The person hidden in the dark waited for a long time before emerging from their hiding place. Xiao Man's parting glance had startled her, as if she knew she was concealed here!
Where her gaze fell, there were only corpses and blood. The Star Picking Tower had become a living hell. The person stumbled towards the entrance, opened the door, and heard the clamor outside. Men and women chattered and laughed, walking through the streets, lively and bustling. Inside the door was a world entirely different from the outside. Outside was reality, and inside was also reality, only one was the bright side, and the other was the dark side.
The woman wrapped her cloak tighter, concealing her face, and blended into the crowd, disappearing. Xiao Man sat on the rooftop, watching the person hidden among the masses, coldness filling her eyes.
"Are you going to kill her?"
"Yu Qing, killing is simple, but it doesn't solve problems," Xiao Man said slowly. "Killing only intensifies conflict. For those who do not obey, you must first show them your might, so they have no thought of resistance. Then, let them know your magnanimity. By combining both authority and kindness, you will achieve twice the result with half the effort."
"Troublesome," Yan Yu Qing sat on the roof ridge. "We martial artists, when we encounter a problem, we just fight. Whoever has the bigger fist is in the right."
"It's the same in court. Whoever has more power has the right to speak," Xiao Man said calmly. "Even an emperor can be controlled by powerful ministers."
"Just like you were back then?" Yan Yu Qing asked softly. "Controlling Emperor Murong Sheng Rui, forcing court officials to obey your commands."
"Yes, just like I was back then. I held military power and controlled the emperor. Even though the court officials hated me deeply in their hearts, they dared not resist me. Even if they wanted to scold me, they could only curse me silently in their hearts, not daring to let me know." Xiao Man turned her head to look at Yan Yu Qing. "Are you not afraid I'll deal with you for saying it so directly?"
"If you were afraid of people talking, you wouldn't be you," Yan Yu Qing saw clearly. "Now, are you finally going to be yourself?"
"So many people followed me, I must give them an explanation," Xiao Man's voice sounded somewhat unreal. "After planning for many years, I almost failed. This time, I will not retreat again."
"Even if the opponent is Nangong Yu?"
"Even him!" Xiao Man said without hesitation. "No one can block my path. I will kill gods who block me, and slaughter demons who block me!"
Yan Yu Qing raised an eyebrow. "I hope you'll keep your word!"
"I always keep my promises." Xiao Man stood up and looked in a certain direction, the direction of the Fourth Princess's mansion. The Fourth Princess's current actions were increasingly intriguing. She had actually connected with Du Yu Lan.
"Should we teach her a lesson?"
"A lesson needs to be taught, but it's not for us to give." Xiao Man leaped off the rooftop and headed towards the Imperial Princess's mansion.
Yan Yu Qing floated down lightly and followed behind Xiao Man. "You want to make them kill each other?"
"It's not that I want them to kill each other, but the throne is too tempting, and there is only one. Dealing with one person is far easier than dealing with four. And the weakest is the easiest to handle. Currently, the weakest is not the Fifth Princess, nor the Third Princess, but the Fourth Princess who has incurred the Empress's displeasure."
"She probably defected to Feng Mo Ran."
"From the moment she climbed into Feng Mo Ran's bed, she became a pawn in Feng Mo Ran's hands. Unless she dies, she cannot escape from Feng Mo Ran's grasp." Xiao Man was not surprised at all. Feng Mo Ran was someone who made full use of everything. He would do his utmost to squeeze a person's value to its limit.
"Then, can you jump out of his chessboard?"
Xiao Man looked in the direction of the Imperial Palace, her eyes filled with a chilling coldness. "The game has begun. Before the game ends, no one on the board can withdraw. It is absolutely impossible to escape the board."
"Not even you?"
"Yu Qing, a game of chess doesn't just have pieces; it also has players." Xiao Man glanced at Yan Yu Qing. "The player decides the fate of the pieces, while the player's fate is influenced by the game. This game, from the very beginning, has gone off course, and the original player has not yet realized it."
Yan Yu Qing quickly understood Xiao Man's meaning. "Are you finally going to counterattack?"
"The ninth day of the ninth month is a good day, don't you think?"
"The ninth day of the ninth month is indeed a good day. It's your birthday," Yan Yu Qing replied. "It's a good day for revenge. But on this day, you're getting married. Do you plan to ruin your own wedding ceremony?"
"No, I intend to give my wedding ceremony a grand gift. I hope Mo Han will like the gift I give him."
Waking up from a hangover, Nangong Yi felt a splitting headache. Even drinking the hangover soup felt unbearable.
"Your Highness, something has happened."
Nangong Yi set the bowl aside, rubbing his throbbing temples, and asked distractedly, "What's happened now?"
"News has arrived from the Imperial Capital. The King of Chu has launched a rebellion."
Nangong Yi sneered upon hearing this. "He must have failed. My Fourth Brother left in a hurry a few days ago, likely because he received the news. What's the situation in the Imperial Capital?"
"His Highness Prince Qin has sent word, ordering you to return to the Imperial Capital immediately," Zhou Kang said in a low voice. With the King of Chu's rebellion and Prince Qin summoning His Highness back to the Imperial Capital, the situation there must be extremely dire.
"What do I go back for?" Nangong Yi said lazily. "Going back will only be for people to laugh at."
Zhou Kang frowned. "Don't you want to go back and see His Majesty? According to the news from Prince Qin, His Majesty is not well."
Nangong Yi's gaze wavered. Although he wasn't the Emperor's biological son, the Emperor had doted on him for many years. His Third Brother was ruthless, and his Fourth Brother was heartless. The Emperor's days were likely not going well.
"At this time, if I return to the Imperial Capital, I might never be able to leave it again in this lifetime."
"Why do you say that, Your Highness? Your subordinate doesn't understand."
Nangong Yi looked outside. "Zhou Kang, what kind of person do you think my Fourth Brother is?"
"His Highness Prince Qin is wise and powerful, with brilliant military achievements, skilled in both civil and military arts. He's just a bit cold in disposition."
Nangong Yi listened and smiled. "I can't believe you have such a high opinion of my Fourth Brother."
"The soldiers in the army have quite a high opinion of Prince Qin. Why would Your Highness suddenly ask this?"
"Because, in my eyes, Fourth Brother is very frightening." Nangong Yi's expression was somber, as if recalling unpleasant memories. "When others are bullied, they retaliate immediately. But he doesn't. Once he strikes, it's inevitably a killing blow."
"Facing a powerful enemy, one naturally needs full confidence before acting, otherwise, the backlash from the enemy could lead to heavy losses, or even death. It's likely Prince Qin's temperament developed on the battlefield."