Behind the guards, it turned out to be none other than Jiu’er’s own father, Feng Junzhuo.

“You wretched girl! You caused trouble at Xuanhua Hall — I’m taking you right now to beg forgiveness from Her Majesty the Empress!”

Feng Junzhuo’s face was full of fury, his whole bearing radiating the righteous air of a man willing to sacrifice even his own kin for justice — which, in Jiu’er’s eyes, was deeply ironic.

He’d decided so quickly to drag her off to apologize to the Empress — but had he ever bothered to ask what kind of treatment she’d received at Xuanhua Hall?

“Father, why do we need to go apologize to Her Majesty? Ninth Imperial Uncle told me to go home and practice my calligraphy!”

Feng Jiu’er blinked, not the least bit intimidated by him or the guards around him.

“N-Ninth Imperial Uncle?” Who exactly was this girl referring to? In the entire imperial city, there was only one person who held that title! “Don’t talk nonsense!”

She wasn’t even part of the imperial family — how dare she call the Ninth Prince “Ninth Imperial Uncle”? That alone was a crime grave enough to bring ruin upon them all!

“I’m not talking nonsense. Ninth Imperial Uncle really did tell Jiu’er to go home and practice calligraphy — he said my handwriting wasn’t pretty enough.”

Feng Jiu’er looked utterly innocent, spreading her hands and shrugging her shoulders, so relaxed that there wasn’t the slightest trace of panic in her.

But Feng Junzhuo’s face was full of suspicion. “The Ninth Prince… spoke with you?”

The Ninth Prince, who was said to be so aloof that even powerful court officials struggled to exchange even half a sentence with him — had spoken with Jiu’er, and even told her to practice her writing?

Was this mad girl just making things up?

A guard rushed in from outside and whispered a few words into Feng Junzhuo’s ear. Feng Junzhuo’s expression changed at once.

“You… you really spent last night at the Ninth Prince’s residence?”

He had assumed it was nothing but a rumor — how could the Ninth Prince possibly allow a fool like her to stay overnight in his own residence?

Wouldn’t that mean letting this girl tarnish the reputation of the Ninth Prince’s household?

“Yes! The food at Ninth Imperial Uncle’s place is so delicious. He even said I was too thin and told me to eat more. Ninth Imperial Uncle is so wonderful.”

Feng Jiu’er yawned and strolled leisurely toward her room.

These people were all the type to flatter whoever held power. Knowing she had offended the Empress, they’d have gladly handed over her life as an apology, just to please the Empress.

But now that they knew she might genuinely be on good terms with the Ninth Prince, none of them dared do anything to her, afraid that her relationship with him truly wasn’t a shallow one.

In any case, as for this father of hers — she truly had no expectations left.

“Jiu’er, was what you just said true?” His spies had reported that she had indeed been taken back by the Ninth Prince the night before.

Yet Feng Junzhuo simply couldn’t bring himself to believe that she could actually share a meal with the Ninth Prince.

That was an honor even his own father, Old General Feng, had never once received!

“It’s true.” Feng Jiu’er couldn’t be bothered to deal with him. This father of hers bullied the weak and feared the strong — she had no idea what her mother had ever seen in him.

She had every reason to question her mother’s judgment. Ugh…

Just as Feng Junzhuo hesitated over whether to keep dragging her off to see the Empress, several more people suddenly burst in from outside.

“Ninth Miss, Old Master Feng has given orders for you to go to the front courtyard at once to receive an imperial decree.”

…

By the time Feng Jiu’er arrived, not only had several eunuchs come from the palace, but Crown Prince Zhan Yuheng had also just arrived.

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: In consideration that Miss Ninth is still young in years and not yet suited for marriage, We hereby bestow a pair of gold-inlaid jade ornaments…”

After reading out a long list of bestowed gifts, the eunuch seemed to add the following: “We hope that within the next half year, Miss Ninth will devote herself wholeheartedly to her studies and not dwell on matters of romantic affection. Once her studies bear fruit, We shall feel truly comforted…”

That seemed to be the gist of it. The wording was so formal and stilted that Feng Jiu’er hadn’t caught every word. In short, it meant that for the next half year she wasn’t to fall in love, and was instead to focus on her studies at the Imperial Academy.