Fengyu felt heartache for Xie Xun’s injuries and understood the extreme dangers of the battlefield, where fortune and calamity are unpredictable. Back when she was in West State, she had tried her best to avoid injuries, knowing that her safety was the best protection for Xie Xun. When Fengyu was abducted in West State, she worried that the news would distract Xie Xun on the battlefield. Fortunately, luck was on his side, and the arrow missed by half an inch, making it non-fatal. Fengyu waited quietly for Xie Xun to return. Seeing her letter and knowing the sequence of events, Xie Xun should have come back, but Fengyu waited for two hours without seeing him. She couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. Fengyu also clearly felt that the Soul Suppressing Pearl seemed to have become less effective. Previously, she and Xie Xun could swap souls freely without much discomfort, but now she distinctly sensed some resistance during the process. Fengyu couldn’t figure out the reason. It seemed that she shouldn’t use the Soul Suppressing Pearl so casually next time—what if they swapped and couldn’t return? Was it because she was nearing her eighteenth birthday that the soul-swapping had become difficult? In the manor, despite Xie Xun wearing the Soul Suppressing Pearl, he found that he couldn’t swap. He was dumbfounded and couldn’t help but feel panicked. What was happening? Why? This situation had never occurred before, and Xie Xun inevitably became anxious. The war in Ningzhou was still unstable. Fengyu had safely escaped danger, and as long as she stayed in the manor to recuperate, he could send someone to fetch her. But now, he couldn’t swap back—what would Ayu do in Ningzhou? When Lady Thirteen came to fetch Fengyu and take her back to the Capital City, Xie Xun finally realized that he had been tricked by Fengyu! In her letter, Fengyu had explained the sequence of events and assured Xie Xun that she would stay in the manor to heal. She had never mentioned her plan to return to the Capital City. Originally, Fengyu had intended for Xie Xun to swap with her after reading the letter and then swap back again. Now, the situation was completely out of control. Xie Xun felt a burst of anger. What was she doing heading to the Capital City? Lady Thirteen naturally didn’t know what Fengyu’s intentions were for entering the Capital City; she was merely carrying out orders. Fengyu wouldn’t reveal her plans fully to her either. Xie Xun rubbed the bracelet on his wrist and furrowed his brows. Now that he was in Fengyu’s body, he could indeed enter the Capital City. However, with the Soul Suppressing Pearl acting up, he couldn’t return to his own body, and there was no immediate solution. Xie Xun quickly calmed down. He had been struck by an arrow and would probably need half a month to recover, unable to move. The war with the Beiman wouldn’t pause because of his injury. Fortunately, Second Brother and Fang Chuning were there to keep things from falling apart. Fengyu wouldn’t need to fight in battles while recuperating, and if he did swap back, he’d still be lying in Ningzhou, recovering. But if he entered the Capital City... Sorting through his thoughts, Xie Xun suppressed his inner restlessness and followed Lady Thirteen into the Capital City. He kept the Soul Suppressing Pearl on his wrist, still unsure why he and Fengyu couldn’t swap. Only Master Miao Yun could resolve his confusion. Since Fengyu was also recuperating in Ningzhou, and he had already repelled Dugu Jing twice, with the Ningzhou war managed by Second Brother, things seemed temporarily stable. What he could accomplish in the Capital City would far exceed what Fengyu could achieve. His only concern was Fengyu’s safety. "I’ve written several letters. Send someone to take them to West State." Xie Xun wrote a few more letters and instructed Nuanyang to lead a squad of trusted soldiers to infiltrate the Capital City discreetly. It was time to settle accounts with Yuwen Jing. The Beiman’s defeat was evident. In two large-scale offensives in Ningzhou led by Dugu Jing, his troops had suffered heavy losses and retreated to Sha Ling Tian Mountain. Although the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry couldn’t cross Sha Ling Tian Mountain, it would be difficult for Dugu Jing to regain his footing. The Jiangnan and Sannan battlefields remained chaotic. Xie Xun and Xie Jue had long planned that once the situation with the Beiman stabilized, the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry would ride to Jiangnan’s aid and later push back Sannan. After that, the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry would march directly to Zhongzhou and confront the royal court in a decisive battle. Yuwen Jing was now infamous, and Xie Xun had no intention of giving him time to catch his breath. Xie Xun disguised himself as Lady Thirteen’s maid and sat in the carriage traveling back to the city. Along the way, Lady Thirteen chirped endlessly, asking about "her" experiences in West State. Xie Xun, being Xie Xun and not Fengyu, didn’t respond to her chatter, remaining cold and aloof. He wasn’t the type to engage with others and exuded an aura of disdain that kept people at arm’s length—a mood nearly identical to how Fengyu used to treat strangers several years ago. Lady Thirteen couldn’t help but grumble, "Miss, we haven’t met in two hours, and you seem like a completely different person." "You’re so distant with me now." Lady Thirteen instinctively reached over to hug her and tried to kiss Fengyu’s cheek affectionately. Xie Xun recoiled in horror and slapped her hand away forcefully. "What are you doing?" Lady Thirteen froze. "?" Xie Xun’s expression was icy, with a barely restrained fury befitting an offended noblewoman. He looked as though he wanted to have Lady Thirteen flogged to death. Lady Thirteen hadn’t expected this reaction—Fengyu had slapped her so hard, and she was momentarily shocked. Lady Thirteen suddenly shouted, "Stop the carriage!" Latest content publıshed on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝔫𝔢𝔱 Xie Xun stared at her coldly. The laughter on Lady Thirteen’s face vanished completely. "You’re not my miss. Who are you?"