“Besides, is our hillside the same as this dense forest here? They are not even the same place — how am I supposed to know the route?”

Qiaomu glanced at Feng Jiu’er — not really with complaint, merely stating the facts.

Feng Jiu’er was now genuinely at a loss. The Ninth Imperial Uncle was surely waiting for them. How were they to get back?

“Climb up and have a look — see if you can find the way back.”

“Of course.” This time Qiaomu did not hesitate. She leapt up to the top of the trees, but came back down very quickly.

“Found it?” Feng Jiu’er hurried over.

Qiaomu shook her head, but she was looking in a certain direction.

Very shortly, a rustling sound came from the treetops in that direction, and a figure swept through the canopy in an instant, arriving before them in the blink of an eye.

In his hand was unmistakably the messenger pigeon.

“Miss Jiu’er, I caught it.” Long Twelve wiped the sweat from his brow. For someone with lightness skill as exceptional as his to end up this winded — it was a testament to just how difficult catching this pigeon had been.

The person who had released the pigeon must have thought that with the bird flying this high, it could not possibly be intercepted — and had left immediately for that very reason.

Most critically, if this person truly was someone within their convoy, they could not afford to be absent too long without drawing suspicion.

Feng Jiu’er took the pigeon from Long Twelve’s hands. Sure enough, something was fastened to its leg — exactly as she had seen in dramas, to a remarkable degree of accuracy.

It seemed that the ancient art of sending messages by pigeon was entirely real.

She removed the item from the pigeon’s leg and carefully opened it. Feng Jiu’er found, to her dismay, that she could not read it at all.

She passed it to Qiaomu and Long Twelve. Long Twelve’s expression darkened instantly.

“That person is informing the other party of our current location.” Long Twelve clenched his fist in fury. “Does this mean there truly is a spy within our ranks?”

“It is not so strange a thing. Yu Jingfeng said long ago that even the Imperial Academy had no shortage of spies from various kingdoms.”

What would ordinarily be an unsurprising matter was now, for Jiu’er just as much as Long Twelve, a source of deep worry.

Spies from various kingdoms moving in and out of one another’s ranks — that had always been the way of things. Even the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s own people surely had many individuals embedded in key institutions of other kingdoms.

Know yourself, know your enemy, and you can win a hundred battles.

But the critical issue right now was that the Ninth Imperial Uncle was not what he had been when he was in full health. He was currently guarding against grievous injury, and if a traitor appeared within this convoy, the consequences could be severe.

“Can you read these markings?” Feng Jiu’er looked at Long Twelve.

Long Twelve nodded. “In military operations, map positions are conveyed through markings like these — written characters could be recognized by their brushstroke style, which would give the person away.”

Feng Jiu’er understood. Whoever this person was, they had some experience with military affairs and was well-versed in that principle.

The problem, however, was that within the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s convoy — aside from Emperor Ji and Leng Yue, the two members of the Heavenly Sovereign Sect — everyone else had followed the Ninth Imperial Uncle through military campaigns for many years. Which meant that every single person here was a potential suspect.

“This person likely does not yet know that the pigeon has been taken by us. Is there any way to alter these markings and send back a false location?”

Feng Jiu’er had known from the very beginning that the road to the Southern Wilds would be fraught with difficulties. What she had not anticipated was encountering so many complications before they had even arrived.

The most important thing now was to first shake off whoever was hounding them, reach the Southern Wilds, and locate the divine physician. She had to find that venomous parasite as quickly as possible, study and devise a method to cure the Ninth Imperial Uncle — his body could not afford to wait.

“Very well, just a moment.” Long Twelve fished from his pocket a specialized brush he always carried with him, and added something to the existing markings.

This time Feng Jiu’er could make it out — he had added two additional mountain peaks. They were simple line drawings, but if someone was familiar with this area, they would be able to decipher them.

Long Twelve lightly shook the slip of paper and, once the ink had dried, rolled it back to its original form, then carefully replaced it inside the small bamboo canister.

He was just about to release the pigeon when Feng Jiu’er suddenly said, “Wait — add something else.”

…

By the time Jiu’er and the others returned, the brothers were still resting.

Yu Jingfeng stood holding a tray of food beside the carriage, looking thoroughly vexed.

The moment he saw Feng Jiu’er return, he reacted as though he had spotted a lifeline. He hurried toward her.

“Miss Jiu’er, please go and help.”

“What is the matter?” Feng Jiu’er’s gaze fell on the tray in his hands, and she had a fairly good idea of what was going on.

“Where is the Ninth Imperial Uncle?”

“In the carriage.” Yu Jingfeng placed the tray in her hands with an expression of utmost sincerity. “Please, I beg of you.”

“Very well.” Jiu’er was about to head toward the carriage when she suddenly stopped and looked back at Yu Jingfeng. “Lord Yu, did any of the brothers leave the convoy just now?”

“Just now?” Yu Jingfeng looked behind him. “The brothers of the Twelve Riders all went out — they are surveying the surrounding area for any signs of enemy presence. There are also a dozen or so other brothers who have gone out on reconnaissance — they are all nearby.”

“Were any of them heading in the same direction as us?” Feng Jiu’er looked sideways at Long Twelve. “Briefly tell Lord Yu the direction we went. Have Lord Yu look into it and find out who traveled the same way we did.”

“And also—” She looked at Yu Jingfeng, her expression careful and guarded. “Do not alarm anyone, and do not arouse any suspicion. Understood?”

Yu Jingfeng was taken aback, but after a moment’s thought, he understood at once.

“Understood. I will investigate everyone, not narrow it down to any particular direction.” Even though Feng Jiu’er had not spelled it out explicitly, a single glance from her was enough for Yu Jingfeng to grasp her meaning.

Only then did Feng Jiu’er take the food tray and board the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Zhan Qingcheng was reclining on the soft couch, reading a book.

The Ninth Imperial Uncle’s carriage was always this spacious and well-appointed — though from the outside it looked unremarkable, the interior furnishings were nothing short of lavish.

All of it, of course, was thanks to Yu Jingfeng — which was precisely why Jiu’er maintained that he was someone who was bold in action yet meticulous in thought, and an indispensable right-hand man for the Ninth Imperial Uncle.

Zhan Qingcheng gave her only a brief glance, then returned his attention to the military treatise in his hands, ignoring her completely.

Well then — he was angry. But what was he angry about?

Feng Jiu’er made her way over, set the food down on the low table, and looked at him. “Ninth Imperial Uncle, it is time to eat.”

Zhan Qingcheng paid her no heed, continuing to read his military treatise.

Feng Jiu’er’s brow furrowed lightly. She spooned out the food into a bowl, then carried it over to him — there was no low stool to sit on, so she could only kneel on the edge of the soft couch.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, I went out earlier to gather a few medicinal herbs, to have on hand in case they are needed. I did not bring any medicine when we set out on this journey.”

“The convoy has medicine aplenty.” Zhan Qingcheng gave a cold snort.

So he truly was angry with her for wandering off on her own. But Ninth Imperial Uncle — was there really any need to be this petty?

“But I have come back, have I not? I did not go far. I will try to leave less often in the future, all right?” He still paid her no heed. Feng Jiu’er held the bowl up and offered it to him, lifting it to his lips. “Ninth Imperial Uncle, be good — eat first. We will be setting out again soon.”