When Yu Jingfeng got back, he saw the hall’s exterior packed with people, which only made him more nervous.

“What’s going on?” he strode over and asked.

“Lord Yu, you’re finally back?” Long Shiyi saw Yu Jingfeng like he’d spotted a lifeline.

Yu Jingfeng glanced at his own sleeve, which had been tugged out of shape, then swept his gaze forward. “What exactly is happening?”

Outside the hall, first-rank guards, commanders, wing chiefs, and others all stood holding pieces of brocade cloth, pacing back and forth.

Yu Jingfeng hadn’t seen a scene this large in a long time, and he couldn’t help but feel a jolt of alarm.

“Long Shiyi, has the enemy seen through the Prince’s plan? Have they broken into the city?”

“I’m afraid this matter is even bigger than the enemy breaking into the city,” Long Qi said, waving the brocade cloth in his hand.

“Lord Yu, I think you’re the only one who can calm the Prince’s anger now.”

A chill ran down Yu Jingfeng’s spine. He coughed lightly, pulled his gaze back, and stared at Long Qi.

“I’m not Miss Jiu’er—I don’t have that kind of power!”

Long Shiyi clapped him on the shoulder and frowned. “Worthy of Lord Yu—still in the mood to joke around at a time like this!”

“Shiyi, actually we could look on the bright side too—if we’re going to die, at least we’ve got Lord Yu, who snuck off, to go down first with us, right?”

“What exactly is going on?” Yu Jingfeng was both angry and worried.

He couldn’t die. He and Xuepiao still had so much left to do—they had to get married, have children, live to a ripe old age together.

Long Qi tossed the brocade handkerchief in his hand to Yu Jingfeng, who caught it with one hand and asked, “What’s this for?”

“The Prince said every one of us has to come up with three schemes, and moreover…”

With a creak, the hall doors were pulled open from inside, and a guard appeared before everyone’s eyes.

“The Prince has ordered—one incense stick’s worth of time left, and that’s final.”

In an instant, outside the hall, it was as if a pot had boiled over.

“One incense stick? Didn’t the Prince just say…”

“The Prince never gave a specific time.”

“One incense stick—how am I supposed to come up with anything? I haven’t even gotten married yet.”

“Like you’re saying that as if I have gotten married.”

“Who here has actually gotten married, anyway?”

“Old Song, you’re the oldest of us all, married the earliest—can you manage a trick or two?”

“Right, Old Song, I bet you already wrote something down earlier.”

After a moment of chaos, everyone’s attention landed on Wing Chief Song.

Seeing this, Wing Chief Song hastily tucked the handkerchief in his hand into his robes and turned his back to everyone.

“I don’t know either, you all figure it out slowly—I really don’t know.”

“What do you mean by ‘three schemes’?” Yu Jingfeng turned back, only to find that Long Qi and Long Shiyi had both run off.

“Wing Chief Song, save us.” The two of them wasted no time joining the crowd begging Wing Chief Song for help.

A moment ago, with no confirmed deadline and so many people crowding up front to block for them, Long Qi and Long Shiyi had still had the mood to tease Yu Jingfeng.

Now, with only one incense stick’s time left, no one dared joke around with the Prince.

“Hey.” Yu Jingfeng waved a hand and strode forward.

“Lord Yu, here’s how it is.” The guard who had gone to call Yu Jingfeng back earlier caught up with him.

Yu Jingfeng stopped at once and turned his head.

“The Prince said he wants to give Miss Jiu’er a wedding like no other, and wants everyone to pitch in ideas.”

“Lord Yu.” The guard held up a brocade handkerchief. “This one’s yours.”

Yu Jingfeng swept a hand out and took the handkerchief. “Isn’t this the kind of thing the matchmaker handles?”

“Not this time!” The guard shook his head, glancing toward the anxious crowd by the long table off to the side.

“The Prince said ‘like no other’—how could that be done with the same old customs, unchanged?”

The guard turned back and waved a hand. “Please, Lord Yu, there’s no time left.”