“You’re in charge of protecting us.” Feng Jiu’er answered softly. “Who knows when the Fortress Master might send someone up here?”

Qiaomu glanced around, then nodded in reply. “All right, I’ll take charge of keeping you two safe.”

With the roles divided, everyone set to work in earnest.

They went up one peak after another, traveling mountain paths between each summit.

By the time Jian Yi and Feng Jiu’er came down from the fourth peak, the sky had already gone completely dark.

Fortunately, Qiaomu had already brought the three horses down to the foot of the mountain ahead of time.

“Well?” Qiaomu asked, for who knew how many times that day.

Feng Jiu’er shook her head, took up her horse’s reins, and mounted.

“Let’s head back. We’ll see how the brothers are doing once we’re there.” Feng Jiu’er tossed out the remark, leading the way down the rugged mountain path.

Jian Yi and Qiaomu mounted as well and followed.

After the evening meal, quite a number of people sat gathered in the main hall of Nanman Fortress.

The Fortress Master, having changed into a fresh set of clothes, walked over and took his seat at the head of the hall.

He picked up his teacup, took a light sip, and set the cup back down.

“How has the investigation gone?” The Fortress Master’s low voice rang out through the hall.

Right now, he was composed and severe—a completely different man from the one who had stood before Feng Jiu’er earlier that day.

“Fortress Master.” A man stood and clasped his hands in a bow. “We’ve confirmed it—there really is a person by the name of Feng Jiu’er in the Bei Mu Kingdom.”

“Our scouts report that Feng Jiu’er belongs to the Ninth Prince.”

“A while back, the Emperor dispatched a considerable force to suppress the Ninth Prince. The one who led troops to resist His Highness the Crown Prince at Mo City was none other than Feng Jiu’er.”

“In the end, Feng Jiu’er even drove off the Crown Prince and became a great hero of both Mo City and Yamu City. Among the nearby cities, there’s hardly anyone who doesn’t know her name.”

“If that Feng Jiu’er and this Feng Jiu’er are one and the same, then this woman is truly no ordinary person.”

“There can’t be many Feng Jiu’ers bold and reckless enough to act this way.” The Fortress Master’s voice carried through the hall.

His brow furrowed, and he stroked his beard, lowering his eyes to the man standing in the hall.

“Have you learned what relationship Feng Jiu’er has with the Ninth Prince?”

“We have.” The man nodded in reply. “Word from those who returned from Phoenix City says the Ninth Prince once declared he would marry Feng Jiu’er.”

“But for some unknown reason, the day before their wedding was to take place, Feng Jiu’er vanished. Three days later, the Ninth Prince led his troops north.”

“Reporting to the Fortress Master, this is all the intelligence our people have gathered.”

“As for why Feng Jiu’er would turn up here, or what their true goal is in entering Nanman Fortress, that remains unclear for now.”

As the man’s voice fell silent, the hall went quiet.

Everyone watched the Fortress Master, not daring to speak. Even the Deputy Fortress Master sat off to the side, waiting quietly.

After a moment, the Fortress Master’s voice sounded again. “What’s the situation in the fortress today?”

No sooner had he spoken than another man stood up; the man who had stood first glanced back once, then sat back down.

“Reporting to the Fortress Master.” The man now standing clasped his hands. “After their people came in, aside from a few coming and going, there’s been no movement to speak of from the rest.”

“The few who have moved about have all reported to us of their own accord and submitted to inspection. They take nothing with them when they leave, and bring in nothing but a bit of food and water when they return.”

“For the time being, nothing appears out of order.”

“And the movements of the three—Feng Jiu’er’s group?” the Fortress Master asked in a low voice.

The man clasped his hands again and answered softly, “You said, Fortress Master, that we couldn’t openly follow them. Given how formidable the three of them are in martial arts, our men only tracked them as far as the foot of the mountains.”

“According to the brothers’ reports, the three of them spent the day moving through the forested mountains, climbing four separate peaks.”

