It was pure coincidence that Old Chen also happened to be looking at him.
His cloudy eyes were unfathomably deep, harboring craftiness.
Meng Jingwei quickly withdrew her gaze and glared at He Xiao Mingjin, "Old Chen is right. With your rudimentary skills, you'd best protect yourself."
Despite her words, He Xiao Mingjin's earlier statement echoed in her mind, 'He adamantly refused to let me protect you, saying Tie Zhuzi would protect your safety with his life.'
Old Chen had always been a man of few words, never exaggerating.
His statement was thought-provoking.
"Jingwei, did they mention the Hidden Clan's Hunting Feast when you went to the palace today?" He Xiao Lanya had arrived earlier and had been waiting for Meng Jingwei.
Seeing her return, she couldn't help but inquire.
"Yes."
Meng Jingwei answered readily and added with a smile, "They invited me to some hunting ceremony, but I wasn't interested, so I declined."
This time, Meng Jingwei had no choice but to attend the hunting feast.
However, she wanted to see how He Xiao Lanya would persuade her.
"You declined?"
He Xiao Lanya was somewhat surprised. She glanced sideways at Old Chen and quickly said, "This hunting ceremony is a grand event held every ten years, attended by the prominent figures of the Hidden Clan. He Ka Qing Tang invited me and your master to participate in the ceremony, and mentioned that you could attend as well, with your identity publicly revealed to everyone. This is a perfect opportunity to make your identity known, so why did you refuse?"
"Oh. So I just have to attend the event, not participate in the hunting?" Meng Jingwei feigned ignorance, asking, "Then it's fine. If there's no hunting, I'll attend."
"This..."
Her retort left Meng Jingwei speechless, and He Xiao Lanya suddenly didn't know what else to say.
She looked to Old Chen for help, signaling him to speak.
Old Chen held his pipe and took a couple of puffs. "If you're attending the event, you will naturally have to participate in the hunting. Not only that, but you must aim for the top. You might not know, but although it's a hunting event, it also tests the capabilities of the Hidden Clan's young master. Throughout history, the young masters of the Hidden Clan have all shone brightly at these hunting events, thus proving their future leadership abilities and earning the trust of others."
"Yes, in the Hidden Clan, strength is paramount," He Xiao Lanya sighed, her brows etched with anxiety.
He Xiao Mingjin, sitting nearby, immediately sat up straighter, his uneasy gaze fixed on Meng Jingwei. "Then won't sister Weiwei be in mortal danger? He Ka Qing Tang and his people are devising ways to eliminate her. In a hunting event, it would be easy for He Ka Qing Tang's elite troops to get rid of her."
The meticulous plan and the conspiracy were all too obvious.
Meng Jingwei lowered her eyelids, remaining silent. She simply picked up her teacup and took a sip. After setting the cup down, she raised her eyes and found both He Xiao Lanya and Old Chen staring at her, their gazes intent.
"Why are you all looking at me? I'm so frail, I'm probably no match for He Ka Lian Nu, and you expect me to participate in a hunt? No, really not."
She waved her hands repeatedly in refusal. Then, she suddenly patted her knees and exclaimed as if struck by a sudden realization, "Li Yun'er. Armies are maintained for a thousand days to be used for one day. Isn't this the perfect opportunity for her to shine? How can we miss it."
Her serious suggestion, her tone and demeanor, were all perfectly normal, yet the two sitting opposite her could clearly sense the sarcasm in her words.
Back then, Li Yun'er had been meticulously cared for by the Fu An couple, living a life of privilege and enjoying the treatment of a socialite, a stark contrast to her own life, which was filled with injustice.
However, Meng Jingwei genuinely felt that Li Yun'er's fate was rather tragic, but she didn't deserve sympathy.