Night fell, and Xiao Man busied herself in the kitchen, skillfully gutting, slicing, and preparing fish. Wen Mohan helped by plucking and washing vegetables, her gaze on Xiao Man as gentle and tender as flowing water.
Hiding outside, Yan Yao bit his sleeve, watching the affectionate pair in the kitchen. His face was filled with envy. "I wish the Imperial Princess would personally cook for me too."
"Boy, don't even dream about it." Dongfang Wei appeared silently, startling Yan Yao. Yan Yao opened his mouth to shout but was immediately immobilized by Dongfang Wei. "Shush, don't make a sound. If we disturb those two, we won't get any good from it!"
Yan Yao's eyes darted around, as if asking who Dongfang Wei was.
Dongfang Wei flicked his bangs and struck what he considered a dashing pose. "I am Dongfang Wei, the handsome, dashing, jade-like, graceful, and peerless martial artist, the young master of the Martial Alliance!"
Yan Yao rolled his eyes. Dongfang Wei immediately flicked his forehead, causing Yan Yao's eyes to water with pain. He glared pitifully at Dongfang Wei, protesting his brutality.
Dongfang Wei ignored Yan Yao and continued to watch the couple in the kitchen. "I truly never expected it. I initially thought Xiao Man and Nangong Yu were a pair, but it turns out Wen Mohan got the advantage by being close to the water."
Yan Yao's eyes lit up. So, the Imperial Princess's original preference wasn't for young master Wen, but for Nangong Yu? Wen Mohan had used some means to win the Imperial Princess's favor!
Seeing Yan Yao blinking incessantly, Dongfang Wei understood. "You want me to unseal your acupoints."
Yan Yao blinked rapidly.
"No shouting, no making a scene. If you attract anyone, I'll turn you into a human pig!"
Yan Yao blinked vigorously, promising not to call out.
Dongfang Wei unsealed Yan Yao's acupoints. Yan Yao immediately asked curiously, "Did the Imperial Princess used to like Nangong Yu?"
Dongfang Wei was somewhat startled by Yan Yao's eager gaze. "What do you want to do?"
"Young Master Dongfang, didn't the Imperial Princess like Nangong Yu, not young master Wen?"
"Why are you asking this?"
"Can it be that as long as I do well enough, I can also receive the Imperial Princess's affection like young master Wen?" Yan Yao asked excitedly.
Dongfang Wei looked at Yan Yao as if he were an idiot. How could such a young child have such a poor mind? Could an ordinary man handle a woman like Xiao Man?
"Do you know what happened to Nangong Yu in the end?"
"What happened?"
"Your Imperial Princess ran him through the chest with a sword!" Dongfang Wei pointed to his chest. "He almost died."
"That must be because he did something he shouldn't have, which is why the Imperial Princess treated him that way," Yan Yao said without hesitation. In his opinion, the Imperial Princess was perfect; if there was a fault, it was with others.
"Do you know what Wen Mohan did for your Imperial Princess?"
"What did he do?"
"For her, he betrayed his kin and friends, abandoned a bright future, and willingly became a caged bird!"
"What's wrong with being a caged bird? No worries about food or drink, living in luxury, and being envied by others."
Dongfang Wei was exasperated. "You're so young and you're not learning anything good, just idling around all day. Xiao Man won't look favorably upon you!"
Yan Yao was unconvinced. "How do you know the Imperial Princess doesn't look favorably upon me? One day, I'll make everyone see me in a new light!"
"I'll wait and see," Dongfang Wei said absentmindedly. To gain Xiao Man's favor, there were only two ways: one, become Xiao Man's subordinate and possess outstanding abilities; two, become the apple of Xiao Man's eye. The latter was too difficult, while the former was much easier.
"Oh, right, Young Master Dongfang, why did you infiltrate the Imperial Princess's mansion?"
"What do you mean, 'infiltrate'? I've been at the Imperial Princess's mansion all along," Dongfang Wei said irritably. "I'm your Imperial Princess's hidden guard, and she's currently assigned me to protect Wen Mohan."
"The Imperial Princess also sent a hidden guard to protect young master Wen? Why?"
"Why? Don't you have any idea?" Dongfang Wei asked mysteriously. "Boy, dragons have scales that, if touched, lead to death. Right now, Wen Mohan is your Imperial Princess's untouchable scale. Don't touch him, you remember that."
Dongfang Wei warned Yan Yao, noting the boy's shrewdness, and worried that Yan Yao might set his sights on Wen Mohan. If that happened, no one could save him.
"Untouchable scale..." Yan Yao frowned slightly. "But His Majesty won't permit his existence."
"Whatever the Empress wants to do, your Imperial Princess will find a way to stop her. You just need to remember that you absolutely cannot touch him, or your Imperial Princess will flay you alive."
"I won't touch him," Yan Yao declared solemnly. "Because I won't let the Imperial Princess be sad."
"It's good that you're sensible."
"Young Master Dongfang, tell me about Nangong Yu, please." Yan Yao asked persistently.
"Nangong Yu is the Prince of Yusheng, Qin, you know that, right?"
"I do. He also has a nickname, 'Iron-Faced Yama'."
"Then do you know your Imperial Princess's nickname?" Dongfang Wei asked teasingly.
"No."
"She's called 'Chaos Demon King'!" Dongfang Wei felt her nickname was well-deserved when he thought of Xiao Man's methods. "When she was in Yusheng, she would strike down princes and upbraid commoners. As a woman, she frequented brothels and casinos, climbed over walls, and crawled through dog holes. There's nothing you can't imagine that she wouldn't dare to do!"
Yan Yao was completely bewildered. Climbing over walls was understandable, but what was crawling through dog holes? How could the high and mighty Imperial Princess possibly do something as undignified as crawling through a dog hole?
"Anything else?"
"Yes, her actions are too numerous to list. Most of the noble young men in the imperial capital dared not provoke her. With a gang of followers, she'd beat up the son of Minister Zhang today and the younger brother of Madam Chen tomorrow, always stirring up trouble!"
Yan Yao blinked his eyes. So, the Imperial Princess was such a mischievous Imperial Princess!
"Anything else?"
Dongfang Wei racked his brains and thought. "She's also very insidious, devouring people without spitting out the bones!"
"Liar!" Yan Yao retorted. "The Imperial Princess is a good person!"
"A good person!" Dongfang Wei raised his voice. Xiao Man was definitely not a good person. "Do you know she massacred an entire city for one person? Do you still think she's a good person?"
Yan Yao gritted his teeth. "If the Imperial Princess weren't a good person, why would you follow her? Don't tell me you're not a good person either?"
Dongfang Wei suddenly felt he had dug a hole and buried himself. "I'm not like her. I was manipulated by her, and had no choice but to stay by her side."
"If you want to leave, the Imperial Princess won't stop you."
"You brat, do you want a beating?"
"Hmph, you slander the Imperial Princess while staying by her side. You're a two-faced villain!"
Dongfang Wei was so angry that he gave Yan Yao a sharp rap on the head. "You brat, how could I, the dignified young master of the Martial Alliance, be a two-faced villain? I'm here to keep an eye on my Ah Luo, lest Xiao Man sells him off!"