“Fine!” Feng Rui crooked a finger. “Today, I will step over your corpse!”

The man beside him, cradling a silver spear, rode his horse closer.

The man held out the silver spear, and Feng Rui seized it in one grip.

“Yuan Nanshan, first you defied the imperial command, then you openly rebelled — your crime is unforgivable. Prepare to die!”

Within the city, battle was about to erupt at any moment.

In the streets, soldiers clashed in combat while the commoners, though they did not leave, shut their doors tightly.

What Feng Rui did not know was that, while he was locked in battle with Old General Yuan, Feng Jiu’er had already led troops to strike deep into his rear encampment.

By the time news reached him, a full two hours had already passed.

“What?” Feng Rui retreated to a safe area, shielded by his soldiers.

“Who is leading these troops? Not even Fenglei could hold them off?”

“Reporting, General — it’s a woman, not very tall, but with martial skill unlike anything we’ve ever seen.” A guard answered.

Feng Rui frowned, and it was only then that realization dawned on him.

“Feng Jiu’er — she actually dared to enter the city alone. We’re leaving!”

“Yes.” The guard cupped his hands in acknowledgment.

“Bad news,” another guard called out, scaling the walls to approach. “General, the city gates have been opened from the inside.”

“The enemy has already broken through — there’s a traitor among our own men!”

“Charge! Avenge the late emperor!” one of Old General Yuan’s commanders bellowed.

In an instant, the shouts and the clash of weapons grew even more furious.

Just as Feng Jiu’er had calculated, it took ten days to take Xiyuan City.

After the victory banquet, Feng Jiu’er sat in the bathing tub, gazing up at the large red beam overhead.

The matter had been resolved smoothly, but a far greater battle still lay ahead.

What worried her most was still the situation to the east — in this era with no internet, there was simply no way to get accurate news of the outside world in time.

Eldest Imperial Brother seemed simple and honest, valuing brotherhood above all — who would have thought he’d end up together with Noble Consort Ya?

Seen in this light, Eldest Imperial Brother’s ambition to claim the throne was plain to see.

Once the throne itself was under threat, Noble Consort Ya certainly wouldn’t stand idly by.

If the forces behind Noble Consort Ya also headed east, Ninth Imperial Uncle’s chances of victory would grow even slimmer.

Feng Jiu’er let out a soft sigh, closed her eyes, and let her head slowly sink downward.

When Xiao Yingtao came in, she couldn’t even see a strand of Feng Jiu’er’s hair.

“Jiu’er.” Xiao Yingtao hurried her steps. “Where are you?”

In the bathing tub, a burst of bubbles rose up, scattering the flower petals floating on the surface of the water.

Xiao Yingtao rolled her eyes, rolled up her sleeves, and reached into the water.

“What are you doing? You haven’t slept in days, and you’re still not getting up to get a proper rest.”

Xiao Yingtao pulled Feng Jiu’er up above the water in one motion, freed a hand, and grabbed a bath towel.

“Quick, dry off and get up. What are you doing, holding your breath like that? Is now really the time?”

“If you’re too exhausted and accidentally fall asleep in there, you won’t be able to get back up!”

Forced to show her head, Feng Jiu’er’s stunningly beautiful little face was flushed a delicate pink.

Her jet-black eyes rolled, and she asked, “You won’t leave? How am I supposed to get out?”

“What’s there to be afraid of?” Xiao Yingtao scooped up a splash of water and flicked it onto her face.

“What do you have that I don’t? Hurry up and get out, let me see if you’ve gotten thinner. Is there any meat left on you?”

Feng Jiu’er flicked the towel in her hand, and it landed squarely over Xiao Yingtao’s head.

“Feng Jiu’er, you’re asking for it! You got my hair wet.”

Xiao Yingtao yanked off the half-soaked towel with one hand and turned around, glaring, ready to pounce.

But by then, Feng Jiu’er was already standing outside the tub, her body wrapped up snugly.

“How did you move so fast?” Xiao Yingtao lunged toward her. “Hurry, let me check you over and see if you’ve lost weight.”