Chapter 620

In just a few days, Xiao Feifei, who had turned into a little fox, became everyone's beloved pet.

Gongsun Yue and Xiao Jin would come over to pet it twice as soon as they opened their eyes each day.

Xiao Ran would bring it its favorite meat strips every day to win its favor, and Xiao Ningyuan would also come daily to rub its big tail.

When Xiao Feifei felt comfortable being petted, it would squint its eyes and softly rumble; when annoyed, it would leap back onto Tuan Tuan's shoulder and ignore everyone.

It stayed by Tuan Tuan's side at all times, never leaving her.

When Tuan Tuan's sachet was lost, Xiao Feifei sprang to the ground, sniffed around like a little dog, and soon trotted back with it in its mouth on its four short legs.

It wagged its big tail, lifted its little head, and looked up at Tuan Tuan seeking praise.

Xiao Er took the sachet from its mouth and fastened it back onto Tuan Tuan, saying, 'Not bad, little thing.'

Tuan Tuan scooped it up in one arm: 'You're amazing! Xiao Feifei!'

Xiao Feifei's tail wagged so hard from the praise it left an afterimage.

Everyone fed it all kinds of tasty treats.

But with everyone constantly feeding it, Xiao Feifei started to become picky.

It would eat only lamb legs from mutton, and only the freshest cheese.

Xiao Ran refused to believe it, holding a plate and confronting Xiao Feifei: 'Hey! The meat I brought you is all the freshest—you're a fox, why are you so picky?'

Xiao Feifei turned its head away and flicked its tail at him.

Xiao Ran turned to Tuan Tuan: 'Look at it!'

Tuan Tuan shielded Xiao Feifei: 'It's gotten prettier, so of course it deserves the best food!'

Xiao Ran rolled his eyes: 'Just spoil it then.'

Tuan Tuan lifted Xiao Feifei, buried her face in its neck and inhaled deeply: 'Xiao Feifei, you're so good! I'm just spoiling you—what's wrong with that?'

Xiao Feifei lifted its head, rested its little chin on Tuan Tuan's shoulder, narrowed its eyes at Xiao Ran, and kept wagging its big tail.

Xiao Ran: '…' He could only resign himself to go get a plate of lamb leg meat.

Interestingly, Xiao Feifei would visit Feng Zhou every day, curling into a furball by his pillow and lying there quietly for about half an hour.

Tuan Tuan also lay beside the bed, quietly stroking its fur.

Xiao Er sighed: 'Xiao Feifei really keeps thinking of Feng Zhou—how affectionate and loyal.'

Finally, on this day, Feng Zhou opened his eyes.

Xiao Feifei leapt up from the pillow, bumped his face with its head, and let out urgent 'ying-ying' cries.

Tuan Tuan lifted her head: 'Feng Zhou, you're awake? Second Uncle!'

Xiao Er turned and ran: 'Understood, Miss—I'll go fetch the Old Valley Master!'

Feng Zhou was startled by Xiao Feifei, then turned his head to see Tuan Tuan, and the corners of his mouth immediately twitched up.

Tuan Tuan hurriedly said: 'Don't be scared—it's my Xiao Feifei, and it's the one who saved your life!'

Feng Zhou's face was full of bewilderment.

Soon, Xue Tong rushed over, took his pulse, then nodded: 'Not bad—he's recovering faster than I expected.'

Feng Zhou stared at Xiao Feifei over and over, opened his mouth, but couldn't get a word out.

Xue Tong quickly said: 'Don't rush; speaking will still take a few days.'

Xiao Feifei jumped into Tuan Tuan's arms, loosely wrapping around her neck, and Feng Zhou stared, eyes wide.

Xue Tong, however, was already used to it: 'Tuan Tuan, take Xiao Feifei out to play; Feng Zhou still needs to rest for quite a while—let him keep sleeping, eating and sleeping more will help him recover faster.'

'Mm!' Tuan Tuan happily ran out: 'Second Uncle, let's go tell Father!'

