The masked man watched Du Yulan quietly, then removed the mask from his face after a long moment. It was Wei Wuji.
"Miss Du, let's get straight to the point. You have a way to deal with her."
"Of course I have a way," Du Yulan said, tucking a strand of hair from her face. "However, I need to see Nangong Yi. This matter will require Nangong Yi's help."
"Will he help you?" Wei Wuji asked doubtfully. Nangong Yi and Xiao Man were childhood sweethearts; how could he possibly be easily manipulated by her?
"He will, he definitely will!"
After Du Yulan escaped, Xiao Man was not angry. Upon returning to her residence, she left the Imperial Princess's mansion with Wen Mohan and headed straight for the outskirts of the city.
Wen Mohan was a bit puzzled. "Why are we going out of the city today?"
"I found a good place and want to show you," Xiao Man said mysteriously.
"A good place?" Wen Mohan's mind flashed back to the scenes in Lan Xiao Pavilion, and she immediately shook her head. That was just an act she put on; it wasn't that she actually liked such places.
"What kind of good place?"
"You'll know when we get there," Xiao Man blinked playfully. "You'll definitely like it."
Wen Mohan was suspicious, but since Xiao Man called it a good place, it couldn't be too bad. She followed Xiao Man.
As the Imperial Princess, Xiao Man held a noble status, and many eyes were on her. As soon as she left the city, news spread.
"She's quite bold, daring to go out of the city at such a critical time," the Fourth Princess said softly. "Is she going alone?"
"No, she's with that foreigner."
The Fourth Princess understood. "She really dotes on the man by her side. Which daughter is like her, spending all day trying to please a man? She truly shames us women."
The attendant nodded in agreement, but then thought that if someone were to put in so much effort to please her, she would surely be very happy.
"Fourth Princess, should we take action?"
The Fourth Princess lowered her gaze and remained silent for a long moment. After a while, she slowly said, "Xiao Man is meticulous and ruthless. This might be a trap she's set to lure out those who are restless in the shadows, to capture them all in one go!"
The attendant was confused. "Princess, who can the Imperial Princess possibly use?"
"Who said she can't?" The Fourth Princess looked at her attendant. "Have you forgotten her identity in Yusheng? Have you forgotten that she took an army with her when she defected from Yusheng, but have you seen that army now?"
"Do you mean the Imperial Princess has hidden this army outside the city?" the attendant asked in shock. "Then if the Imperial Princess were to rebel, wouldn't she be able to surround the capital city with a single call to arms?"
"She has an army, but not a large one. Planning a rebellion is not an easy task. However, killing a few people would be no problem at all." The Fourth Princess picked up a document nearby and opened it. "No need to interfere. Let them stir up trouble. If they die at Xiao Man's hands, it's a good thing for me."
"Yes, Princess."
Xiao Man took Wen Mohan to a valley outside the city. The valley was filled with blooming begonia flowers. A gust of wind blew, causing the begonias on the branches to sway like waves.
"How can there be so many begonia flowers at this time of year?" Wen Mohan asked in surprise. It was already July, and begonias should have long since bloomed and faded. Even late-blooming begonias could hardly last past June, yet here, the valley was full of vibrant begonias in full bloom.
Xiao Man took a food box from the carriage and handed it to Wen Mohan. She then picked up two jars of wine. "I discovered this place by chance. I thought they should be blooming by now, so I brought you to admire the flowers."
Wen Mohan carried the food box and followed Xiao Man. "I invited you to see plum blossoms in winter, and you're inviting me to taste begonias in summer. Is this considered reciprocating?"
Xiao Man turned back and smiled. "It's impolite not to reciprocate. Besides, I don't want you staying in the Imperial Princess's mansion all day, for fear you'll fall ill from boredom."
Wen Mohan quickened her pace and walked alongside Xiao Man. In the valley, there was a thatched cottage with a stone table and stone benches in front of it, as if someone had lived there before. However, the place was overgrown with weeds, and the begonias were unmanaged, suggesting the owner had left long ago.
The two placed their belongings on the stone table. Xiao Man went into the house and brought out a chess set. "The owner of this place must have been a very refined person, to even have chess and a zither here."
"Anyone who can grow such beautiful begonia flowers must be a refined person," Wen Mohan said as she took out the food from the food box.
The two sat under the begonia flowers, drinking wine and playing chess. Outside, the weather was hot, but in this valley, a cool breeze gently blew, as if it were spring.
Halfway through their drinks, Xiao Man rested her chin on her hands, staring at the vibrant begonia flowers in a daze. Wen Mohan took out the zither from the house, strummed the strings, found them to be in good condition, and immediately played a tune. The melody was light and melodious, expressing the owner's mood.
Xiao Man's eyes lit up. She casually picked a begonia flower and used it as a sword, dancing gracefully. In the sea of flowers, a man and a woman, the man playing the zither, the woman dancing with her sword. Their hearts in harmony, time serene.
Nangong Yu sat on the mountaintop, watching the two in the valley with indescribable emotions in his eyes. Whether it was the former Du Gu Man or the current Xiao Man, neither was a person who would try to please others. Yet now, Xiao Man was going to such lengths to make Wen Mohan happy. Nangong Yu felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.
"Truly a talented man and a beautiful woman. They are a pleasure to behold," Ye Yichen, who was beside him, couldn't help but praise. "Your Highness, don't you think so?"
"Do you not want your tongue?"
Ye Yichen quickly covered his mouth. "Your Highness, your subordinate is concerned for you."
"If you were truly concerned for Your Highness, you would go and bring that woman here to coax Your Highness!" Si Ye snorted. "If you can't do it, then don't say a word."
Ye Yichen looked at Si Ye. "Si Ye, why don't you go and tie up Xiao Man?"
Si Ye choked and silently took a step back. He didn't want to clash with Xiao Man. After all, Xiao Man was ruthless. If he went and couldn't bring Xiao Man back, he might even be buried under the trees as fertilizer by Xiao Man, nourishing the begonias in this valley.
"Has Ye Qing woken up?"
"No, he's quite seriously injured. He Qingyi is helpless. It seems someone else will have to step in." Ye Yichen gestured towards Xiao Man's location. "Ye Qing is also her sworn brother; she wouldn't just stand by and watch, would she?" Su Dan Novel Network.
Nangong Yu lowered his eyes. "Have the tails following us been dealt with?"
"They've all been dealt with," Ye Yichen gritted his teeth, feeling a sense of exasperation towards Nangong Yu, like a parent disappointed in their child. That woman was now being intimate with another man, and yet you're still cleaning up her messes, eliminating those who want to kill her. Where is the decisive and cold-blooded King of Hell of the battlefield from back then?