In truth, Feng Jiu’er had nearly been frightened to death as well.
The Ninth Imperial Uncle was truly casual about everything. No matter what he did, compared to ordinary people, he was far too much of a free spirit.
That other identity — the stakes were immense, and that could not be treated carelessly. Yet he had actually dared to bring her back with him just like that.
Most likely, the people of the Celestial Lord Sect had all been so startled by their own master that they nearly went into fits.
No wonder that woman outside last night had kept trying to burst in and stop them from… being intimate.
Such a mysterious organization — for an outsider like her to simply walk in like that was indeed far too dangerous.
The Ninth Imperial Uncle’s approach to things… well, he had his own profound wisdom. But on the matter of handling her situation, he had indeed been somewhat reckless.
“Jiu’er, Jiu’er?” Xiao Yingtao waved her hand in front of her face for quite some time.
“What is it?” Feng Jiu’er snapped back to her senses. “Help me sit up for a drink of water — I’m dying of thirst.”
“Alright.”
…
That packet of aphrodisiac medicine — it turned out the Ninth Prince had given it to Feng Jiu’er to carry out a secret mission!
The Ninth Prince had said so himself, so naturally no one dared to question it.
Besides, Feng Jiu’er’s appearance was so plain — apart from carrying out a mission, there was probably no other way to explain why the Ninth Prince would have given her such a peculiar packet of medicine.
As for the idea that the Ninth Prince and Feng Jiu’er shared some kind of secret that couldn’t be spoken aloud — anyone who thought such a thing was either unwell in the head, or… well, unwell. Either way, they were definitely unwell.
The Ninth Prince, with his bearing of a celestial being, taking interest in a homely-looking girl? You tell me — anyone who dared entertain such thoughts, what were they if not unwell?
“Guard Commandant Zheng of the Imperial Guard Courtyard kept insisting that someone had personally witnessed Jiu’er committing a lewd act!”
Mu Mu had likewise sustained quite a number of injuries — though for him, they were all superficial flesh wounds, nothing serious.
So while both he and Jiu’er had been clawed and torn by wolf fangs, Jiu’er was now in so much pain she didn’t dare move a single inch, while Mu Mu was able to move about freely.
“Your Highness, this subordinate believes this matter is by no means so simple. When Jiu’er and I were fleeing, we were pursued and attacked by black-clad assailants the entire way. These black-clad assailants — it is feared that someone orchestrated all of this with deliberate intent.”
He knew it was because Feng Jiu’er had offended the Empress that this great disaster had been brought down upon her.
But if this matter were allowed to simply die down and come to nothing, certain people would come to believe that since Jiu’er had neither power nor influence, she was someone who could be pushed around at will!
He didn’t know what kind of relationship the Ninth Prince shared with Jiu’er. When Jiu’er had said earlier that someone would certainly come to their rescue, that person, as it turned out, was none other than the supremely esteemed Ninth Prince.
Whatever the case, if this matter were left unresolved — if no decisive example were made — in the future, even more incidents of the same nature would occur.
Some people, even if they couldn’t be dealt with directly, ought at least to receive a firm warning.
For now, it all came down to seeing how deep the Ninth Prince’s regard for Jiu’er truly ran.
Others were unaware of Mu Mu’s intentions, but upon hearing mention of black-clad assailants, they immediately recalled the five men who had been mauled to death by black wolves the previous night.
Huo Yan stepped forward one pace, looked respectfully up at the Ninth Prince seated in the position of authority in the Martial Demonstration Tower, and said in a deferential tone, “There were indeed black-clad assailants — they consistently stayed ahead of this subordinate’s unit the entire way, pursuing and attacking Mu Mu and Feng Jiu’er.”
Since the Prince had declared that Jiu’er’s matter had been carried out under a secret mission assigned by him, the matter of the aphrodisiac medicine was entirely not Feng Jiu’er’s fault.
What stood now was that two newly enrolled students of his Longqi Fourth Army had been pursued and attacked without cause!
Zhan Qingcheng said nothing. He merely gave a wave of his hand, and Yu Jingfeng immediately said in a grave, resonant voice: “Summon Guard Commandant Zheng of the Imperial Guard Courtyard!”
Within the Longwu Academy, the Ninth Prince’s command was as binding as an imperial edict. Even throughout the entire Regular Military Courtyard, the Ninth Prince was the supreme authority. His commands were ones that even the Crown Prince of the Imperial Guard Courtyard and the Eighth Prince of the Dragon City Courtyard dared not disobey — let alone a mere Guard Commandant.