Every time she applied medicine to Yanu’s face, Feng Jiu’er was tense with worry — afraid that one of these times, he would no longer be able to endure it and would give up.

What heartened her was that Yanu had endured every single time, having persevered now for more than half a month.

The current state of Yanu’s own face was something he himself did not know. Only Jiu’er could see it each time, because once the medicine was applied, the gauze had to remain wrapped around his face for an entire day without being removed.

At first, having someone moving about the rear courtyard with a head full of gauze bandaging had struck everyone as rather strange. But as time went on, they all grew accustomed to it.

“Yanu, changing the medicine again?” Xiao Yingtao seemed to be in particularly high spirits today.

Yanu nodded. After coming out of Feng Jiu’er’s bedchamber, he went to the rear courtyard to help dry the medicinal herbs — diligent and hardworking every day.

Feng Jiu’er came out of the bedchamber, and Xiao Yingtao immediately took her hand and led her toward the side hall. “Young Master, guess who has come?”

“I won’t guess.” Feng Jiu’er let out a yawn. She had spent the entire morning working on medicines and was now drowsy — where would she find the energy for a guessing game like this?

Xiao Yingtao jutted out her lips and shot her a resentful look. “You are no fun at all. Why can’t you be more lively?”

“Then I could just preen and act cute all day, and not have to work and earn money — is that it?” Feng Jiu’er rolled her eyes at her.

“What do you mean! I work so hard all day long. This is just spicing up our daily life, isn’t it?”

Xiao Yingtao rolled her eyes in return. Really — this employer had absolutely no sense of fun. Hmph!

Feng Jiu’er was too lazy to deal with her. She walked into the side hall and, without even needing to guess, saw the visitor at a glance.

“You… you dare show yourself here?” Despite the words, the corners of her mouth immediately turned upward. “So — how does it feel to be master of the house? Magnificent, isn’t it? Absolutely magnificent?”

“Not as free or easy as working here, nor as joyful.”

Nanmeng Rong meant every word. Ever since returning to the Nanmeng manor, getting to see her easily was no longer a simple matter.

Jiu’er walked over and sat down beside him at the tea table. She examined him carefully, then said, “You’ve grown thinner. But your complexion is fairer.”

The old Nanmeng Rong had been out and about all day every day. Being darkened by the sun was only natural.

Now that he had returned to the Nanmeng manor, living inside the compound day and night — how could his complexion not lighten up?

A clean-complexioned Nanmeng Rong carried a more pronounced scholarly air. He looked considerably more refined overall.

“There must be a great deal to attend to in the manor. And I suppose the others are still reluctant to submit, aren’t they?”

During this period, Feng Jiu’er had kept entirely out of the affairs of the Nanmeng clan. Nanmeng Rong alone, in the manor, held a weak position. Making everyone submit was no easy matter.

Yet Nanmeng Rong, looking at him now, seemed to be managing tolerably enough.

Feng Jiu’er could not interfere — otherwise, Emperor Qiwen would grow suspicious again.

Only at the Veiled Lady’s quarters could she occasionally hear pieces of news about the Nanmeng clan — of course, only what Emperor Qiwen said in the Veiled Lady’s presence.

But for Feng Jiu’er, that was enough. What she needed to know was nothing more than what was in Emperor Qiwen’s mind.

As for the Veiled Lady herself — whether out of gratitude for Jiu’er’s medical care or for some other reason — Jiu’er was aware that she was clearly and deliberately helping her gather information about Emperor Qiwen’s views on Nanmeng Rong.

“With Emperor Qiwen providing support from behind, those in the manor dare not do anything. In a little while, I will petition to bring Father and Grandfather back to the manor to recuperate. But I will need to wait until I have fully consolidated my authority.”

Feng Jiu’er nodded. Though Nanmeng Rong spoke of it lightly, she knew that this past half-month had certainly not been easy for him.

“Emperor Qiwen will not be easy to deal with either. He is still in the phase of observing you right now. If you subdue the people in the Nanmeng manor too readily, it will actually arouse his suspicions.”

Over the past two days at the Veiled Lady’s quarters, she had already heard a few of Emperor Qiwen’s murmurings of doubt concerning Nanmeng Rong.

Nanmeng Rong thought it over and nodded. “Before, I was only thinking of getting the Nanmeng clan’s military authority properly and fully into my own hands as quickly as possible. I had overlooked this point.”

Which was why his situation was truly not easy — that much was clear to Feng Jiu’er.

Beset from within and without, every step was a difficult one.

“You should not have come back at this time. If anyone sees you, the Emperor will have grounds for suspicion again.”

Emperor Qiwen, that old fox — he appeared muddled and helpless, yet in truth he was sharp through and through. It was likely only in the Veiled Lady’s presence that, clouded by deep feeling, he showed any degree of confusion.

Nanmeng Rong’s lips moved slightly, as if he wished to say something. But many words, by their nature, should not be spoken aloud.

So he lifted his cup and took a sip of tea, and that topic of the ill-advised return was quietly bypassed.

“How has Tianjitang been of late? Can Xing Zizhou handle the medicinal materials side of things?”

“Well enough. His eye for selecting herbs isn’t as sharp as yours, but it’s still considerably better than the average person’s. And lately he’s been away for long stretches with no chance to come back and see Xiao Yingtao.”

Everyone knew how Xing Zizhou felt about Xiao Yingtao.

Nanmeng Rong looked at the cup in his hands, his gaze settling into a quiet depth. “As long as Xiao Yingtao knows he holds her in his heart, even if they cannot be together, there is still sweetness in it.”

“Oh?” Feng Jiu’er propped her elbow on the tea table, rested her cheek in her right hand, and leaned closer to him. Her large, glistening eyes blinked slowly. “The way you say that — it sounds like there’s quite a story behind it. Don’t tell me that after being in charge for only a month, you’ve already met a young lady who has caught your eye?”

Nanmeng Rong did not answer. He only looked down at her, seeming to want to speak yet holding back.

This girl…

After a long moment, he said gently, “If I were to say, I…”

“Young Master.” From outside, Xiao Yingtao came rushing in, her face flushed with excitement. “Young Master, Yi’nan — she can walk!”

Feng Jiu’er started, then leapt to her feet. “Even sooner than I expected! Wonderful! I’m going to see her right now.”

She was just about to leave when she suddenly turned back and looked at Nanmeng Rong, still seated in the chair. “What was it you were just saying? I didn’t catch it.”

“Nothing — only that everyone should take good care of themselves.” Nanmeng Rong smiled softly, a trace of awkwardness in his expression.

“What is there for us to take care of? Life has been calm and untroubled lately, without so much as a ripple. It’s you I’m more concerned about — there are so many eyes watching you from outside right now. Don’t go running back here at the drop of a hat in the future.”

“Jiu’er…” Hearing these words, a flash of loss moved through the depths of Nanmeng Rong’s eyes.

Feng Jiu’er smiled. “If you want to know how everyone is doing, I’ll quietly come find you instead. My identity doesn’t draw as much attention. Yours is different.”

Feng Jiu’er patted him on the shoulder. “With the position you hold right now, there are so many who wish to see you removed. Be careful and don’t make any missteps. Yi’nan’s legs may truly be healed — I need to go see her first. Don’t worry. I will certainly come find you.”