The words with which this woman invited the Ninth Prince carried a thread of flirtatious boldness.

The moment Huo Yan heard it, his temper flared. “Insolence! His Highness is of such exalted station — he cannot simply be seen by whoever wishes to see him.”

The black-clad woman was not the least bit angered. It was simply that, within her eyes, there was truly room for nothing but that one carriage.

“Your Highness, we of the free forest world have none of those elaborate formalities. I do not know how to speak in refined, flowery language, so I will speak plainly.”

The woman gave a bright laugh and said: “I have admired Your Highness for a long while. Today, I hope to keep Your Highness here to be my mountain stronghold husband. I wonder what Your Highness’s thoughts are?”

To have the Ninth Prince serve as her mountain stronghold husband! This woman’s audacity was utterly outrageous!

Every last person in the Longqi Army convoy felt their expression darken. They were furious!

This woman was simply unforgivable!

Yet the woman herself seemed utterly confident, not the least bit sensing that her words contained anything improper.

“Your Highness, I can assure you — even if I cannot offer you the vast expanse of the imperial palace to reside in, whatever you use or eat, I will give you the very finest of everything, and I will not allow you to suffer even a moment of hardship!”

The more one listened to these words, the more they resembled a bandit chief forcibly abducting a young woman.

Feng Jiu’er could not help but give a light cough, and before Huo Yan could fly into a confrontation, she said calmly: “Miss, have you ever actually met His Highness in person?”

“I caught but a fleeting glimpse of him that day, and found him breathtaking beyond words. His Highness’s transcendent countenance has left Qiao Mu with an impression she will carry for the rest of her life.”

So it was a case of love at first sight. One wondered whether someone who had fallen in love at first sight could still recognize, here and now, that the person in the carriage was not the one she had set her heart on.

The Ninth Imperial Uncle’s transcendent countenance did indeed make it rather easy for young women to lose their composure.

Even so, at this moment, Feng Jiu’er naturally dared not take any risk.

She said calmly: “Our Prince’s marriage should be appointed by the highest authority of the imperial family. I wonder whether Miss Qiao has sought the reigning Emperor’s permission?”

“Ha — what authority does the reigning Emperor hold compared to the Ninth Prince? Since he cannot even measure up to the Ninth Prince, why should the Ninth Prince’s marriage affairs still require his approval?”

Qiao Mu’s disdain for the reigning Emperor was plain to hear.

Huo Yan’s expression was full of suppressed anger. However, General Feng had given no signal, so he could not yet make any rash move.

And yet this woman before him showed such utter disrespect toward the imperial family — if those words just spoken were to spread, they would ruin the Ninth Prince’s reputation as well.

If they reached the ears of members of the imperial family, they would also believe the Ninth Prince harbored treasonous and usurping ambitions!

Feng Jiu’er, for her part, was not the slightest bit displeased. Naturally she enjoyed hearing anything said in praise of her Ninth Imperial Uncle.

Even so… glancing upward at the sky, dawn was nearly upon them. She could not afford to waste any more time here.

And so she could only look at Qiao Mu and say sincerely: “Our Prince will absolutely never be able to marry you, Miss. Today, it seems, we must disappoint you.”

“Why can he not?” Qiao Mu’s almond eyes deepened with displeasure. “On that point — unless the Prince himself speaks these words to Qiao Mu directly!”

Of course — even if the Prince were to refuse her, she had no desire to let this opportunity to spend time with him pass. It was the only opportunity she would have.

After all, when traveling outside, the Prince had brought fewer men than he ever had before. Against a thousand troops and ten thousand horses she freely admitted she could not prevail, but blocking a convoy of mere dozens — that was still quite manageable.

What she wanted right now, more than anything, was simply to hear the Prince’s voice. She missed him terribly.

The Ninth Prince inside the carriage made not a single stir, seeming not the least bit interested in what was happening outside. Yet Feng Jiu’er said: “His Highness has given his whole life to country and people. The woman he admires must also, without doubt, be a fine woman who protects the nation and cares for the people. May I ask, Miss Qiao — have you ever accomplished any great deed of benefit to the nation?”