“Right, letting him stay in a house is better than keeping him with us in the cave, isn’t it?”

Long Shiyi also quickly forced a laugh and chimed in agreement.

Qiao Mu said nothing, but she kept feeling that these two fellows were acting strangely.

Still, what they said did seem to make a little sense.

Moving into a house was infinitely better than staying in this cave, by a thousand times over.

The cave was dark and damp — if Yanu caught some illness because of it, they would only be harming him.

But then… “Are you sure that woman won’t force herself on Yanu?”

She fixed her gaze on Long Yi and Long Shiyi, her eyes sharp and piercing.

Long Shiyi immediately ducked his head and did not dare look at her at all.

Long Yi gave a light cough, his face flushing red. “Well, she is, after all, a young woman — she probably wouldn’t go that far… that boldly… heh heh…”

But when they had been in the courtyard earlier, they had clearly heard the woman declare that she intended to consummate the marriage with Yanu that very night.

The women of these mountain strongholds really were fierce and bold. The only question was whether she could actually follow through with what she had said.

If it truly came to that…

The two of them glanced outside at the sky.

Night had already fallen — it was nearly time for rest. If there was to be a wedding night…

But at the same time, they could not help stealing a quiet glance at Jiu Qing.

Yanu was still a grown man, and Qiao Mu was already burning with anxiety on his behalf.

Yet Feng Jiu’er was a young woman — how was it that their master showed not even the slightest reaction…?

Jiu’er, at this moment, had indeed already been escorted back to the room, and had even been bound at her four limbs.

Under normal circumstances, at this hour, the newlyweds should have been retiring for their wedding night.

But tonight, the atmosphere in the bridal chamber was rather strange.

The bound bride sat upon the bed, her red wedding veil still unlifted.

The groom paced about the room — sitting for a while, then rising to walk a few steps — visibly restless and agitated.

Guards stood watch outside, and not merely one — every one of them was among the finest fighters in the stronghold.

In short, the groom had no way of leaving through that door tonight. Should he try, he would certainly be dragged straight back.

Zhao Yusheng was absolutely beside himself with irritation. Meanwhile, the girl on the bed looked utterly at ease.

After sitting for a long while, she even stretched leisurely several times.

“Well, if you have nothing else to do, could you untie me first?”

She shifted her hands. They were bound, and though the ropes were not terribly tight, being bound for so long was beginning to ache.

Zhao Yusheng was already irritated enough as it was. Hearing her voice only irritated him further.

“Untie yourself if you’re capable.” He let out a cold snort.

“If I untie myself, you won’t just bind me up again, will you?” Better to confirm that first — otherwise, what would be the point of the effort?

“Who has the time to bother with you?” Zhao Yusheng gave her not a single kind look.

He knew perfectly well she had been forced into this, but he had not been willing either.

She ought to be just as irritated and unhappy as he was — yet she seemed… pleased with herself? No, not pleased — at ease. She showed not even a trace of the anger one would expect from someone who had been coerced, and that made him feel even more sullen.

With a soft snap, the rope that had been binding Feng Jiu’er’s wrists fell to the floor.

She tucked her silver needle away and rubbed her wrists, then lifted the red wedding veil off with one hand.

Zhao Yusheng stared in blank astonishment. When had she untied herself?

So the question she had just asked him had been precisely to extract a promise — that he would not bind her again?

Feng Jiu’er paid no attention to his stunned expression. The moment the veil was lifted, she spotted the considerable spread of pastries arranged on the table.

Without a second thought, she hopped off the bed, strode over quickly, and grabbed one to eat.

She was ravenous — practically hollow with hunger.

The wedding customs of ancient times were really unkind to the bride. An entire evening without a single bite of food — enough to starve a person to death.

Zhao Yusheng had not expected that she could actually eat with such evident enjoyment, on a night like this one.

Was she not giving him, the groom, the slightest bit of face? Did she not consider his existence at all?

He suddenly crossed the room toward her, slammed one palm down on the table, and glared at her face with a ferocious expression.

Feng Jiu’er had a pastry stuffed in her mouth and another in her hand. She looked up, blinking her large eyes at him with an expression of complete innocence.

She asked, her words muffled: “What is it?”

“Are you not afraid of me?” She had been bound and sent into the bridal chamber against her will — and yet she showed no fear of him whatsoever. It was thoroughly unreasonable.

“Why should I be afraid of you?” Jiu’er finally managed to swallow what was in her mouth, then poured herself a cup of tea and drained it in one long gulp.

She thought for a moment, then returned to the bedside, found a clean cloth, and proceeded to wrap up the remaining pastries.

“What are you doing?” She had finished eating and was now packing up the rest to take along? Was this woman a hungry ghost reincarnated?

“They’re delicious. Can’t I save them to eat slowly through the night? You’re not going to eat them anyway.”

The pastries had been sitting there all evening, and he had not touched a single one — of course that meant he did not want them.

He did not want them himself, and yet he would not allow someone else to take them? Was that not a little too unreasonable?

A surge of furious energy rose in Zhao Yusheng’s chest, yet he had no outlet for it.

What on earth was this? How could a bride who had been forced into marriage have so little awareness of her own supposed suffering? And how could she seem so entirely comfortable and at ease in his presence?

“Are you truly not afraid?” He refused to give up and suddenly leaned forward, moving closer to her.

“You would at least need to give me a reason to be afraid.” Feng Jiu’er was wholly absorbed in wrapping up the pastries and paid his approach no mind whatsoever.

The pastries here were not as fine as those made by the kitchen staff in the Ninth Prince’s mansion back in the imperial city, but for someone who had spent days trekking through mountains and wilderness, they were undeniably a rare treat.

She would bring them back tonight for the Ninth Imperial Uncle and Mu Mu and the others to try as well.

After all, the people here were not eating them.

But then — Mu Mu and Jian Yi had been separated from the group for so long. Where were they now?

Even if they managed to leave this place, they would not dare go too far — if they did, what would become of Mu Mu and Jian Yi?

Jiu’er suddenly felt a wave of worry. Even if they escaped from the stronghold, what path lay ahead?

If Jian Yi and Mu Mu could not catch up, would they truly proceed straight through the Black Pool to reach the Feng Clan?

If they did, she and Mu Mu and Jian Yi might truly miss each other forever.

How troubling. How could such a strange place exist, making it so that a person could not even find the direction in which to walk?

She actually ended up sitting beside the table, clutching her bundle of pastries, so lost in thought that she drifted off entirely.

Zhao Yusheng realized he had been completely ignored. Even having moved this close to her, his presence registered as absolutely nothing.

“You…”

“Do you want to leave this place?” Feng Jiu’er suddenly asked.

Zhao Yusheng was taken aback. He did not understand what she meant.

He was the young master of the stronghold. Why would he want to leave?

Jiu’er finished wrapping the pastries, then considered for a moment — unsure where to put them — and simply tucked the bundle into her sleeve pocket.

Once she had tidied everything up, she cast a sidelong glance at Zhao Yusheng.

“What I mean is — are you truly content to remain in this mountain stronghold for the rest of your life, and accomplish nothing of worth?”