Feng Jiu’er glared at Zhan Yuheng and turned to walk inside.
This fellow probably figured that if anything happened to him, his army would surely storm in regardless—which was likely why he could stay so composed.
Still, no matter what everyone else thought, no one currently dared to lay a hand on him.
By the time Qingyun caught up, Zhan Yuheng was already following Feng Jiu’er into the inn.
He immediately dismounted and hurried to catch up.
Throughout the entire dinner, Feng Jiu’er chatted and laughed with Xiao Yingtao and Huo Baixue, paying no attention at all to Zhan Yuheng.
Sitting across from them, Zhan Yuheng didn’t seem bothered by being ignored. He stared at Feng Jiu’er without blinking, barely touching his food, drinking wine almost the entire time instead.
Standing nearby, Qingyun fretted helplessly, unable to do anything about it.
Once dinner was over, Feng Jiu’er stood up. “You two go on back first.”
Xiao Yingtao and Huo Baixue glanced at Zhan Yuheng, then looked at Feng Jiu’er and nodded.
The two left, and Feng Jiu’er came to stand in front of Zhan Yuheng.
“Qingyun, take him away. He doesn’t belong here.”
“Jiu’er, I’m not leaving.” Zhan Yuheng stood and stepped closer to Feng Jiu’er.
Feng Jiu’er turned sideways, dodging his touch.
Glancing up at him, she felt a flicker of regret at having provoked him at all, even though it was he who had insisted on entering the city and forced her to share a meal with him.
In this state, she truly had no idea what to do.
Zhan Yuheng had drunk quite a bit. As Crown Prince, when he said he wanted to drink, who would dare refuse him?
He stared at her without blinking, faint flushes of red rising on his fair skin.
It wasn’t quite drunk, but he was certainly somewhat tipsy.
“Jiu’er, come with me, I can give you everything you want.” Zhan Yuheng made no move to come any closer, simply standing there obediently.
“I can’t be without you. Come with me and I’ll give up everything—Jiu’er, I know I was wrong, please give me one more chance.”
For someone as dignified as the Crown Prince, when else would he show such a wretched, vulnerable side? Perhaps only in front of Feng Jiu’er.
“Miss Jiu’er.” Standing beside Zhan Yuheng, Qingyun spoke up softly.
Feng Jiu’er turned her head to look at him, frowning slightly.
“I know I have no right to say anything, but you must be aware of the Crown Prince’s feelings for you.”
“If it weren’t for you, he…”
“Qingyun, that’s enough.” Feng Jiu’er took a deep breath, cutting off Qingyun’s words.
“Many things are simply meant to be. No one can try to change them. Yan Brother and I were never meant to be. Take him back.”
Feng Jiu’er didn’t want to drag this out, especially seeing Zhan Yuheng in his current state—she wanted even less to get entangled in this matter.
When it comes to matters of the heart, there’s no right or wrong—once you’ve missed your chance, it’s gone for a lifetime.
Pressing her lips together lightly, Feng Jiu’er waved her hand and turned to leave.
“Take him away.”
“Jiu’er.” Zhan Yuheng’s emotions stirred, his breathing growing even more disordered.
“Crown Prince.” Qingyun stepped forward to support him.
But Zhan Yuheng shook off his hand and strode forward in pursuit.
“Crown Prince.” Qingyun hurried after him.
Catching Zhan Yuheng off guard, Qingyun struck him forcefully at the back of the neck.
“Jiu—” Before Zhan Yuheng could finish speaking, he fell unconscious.
When Feng Jiu’er turned back, she saw Qingyun supporting the unconscious Zhan Yuheng as he carried him away.
“If you’ve decided not to give the Crown Prince another chance, you’d best be prepared to bear what comes next.”
Leaving those harsh words behind, Qingyun, who had just stepped out of the inn, leapt up and landed with Zhan Yuheng on a nearby horse.
Watching the horse gallop off in a cloud of dust, Feng Jiu’er fell into deep thought.
