“Let me go with her.” Ye Luosha, standing at the doorway, stepped forward into the room.

“Wu Ya is unconscious, and Mu Mu is the commander—he cannot leave the military camp.”

“No one needs to come. I am not entering the palace.” Feng Jiu’er glanced at the newcomer and shook her head.

“Miss Jiu’er, if you are not entering the palace, where else would you go to find the medicine?” Yu Jingfeng lightly knit his thick brows.

“In all likelihood, the medicine is in the imperial palace, and Empress Dowager Ning is waiting for us to come knocking.”

“I have my own way.” Feng Jiu’er drew a deep breath and looked at Ye Luosha and Emperor Ji.

“My mother sacrificed herself to preserve the Di family bloodline—she can be said to have repaid Zhan Li Yue with her life.”

“The misunderstanding between our two families—I believe Yu Jingfeng has already explained it to you. All of it was Empress Dowager Ning’s fault. My mother and our Long family were all victims.”

“If I enter the city this time and obtain the medicine, saving His Highness the Crown Prince’s life, it can also be said that I am repaying on my mother’s behalf the debt owed to Di Wu You.”

“If the mission fails and I do not return, my life can be counted as repaying the debt the Long family owes to the Di family’s Third Prince.”

“From this point onward, our Long family owes no one anything.”

Feng Jiu’er composed herself, withdrew her gaze from Emperor Ji and Ye Luosha, and looked at Di Fei Mu.

“Mu Mu, Qiao Mu is my person—I will leave her here for the time being. If I do not return, my people will come to take her back.”

“During this period, I hope you will keep her safe.”

Qiao Mu stepped forward, fixing her gaze on Feng Jiu’er, and said in a firm voice: “I do not need anyone’s protection! Jiu’er, I want to enter the city with you.”

Feng Jiu’er turned to look at Qiao Mu and gently patted her shoulder.

“Tomorrow morning, have my breakfast ready. I am going alone—I am confident I can return. If you come, we will only drag each other down. Understood?”

Feng Jiu’er gave Qiao Mu a reassuring look, then turned her gaze once more to Di Fei Mu.

“You have not yet agreed.”

“As long as I am here, no one will bully her.” Di Fei Mu answered in a low, steady voice.

“Good.” Feng Jiu’er gave a nod. “With your word, I am at ease.”

She turned to look at Ye Luosha and continued: “Elder Ye, please prepare night-travel attire for me.”

“Very well—come with me.” Ye Luosha inclined her head, glanced at Emperor Ji, then turned and left.

Feng Jiu’er patted Qiao Mu on the shoulder once more, then stepped forward to follow Ye Luosha.

Qiao Mu watched the departing figure and could not say a single word.

With her level of skill, following Jiu’er into the city would truly bring no help whatsoever.

Qiao Mu was briefly stunned, then quickly quickened her steps and headed outside.

Di Fei Mu had just started to move when Emperor Ji let out a light cough: “Mu Mu, right now your elder brother’s life, the brothers of the entire Longwu Army, and the Di family’s future all rest on you.”

“Are you certain you must go and take this risk?”

“Besides, your ability is not above Feng Jiu’er’s. Rest assured—she will be fine.”

“Jiu’er has been spending her vital energy for Big Brother these past two days, and she has grown thin and haggard—did you not notice?” Di Fei Mu cast a cool glance at Emperor Ji.

He could not forgive the man who had repeatedly tried to kill Jiu’er—and yet Di Fei Mu still clearly understood that Emperor Ji’s words were the truth.

“Mu Mu, I know what you are thinking. To be honest with you, I feel a great deal of guilt toward Jiu’er as well.” Emperor Ji looked at Di Fei Mu and let out a quiet sigh.

“Even if it was she who harmed Wu Ya, I can let it go—for in the end, all the grievances and grudges were the doing of Ye Xue Ning.”

“As Jiu’er said, the Long family are also victims. But you cannot deny that the harm our Di family has suffered is no less than what the Long family endured.”

“Ye Xue Ning is our mortal enemy—this debt of vengeance, the Di family will certainly settle. Do you understand?”

“What is more, if we lose this battle, Ye Xue Ning will not spare a single member of the Di family—not even the Long family or the entire Longwu Army will be exempt.”

“As for Jiu’er—these past two days, I have watched her and felt some ache in my heart. She is only a girl barely past her teens, yet she carries so much on her shoulders.”

Emperor Ji shook his head, his eyes filled with remorse.

“Mu Mu, believe me—everything I say is from the heart. Now that the Empress is gone, once matters have settled, this life of mine will be returned to her.”

“Since tonight is the critical moment, you should stay here. Big Brother has looked after you for so long—it is time for you to look after him in return.”

Emperor Ji let out a quiet sigh, then turned to look at Elder Shi. Elder Shi gave a nod and wheeled him outside.

……

The only place within the imperial capital that Feng Jiu’er could think of that did not belong to the imperial family was the Number One Villa Under Heaven.

To avoid implicating her maternal grandfather and maternal uncle, during her time in the imperial capital she had made no effort to learn anything about the affairs of the Number One Villa Under Heaven.

She had even refused the protection of the four Feng Yandong brothers that Qiao Mu had brought along, and entered the imperial capital entirely on her own.

Whether her uncle and grandfather were still inside the imperial capital, Feng Jiu’er could not be certain—but this was the only place she could think of now where she might find the medicine.

The Number One Villa Under Heaven had its own medicine storehouse. If Feng Jiu’er’s memory served correctly, the medicine she needed should be in there.

Dressed in night-travel attire, the petite young woman slipped into the imperial capital with little difficulty.

For the Feng Jiu’er of today, evading all watchful eyes was not an insurmountable challenge.

And so, even though the Feng Yandong brothers were accustomed to concealing themselves, Feng Jiu’er had still decided not to bring them into the city.

Feng Jiu’er moved through the darkness for a long stretch before finally arriving at the Number One Villa Under Heaven.

She lay flat on a rooftop, surveyed the surroundings carefully for a moment, locked onto a target, and closed in with a speed swifter than thunder could cover the ears.

Seeing that the guards here remained just as vigilant as ever, Feng Jiu’er was almost certain her uncle and grandfather were still inside.

Long Buqu, seated in his wing room, suddenly heard a brief but familiar whistle signal. He raised a hand and pushed open the window to his room.

As he rose to his feet, a petite silhouette slipped in through the window.

Dressed in night-travel attire and with her face covered, Feng Jiu’er gazed unblinkingly at the tall figure rising before her, and said nothing.

Long Buqu’s face had reverted to the disfigured appearance he had worn before. Feng Jiu’er studied him carefully for quite some time before confirming the identity of the person standing before her.

She raised a hand and pushed the open window shut, then extended her fair, slender hand and pulled the dark cloth from her face.

“She… is dead.” Feng Jiu’er looked at Long Buqu, tears shimmering in her eyes.

Long Buqu met her gaze and opened his arms.

Feng Jiu’er bit her lip and stepped forward, throwing herself into his embrace.

This was the first time she had cried since Long Feiyan’s death.

Her mother was gone. From this moment on, she had once again become a child with no mother.

Feng Jiu’er held Long Buqu tightly and let herself cry freely for a long while before gradually calming down.

She drew several deep breaths, wiped away her tears, and lifted her eyes to look at Long Buqu: “Does the elder in the rear courtyard know about this?”

Long Buqu shook his head and gently ruffled Feng Jiu’er’s small head.

“Do not cry. He has you—that is enough.”