The convoy was truly about to depart.

This time, the Empress’s contingent led the way — for the Empress had declared that her people would drive the wolves off.

As for the Ninth Prince’s convoy, they traveled at the rear and were the protected party.

Feng Jiu’er had also boarded her carriage and had not shown her face since.

As for one person in the convoy — unnoticed by anyone — they slipped away quietly. Shortly afterward, a carrier pigeon flew out from the forest and vanished without a trace.

…

Deep into the night, on Sharp Wolf Mountain, the fires of battle had only just been ignited.

The wolf packs were indeed numerous — word verified by those who had gone before could not be wrong. The wolf packs of Sharp Wolf Mountain always moved in great, roving masses.

Even so, this night, Nanmen Rong had genuinely opened everyone’s eyes. The elite warriors the Empress had cultivated were, without exception, formidably skilled. When the wolf pack descended, not a single member of her contingent showed any fear. In less than half an hour, the wolf pack was driven back, and only a handful of people in the convoy had sustained injuries.

“My Lady, the wolf king has retreated. The pack has withdrawn.” Qing Ye, standing guard outside the carriage, called out in a clear voice.

“Good. Once we clear Sharp Wolf Mountain, there is a broad plain ahead. We can make camp and rest there.”

Nanmen Rong was in extraordinarily high spirits, feeling instinctively that she had done something truly remarkable for A’Jiu’s sake.

After all, even Feng Jiu’er had not dared take this route. Had she not insisted, they would still be resting outside, waiting for dawn — was that not squandering A’Jiu’s life?

“This Palace will go see A’Jiu. The rest of you, continue forward!”

In excellent humor, Nanmen Rong stepped down from her carriage, smoothed her skirts, then set off on horseback toward the Ninth Prince’s carriage at the rear.

Her personal guards naturally followed close beside her, and Qing Ye went along as well.

At the Ninth Prince’s side, the Longqi Army brothers remained vigilantly on guard — but somehow, it seemed as though a few were missing…

Nanmen Rong noticed something seemed off the moment she arrived, but she was too eager to go to A’Jiu and claim her credit to pay it much mind.

Love was truly the finest remedy for recapturing one’s youth — for there was not a trace of middle age to be found in the Empress at this moment. Whether in bearing and manner, or in the shy flush at her brow, she was entirely the image of a girl in the first flush of longing.

“A’Jiu, how are you feeling now? Is your body comfortable?” The Empress reined in her horse beside the Ninth Prince’s carriage, her voice tender and soft as a gentle breeze.

From within the carriage, there was no response whatsoever.

Nanmen Rong, seeing no sign of Feng Jiu’er anywhere nearby, was immediately displeased.

“Feng Jiu’er, while everyone was fighting hard against the wolf pack just now, you hid behind A’Jiu?”

This wretched girl — how could she be so shameless? At a time like this, she had not even come out to help? Although she would likely have been useless if she had, it was at least the right attitude. Had this wretched girl no thought of protecting A’Jiu?

“Feng Jiu’er, come out before This Palace!”

From within the carriage, still not a single sound.

Nanmen Rong found it increasingly strange. Why was there no sound of breathing whatsoever from inside?

“A’Jiu?”

At last, Nanmen Rong shot a glare at the brother driving the carriage. With one firm push, she shoved him aside. That brother was accommodating enough — seeing the Empress make her move, he stepped down of his own accord first, vacating the seat for her.

Once down, he called out loudly, “Guards, stand ready!”

All the Longqi Army brothers immediately drew themselves into alert formation.

Nanmen Rong’s brow creased, a look of contempt crossing her face. The wolf pack had already been driven off by her people. Issuing a guard order now — were they trying to make a show of credit before A’Jiu? The wolves had already retreated. What was there to guard against? It was entirely unnecessary.

“A’Jiu?” Now seated in the driver’s position, the Empress turned and, unable to hold herself back any longer, reached out and swept the curtain aside.

But inside the carriage — there was not a trace of Zhan Qingcheng.

Not only was Zhan Qingcheng nowhere to be found — Feng Jiu’er was not inside either. But Feng Jiu’er had not been outside. So where was she?

“Stop!” At the Empress’s command, Qing Ye immediately called forward, “Halt!”

At the front, the Empress’s contingent came to an immediate stop. With that, the Longqi Army convoy behind had no choice but to stop as well.

Once the Longqi Army brothers halted, they immediately spread into formation, each one adopting a posture of vigilance.

Nanmen Rong paid no attention to any of this. She jumped down from the carriage and strode directly toward Emperor Ji’s carriage at the rear.

But Emperor Ji was not there. The woman called Leng Yue was not there either. And what was truly alarming — she had finally realized what the convoy was missing.

Yu Jingfeng and the Feilong Shi’er Qi were gone.

Impossible. Impossible. How could this be? Impossible. They could not simply not be here.

It was Feng Jiu’er. It had to be Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er had lured her into Sharp Wolf Mountain — while she herself had found a way to take A’Jiu and leave. She must have gone through Black Tiger Mountain.

How could this have happened?

“Empress, be careful — there is an ambush!” Qing Ye suddenly cried out.

Before Nanmen Rong had even fully grasped the situation, the Longqi Army brothers had already locked into their formation.

Battle was on the verge of erupting…

…

Feng Jiu’er had indeed not taken Sharp Wolf Mountain. And just as the Empress had deduced — after coaxing the Empress and her vast contingent into Sharp Wolf Mountain, she herself had slipped away with the Ninth Prince and the Feilong Shi’er Qi brothers and entered Black Tiger Mountain instead.

By now, the small convoy moving in calm and peace had already passed through Black Tiger Mountain and arrived at Desert City under cover of night.

No ambush. No wolf packs. Level ground the whole way — it was naturally a much faster journey.

And yet… Leng Yue fixed her gaze on Feng Jiu’er, who was sitting at the table eating a late-night meal, and wore an expression of utter contempt.

“You actually coaxed that old woman down a road of death just to secure your own safety. Feng Jiu’er, you are truly ruthless!”

By now, everyone understood. The ambush at Black Tiger Mountain had been real.

But before they had entered, the dispute between Feng Jiu’er and the Empress had made enough of a scene that word of Feng Jiu’er claiming Black Tiger Mountain was dangerous had spread throughout the entire convoy. Feng Jiu’er had long suspected there was a spy for those people within the convoy — and so she had deliberately made such a commotion, knowing for certain that the spy would pass along the news of their change of route to Sharp Wolf Mountain.

And indeed — when they passed through Black Tiger Mountain that night, the way was completely unobstructed. Not the slightest hindrance.

As a further precaution, she had sent the Feilong Shi’er Qi brothers ahead first. She and the Ninth Prince, along with Emperor Ji and Leng Yue, set out from behind, ensuring there was no chance of anything going wrong.

Now that they had made it through, they were at ease. On Sharp Wolf Mountain, the battle was presumably still raging.

Feng Jiu’er paid no mind to Leng Yue’s accusations. To someone who already looked at you with displeasure, your every virtue was invisible — while your every flaw, however small, would be magnified beyond measure.

She ladled a spoonful of congee and brought it to Zhan Qingcheng’s lips. “Ninth Imperial Uncle, you must finish this entire bowl. I added medicine to it — it will do your body good.”

Leng Yue, however, was staring at the congee with an expression of pure disgust. “It is pitch black. If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was human blood. Something so unpleasant to look at — are you truly going to make the Young Master finish it all?”