Xue Xingyue woke to find it was already dark.
Her mouth felt dry, and she couldn't help but call out, "Feng Wu."
A figure outside the door entered and approached the bed, then whispered, "Your Highness, what do you require?"
Xue Xingyue sat up and said, "Feng Wu, pour me a cup of water."
"Yes, Your Highness." Soon, Feng Wu returned with a teacup.
Xue Xingyue took it and drank it down, but she was still thirsty. "Pour me another."
Feng Wu went to pour another cup. After drinking several cups, Xue Xingyue finally felt her thirst quenched.
She noticed Feng Wu seemed hesitant to speak and asked, "What? Is something the matter?"
Feng Wu swallowed and cautiously asked, "Your Highness, do you still remember what happened earlier?"
Xue Xingyue was taken aback. She tried hard to recall the events and couldn't help but furrow her delicate brows. "I only remember drinking a cup of wine, and then I don't remember anything else. Oh, right, when did Ji Wuran leave?"
Feng Wu replied, "Young Master Ji left five hours ago."
"I slept for a full five hours?" Xue Xingyue was surprised. In Zhen Wuguan, she could drink several jars of wine to achieve such an effect. How had she regressed to this point? Drunk on a single cup?
"Yes, so… what else do you remember, Your Highness?" Feng Wu asked.
Xue Xingyue's gaze flickered, then she looked at Feng Wu and said, "If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to be so indirect with me."
Upon hearing this, Feng Wu chuckled and said, "Then I'll say it, but don't deny it, Your Highness."
"What is there to deny?" Xue Xingyue didn't think she could have done anything significant. However, seeing Feng Wu's smiling face, she still felt a little uneasy and couldn't help but ask, "Did I do anything earth-shattering after getting drunk?"
Feng Wu quickly replied, "Nothing earth-shattering, but…"
"But what?" Xue Xingyue asked.
"Your Highness did some rather bold things."
Bold? Xue Xingyue looked at Feng Wu, who was struggling to contain her laughter, almost unable to hold back. Xue Xingyue's face turned cold. "Feng Wu, if you keep stammering like this, do you believe I'll send you to join Feng Ming?"
Feng Wu quickly shook her head. "Your Highness, please don't. I'll tell you if you insist."
"Speak." Xue Xingyue said.
Feng Wu said, "Then, Your Highness, please don't…"
"Feng Wu, since when have you become so long-winded?" Xue Xingyue was getting impatient.
Feng Wu said with a grin, "Actually, Your Highness didn't do much, you merely… molested Young Master Ji."
"What? Molested… molested Ji Wuran?" Xue Xingyue's eyes widened in horror.
Feng Wu nodded. "Yes, but Your Highness was quite daring. You even reached for Young Master Ji's clothing…"
"Stop there…" Xue Xingyue suddenly cut Feng Wu off.
Feng Wu asked, "Your Highness, what is it?"
Xue Xingyue said guiltily, "Did I really… molest Ji Wuran?"
Feng Wu nodded with a solemn expression. "Your Highness, it's true. It's as true as can be."
Xue Xingyue felt as if she had been struck by lightning, utterly charred inside and out. "I…"
Feng Wu continued, "Your Highness, you have no idea how valiant you were, clinging onto Young Master Ji…"
"Feng Wu…" Xue Xingyue said coldly.
As Feng Wu was speaking animatedly, she noticed the icy gaze of her Highness and immediately stopped. "Your Highness…"
"Tell me from the beginning?" Xue Xingyue said, enunciating each word.
Feng Wu nodded and recounted the scene she had witnessed upon entering.
Hearing this, Xue Xingyue's inner shock was no less than when she learned her imperial brother had arranged her marriage to Meng Jiangming.
"Is it true?" Xue Xingyue couldn't help but ask again.
Feng Wu nodded. "It's as true as it can be."
Xue Xingyue felt as if she had been struck by a thunderbolt. How could she have molested Ji Wuran when she was drunk? She was already betrothed, and doing something like this would surely bring shame upon the Duke of Ning's manor.
Thinking of this, Xue Xingyue raised her head and looked at Feng Wu squarely. "Feng Wu, are you the only one who knows about this?"
Feng Wu looked at Xue Xingyue's indifferent expression and nodded. "Your Highness, please rest assured, only I know."
"Has Feng Ming been gone for ten days now?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Feng Wu nodded. "Including today, it's exactly ten days."
"Go and fetch Feng Ming, and don't rush back. Help me do something," Xue Xingyue said.
Feng Wu understood then that her Highness didn't actually want her to do anything, but rather to send her away, to prevent the matter from being exposed.
"Your Highness, you don't intend to silence me, do you?"
Xue Xingyue cast a cold glance at Feng Wu. "You know, and you're still talking so much. You and Feng Ming go to Qi."
Feng Wu was taken aback. "Your Highness, why go to Qi?"
"The Prince of Nanping in Qi. I want you to get a portrait of him." Xue Xingyue said.
"Your Highness, you suspect the Prince of Nanping is here?" Feng Wu asked.
Xue Xingyue nodded. "Not long ago, Sun Wen from Zhen Wuguan sent a message via carrier pigeon stating that the Prince of Nanping had disappeared. I asked Sun Wen to send people to inquire in Qi, but Sun Wen said those people never returned. I think it's possible the Prince of Nanping has also come to the Star Kingdom."
"Your subordinate obeys, but if I leave, who will be by Your Highness's side!" Feng Wu said with some worry.
"It's fine. A few days ago, I already asked Feng Jiu to find me some maids. They should be here soon."
Feng Wu's expression turned displeased. "It seems Your Highness's intention to send me away wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather premeditated."
"Feng Wu, you know how to disguise yourself. I trust you to go."
"Your Highness, please be careful," Feng Wu said, bowing.
Xue Xingyue nodded and watched Feng Wu leave. She knew that now only the principal party involved in this matter remained.
Marquis Ji'an's Manor
Old Marquis Ji Xiangyun looked at Ji Wuran, who showed no signs of guilt, and was furious. "Look at you. You're eighteen years old, and you're still idling about every day. At your age, I was already fighting to establish the empire alongside the former Emperor."
Ji Wuran looked up at Ji Xiangyun and said calmly, "I also wish to fight to establish the empire alongside the current Emperor, but circumstances do not permit."
"You… you're still talking back to me?" Ji Xiangyun said angrily.
"You are not young anymore. Aren't you afraid of kicking the bucket with such a fiery temper?"
"Villain, are you wishing for my death?" Ji Xiangyun trembled with anger.
"I wouldn't dare!" Ji Wuran said calmly.
"I think you dare the most. If I don't teach you a good lesson today, you might offend His Majesty tomorrow. Guards, bring the family law!" Ji Xiangyun roared.
Ji Wuran frowned slightly upon hearing this. "Do you really intend to beat me?"
Ji Xiangyun replied, "What? I can't beat you? You've turned rebellious."
Ji Wuran shook his head and said calmly, "Mother has arrived. Do you really intend to beat me?"