“Your Highness, I truly was in the manor all night — I have no idea at all why Feng Jiu wanted to kill me.”

An hour later, the Empress Dowager had finally recovered. She now lay propped up by the bed, drinking her medicine under Mo Bai’s care.

In the outer hall of the bedchamber, Leng Yue stepped out from behind Emperor Ji, meeting the gaze of Zhan Qingcheng, who had just emerged from the inner chamber, her eyes glistening with traces of tears.

“Your Highness, I truly have been in the manor this whole time, I’ve been with the Empress Dowager the entire while. Your Highness, if you don’t believe me, why not ask the Empress Dowager yourself?”

Zhan Qingcheng’s expression was truly grim. Leng Yue knew he was angry, but as long as she insisted firmly that she had never left, surely the Prince couldn’t wrongly accuse her, could he?

She suddenly turned to stare at the figure on the bed behind the screen and dropped to her knees: “Empress Dowager, please stand up for Yue’er. Please tell His Highness that Yue’er truly has been by your side all night, never leaving once.”

The Empress Dowager was still drinking her medicine, seemingly with no time to attend to matters outside. Leng Yue then knelt her way over to Zhan Qingcheng, tears finally sliding down her face.

“Your Highness, I know you and Feng Jiu have always been on good terms, but this time Feng Jiu really did try to kill me for no reason at all. All I did today was strike someone at Tianji Hall after being harassed — but… but Foster Father was there too at the time.”

She turned back to look at Emperor Ji, looking thoroughly wronged: “Even though I don’t really believe that man’s eyes were actually impaired, since everyone said it was a misunderstanding, I accepted it — I was even forced to pay compensation in silver.”

Her lips trembled, and tears the size of beans rolled down: “I was harassed by a man, and then forced to pay him silver besides — this was humiliating enough as it was. Why is Feng Jiu still not satisfied, insisting on driving me to my death?”

“That matter truly was just a misunderstanding, and it had already been resolved at the time,” Emperor Ji added.

Zhan Qingcheng still said nothing, but true energy was gathering within his palm!

Leng Yue’s face changed drastically in fright, and she scrambled up hastily, retreating behind Emperor Ji.

The Lord was furious — he was truly furious! Was he really going to punish her like this, without even sorting out right from wrong?

“Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager, please stand up for Yue’er. Hasn’t Yue’er been by your side all night tonight? Never having left even once?”

The Lord didn’t believe her at all! He still trusted Feng Jiu, convinced that she had gone to Tianji Hall tonight!

Why was he so willing to believe that woman?

Having gone to Tianji Hall tonight, Leng Yue could now be completely certain — Feng Jiu was indeed Feng Jiu’er.

That whole male identity was all a deception! If she truly were just Feng Jiu, someone with absolutely no connection to Feng Jiu’er, then why would Feng Jiu’er’s own man be hidden away in the rear courtyard?

That man — six months ago on the battlefield, she herself had once stabbed him with a sword.

At the time, Leng Yue had thought that man, already wounded by an arrow and then stabbed by her blade besides, was certainly doomed to die.

But unexpectedly, he had only been left crippled — his life had been spared.

Although Leng Yue didn’t know who that man was, not even knowing his name, he was, without question, one of Feng Jiu’er’s own people.

So Feng Jiu was indeed Feng Jiu’er!

Only, for now, she didn’t dare tell anyone about this — after all, she had “always” remained in the manor tonight.

“Empress Dowager, please say something! Yue’er has been with you the whole time, you can vouch for me! His Highness is going to beat Yue’er to death, Empress Dowager!”

Leng Yue nearly dropped to her knees and bowed her head toward the figure behind the screen — that wretched old woman still refused to speak even a single word on her behalf!

Zhan Qingcheng’s eyes narrowed, his large hand suddenly rising. From behind the screen, the Empress Dowager finally spoke softly: “A’Jiu, Yue’er truly has been by my side all night tonight, never having left for even a moment.”

Zhan Qingcheng’s fingers tightened. Leng Yue said urgently, “Your Highness, now Feng Jiu just casually said that Yue’er hurt one of her people, and Your Highness believed it right away. Yue’er has explained herself for half a day, and the Empress Dowager has even vouched for her — why does Your Highness still not believe it?”

She bowed forward and prostrated herself, weeping as if heartbroken: “Even though Your Highness treats Yue’er this way, Yue’er’s heart still belongs entirely to you. Your Highness protects Feng Jiu, and Yue’er has never once complained — but Your Highness, can you convince everyone else in this manor too?”

“When this prince acts, why would he need to convince anyone?”

“Your Highness!”

“A’Jiu, do you mean to say you don’t even believe my words anymore?” The Empress Dowager pulled free of Lian’er’s support and sat up straight on the bed, staring through the screen at that tall, blurred figure.

“A’Jiu, if you would truly hurt a girl who has treated you with such sincerity over someone else’s careless remark, then in the future, I too will feel my heart grow cold.”

Zhan Qingcheng’s large hand clenched tighter, his knuckles cracking audibly — a sound that seemed to come straight from hell, sending a chill through the heart of everyone in the room.

Even the Empress Dowager felt a slight jolt of alarm, somewhat fearful — A’Jiu had never been this cold in front of her before.

“A’Jiu…”

“If there is a next time, this prince will take your life with his own hands!”

Zhan Qingcheng drew back his long sleeve, carrying with him a suffocating chill, and strode out of the room with long steps.

Leng Yue stared at his retreating back, her heart nearly freezing into frost. Only after his figure had completely vanished from sight, not a trace of him remaining visible, did she collapse onto the floor as if all the air had gone out of her.

Her heart trembled on and on, shaking violently.

He had truly passed judgment against her — despite the Empress Dowager vouching for her, he still believed she had hurt Feng Jiu’s man.

That he hadn’t killed her today was only because he didn’t want to put the Empress Dowager in a difficult position — everything was only for her sake.

Yet he had still condemned her! He listened to no explanation, needed no one’s testimony — not even the Empress Dowager’s own.

He trusted Feng Jiu’er, unconditionally!

He was the supremely noble Ninth Prince, standing above all others, and one day he would be sovereign of the entire nation — why would such an extraordinary man be willing to offend the entire world for the sake of one woman?

This was him telling everyone that he would rather trust Feng Jiu’er than trust the Empress Dowager, who treated him as her own son!

Did he really… not fear wounding the Empress Dowager’s heart?

Emperor Ji let out a sigh as well — it seemed the Empress Dowager’s heart had truly been wounded through and through.

He glanced at Leng Yue, his eyes filled with reproach.

Under his gaze, Leng Yue felt a pang of guilt. What kind of person she really was — Foster Father probably understood better than anyone. Did this mean Foster Father didn’t trust her either, right now?

“Empress Dowager, His Highness was only speaking in anger, please don’t take it to heart,” Lian’er soothed carefully.

The Empress Dowager nodded, then waved her hand: “I am tired. Master Mo Bai, you may go for now.”

“Yes, Empress Dowager, please rest well. I shall take my leave now.” Having watched the Empress Dowager finish her medicine with his own eyes, Mo Bai considered his task complete.

Since there was no use in staying any longer, he had no choice but to leave first.

Whatever they were about to discuss next, it likely wasn’t appropriate for him to stay and overhear.

After Mo Bai left, Lian’er went over and shut the door. When she came back, she stared at Leng Yue and couldn’t help but complain: “This is all because of you — you’ve made the Empress Dowager suffer terribly!”