A faint smile curved Xing Zizhou’s lips, a warmth of delight flickering in his eyes.

“Little one, you’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

To have earned even a piece of her concern — his heart was already satisfied. Only she didn’t realize that standing nearly bare before him and speaking words so close to his heart was, for his self-control, an absolutely unprecedented trial.

“We’re family. Of course I’m worried about you.” Was that not stating the obvious?

Xiao Yingtao was half out of her mind with worry, and yet he still had the composure to say something so entirely beside the point.

“Well? Have you thoroughly scouted the situation or not? You can’t just—”

“Someone has to take the risk. It’s a cliff face — my brothers can’t get down it. Jiu’er doesn’t feel comfortable letting me go alone, so we’re all going together.”

Xing Zizhou’s large hand came to rest against her face, gently brushing aside the few strands of hair that had fallen across it.

Xiao Yingtao seemed not to have registered how close they were. She only knew he had said Jiu’er was not comfortable letting him go alone.

That meant the place would be truly dangerous — more dangerous than she had imagined.

“What if—”

“There won’t be a ‘what if.'” She cut Xing Zizhou off at once. Her large, round eyes grew faintly red around the rims. “You’re all going to come back safe. All of you — you will!”

Xing Zizhou said nothing more. He simply drew her into his arms and held her close.

Her skin was a little cool against him, yet his own warmth felt almost feverish by contrast. Xiao Yingtao startled — and only then did she finally register the state she was in.

“Ah!” What on earth! Heavens above — how could she be standing unclothed in Xing Zizhou’s arms!

She immediately shoved at him, trying to push him away — but Xing Zizhou held her far too tightly. No matter how hard she pushed, she could not free herself.

“Don’t — I need my clothes—”

“I like holding you like this.” She was going to be his woman regardless. Only he didn’t know, this time, whether he would be coming back safely. So he dared not go further.

If he could not return, at least she would still be whole and unsoiled, free to meet a man who would treasure her in the future.

Even the thought of it filled him with a burning, aching fury. But if something truly happened to him, he could not leave her to spend her life in loneliness.

Finally, under Xiao Yingtao’s persistent struggles, Xing Zizhou loosened his hold and released her.

From somewhere about his person, he produced a chain, and without giving her any say in the matter, fastened it around her neck.

“If I come back safely, Xiao Yingtao — let’s get married.” Xing Zizhou pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Xiao Yingtao seemed on the verge of refusing — but she had other things to say first. “You will come back safely. Stop talking nonsense.”

Xing Zizhou smiled inwardly. Was that not as good as her agreeing?

“Alright — when I get back, we’ll get married!” Xing Zizhou was as delighted as a child, pressing kiss after kiss to Xiao Yingtao’s cheek.

In his excitement, he seemed to pay no mind to her small, persistent protests.

Only after Xing Zizhou finally let go of her, draped a garment around her shoulders, and walked out the door did Xiao Yingtao come back to herself, replaying everything he had just said to her.

She wanted to go after him and set things straight — but her clothing was still not properly on.

By the time Xiao Yingtao managed to dress and chase after him, there was more than just Xing Zizhou outside. There was also Qiao Mu, Snow Maiden, Feng Yinan — and finally, even Jiu’er herself came out.

All five of them were going together. That alone was enough to tell her how important tonight’s mission was.

When Feng Jiu’er emerged, her expression was subdued — a stark contrast to the barely-contained excitement on Xing Zizhou’s and Feng Yinan’s faces.

Qiao Mu moved to meet her, asking quietly: “Jiu’er, is something off?”

Feng Jiu’er shook her head, gazing at the distant horizon. “It’s just that these past few days, I’ve had this feeling… that things have been going a little too smoothly.”

Qiao Mu was taken aback. Looking back on it, the recent chain of events really had gone rather too well.

The First Prince had been pressured into returning to the imperial capital. The Second Prince had regained the Meherke King’s trust. And now, they had received this crucial piece of intelligence.

As long as the First Prince’s weapon manufacturing was exposed, there would be no path left for him to recover.

This weapon-forging base was the key. Once the location was found…

Snow Maiden regarded Feng Jiu’er, and said evenly: “For tonight’s matter, let Xing Zizhou and me go scout ahead first.”

Jiu’er shook her head again. “There’s no smoke without fire — I believe Zizhou’s information. Something is undeniably there.”

Xing Zizhou patted his chest. “This information absolutely will not be wrong. Even if it’s not a weapons forge, whatever is going on there is certainly not above board.”

Moreover, his brothers had personally witnessed large quantities of weapons being carried up from the ravine in that area and sent to the front lines. With his years of experience, he was certain that was a place for forging weapons.

“Jiu’er is only concerned whether things might be going a little too smoothly.” Qiao Mu pressed her lips together and thought for a moment, then said: “How about this — let Snow Maiden and me follow Xing Zizhou and Feng Yinan ahead to feel out the surroundings first.”

Since Jiu’er had reservations, both Qiao Mu and Snow Maiden were willing to trust Jiu’er’s so-called intuition. After all, Jiu’er’s instincts had never once been wrong.

“No. If we go, we all go together. I need to see what’s there with my own eyes.” If it was a dangerous task, how could she let her people take the risks while she stayed behind and reaped the rewards in safety?

Feng Jiu’er composed herself, then turned to look at Xiao Yingtao. “Lady Lian is likely to go into labor any day now. You must keep a close watch on her.”

Xiao Yingtao nodded. The ones staying here faced no particular danger — but the ones heading out tonight were walking straight into a perilous situation.

“Jiu’er, Qiao Mu, and…” She glanced at Xing Zizhou. There had been a fair amount of awkwardness between them outside just now, but at a moment like this — what did awkwardness matter?

“You too. Be careful.”

“With a future wife waiting here for me, I’ll come back without a scratch — don’t worry!” Xing Zizhou said with a wide smile.

Xiao Yingtao’s face went red. She shot him a look, and seemed about to say something — then, all at once, decided against it.

Even if she wanted to refuse him, she could say so once they returned safely. Now was not the time.

Qiao Mu and the others smiled faintly, helpless in the face of these two who so clearly were meant for each other yet spent their time at odds.

“Let’s move.” Feng Jiu’er glanced up at the sky. It was overcast and darkening — night was falling. They had to depart now or they would not make it back in time.

“Qiao Mu, did you bring the night-travel clothing?”

“It’s with me. We’ll change once we’re outside the city.”

“Good.” Feng Jiu’er swung up onto her horse. “Move out!”

A press of her heels, and she led the charge through the back gate.

Snow Maiden, as always the most spare with words and the most absolutely devoted to Feng Jiu’er’s lead, mounted the moment Jiu’er set off and galloped after her without a second thought.

Qiao Mu and Feng Yinan exchanged a glance, then both vaulted onto their horses and quickly followed.

“Watch yourself out there too — things aren’t necessarily safe here either. Danger can come from anywhere.”

Even mounted, Xing Zizhou still turned to look back at Xiao Yingtao, calling out in warning: “Listen to me — if real trouble comes, something you can’t handle, don’t think twice. Getting away first is all that matters.”