Sometimes, money was not the most important thing. In a situation like this at least, Feng Jiu’er could actually have asked for something far more useful than gold. Why would she ask for something as meaningless as that?

Given Long Feiyan’s proud bearing even before Emperor Qiwen, Feng Jiu’er need only open her mouth and she would receive far more.

Qing Ye and Qing Zhi could not understand it, but Long Feiyan studied Feng Jiu’er’s face and asked with a smile, “Truly only twenty thousand taels of gold?”

Feng Jiu’er hesitated before answering, “If My Lady feels twenty thousand taels of gold is too little, then I would also be willing to accept thirty thousand.”

Long Feiyan laughed openly and said, “Very well. You want thirty thousand — I shall give you thirty thousand.”

“Many thanks, My Lady!” A smile reached Feng Jiu’er’s eyes. It seemed that with these thirty thousand taels of gold, she was more than content.

Feng Jiu’er then added, “There is one more matter in which I would ask for My Lady’s assistance.”

“Speak.”

“I ask that My Lady inform His Majesty that your leg injury has not yet fully healed and that you will require my needlework every month going forward.”

Long Feiyan suddenly laughed with unrestrained brightness. “You are afraid that once Emperor Qiwen finds you of no further use, he will have you executed with a single blade?”

“Though My Lady’s legs have recovered, if you were to allow me to occasionally apply needles and perform some therapeutic treatment, it would also be of benefit to you,” Feng Jiu’er said without directly answering the question, her tone unhurried and light.

“Since your presence is of use to me, rest assured — I will not allow you to simply vanish from this world.”

Long Feiyan gave a nod. As long as she spoke a few words to Emperor Qiwen, he would not have Feng Jiu’er put to death.

This girl — she had quite a degree of foresight.

Feng Jiu’er cupped her hands in a bow and said, “In that case, I would ask that My Lady have the banknote sent over so that I may return and rest.”

“Leaving in such a hurry — do you truly have no wish at all to look upon my true face?”

Long Feiyan’s words made Feng Jiu’er’s brow crease slightly, and her gaze instinctively fell on the veil.

Though the veil had earlier been dampened by sweat, allowing a vague impression of her face to be glimpsed through it, the view was never quite clear.

Feng Jiu’er only glanced at her once before shaking her head. “The more one knows, I fear, the more dangerous it becomes. My curiosity is not so strong. I ask that My Lady have the banknote ready — I will now take my leave.”

“His Majesty will have someone send the gold to you.”

“Very well. Then I shall take my leave. If My Lady has any further concerns regarding your leg injury, you may send someone to find me at any time.”

The implication was clear — if it was not a leg injury, other ailments were simply not her concern.

What a sharp girl!

Long Feiyan waved her hand. Qing Zhi personally escorted Feng Jiu’er out, her manner ten times more amiable than it had ever been before.

Their mistress’s legs had fully healed. Who would not feel elated?

Once the two of them had walked out of earshot, Qing Ye turned to Long Feiyan. “This girl has a keen and meticulous mind. If she were ever willing to enter the imperial court, she would certainly become a person of great talent.”

Long Feiyan said nothing. Qing Zhi returned shortly and reported, “Mistress, His Majesty wishes to see you.”

Long Feiyan remained silent, and Qing Zhi understood at once — tonight, their mistress had no wish to see Emperor Qiwen, so she did not raise the matter again.

Her thoughts turned to Feng Jiu’er instead. “That girl truly has not an ounce of curiosity — she did not even wish to see the true face of the person she has been treating for so long.”

Anyone would naturally want to know this. After all, they had already known one another for more than a month.

What was more, given the proud bearing their mistress carried even before Emperor Qiwen, who would not want to know what sort of person she truly was?

“She is not without curiosity. She simply acts with great caution, and with great intelligence,” Qing Ye said with a smile.

Feng Jiu’er had not dared to look, because she knew that their mistress was already past thirty and had not been moving about in the outside world for many years. The girl was shrewd — a person who had not been seen in public for years was not someone whose face she could recognize even if she looked.

So if she had wished to look, it would not only have been of no help to her whatsoever, but might even have brought trouble upon herself.

However, for all her calculations, there was one thing this girl had not accounted for — and that was the resemblance between her own face and their mistress’s.

Had she looked upon their mistress’s true face, even if she could not have guessed the full truth, she would very likely have harbored some suspicion.

“Mistress, that girl — she is destined to accomplish great things in the future.” Qing Ye looked at Long Feiyan, though she did not know whether Feng Jiu’er’s considerable capabilities were ultimately a good thing or a bad thing for their mistress.

She hesitated for quite some time before finally asking, “Mistress, do you not intend to make yourself known to her?”

“The time is not yet right.” Long Feiyan swept back her sleeve and stood once more.

This time, her steps bore not the slightest hint of unsteadiness. Each step fell with firm and steady weight, indistinguishable from a person in full health.

“Mistress, are you truly all right?” Qing Ye was still somewhat worried. Their mistress’s willpower was far too formidable, and she was afraid that even with the legs only just healed, walking would still be uncomfortable for her.

“It still hurts, but it is of no consequence.” She had once passed through mountains of swords and seas of fire without so much as a single furrowed brow. What was this small measure of pain?

Qing Ye and Qing Zhi exchanged a glance and then simultaneously bowed their heads. “Congratulations to Mistress on your rebirth!”

A faint smile curved Long Feiyan’s lips — yet within that smile lay a chill cold enough to freeze the soul.

Qing Ye said, “Mistress, your recovery was not something we had anticipated. But now that Mistress has truly been able to stand, the matters you have long set your mind on — it is time to see them through one by one.”

Qing Zhi drew a sharp breath as well, a cold light gleaming in her eyes. “Every person who harmed Mistress back then — as long as we find them, I will not let a single one go free.”

A flash of hatred passed through Long Feiyan’s eyes as well, but after so many years of cultivating stillness, that sliver of hatred was fleeting, leaving no trace upon her expression at all.

She asked coolly, “Is there any news from the Long Family?”

Qing Ye’s gaze dimmed. She shook her head, her expression carrying helplessness and guilt. “Still no news whatsoever. The area around where the incident occurred, spanning a radius of several dozen li — our people have made inquiries throughout. After all these years, there has still been no progress.”

Long Feiyan lowered her gaze and looked at her own two hands.

Once, she had ridden to battle with spear in hand, and on the strength of her own abilities alone, she had been able to defend her homeland and her people.

Yet she had never imagined that she would ultimately be brought down by treacherous hands. Not only had the entire army she commanded been wiped out, she had not even been able to protect her own family.

Her loved ones — one by one struck down by her own involvement, with no word of them since.

In truth, Long Feiyan held no hope that her family members were still alive. The one thing she wanted to find was the remains of her kin.

And also those who, disguised as mountain bandits, had brought destruction upon the Long Family, wiping them out to the last.

And the one who, behind that mysterious organization, had been the mastermind plotting it all.