"Father, who killed Mother?" Xiao Man asked in a bewitching tone, seeing the dazed look in Xiao Zhen's eyes.
Xiao Zhen's body stiffened. He swallowed the words that were about to escape his lips, then forced a stiff smile. "It's late. Go rest quickly. I should sleep too." Sudan Novels Online
With that, Xiao Zhen practically fled. He feared mentioning the matter of Xiao Man's birth mother, as he worried Xiao Man might uncover secrets she shouldn't know, thus endangering her life!
In the Qin King's mansion, within Nangong Yu's room, the lamps were brightly lit. Nangong Yu was curled up in pain. Each time the poison attacked, it made him wish for death, as if thousands of ants were gnawing at his bones and internal organs, bit by bit. The pain made him wish he were dead.
Si Ye paced outside the door. "Didn't they say Xiao Man would come? Why isn't she here yet?"
Si Chen glanced at the sky. It was already the third watch. Let alone people, not even a shadow had appeared. The Prince had returned from outside today and locked himself in his room. Even though the Prince hadn't cried out, they knew he was suffering immensely.
"I'm going to find Xiao Man!"
"Come back. The Prince said anyone who dares to go find her will be expelled from the mansion," Si Chen called out to Si Ye, then looked at the closed door with a frown. Their master was likely stimulated by what he saw today; Miss Xiao and Wen Mohan were too intimate. Their master was probably consumed by jealousy.
Inside the room, Nangong Yu rolled from the bed to the floor, gasping for breath. He clutched the bed curtain, his knuckles protruding. Something seemed to be moving beneath his skin. Nangong Yu clutched his chest forcefully, his mind replaying Wen Mohan's gentle, wind-like smile as he tucked a strand of Xiao Man's hair behind her ear.
Xiao Man! Xiao Man!
Nangong Yu kept calling Xiao Man's name in his heart. You said you would come to find me at the fifteenth, why haven't you arrived yet? Is Wen Mohan more important to you?
Nangong Yu gave a bitter laugh. Who would have thought the high and mighty, cold and aloof Prince Qin would be so disheveled and helpless at this moment? He forbade anyone from searching for Xiao Man, wanting to see if Xiao Man truly had him in her heart and if she would come to the Prince's mansion to find him!
The drumbeat for the fourth watch sounded, yet Xiao Man's trace was still nowhere to be seen. Despair welled up from the depths of his heart. Indeed, Xiao Man had never had him in her heart, never. Nangong Yu lay on the ground, completely devoid of strength. His heart had been as still as water, yet someone had intruded and stirred his heart's lake.
Nangong Yu closed his eyes. Xiao Man, what should I do with you? You were the one who provoked me first, and now you're going to let go? No, I won't allow it!
Xiao Man quietly infiltrated the Prince's mansion. The last time she came to the Prince's mansion, she went to the study. The courtyard, still brightly lit, must be the Prince's residence. Thus, Xiao Man found the Prince's courtyard effortlessly.
Xiao Man quietly avoided the guards, opened the window, and climbed in. The room was decorated elegantly and tastefully. Behind the curtains was a large bed, and she couldn't tell if anyone was on it. Xiao Man suddenly felt this scene was somewhat familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.
She quickly walked towards the bed, lifted the curtain, and found a person lying on the ground, their clothes disheveled, with countless bloody scratches on their body. Who else could it be but Nangong Yu?
"Your Highness."
The familiar call came, and Nangong Yu suddenly opened his eyes, looking in the direction of the voice. Xiao Man, with one hand on the curtain, looked at him with a shocked expression.
Xiao Man hurried forward, helped the fallen Nangong Yu up, and reached out to take his pulse. Nangong Yu looked at the face so close to him. The unique fragrance emanating from Xiao Man instantly relaxed him. However, upon smelling the faint scent of alcohol on Xiao Man, his joy diminished considerably. Had she been drinking with Wen Mohan until now?
"What are you doing here at this hour?"
While rummaging in her pouch for pills, Xiao Man replied, "I should have come earlier, but I was stopped by my father when I left. I had a few drinks with him, and after I sent him away, it became this late."
So she was delayed by Xiao Zhen, not because of Wen Mohan. Nangong Yu's mood settled a bit more. Leaning into Xiao Man's embrace, he completely relaxed.
Xiao Man gave Nangong Yu a pill and helped him onto the bed. However, Nangong Yu was too heavy, and she stumbled, causing them to fall onto the bed together, with her directly on top of him.
Xiao Man wanted to get up but was held by Nangong Yu. "Don't go."
"Your Highness, please let go of me first. Your wounds need to be cleaned and medicated. I won't leave," Xiao Man coaxed him gently.
Nangong Yu did not loosen his grip but hugged her even tighter. Xiao Man felt uncomfortable. "You're squeezing me."
Nangong Yu was startled and quickly let go. Xiao Man seized the opportunity to get out of his embrace and settled Nangong Yu properly on the bed, preparing to have a basin of hot water sent in to clean the scratches on his body. Nangong Yu, however, grabbed the hem of her clothes.
"Your Highness, rest assured, I'm just sending for water." Xiao Man noticed that whenever Nangong Yu's poison attacked, he became exceptionally fragile and helpless. It seemed even the invincible and ruthless Prince Qin had his weaknesses.
Nangong Yu hesitated, his eyes filled with unease. After a moment, he finally let go. Xiao Man's figure receded, and the sound of a door opening was heard.
"Send in a basin of hot water."
"Xiao Man!" Si Ye exclaimed as if he had seen a ghost. "When...when did you get in?"
"Miss Xiao, please wait a moment. The hot water will be here shortly." Si Chen was exceptionally calm. Xiao Man had entered their master's room under their strict guard more than once; he was used to it.
Si Ye watched as the door closed again and then looked at the hidden guards outside. "I say, are you all blind, just for show? A living person entered the Master's room, and you didn't even know. If she wanted to kill him, the Master would have died countless times!"
The hidden guards outside had contorted expressions. What could they do? They had guarded strictly, yet Xiao Man had repeatedly evaded their close surveillance and entered the Master's room, plucking this high mountain flower!
After closing the door, Xiao Man felt that the decoration in Nangong Yu's room was very familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before. But this was her first time in the Prince Qin's sleeping quarters; she couldn't possibly know what the Prince Qin's sleeping quarters looked like.
Si Chen quickly brought in hot water. Xiao Man took some of Nangong Yu's blood, stopped the bleeding, and then immediately took a handkerchief to clean the scratches on Nangong Yu's body. Nangong Yu had scratched himself all over due to the intense pain, so she had to remove all his clothes and apply medicine.
Si Chen glanced at Nangong Yu lying on the bed and sighed. "We are truly negligent. When the Prince's poison attacks, he is at his weakest and has no strength to resist. Fortunately, it was Miss who came in. If it had been someone else, the Prince might not have survived."
Xiao Man looked at Si Chen. Si Chen cupped his hands and retreated, leaving the space to the two of them.