“What? Trou— trousers?” Xiao Yingtao’s eyes went wide.

“Keep your voice down!” Feng Jiu’er raised her index finger and made a gesture for silence.

She glanced back at the closed door, then turned and went to sit down at the writing desk.

“Don’t forget why we came today — to treat a patient. Mister Bao’s condition is not good. Go back and bring more medicine.”

“Is Jian Yi keeping watch outside? Nothing amiss?”

Feng Jiu’er picked up a brush and began writing out the prescription.

“All clear.” Xiao Yingtao shook her head, then leaned in closer. “Just now, I’m not sure which of the wives came to check, but I sent her away.”

“Is Mister Bao’s condition all right? He still has a match tomorrow.”

“Hard to say.” Feng Jiu’er shook her head. “We do what we can. Keep those women away from him — just say it’s Mister Bao’s own instructions.”

“Understood.” Xiao Yingtao nodded.

Inside the room, just as Qiao Mu finished pulling the inner trousers on Feng Jiang, he finally reacted.

He pushed himself upright, reached down with one long arm, and pulled the trousers properly into place, then lay back down.

“There — thank you.”

Qiao Mu said nothing in reply. She picked up the basin and carried it behind the folding screen to set it down.

She stood in front of the mirror for quite some time, waiting until the color in her face had subsided before she turned and walked back out.

“Jiu’er has assigned me what she needed done. Nothing else left — I’ll be heading out first.”

Qiao Mu gave the person on the bed a casual glance and walked straight toward the door.

“Qiao Mu.” Just as her hand was about to push the door open, Feng Jiang’s voice finally reached her.

Qiao Mu paused, drew a slow breath. “Something else?”

“Thank you.” Feng Jiang said softly.

“You already said that.” Qiao Mu’s voice came back, flat and even.

“Mm.” Feng Jiang nodded.

Qiao Mu pressed her lips together and prepared to push the door open.

“I promise you — from now on, I will take proper care of myself.” Qiao Mu had barely started to open the door when Feng Jiang’s words came pouring out.

Qiao Mu stopped. She did not know how to respond.

Outside, both Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao involuntarily stole a glance toward the room.

He’s gone and made a promise already — isn’t this moving a little fast?

Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao had nearly the same thought, yet neither of them said a word.

“Good.” Qiao Mu looked at the two of them for a moment, then gave a composed nod. “Don’t forget what you said.”

She threw out the words, turned, and pulled the door shut behind her.

The moment the door closed, her breathing came out heavy.

Xiao Yingtao, prescription in hand and about to leave, caught sight of Qiao Mu coming out and immediately spun back around.

“Qiao, what happened? What was wrong? What’s the situation?”

“No situation.” Qiao Mu gave Xiao Yingtao a flat look and restored her usual male-disguised voice.

Xiao Yingtao could see she was going to get nothing out of her, and this was not a convenient place to press further — so she let it go.

“Physician Long, I’ll go fetch the medicine now.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded.

“Qiao, stay here for a moment. If anything comes up on Jian Yi’s end, lend him a hand.”

“All right.” Qiao Mu gave a perfectly composed nod.

This display of composure was a little too composed — so perfectly composed it looked entirely unnatural.

Feng Jiu’er did not laugh. She gave a light cough and stepped toward the room.

It wasn’t quite right to leave Jian Yi alone on guard outside, capable as he was of killing — one could hardly have him slaughter everyone who happened to pass by.

With Xiao Yingtao gone, having Qiao Mu here put Feng Jiu’er more at ease.

She pushed open the door and walked in, then pulled it shut behind her.

The figure on the bed, upon seeing who had entered, lifted his head slightly. “Jiu…”

“Mister Bao.” Feng Jiu’er cut him off. “My surname is Long. I am a physician from the Long Ying apothecary.”

“Today I witnessed you sustain your injuries, and on behalf of the people’s goodwill, I have come to treat you.”