“Some of the brothers saw them standing atop the peaks, gazing all around. From the look of it, they really did seem to be taking in… the scenery.”

The man glanced up at the Fortress Master, then lowered his head.

Marching grandly through the gates just to sightsee—who would believe that?

The Fortress Master was silent for a moment, then said flatly, “In that case, why not just find two of them and ask? Wouldn’t that settle it?”

“Find two of them?” The man looked up at the Fortress Master.

Meeting the Fortress Master’s gaze, he immediately nodded. “Yes, Fortress Master, I’ll see to it right away.”

“Report!” Before the man could leave, someone came running in from outside.

The newcomer bent at the waist and clasped his hands, then said, “Fortress Master, Miss Feng and her companions are on their way back.”

“Wait.” The Fortress Master’s brow furrowed slightly as he waved a hand. “Tonight isn’t the right time to act. Hold your positions for now and keep observing until further orders.”

“Yes.” The man who had just been standing nodded and turned to leave.

“I suppose it’s time I went to meet this little girl myself.” The Fortress Master said flatly, picking up his teacup.

A woman the Ninth Prince had said he wanted to marry—there was no way the Fortress Master could claim disinterest.

But then again, some matters couldn’t simply be decided by however he wished.

“Fortress Master.” The Deputy Fortress Master stood and clasped his hands.

“What is it?” The Fortress Master set down his cup and met his gaze.

“Fortress Master, my apologies!” The Deputy Fortress Master bowed with clasped hands. “I was reckless today—I failed to grasp your intentions and misunderstood. Please forgive me.”

On the other side, another man rose to his feet as well, clasping his hands.

“Indeed, Fortress Master, we all misunderstood you. Please bear with us.”

The Fortress Master swept his gaze across everyone present and let out a light sigh.

“Now isn’t the time for apologies. Our stone forest formation was actually broken by someone—what do you all make of that?”

“If we hadn’t run into the young master of Zhao Family Stronghold, how could our stone forest formation possibly have been broken so easily?” The Deputy Fortress Master’s deep voice rang out.

“Our territory and Zhao Family Stronghold lie far apart, and we’ve always kept to our own affairs without interfering with one another. Who would have thought their young master would come stirring up trouble!”

“Honestly, I’d rather that man hadn’t been the young master of Zhao Family Stronghold at all.” The Fortress Master sighed again.

“We can barely handle Feng Jiu’er alone, and now on top of that, Zhao Family Stronghold…”

“Fortress Master.” Captain Nanmen stood up. “In your estimation, is it Zhao Family Stronghold looking to swallow us up? Or Feng Jiu’er? Or could it even be the Ninth Prince?”

The Fortress Master gazed out toward the door, brow furrowing slightly.

“The Ninth Prince has reclaimed his identity as part of the Di Family. His aim is nothing more than to overturn the imperial court and restore the Di Family’s rule.”

“Given that his march north is a fact, he has no time to spare for a small place like Black Gorge Valley right now.”

“Within Black Gorge Valley, aside from Zhao Family Stronghold, nothing else is even worth the Ninth Prince’s notice.”

“If Zhao Family Stronghold meant to submit to him, it wouldn’t have waited until now to do so. So the likelihood that this is the Ninth Prince’s doing is small.”

No sooner had he spoken than the Fortress Master picked up his teacup again.

“What if he wants Feng Jiu’er to stay behind and bring Black Gorge Valley under control…” Captain Nanmen said, frowning, his voice low.

The Fortress Master glanced at him and shook his head. “Feng Jiu’er, and the people around her, are all formidable in martial arts.”

“If it hadn’t been for that legendary young master of Zhao Family Stronghold today, I wouldn’t even have noticed they were here at all.”

“This march north by the Ninth Prince means a direct clash with the Emperor. If he had control over her, why wouldn’t he have brought Feng Jiu’er along with him?”

“And of course, there’s also the military strength in Feng Jiu’er’s hands—her people are likely far more numerous than just these few.”