers! What wrong has my girl committed? Surely it hasn’t reached the point of requiring official intervention! And using a prisoner cart… ai, how are we to do business in the future?”

The officials wouldn’t listen to her and continued to hold the person. Seeing this, Madam Jin immediately turned to plead with the patron beside her: “Please be magnanimous, we can talk this through properly.”

Pushing through the crowd, Feng Yue saw the serious-faced patron standing with his hands behind his back, his face full of anger.

“What happened?” Yin Gezhi asked.

Xiao Zhenyu was already annoyed, and hearing this question, he waved his hand: “Don’t ask needlessly, if you have something to say, say it at court!”

Beside him, Fang Wenxin started, looked at Yin Gezhi once, his face changing dramatically, and pulled at Xiao Zhenyu to leave.

“Commander Fang?” Before they could take a step, they heard Yin Gezhi’s calm voice in front of them: “What brings you here?”

Silently crying out ‘terrible,’ Fang Wenxin stiffened, taking a long while before slowly turning his head. He bowed to Yin Gezhi with a smile: “You’re here too? What a coincidence.”

“I was just passing by,” looking at He Chou who was still being held, then at the crowd of commoners around them, Yin Gezhi asked: “What’s all this about?”

Upon seeing this person’s face clearly, Xiao Zhenyu turned pale, hurriedly bowing: “Your Highness, we just came to drink but unexpectedly encountered an assassination attempt, so we reported it to the authorities.”

“Assassination?” Yin Gezhi asked puzzledly: “Who would be so reckless as to try to assassinate two commanders?”

Taking advantage of their conversation’s distraction, Feng Yue crept over to He Chou’s side. She glared at the two officials until they loosened their grip, then pulled He Chou aside and asked softly: “Did you make a move?”

“After waiting so long, how could I not?” He Chou closed her eyes, her lips pale: “But I overestimated myself and underestimated him.”

Fang Wenxin rarely came out. She had waited so many years without seeing him come to Dream Return House. Finally, when she met a patron who knew Xiao Zhenyu, she put in great effort to have Xiao Zhenyu invite Fang Wenxin to Dream Return House together. This opportunity might only come once in a lifetime—if she didn’t kill him now, revenge would have to wait until the next life!

But, she had failed, so revenge would indeed have to wait until the next life.

He Chou was filled with hatred, her hands white from clenching them, but it was useless—she might not be able to keep her life now.

Just as she was thinking this, someone pried open her hands. He Chou started, turning to look at the person beside her.

Feng Yue smiled very gently, her eyes bright and sparkling, as she said softly: “Such good luck, fortunately it’s him who wants to kill you. If it were someone else, they might truly find it too troublesome to care.”

What did that mean? He Chou didn’t understand, looking completely bewildered. Fang Wenxin was the deputy commander of the imperial guard—why was it fortunate that it was him?

But soon she understood the reason—the white-robed gentleman standing there said leisurely: “Attempting to assassinate a government official is a serious matter. I shall accompany you gentlemen to the yamen to inquire about the circumstances.”

Fang Wenxin was silent for a long while before suddenly saying: “Perhaps this official was mistaken.”

“Oh?”

“This official didn’t see clearly what that woman was doing, only saw her take out a hairpin and thought it looked like an assassination attempt, but can’t be certain.”

“Oh?” Yin Gezhi raised an eyebrow, turning to ask He Chou: “Miss, were you attempting an assassination?”

He Chou was somewhat dumbfounded, only coming to her senses after being pinched by Feng Yue, hurriedly lowering her head and saying: “Your servant has been wronged, your servant was only trying to change hairpins.”

“Is that so.” Yin Gezhi nodded: “Then there’s no need to cause such public alarm. Commander Fang, a chance encounter is better than a planned meeting—shall we go up for a few more drinks?”