…
The next day, the sound of battle rose once more, with the only one unaware of it being Zhan Yuheng, who remained in a deep sleep.
Feng Qingyin’s trip into the city had not been entirely without gain this time.
Even though things hadn’t gone according to her original plan, she had still arrived at the same result—and that was exactly what she wanted.
The Crown Prince had brought the Noble Consort into the city to nurture her pregnancy; within the span of a single day, the Crown Prince had met with misfortune and fallen unconscious, and the brothers’ rage had reached its peak.
As for why Zhan Yuheng still hadn’t woken up, only Qingyun, Feng Qingyin, and Physician Dong, who had supplied Feng Qingyin with the medicine, knew the truth of the matter.
Fortunately, thanks to Qingyun’s last-minute warning, Feng Jiu’er had made full preparations that very night.
But after three days and three nights, the city gates could no longer be held.
The Crown Prince’s army broke through the gates and stormed into the city.
Feng Jiu’er had no choice but to retreat with her troops, falling back along the way.
Betrayed by Tuoba Keyan’s tip-off, on the sixth day after the great battle began, Feng Jiu’er and her companions found themselves surrounded in a valley.
Giving Feng Jiu’er no chance to catch her breath, Feng Qingyin ordered the assault to continue.
In the valley, the fierce fighting erupted once more.
The brothers swung their broadswords, fighting desperately drenched in blood, and even when they fell, they shouted their battle cries and rose again to keep fighting.
The brothers’ cries and the clash of weapons rang out endlessly.
As one wave of brothers fell, the next wave bravely surged forward to take their place.
The smell of blood in the air grew thicker and thicker, and Feng Jiu’er’s heart felt as though it too were bleeding, with her eyes wet from something she could no longer tell was tears, sweat, or blood.
The sky grew darker and darker, just like the brothers’ moods.
Today—would everyone end up buried here?
The fighting up ahead grew more intense by the moment, and thick black smoke rose from the camp behind them.
Feng Jiu’er leapt up, cutting down several enemy soldiers in a single move, then glanced back.
In that place where the thick smoke billowed, many of her wounded brothers remained—she had no idea what state they were currently in.
Gripping her short dagger, Feng Jiu’er clenched her teeth and leapt forward, weaving her way through the battlefield.
Even if she couldn’t spot either Feng Qingyin or Zhan Yuheng, she was determined to drag them out.
Capture the ringleader to defeat the rest—right now, that was the only way to save her brothers.
But unexpectedly, it was as if the other side had anticipated this very move from Feng Jiu’er.
She had only just leapt forward when suddenly, a dense barrage of arrows came flying at her from an unknown direction.
Even in the darkening sky, Feng Jiu’er could still make out the faint dark sheen on the arrowheads.
“Everyone be careful, the arrows are poisoned!” she called out in a low voice, gripping her short dagger and forcefully knocking the incoming arrows aside.
A series of “thwack, thwack, thwack” sounds rang out continuously.
Wherever Feng Jiu’er’s blade swept, the arrows were either knocked away or sliced apart.
But the poisoned arrows seemed endless, determined to bring her down no matter what.
Suddenly, a poisoned arrow came flying from an unusual direction.
For a moment Feng Jiu’er failed to react, only noticing the poisoned arrow rapidly closing in from her right rear.
Seeing this, Tuoba Keyan, who had been following close behind, stomped down hard on the head of a guard beneath his feet and flew swiftly toward Feng Jiu’er.
“Jiu’er, watch out!”
Just as Feng Jiu’er turned, she felt her body grow light, lifted by some unknown force.
As she descended, she clearly saw Tuoba Keyan, who had just lunged forward, take the arrow meant for her.
“Keyan.” Feng Jiu’er’s eyes widened as she cried out in a low voice.
Everything happened too quickly—before Feng Jiu’er could react, she found herself being carried back.
From above her head came a voice both familiar and longed for.
“In this king’s arms, and you still dare call out another man’s name?”