“So — did you or did you not actually collude with the people of the Heavenly Sovereign Sect?” Zhan Qingcheng did not agree immediately. Instead, he fixed his gaze on her small face, studying her with careful attention.

Feng Jiu’er met his gaze with calm composure. “In truth, I do not know who those people who rescued me were. However, I do seem to recall hearing someone call out the title ‘Sect Master.'”

“Oh! And their Sect Master also draws my blood at night — just like you do, Ninth Imperial Uncle!”

Feng Jiu’er’s manner was seemingly casual, but in truth, not a single expression that crossed Zhan Qingcheng’s face escaped her notice.

In reality, however, there was absolutely no expression on his face whatsoever — he did not so much as lift an eyelid when he heard her words.

Was he simply concealing himself too well, or did it mean he truly was not Di Wu Ya?

Feng Jiu’er tilted her head. Now was not the time to press the matter further — pursuing it further would bring her no benefit whatsoever.

Suddenly, Jiu’er threw her arms around Zhan Qingcheng’s arm and shook it gently. “Ninth Imperial Uncle, I truly was wrongly accused. Please, save me.”

“You see — tonight, luckily, they had given me those blood pouches in the cell, so I barely managed to escape. If not for those, I truly would have been beaten until I was drenched in blood.”

“All that blood — would it not have been wonderful if all of it had gone to you, Ninth Imperial Uncle? Getting beaten and losing it for nothing is such a waste, is it not?”

Zhan Qingcheng looked down at the girl clinging to his arm. This little creature — she had a certain talent for flattery, one had to grant her that. It was a pity that her lightness skill was so hopelessly poor.

“It matters little. Looking at your constitution, you have quite sufficient blood to spare.”

Feng Jiu’er’s eyes went wide. What? Did the Ninth Imperial Uncle mean he was not going to help her after all?

“But — I have already told them that the people who rescued me that night were the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s. If Ninth Imperial Uncle refuses to confirm it, would that not make me guilty of deceiving the Emperor?”

From what she had heard, that so-called Court of Celestial Scrutiny answered directly to the Emperor himself — which meant her testimony would go straight to the Emperor’s hands.

By that measure, it really was no different from deceiving the Emperor.

“Deceiving the Emperor is a crime punishable by beheading! If I am executed, who will provide you with blood?”

“What does it matter?” Zhan Qingcheng raised an eyebrow, apparently unconcerned. “This Prince will simply find another.”

“That will not do! What I mean is — someone like that is not easy to find. Where else in this world could you possibly find another girl who is as clever and quick-witted as I am, obedient and well-behaved, gentle and kind, beautiful as a flower, beloved by all, causing flowers to bloom at her very approach, and happens to have blood perfectly suited to your needs?”

Truly impossible to find! So the Ninth Imperial Uncle absolutely could not abandon her as his remedy — if he did, people would die. Not only would she die, but the Feng Family would be implicated as well.

The corner of Zhan Qingcheng’s lips shifted ever so slightly, and a glimmer of something she could not decipher flickered through the depths of his eyes.

Clever and quick-witted — that, he would grant in some measure. Obedient and well-behaved? If she were not always scheming to flee from his side at every moment, perhaps he could just barely bring himself to believe it.

As for gentle and kind — where was the gentleness? Where was the kindness? The most one could say was that she was not entirely wicked.

Beautiful as a flower — hah. With that large scar covering her face, she truly had the audacity to say such a thing.

And beloved by all, causing flowers to bloom at her approach — did this girl even know the meaning of the word shame?

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, what exactly does that look mean?” Good grief — why did he look so utterly contemptuous?

Was she not telling the truth? How dare he look at her that way!

Zhan Qingcheng said nothing. His long fingers lifted, pinched her chin, and tilted her small face upward. “If that scar were healed, she might indeed be a beauty fit to be called flower-like.”