As Feng Jiu’er passed by, Chen Xiaoyi trembled violently in fear. She dug her nails hard into her own thighs just to keep herself from collapsing.

Then, from somewhere, a burst of desperate courage took hold. She shot to her feet and bolted for the exit.

Unfortunately, with so many people having come in, how could she possibly escape?

Captain Nanmen Rong raised his long sword and blocked her path.

“Halt!” he said in a firm voice.

The fort master watched Feng Jiu’er and paid no attention to the commotion behind him.

Feng Jiu’er knelt down, then rose. The silver needle in her hand had turned pitch black.

She turned and held the silver needle up before the fort master.

Even in the dim candlelight, everyone could clearly see the needle had blackened — which meant the food had indeed been drugged.

The fort master turned to the side and looked at the person still keeping her head lowered, his aura becoming deeply oppressive.

“Speak. Who told you to administer the poison?”

Chen Xiaoyi drew a slow breath and said in a low voice, “It… it was the Mistress. The Mistress told this humble one to poison her.”

“I would think matters are not quite so simple.” Feng Jiu’er fixed her gaze on the speaking woman and narrowed her eyes slightly.

While the woman was still about to retort, Feng Jiu’er’s voice rang out once more.

“Miss Chen, do you not think I am right?”

Hearing Feng Jiu’er’s words, Chen Xiaoyi’s eyes went wide, and even her breathing stopped.

She could never have imagined that her every movement had already fallen under this woman’s watch.

Feng Jiu’er also felt a trace of regret — had she not been a step too late, she might have been able to identify who Chen Xiaoyi had met in the alley.

Her instincts told her this matter was connected to someone among her own people, after all — the timing of events was far too coincidental.

Unfortunately, she had arrived a step late. Drawing that person out now would not be easy.

“Miss Chen — which Miss Chen?” The fort master stared at the figure with head bowed low, his brows tightly knitted.

“You… have mistaken me for someone else.” In a moment of agitation, Chen Xiaoyi’s voice shifted pitch.

At this, the fort master was finally able to recognize the person before him.

He stretched out his long arm, gripped the woman’s jaw, and forcibly raised her face.

“Xiaoyi — how could it be you?”

Their four eyes met. Chen Xiaoyi could no longer conceal anything.

She rolled her alluring eyes and bent her knees, sinking to the ground.

“Fort Master, I… I did not truly intend to kill anyone. I only wanted to frighten her a little — I wanted her to speak the truth.”

“Fort Master…” When Chen Xiaoyi raised her eyes once more, tears had soaked them through.

“Fort Master, I truly had no wish to kill anyone. I was too hasty — I used the wrong method.”

“I… only wanted to know who had killed Sister Liang. You know, Fort Master — she and I were as close as sisters. I…”

Before she had finished speaking, Chen Xiaoyi clutched her abdomen and crumpled to the ground.

“Fort Master, I feel unwell — my stomach… it hurts. Fort Master, I… I feel terrible.”

“Xiaoyi.” Seeing Chen Xiaoyi collapse, the fort master was desperately anxious. He immediately bent down and lifted her into his arms.

“Old Sister Feng, I fear things may not be as they appear. Please examine Xiaoyi for me — see whether she is with child. Her stomach is hurting.”

Feng Jiu’er passed the food she had picked up to Xiao Yingtao and turned to look at the fort master.

“Very well. I will examine her.”

“Fort Master, I do not want her to examine me.” The woman nestled in the fort master’s arms began sobbing, her breathing rapid and unsteady.

“I do not want her to examine me. Fort Master, have you forgotten — I spoke out against Miss Feng today. I worry that…”

Chen Xiaoyi, her eyes on the fort master, pressed her hand over her abdomen and pressed her lips tightly together.

“Old Sister Feng is a physician. At such an important moment, how could she hold a grudge against you for something like that?” the fort master said soothingly.

He turned his gaze to Feng Jiu’er and spoke again. “Miss Feng, I trouble you to examine Xiaoyi first — see whether she has disturbed the fetal energy.”

“Oh — so Miss Chen is with child?” Feng Jiu’er glanced at Chen Xiaoyi and raised an eyebrow.

Chen Xiaoyi dared not look at her and continued sobbing silently in the fort master’s arms.

Feng Jiu’er stepped forward two paces, came to stand before the fort master, and lifted Chen Xiaoyi’s hand.

Chen Xiaoyi flinched and drew her hand back, but in the end, she relented.

Feng Jiu’er looked at her, then extended a long finger and pressed it to the pulse point on her wrist.

The fort master was so tense that his breathing was ragged and loud — every person in the dungeon could hear it.

A moment later, Feng Jiu’er released Chen Xiaoyi’s hand. Her lips curved faintly.

Chen Xiaoyi could not help stealing a glance. Seeing the smile at the corner of Feng Jiu’er’s lips, her face turned ashen with fright.

“How is it? Old Sister Feng — is Xiaoyi… is she all right?”

“She is fine.” Feng Jiu’er gave Chen Xiaoyi a meaningful look and shook her head.

She raised an eyebrow and returned her gaze to the fort master.

“Fort Master, I stake my life on it — Miss Chen will face no immediate danger. Perhaps she was simply frightened.”

The fort master looked at Feng Jiu’er and heaved a great sigh of relief.

“That is good then. As long as the child is safe. As long as the child is safe.”

“The child…” Feng Jiu’er nodded in agreement. “The child is… indeed safe.”

Chen Xiaoyi stared at Feng Jiu’er with wide eyes and suddenly straightened in the fort master’s arms.

“Does Miss Feng mean to say I am truly with child?”

This news appeared to come as a surprise even to Chen Xiaoyi herself.

The fort master looked at Feng Jiu’er, his excitement no less than Chen Xiaoyi’s. “Old Sister Feng… is my Xiaoyi truly with child?”

“Yes.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “Not yet a full month along — it is quite normal that Miss Chen would not know herself.”

“Fort Master, no wonder I have been feeling unwell all this time. It turns out I truly am carrying the Fort Master’s child. Sob sob…” The satisfaction crept into even Chen Xiaoyi’s voice now.

“Yes, yes — it is I who have been at fault. I did not protect you well enough and let you suffer.” The fort master was overcome with emotion.

He had thought of it for over ten years, longed for it for over ten years — and now, at last, he could see the dawn. Feng Jiu’er could understand the fort master’s elation.

Yet she had no intention of congratulating this man who was lost in his happiness.

“Now that Miss Chen is fine, there are certain things that must be sorted out today.” Feng Jiu’er gave a slight smile, turned, and took the food tray for Xiao Nu back from Xiao Yingtao’s hands.

Chen Xiaoyi shot a sideways glance at Feng Jiu’er and nestled back into the fort master’s arms, seeming entirely unconcerned about what lay ahead.

This child was her lifeline — and it had come at just the right moment.

She rubbed her lower abdomen, the delight on her face barely contained.

Feng Jiu’er swept a look at her, then held the bowl up to her nose and sniffed.

“Miss Chen, is it truly your intention to claim you only wished to frighten Xiao Nu with this — rather than to poison her to death and frame the Fort Mistress for it?”

Chen Xiaoyi furrowed her brow and glared at Feng Jiu’er.

“How could I possibly do such a thing? I said I only wished to frighten Xiao Nu. Murder? Framing someone? How could I ever do something like that?”

She worked her lips and wrapped her arms around the fort master’s neck.

“Fort Master, tell me — am I that vicious a person? And besides, I am soon to become a mother. How could I possibly do such a thing?”

“Fort Master, say something — explain to Miss Feng on my behalf. I don’t want to be misunderstood anymore.”