translate!Lord Liu was very displeased with this battle. Looking at Feng Aotian's grim face, he continued his accusations."Tens of thousands of horses have been lost like this. When this news reache...Feng Lingxi lay down, but she couldn't sleep at all.

There are still four missing scrolls. I don't know if my mother hid them or if the High Elder got his hands on them. But, thankfully she is in charge here, so those few scrolls shouldn't pose much of a threat.

As night fell, a fierce wind howled through the air. Feng Lingxi was finally feeling some weariness, but the gust of wind stirred her up again. She intended to close the window when suddenly, a pair of hands moved faster than her, giving Feng Lingxi a fright.

"My Lady, are you frightened This subordinate was merely trying to close the window."

Shadow Eight apologized. Her speed was already fast enough, but she still startled the princess.

"The wind outside is too loud, why don't you go to sleep"

Feng Lingxi let Ying Ba enter the room, watching as Ying Ba was still wearing the same clothes. "Xiao Ba, aren't you going to sleep"

"My subordinate has been standing guard at the door, Your Highness. I am a Shadow Guard, and I've long since grown accustomed to this."

Feng Lingxi, hearing Yingba's words, pulled her down to sit.

"From now on, follow me. You no longer need to be a Shadow Guard. Just stay by my side and be my maid. If you don't like the room next door, then just sleep with me."

"My subordinate sleeps in the next room."

Ying Ba hurriedly made a choice, choosing to sleep in the same room as the princess. It was disrespectful and inappropriate given their social status. As shadow guards, this was something they had been trained from childhood to avoid.

"Close the doors and windows, and go to sleep quickly."

"This subordinate obeys."

Yingba Guanhao closed the window, and then retreated. Feng Lingxi lay on the bed, tossing and turning but unable to sleep. She simply got up, took the fragmented scroll given to her by her mother, and pieced it together. Looking at the figures on it, she couldn't make heads or tails of them no matter how she looked at them.

If I had gone to archaeology at the beginning, I wouldn't have been stumped by this.

Feng Lingxi sighed and lay on the table. Drowsiness swept over her, so she hastily put away the remaining scroll, lay down on the bed, covered herself with a blanket, and fell asleep.

Outside, a fierce wind and torrential rain lashed against the windows. A black figure stood by the window, bathed in the flickering light that streamed through. Their eyes were fixed on Feng Lingxi lying on the bed, their gaze unwavering for a long time.

"Boom!"

A deafening roar of thunder shook the room, and lightning flashed, jolting Feng Lingxi awake once again. Looking outside, she saw a furious storm raging. The rain pounded against the windows with a steady rhythm—tap, tap, tap—making them creak ominously in the wind. Feng Lingxi hurried over to shut the window, but as lightning illuminated the scene for a split second, she saw a shadowy figure standing at her window. Startled, she stumbled back several steps, nearly knocking over the table behind her.

"It's fine."

Feng Lingxi hurriedly patted her own chest. There was no such thing as a ghost in the world, she must have just not woken up yet.

Feng Lingxi covered her chest and walked to the window. Through the lightning outside, the figure hadn't left, but stood there, appearing again before her eyes. The lightning illuminated her face, Feng Lingxi saw who it was and hurriedly opened the window.

"Xiao Li, how is it you"

Xiao Li stood at the door in a black dress, her clothes were wet from the rain. Her eyes weren't as sharp as they were today, she looked at Feng Lingxi with moist eyes.

"Your Majesty,"

The moment the princess shouted, Feng Lingxi's heart shattered. He hurriedly opened the door and took Xiaoli inside. Xiaoli hugged Feng Lingxi and cried out in grief. Feng Lingxi didn't say a word, just held her tightly and gently patted her shoulder.

After Xiao Li cried enough, he finally let her go.

"Your Highness, I am sorry."

