What had happened in the room? Feng Jiu’er desperately wanted to know the answer herself.

Had not the Ninth Imperial Uncle wanted to drink her blood just now? Then why had things ended up like this?

She… she had been on top of the Ninth Imperial Uncle!

The realization so alarmed Feng Jiu’er that she immediately flung the blanket aside and sat up — still perched on top of him.

She had intended to climb off him quickly, yet the moment she saw the state of the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s garments — pulled apart by some shameless girl — she found herself reluctant to simply leave.

In a flustered flurry she tried to help him pull his robes back together, but the more she pulled, the more wrong it seemed — no matter which way she tried to arrange things, all she could see was the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s sublimely perfect chest.

Oh no! Far too dazzling, far too enticing!

Her nose began to itch, and the sensation so alarmed Feng Jiu’er that she immediately raised her head, terrified she might actually have a nosebleed and destroy her dignity for good.

In any case, today had been a complete mess — utterly bizarre, thoroughly… depraved!

It was she who was the depraved one! What had possessed her to push the Ninth Imperial Uncle down, straddle him, strip off his clothes, and bite him while pinned against his chest?

Why had she been capable of doing something so outrageous?

Half an hour later, the door to the Ninth Prince’s room was pulled open from inside, and Feng Jiu’er emerged with Zhan Qingcheng on her arm.

The Ninth Prince! This was the Ninth Prince she knew!

The moment she laid eyes on Zhan Qingcheng, Qiaomu went completely blank. She stood there in a stupor, utterly unable to process the sight of him.

The last time she had seen him, he had been clad in armor, passing through a mountain path. She had gone on her own initiative, having long wished to see for herself the man reputed to be the most beautiful under heaven.

She had not anticipated that a single glimpse would remain with her for the rest of her life, and that she would be unable to stop thinking of him.

This time, he wore no armor — only a set of flowing white robes.

Ethereal as an immortal, his stunning grace was enough to shake heaven and earth.

Only the air of illness lingering between his brows — seeing it made one’s heart ache with an almost physical pang of tender concern.

Beholding the Ninth Prince’s weakened state, Qiaomu wished with all her heart that his wounds could be borne by her instead — she would gladly endure every last ounce of his pain.

“Seen enough? Are you not coming?” As Feng Jiu’er passed beside her, she could not resist extending a foot and kicking Qiaomu’s shin.

She had known the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s current appearance would captivate a great many people.

When even she herself could not withstand the effect of such masculine beauty — what person under heaven could?

But this was not just the two of them here. For Qiaomu to lose composure like this before the others would be embarrassing.

The kick to her leg sent a bolt of pain through Qiaomu, snapping her back to her senses. When she looked again at Jiu’er and the Ninth Prince — both in flowing white, both with a transcendent, otherworldly air — she felt struck by something.

Walking side by side, they were as beautiful as a painting. Every scene and splendor in the world could not compare to even one ten-thousandth of the sight the two of them made together.

Qiaomu let out a quiet sigh. In that moment, it seemed as though she had come to understand a great many things — and lost a great many things as well.

But very quickly, she composed herself and fell in step behind them with brisk strides.

The Ninth Prince had not looked at her once from start to finish. He was indeed just as the rumors described — cold and aloof, someone to be admired only from a distance.

Arriving at the carriage, Feng Jiu’er lifted the curtain and discovered that this carriage was of a special design. The entire interior was lined with layers of soft cushioning — was it to protect the Ninth Imperial Uncle from the jostling of the road?

She had to admit, though Yu Jingfeng seemed carefree and laid-back on the surface, he was at the very least bold in action yet meticulous in thought — a true talent.

Jiu’er helped Zhan Qingcheng inside. He was still feeling somewhat muddled and dazed today, and not long after settling in, he lay down and fell asleep.

Once Zhan Qingcheng had fallen asleep, Feng Jiu’er climbed out of the carriage.

Without any surprise, the woman called Leng Yue fixed a ferocious glare on her unrelentingly — but Feng Jiu’er had grown accustomed to it and paid her no mind whatsoever.

“General Feng, your horse!” Qiaomu led another horse over — the one they had ridden all the way from Ning City.

Both horses were genuinely fine steeds. The one Qiaomu rode was one she had kept for years, while the one for Feng Jiu’er had been handpicked by Qiaomu herself — one in ten thousand.

After a day and night of travel and a full night’s rest, the horses looked lively and spirited again, brimming with energy.

The moment Feng Jiu’er mounted her horse, her posture and skill made it plain that she had improved yet again since they had last parted.

Even Yu Jingfeng could not help but feel admiration for this girl. It had only been a short few days since they had last seen each other — no more than ten days in total — yet in every regard she had progressed further still.

Still, the moment he recalled the scene he had witnessed that morning, Yu Jingfeng’s ears burned, and he could not even find the courage to look directly at Feng Jiu’er.

Miss Jiu’er had overwhelmed their Prince — no wonder the Prince had looked so depleted this morning. She must have drained all his vital energy.

But speaking of which, had there been a single day these past several days that the Prince had not looked depleted?

Actually — today his complexion seemed slightly better…

Feng Jiu’er was not unaware of the strange way Yu Jingfeng kept looking at her. Still, even if the memory of that morning’s events made her cheeks flush pink, she had at least learned how to conceal her own embarrassment.

“Move out!” Once Emperor Ji had also boarded the other carriage, Yu Jingfeng gave a deep-voiced command.

The entire convoy of people and horses set off at once.

Qiaomu led her horse alongside Feng Jiu’er, the two of them keeping watch together at the rear of the Ninth Prince’s carriage.

Yu Jingfeng rode at the head of the column, followed by Emperor Ji’s carriage, and behind that, Leng Yue and the others.

Several dozen brothers rode both before and behind. Feng Jiu’er could clearly sense that these several dozen men were not in the same league as the several dozen brothers of their Longqi new recruits — the difference was unmistakable.

The six men at the very front, and the six at the very rear in particular, stood out markedly.

Yu Jingfeng said something to the two men at the head of the column, and two of the six men — whose bearing was noticeably distinct from the rest — urged their horses into a gallop and vanished from sight in an instant.

“Can these really be the legendary Feilong Shi’er Qi?” Qiaomu narrowed her eyes, watching the two men race off, her expression filled with undisguised envy.

“The Ninth Prince’s Feilong Shi’er Qi — their reputation is truly well-deserved. Every one of them is an expert.”

Feng Jiu’er also watched the two as they rode away, then turned her gaze to the remaining ten. After studying them for a moment, she found herself in complete agreement with Qiaomu.

These twelve men — during the ambush on the hillside, when the black-robed man had attacked, she did not recall seeing them.

But looking at them now, the depth of these twelve men’s martial ability was genuinely formidable.

With the Feilong Shi’er Qi present now, and Yu Jingfeng and Emperor Ji as well, even if the black-robed man came to cause trouble again, he would not necessarily have the upper hand.

So the Ninth Imperial Uncle had this many experts around him all along. Seeing it today for the first time, Feng Jiu’er finally let out a breath of relief.

“Then, General Feng — should you not tell me where exactly we are going?”

Qiaomu still had no idea what their ultimate destination was. That night, Feng Jiu’er had said she had something she needed her help with, and told her to find the two best horses, pack men’s clothing, and bring a bundle. And Qiaomu had done exactly that — taking it all on faith and following her out without a second thought.