That night, Jiu’er had just finished bathing and gotten dressed, and was just about to go out for a stroll somewhere.

The moment she stepped out the door, a sudden gust of wind struck.

She clearly sensed something strange behind her and tried to dodge, but her reflexes simply couldn’t keep up with her thoughts.

Just as she took her first step, the gust of wind had already reached the door behind her.

Bracing herself for injury, she could only open her mouth to call for help: “Help…mmph!”

The person’s grip released for an instant, then a large palm clamped over her lips, swallowing every cry she was about to make.

“Mmph…” Feng Jiu’er’s scalp prickled with fear—how could an intruder slip so easily into a restricted area of the palace?

And this person’s skill was so formidable!

“Mmm…”

“Stop struggling, it’s me—Third Brother.”

“Mm?” Jiu’er stopped struggling and turned to look back.

The black-clad figure behind her finally released her lips and pulled down the black cloth covering his face—it really was Third Brother, Feng Jiang!

“What are you doing?” Jiu’er glared at him, then inexplicably shoved him back into her room, slamming the door shut with a bang.

Hurried footsteps sounded in the corridor—Yanu, who must have heard a little commotion, came rushing over: “Princess, are you in your room?”

“I’m here!” Jiu’er put a finger to her lips and made a hushing gesture at Feng Jiang.

She pulled him over to the bed and had him hide behind the bed curtains before answering toward the door: “I was about to rest. Yanu, is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I just came to check on you.” Yanu glanced around but found nothing out of place.

“Well, I’m going to undress and go to bed. Yanu, you’ve looked after me all day, you must be tired too—go get some rest early.”

Jiu’er could hardly contain her excitement; though she wasn’t really close with Third Brother, she just had a feeling that his coming to find her surely meant something fun was about to happen.

Yanu lingered at the door for a moment before finally saying, “Then I’ll head back now. Princess, call for me if you need anything.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, I’m going to sleep right now, I promise I’ll sleep straight through till morning!”

Hearing Yanu’s footsteps receding, Jiu’er tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening carefully.

“Don’t bother listening, he’s already gone back to his room.” Feng Jiang walked over and sat down on the bed, dropping something onto it.

“Night-travel clothes?” Jiu’er opened the bundle and immediately grew excited: “Third Brother, you’re really going to take me out to play?”

“That was the plan.” But at this point, he seemed to have second thoughts.

“Was?” Jiu’er’s delicate brows furrowed at once. “What do you mean? Don’t you want to take me out anymore? Third Brother, you can’t go back on your word!”

“When did I ever promise to take you out?” He hadn’t said any such thing—going back on his word indeed!

“But the look in your eyes today—I understood it perfectly well. Your eyes told me you would definitely take me out to play!”

Don’t think she’d be that easy to fool! Whatever was said—no, whatever look was given—had to be honored!

Feng Jiang hadn’t expected that he’d end up with a sister who knew how to talk her way into things.

Actually, taking her along might be quite fun—after all, he’d had no playmates in the palace for all these years.

But the key problem was… “You don’t even know any martial arts!”

He’d just tested it a moment ago—this girl had no martial skill at all. How was he supposed to take her out anywhere?

If something happened to her out there, how would he explain it to Father?

Father seemed to adore this newly returned little sister so much—if anything happened to her under his watch, would he even be able to keep on living?

“I don’t know martial arts?” Feng Jiu’er put on an expression as if she’d just realized this herself.

So she really didn’t know any martial arts—why did she keep feeling as though she should be some kind of expert?

“But no matter what, once you’ve made a promise, you have to keep it. Besides, your martial skill seems pretty impressive—don’t you think you could protect me?”

She crossed her arms and gave him a sidelong glance, “Third Brother, are you really that incapable?”

“Don’t try provoking me like that!” Was he really that incapable?

He looked at this girl again and finally relented: “Well then, hurry up and change.”

“Great! Just waiting for you to say that!”

Jiu’er hurriedly grabbed the night-travel clothes and went behind the screen to change, and before long, emerged in a different outfit.

“You weren’t supposed to wear it as your outer layer—you put it on over your regular clothes, you’ll have to take it off later!” She didn’t even know this much—how was she supposed to go out and have fun?

“Fine, fine, you should’ve said so earlier. This is my first time, how would I know the rules?”

Feng Jiu’er glared at him before hurrying back behind the screen. Soon, she had changed back into her own clothes, with the night-travel outfit layered over top.

Finally, she tied a black cloth over her face, walked back over to Feng Jiang, and spun around with a grin: “Look, don’t I look great!”

“All in black like that, how good could it possibly look?” Feng Jiang gave her a look of disdain.

“Nonsense, I’m gorgeous, I’d look good in anything!”

Feng Jiu’er walked up to him and kicked him: “Hurry up, take me out to play!”

“All right then! Here we go, taking our family’s most beautiful little sister out for a great time!”

Feng Jiang was excited too—this was his first time bringing a companion along, and a little one at that, which made it all the more something to look forward to.

He hoisted Feng Jiu’er onto his back, covered the night-pearl lamp in the room, and the whole room instantly fell into darkness.

Jiu’er felt her body go light as a feather, and in the blink of an eye, she found herself already up on the rooftop with Third Brother.

“Little one, I’m about to start scaling rooftops and walls—don’t be scared, and even if you are, don’t scream, understood?”

“Got it, Third Brother, you’re so chatty.”

“Quiet!” If she kept talking, who’s to say he wouldn’t toss her right back inside?

“Mm-hm, hurry up!”

“……” Feng Jiang, carrying Jiu’er on his back, leapt off across the rooftops.

This lightness skill of his had truly been honed to perfection—as nimble as a swallow, as fast as lightning.

“Wow, wow wow wow…” So fast! So fast! In the blink of an eye, that magnificent building had already been left far behind.

Once they were sufficiently far from the palace, Jiu’er let herself go completely, crying out loudly: “Hahahaha…”

“Scared?”

“Faster! Hyah!”

“……” He really wanted to drop her right then and there. Hyah? Was she treating him like a horse? This girl…

Still, the corners of Feng Jiang’s lips kept curving upward in a smile—though he constantly complained that Jiu’er was a handful, in truth, this troublesome little bundle was quite fun to have around.

After finding a secluded spot, the two of them changed out of their night-travel clothes, and underneath, they were dressed as a noble young master and young lady.

A handsome man and a pretty girl, walking down the street—they couldn’t help but draw plenty of attention.

“So, how about it—your Third… your Big Brother here is pretty impressive, right? Said I’d take you out, and I took you out.”

Feng Jiang patted his own chest, quite pleased with himself.

“I know Big Brother’s impressive, but that lightness skill of yours is seriously something—who taught you?”

Praised so by Feng Jiu’er, Feng Jiang couldn’t hold back his pride for even a moment and immediately boasted, “Fourth Imperial Uncle taught me! Fourth Imperial Uncle’s martial skill is the best in the world, didn’t you know that?”