He didn't want to disturb He Miaoqing, as he already felt guilty towards her. Naturally, he closed his mouth and stopped arguing with Feng Jin over words.
"Are there any other ways out of this residence? It must be a way that Madam Sun doesn't know about?"
Lingering here was not a solution. They had to find a way out. Otherwise, if Madam Sun found them, wouldn't they become trapped like fish in a jar, all caught in one go?
Feng Yuanping shook his head. "There are no other exits. How did you get in?"
Only then did he remember to ask Feng Jin how they got in. Madam Sun's people were guarding everywhere. They managed to enter without being noticed and even found the secret room.
"We climbed over the wall. How else could we fly in?"
"I am your father, after all. Can't you speak to me properly? Must you always be so sarcastic!"
Feng Jin rolled her eyes and said unhappily, "You remember you're a father now. When you abandoned me in the countryside and paid no attention to me before, why didn't you remember you were a father? When Madam Sun bullied me, why didn't you remember you were a father? Now you want to lecture me with a father's tone? It's too late!"
Feng Yuanping was stunned into silence, his face flushing from red to purple, a most colorful display.
"The priority is to leave this place. Stop indulging in verbal sparring."
Ling Mohan interrupted their argument. These two, upon meeting, would immediately start arguing aimlessly, achieving nothing.
Feng Jin snorted and turned her head away, no longer bothering with Feng Yuanping. She instantly regretted coming here, finding herself in such a predicament, truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Right, you still haven't told me why Madam Sun tied you up, and why you had a falling out. I clearly heard Madam Sun asking you for something earlier?"
Feng Jin pressed with a string of questions. There had to be something else going on between Feng Yuanping and Madam Sun, and she had to get to the bottom of it this time.
"This... this..." Feng Yuanping hesitated, trying to change the subject, attempting to gloss over the matter. "This cannot be explained in a few words. Let's discuss it after we leave here."
"Then you can stay here and think it over slowly. Even now, you're still stubborn and concealing things for Madam Sun. I don't need to waste my time saving you. You can wait here for Madam Sun's people to arrive. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me."
Feng Jin's anger was thoroughly ignited. She was even more annoyed that Feng Yuanping still wouldn't tell the truth. If she were to save Feng Yuanping again, she would have to be out of her mind to do such a thing.
With that, Feng Jin grabbed Ling Mohan's hand and left resolutely.
"I'll say it... I'll say it... I'll tell you everything!"
Feng Yuanping panicked and shouted from behind them. His legs were weak, and as soon as he stood up, he fell to the ground.
The loud thud finally drew Feng Jin's attention. She looked down at the somewhat disheveled Feng Yuanping from above. "This is your best chance. If you don't tell the truth, then I won't care about your life or death!"
She threatened fiercely, not out of heartlessness, but because Feng Yuanping's constant backtracking made it difficult to trust him.
Ling Mohan stood behind Feng Jin with a calm expression, showing no intention of interfering.
Feng Yuanping paused for a moment before speaking. "Madam Sun wants to obtain the border defense troop deployment map from me."
"How do you have this map!" Ling Mohan was instantly agitated. The border defense troop deployment map was a highly classified secret. How did Feng Yuanping get his hands on it, and what would Madam Sun, a mere woman, want with such an item?
"I... I also..."
"Prime Minister Feng, this map is of utmost importance. Your private possession of it is already a grave offense. If it were to be leaked through you, it would be an act of treason. Your entire clan of nine generations would be at risk. As the current Prime Minister, I trust I don't need to elaborate on the severity of this matter to you!"
"I naturally know this... which is why I haven't given this map to Madam Sun..."
If he didn't know the seriousness of the matter, he would never have given the map to Madam Sun.
"Why does Madam Sun insist on this item... Could it be..." Feng Jin's eyes narrowed sharply, a terrible thought surfacing in her mind.
Feng Jin scrutinized Feng Yuanping. "Who exactly is Madam Sun?"
"When I met Madam Sun years ago, she was an orphaned girl whose parents had passed away. She sold her art on the streets to beg for alms. I took pity on her, helped her bury her parents, and brought her to the capital, settling her in a separate residence. I didn't thoroughly investigate Madam Sun's background..."
Audacious and reckless, he dared to take her in without even knowing Madam Sun's true identity. Now that he had fallen into such a state, it was entirely his own doing.
Feng Jin's last shred of pity for Feng Yuanping vanished completely. If it weren't for his lustful recklessness, He Miaoqing wouldn't have died of depression, the original owner wouldn't have suffered so much, and ultimately wouldn't have perished.
"You deserve this. I shouldn't have saved you. If Madam Sun is from an enemy country, you won't escape blame. The entire Feng family will be implicated because of you. You are the sinner of the Feng family. What face will you have to see your ancestors later!"
Knowing that Feng Yuanping valued the honor of his entire clan the most, Feng Jin deliberately dug into his sore spot, wanting to make him regret it for the rest of his life.
"It's all my fault. I was bewitched, which is why I brought this calamity, Madam Sun, into the Feng family, harmed Miaoqing, and caused you to suffer for so many years. I have failed my ancestors!"
Feng Yuanping wept bitterly, truly regretting his past actions. If he could choose again, he would never have brought Madam Sun into his household.
"It's too late to say that now!"
He had wronged the long-deceased Feng Jin. If Feng Yuanping knew that his biological daughter had already been harmed to death by Madam Sun, what would his feelings be then?
A tear involuntarily fell from the corner of Feng Jin's eye. Her chest was filled with bitterness, making it unbearably difficult to breathe.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Ling Mohan was the first to notice Feng Jin's discomfort. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, asking with concern.
"I... I'm fine..."
After a moment, the discomfort within her body eased considerably. Feng Jin placed her hand on her chest. She could feel that these were the emotions of the original owner.
Perhaps she had also heard Feng Yuanping's apology and had found peace in her heart.
"Search... search every corner thoroughly! Don't miss a single spot!"
Madam Sun's voice could be heard from outside the door. Figures flashed past.