“Silly girl, why are you apologizing to me Did you come all the way here in the middle of the night just to say sorry” Feng Lingxi coaxed softly. Hearing Xiao Li call her Your Highness, Feng Lingxi was truly content. This was enough proof that everything Xiao Li had done today was out of necessity.

"Your Highness, this servant truly apologizes to you. This return has caused Your Highness distress, and Xiao Li was so rude to you. But this servant is truly helpless. If Xiao Li doesn't act this way, she wouldn't be able to complete the Grand Elder's mission."

"I understand, don't blame yourself." Feng Lingxi reached out to wipe Xiao Li's tears from the corner of her eyes. Looking at her uncontrollable tears, she pulled her to sit beside her and used a towel to wipe her hair.

"Xiao Li, if you could come see me, I would be content. I know you can't."

"My Queen."

Xiao Li raised her eyes, tears welling up in her eye sockets, "I'm sorry, I truly apologize to you this time."

"Xiao Li, I told you not to blame yourself. I know it was the Great Elder who forced you, so I've never blamed you." Feng Lingxi coaxed softly, and Xiao Li nodded with tears in her eyes.

"Your Highness, if Xiao Li did something to wrong you, please forgive this servant. This servant truly didn't mean to."

Xiaoli cried even harder, looking at Feng Lingxi's eyes filled with tears. Feng Lingxi nodded, "Xiaoli, it was my fault five years ago. I shouldn't have left you to Luoli. If I had kept you, Luoli wouldn't have taken you to the Yao clan, and you might..."

Feng Lingxi hadn't finished speaking when a sharp pain suddenly came from her neck. Feng Lingxi only felt a heat in her head before she fainted.

"I'm sorry."

Xiaoli wiped away her tears, her eyes turning cold and sharp as she lifted Feng Lingxi. She opened the door, glanced around, then leaped out into the pouring rain.

In the morning, after a heavy downpour, the air was filled with the smell of damp earth. The sun was already high in the sky, but Feng Lingxi's door remained tightly shut.

Yingba stood at the door, wanting to knock but held back. The princess had only gone to sleep late last night, she must still be sleeping in.

"Xiao Ba, where's Xi'er Has she not woken up yet"

Lu Nian walked over with pastries in her hand, "These were made by the new chef at Yipinxiang. I'll let Xi'er try them later."

"Young Master, the Princess Consort slept late last night and hasn't gotten up yet."

Lian Nian handed the pastry to Yingba, "You remember to let her try it later. By the way, I'm going out for a bit and will be back late. If she gets bored, take her for a walk."

"Yes."

Yingba carried the basket and waited until noon, but the princess didn't get up. Yingba felt strange; this princess wasn't that much of a sleeper. It was almost six hours already. Could it be that she slept all night yesterday, and the princess got up again

"Little Eight, where is the princess The Marquis of Zhen Guo sent a message asking for the princess to come over. They said the Marquis has something important to discuss with her."

The steward rushed forward, and only then did Yingba knock and shout, "Your Highness, the Duke of Zhen Guo's mansion sends word, asking for your presence."

The house was deathly silent. Yabako called out several times, but there was no answer. He knocked on the door again, but still there was no sound.

"Your Majesty, this subordinate is here."

Yingba pushed open the door. The room was empty. Yingba looked at the bare room. The bedding on the bed had been pulled up, but the princess was gone. There was no sign of her being organized. A sense of foreboding swept over him. Yingba hurriedly dropped the pastries and rushed out. "Butler, has anyone seen the princess enter or leave the mansion today"

"No...no"

The butler's terrified expression frightened Yingba, causing him to stammer.

"Go and tell everyone, the Princess is missing. I'm going to look for the King."

Yingba rushed out of Lu's residence, riding his horse straight to Chen Wangfu. whispered, Feng Yuxi immediately gave her a cold glare, scaring Feng Linglong into silence. Her panicked eyes made Feng Yuxi's gaze even colder, "Go if I tell you to, where are all these unnecessary...