“Nine…” Jiu’er’s eyes went wide, and she instinctively clutched at Zhan Qingcheng’s lapels.

Ninth Imperial Uncle’s presence enveloped her completely — cold and clear, yet threaded through with a deep warmth, like a vast ocean swallowing her whole.

Yet within those waters, she could breathe freely, even swim at ease.

The hands gripping his lapels — beginning with that instinctive resistance — by the end were pulling him toward her of their own accord.

Feng Jiu’er closed her eyes, her body growing so soft it was as though she had no bones.

There was no escaping it. No escaping Ninth Imperial Uncle’s forcefulness, no escaping his tenderness — well, to anyone else, a little indulgence wouldn’t count as tenderness. But for a Ninth Imperial Uncle who had always been hard-edged through and through, this truly was, without any exaggeration, the rarest, smallest measure of softness he had ever shown.

Ninth Imperial Uncle — more beautiful than any woman, yet iron-boned and unyielding in every other respect, a wolf upon the battlefield.

And this wolf had now given her the greatest tenderness of his entire life…

She was leaving tomorrow. In this moment, she suddenly wanted so desperately to give him everything.

A separation of months — perhaps longer. She would miss him terribly. Miss him to the point of agony.

Those past six months — even if she had appeared carefree on the surface — whenever the night grew deep and still, whenever she was alone, the longing would crawl through her like Gu Poison, making every cell in her body ache and convulse.

She would miss him so terribly. Miss Ninth Imperial Uncle so terribly…

Jiu’er’s hand, without her noticing, followed Ninth Imperial Uncle’s lapels and crept inward, step by step.

His firm chest radiated a heat that could burn a person alive — yet this version of Ninth Imperial Uncle held an utterly boundless allure.

She loved this chest so much. Loved the feeling of touching his muscle, every ridge and line. Loved…

“Little girl, come back to yourself.” The man’s voice had grown a little hoarse, carrying a distinct quality of barely-suppressed restraint.

But compared to the thickness of a moment ago, it now held several more degrees of clarity and composure.

Feng Jiu’er pouted, fixing her gaze on his face — which was unmistakably flushed with a tinge of red. “Ninth Imperial Uncle…”

A feline voice, carrying the faintest trace of dissatisfaction. A silent protest at his sudden stop.

Was this… the sound of unfulfilled longing?

If the circumstances were right, Zhan Qingcheng would have satisfied her completely — no matter what she asked for.

But right now… “I hear the head of the Sky-First Manor, Lan Yue, has come to find you.”

“Uncle?” Feng Jiu’er blinked again. This time, at last, she managed to reclaim a sliver of reason.

The atmosphere in the room was off!

She snapped her head around — when had Xue Gu and Qiao Mu appeared in the room?

“Where is Uncle?” Hadn’t she been told Uncle was coming to see her?

Qiao Mu gave a light cough, her face flushed a brilliant red — though she did not dare raise her head.

After all, she had caught a glimpse by accident just now, and the Ninth Prince’s dangerous glare had instantly driven her eyes away. She hadn’t even managed to look properly!

What a pity. She should have looked carefully. Because the Ninth Prince in this state — utterly, breathtakingly seductive beyond all measure — was a sight she might never have another chance to witness in this lifetime.

Such a shame, such a shame! She had wanted to look so desperately it was driving her mad, yet she simply could not dare — ah, ah, ah, ah! She wanted to look so badly! So badly!

The Ninth Prince with disheveled robes was simply devastatingly beautiful. Why, why couldn’t she steal another glance? Ah, ah, ah, ah! She wanted to see! She wanted to!

Xue Gu, though her face was also a little warm, was a woman of considerable years and managed to remain relatively composed.

“Master Lan Yue is waiting in the side hall. Young miss — would you like to receive him?”

“Of course!” Uncle rarely came to find her — how could she not see him? Besides, she was leaving tonight. Even if Uncle had not come to her, she would have gone to see him and her grandfather herself.

But then it occurred to her, and Feng Jiu’er felt a surge of anxiety. Uncle’s injuries were nearly healed — once she left the capital, would he immediately resume his plans to assassinate Emperor Qiwen?

Yet such an assassination would be utterly pointless. The person behind everything had not yet been found. Killing Emperor Qiwen would accomplish nothing.

But Uncle’s hatred for Emperor Qiwen was carved into his very bones. What if the moment she left, he immediately set out to strike? What then?

If it were exposed, both Uncle and Grandfather would be in grave danger. How could she leave with any peace of mind?

“Young miss — perhaps you should freshen up first?”

Qiao Mu had already quietly retreated to the doorway. Only Xue Gu could still calmly offer a reminder to this girl.

Feng Jiu’er nodded. “I understand. I’ll get ready and head over now.”

Xue Gu gave a small nod, and at last also turned and left.

In a moment, only Jiu’er and Zhan Qingcheng remained in the room once more.

But — the expressions on Qiao Mu and Xue Gu’s faces just now had looked stranger and stranger. As if she had done something outrageous.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, I’m going to go see…” She turned around — and in the next instant, froze completely.

The sight of Ninth Imperial Uncle with his robes in disarray nearly sent her mind spiraling into madness. But now was not the time for infatuated staring. The real question was — why were Ninth Imperial Uncle’s robes in disarray?

His outer robe was already wide open, his chest dimly visible — but that wasn’t the main point. The most critical question was — what were her hands doing?

Why was she leaning against his chest… with fingers that were decidedly not behaving?

“Ah…”

The terrified shriek startled Yanu, who had been bringing warm water, into a moment of stunned confusion. He immediately quickened his pace toward the room to see what had happened to Jiu’er.

Before he could even reach the door, Qiao Mu blocked his path.

“Jiu’er is fine — it’s just… she may have discovered that she did something rather outrageous.”

Yanu stared wide-eyed, completely at a loss.

Qiao Mu had already lost all ability to form coherent sentences. Her mind was filled entirely with the image of the Ninth Prince having his lapels pulled open, his body violated.

The more she thought about it, the weaker her legs became — she could barely stand.

She also desperately wanted to tear open the Ninth Prince’s robes — heavens! That was not truly what she felt in the depths of her heart. She absolutely did not harbor such filthy thoughts!

The Ninth Prince was so pure and sacred — he must not be violated by others in such a manner! One must not even entertain the thought!

Was it really right for Jiu’er to bully him like this? She also desperately wanted to do the bullying — ah, ah, ah, ah! She truly wanted to, so desperately!

She wanted to pull open the Ninth Prince’s lapels, she wanted to caress his chest, she wanted to… heavens! She needed a bucket of cold water. She was losing control of herself!

With a swish, Qiao Mu vanished without a trace.

Yanu was completely dumbfounded — he had no idea what had happened to Qiao Mu, nor what on earth Jiu’er was doing inside.

“I’ll bring this water in.” Xue Gu took the basin from his hands, then said, “You go prepare some refreshments and send them to the side hall. Jiu’er needs to go to the side hall to receive Master Lan Yue.”

Yanu’s gaze still reached past her, fixed on that tightly shut door.

Xue Gu urged him on. “Go on.”

Only then did Yanu pull his gaze away, give a nod, and turn to leave — though he could not help glancing back at the door one more time.

Jiu’er’s cry just now — why had it sounded so… desperate? And yet also… so terribly shy?