Zhao Yusheng sat not far away, casting the occasional glance at Feng Jiu’er. From start to finish he said nothing, as though there was something buried in his heart.

After giving a brief account of everything, Feng Jiu’er sat down with everyone for the midday meal.

When the meal was over, she rose to her feet and walked over to Zhao Yusheng.

“You — come with me inside.”

Feng Jiu’er stopped in front of Zhao Yusheng.

Zhao Yusheng looked up at her, momentarily confused.

He furrowed his brow, glanced to his left and right, and only once he had confirmed that Jiu’er was indeed calling for him did he stand up.

Feng Jiu’er withdrew her gaze, turned, and headed into the ship’s cabin.

Inside the cabin, space had been cleared along both sides for those aboard the ship to eat and rest.

Since everyone on the ship today was a man, unafraid of the elements and in high spirits, naturally they preferred to stay outside in the open air.

When Feng Jiu’er stepped inside, the resting cabin was empty.

She sat down at one of the tables and gestured for Zhao Yusheng to take the seat across from her.

Once Zhao Yusheng had settled into his seat, he looked at Feng Jiu’er.

“My lady, now that we have returned, will you come with me back to Zhao Family Stronghold?”

Feng Jiu’er leveled an exasperated look at the one who had spoken.

“Zhao Yusheng, I have made myself very clear — I am not your lady. Please stop feeling obligated to take responsibility because of what happened at the wedding ceremony.”

“First: you and I both know perfectly well that we have no feelings for each other. Second: even you are unwilling to stay in Zhao Family Stronghold — how could you possibly expect me to go back there with you?”

“This was my first time going through a wedding ceremony. How can I not take it seriously?”

Zhao Yusheng looked at Feng Jiu’er, his expression earnest.

“For as long as you are my lady — even a single day — I must ensure your safety. That is what I believe a true man is obligated to do.”

Feng Jiu’er thought she might lose her mind. Were all people from ancient times this impossibly principled?

“I have told you a hundred times — I was forced into it at the time, and you know that perfectly well, do you not?”

“And what I said was that I was Bai Jiu’er — not Feng Jiu’er. Not Feng Jiu’er! Do you understand?”

She let out a quiet sigh, and her voice continued.

“I am genuinely grateful for your help on the journey to the Feng Clan — but that gratitude does not amount to anything romantic between us.”

“There is absolutely nothing between us in the way of love or affection. Surely you would not want a fake wedding ceremony to waste away the rest of my life?”

Even as she said it, Feng Jiu’er knew she was being a little harsh — but this was the sort of thing that had to be stated plainly. Leaving things vague and tangled would serve neither of them well.

“I, Feng Jiu’er, may well marry someone one day — and so will you. You will meet a woman you truly care for.”

“We are young people. We cannot be as stubborn as the older generation, nor can we allow ourselves to be ruined by their ways.”

“Zhao Yusheng — a lifetime is neither too long nor too short. Surely you would not want to spend it regretting your choices when you are old, would you?”

Feng Jiu’er found it truly sad — here she was, only a teenager, and yet she was saying the kinds of things an eighty-year-old grandmother might say.

“I have no regrets!”

Zhao Yusheng’s one answer sent Feng Jiu’er plummeting to the bottom of a valley.

“Zhao Yusheng!”

She glared at him and called his name sharply.

She wanted him to understand, but the way he looked — he was still the same as always, not one bit changed.

Just as Feng Jiu’er was at a complete loss, on the verge of losing her composure, Zhao Yusheng’s voice came again.

“Jiu’er, I will not pretend otherwise — these past days, though fraught with danger, have made me feel as though I have truly lived for once.”

“You are right. Zhao Family Stronghold is not a place I wish to return to either. Naturally I should not drag you back there.”

“So, Jiu’er.”

Zhao Yusheng leaned forward, reaching out to take Feng Jiu’er’s hands in his.

Feng Jiu’er stepped back at once, her expression wary.

“What do you think you are doing?”

It was rare to see Zhao Yusheng so emotional. Caught off guard, Feng Jiu’er was genuinely startled.

Zhao Yusheng shook his head, a faint smile crossing his face, and sat back down in his chair.

“I have no designs on anything. I only want to follow you and conquer the world at your side — and guard you as I would a lady.”

“I…” Zhao Yusheng held Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, his expression utterly sincere. “I will never regret it. Not in this lifetime.”

Feng Jiu’er gave him a sidelong look and said, “If you wish to follow — I welcome that, of course. But as for the ‘lady’ business, that ends here and now. Do not bring it up again.”

“The truth is, nothing could ever happen between you and me. If you keep calling me that, it will damage my reputation — do you understand?”

Being called a lady by one man while being intimate with another — how could that be acceptable?

“You truly are willing to let me follow you?”

Zhao Yusheng’s eyes went wide, his expression lighting up.

“You are a capable person — why would I refuse?”

Feng Jiu’er replied lightly. “Though you also know that keeping company with me is no easy thing…”

“That is of no matter.” Zhao Yusheng became animated at once and leaned forward again.

“Stop right there.”

Feng Jiu’er seemed to have already seen this coming.

In truth, there was nothing particularly wrong with this fellow — he was simply a little too rigid in his thinking.

If one set aside the matter of the wedding ceremony between them, Feng Jiu’er was actually quite content to keep Zhao Yusheng around.

Zhao Yusheng chuckled and scratched the back of his head, then settled into his seat.

Looking at this somewhat silly and earnest fellow before her, Feng Jiu’er steadied herself and turned serious.

“In truth, have you ever thought about the brothers back at Zhao Family Stronghold who are around your age? Are they truly living happily there?”

“They possess formidable skills, yet have absolutely no place to put those skills to use.”

“Zhao Yusheng, I do not know whether you have ever heard a saying: the greatest tragedy of a person’s life is living only in order to eat.”

Seeing the slight confusion in the young man’s expression, Feng Jiu’er immediately explained. “Eating, I mean having your meals. Taking your meals.”

“Think about it — is that not precisely what the people at Zhao Family Stronghold are doing now? Living only to fill their stomachs.”

“As though filling one’s stomach is all that is needed, and a person need have no other pursuit in life.”

“But someone who truly wants to live a life of meaning — eating is merely a means to stay alive. Because only by staying alive can one go on to accomplish things that truly matter.”

She raised an eyebrow and let out a soft sigh.

“I do not know whether you follow my meaning. I only feel it is a tremendous shame that Zhao Family Stronghold is so full of talent, and yet all of it goes to waste.”

“I understand.”

Zhao Yusheng gave a nod. “Yet the difficulty is…” “I know — the people of Zhao Family Stronghold have always had a deep aversion to submitting to others and unifying under a single banner. And what happened over a hundred years ago was, in truth, a real event.”

“But it all happened so long ago — and the rulers of this land have changed hands many times since then, have they not?”

Feng Jiu’er waved her hand.

“I am not asking you to go back this very moment and persuade everyone. You can let people choose for themselves.”

“If you could truly find a worthy lord — serve him, help him build his dominion — that would be no bad thing at all.”

“The elderly may prefer peace and quiet and have no ambitions of their own. But what about the young? You left — would you truly allow your brothers to go on drifting through their days in a daze, one after another?”

Feng Jiu’er rose to her feet and gave Zhao Yusheng’s shoulder a light pat.

“Go back and talk it over properly with your brothers. There is no need to hurry and come find me.”

Zhao Yusheng met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, and in the depths of his eyes, a flame gradually kindled.

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together lightly, turned, and walked away.