Feng Jiu’er patted her chest, still not quite recovered from the fright.

“Is it… that difficult to look at?” Mu Mu had never cared about his appearance, but being looked at with that expression made his mood inexplicably sink.

Was it that he was not suited to wearing the Ninth Prince’s white robes?

Though, white truly was not something everyone could pull off. The Ninth Prince’s godlike bearing was something he freely acknowledged he could not replicate.

“No — you look very good. Truly. I never lie.” Well, not to good people, anyway.

Mu Mu did not dwell on it further. As long as it was not so dreadful that she could not bear to look at him, that was enough.

He genuinely had never given any thought to matters of appearance or dress.

But still… “Even if you dress me like this, the moment someone sees me up close, I will still be recognized.”

“Which is why I won’t let anyone see you up close.” Jiu’er walked to the door and blew a short whistle.

The people below immediately made ready, pulling the carriage into the great hall of the building.

“Your Highness, everyone is prepared.” Feng Jiu’er stepped back inside and turned to look at Mu Mu standing there in his flowing white robes.

“Jiu’er…” Mu Mu was still somewhat uneasy.

He could face marching to war or fighting an enemy to the death without fear, yet being asked to impersonate someone else left him genuinely ill at ease.

“Jiu’er, have you truly thought this through? Once you step out, you will be walking into danger. Do you truly not care about that at all?”

“My life was given to me by the Ninth Imperial Uncle. Even if I were to give it back, I would be willing.”

Of course, if she could avoid giving it back, she would far rather use her abilities to cure the Ninth Imperial Uncle completely.

Trading one life for another was the most irrational and the most self-indulgent thing one could do, and she had never been one for self-indulgent, meaningless gestures.

“Mu Mu, it is you I should be asking — this journey will certainly be dangerous. If you refuse now, there is still time.”

“You know I am not afraid of death…”

“I never want to see you come to harm. This debt is mine to carry, and one day I will repay it.”

Feng Jiu’er drew a slow breath. “If you are not refusing, then we should set out.”

Mu Mu said nothing more and fell in behind her: “Jiu’er, if someone tries to approach…”

“Don’t let them approach.” Feng Jiu’er said.

“And if they insist on approaching?”

“Tell them to get lost.”

“And if they won’t get lost?”

“Beat them until they do!” She suddenly stopped and turned to look at him, her smile soft and warm.

“I’m not joking. The Ninth Imperial Uncle is simply that proud an existence. Whoever displeases him, he tells to get lost. If they won’t, he beats them until they do.”

“Your inner energy is deep and powerful — you are more than capable of driving off anyone who tries to get too close to you.”

“Is… that really acceptable?” Mu Mu felt as though an entirely new world had opened before him.

The Ninth Prince was a member of the Imperial Family — how many imperial relatives and nobles would he have to face throughout the year? Could he truly simply meet whomever he wished to meet, and tell the rest to get lost?

“If I say it is acceptable, it is acceptable.” At the corner of Feng Jiu’er’s lips, a beautiful smile curved upward.

But that smile carried within it a thread of distant, wistful feeling, as though she were remembering something.

Her Ninth Imperial Uncle was just like this — proudly willful, brusque, domineering. Those he did not wish to see, he simply told to get lost. What of it?

The two of them descended from the upper floor. The great hall below was empty save for a single carriage.

Fortunately, the entrance of the Martial Training Hall’s great hall was unlike an ordinary doorway — the opening was wide enough that even a carriage could pass through. Outside the hall, brothers of the Longqi Army stood guard. The moment Mu Mu had stepped up into the carriage, someone outside attempted to force their way in…