Zhao Yusheng glanced once more at Zhao Xiaoxiao before turning his gaze ahead.

He curved his lips slightly and rode his horse toward the lantern festival.

The lantern festival was Phoenix City’s grandest annual celebration.

This year was a bit different — not only had they just won the war, but the Ninth Prince was also present in person.

A lantern festival with the Ninth Prince there, a New Year with the Ninth Prince there — it was bound to be especially memorable.

When they arrived at the legendary site of the lantern festival, Feng Jiu’er finally understood what true liveliness looked like.

Brothers and townsfolk alike worked side by side without distinction, busy and cheerful.

Seeing Feng Jiu’er and Zhan Qingcheng arrive, everyone naturally came forward to greet them.

“Ninth Prince, Miss Jiu’er.”

“Miss Jiu’er is back.”

“Ninth Prince, greetings! Miss Jiu’er, greetings!”

“Eldest Miss.”

“Young Master.”

Present were not only the townsfolk of Phoenix City and the Ninth Prince’s own people, but also members of the Tianji Hall, as well as Qiao Mu’s and Zhao Yusheng’s people.

Even though everyone was breaking into a fine sweat despite the cold weather, their faces were filled with happy smiles.

“Everyone’s worked hard. If there’s anything you need help with, just say so — after all, we’ve got the Ninth Prince here too, haven’t we?”

The words had barely left her mouth when Feng Jiu’er turned her head to glance over.

Seeing that the man had kept an expressionless face the entire way, Feng Jiu’er didn’t want him to dampen everyone’s spirits, so she curved her lips slightly and moved closer to Zhan Qingcheng’s side.

“Don’t be shy, everyone! A man ought to help out — I won’t go easy on my own man either.”

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, don’t you agree? With your help, today’s work will surely be finished ahead of schedule.”

Having the Ninth Prince hang lanterns — no one would even dare imagine such a thing.

Hearing Feng Jiu’er’s words, everyone’s eyes turned to Zhan Qingcheng.

No one knew why, but the corner of the mouth of the Ninth Prince — who only a moment ago had worn a face of utter indifference — actually curved upward slightly.

“I’ll do it.” Zhan Qingcheng stepped forward and took a large red lantern from one of the brothers’ hands.

He extended his long arm and effortlessly hung the lantern he held onto a hook over ten feet high.

In front of the Ninth Prince, all the ladders, bamboo poles, and even lightness skills in the world weren’t worth mentioning.

Before everyone could even react, Zhan Qingcheng had already taken lanterns out of the hands of quite a few people.

He would simply give a casual flick, and the lantern would land precisely in the spot where it belonged.

Long Yi appeared out of nowhere, approaching Zhan Qingcheng with visible nervousness.

“Ninth Prince, surely a task like this should be left to me.”

Long Yi had said what was on everyone’s mind, and the whole scene fell instantly silent.

Tasks like this were normally handled by minor figures — not to mention the Ninth Prince, even the Feilong Shi’er Qi rarely got their hands on such chores.

No one had expected that a single sentence from Miss Jiu’er would make the Ninth Prince take it so seriously.

Watching how earnestly the Ninth Prince worked, everyone almost felt as though hanging a lantern themselves at this point would be some kind of offense.

“No need. Go prepare with the townsfolk — I’ll hang the rest of the lanterns.”

The Ninth Prince had always treated the common people as his own, and this was exactly why everyone respected him so extraordinarily.

Yet he wasn’t one to mingle closely with the people, rarely willing to appear in public.

The people all understood this had to do with his temperament, and they didn’t love the Ninth Prince any less for his lack of familiarity with them.

The fact that the Ninth Prince was never one to put on airs only made the people love him all the more.

No one had imagined that today the Ninth Prince would not only show up here, but actually help everyone with the work.

What was more, this man who normally measured his words as though they were gold had actually said so much.

Those present all noticed that what the Ninth Prince had just said was “I,” not “this prince.”

It seemed the Ninth Prince wasn’t unwilling to mingle with the people after all — he had simply never found the right opportunity to share in their joy.

Receiving the order, Long Yi blinked for a moment before snapping back to attention.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The men of the Feilong Shi’er Qi never questioned Zhan Qingcheng’s words — even when something was completely unexpected, they would still carry out the order.

Long Yi turned to look at the others, who still hadn’t quite recovered, and waved a hand.

“Everyone get back to work. Send the finished lanterns over as soon as they’re ready.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

The brothers and townsfolk, snapped back to attention by Long Yi’s voice, nodded hurriedly.

In a flash, everyone returned to their own tasks, though they couldn’t help glancing back from time to time at the Ninth Prince hanging lanterns.

Qiao Mu came over to Feng Jiu’er’s side, frowning slightly.

“What a fine ‘own man’ you have there. Who would have thought the Ninth Prince’s lifetime of reputation would be ruined right in your hands.”

As for why Zhan Qingcheng had suddenly changed so drastically, others might not know the reason, but Qiao Mu did.

Feng Jiu’er turned to look at Qiao Mu, raising an eyebrow with a smile. “What do you mean, ruined in my hands?”

“Actually, there’s plenty he’s happy to do himself — he just never had anyone give him the chance, that’s all.”

“General Feng, General Qiao, I’ve prepared some pastries — why don’t you come over and chat while you eat?” a woman called out, walking over with a beaming smile.

Feng Jiu’er glanced in the direction the woman indicated, then looked back at Zhan Qingcheng.

She turned her gaze away and nodded at the woman who had spoken.

“All right, much appreciated.”

“General Feng, please don’t be so polite! This way, please! General Qiao, this way!” The woman smiled and nodded at Xiao Yingtao as well.

It was no surprise that the people of Phoenix City recognized Feng Jiu’er, but quite a few of them didn’t recognize Xiao Yingtao.

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded, glanced at the people beside her, and stepped forward.

The three women settled beneath a small pavilion by the lake, where two women served them tea and pastries.

The lantern festival circled around most of the lake.

Where Feng Jiu’er and the others sat was the most bustling area, with wide streets and a few eateries and two inns nearby.

Sitting beneath the lakeside pavilion, Feng Jiu’er could still clearly see the figure of her own man.

By the look of it, once all the lanterns here were hung, they would continue along the lake to the other side.

It was also because this spot offered a clear view of a long stretch of street that Feng Jiu’er had chosen to rest here.

Was it really her enslaving the Ninth Prince? How could she dare wander off on her own?

“General Feng, General Qiao, Miss Xiao Yingtao, please enjoy!” The woman laid out a table full of pastries and smiled at the three seated women.

“Much appreciated!” Feng Jiu’er gave a small bow with clasped hands to the two women before her.

The two women smiled and turned to leave.

Even with some distance now from the Ninth Prince, Qiao Mu and Xiao Yingtao’s gazes hardly left Zhan Qingcheng.

“Jiu’er, you’re really something! You actually got the Ninth Prince to do chores.” Catching the sweet scent of the pastries, Xiao Yingtao finally looked away.

“I’m just saying, no one but her could have managed that.” Qiao Mu picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

Letting her gaze fall on Zhan Qingcheng once more, she curved her lips and sighed softly.

“If this had happened before, I’d never have believed that man was the Ninth Prince. It’s just too unbelievable.”

“Right.” Xiao Yingtao took a bite of pastry, her gaze also lingering on Zhan Qingcheng.

“Still, the Ninth Prince is the Ninth Prince — even hanging lanterns, he’s so dashing. Tsk, tsk… so handsome!”