Yu Jingfeng’s tall, broad frame was still clad in his usual black robes.

He had rolled up his sleeves, revealing sturdy, thick arms.

Because of his movements, his arms looked more muscular than ever.

The muscle definition was clean and, honestly, rather tempting to look at.

Feng Jiu’er watched Yu Jingfeng — a talented man wasted on menial work, yet not uttering a single word of complaint — and could only twitch the corner of her mouth, not daring to laugh out loud.

If she’d had her phone on her, she would have wanted to take a picture of Yu Jingfeng right now and send it to Ninth Imperial Uncle.

With a caption: Ninth Imperial Uncle, I’m putting your man to work like this — any objections?

No doubt her Ninth Imperial Uncle would say: none at all.

“Ninth Miss, you all…” Yu Jingfeng looked up and swept his gaze over the group who had just come out.

In truth, aside from looking at Feng Jiu’er, he only really looked at Leng Xuepiao too.

“Are you all finished? Is there anything you need help with?”

Before Feng Jiu’er or Xiao Yingtao could answer, Leng Xuepiao walked a few steps toward Yu Jingfeng.

“Finished grinding yet?” she asked, with a hint of emotion in her voice.

This was the first time Leng Xuepiao had let anyone so easily see that she carried a little feeling.

Ordinarily, unversed in worldly matters as she was, she wouldn’t spare a second glance at anyone, no matter who.

Seeing her like this now was, to some degree, surprising.

“Not yet.” Yu Jingfeng, who had been about to stand, sat back down.

He picked up the pestle he had just set down and lifted his eyes to meet Leng Xuepiao’s gaze.

“Miss Leng, there really are a lot of herbs in this pharmacy. I can’t even tell which ones came in yesterday.”

“The ones on the ground — all of them.” called out someone nearby who was also working.

Yu Jingfeng’s eyes widened, and he turned mechanically to look at the person.

His innocent little “you’re not joking, are you?” look made whoever saw it feel considerably better.

“Don’t think I’m joking!” that person glanced at Yu Jingfeng.

“At the rate you’re going, you could grind day and night for three days and three nights and still not finish.” the person went on.

“Hurry up! Some of this is needed urgently.”

Everyone working here already knew what had happened the night before.

Even knowing Yu Jingfeng was the Prince’s trusted right hand, hardly anyone here was inclined to give him any face.

Giving face to the Prince, fine. Giving face to the man who’d barged uninvited into a lady’s chamber — no.

This was Heaven’s Mechanism Hall, where everyone was equal. They only listened to Jiu’er; whatever big official someone else might be, they didn’t much bother themselves about it.

Of course, Di Wu Ya was the exception.

He was Ninth Miss’s husband after all, and doted on her endlessly — everyone showed him respect.

“Oh.” Yu Jingfeng nodded, looked away, gripped the pestle tightly, and resumed his mechanical motion.

“Chak, chak, chak…”

“Miss Leng, actually I haven’t been slacking off.” Yu Jingfeng looked up at Leng Xuepiao, looking rather pitiful.

“I’m already on my thirteenth basin. There really are a lot of herbs that came in yesterday, I…”

“If you don’t finish grinding, I won’t forgive you!” Leng Xuepiao shot him a glare and turned to walk back.

Everyone watched this change in Leng Xuepiao with a measure of relief.

Grinding herbs was something Feng Jiu’er had done herself — there wasn’t a single task here she hadn’t done.

Feng Jiu’er could say with real certainty that grinding herbs was the most grueling job of them all.

In her own case, finishing five basins in a single morning would already be quite something.

Yu Jingfeng had ground thirteen. Truly impressive.

Lord Yu had made his own bed; now he had to lie in it.

All she could say was: good luck to him!

“Xuepiao, let’s go eat, don’t mind him.” Xiao Yingtao smiled and took Leng Xuepiao’s hand.

“Mm.” Leng Xuepiao nodded and walked off without looking back.

“Yu Jingfeng, go eat first.” Feng Jiu’er said before leaving.

“Ninth Miss.” Yu Jingfeng gazed at Feng Jiu’er with overflowing gratitude.

But then, noticing that Leng Xuepiao had stopped in her tracks, he immediately shook his head.

“No need, Ninth Miss, you all go ahead. I’m not hungry.”

“Still saying you’re not hungry, and your stomach’s been growling like a drum all morning after doing so little.” the teasing voice from nearby rang out again.

Yu Jingfeng really wanted to hit someone, didn’t he just.

Too bad that person wasn’t just one of Ninth Miss’s own, but also a woman.

How could he lay a hand on a woman?

“Come on, eat your fill, get some energy, and you’ll work twice as fast.” Feng Jiu’er waved a hand and turned.

“Let’s go, there’s braised pig’s trotters today.”

Braised pig’s trotters were Yu Jingfeng’s favorite. At the sight of the steaming dish, his eyes lit up brighter than they would at the sight of a beautiful woman.

His stomach growled, louder than ever, loud enough that almost everyone in the courtyard could hear it.

At that, Leng Xuepiao turned back.

“Well, hurry up and come!” she said coldly.

“Coming.” Yu Jingfeng stood as though he’d just been granted a royal pardon, and rubbed his palms together.

Feng Jiu’er nearly wanted to ask: Lord Yu, since when did you start listening to Miss Xuepiao so obediently? Does your master know?

Still, if this Lord Yu could bring Xuepiao out of her shell like this, his skill was nothing to sneeze at!

Lunch had been set out in a side room, and before they’d even stepped inside, the fragrant smell reached them.

Even the villages around Leijia Town were prosperous — staying in the town itself, good food and drink were no problem at all.

Everyone found their seats, and as luck would have it, the last remaining seat happened to be right next to Leng Xuepiao.

Whether anyone had deliberately saved that seat for the guilt-ridden Yu Jingfeng was anyone’s guess.

When Yu Jingfeng came back from washing his hands, his eyes landed on that one open seat.

Miss Leng’s complexion looked much better today — she should be fine now, right?

Looking closely in the daylight, Miss Leng really was quite pretty.

Fair and delicate, small and gentle — when she wasn’t being fierce, she was actually rather endearing.

Yu Jingfeng hadn’t forgotten that last night he’d once fantasized about whether this pretty little woman might become his wife.

Though after everything that happened, he no longer dared to entertain such thoughts, surely there was no harm in looking a little longer?

Yu Jingfeng came and sat down next to Leng Xuepiao, looking rather sheepish about it.

“Miss Leng, would you like some tea?”

Sheepish, yes, but a little too much so — it started to come across as forced.

Feng Jiu’er knew perfectly well Yu Jingfeng wasn’t putting it on; he simply wasn’t used to this, was too self-conscious, and so his movements came out stiff.

But she worried the others didn’t know that! Like Xuepiao, for instance.

If Xuepiao knew he wasn’t that kind of man, she wouldn’t have been frightened into fainting last night.

Feng Jiu’er felt she really ought to talk to Yu Jingfeng about his current situation.

Otherwise a good girl might end up scared off by him.

“No!” Leng Xuepiao shot him a sideways glance. “Hurry up and eat, then go back to work!”

Overnight, little Xuepiao had gone from icy silence, to not saying a word at all, to now…

Still, it came down to the same thing: Lord Yu’s skill was nothing to sneeze at.

“Alright.” Yu Jingfeng picked up his bowl. “I guarantee I’ll complete the mission!”

Feng Jiu’er watched the two of them, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.

It seemed it wasn’t just little Xuepiao who had changed, but also their impressively skilled Lord Yu.