“Sister Hua, you have quite the eye — you noticed right away?” Feng Jiu’er, walking to Tang Xiaohua’s right, replied with a smile.

“Sister Hua, don’t listen to her.” Qiao Mu moved to Tang Xiaohua’s left.

Tang Xiaohua glanced back and took another long, careful look at Qiao Mu.

“Something good must have happened to her.”

“Something good indeed.” Feng Jiu’er’s voice carried across. “The woman is practically getting married already — isn’t that something good?”

“Surely not?” Tang Xiaohua stared at Qiao Mu without blinking. “Who is the man? How can this be so fast?”

“Qiao Mu, aren’t you being a little hasty? We’ve only been apart a few days and you’ve already arranged to marry yourself off?”

“At my age, if I don’t act with a little urgency, there won’t be any urgency left to act with, will there?” Qiao Mu made no attempt to hide it.

As for what it means to be a heroine among women — well, this is what it looks like.

Not to mention — Qiao Mu’s words immediately earned her a surge of admiration from Feng Jiu’er herself.

“Qiao Mu.” Tang Xiaohua shook her head. “No wonder you’re my good sister — you are even more formidable than I was back in the day.”

“Sister Hua, you flatter yourself!” Qiao Mu smiled.

“More or less.” Tang Xiaohua burst out laughing. “Who is this man? Shall Sister Hua take a look at him for you?”

“Don’t!” Qiao Mu pressed her lips together and shook her head. “What if Sister Hua takes a liking to him herself? That would make things very awkward.”

“Qiao Mu, do you really have so little confidence in yourself?” Tang Xiaohua raised an eyebrow.

“Not at all.” Qiao Mu gave a smiling shake of her head. “I have no confidence in Sister Hua.”

“Sister Hua, at your age, you’re well past such earthly desires — rest assured!” Tang Xiaohua reached out and gave Qiao Mu a firm, reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“Come on, take me to meet him.”

“Very well.” Qiao Mu smiled and nodded. “Letting you take one look is nothing to fuss about.”

The two, whose every manner and gesture could have passed them for a pair of sisters, talked the entire way as they walked.

This left Feng Jiu’er and Yue Qinchun on either side of them feeling rather like they had become invisible.

They arrived at a fairly large courtyard compound and everyone filed inside.

The villages throughout this area had been emptied.

The brothers had tidied the place up. It was certainly better than sleeping in tents.

Xing Zizhou had arranged for some refreshments to be prepared and sent in, after which he withdrew.

Inside was all women — it was not fitting for him to linger nearby.

The outer hall of the side chamber was not large, but seating a few beautiful women posed no difficulty whatsoever.

Tang Xiaohua and Qiao Mu took the two seats to the left and right of the main position. Feng Jiu’er, Xiao Yingtao, and Yue Qinchun seated themselves on either side.

“Sister Hua, thanks to you, I haven’t tasted these cakes in a long time.” The moment there was food, all other people and matters became trivial to Xiao Yingtao.

She picked up the whole tray of cakes in front of her and began popping them into her mouth one piece at a time.

“Xing Zizhou had these made specially for you, didn’t he?” Feng Jiu’er gave her a look and shook her head.

“Even the size is perfectly suited to your mouth. And you say it’s thanks to Sister Hua?”

“Oh? Was that handsome young man just now Xiao Yingtao’s man?” Sister Hua looked at Xiao Yingtao and asked with a smile.

“It’s only a matter of waiting for this girl to nod.” Feng Jiu’er took a sip of tea and leaned back against her chair.

“He’s a fine young man — truly fine!” Tang Xiaohua looked at Xiao Yingtao and gave an approving nod.

“If you like him, say yes. The sooner you marry, the sooner you’ll grow up.”

Xiao Yingtao looked at Tang Xiaohua, blinked, and shook her head. “I don’t want to yet. I’m still young.”

“If anyone’s getting married, Qiao Mu gets married first.”

“Your wait won’t be too long.” Qiao Mu lifted the teapot and leaned over to pour a cup for Tang Xiaohua.

