Qin Xue watched the jubilant Dugu Luo and couldn't help but smile, "A'luo is so easily satisfied. A month's worth of tanghulu can make her this happy."
"The simpler a person is, the easier they are to satisfy," Xiao Man said slowly. "But people are not that simple. Once they have what they want, they crave more, more, and are eventually consumed by desire, becoming slaves to it and heading down a path of no return."
Qin Xue nodded in understanding, "Human nature is greedy."
"Yes, human nature is greedy," Xiao Man looked in a certain direction. "Seeking what does not belong to oneself is also a form of greed, and the consequence of excessive greed is falling into hell, never to recover."
After Xiao Man and the others left, the woman emerged from her hiding place. The arrow embedded in her arm seemed to mock her overestimation of her own abilities. Angrily, she snapped the arrow's shaft and threw it on the ground.
"So arrogant. Does she truly believe she is a real princess just because she is called 'Imperial Princess'?" The woman's eyes were filled with malice. "I want to see if she can return to Bianjing alive!"
As the woman prepared to leave with her people, they were suddenly surrounded. Their assailants were dressed in black, their faces covered, and their swords, though ordinary, emanated a chilling killing intent.
"Who are you?"
The leader drew his sword and pointed it at the woman. "Kill."
Like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, the woman never expected that while lying in wait to ambush Xiao Man, someone else would be waiting to ambush her. She didn't even know who her enemy was!
"I am the Fifth Princess of Lan Yue. How dare you attack a princess!" It turned out this woman was Lan Bing, the Fifth Princess of Lan Yue. Lan Bing had led troops outside for years and it was unexpected to find her here, ambushing Xiao Man.
"We will kill you!"
Lan Bing held immense prestige among the Lan Yue army; even Jing Yujun was slightly inferior. After all, Lan Bing was a royal princess and quite capable, having achieved several military victories. Thus, she commanded considerable respect. She shouldn't have been here, but someone had informed her of Xiao Man's departure from Bianjing. How could Lan Bing let someone who appeared out of nowhere snatch the fruits of victory? She had brought her people to intercept and kill Xiao Man.
At this moment, Lan Bing finally understood that she had been tricked. If she had killed Xiao Man, the person behind this would have killed her too. If she couldn't kill Xiao Man, they would still profit by killing her!
"Lan Ya, Lan Yuan!" Lan Bing realized that the only people in Bianjing who would want her dead were these two. As for Lan Qin, she wasn't even a consideration.
"Your Highness, we will protect you and break through!"
Under the protection of her guards, the Fifth Princess struggled to break through. However, the enemy pursued relentlessly. Lan Bing's hatred for the two in Bianjing deepened. For years, while she and Lan Yin were exiled, these two had not stopped their machinations. They spoke of settling their sisters' disputes behind closed doors and uniting against outsiders, only for the "outsider" to be used to kill her!
Qin Xue asked with some confusion, "Mistress, why don't we kill her?"
"She is still useful," Xiao Man said faintly. Lan Ya and Lan Yuan had lived too comfortably in Bianjing for too long, their idleness breeding mischief. They bothered her every few days. While Xiao Man didn't fear them, she was extremely annoyed and naturally wouldn't let them have an easy time.
"Your subordinate does not understand."
"Of the five princesses of Lan Yue, all are enemies except Lan Qin," Xiao Man said slowly. "However, the four of them are wary of each other, suspicious of each other, and trust no one. This makes them easily exploited."
"Your subordinate understands. Miss is employing a strategy of 'divide and conquer'."
"This is called sowing discord and using a borrowed knife to kill," Xiao Man looked at Qin Xue. "Killing, sometimes, does not require a knife. Knives kill easily, but doing so flawlessly is not simple." Su Dan Novel Network.
"If you kill them, the Empress of Lan Yue cannot do anything to you, Miss."
"I am an Imperial Princess living in exile. How can I compare to the princesses born and raised here? If it becomes known that I murdered princesses to ascend the throne, the people, no matter how much they respected my mother, would grow to despise me," Xiao Man said calmly. "They can die by anyone's hand, but not by mine."
"Your subordinate understands," Qin Xue nodded. "Miss's conduct has changed. Before, if you wanted to kill someone, you wouldn't need a reason; you would just kill them. Now, you've learned to dissemble."
Xiao Man fell silent. Yes, in the past, she had been too arrogant, too impetuous, relying solely on iron-fisted rule. She hadn't understood that the ministers in court were cunning and old foxes. They might have been controlled by her for a time, but once they gained the ability to retaliate, they would have bared their fangs at her without hesitation.
Having died once, she should have learned to protect herself. After all, if anything happened to her, those she loved would be the ones to suffer.
In the inn, a doctor was tending to Lan Bing's wound. The arrowhead was lodged in the bone. If not handled properly, Lan Bing's arm would be ruined.
Lan Bing's complexion was grim due to excessive blood loss, yet the doctor appeared timid, hesitant to proceed. The arrowhead remained lodged, causing her considerable pain.
"Useless! Can you treat it or not?" Lan Bing roared.
"Fifth Princess, forgive me. The arrowhead is stuck in the bone. Any slight mistake could damage the vein, and your arm would then..." The doctor dared not finish. The Fifth Princess was meant to lead troops. If one arm was crippled, how could she fight on the battlefield in the future?
Lan Bing's eyes were filled with hatred. She had intended to kill Xiao Man, but Xiao Man remained unharmed while she was so gravely injured. If her arm was permanently damaged, her sisters would surely rejoice and hold her in even less regard.
"If you can't treat it, find someone who can!" Lan Bing gritted her teeth. "If anything happens to my hand, I will make your entire clan pay!"
The guards immediately went to find another doctor. In this remote area, finding a skilled physician was extremely difficult. The doctor they had with them was a military surgeon, highly skilled in treating external injuries. However, the Fifth Princess's injury was too severe; a slight misstep could cripple her arm. Yet, without stopping the bleeding and bandaging the wound, not only her hand but her very life would be at risk!
The town's doctors were brought in. They had been living simple lives, treating minor ailments and external injuries. The most significant event they had ever encountered was assisting in childbirth, let alone this situation!
"Whoever can heal my arm will be richly rewarded," the Fifth Princess said coldly. "If you cannot, none of you will live!"