Feng Jiu’er had been leaning leisurely against the doorframe a moment ago, but upon hearing Mu Mu’s words, she nearly choked on her own breath.

She was just about to say something when Leng Yue, her voice already hoarse, spoke up: “Young Palace Master, don’t you know — don’t you know that Feng Jiu’er has other men? She isn’t only involved with the Ninth Prince. She also… she also has a secret affair with Nanmen Xu!”

Mu Mu remained utterly unmoved.

Emperor Ji and Ye Luosha, however, stood rooted to the spot, unable to speak.

Mu Mu had actually just claimed that Feng Jiu’er was his bride-to-be. Could it be that in all this time they had spent day and night together, something that shouldn’t have happened already had?

Could it be that Feng Jiu’er, rather than having set her heart entirely on Di Wuya, had in fact pledged herself to him instead?

Or was Feng Jiu’er truly the kind of person Leng Yue had described — someone who kept countless men enthralled and played them all in the palm of her hand?

Otherwise, how could she have said such tender words of farewell to Di Wuya, and then turn around and end up in a relationship like this with Mu Mu?

And there was not the slightest hint of jest in what Mu Mu had said — he was entirely serious, entirely certain.

Ye Luosha knew him well. The Mu’er of the past had always appeared easygoing in front of others, yet at his core, his stubbornness and pride were second to none.

“Mu’er, Feng Jiu’er… she truly does have other men.”

“That was the past.” Mu Mu gave her a cool glance. “This woman — I don’t want to see her here anymore. If you keep her, then Jiu’er and I will leave.”

“Absolutely not — you cannot leave!”

Ye Luosha was on the verge of panic. She turned to look at Leng Yue, and whatever goodwill remained toward her was entirely gone.

She turned to Emperor Ji. “She knows too much. Kill her.”

Emperor Ji was shaken. Leng Yue scrambled in panic and dropped to her knees, her voice coming out strangled: “Foster father, foster father… you know I would never do anything to betray the Lord. I… I would never betray the Lord. Not for as long as I live.”

She began to cough — coughing up threads of blood.

Ye Luosha’s blow had truly been life-threatening. It had damaged her internal organs.

Emperor Ji was naturally unwilling to kill her. This was a child he had raised with his own hands. After so many years, how could there be no feeling?

Feng Jiu’er didn’t know what to say. Somehow, events had evolved into something impossibly tangled.

Emperor Ji would certainly not kill Leng Yue — but whether she would actually be driven away, Feng Jiu’er didn’t know. Emperor Ji had his own considerations, and even if he were to send her off, he likely wouldn’t go so far as to destroy her completely.

But Leng Yue truly knew too many things. To simply let her leave like this — how could that be permitted?

As for what Mu Mu had said about her being his bride-to-be, she had no need to account for that to anyone else. She only needed to make things clear to Mu Mu himself.

Feng Jiu’er finally straightened and walked over to them, saying mildly: “She had no real intention of harming anyone tonight. She simply has a rather malicious mind and wanted to use someone else to do harm.”

“If Elder Di cannot bring himself to kill her, yet cannot send her away either — then perhaps just have someone keep watch over her. We can leave the matter for when we reach Phoenix City, and let the Ninth Imperial Uncle handle it then.”

Leng Yue was a member of the Heavenly Lord Sect. It was better to return her to the Sect’s Lord for him to deal with.

Such a life, after all — she couldn’t bring herself to be like Mu Mu, to open her mouth and drive someone to their end.

“Feng Jiu’er, I won’t thank you for this. You only want to watch me suffer while you live freely!”

The hatred Leng Yue bore for Feng Jiu’er had long since seeped into her bones. No matter what Feng Jiu’er did, that hatred would not diminish by so much as a fraction.

“I don’t need your thanks — I even find you tiresome,” Jiu’er said coolly. “But you are one of the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s people, and I’m keeping you alive out of respect for him. Don’t mistake my meaning. Whether you live or die, I couldn’t care less.”

“Since you don’t care, why waste so many words on her?” Mu Mu suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the room.

Jiu’er tugged once, couldn’t free herself, and had no choice but to follow his steps. “Wait — Mu Mu, there’s something I need to make clear to them. I am not your—”

“If you want to talk, come back to the room to say it. I have an entire night to hear what you have to say.”

Mu Mu cut her off, and just like that, pulled her hand and walked with her into the room.

The door snapped shut with a bang. Ye Luosha and Emperor Ji stood staring at that closed door, their feelings impossible to put into words.

What now? Mu Mu seemed to have truly set his heart on Feng Jiu’er, and his behavior a moment ago made it clear he was not willing to back down.

Whether Feng Jiu’er was willing or not, he likely would not let go.

How had things come to this? Even though Ye Luosha had already seen how Mu Mu felt about Feng Jiu’er, the old Mu’er would never have been so forceful.

Now, after suffering through his wounds and waking, how had he become this way?

She turned to look at Leng Yue, who happened to catch Ye Luosha’s gaze — and immediately began trembling with fright.

“I… I belong to the Lord. And Feng Jiu’er… Feng Jiu’er even said so herself — the Lord must be the one to deal with me.”

She looked again to Emperor Ji, softening her voice, putting on a pitiful air.

“Foster father, I truly had no intention of hurting the Young Palace Master tonight. Not the slightest wish to harm him. He was the one who came barging in and then… then forced me out. I never laid a finger on him. Truly!”

Mu Mu had truly been too ruthless. He knew how much Ye Luosha treasured him, and yet with one single statement had set things up to destroy her utterly.

Falsely accused of assassinating the Second Imperial Prince — that was a capital offense with no possibility of reprieve. For Feng Jiu’er’s sake, could he really so casually demand another person’s life?

Why was it that every outstanding man here had eyes only for Feng Jiu’er? Why, even knowing she had other men, could they all somehow manage not to care?

Emperor Ji gave a cold grunt. Whatever her reasons, it was her own foolishness tonight that had brought her to this state.

“Did I not warn you repeatedly not to touch Feng Jiu’er? Why did you refuse to listen?” This time, Emperor Ji was truly angry. After Ye Luosha left with an icy expression, he had Leng Yue bound and brought back to her room.

Once back in her room, Leng Yue broke into tears. “Foster father, Ye Luosha truly hurt me. My chest is in so much pain right now. I suffered severe internal injuries.”

And yet her foster father had truly allowed them to tie her up, and even now refused to have her released. Leng Yue’s heart was awash with grievances.

“Foster father, will you truly treat me this way? Foster father, I am the child you raised from infancy. Foster father — don’t you feel even the smallest pang of remorse for me?”

She had made mistakes in the past too, but foster father had always forgiven her.

Foster father had no sons of his own. Though he regarded the Lord as a son, the Lord had never liked being too close with people since childhood — not even with his own teacher.

So foster father had always doted on her. Because she knew how to act spoiled in front of him.

But tonight — why was foster father still not softening?