As it turned out, now that Jian Yi had come, there was truly no leaving.

Over the course of the night, at least three separate groups of people had come around. Jiu’er simply had Jian Yi sleep in her bed.

After that, she turned over and fell fast asleep without a second thought.

Jian Yi, however, lay at the very edge of the bed, utterly rigid for the entire night — not daring to make the slightest movement.

He was terrified that if he shifted, he might accidentally brush against her.

The bed was certainly large enough — in truth, as long as one did not deliberately reach out, it was impossible to make contact. But even stretching his arm out straight would still leave him without touching her.

The problem was, he simply wasn’t used to it.

Sharing the same bed with a young woman far exceeded the bounds of what he understood “proper conduct between a man and a woman” to mean.

Not only did he not dare move, he did not dare roll over, for fear that if he turned around at any point, he might inadvertently see something he ought not to see.

Jiu’er, by contrast, felt not the slightest inner burden. Exhausted and drowsy, she had climbed up and, with a perfectly unbothered mind, fallen asleep not long after.

She slept straight through until the following morning.

By the time Wuyou arrived to bring them breakfast, Jian Yi had only just fallen asleep, but Jiu’er was already awake.

She slipped quietly off the bed without disturbing him, went out through the inner chamber, and opened the room’s door herself.

“Hush.” Upon seeing Wuyou, she pressed one finger to her lips and spoke softly: “Just set everything in the pavilion. He was exhausted through the entire night and has only just fallen asleep. Do not disturb him.”

Exhausted through the entire night… Even Wuyou couldn’t help a faint flush at that.

Jiu’er saw it at a glance and immediately knew he had misunderstood.

Jian Yi had indeed been exhausted through the entire night — lying there with his body stiff and his nerves wound tight, unable to unclench. Of course he was tired.

Which was why, even with someone at the door just now, he had not woken at the first sound.

He had simply reached the absolute limits of his exhaustion.

But if Wuyou misunderstood, all the better. When he reported back to her Imperial Father, he would naturally convey things in keeping with his misunderstanding.

At present, Wuyou did not yet dare sever himself entirely from her Imperial Father’s control.

Wuyou gave a nod, instinctively glancing inside, but restrained himself from looking too closely.

In the end, he said: “Then I shall set the refreshments in the pavilion. I hope the princess and young swordsman Jian Yi will enjoy them at their leisure.”

“Off you go.” Jiu’er dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

She watched Wuyou walk away, then returned inside.

Jian Yi had already woken — he was sitting up at the edge of the bed, staring at her with a face blazing crimson.

“Don’t look at me like that. They misunderstood all on their own.”

One glance told her exactly what he was thinking. This fellow truly could not hide a thing in his heart.

“Since you’re already awake, tidy yourself up and come out for breakfast. Shortly, I’ll take you to meet someone.”

The person Feng Jiu’er brought Jian Yi to meet turned out to be the black-robed, masked man who had injured them that night.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, can I trust you?” That was the first thing Jiu’er said the moment she saw Feng Li.

Feng Li pressed his lips together and said: “I will never harm you.”

“I knew it — Fourth Imperial Uncle truly does care for Jiu’er.” Her eyes curved into a smile, and her expression was full of warmth.

Yes. Fourth Imperial Uncle would not harm her. Fourth Imperial Uncle truly cared for her.

The heart was made of flesh. She trusted what she felt.

That care — it was even more sincere than the care from her Imperial Father.

Plainly, it was her Imperial Father who was her father, and yet she could truly feel very little warmth or tenderness coming from him toward her.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, I have brought a friend to meet you.” She called toward the door: “Jian Yi, come in.”

Before Jian Yi entered, Feng Li had carried a chill about him. But once he stepped inside, that cold edge seemed to dissipate somewhat.

These people were indeed Jiu’er’s friends. But then why had the Emperor been determined to eliminate them entirely?

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, you injured my friends. They are in poor shape at the moment.”

Those words sent Jian Yi into an immediate tension: “Jiu’er!”

“It is all right. Fourth Imperial Uncle will not harm me. I ask that you trust him as I do.”

She looked at Jian Yi earnestly: “Jian Yi, come here. Pay your respects to Fourth Imperial Uncle.”

Jian Yi had never been able to let his guard down entirely toward this black-robed and masked man before him.

He was far too formidable! If it came to a fight right now, Jian Yi alone would stand no chance.

Feng Li glanced at him, his voice carrying its habitual detachment: “Since you are Jiu’er’s friend, I will not harm you. Be seated.”

He must be a man of extremely cold nature. That gaze alone made it clear.

It was not a deliberate coldness — rather, it was something ingrained over many long years.

To call it cold was not quite right either. Indifferent was closer to the truth.

Indifferent — as though nothing in the world truly weighed on his mind. Serene and undisturbed, like still water without a ripple.

Yet even someone as unperceptive as Jian Yi could plainly sense the difference in how he treated Jiu’er.

This Night Prince — he truly was wholly partial to Jiu’er!

Jian Yi sat down to the side and said nothing. Whatever needed to be said, Jiu’er would say it herself.

Jiu’er looked at Feng Li: “Fourth Imperial Uncle, I know you follow my Imperial Father’s commands. But in certain matters, I hope you will weigh things with your own judgment.”

“My friends came to the capital without any hostile intent. They came only to find me.”

“That said, I also believe that I do have a connection to the Feng Clan’s imperial house. So I will not easily allow them to take me away.”

Having chosen to place her trust in him, Jiu’er had no wish to speak to Feng Li in roundabout terms.

“Looking at my Imperial Father’s stance now, he does not seem to have a firm resolve to kill my friends outright. And so I hope that Fourth Imperial Uncle, should he encounter them in the future, will also show restraint.”

As for the Ninth Prince of Bei Mu — his injuries were grave. Though the greater part was from the internal backlash of his own qi deviation.

But if he had not been pushed to an absolute dead end, he would never have unleashed all the latent power within him.

And so, it was Fourth Imperial Uncle who had in truth driven the Ninth Prince to his qi deviation.

“Jiu’er — you are telling me this to let me know that I will encounter these people quite soon?”

Otherwise, there would be no need to come and forewarn him ahead of time.

Jiu’er hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Fourth Imperial Uncle’s ear and murmured: “They are, right now, living in your manor.”

Feng Li was momentarily taken aback. He looked at her, and a moment later, a warm light filtered into his eyes.

His little Jiu’er trusted him so deeply.

“Very well. Fourth Imperial Uncle promises you — I will not harm your friends again.”

“But what if… ” Feng Jiu’er bit her lip, studied him for a long moment, then said: “What if Imperial Father still commands you to…”

“Your friends are each formidable fighters. Your Fourth Imperial Uncle is no match for them. Your Imperial Father would likely not go so far as to sentence your Fourth Imperial Uncle to death for failing.”

Jiu’er was immediately moved. She rose at once and bowed to him with deep sincerity: “Thank you, Fourth Imperial Uncle!”

Jian Yi hurried to stand as well, understanding that a man of this caliber meant every word he said — he would not move against them again.

He inclined himself forward, clasped his fist in a respectful salute, and said: “Many thanks, Night Prince!”

Feng Li, however, looked at him, studying him carefully with a long and measured gaze, then narrowed his eyes.

“The Emperor permitted you to remain within the palace?”

To allow such a man to stay within the palace — there was likely only one possible explanation.

He furrowed his brow and asked: “You… are you to become Jiu’er’s consort?”