He paused, then said word by word, “Then she and the Jin Kingdom she represents have insulted Great Yao, and the alliance between our two countries ends here!”

“As the letter said, ‘no longer connected’!” He laughed coldly. “This is my intention, and also my royal father’s.”

Mo Tizhun remained silent for a while before saying gravely, “Jin will give Yao a proper explanation, but for now, I need you to assign more men.” No matter how powerful he was, he was still just one person, and in a foreign land at that. Only with the help of state power and a systematic search could they possibly find Princess Hanyue’s whereabouts.

Miao Fengxian pressed his temple: “I will instruct the City Defense forces to allocate more manpower, but their current focus is not on this…” He finished with a deep sigh.

Mo Tizhun certainly understood his meaning, and seeing the fatigue in Miao Fengxian’s eyes, he felt quite sympathetic. The pressure that the second prince of Yao was under right now was probably unimaginable to ordinary people.

But sympathy was all he could offer.

“We both do what we can and accept fate’s decree,” Mo Tizhun stood up. “The good relations between Yao and Jin have brought blessings for generations, and should not be severed because of such an accident.”

This last statement was the key point of his informal meeting with Miao Fengxian today:

Regardless of whether Princess Hanyue could eventually be found, Jin did not want Yao to break ties with them or cease all communication.

Miao Fengxian did not respond, merely toasting him and then draining his cup.

Having said all he needed to say, Mo Tizhun turned and left.

Miao Fengxian didn’t stand up, but grabbed the wine pot and poured himself a drink. From Feng Miaojun’s angle, his profile appeared infinitely desolate.

Even though she considered herself hard-hearted and uninvolved in others’ affairs, she couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him now.

First, his wife disappeared on their wedding day. Whether Princess Hanyue was kidnapped or ran away of her own accord, it left Miao Fengxian with no face before the world.

Immediately after, the Crown Prince died, and although there was no clear evidence, every aspect pointed to him as the greatest beneficiary.

If she were Miao Fengxian, she would also feel there was no way to defend herself.

Perhaps because her gaze lingered on him too long, Miao Fengxian sensed something and turned his head, meeting her eyes directly.

“It’s you.”

Hearing his certain tone, Feng Miaojun blinked: “You recognize me?” She had changed her face; how could Miao Fengxian still remember her?

Indeed, he said: “In the palace…” Suddenly touching the beard under his chin, he gave a self-mocking smile. “Never mind.”

In the Yao palace, they had met briefly, and just from her silhouette, he had identified her as Feng Miaojun. One had to admit, this man’s eyesight and memory were first-rate, and now he had recognized her again as the female official from the embassy he had seen in the palace.

But he had grown a beard for several days, so she couldn’t be blamed for not recognizing him. “Did you hear all of our conversation just now?”

Feng Miaojun didn’t know whether to answer yes or no.

These two chose to talk in a bustling restaurant; were they afraid of being overheard?

Which sentence in their conversation couldn’t be spoken to others?

She hesitated briefly, and Miao Fengxian understood, giving a slight smile.

The desolation from a moment ago seemed to have been tucked away. Looking at him, Feng Miaojun felt he had grown significantly in these few short months, no longer the spirited and bold youth, but becoming a more measured second prince of Yao.

After all, he had experienced so many upheavals.

“Why are you out alone?” He twirled the cup in his hand as if chatting casually between friends. “Where are the others from your embassy?”

Feng Miaojun didn’t know why he was interested in her, but what she most wanted to avoid right now was attracting attention from acquaintances.

She was about to answer when the door of a private room upstairs creaked open, and Yun Ya, disguised as Chi Zhe, walked out with Tan Qingshuang, one after the other.

Tsk, how impolite, not even knowing that ladies should go first.

“…Here they come now,” she tilted her chin toward the two and said to Miao Fengxian.

Miao Fengxian’s eyes looked over, and naturally, Yun Ya’s gaze came across as well. The two exchanged a glance, both their expressions as calm as ancient wells.

Yun Ya came downstairs and said to Feng Miaojun: “Aren’t you getting up? It’s time to go back.”

“Ah, coming!” She responded sweetly, standing up smoothly, and said to Miao Fengxian, “Until we meet again.”

Meanwhile, Yun Ya smiled at Tan Qingshuang and then led Feng Miaojun away without looking back.

Walking on the road, Yun Ya asked her: “What did you and Miao Fengxian talk about?”

“Nothing at all.”

Seeing her slightly pursed lips, Yun Ya shook his head: “That doesn’t seem likely.” Given Miao Fengxian’s status and state of mind, how would he casually chat with a young woman? “Did he recognize you?”

“No.”

Yun Ya turned to stare at her, continuing until she felt completely uncomfortable, then said: “Jealous?”

“Uh, what?” She didn’t understand what he was saying, she didn’t!

“Are you unhappy that I was alone with Tan Qingshuang?” He asked directly.

Feng Miaojun’s eyes widened: “What does that have to do with me?” Even if he were locked away with Tan Qingshuang for a hundred years and had sixty, seventy, or eighty children, it wouldn’t have anything to do with her!

“The Taoyuan Realm has an agreement with me; some confidential matters cannot be heard by a third person,” Yun Ya smiled. “Besides, you don’t like Tan Qingshuang, so why would I put you two together?”

You’re right, you have a point. Feng Miaojun remained silent.

Yun Ya’s smile faded slightly: “See, didn’t you also meet Miao Fengxian? Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.”

This man’s tongue was truly venomous! Feng Miaojun wanted to glare at him fiercely but lacked the courage. Hearing him steer the topic toward Miao Fengxian again, she had no choice but to repeat the conversation between Miao Fengxian and Mo Tizhun from earlier.

After listening, Yun Ya snorted derisively: “Sounds nice.”

“Who?” Who was he referring to?

“Naturally, Miao Fengxian.” Yun Ya said amusedly, “So many days have passed, and the chances of finding Princess Hanyue become increasingly slim, yet he says if the princess was kidnapped, he will continue to recognize her as his wife. Such diplomatic talk is probably only believed by Mo Tizhun.”

Was that considered diplomatic talk? Feng Miaojun wasn’t sure: “How will the relationship between Yao and Jin ultimately change?”

“Without external influence, it will deteriorate from now on.”

Feng Miaojun agreed internally. Jin had given Yao a hard slap in the face in public this time, and the relationship between the two sides would inevitably change negatively. Even if the latter wanted to resolve this conflict, they couldn’t lower their status, or it would seem like they were pressing a warm face against a cold buttock. From this perspective, the two major events that followed diverted public attention from the runaway bride incident. After all, humans are creatures that focus on the novel and are different.

The current situation would probably make the Wei people laugh their teeth off, right?

Feng Miaojun had no idle concern for Yao’s worries; what troubled her now was the safety of her adoptive mother.

Should she take advantage of the chaos in Inzi City to eliminate Xu Lin? She stroked her chin, weighing the risks of such an action.

Without Yun Ya’s assistance, the difficulty for her to accomplish this feat alone would be at the maximum level.