"A single crabapple blossom to send me off? That's hardly sincere enough."
"Then allow me to play a song for you."
Xiao Man gently held Wen Mohan's hand, a soft and kind smile on her face. "Let's switch. I'll play, and you shall dance."
Wen Mohan felt a bit embarrassed, having never learned to dance. However, he didn't refuse. Though he hadn't learned formally, he knew a little. Xiao Man placed her fingers on the zither strings, plucking them together, initially producing a harsh sound. Soon, her fingers moved nimbly, and a beautiful melody filled the air. Wen Mohan began to dance to the tune, performing the sacrificial dance he had learned in the imperial study.
Xiao Man's gaze deepened. The music drifted out, penetrating the depths of the crabapple forest, transforming into a death knell for the assassins lurking within. Those who stepped into the crabapple forest were led to their doom, utterly unaware that the exquisite scenery and the melodious tune would be their harbinger of death.
As dusk settled, Xiao Man and her entourage returned to the imperial city just before the gates closed.
They had originally believed that Xiao Man would not return from her excursion outside the city. To their surprise, not only was Xiao Man unharmed, but none of their people had returned either!
The Fifth Princess angrily smashed her wine bowl. "Useless! All of you are useless! So many of you went, and not even a single hair on her head was harmed!"
"Your Highness, don't you find it a bit strange?" the accompanying deputy general asked, puzzled. "Even if our men were incompetent, they should have been able to kill a few guards. Yet, none of Xiao Man's guards were injured. Could it be that our men never even found Xiao Man?"
This remark only fueled the Fifth Princess's anger. "They couldn't even find her? Still useless!"
The deputy general fell silent, daring not to speak. She merely felt that Xiao Man was somewhat uncanny. They had intended to ambush Xiao Man, but the ambush failed, and the Princess had lost a hand, rendering her unable to wield her sword. Even her military authority had been transferred to Lan Qin. While the personal guards followed the princess, they were a mere fraction compared to the army. Their original intention to ambush Xiao Man was for profit, but they ended up being the ones who suffered the most significant losses.
Furthermore, their personal guards had suffered heavy casualties dealing with Xiao Man. Out of three thousand personal guards, fewer than five hundred remained. The Fifth Princess had truly suffered greatly on her return to the capital.
"Why are you not speaking?" the Fifth Princess, filled with rage, snapped at the deputy general for her silence.
"Your subordinate believes that Your Highness has suffered heavy losses this time," the deputy general said, carefully choosing her words. "Meanwhile, the Eldest Princess and the Fourth Princess have been on good terms with the Imperial Princess. The other day, after the court session, the Fourth Princess almost used the Imperial Princess's hand to kill you..."
The expression on the Fifth Princess's face instantly changed. She had not forgotten that Lan Yuan had truly intended to kill her. If Xiao Man had not reacted quickly enough and shielded her with her own body, she would have already been on her way to see King Yama.
"We grew up together. When we were children, we wandered the streets begging. Every time we got food, I would give her half. Because she was small and thin, the other beggars bullied her, and I protected her. But since being adopted by the Empress, she has changed." The Fifth Princess's voice was filled with unspeakable anger. If she hadn't protected Lan Yuan, Lan Yuan would have died long ago, and how could she have become a princess of the Lan Yue royal family!
She had been forced to stay away from Bianjing, but it wasn't enough. She had schemed against her life several times. Was power truly that important to her?
"Your Highness, power moves the heart, and the power in question is the throne," the deputy general whispered. "The Fourth Princess suffered greatly since childhood. She will climb as high as she can whenever an opportunity arises, and she will eliminate anyone who stands in her way without hesitation."
"Enough. If she is unrighteous, I shall be unvirtuous," the Fifth Princess sighed. "Recall all my people. Let's not provoke Xiao Man anymore."
"Your Highness does not intend to seek revenge?"
"If I hadn't gone to kill her, how would I have been shot by an arrow?" the Fifth Princess scoffed. "She spared my life, which was already merciful. Why should I hold onto it and create a formidable enemy for myself? My personal guards suffered heavy losses, while they watched from the sidelines, waiting to profit. There is no such good fortune."
"Does Your Highness not wish to contend for that position?" the deputy general asked cautiously. That was the throne, the only one. If she succeeded, she would be the ruler of the land, commanding the world. Even the Fourth Princess would have to bow down and submit to Your Highness!
The Fifth Princess looked at the deputy general. "I may not be skilled in those intricate maneuvers, but that doesn't mean I'm foolish!"
"This subordinate deserves death!"
The Fifth Princess waved her hand. "They have been in Bianjing for many years, with deep-rooted influence. Even they cannot do anything to Xiao Man. What do you think the reason is?"
"I heard that when Xiao Man was in Yusheng, she was the beloved daughter of Yusheng's famous general, Xiao Zhen. Later, after Xiao Zhen was killed, she took over his position and managed the Yusheng Emperor's personal guards. In a short period, she managed to subdue those arrogant sons of noble families. She must be quite capable."
"The first time I clashed with Xiao Man, I understood that I was no match for her. But I still wanted to see if I could defeat her by giving it my all."
"Your Highness, is the Imperial Princess truly that formidable?"
"We have ambushed her many times, and which one was successful?" the Fifth Princess asked with a cold laugh. "Even the first thing we did upon returning to the capital was to lead people to attack the Imperial Princess's mansion. Was she injured? Let alone her, even the male attendants by her side were unharmed!"
"Your Highness intends to stand by and watch, letting the Eldest Princess and the Fourth Princess fight with the Imperial Princess, and then reap the benefits?" the deputy general seemed to understand. "Brilliant, truly brilliant!"
The Fifth Princess wanted to say something but eventually sighed helplessly. Why were the people around her so foolish? Xiao Man and those two couldn't have failed to consider what she had just figured out? This was precisely why the Eldest Princess and the Fourth Princess wanted to lure her back to the imperial capital and sow discord between her and Xiao Man!
Among the five princesses and one imperial princess, the imperial princess's power was undeniable. It was widely rumored that she commanded an army, but this army had vanished. The Eldest Princess and the Fourth Princess were equally matched. If these two fought, others would only benefit. Currently, the three of them were in a state of three-way balance. They would not allow anyone to disrupt this balance, yet they were unwilling to maintain it forever. Thus, they would start with the weakest, and she was currently the weakest!
"Has Xiao Man returned to her residence?" the Fifth Princess asked abruptly.
"The Imperial Princess's carriage has returned to her residence. Your Highness, do you intend to launch a night raid?"
"Is your brain caught in a door? A night raid? This is the imperial city. Our previous night raid was successful entirely because Xiao Man was unprepared. Do you insist on depleting the men I have left?"
"This subordinate is foolish, please enlighten me, Your Highness." The deputy general cautiously requested. Now, she found the Fifth Princess's thoughts unreadable.