“Once we find the person we’ve been looking for, I and… I and Xiao Jiang will wed.”

“Xiao Jiang? Which Xiao Jiang? Weren’t you going to bring him by for me to see?” Tang Xiaohua withdrew her gaze and turned to look at her.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to wait until after we find him.” Feng Jiu’er only now learned that Qiao Mu and Third Imperial Brother had come to such a decision.

The origin of everything that had befallen the Feng Clan traced back to her father.

She was grateful to everyone — truly grateful, and truly moved.

“If you…”

“Stop making that face — it’s dreadful to look at!” Before Feng Jiu’er could finish speaking, Qiao Mu cut her off.

“This is his wish. There is surely a reason behind it.”

“I believe he hopes to have the person he respects most witness his happiness.”

“The man who gets to marry me, Qiao Mu — that is blessings earned over many lifetimes. He can wait!”

The moment those words landed, Qiao Mu swept her gaze across everyone present.

That look of hers — insufferably pleased with herself!

“Qiao Mu, how did I never know you were this thick-skinned before?” Xiao Yingtao looked at Qiao Mu, then shifted her gaze to Feng Jiu’er.

She rose, went over, placed her tray on the table in front of Feng Jiu’er, squeezed herself into the space on Feng Jiu’er’s long chair, and sat down.

“Jiu’er, have some — they’re really good!”

“I think A’Jiu of Jiu’er’s is the most fortunate man in the world.”

“Who in this world could compare to our Jiu’er — isn’t that right?”

Xiao Yingtao pressed her lips into a smile and offered Feng Jiu’er a cake.

Feng Jiu’er flicked her on the tip of her nose, then opened her mouth and took it.

“No sense of judgment!” Qiao Mu picked up her teacup and looked at Xiao Yingtao, shaking her head with a disappointed air.

“Oh, right.” All at once, Tang Xiaohua — who had been in such high spirits — turned her gaze to Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, before we came over, we received word — news about the person you’ve all been searching for.”

Feng Jiu’er lifted her eyes to meet Tang Xiaohua’s gaze, rose from her seat, and with a measure of solemnity walked toward her.

“What has happened?” The table was low, and Feng Jiu’er sat down across from Tang Xiaohua.

Not only Feng Jiu’er, but even Qiao Mu and Xiao Yingtao nearby pressed in closer.

“There is confirmed word that Night Prince is on Peach Blossom Island at present.” Tang Xiaohua kept her voice as low as she could as she spoke.

“Peach Blossom Island?” Feng Jiu’er’s crescent brows furrowed. “If Li City sits at the far eastern edge of the Feng Clan’s Black Pool Ley Line, then Peach Blossom Island would be at the far western edge — is that right?”

Feng Jiu’er had been studying the maps of this region day after day, and naturally she had not overlooked the island that so many people longed to visit.

“Peach Blossom Island isn’t quite the westernmost point of the Black Pool Ley Line.” Tang Xiaohua was somewhat surprised herself.

The distance from Li City to Peach Blossom Island was no short journey. How had Night Prince been taken to Peach Blossom Island so quickly?

What had he been through all these days? Thinking about it made her heart ache.

After all, he was the man whose heart she had given to in her youth. Even married with children, even with a husband who was perfectly acceptable, Tang Xiaohua had never been able to forget that man.

Tang Xiaohua let out a soft sigh and continued, “The westernmost point is Yi City, and right next to it is its sister city, Wing City.”

“Peach Blossom Island lies to the south of Wing City — a standalone island.”

“The climate there is pleasant all year round, spring in every season — a place many people dream of, named for the peach blossoms that bloom there.”

“If Night Prince was truly in Li City before, then he very likely traveled west along the Song River, came ashore at Wing City, passed through Wing City, and then made his way up to Peach Blossom Island.”

“That would explain fairly well why my people kept losing track of Night Prince’s trail.”

“If they truly took that route, what a grueling journey Night Prince must have endured!”

Tang Xiaohua’s sorrow was felt by everyone in the chamber.

Her concern for Night Prince was no empty sentiment.