Throughout the entire night, Feng Jiu’er was gripped by restless anxiety.

After the Ninth Prince had said those words — that he “wanted her” — he seemed to have matters to attend to and had departed.

A servant led her away, bringing her directly to the Ninth Prince’s private bedchamber.

It must be said that this courtyard had always been off-limits to outsiders. Only those who were the Ninth Prince’s most trusted confidants could enter.

And yet here she was — she had truly come, and returned to this very room!

Afterward, a servant brought her bathwater, along with a fresh change of clothes.

This was… an invitation to bathe and change?

Heavens above, was the Ninth Prince truly asking her to stay and become his woman?

How could that be? What if, in the dead of night, she truly lost all self-control and pounced on him, devoured him whole?

To consume the most beautiful man in the world, with herself on top and him below… heh, heh, heh…

Smack. The imagining Feng Jiu’er was snapped back to reality by a slap she gave herself.

What was she thinking? Shamelessly fantasizing about devouring someone?

Though the Ninth Prince was truly peerless in his beauty, breathtaking and matchless… well, that phrase was usually reserved for describing women.

But still — the man was genuinely handsome, striking, beautiful, and attractive. That was simply a fact!

Another smack. Feng Jiu’er gave herself another fierce slap across the face.

Good looks couldn’t put food on the table. Stop fantasizing. Become the Ninth Prince’s woman? What a ridiculous notion!

Thinking it over, she decided the best course of action was to slip away. Even if the Crown Prince took her back to the Empress, it would be safer than remaining here.

This man was far too dangerous!

She had barely reached the door when Feng Jiu’er turned on her heel, went to the window, and quietly lifted open the window frame.

She couldn’t leave through the door — someone was surely standing guard there. Her only option was to climb out the window!

The moment the window frame was lifted open, a whooshing sound cut through the air and a dark figure descended from above.

“Miss Jiu’er, please bathe and change your clothes!” It was a woman — her lightness skill was simply extraordinary!

Lightness skill was precisely Feng Jiu’er’s greatest weakness. Seeing this woman’s ability, she was filled with profound admiration — she practically wanted to bow before her and beg to be taken on as a disciple!

“You…”

“Miss Jiu’er, the Prince will return shortly. Please bathe and change your clothes!” The woman in black wore an expressionless face as she repeated her earlier words.

Feng Jiu’er immediately lost all enthusiasm. With a smack, she snapped the window frame shut.

Even the window was being guarded. It seemed escape was hopeless.

She sniffed at her own clothes — there was indeed a distinct smell of perspiration. Quite unpleasant.

Feng Jiu’er was, above all things, a lover of cleanliness. Knowing she had no way to escape for the time being, she had no choice but to make the best of the situation.

Taking the clothes, she walked behind the dressing screen.

But after a moment’s thought, she still felt uneasy. She went back to the window and lifted open the window frame once more.

“Hey — you out there. I’m going to bathe, so don’t let anyone barge in. Otherwise, I’m going to report it to Ninth Imperial Uncle!”

The woman in black’s lips twitched slightly. From somewhere in the shadows, she replied with a stiff expression, “Understood, Miss Jiu’er.”

Judging by the direction of the voice, she appeared to be perched somewhere at the top of a tree.

To move so nimbly across rooftops and walls — truly, this was a skill that ancient people excelled at. Still, Feng Jiu’er had made up her mind: she absolutely had to learn lightness skill properly.

Otherwise, in this ancient era, it would be far too easy for others to bully her.

With that resolved in her mind, she took her clothes and walked behind the dressing screen, bathing in a leisurely and unhurried manner.

Yet when she caught sight of her own reflection in the water — when she saw the ugly scar marking her face — she could not help but furrow her brows.

She was so plain-looking. What exactly could Ninth Imperial Uncle see in her? What could he possibly want? Was it her figure?

She glanced down, and instantly deflated. She had nothing on Feng Qingyin, nor on the Empress Rong she had met earlier that day.

He must have truly gone blind.