Feng Jin frowned and rose to walk toward her.

Watching the man approach, Concubine Ya’s smile vanished from her face at once.

He hadn’t taken the initiative to get close to her in so, so long — did he know that? Why wouldn’t he admit it?

“A’Ya, are you trying to make us a laughingstock in front of others?” Feng Jin glanced at Gong Xinyue, then sat down beside Concubine Ya.

“Haven’t I already been laughed at enough?” Concubine Ya withdrew her gaze indifferently and picked up a cup. “Before I came here, I already saw Father.”

Feng Jin picked up the teapot and personally poured her a cup of tea: “Why did you go back?”

Concubine Ya smelled the tea in the cup, took a light sip, and asked flatly, “Did A’Jin think I went back to the Gao family?”

“After my failed regicide attempt, what family do I have left?”

“My father is now living in a small, run-down house. Does A’Jin know why?”

For a moment, Concubine Ya’s gaze turned to ice.

“It’s because his daughter is a fool — his daughter trusted the wrong person, and that’s what brought him to this end!”

She smashed the cup to pieces, took several deep breaths, and forced herself to calm down.

“In this world, aside from my father, no one truly loves me.”

“He knew full well you were using me, yet he still worried about upsetting me, and followed my wishes to withdraw the entire Gao family army.”

“Now that I have no more use to you, you’re sending me to assassinate Feng Qiongcang.”

Concubine Ya remembered how her father had aged more than a decade in what felt like an instant, and the bottom of her eyes turned crimson.

“Who is Feng Qiongcang? Is he someone I could possibly kill?” She gripped Feng Jin’s arm hard and asked in a low, grave voice.

“Feng Jin, you’re so cruel-hearted! I gave everything for you without a second thought, and you’re pushing me to my death — do you want my whole family to die with me too?”

“That was never my intention.” Feng Jin leaned forward and pulled Concubine Ya into his arms.

He held her with one arm and stroked the back of her head with the other, cheek against cheek.

Gong Xinyue knew that the Eldest Prince’s methods of coaxing a woman were surely no simple thing, but seeing it with her own eyes for the first time still made her feel a little uncomfortable.

She stepped back several paces and quietly kept watch behind the hall doors.

Under Feng Jin’s tenderness, Concubine Ya’s emotions gradually settled.

Feng Jin was in no hurry; only once her breathing had steadied did he reluctantly let her go.

“Sending you to assassinate Feng Qiongcang was truly a desperate, helpless move. I’m sorry — it was my fault.”

Concubine Ya had calmed down, but her expression remained flat, without a ripple.

“I’ve already had Father send word to my elder brother and cousin, telling them to lead the army back to the capital immediately.”

“What?” Feng Jin’s face changed at once.

He released Concubine Ya, his eyes full of reproach: “We finally managed to trap Feng Jiu’er, and you want to withdraw the troops now?”

Concubine Ya patted her own chest and gave a cold laugh. “Do you think I still care about that? Do you know how I escaped?”

“I crawled through dog holes and rat holes — have I ever suffered like that in my life? Tell me, have I?”

Feng Jin took Concubine Ya’s hand and said gently, “A’Ya, this moment is critical.”

“Tell me, what exactly do you want? As long as you can persuade your father to withdraw the order, I can give you anything.”

“I want you to marry me, and declare to the whole realm that I am your Crown Princess.” Concubine Ya grabbed at Feng Jin’s robe, then gently pushed him away.

“If you can do that, never mind withdrawing the order — I could even hand you the full power of the Gao family.”

“No one walks away unscathed after using the daughter of Gao Jinsheng, understand?” Concubine Ya patted Feng Jin’s shoulder and stood up.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, think it over carefully!”