After a few more days, Feng Zhou could finally speak, and hearing Tuan Tuan tell him that it was actually that horned fox that had saved him, he looked at Xiao Feifei in a new light.

That day, Feng Zhou could sit up, and the Emperor and his son, Prince Ning and his son, and Eunuch Cheng all came together to his tent.

Xiao Ningchen recounted how Feng Zhou had been injured by the explosion of the smelting furnace, how the secret guards had caught a messenger trying to flee during the camp's chaos, and so on.

Feng Zhou leaned on his pillow: 'So that's how it was.'

'I only remember that day, the furnace suddenly made an unusual sound, and the flames changed color.'

'I sensed something wrong, so I hastily grabbed the box holding the key nearby and tried to run.'

'When I opened my eyes again, it was the day I saw Xiao Feifei.'

Xiao Yuanhang asked: 'Everything was fine—why did the smelting furnace explode? You're so careful, you couldn't have made a mistake.'

Feng Zhou thought: 'It must be because of that letter.'

Xiao Ran jumped up: 'Was it the letter from Chen Hao? What did it say?'

Xiao Jieyun glanced at his son: 'Sit down! What's there to panic about?'

Xiao Ze hurriedly pulled Xiao Ran back into his seat.

Xiao Jieyun said: 'Tell us the truth—I also want to know exactly what was written in that letter.'

'Yes, Your Majesty.' Feng Zhou began to speak, recalling as he went.

'The key could only be taken once the Wu Jin Mud arrived, so I had been studying the Nine-fold Refined Iron Forging Technique given to me by the Third Prince, and I hadn't left the tent for days.'

'That day at noon, I saw the sunshine outside was nice, so I went out for a walk.'

'On the way back, a man sprang out and stopped me, saying Chen Hao had ordered him to deliver a letter to me, and then he shoved the letter into my hand.'

'I was about to ask—Chen Hao isn't the Nine Prince's attendant, so why would he write me a letter—but he had already run off.'

'I didn't think much of it, went back to the tent, opened it, and found it was actually a letter urging surrender.'

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran tried to stand up again, but Xiao Ze grabbed him firmly and wouldn't let go.

Xiao Ze shook his head at him.

Xiao Ran took a deep breath and calmed down.

Xiao Ningxun asked: 'Urging surrender? How was it phrased?'

Feng Zhou snorted: "Nothing new, just the same old talk, cliché."

"Advise me to see the times, early abandon darkness and join the light, submit to the Imperial Court."

"And they said, as long as I'm willing to leave Xibei and return to Jingcheng, all past grudges will be forgiven, and the position of Minister of Works will still be mine."

"I found it annoying at a glance, so I just threw it into the furnace."

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone understood.

Xiao Ze said: "Now I see, the letter was deliberately written like that; the writer had long anticipated you would burn the letter, and at that time it was noon, with no candlelight inside the tent."

Xiao Ningyuan said: "The smelting furnace naturally became the only choice."

A chill ran down Xiao Ningxun's back: "This person's thoughts are exceedingly meticulous!"

"Knowing Feng Zhou was pondering the key, there must be a smelting furnace inside the tent; after reading the letter, he would surely not obey, and would casually throw it in."

"Something must have been smeared on the letter paper, which is why Feng Zhou heard a strange sound and the flame changed color."

"But by the time he realizes, it's already too late."

Xiao Yuanhang's face sank like water: "What a vicious method!"

Xiao Ran opened his mouth wide: "I, I still don't believe that letter was written by Chen Hao."

"The letter he gave me clearly didn't say that."

Xiao Ningyuan glanced at him: "This is a linked scheme!"

"The sole purpose of that letter to the Ninth Prince was to let the messenger stay in the Main Camp."

"He lingered just for the moment Feng Zhou stepped out of the tent."

Xiao Ran was speechless.

Xiao Ningchen said coldly: "It seems Chen Hao has long since joined forces with his father who is Ni Ze, becoming birds of a feather."