Qiao Mu and Gong Xinyue saw that her color and appetite were both fine, and the worry they’d been holding finally eased.

“Back at the medicine factory, a man and a woman fed me some poisoned pastries.”

Feng Jiu’er’s sudden words made Qiao Mu, who was holding a spoon, and Gong Xinyue, who was holding chopsticks, both freeze.

The two of them turned their heads to look at the woman between them, who was shorter than either of them.

Feng Jiu’er took a big gulp of bird’s nest soup, then raised her eyes to meet their gazes.

“That bit of poison didn’t affect me much, so I just ate it. If they’d really wanted to kill me, do you think they’d be a match for me?”

Not wanting the other two to worry, Feng Jiu’er went on to explain, “Besides, Mao Linye gave me the antidote afterward. I’m really fine.”

“What Mao Linye meant was that poisoning me wasn’t his idea.”

“Whether it was or wasn’t, I knowingly ate it despite knowing it was poisoned — that should ease his suspicion of me a little.”

“Only a little. We still need to stay on guard at all times.”

“Are you really okay?”

Gong Xinyue still wasn’t quite at ease, her brow furrowed tight.

Qiao Mu was even more thorough — she took hold of Feng Jiu’er’s hand and pressed her long fingers against her pulse.

Feng Jiu’er didn’t move, letting Qiao Mu check to her heart’s content.

After a moment, Qiao Mu finally let go of her hand.

Gong Xinyue’s eyes locked on Qiao Mu, and she asked quietly, “How is it?”

“Should be fine.”

Qiao Mu tossed out the words, then took a big mouthful of the bird’s nest soup herself.

Gong Xinyue let out a breath of relief. “Good, as long as you’re fine.”

Something occurred to her — she glanced outward, then drew a piece of paper from her waist and handed it to Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, someone shoved this into my hand just as I was coming up here.”

Feng Jiu’er’s crescent brows furrowed. She immediately set down her spoon and took the paper.

She looked at it for a moment, then pressed it into her palm. With a slight application of force, when she opened her hand again, the paper had turned to ash.

“We’re no longer fighting alone.”

Feng Jiu’er smiled faintly and looked at the other two.

“Who?” Qiao Mu asked, not understanding.

Gong Xinyue looked at Feng Jiu’er with much the same expression as Qiao Mu.

“There are over three thousand of them. I don’t know which one you’re asking about.”

Feng Jiu’er lowered her head again and took another sip of the soup.

“Can you just say everything in one go?”

Qiao Mu’s brow creased.

“I can.”

Feng Jiu’er raised one hand while the other kept furiously spooning up soup.

“I’m really a bit hungry. Let me finish eating and I’ll tell you — it’ll be quick.”

Watching her eat so desperately, Qiao Mu reached out and gently rubbed her back. “Don’t rush! Talk after you’ve eaten your fill.”

The poison earlier had likely drained some of her true energy, and Qiao Mu felt a bit regretful for having kept pressing Feng Jiu’er for answers.

Gong Xinyue said nothing and ate a couple of pastries instead. Whatever they were about to do, filling their stomachs came first.

Feng Jiu’er finished off a bowl of the soup, wiped her mouth, and closed her eyes. Only after confirming their conversation couldn’t be overheard did she slowly open them again.

“Earlier, while I was at the medicine factory, I heard that one of their factories had been burned down — a place called Songjia Village.”

“It seems that factory over there was quite important. It might well have been producing that shady medicine that can’t stand the light of day.”

“Mao Linye also said the remaining medicine was going to be sent to a place called Chiling Temple. Maybe that’s another secret production site.”

“So what about the three thousand people you mentioned?” Gong Xinyue asked.

“The person who gave you that note — you don’t know him?” Feng Jiu’er looked at her, one crescent brow lifting.

Gong Xinyue frowned and shook her head. “We just brushed past each other. He suddenly shoved it into my hand, and I didn’t turn back to look.”

In that kind of situation, you couldn’t turn around — turning back would have given everything away far too easily.

“It was Long Shiyi. He’s here.”

Feng Jiu’er said this with a smile.

Something occurred to her, and she shook her head, laughing even more delightedly.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle went and did something like this behind my back.”

“He—” Feng Jiu’er raised her eyes to look at Qiao Mu and found Qiao Mu staring right at her.

She let out a snort and patted Qiao Mu’s shoulder.

“Slow down, young lady! No need to rush.”

“Xiangcheng sent three thousand reinforcement troops, but Ninth Imperial Uncle swapped them out — so we already have three thousand people who’ve successfully gotten in.”

“The medicine factory at Songjia Village was also burned on Ninth Imperial Uncle’s orders.”

“But that wasn’t part of the plan. Ninth Imperial Uncle did it purely to throw off Mao Linye’s attention and make things easier for us.”

“Perhaps even he didn’t expect them to burn down such an important factory.”

Feng Jiu’er got everything out in one breath — she knew that if she kept dragging her feet, Qiao Mu might just lose patience and start swinging at her.

She glanced at Qiao Mu, then at Gong Xinyue, her fan-like lashes fluttering rapidly.

“Anything else you don’t understand?” she quickly followed up.

“So what’s your plan now?” Qiao Mu asked flatly, starting to eat.

Feng Jiu’er composed herself, then stretched out two fingers — one from each hand — and curled them, beckoning.

Qiao Mu and Gong Xinyue both leaned in toward the middle…

Night fell. A tall, slender figure climbed out through the most secluded window of the second-floor private room and vanished into the darkness.

Almost at the same moment, the only mountain in Fenggang Town — not a very tall one — burst into flame.

Chiling Temple sat on the slope halfway up that very mountain.

When Mao Linye received the news, he was still at the pleasure house, having only just fallen asleep.

“Sir, what should we do now?”

The man kneeling on the ground raised his eyes slightly.

Mao Linye rubbed at his furrowed brow and said coldly, “Has someone been sent to call for that half-brother of mine?”

Fenggang Town had prospered for so many years — if he hadn’t let Mao Zhongcai in, none of this would have happened.

“Someone’s already been sent—” “Bad news! Bad news!”

Before the kneeling man could finish, another man came rushing in in a panic.

“Bad news, boss.”

The man who’d just entered also dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Boss, the City Lord — the City Lord is dead. Died in his own bed. One sword through the throat, blood still… flowing.”

Mao Linye rose abruptly and strode outside.

As he passed the staircase, he frowned and stopped in his tracks.

The man chasing after him nearly slammed into his back.

“B-boss, what’s wrong?”

“Seal off the surroundings. No one is to leave!”

Mao Linye threw out the order and continued down the stairs.

“Yes, sir.”

The man nodded and turned to relay the order to those behind him.

On the second floor, in the private room where Feng Jiu’er was staying, someone pushed the door open from outside.

The man guarding the door had no idea what was going on. He opened the door and immediately turned to ask, “Boss, what’s wrong?”

“Was there anything unusual tonight?” Mao Linye asked coldly.

“No.” The man shook his head, then quickly nodded instead. “B-boss, you—”

Mao Linye frowned and stopped, turning to stare at the man guarding the door. “Speak!”

The man startled and dropped to his knees at once.

“It’s Madam. Madam came, and Sister Min-Min — Sister Min-Min came too.”