Wen Mohan finally got herself drunk, completely inebriated.
Xiao Man glanced at Wen Mohan, whose brows were still furrowed in her sleep, a flicker of apology crossing her mind. She hadn't expected that the Fire Charm Poison she'd retaliated with against the Tenth Prince would harm Wen Moyu. Though she and Wen Moyu were not on good terms, she had never intended to hurt her.
Xiao Man had someone escort Wen Mohan back to the Prime Minister's mansion, while she herself walked the silent streets in the pre-dawn hours, trying to clear the alcohol from her system. The pained expression on Wen Mohan's face kept reappearing in her thoughts. Xiao Man sighed and continued walking with her head down.
"This has nothing to do with you," a cool voice, tinged with emotion, drifted towards her. Through the misty haze, Xiao Man saw Nangong Yu leaning against a tree by the roadside, arms crossed, his expression indifferent.
"Your Highness, why aren't you resting in your residence? What are you doing out here?"
Nangong Yu straightened up and walked over to Xiao Man. "And what about you? Your injuries haven't healed, yet you dared to go drinking with Wen Mohan. Are you tired of living?"
Xiao Man replied softly, "I took a hangover pill beforehand. I'm fine."
Nangong Yu and Xiao Man walked side by side, Yingxue following with a sheep horn lantern to illuminate their path. Unknown to them, many were shadowing them from the darkness. Ever since Xiao Man was seriously injured by Jiuyulou, Yingxue had forbidden her from leaving the mansion alone.
"Shall we return to the General's mansion?"
"I don't want to go back. Father and my brothers are not here. Going back only makes me feel cold." Xiao Man's voice was laced with fatigue, and her steps were slow. However, no matter how slow she walked, she would eventually reach the General's mansion.
"Then let's go have breakfast," Nangong Yu said, taking her hand and leading her towards the morning market.
By this time, the morning market was already bustling. Vendors were setting up their stalls one after another. The early morning market was exceptionally lively. Amidst the swirling mist, there was the faint scent of cooking fires, mingled with the calls of the vendors, which immediately made Xiao Man feel as if she were back in the human world.
Nangong Yu led Xiao Man to a wonton stall and sat down. "Two bowls of wontons, please."
"Certainly, honored guest. Please wait a moment."
The stall owner nimbly lifted the lid of the pot and dropped the prepared wontons into the boiling water. The wontons tumbled in the boiling water, then some washed green vegetables were added. Once the water boiled again, they were scooped out, placed into bowls, sprinkled with chopped scallions, and a fragrant bowl of wontons was ready.
Nangong Yu handed Xiao Man a pair of chopsticks and took another pair for himself. He carefully blew on them before putting a wonton into his mouth. The freshly cooked wontons were scalding hot, the steam warming his face, giving him a peculiar sense of grounding.
Xiao Man watched Nangong Yu eat with such gusto, as if the wontons were a delicacy. She couldn't help but pick one up with her chopsticks and bring it to her lips. Taking a bite, warmth spread through her, reaching every corner of her body, and a faint smile appeared on her face as she began to eat in earnest.
Nangong Yu slowed his pace, observing the smile on Xiao Man's face. He breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Man was ultimately too soft-hearted and too kind. But sometimes, too much kindness could be fatal.
"These wontons are delicious, aren't they? I found this place by chance, and then I grew to like it. Whenever I'm in a bad mood, I come to this morning market, eat a bowl of steaming hot wontons, and watch the bustling market. It makes me feel alive again."
Xiao Man listened and looked up at the vendors on either side of the street and the common folk haggling as they moved through the crowd. This was the myriad of human life, the most primitive form of existence, a side she had never seen before.
"Your Highness, thank you." Xiao Man knew that Nangong Yu had brought her here because he didn't want her to blame herself over Wen Moyu's incident. And she wasn't blaming herself; she simply couldn't bear it.
Chastity was more important than life to a woman. Wen Moyu was proud and arrogant, and to be seen by others in such a state was worse than death for her.
"The Wen family will likely marry Wen Moyu off to the Tenth Prince's mansion," Nangong Yu said, finishing the wontons in his bowl, not even leaving the soup. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and continued, "The Tenth Prince took a risky gamble. Whether it was you or Wen Moyu, he achieved his objective."
"He will not achieve his objective," Xiao Man stated with certainty.
"You don't think the Wen family will marry Wen Moyu to the Tenth Prince's mansion?"
"Setting aside Prime Minister Wen, Wen Mohan would be the first to disagree." Although Wen Mohan appeared refined and gentle, Xiao Man knew that he was also a very stubborn person. Once he made up his mind, nothing could change it. The Tenth Prince had ruined Wen Moyu's purity; Wen Mohan would want to kill him, so how could he possibly marry his own sister to the Tenth Prince's mansion to be further tormented by him?
"If Wen Moyu agrees, then no one can stop it."
Xiao Man looked shocked. "Why would Wen Moyu agree?"
"Because it is her only way out," Nangong Yu said slowly. Wen Moyu was an ambitious woman. If the position of Crown Princess were still vacant, Wen Moyu would certainly become the Crown Princess. Unfortunately, that position had long been taken by Miss Xue.
Prime Minister Wen is playing a long game, and Wen Moyu is likely involved in this. "Xiao Man, the Wen siblings are not as simple as they appear on the surface. Do not underestimate them, or you will be the one to suffer."
"Will they become our enemies?"
Nangong Yu fell silent for a moment.
If the Wen family decided to support the Tenth Prince, then they would be enemies. The Wen family desired supreme power in the court, while Wen Moyu yearned to be the empress. And the Tenth Prince sought the throne.
"Xiao Man, do you want to be the Empress?"
Xiao Man shook her head.
"All women wish to be Empress, to reign over the land. Why don't you?" Nangong Yu asked earnestly.
"What all women want is not necessarily what I want. What's so good about being an Empress? Surrounded by thousands of concubines, revolving around one man daily, scheming and deceiving. What's the point of such a life? Isn't it tedious?"
"Then, what kind of life do you desire?"
Xiao Man fell into an unexpected silence. A desired life, she had no desired life. Her path ahead was a mountain of knives and a sea of blood. She wanted to destroy Yunqi, to flay Murong Shengrui alive. The road to revenge was endless. Though she didn't know when it would be achieved, until then, she had no life.
"Someone without a future does not look forward to anything." Xiao Man put down her chopsticks and stood up. "Thank you for your hospitality, Prince Qin. I should return to my residence."
Nangong Yu remained silent, not rising. "No future," Xiao Man said she had no future. If she wished it, if she desired it, he would achieve it for her at any cost!
"Xiao Man, you say you have no future. Then, let me create a future for you."