Jian Yi met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, curved his lips slightly, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I’ve had a taste of the Crown Prince’s martial skill before, and besides, this isn’t the first time I’ve done something like this, is it?”

“I won’t allow it!” Feng Jiu’er’s tone immediately turned heavy.

She glared at him, her expression stern and serious.

“Whether it’s you, or Qiao Mu, Xing Zizhou, Xiao Yingtao, Xue Gu, and Tuoba Keyan—we’re all family now.”

“Don’t go thinking about this ‘boss’ business or whatever. Either way, without my orders, you can’t…”

Feng Jiu’er sat down beside Jian Yi, and before she finished speaking, she suddenly fell silent.

“Right, someone should go. But it’s not you who’s going—it’s me.”

Patting Jian Yi’s shoulder lightly, Feng Jiu’er lowered her head and pulled on her boots.

“The Crown Prince isn’t a cold-blooded person. Seeing his own soldiers wounded, he must feel bad about it too.”

“And the people of Yamu City—if he knew the current situation inside the city, perhaps he’d be willing to make peace too.”

Watching the woman before him tidying her long hair, Jian Yi stood up and walked over.

“Jiu’er, you can’t go!” Jian Yi reached out his large hand and grabbed Feng Jiu’er’s slender arm.

“Haven’t you heard—on the battlefield, there’s no father and son? Besides, you and the Crown Prince never had much of a relationship to begin with.”

Feng Jiu’er shook off Jian Yi’s hand and turned to look at him.

“How do you know my relationship with the Crown Prince isn’t deep?” She curved her lips slightly and continued, “The Crown Prince isn’t a bad person—of that much I’m certain.”

“There’s not much of a relationship between us, but for a Crown Prince who loves his people like his own children, if peace is possible, he probably doesn’t want the fighting to continue either.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Feng Jiu’er looked up at Jian Yi.

“How about this—you come with me? For such a difficult task, there’s no one more suitable than you.”

Jian Yi met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, took a deep breath, turned to strap on his sword, and came back to her side once more.

“If you truly insist on this, I must stay by your side.”

Jian Yi had originally wanted to sneak into the enemy camp alone, but worried that if he suddenly vanished, this woman would grow anxious.

After much deliberation, he had finally decided to voice his thoughts—only to find this was the result he got in return.

“Good!” Feng Jiu’er patted Jian Yi’s shoulder lightly, turned, and walked out.

Jian Yi said nothing and followed close behind.

In a tent not far away, Qiao Mu’s resounding voice rang out: “No! I don’t agree!”

“Big Sister, do you want everyone to know I’m leaving?” Feng Jiu’er shot Qiao Mu a look.

“I’m here to inform you, not to ask your opinion.”

“For Jian Yi and me to go into the enemy camp like this—to put it plainly, there’s certainly no guarantee we’ll come back.”

“If we don’t come back for a while, the army’s affairs will be left to you. Put the brothers’ lives first in everything—don’t let emotions get in the way.”

“Jiu’er, I don’t…”

“Look at you—I haven’t even left yet, and you’ve already lost the composure a general should have.” Feng Jiu’er cut off Qiao Mu’s words.

Qiao Mu let out a heavy breath, trying her best to keep her voice down.

“Jiu’er, I’m not at ease about this! Let Jian Yi stay behind—I’ll go with you instead.”

“Is your martial skill as good as Jian Yi’s? Or do you think your strategic mind is inferior to his?” Feng Jiu’er looked at Qiao Mu and asked in a low voice.

Qiao Mu said nothing, because she knew very well that Feng Jiu’er’s decisions were always the best arrangement.

Letting out a soft sigh, Feng Jiu’er’s voice rose again: “You know perfectly well the answer to both questions is no, isn’t it?”

“So please be good and stay behind, and wait for news, alright?”

“Qiao Mu, I know you’re worried about me, but the situation is urgent right now, and I have no choice but to take this risk.”

“Each of you has your own strengths. I chose to tell you because I believe you have the ability to keep the army’s morale steady.”

“Alright, enough talk—the army’s affairs are entrusted to you for now. Take good care of the brothers for me.”

“Jiu’er.” Qiao Mu called out softly.

Feng Jiu’er met her gaze, brows furrowing slightly.

“Is there something else?”

Qiao Mu blinked, and in the end shook her head.

“Fine, I’ll stay.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded, looking relieved. “Don’t deploy troops rashly, understood?”

“If the Crown Prince really intends to wipe us out, Jian Yi and I still have our own ways of escaping.”

“No! At the very least there has to be a time limit.” Given the situation, Qiao Mu had no choice but to accept the facts.

“If the time limit passes and you and Jian Yi still haven’t returned, we’ll attack and break in.”

Feng Jiu’er composed herself and shook her head.

“Sorry! There really isn’t one.”

What would happen after a failed peace negotiation—she didn’t have time to think that far ahead.

Just as Qiao Mu was about to say something, Feng Jiu’er’s voice rose again: “Everything will proceed just as it has these past few days.”

“As long as the enemy doesn’t move, we hold our position here—nothing should change because of what happens to Jian Yi and me.”

“Jiu’er, if you…”

“Qiao Mu.” Feng Jiu’er cut her off again. “I’ll say it once more—nothing about any of this should change because of me.”

“You must understand, you have tens of thousands of troops under your command. One change could affect the fate of tens of thousands of people. Understood?”

Meeting Feng Jiu’er’s resolute gaze, in the end Qiao Mu let out a soft sigh and nodded.

“Alright, I understand. You two must be careful!”

“No matter what happens, Jian Yi and I will never abandon all of you. Don’t worry—we will come back.” Feng Jiu’er patted Qiao Mu’s shoulder gently.

“Wait a while before letting Xue Gu know about this, so she won’t try to stop us.”

“Alright.” Qiao Mu nodded again.

Feng Jiu’er met her gaze and curved her lips slightly.

“Don’t look so down! That’s not like our Qiao family’s eldest daughter at all.”

Since continuing like this would only mean more and more people getting hurt, even knowing it was a gamble, Feng Jiu’er felt she had to make this trip.

After reassuring Qiao Mu, Feng Jiu’er and Jian Yi left the camp.

They didn’t head straight into the enemy’s main camp, but circled around the outside of the camp first before finding the right chance to approach.

By the time the Crown Prince’s men discovered Feng Jiu’er and Jian Yi, the two of them were already very close to the center of the camp.

Hearing there were assassins, Zhan Yuheng walked out of the main tent.

Seeing the figures standing on a tent not far away, Zhan Yuheng gave a light wave of his hand.

The soldiers closing in on Feng Jiu’er, seeing this, immediately stopped in their tracks.

Feng Jiu’er, clad in dark battle robes, had her petite figure outlined unmistakably.

She stood atop a slender bamboo pole at the peak of the tent, yet remained as steady as a mountain, without the slightest wobble—one glance was enough to tell her martial skill was formidable.

Her raven-black hair fluttered in the wind, her delicate face fully revealed before everyone’s eyes.

Under the sunlight, that exquisite face was breathtakingly beautiful, beautiful enough to overturn a city.

Such a perfect woman—one glance was enough to leave an impression for a lifetime.