Feng Jiu’er spent the entire day in Yuyang Palace.
After being brought back, Zhan Yuheng truly had not regained consciousness again — though in the interim he had broken out in a high fever. So Jiu’er did not dare simply leave.
There were no fever-reducing medicines in this era. She could only have people fetch medicinal herbs from the palace’s medicine storeroom and prepare a fever remedy herself.
Between internal remedies and external treatments, she managed to bring Zhan Yuheng’s fever down somewhat.
He was most likely still running a mild fever now, but having been wounded by a blade — a deep wound at that — it was entirely normal for him to suffer repeated bouts of fever over the next two days.
The Imperial Physicians in the palace were always prone to making a fuss. Upon hearing that the Crown Prince had developed a fever, over a dozen of them immediately fell into a panic, like ants on a hot pan.
They stationed themselves outside, and though they did not dare barge directly into the inner chamber, they kept chirping and clamoring, constantly urging her on how and how to administer medication.
Jiu’er found them utterly exasperating to listen to, and so had the maids drive them away.
Had the Emperor not personally ordered Feng Jiu’er to stay and tend to the Crown Prince, who would have been willing to listen to her?
A mere fluff-headed little girl who knew a smattering of folk medicine from among the common people — presumptuously directing them, these venerable senior Imperial Physicians of distinguished reputation. Completely unforgivable!
But regardless, once someone had them expelled, what could they do but leave?
Feng Jiu’er had simply lucked into this enormous stroke of fortune — being present at the moment the Crown Prince was wounded and treating him on the spot.
As if treating a wound were anything remarkable? Any Imperial Physician present at the time would have handled it far better than Feng Jiu’er’s methods.
She simply had the good luck of being first on the scene, and so the Emperor had granted her sole authority to tend to the Crown Prince.
And now she had the audacity to use that authority to expel them, the true healers of distinction — this little girl still wet behind the ears, she had better not go and ruin their esteemed Crown Prince!
In any case, for the entire night, only Feng Jiu’er and Qing Yun kept watch at the Crown Prince’s side, with two small maids outside ready to attend at any moment.
Even those maids and Qing Yun remained outside the inner chamber. Within the canopied bed-chamber, there were only Feng Jiu’er and Zhan Yuheng.
Deep in the night, Yuyang Palace received several uninvited visitors.
Qing Yun, who had been notified and came to stand before the inner chamber’s curtain, truly did not wish to disturb the two inside. He did not want to break this beautiful atmosphere.
But the identities of the visitors were such that, if he did not disturb them, they would likely barge in on their own.
Qing Yun had no choice. He inclined toward Feng Jiu’er’s silhouette inside and said: “Miss Feng, the Ninth Prince requests your presence.”
The bed-curtain was immediately lifted open by Feng Jiu’er. She asked: “Where is he?”
Qing Yun felt a measure of discomfort. Feng Jiu’er seemed rather eager to go see the Ninth Prince — yet Qing Yun knew better than anyone how much the Crown Prince longed for Feng Jiu’er.
Could this Ninth Miss Feng not stay faithfully at the Crown Prince’s side?
He pursed his lips and said plainly: “The outer side hall.”
“His Highness should have no major complications for now. Just make sure no one disturbs his rest. Qing Yun, you keep watch over him. If anything comes up, come find me immediately.”
She was going to the side hall to see the Ninth Imperial Uncle. She had seen him hurrying about all day, so something significant was likely happening again.
Inexplicably, she very much wanted to go see him, very much wanted to understand everything about him.
Before Qing Yun had the chance to ask anything he needed to know, the slender silhouette before him flashed, and Feng Jiu’er had already vanished behind the door.
He turned to look once more at the figure still lying in the bed, and Qing Yun felt only a pang of heartache.
What could be done to make Feng Jiu’er remain forever at the Crown Prince’s side?
Yet now, everyone had overlooked one matter — that Feng Jiu’er had already been betrothed to Nanmen Xu of the Nanmen clan.
An emperor’s word cannot be taken back. The imperial decree had been issued — yet, one by one, why did none of them seem to take it seriously?
Was it that the Emperor had been too indulgent with everyone as a rule, or was it that each and every one of them was simply too proud and self-important?
…Before she had even reached the side hall, she could already see Yu Jingfeng standing guard outside its door in the distance.
Only then did Jiu’er remember that, counting from when she had left the Ninth Prince’s residence that morning, a full day had already passed.
“Miss Jiu’er.” Upon seeing her, Yu Jingfeng immediately offered a warm bow. “The Prince is waiting.”
Feng Jiu’er gave him a sidelong glance. “Why are you bowing? I don’t even hold any official rank — your standing is higher than mine.”
He was not usually this courteous. What was the matter with him today?
Yu Jingfeng smiled faintly and leaned in to say in a low voice: “We are inside the palace here, where there are many eyes and ears. Putting on a show of propriety loses you nothing in the flesh. If any bored person were to find fault later, it would only cause unnecessary trouble.”
Jiu’er couldn’t help but let out a small sigh. It was she, this person from the modern world, who took the palace rules far too lightly.
Even Yu Jingfeng was aware of this problem, yet she herself had not given it a single thought. She wasn’t sure whether to call herself too carefree or too reckless.
Or perhaps — whenever she was in the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s presence, she had never observed much propriety, so she acted the same around everyone else as well.
She let out a quiet breath, and once Yu Jingfeng had opened the door to the side hall, she raised her foot and stepped inside.
The Ninth Imperial Uncle was sitting beside the tea table, drinking tea. The scene around him felt a little cold.
Jiu’er walked over and called out: “Ninth Imperial Uncle.”
He said nothing, and did not even turn to look at her. Jiu’er had no choice but to walk around to the other side of the tea table, sit down, pour herself a cup of clear tea, and drink it in one go.
“Ninth Imperial Uncle, are you about to leave the imperial capital again?”
Zhan Qingcheng arched an eyebrow and looked at her.
“Wondering how I know?” Feng Jiu’er pouted her lips slightly. She wasn’t sure why, but knowing that he was soon to set off on a campaign, she truly felt restless and irritated inside.
She wanted to… follow him to the frontier, go to the battlefield…
“You and the Emperor spent an entire day in secret deliberation. You are the War God of Bei Mu — what else could be so weighty a matter for you to discuss this long? Could it be anything other than matters of the battlefield?”
Zhan Qingcheng made no rebuttal. This girl seemed scatterbrained and carefree, yet in truth she had a mind as keen as dust particles.
“Ninth Imperial Uncle.” Jiu’er called to him, yet had no idea what she wanted to say next.
“You don’t want this Prince to leave?” He set down his cup and fixed his gaze on her small face.
Feng Jiu’er had no way to address this topic. Why did it always feel as though they were so familiar with each other?
She actually wanted to act spoiled in front of the Ninth Imperial Uncle — what an indulgent thought. But why did it all feel so completely natural to her?
She twisted her fingers together, feeling she had overstepped a little — yet knowing he was leaving, she was simply unhappy.
“This time, it is likely not possible to satisfy your wish.” Zhan Qingcheng’s cup was empty. Without a word, Jiu’er refilled it to the brim.
Since even the Ninth Imperial Uncle himself said it could not be as she wished, this campaign, then, was an absolute certainty.
This was a matter of state — it bore upon the entire realm and the countless people within it. What right did she truly have to be willful?
“When do you leave?”
“Not yet determined.” He held the cup in his fingers, just as one might hold her small hand. The cup seemed to still carry the warmth left by her fingertips.
“These next two days, while this Prince is away from the imperial capital — if you have the opportunity, leave this palace at once.”