“At least you did one thing right.” Tang Xiaohua drew a deep breath. “Helping the Emperor find the Night Prince — wouldn’t that be harming him?”

“A couple of days ago, Jiu’er’s people came asking for an audience — was it you who turned them away at the door?”

Yue Jianfei looked at Tang Xiaohua with a faint smile, then frowned. “A couple of days ago? Xiaohua, have you forgotten? I wasn’t even home these past few days.”

Tang Xiaohua composed herself and said, “I’d already forgotten about you and that little vixen going out on your little excursion.”

“Xiaohua, I didn’t — between me and Yang Hong, there’s nothing—” Yue Jianfei was clearly nervous.

Tang Xiaohua withdrew her gaze and paid him no mind. She looked at Feng Jiu’er, setting Yue Jianfei’s words aside.

“Now that I think about it, three days ago — it does seem someone really did come asking for an audience.”

“Jiu’er, I’m sorry! It seems it really was me who turned them away — I was in a bad mood at the time and didn’t want to receive guests.”

“If my husband had been snatched away by another woman, I’d be in a bad mood too,” Feng Jiu’er said, meeting Tang Xiaohua’s eyes and nodding.

“I understand. In any case, we’ve gotten to know each other now.”

Yue Jianfei let out a light sigh, guilt plain in his eyes. “Xiaohua, are we really sure we want to look for the Night Prince?”

“What, can’t you manage it?” Tang Xiaohua turned her head and glared at Yue Jianfei. “Isn’t the Emperor the one who wants you to find him anyway? He can openly go looking for him too.”

“That much, I understand.” Yue Jianfei nodded.

“I just want to remind Miss Long — if it’s our people at the Yue Family Hall who find the Night Prince, his whereabouts will also be easier to expose.”

“By then, without my people even having to say anything, the Emperor might get word of it very quickly too.”

“That, I’m afraid, wouldn’t be good for the Night Prince either.”

“Master Yue, please rest assured! As long as we find the Night Prince, we have the ability to keep him fully protected,” Feng Jiu’er said softly, looking at Yue Jianfei.

“Even if we have to take the Night Prince away again, we will absolutely never allow him to fall into the Emperor’s hands.”

Yue Jianfei glanced at Tang Xiaohua again before turning his gaze back to Feng Jiu’er, clearing his throat.

“As far as I know, your Dragon Shadow isn’t much of a large faction, and your numbers are quite few.”

“Miss Long, as deputy leader of the sect, you may not like hearing this, but it is the truth, isn’t it?”

Feng Jiu’er smiled faintly and replied, “I didn’t expect even a faction this small would catch Master Yue’s attention.”

“That’s right — Dragon Shadow used to be a small faction, sure, but from now on, it won’t be the same.”

“Dragon Shadow will surely grow. We don’t seek to rival Feng Qiongcang — at the very least, we can keep the Night Prince safe.”

“Master Yue and Madam Yue, there’s no need to doubt what I say. We are all the Night Prince’s people, and we all hope he can live well — that much is also the truth.”

“I never said I doubted you.” Tang Xiaohua drew a deep breath. “So, will you take this on or not?”

“Fine.” Yue Jianfei pressed his lips together and nodded. “Since it concerns the Night Prince, I won’t shirk it.”

“Still, Xiaohua, I wonder if I might raise… a request?”

Yue Jianfei stood, looking at his wife with a smile at the corner of his mouth.

“You still have the nerve to make requests of me? Yue Jianfei, are you trying to spend the rest of your life alone?” Tang Xiaohua frowned, her brows like crescent moons, and let out a cold snort.

“Of course not.” Yue Jianfei shook his head, his expression full of tenderness. “I hope Xiaohua will move back home with me tonight.”

“This matter of finding the Night Prince is of great importance — I’ll go out and search personally. I might even leave as soon as tomorrow.”

“Xiaohua, can you really bear not coming to keep me company?”

“What did you just say?” Tang Xiaohua glared at Yue Jianfei, then glanced at the two unmarried young women on either side.

“With the young girls right here, and you can still say something like that — are you even an elder or not?”

“I’m not,” Yue Jianfei shook his head. “I’m your husband. For life.”

The words had barely left his mouth before Yue Jianfei stepped forward toward Tang Xiaohua.

Feng Jiu’er glanced at Xiao Yingtao, who caught the meaning at once and looked, somewhat reluctantly, at the freshly opened bowl of bird’s nest soup on the table.

With the couple growing so affectionate, it would be rather rude for the two of them to linger and not leave — but what a shame, no chance to eat the bird’s nest soup!

Just as Feng Jiu’er was about to get up and leave with Xiao Yingtao, Tang Xiaohua glanced at the approaching Yue Jianfei.

“Go get dinner ready. Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao will eat before they leave. As for that request of yours, we’ll talk about it later.”

Tang Xiaohua’s words stopped Feng Jiu’er mid-step, the urge to leave suddenly checked.

Xiao Yingtao stood stock still, waiting to see what Feng Jiu’er would decide.

In the end, Yue Jianfei nodded with a smile, said “Alright,” and left looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

Feng Jiu’er watched Yue Jianfei’s light, buoyant steps for a moment before sitting back down in her seat.

“Come, eat the bird’s nest soup.” Tang Xiaohua waved them over. “There’s still some time before dinner. Eat up — it’s good for the complexion.”

Feng Jiu’er sat down and looked at Tang Xiaohua with a smile. “Sure enough — when a woman says she’ll ‘think about it,’ that means yes.”

“Who agreed to anything?” Tang Xiaohua glanced up, raising an eyebrow.

“If Master Yue hadn’t seen right through your feelings, would he have looked so happy, like a child?” Feng Jiu’er said with a light smile.

“Like a child?” Tang Xiaohua looked toward the door where Yue Jianfei had disappeared, a trace of disdain in her eyes that couldn’t quite hide the smile tugging at her lips.

Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao glanced at Tang Xiaohua at the same moment, exchanged a small smile, and said nothing more.

…

Early the next morning, Yue Jianfei set out from the Yue estate with a group of men.

Past noon, Feng Jiu’er made a trip to the Tang estate. By the time she left the Tang estate and arrived at the Yue estate, it was already the third quarter of the Shen hour.

Today, aside from Jian Yi, who guarded Feng Jiu’er at all times, only Qiao Mu had come along.

“This Yue estate really is grand!” Qiao Mu said, stepping down from the carriage and looking up.

Feng Jiu’er also got down from the carriage and stood shoulder to shoulder with Qiao Mu, looking at the wide-open gates of the Yue estate.

The servant on guard nearby saw Feng Jiu’er and immediately turned to greet her.

“Miss Long, have you come to see the old master?” the servant asked softly, stopping in front of Feng Jiu’er.

“Yes.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “I have an appointment with Madam Yue.”

“This lowly one knows that, but today… I’m afraid it won’t be possible.” The servant lowered his head, his expression somewhat flustered.

Feng Jiu’er looked at him and frowned. “What do you mean? What exactly happened? Is something wrong with the old master?”

The servant glanced up at Feng Jiu’er, then immediately lowered his head again. “My apologies, Miss Long! Madam left in such a hurry she didn’t leave any instructions, and this lowly one…”

“If there’s something, just say it! Madam Yue and I are good friends, and besides, the old master’s treatment cannot be interrupted.”

“This…” The servant didn’t dare look up, clearly still struggling with himself.

“You should know — if you delay your own old master’s treatment, that’s a responsibility you cannot afford to bear!” Qiao Mu warned sternly.

Qiao Mu’s words made the servant’s body flinch.

He took a deep breath and answered in a low voice, “The old master is not at the estate. He… has left.”