“You’re clever enough to wonder why I didn’t finish breaking the formation,” Mo Xuanye said calmly, turning the question back on the sword. “Did you accept a master or not?”
The Longyin Sword’s temper caught up with its thoughts. Of course — it couldn’t escape the array because it hadn’t acknowledged a master. Seeing how casually Feng Yuxin had locked him into that formation without a second thought, the sword thought, not without bitterness: those two really are a pair — they handle things in the exact same way.
“All right, I’ll accept a master,” the sword grumbled. It wasn’t stupid; it simply hadn’t expected to run into two people as calculating and discreet as Mo Xuanye and Feng Yuxin. If it had been someone else, learning it was an ancient divine blade, they might have showered it with flattery. But neither of them had begged, bribed, or shown any desperate need. They stood there as if offering a contract was merely an option. That attitude rankled.
If it refused, it would be trapped in the formation — and worse, it would be trapped inside Feng Yuxin’s little world. That felt like a life sentence.
Mo Xuanye’s expression remained unreadable as the sword finally bound to him. At the exact moment of the contract, a blockage in his cultivation shattered. Power that had been stuck for ages burst through, spilling him into the next realm.
Feng Yuxin didn’t pause to gloat. She slipped the Frost Spirit Pin — an exquisite hairpin that condensed icy essence — into the place she preferred and made a contract of her own. The moment she sealed it, a tiny golden figure appeared.
“Master, this pin is truly a treasure,” Xiao Jin exclaimed, delighted.
Feng Yuxin, having finished her bonding, turned to him. “What do you mean?”
Xiao Jin gave a mischievous chuckle. “You’ll see next time you’re training and some ruffian tries to make trouble.”
Feng Yuxin didn’t press him. She had no time to be curious; the crowd outside the Prime Minister’s mansion had been swelling for days. If she didn’t act, something worse might happen.
“Don’t worry, Master,” Xiao Ying soothed, sensing her concern. “The Yan family and Elder Zhao are holding them back. They won’t cause a riot.”
“What about the Second Madam and Feng Yao? Have they come to my courtyard to stir up trouble?” Feng Yuxin asked.
“They came once,” Xiao Ying said. “I used a trick to drive them off. Since then they’ve convinced themselves your courtyard is haunted. Between that and the chaos outside, they’ve had bigger fish to fry and haven’t bothered you. They’re pinning their hopes on those families of the poisoned victims.”
Xiao Jin chimed in. “Feng Yao thinks the crowd outside hasn’t done enough to hurt you. She’s been pushing the Second Madam to escalate things, to force you out.”
“The people outside have been clamoring nonstop,” Xiao Ying continued. “The mansion guards have done their best to block them. Even the Ji family has stationed extra guards here.” He paused, more resentful than he cared to show. “You have to admit — the Second Madam has cultivated a fair amount of influence over the years. No wonder your predecessor fell into her hands.”
Feng Yuxin raised an eyebrow. “And my father? What’s his situation now?”
“The Chancellor hasn’t appeared at court in days,” Xiao Ying said. “This mess started with you, but those who hate the Chancellor have piled on. It’s not looking good for him.”
Feng Yuxin smiled thinly. “So they really did pick up a stone only to drop it on their own feet.”
Given how things had been going, the troublemakers were inevitably going to use her as a scapegoat. Until her antidote pill was available, the grieving families wouldn’t calm down. That meant she would be under pressure. She’d told Xiao Ying to intervene if things got out of hand. Now, because her father had managed to offend so many people over the years, all those offended parties had jumped at the chance to strike.
“Yes. The Second Madam has been maneuvering non-stop. After several days of effort, those openly opposing the Chancellor have been silenced. What’s left will be directed at you,” Xiao Ying reported.
“So the Second Madam is running things — Feng Yao isn’t the mastermind?” Feng Yuxin asked.
“Feng Yao has been pulling a few strings in secret, mostly through her admirers,” Xiao Ying replied. “But after that fiasco with Feng Qing at the Night Pavilion, many of her followers backed off. The Second Madam is the one with the real muscle here.”
Feng Yuxin considered that. “I thought Feng Yao would be out in front. If the Second Madam is taking point, then we’ll start with her.”
“I’ve been watching the Second Madam’s people. Whenever you say the word, we can move,” Xiao Ying said.
“Good.” Feng Yuxin nodded. “Has the propaganda at the Night Pavilion been prepared?”
“You can trust Yun Jie and the others for that. Yan Xiao and the rest are at the Night Pavilion helping too. Meng Xingyu and Nightingale never returned to the mansion; as soon as they left the Prime Minister’s house they went straight to the Pavilion to assist,” Xiao Ying answered.
“Send the antidote pills to the Night Pavilion,” Feng Yuxin instructed, handing over the batch she’d been refining these last two days. “Then have them seize the Second Madam’s people and turn them over to Yun Jie.”
“Understood, Master.” Xiao Ying took the pills and left at once.
Xiao Jin watched them go, curious. “What about me? Master, what should I do?”
“Mo Xuanye is still breaking through inside,” Feng Yuxin said. “Keep a careful eye on him. If he needs any of the pills stored in the space, give them to him.”
“Right, Master.” Xiao Jin nodded, pleased to be entrusted. He understood how much she valued Mo Xuanye now.