Feng Jiu’er pulled a chair over and sat down beside the bed.

She opened the medicinal ointment in her hand, pulled back the blanket and the robe, and exposed Feng Jiang’s chest.

Feng Jiu’er scooped up a small amount of ointment and spread it across the area of Feng Jiang’s heart gate, then began to massage it in with careful, gentle strokes.

“How much do you know about Lei Shenbao?” She leaned close to him and asked in a low voice.

“He commands at least thirty thousand troops. In Li City alone there are over ten thousand. The rest are distributed across the cities throughout the south.” Feng Jiang replied quietly.

“I heard he has taken over the management of poison cultivation. Was that also within Feng Qiongcang’s plan?” Feng Jiu’er’s delicate brows drew together slightly.

“Of course.” Feng Jiang nodded. “But Feng Qiongcang’s plans — he never reveals them to me.”

Hearing the shift from Father to Feng Qiongcang, Feng Jiu’er’s expression softened noticeably.

“Since when do you dare to call your own father by his given name?”

“In his eyes, I have always been nothing more than a piece on his board.” A touch of bitter irony curved the corner of Feng Jiang’s mouth.

“Since I’ve already promised Qiao Mu, I will no longer follow Feng Qiongcang’s commands from now on.”

Feng Jiu’er looked at Feng Jiang and gave a slow nod. “Beauty, it seems, is the true divine power in this world.”

“Jiu’er.” Feng Jiang met her gaze, a slight frown forming. “What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean?” Feng Jiu’er’s brow furrowed, and she pressed a little harder with her hands.

“No matter how much I’ve said, it’s never had any effect. Yet Qiao Mu speaks one sentence and you listen without question. So clearly — beauty, and beauty alone, holds the real power.”

“Jiu’er, it’s not that.” Feng Jiang grew flustered. “I’m not doing it because of Qiao Mu — it’s not…”

“Don’t bother explaining — explanation is just confession in disguise!” Feng Jiu’er gave Feng Jiang a flat look. “Since she cares for you and you care for her, hurry up and marry her.”

“Only Qiao Mu is worthy to be my Third Imperial Sister-in-Law. You’ve already made your promise — don’t tell me you’re thinking of going back on it?”

“I did not promise anything like that. Qiao Mu and I — we are just…”

“Just what?” Feng Jiu’er cut him off. “Look at your situation right now — you don’t even understand what’s happening with your own body.”

“And Qiao Mu is willing to marry you — you should be down on your knees thanking the heavens. Yet here you are acting picky?”

“I am not being picky.” Feng Jiang shook his head hurriedly. “What I mean is, we…”

“Enough of your rambling.” Feng Jiu’er cut him off again. “When the time comes, I’ll find you both an auspicious date.”

“Don’t worry — I’ll front the betrothal gifts for now. You can pay me back whenever you have money.”

Feng Jiu’er pressed a hand down on the chest of the man who was anxiously trying to sit up, and reminded him quietly: “Don’t move. The heart gate is critical.”

Feng Jiang lay back down. He still wanted to say something, but Feng Jiu’er had no intention of giving him the chance.

“Lei Shenbao’s poison cultivation — is it truly in service of Feng Qiongcang?”

Even without thinking hard about it, Feng Jiu’er knew that was impossible.

Before she had known Lei Shenbao, she might have thought him merely a swaggering, cunning local lord grown wealthy on ill-gotten gains.

But in a nation where private armies were expressly forbidden, the man commanded thirty thousand — and very possibly far more.

His ambition was plain to see.

Feng Jiang would shake his head. That much, Feng Jiu’er had already anticipated.

She parted her lips gently and continued: “I’ve heard he is formidable with poisons — is it true?”

“Quite.” Feng Jiang nodded, then closed his hand around Feng Jiu’er’s arm. “Jiu’er, this Lei Shenbao is not one to be trifled with.”

“I fear the poisons he knows may exceed even yours — and by a great deal.”