"Aunt He, where were we?" Xiao Man withdrew her gaze and asked He Qingyi.
"We were talking about elders caring for their juniors," He Qingyi said with a smile. "Young General Xiao is about to get married, which is a great joy. May I ask which lady it is?"
"That, you guess," Xiao Man said, smiling brightly at He Qingyi.
He Qingyi chuckled, "There are so many young ladies in the capital, I can't possibly guess. Please don't tease me, Eldest Miss."
Xiao Man's smile vanished. "Who my brother marries is his decision. No one in this mansion can interfere, not even my father, and certainly not my grandmother."
He Qingyi's expression flickered, but she still smiled. "Young General is truly blessed to be able to marry the lady he loves."
"My brother is indeed blessed," Xiao Man said softly. "After all, neither my father nor I will allow anyone to disrupt his happiness. Do you understand what I mean, Aunt?"
He Qingyi understood perfectly. Xiao Man had deliberately brought up Xiao Luo's impending marriage in front of her. It was partly to warn her and partly to show her position in the General's mansion. Even the old madam couldn't do anything to her, and if Xiao Man were to cause trouble for her, the old madam wouldn't be able to protect her.
He Qingyi, with her sharp wit, quickly grasped the situation. "If I were to become family with Eldest Miss, I would certainly do my utmost to protect you."
Xiao Man withdrew her hand. "If that's the case, Aunt He, perhaps you should remove the bracelet you're wearing first."
He Qingyi's face paled, as if she couldn't believe it. However, she had always been composed, and immediately took off the bracelet and handed it to Xiao Man. "This was given to me by the old madam, and she also instructed me to visit and chat with Eldest Miss whenever I come."
"It seems my good grandmother hasn't learned her lesson from the incident with Steward Shen," Xiao Man said with a gentle smile and soft words, yet He Qingyi heard a different tone. Xiao Man intended to make a move against the old madam!
"What does Eldest Miss want me to do?"
"If you want to be the mistress of the General's mansion, you should show me your sincerity," Xiao Man said softly. "In this mansion, my grandmother alone cannot protect you. If I oppose you, it will be extremely difficult for you to enter. If you want my help, Aunt He, you must give me a token of your loyalty."
He Qingyi swallowed hard. She had truly underestimated Xiao Man. She had thought her to be an arrogant and somewhat naive young girl, but now she saw that it was all an act. Xiao Man was deeply calculating, and it was likely the General's mansion was already under her control. Yet, Old Madam Xiao was completely unaware and still carried on as if nothing was amiss.
"Please enlighten me, Eldest Miss."
"My brother's marriage must be flawless," Xiao Man said, picking up the bracelet He Qingyi had removed and examining it closely. "If you have time, Aunt, come and accompany Grandmother frequently."
"Just to accompany the old madam?"
"What else do you want?" Xiao Man asked with a smile. "I simply hope someone can accompany Grandmother so she doesn't get too bored, and then she won't have the time to think of other things."
"Eldest Miss, please rest assured, I will certainly visit and accompany the old madam often."
Xiao Man smiled and placed the bracelet back on He Qingyi's wrist. "Remember to wear what Grandmother has bestowed upon you every time you visit, otherwise, if you displease Grandmother, it will be difficult for you."
"Alright."
When He Qingyi left the General's mansion, she felt a chill down her spine. She reached out and touched her back, finding it covered in cold sweat. This Eldest Miss Xiao was too terrifying. Old Madam Xiao was still secretly plotting against this young lady. If she were to get involved in this, she would surely meet a gruesome end!
But now, faced with such a situation, she couldn't give up her ambition of becoming the mistress of the General's mansion. After enduring so many years of hardship, she finally had a chance to hold her head high. How could she let it slip away? She would definitely show those people from the Jin family that without them, she, He Qingyi, would marry even better!
"Miss, will that He Qingyi listen to you?"
"Of course not," Xiao Man said with a smile. "She won't give up trying to please Grandmother either. After all, filial piety is not something everyone can defy, especially someone like my father, who holds a high position."
"Then why did you ask her to accompany the old madam more often?"
"There is a reason, naturally," Xiao Man's eyes deepened slightly.
Grandmother, please don't disappoint your granddaughter.
Qiu Tong looked at Xiao Man, puzzled, not understanding the reason behind Xiao Man's actions. Since He Qingyi wouldn't side with them, why did Miss reveal the incident with Steward Shen? Wasn't she afraid He Qingyi would tell the old madam?
"Miss, aren't you afraid He Qingyi will betray you?"
"Is there any evidence?" Xiao Man asked calmly with a smile. "Without evidence, it's slander. If she slanders the legitimate eldest daughter of the General's mansion before even entering it, no matter how capable she is, Father will not allow her into the mansion. He Qingyi is an intelligent person. She wants to be the mistress of the General's mansion and please both sides, but she doesn't realize you can't have your cake and eat it too."
"This servant doesn't understand."
"Sister Qiu Tong, we don't need to understand too much. We just need to wait and watch the show," Ying Xue said, leaning on Qiu Tong's shoulder. "Miss always has backup plans. If they don't harm Miss, then everything is fine. But if they dare to harm Miss, they will be the ones to suffer in the end."
"Ying Xue, have there been any updates on the campaign against Wuyue Kingdom?"
"I heard that today in court, the officials were arguing fiercely. Some suggested sending the Crown Prince, others Prince Qin, and some Prince Han and Prince Qi. In the end, no decision was made on who should go."
"What did Prince Qin say?"
"Prince Qin is ill and did not attend court."
Xiao Man realized. Nangong Yu had lost a lot of blood due to the detoxification, so he would be weak for some time. This was the perfect opportunity for him to withdraw from the sight of the other princes and let them fight it out.
"He's quite shrewd, knowing to stay out of it."
"Miss, Wuyue Kingdom is difficult to conquer. Besides Prince Qin, the others are likely not his match, right?"
"Silly girl," Xiao Man lightly tapped Qiu Tong's forehead. "Wuyue Kingdom is indeed difficult to conquer, but this is an opportunity to gain military power. Which prince do you think wouldn't want that?"
"Military power... this servant doesn't understand."
"It's alright if you don't understand," Xiao Man said with a smile, looking out the window. The snow outside was thick, and the winter conditions in the Western Regions were harsh. An invasion of Wuyue Kingdom could only happen after spring. Before that, competing for the command of the army was what the princes were most concerned about.
And she would finally have a few days of peace. Once the commander was decided, those who didn't get military power would once again turn their attention to the influential families who held it. The Xiao family would be the primary target, followed by the Duke of Chen's mansion, and then Prince Qin!
She could also use this opportunity to find out who the mastermind behind the Jiuyu Tower truly was!