Day after day, the sun rose and set in its endless cycle — until one morning at dawn, the faint outline of a coastline could be made out in the distance.

“Miss Jiu’er, we are here — we are almost there!”

One of the brothers who had risen early called out with great excitement.

Very soon, more and more people gathered on the deck.

Feng Jiu’er had not even had a chance to wash up before Qiao Mu dragged her out onto the deck.

Looking at the land growing steadily clearer before them, Feng Jiu’er’s smile shone all the more brilliantly in the light of the rising sun.

The ship continued to press forward. Though the brothers’ bodies were still on board, their hearts seemed to have already left the black abyss behind.

They had an early midday meal, and at last everyone returned to a land of mountains and rivers, flowers and grass.

Yet as it happened, before they had even entered the Black Gorge, someone stepped out to block their path.

Noticing that the brothers up ahead had come to a stop, Zhao Yusheng immediately walked to the front.

He took one look at who it was, then glanced back over his shoulder.

“Jiu’er, it is fine — these are my people.”

With that, Zhao Yusheng moved quickly through the crowd and made his way to the very front of the group.

“Young Head, is it really you?”

The person leading the other group recognized Zhao Yusheng at once.

“Yes.”

Zhao Yusheng came to stand before his brother and gave a nod.

“Young Head, thank goodness you have returned. Otherwise, Madam, she…” one of the brothers said.

“What has happened to my mother?”

Zhao Yusheng looked at the one who had spoken and immediately frowned.

“Ever since you left, Madam has been ill. It is fortunate that you have returned safely.”

The brother replied.

“We searched the entire Black Gorge and could not find any trace of you, so we had no choice but to stand guard here. It is a relief beyond measure that you have come back safely.”

“Young Head, please come back with us at once.”

The man at the front said.

Zhao Yusheng looked back into the crowd at that small, slight figure, and a look of uncertainty crossed his face.

At last, he let out a quiet sigh and turned to look at the man at the front.

The man at the front immediately stepped forward, coming to Zhao Yusheng’s side.

Zhao Yusheng leaned close and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, said a few words.

A look of apprehension crossed the man’s face, yet he listened until Zhao Yusheng had finished before replying in a low voice, “Young Head, if you do this, the Head will certainly be furious.”

“Do as I have told you. I have no time to explain right now. This matter must not reach my father’s ears — is that clear?”

Zhao Yusheng spoke in a low, steady tone.

The man raised his eyes and glanced at the people not far away, then at last gave a nod.

“Very well — understood. Young Head, go see how Madam is doing.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Yusheng gave a brief nod, then turned and made his way back through the crowd.

He came to Feng Jiu’er’s side, spoke a few words, and then departed.

The interception by Zhao Family Stronghold had not taken up much time.

Feng Jiu’er led everyone along the route Zhao Yusheng had described, and they passed through the Black Gorge with ease, arriving at the place Zhao Yusheng had mentioned.

It was a small gorge. Once through it, the road ahead was the only passage that led back to Phoenix City.

By the time they reached the small gorge, night had already fallen deep and dark.

Looking at the fine horses grazing here and there outside a wooden cabin, Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu walked toward it with satisfied smiles.

“Zhao Yusheng’s efficiency really is something to be admired.”

Feng Jiu’er gave one of the horses an approving pat.

“With these fine horses, we will be able to reach Phoenix City by tomorrow.”

Qiao Mu was stroking the mane of another horse.

Feng Jiu’er glanced back at Qiao Mu, the corners of her mouth curving upward.

“Zhao Yusheng also said there would be food prepared inside the cabin — why do you not go and have a look?”

This was something Feng Jiu’er had not mentioned to anyone.

They had been traveling for nearly twenty consecutive hours, living on dry rations the entire way. She had been looking forward to giving the brothers a pleasant surprise.

“He did not! That Young Head was actually this thorough?”

The words were tinged with skepticism, yet Qiao Mu had already spun around and was heading straight for the cabin.

She had not smelled anything when they arrived — but now that Jiu’er had mentioned it, she was somehow quite certain she could smell something.

As Qiao Mu drew close to the cabin, several pinpoints of candlelight flickered to life inside.

Qiao Mu furrowed her brow and glanced back over her shoulder.

By now Feng Jiu’er had caught up behind her.

“If it is not Zhao Yusheng, it is someone from his people. Either way, it looks to be just the one person — surely Miss Qiao is not actually frightened?”

“Of course not.”

Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow, turned, and continued forward.

Sure enough, a man stepped out to meet them from inside the cabin.

Not only Feng Jiu’er, but Qiao Mu as well immediately recognized him — he was the same man Zhao Yusheng had given his instructions to the day before.

“Young Madam, I am one of the Young Head’s people,” the man said, addressing Feng Jiu’er. “There is food prepared inside — please help yourselves to your fill.”

“Also, the Young Head says for Young Madam and the brothers to rest here tonight. Should anything unexpected arise, he will notify you at the very first moment.”

Before Feng Jiu’er even had a chance to respond, the man clasped his hands together.

“Young Madam, I will take my leave now. My men are keeping watch on the hillside behind us. If the Head’s people come this way, we will report to you immediately.”

The moment he finished speaking, the man gave a brief nod, turned, and walked out the back of the cabin. In an instant he had vanished from sight.

When Jian Yi and Mu Mu arrived, the man who had come out of the cabin was already heading around back, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

“Jiu’er, who was that?”

Jian Yi came forward and asked in a low voice.

There had been no order to pursue. He had not given it a second thought.

“The cook.”

Feng Jiu’er tossed out those few words and continued walking inside.

Qiao Mu, who had already caught the aroma, had no attention left to spare for Feng Jiu’er’s breezy remark.

Her stomach was rumbling. Right now, all she cared about was tending to it.

“Can this be…” Staring at dish after dish of greens, fish, sweet potatoes, rice, hot congee, steamed buns, and more, Qiao Mu’s wide eyes filled with nothing but food.

Watching Qiao Mu pick up a pair of chopsticks and reach straight for a chicken leg, Feng Jiu’er grabbed her own pair of chopsticks and gave the back of Qiao Mu’s hand a firm tap.

The pain in her hand made Qiao Mu’s fingers slip, and the plump chicken leg slid back into the dish.

“Jiu’er, there are still plenty of chicken legs — was that really necessary…” Qiao Mu turned to complain, only to find Feng Jiu’er already opening her needle case and pulling out two silver needles.

Raising an eyebrow, Qiao Mu thought better of saying anything more. After all, it was her own carelessness.

Watching Jiu’er probe the chicken dish with the needles for some time, Qiao Mu shifted her attention to the vegetables nearby and immediately asked, “Well? Can the chicken be eaten?”

“It can. You would do well not to eat it all yourself, though.”

Feng Jiu’er paid her no further heed, moving on to test the other dishes with her silver needles.

“Of course.”

Qiao Mu murmured her agreement — but the chicken leg had already been lifted from the dish once more.

By the time she had polished off a whole chicken leg, she finally looked back at the others who had come in.

“Jian Yi, General Mu — eat up. Jiu’er says it is safe.”

Once Feng Jiu’er had finished testing all the dishes, Qiao Mu had more or less eaten her fill.

“Jiu’er, Jian Yi, Long Shi’er, and I will bring some out to the brothers. You take a portion to the Fourth Prince and the Ninth Prince — they must be hungry.”

A little guilty, and without waiting for Feng Jiu’er to say a word, Qiao Mu took the initiative and got to work.

On that cold night, to be able to sip a bowl of hot congee alongside dishes of fish and meat — all piping hot — was more than anyone had hoped for.

The weariness on the brothers’ faces dissolved in an instant.