In the blink of an eye, the two groups that had just been fighting each other split into inner and outer rings, and without exception, all knelt down.

Feng Jiu’er glanced around at everyone, her crescent brows lifting slightly.

“I don’t keep useless people. Anyone who wants to work under me must pass a strict evaluation.”

“Those who can endure hardship may follow; those who can’t should leave now, to avoid wasting time or even losing their lives.”

After Feng Jiu’er’s firm, resonant words, her gaze settled on Jian Yi, and she extended her hand.

Jian Yi sheathed his sword and took her small, delicate hand, and the two turned together to head back.

“Jian Yi, you were so handsome just now!” Feng Jiu’er looked up at the man beside her, the corners of her mouth lifting.

“But don’t say so easily that someone is your woman from now on, or they’ll really cling to you and never leave.”

That heroic display from Jian Yi moments ago had truly been dashing.

“How dare you offend my woman!”

A cold statement, and then the man was finished off without further ado.

The man had merely glanced at her one extra time, and Jian Yi the hero had been so magnificently fierce!

If she didn’t already have someone in her heart, she might have looked at this man a little differently.

“When will you be willing to cling to me?” Jian Yi shot Feng Jiu’er a somewhat serious look. “I’d be willing to let you cling to me for a lifetime.”

“Me?” Feng Jiu’er blinked, the corners of her mouth lifting.

“My heart’s already spoken for. This lifetime probably won’t work out—how about next lifetime?”

“All right.” Jian Yi nodded, withdrawing his gaze to look ahead.

Feng Jiu’er studied his handsome profile, her crescent brows arching.

“Next lifetime is too far off and uncertain. How about you wait instead—wait until I have a daughter, then let my woman cling to you. How about that?”

“All right.” Jian Yi nodded again, just the same.

If it weren’t for the hundreds of people following behind them right now, Feng Jiu’er would have wanted to pinch his handsome face.

Good, good, good—he agreed to everything. This guy was simple, adorable, handsome, and charming—his only flaw was that his head didn’t work quite right.

Feng Jiu’er gazed at Jian Yi for a good while before finally looking away.

The brothers worked together to clear away the rocks blocking the mountain stream.

Feng Jiang and Qiao Mu rode at the very front on horseback, followed by their several dozen brothers.

Behind them came Cai Liantang, Qin Anzhuo, and their men, along with the poison being escorted back.

At the very end of the procession were the several hundred bandits who had surrendered on their own.

Feng Jiu’er had been complaining the whole way that this minor mission from Lei Shenbao had wasted so much of her time.

Still, winning over Cai Liantang and Qin Anzhuo, along with their five thousand brothers, counted as a decent gain.

With the poison brought back, the breeding farm returned to normal operations.

Feng Jiu’er and Jian Yi made one more trip to Lianxi Town, then returned, and everyone set off on the journey home.

After two days and two nights of traveling through wind and rain, sleeping in the open, they finally entered the city.

Night had fallen, and they were now in a certain inn within the city.

Feng Jiu’er, Jian Yi, Feng Jiang, Qiao Mu, Yue Qinchun, Feng Yinan, and Yang Sheng sat in a second-floor private room, waiting for the inn’s waiter to bring up the food.

Suddenly, hearing the sound of horse hooves, Yang Sheng immediately stood and went to the window.

“My lord, a large group of riders is approaching,” Yang Sheng said, brow furrowed, turning back to look at Feng Jiang.

He quickly turned back again to look outside.

Feng Yinan, uneasy, also walked over.

Feng Jiu’er, however, calmly picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea.

A knock sounded at the room’s door, and the waiter pushed it open, carrying in the food.

“Let’s eat,” Feng Jiu’er said, setting down her teacup.

Feng Yinan glanced back once, then turned and returned to his seat.

“Eat up,” he said, naturally handing Yue Qinchun a bowl of porridge.

These past days, he had been the one taking care of Yue Qinchun.

Yue Qinchun seemed to have grown accustomed to his care as well—even though her foot had long since healed, she never mentioned it.

She thought, somewhat selfishly, that if she got better, would Brother Feng stop taking care of her?

So she preferred to pretend she still hadn’t recovered.

“Thank you,” Yue Qinchun said, accepting the bowl Feng Yinan handed her.

“Little Qiao, what would you like to eat?” Feng Jiang asked softly.

“Anything’s fine,” Qiao Mu said, stretching. “It doesn’t matter what we eat—I just want a good night’s sleep.”

“Once we’ve eaten, we’ll go sleep, get a proper rest,” Feng Jiang said, serving Qiao Mu some food.

Yang Sheng was the only one who couldn’t quite understand why his lord had gotten together with Miss Qiao so quickly; everyone else thought nothing of it.

As for this matter, Yang Sheng didn’t dwell on it too much—his lord was outstanding enough to win anyone’s favor.

He just didn’t know why, but seeing his lord together with Miss Qiao made him feel a little uncomfortable inside.

The sound of hoofbeats grew closer and closer, finally stopping right below the inn.

Even Yue Qinchun, whose internal energy wasn’t very strong, heard the noise downstairs.

She held her bowl, looking somewhat fearfully at Feng Yinan.

Now, no matter what happened, the first person she thought of was the one beside her.

“Don’t be afraid!” Feng Yinan comforted her, then looked up at Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er,” he called softly.

“Since it’s come to this, may as well accept it calmly,” Feng Jiu’er said, placing a piece of meat into Jian Yi’s bowl.

This guy kept putting food in her bowl until it was full, yet he himself hadn’t taken a single bite.

“Besides, this matter may not even concern us.”

Yang Sheng still felt uneasy.

On this trip, he hadn’t brought any of his own men along, and even though he knew his own martial skills weren’t particularly strong, he couldn’t shirk the heavy responsibility of protecting everyone.

Yang Sheng set down his bowl and went back to the window once more.

He looked carefully downstairs, and when he turned back, his expression had visibly relaxed.

“My lord, it’s Lord Lei. It’s our man.”

Yang Sheng was one of Lei Shenbao’s men, so of course Lei Shenbao’s arrival meant it was someone from his side—but that didn’t necessarily mean the people downstairs were friendly to those seated in this room.

This leopard, Lei Shenbao, was definitely no simple character.

“My lord, it’s Lord Lei,” Yang Sheng said, returning to stand behind Feng Jiang. “I’ll go down to greet him.”

“Yang Sheng,” Feng Jiu’er called out, stopping him.

Yang Sheng, who had been about to leave, turned back to look at Feng Jiu’er. “Doctor Long, is something wrong?”

Feng Jiu’er glanced at him and shook her head. “Nothing. If Lord Lei has really come, have the waiter add more dishes.”

“Got it, Doctor Long, I know what to do,” Yang Sheng said with a nod, then turned and walked into the room.

Outside, only the sound of footsteps descending the stairs could be heard.

“It’s not him,” Feng Jiang said, looking at Feng Jiu’er and shaking his head.

Feng Jiu’er raised an eyebrow and said softly, “Let’s hope so.”

“What is Lei Shenbao here for?” Qiao Mu asked her man softly.

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Feng Jiang said, patting Qiao Mu’s back.

Soon, Yang Sheng led Lei Shenbao and his two deputy commanders into the room.

Feng Jiu’er had already met Lei Ming and Sun Yishi, two men whose martial skills were nothing to underestimate.

“Hahaha… Lei, you’ve finally made it back.” The moment Lei Shenbao entered, he walked straight toward Feng Jiang.

Feng Jiang stood and looked at him, nodding slightly.

Lei Shenbao walked over and embraced Feng Jiang, patting his back cheerfully.

“So good to see you all! Hahaha…”