After enduring countless hardships, the brothers finally boarded the steamship bound back for Beimu Kingdom.

In the largest cabin on board, Feng Jiu’er sat at the bedside, holding Zhan Qingcheng’s large hand.

“Master Jingxin used her internal energy to awaken the latent ability within your body, allowing your true energy to merge on its own. With a little rest, you’ll recover fully.”

“But Master Jingxin, she…”

Feng Jiu’er sighed softly. If not for having learned the nun’s name from Mu Mu, she still wouldn’t even know it now.

Seeing how the nun had been willing to risk her own life to save her Ninth Imperial Uncle filled her with deep admiration.

It was just a shame that, after this parting, there was no telling when they might meet again.

“What will become of her?” Zhan Qingcheng’s voice came out somewhat hoarse.

“I don’t know.” Feng Jiu’er shook her head. “Such a grave injury is hard to escape, and yet she chose to stay behind, alone.”

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, who… exactly is she?”

“My master.” Zhan Qingcheng answered without hesitation.

It seemed he had no intention of keeping it hidden any longer.

“Wasn’t your master Emperor Ji?” Feng Jiu’er’s slightly furrowed brow soon relaxed. “No wonder your martial skill surpasses even Emperor Ji’s.”

Turning her gaze back to Zhan Qingcheng, she composed herself, then leaned her arms against his and rested her head against his shoulder.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, you’re too good to me—I don’t even know what I should do anymore.”

Before Zhan Qingcheng could respond, Feng Jiu’er sighed again and sat up.

“Never mind, don’t say anything!” She reached out a slender finger to press against his thin lips and shook her head.

“Even if you said it, I don’t know if I could do it. Either way, I’ll do my very best to repay you.”

Just as Zhan Qingcheng seemed about to speak, Feng Jiu’er withdrew her small hand, stood up, and tucked his large hand back beneath the blanket.

“Rest for a while. I’ll go check on the brothers.”

Knowing her Ninth Imperial Uncle wasn’t one for expressing himself, Feng Jiu’er didn’t want to press him further.

Besides, her own status was so unusual—she couldn’t be sure she could give him everything he might want, could she?

Some things were perhaps better left unsaid. If said and not fulfilled, both of them would only end up hurt.

Looking at the man on the bed, Feng Jiu’er curved her lips slightly and turned to leave.

“For a lifetime, never to part.” Just as she walked toward the door, Zhan Qingcheng’s deep, resonant voice came from behind her.

A lifetime, never to part!

Was that really all her Ninth Imperial Uncle wanted?

For her sake, he had been gravely wounded again and again, even abandoning everyone else—just so they would never be separated?

This fool was just too foolish!

“I almost expected you to say something about giving you eight or ten children.”

Feng Jiu’er let out a small laugh, pushed open the cabin door, and walked out.

Closing the door behind her, she let out a long breath, and when she turned around, a faint smile still lingered on her face.

After making her rounds checking on the various cabins, Feng Jiu’er finally stepped out onto the deck.

On deck, Qiao Mu had put on a thick coat and sat off to one side, quietly watching the land grow distant.

Feng Jiu’er made a full circuit of the deck, confirming that the brothers were all safe, before coming to sit beside Qiao Mu.

“What are you thinking about?” Handing Qiao Mu two steamed buns, Feng Jiu’er asked softly.

Qiao Mu turned to look at Feng Jiu’er, took the buns without hesitation, and bit into one.

“Nothing much.” She tossed out a few words and took an unbothered bite of her bun.

“Thinking about him?” Feng Jiu’er followed the direction of Qiao Mu’s gaze and raised an eyebrow.

“I wonder how he’s doing right now?” Qiao Mu said, looking at the land with a regretful expression.

Suddenly, she turned and grabbed Feng Jiu’er’s arm.

“Jiu’er, do you think his Imperial Father will kill him? For everyone’s sake, he even deployed poison against his own people.”

“I thought you were thinking about Yanu.” Feng Jiu’er met Qiao Mu’s gaze, a look of disbelief crossing her face.

“Qiao Mu, just admit it—you’ve fallen for my Third Imperial Brother, haven’t you?”

Qiao Mu shot Feng Jiu’er a glare and let go of her arm.

Turning back to look at the distant land, she stuffed the rest of her half-eaten bun into her mouth.

“How could that be? We’re all brothers and sisters here—now that we’ve all left and only he remains behind alone, isn’t it natural for me to worry?”

“The other brothers are worried too, you just never asked them.”

Feng Jiu’er gently patted Qiao Mu’s shoulder and nodded.

“Right, everyone’s worried. But you’re the only one staring at the Feng Clan’s land like some lovesick statue waiting for her husband’s return.”

“A lovesick statue?” Qiao Mu turned to look at Feng Jiu’er, narrowing her eyes.

“You’re the lovesick statue! The one I like is Yanu, and yes, I miss him too—I just don’t need to say it out loud all the time.”

“What about you? Didn’t you say everyone who came would go back together? Why doesn’t it bother you that one person’s missing?”

Meeting Qiao Mu’s gaze, Feng Jiu’er found herself smiling without realizing it.

“Are you saying all our brothers made it onto the ship?”

This, without question, was the best news of the day.

After escorting Zhan Qingcheng aboard earlier, Feng Jiu’er had been in the cabin tending to her man’s injuries this whole time.

In truth, she had never stopped worrying about what might be happening outside.

After all, everyone had come to the Feng Clan’s lands for her sake.

When she’d come out just now, the first thing Feng Jiu’er had done was glance toward the mainland.

Knowing they had pulled away from the coastline, she’d felt relief—but also worry, wondering if any of the brothers had been left behind.

Thankfully, everyone had made it aboard.

“Mm.” Qiao Mu nodded. “Except for Yanu.”

She knew, of course, exactly what Feng Jiu’er had been worried about—so she had no intention of making too much of it with the woman now caught up in her joy.

How could she so easily overlook the fact that Yanu was missing?

Feng Jiu’er sighed softly, looking at the side of Qiao Mu’s face.

“Yanu belongs to Feng Qiongcang. He refused to leave, and there’s nothing I could do about it. As for my Third Imperial Brother…”

“For now, I just hope he can pull through. Feng Qiongcang raised him for over twenty years—as long as he still has some use to him, Feng Qiongcang won’t kill him.”

“I hope my Third Imperial Brother can withstand whatever test Feng Qiongcang puts him through. As for the Feng Clan—sooner or later, I will return.”

Turning her gaze, Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu watched together as the land slowly vanished from view.

“But escaping execution doesn’t mean escaping punishment.”

Thinking of how her Third Imperial Brother had simply taken her out for a walk beyond the palace, only to be beaten and thrown into some lightless underground cell by Feng Qiongcang, Feng Jiu’er’s heart ached.

This time, her Third Brother’s offense was a grave one—there was no telling what punishment awaited him.

Qiao Mu said nothing further until she’d finished her bun, then asked quietly, “Jiu’er, when will we come back?”

“The day my army is strong enough to stand against Feng Qiongcang—that will be the day I, Feng Jiu’er, return to the Feng Clan.” Feng Jiu’er’s brow furrowed as she spoke firmly.

The Feng Clan belonged to her father—how could it be allowed to remain in Feng Qiongcang’s hands?

Besides, the Feng Clan still held a powerful divine technique manual. Only by finding that manual could her father’s martial power possibly be restored—Feng Jiu’er could not forget that.

But just when that day would finally come, no one could say.