Two days later, Xing Zizhou and Feng Yinan returned from gathering information together, bringing with them a piece of news that lifted everyone’s spirits — the Second Prince had been released!

King Muhe had indeed grown fearful. With the First Prince’s faction dominant and unchecked, if the First Prince truly intended to rebel, there would be no other force left to counter him.

Besides, the Second Prince’s situation amounted to little more than an alleged liaison with a consort.

Against matters of national importance, what did a minor affair like that count for? At the very least, this son of his had not, over all these years, ever done anything that truly threatened him.

In truth, King Muhe had not genuinely been convinced that the First Prince meant him harm — it was simply that through the incident of being wounded, he had suddenly come to see clearly: the power between his two sons must be kept in balance. He absolutely could not allow one side to grow too strong.

“Young Master, now that the Second Prince has been released, Consort Lian…” Xiao Yingtao looked at her, a little hesitant.

“I’ve noticed that Consort Lian has not been in good spirits these past few days — living in constant anxiety and fear — and her health doesn’t seem to be improving. It’s possible that…”

“Her health is not in any immediate danger — she is simply frightening herself. It will be fine. Let her endure a few more days. Once the child is born, we will send her back to the palace.”

How Consort Lian truly fared, Jiu’er understood better than anyone. She had been taking her pulse every day.

“I think she is worried about what lies ahead for her,” Qiao Mu said quietly.

A consort who had been the subject of such rumors — life in the palace going forward would not be easy for her.

“Once the child is born, perform a blood kinship verification with King Muhe. At that point, for the sake of keeping the Second Prince in check, King Muhe will not bring any charges against them regardless of the outcome.”

What King Muhe was thinking at this moment was plain enough to all of them. Even if the child truly were the Second Prince’s, he could say nothing about it — at most, he might secretly have the child and Consort Lian disposed of.

But if the child were his own, he would no doubt weigh the matter in terms of his own future.

Two sons, with power already divided too broadly between them — one more son might at least offer a bit more assurance for what lay ahead.

As for Consort Lian — she would likely never know royal favor again. But was that not simply the life of a woman in the palace? Enduring favor without end was an impossibility; the day one becomes a consort, one ought already to have accepted that.

“Xiao Yingtao, have arrangements with the midwife been sorted out?”

“All arranged. She’s a woman from the neighborhood nearby — when the time comes, we just need to send for her. She can be here in less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.”

Feng Jiu’er gave a nod. “Go and look after Consort Lian. And while you’re there, tell her that the Second Prince has been released — put her mind at ease.”

The Second Prince’s release meant that the charge of impropriety against them did not hold — at least not openly.

“Of course.” Xiao Yingtao nodded, lowered her head, and went out the door — without once daring to glance in Xing Zizhou’s direction, as she had done from first to last.

“What has been going on between you two lately? Did you quarrel?” Feng Jiu’er gave Xing Zizhou a sidelong look.

It was plain for anyone to see that Xiao Yingtao had been avoiding him.

Xing Zizhou smiled lightly. “Nothing of the sort. The young lady is simply shy.”

“You know full well that she…” Jiu’er shot him a look, then said, “I’m not against the two of you being together. But don’t push the girl.”

“You say that as though you weren’t a young girl yourself,” Qiao Mu muttered.

Feng Jiu’er shot her a glare. “Mind your own business.”

“Hmph.” Qiao Mu sat in her chair, drank her tea, and said nothing more. Matters of the heart were something she frankly did not understand — saying anything more would be wasted breath, so she held her tongue.

Feng Yinan, the quietest of all, waited until the others had said their piece before he spoke. “The Second Prince was confined, in an indirect sense, through the First Prince’s doing. Now that the King has released the Second Prince, the First Prince’s side is unlikely to let this pass.”

“I know.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. The Ninth Imperial Uncle would have anticipated this point as well. If the First Prince were to genuinely “let it pass,” that would defeat the entire purpose — and make the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s trip to Muhe a wasted one.

“Yinan knows the situation here in Muhe better than the rest of us. Here is what we’ll do: go out and circulate a small piece of information.”

“Say that the King suspects the First Prince of orchestrating the assassination against him, and now has it in mind to name the Second Prince as the heir apparent?”

“Mm.”

Feng Yinan dipped his head and said at once, “A simple matter. I will go see to it immediately.”

And so that very evening, a rumor spread through every alley and street of the capital: the King intended to name the Second Prince as the heir apparent.

The news spread like a contagion, sweeping through the entire royal capital in no time at all.

That night, Feng Jiu’er and Qiao Mu headed out together.

As for why Xue Gu was not brought along — it was because the situation had grown precarious enough that their location could be discovered at almost any moment. The others could all look after themselves, but living among them was one person who had no martial arts to speak of, and who was, moreover, nine months along and on the cusp of labor: Consort Lian.

With Xue Gu staying behind, at least Consort Lian’s safety would be better secured.

The bloodstained boots had been found in the First Prince’s estate, and Shu Yanzhong — the First Prince’s household steward — had already been taken into custody by the King’s men and was now being held in the imperial dungeon.

If Shu Yanzhong went on sitting comfortably in the dungeon, what would be the point of any of this?

The Second Prince had already been released. It could hardly be fair for men belonging to the First Prince’s side to go on being detained indefinitely — could it?

After slipping into the palace, Jiu’er and Qiao Mu knocked out two guards, changed into the guards’ clothing, and made their way through the route Feng Yinan had scouted earlier, arriving in the vicinity of the imperial dungeon.

In truth, King Muhe had not genuinely charged Shu Yanzhong with any crime. As Feng Jiu’er had put it — by any reckoning, the whole affair looked like a frame-up. Others could see it, and King Muhe was no fool — he had his doubts as well.

But the problem remained: Consort Lian truly had disappeared, and he truly had been attacked. Without detaining Shu Yanzhong, it would be impossible to account for any of it.

Just as Jiu’er and Qiao Mu spotted the dungeon in the distance and were working out how to slip closer, the sound of a struggle broke out from that direction.

Someone was staging a jailbreak!

The two of them exchanged a glance, and in an instant leaped up into the trees. They dared not draw too near — they simply watched from the treetops, waiting to see how things unfolded.

The jailbreak was swift. Precise. Ruthless.

The commotion of the fight lasted no longer than half an incense stick’s worth of time before settling into silence. Plain as anything, Shu Yanzhong was taken away.

A handful of people — and they had broken the prisoner out in the span of half an incense stick.

But even as she kept her eyes fixed on every single person over there, she did not see the silhouette her heart had been aching for. He had not come…

Of course not. For something this small, the brothers of the Feilong Shi’er Qi were more than capable of handling it. Why would he need to come in person?

Her Ninth Imperial Uncle was a proud man.

“It seems there are people whose goals align with ours.” Qiao Mu kept her gaze on the guards pouring out in pursuit, and said in a low voice, “Jiu’er, let’s head back.”

“All right.” Watching as the guards below multiplied by the moment, Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow slightly. “Split up when we leave. We’ll regroup after dawn.”

“Understood.” Qiao Mu gave a nod, touched a foot lightly to a branch, and was gone first.

Feng Jiu’er swept through the treetops and vaulted over the high palace wall. She had barely stepped into the dense grove beyond when, without warning, someone seized her and pulled her sharply aside.