Leaving the inner room, Feng Jiu’er settled into the main seat outside and picked up the letters beside her.

After three days and nights of unconsciousness, her inner energy seemed to have deepened by yet another level.

A pity she still had no control over that particular flow of vital energy.

What was Father’s situation now? And the Ninth Imperial Uncle — was he all right?

She missed the days when they were beside her. Perhaps they could help her untangle the things she could not yet work through on her own.

Whatever the case, things had come to a temporary pause for now. Thinking about the path ahead — that was what mattered most.

Feng Qingyin had waited nearly the entire night, and still Ling Long had not returned.

She could not go and ask after her, and even the people she sent could not find out anything from that side.

It was not until close to daybreak that the sleepless woman finally drifted off.

When Feng Qingyin woke, it was already past the ninth hour of the morning.

Seeing no Ling Long waiting beside her, she called out in a low voice: “Someone come!”

Two palace maids heard and hurried in.

Seeing that it was her own people, Feng Qingyin’s expression darkened further.

“Why is it you? Has no one from His Highness’s side come to attend to me?” she asked in a clipped tone.

“In response to Miss Qingyin — no, there has not.” The maid carrying her robe answered in a quiet voice.

Feng Qingyin’s mood soured further, and she gave the person before her a sharp shove.

“Get out of my sight!”

“Miss Qingyin.” The other maid moved forward at once to steady her, but was pushed aside as well.

“Miss Qingyin, please do not upset yourself — it may harm the child. The imperial physician said—”

“Its father doesn’t care for it. Why should I?” Feng Qingyin stood up and stamped her feet.

“Miss Qingyin.” Both maids rose at once, moving to support her from either side.

“Miss Qingyin, please calm yourself. His Highness has only been momentarily deceived by that fox spirit. He will—”

A sharp crack rang out. Feng Qingyin’s palm came down hard across the speaking maid’s face. “Elder Crown Prince Brother — what gives you the right to speak of him? Have you no sense of your place?”

She let out a cold snort, her expression unchanged.

When all was said and done, she could not even compete with a fox spirit. Feng Jiu’er — why wouldn’t you just die already?

The maid, thrown to the floor, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, did not even dare attend to it. She scrambled to her knees and knocked her head against the ground repeatedly.

“I’m sorry! Miss Qingyin, I’m sorry! I did not mean to speak out of turn about His Highness. But Feng Jiu’er is truly despicable.”

“It is not only this servant who despises her — many of the guards despise Feng Jiu’er as well. They say she is a fox spirit.”

The maid had finally said something that sat well. Feng Qingyin looked at her, her brow easing slightly.

“Is that true? The guards all think Feng Jiu’er is a fox spirit — that she has bewitched Elder Crown Prince Brother and led him into making the wrong decisions?”

Meeting Feng Qingyin’s gaze, the maid instantly lowered her head.

She swallowed, then gave a small nod.

“Yes — yes, they do.”

The other maid — the one who had brought the robe — blinked and chimed in: “That’s right, Miss Qingyin. Everyone says Feng Jiu’er was a fox spirit in her past life.”

“Everyone dislikes her. They all wish His Highness would order an immediate assault on the city and put an end to the fox spirit.”

Whether or not the guards had actually said any of this, the maid understood that it was what Feng Qingyin wanted to hear.

Their duty was to keep Miss Qingyin safe and well. If anything happened to her — never mind Miss Ling Long — even His Highness the Crown Prince would not spare them.

Feng Qingyin met the speaking maid’s eyes and let her brow ease a fraction.

“And you’re certain what you say is true?”

“It is true.” The maid gave a nod, then took two steps forward and draped the robe over Feng Qingyin’s shoulders.

“The guards all see how Miss Qingyin has given everything for His Highness’s sake. Their admiration for Miss Qingyin grows more and more.”

Those who had come along on this campaign were largely Zhan Yuheng’s own men. With so many troops under Zhan Yuheng’s command, Feng Qingyin could not possibly have won them all over.

Still, hearing that the soldiers were at least beginning to acknowledge her presence, Feng Qingyin’s spirits lifted, if only a little.

She steadied herself and sat back down on the bed.

The maid who had fallen took the opportunity to stand, retrieve her long boots, and kneel before Feng Qingyin.

“Miss Qingyin, you should not let the cold in right now — put your boots on first, all right?”

Feng Qingyin glanced down and gave a generous nod.

The maid, as though granted a rare grace, cradled her legs with careful hands and worked the boots onto her feet.

“Is there any word from Ling Long’s side? Even if His Highness wanted to question her, surely the questioning shouldn’t go on this long.”

“In response to Miss Qingyin.” The maid standing and readying her garments dipped her head to answer.

“Word is that His Highness called a morning assembly, and no one has come to report yet — the assembly has likely not ended. As for Miss Ling Long, there is still no news of her.”

“What?” Feng Qingyin’s brow creased. “Still completely nothing?”

“Yes.” The maid nodded and lowered her voice. “I heard she followed Qing Yun into a tent last night and has not come out since.”

“No one saw when Qing Yun left, and no one even knows when His Highness departed either.”

“Miss Qingyin — could it be that General Qing Yun has already determined that Miss Ling Long is the one responsible, and has had her watched so closely that none of our people can get anywhere near?”

“Qing Yun.” Feng Qingyin’s hand closed into a fist, her voice dropping to something cold. “Why is it always him?”

The other maid gave a small cough and said quietly: “This servant also feels that General Qing Yun always seems to have it in for us.”

“Miss Qingyin — do you think it is possible that General Qing Yun has already been won over by Feng Jiu’er?”

“Everyone knows what Feng Jiu’er is capable of. This servant does not think it entirely out of the question.”

Feng Qingyin raised her eyes to look at the maid who was braiding her hair beside her. Her brow came together sharply.

The maid panicked, dropped Feng Qingyin’s long hair at once, and dropped to her knees.

“I’m sorry! Miss Qingyin, I didn’t mean to speak carelessly — it was only, only…” She looked up, caught Feng Qingyin’s gaze, and shook her head frantically.

“Miss Qingyin, this servant said nothing. Please don’t be angry! This servant truly said nothing.”

As soon as the words left her, she began prostrating herself repeatedly on the floor.

Feng Qingyin gave her a cold look, then withdrew her gaze and rose to her feet.

“Help me wash and dress. I am going to see Elder Crown Prince Brother. I’d like to see if Qing Yun dares to block even me.”

“If I find out he belongs to Feng Jiu’er — I, Feng Qingyin, will be the first to make sure he pays for it!”

“Absolutely — he will not be let off.” One maid immediately echoed.

The other scrambled up from the floor.

“Exactly. If Qing Yun truly belongs to Feng Jiu’er, His Highness himself won’t let him off either.”

A maid took Feng Qingyin’s hand and guided her to sit before the mirror.

Looking into it, the maid said softly: “Truly, our Miss Qingyin is so much lovelier than Feng Jiu’er.”

“It’s only that, from what everyone says, Feng Jiu’er has known His Highness since they were young — that’s the only reason His Highness gives her any consideration.”

“Indeed.” The other maid nodded vigorously. “Our Miss, she is the first beauty of Bei Mu.”