Shuiyue Small Dwelling, Xiao Man's room, with only a dim yellow candlelight left, Xiao Man curled up in the corner, hugging her knees, her mind replaying the scene she saw in her dream. She couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality. If it was a dream, then everything in the dream was so real, so real it sent shivers down her spine.
"This is just a dream, not real," Xiao Man consoled herself, and fell into a deep sleep again. In her dream, she saw the palace that seemed unfamiliar yet familiar.
The furnishings inside were all like those in Shou Kang Palace, even the placement of the flower vases was exactly the same. Except for the bed, which was replaced with an ice bed, everything else was familiar.
The bed curtains swayed, and gasps could be heard. Xiao Man felt as if she was frozen. She wanted to step forward but was afraid to. She dared not look at the scene inside, fearing it would be as unbearable as she imagined. She could only stare at the swaying bed curtains.
The candlelight flickered out, and a vigilant voice rang out, "Who is it?"
Murong Shengrui got out of bed naked, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily. There was no other presence in the room, and he couldn't help but wonder if the wind had blown out the candle.
No, that's not right. This is an underground palace. Where is the wind in an underground palace?
"Who's there? Get out!"
Xiao Man raised her hand and struck Murong Shengrui's face, but she couldn't touch his face at all. Her hand passed directly through Murong Shengrui's body.
Murong Shengrui felt a coolness on his face, as if something had brushed past him, a feeling both familiar and strange. Murong Shengrui's eyes lit up. "Mother, is that you?"
Xiao Man ignored Murong Shengrui and entered the bed curtains, looking at the person lying on the bed. Her eyes were cold, tinged with blood. Beast!
"Beast!" Xiao Man suddenly woke up, her cry startling Ying Xue, who was guarding outside. Ying Xue rushed in.
"Miss, what is it?"
Xiao Man gasped for air, sweat dripping from her forehead, looking as if she had just escaped a nightmare.
"Miss, have some hot water. Did you have another nightmare?" Ying Xue quickly poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Xiao Man. Xiao Man took it and drank it down in large gulps.
Everything in the dream was too real, as if it had all actually happened. "Go and check if Dugu Man's body is still there."
"Miss, why..."
"Go and check!" Xiao Man said sternly.
"Yes, Miss." Ying Xue was about to pass on the message when Xiao Man stopped her. "Wait."
"Miss, do you have any other instructions?" Su Dan Fiction Network
"There's a bottle of medicine in the hidden compartment at the back of the cabinet. Get it." Ying Xue found a bottle of medicine in the hidden compartment.
"Miss, is this it?"
"This is corpse dissolving water. Take it to Qin Xue and tell her to destroy Dugu Man's body at all costs." Xiao Man's eyes were filled with killing intent. She knew Murong Shengrui hated her, but she hadn't expected him to hate her so much that he wouldn't let her go even after her death!
Ying Xue was shocked. "Miss..."
"Go and do it."
"Yes, Miss."
Ying Xue hurried out. Xiao Man tried her best to calm herself down. It would be unwise to expose her strength at this moment, but she absolutely could not tolerate Murong Shengrui continuing to humiliate her!
Xiao Man got up and pushed open the window. The cold air blew in, making her shiver involuntarily. But this cold was far less than the cold in her heart.
Her hatred for Murong Shengrui deepened by another three parts. Originally, she only wanted Murong Shengrui to die. Now, she wanted him to wish he were dead!
Xiao Man changed her clothes, put on a mask, and leaped out of the general's mansion. A large portion of her influence in Shengjing had been eliminated, and she might not be able to successfully destroy Dugu Man's body, but there was one person who definitely could!
Xiao Man reappeared at the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, but not in her true face. Ever since she discovered that the owner behind the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was Nangong Yu, she had not been to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion again. But now, she had to visit it again.
"What does the distinguished guest desire?"
Xiao Man said slowly, "One hundred thousand taels of gold, to destroy Dugu Man's body."
Wu Xiang sat up straight and looked at the masked person in front of him, seemingly in disbelief. Dugu Man was already dead, yet someone was willing to pay such a high price to destroy her body. How deep was the enmity, how great was the hatred?
"Will you take it?" Xiao Man asked coldly.
Wu Xiang was silent for a moment, then said, "I will give the guest an answer in three days."
The next morning, people from the Prince of Chu's mansion went to various mansions to deliver gifts. Zhu Yun personally went to the general's mansion and presented Xiao Man with a fist-sized night-luminescent pearl.
Xiao Man glanced at it and closed the box. "I do not accept rewards without merit."
"My master said that this is just a token of gratitude for the young lady's help last night. My master has always been frail. If it weren't for the young lady, I'm afraid he would have had to be carried back last night."
"It was just a small gesture."
"Please accept it, young lady. My master said that this thing is just an external object, not valuable, just a small trinket. If the young lady does not accept it, my master will be unable to rest or eat."
Xiao Man listened, then had someone accept it and sent them away, looking somewhat weary. She had not slept well last night, or rather, she had not slept at all since waking up in fright. Fearing she would have such nightmares again, she simply changed her clothes and prepared to go out.
As she walked out of Shuiyue Small Dwelling, she ran into Xiao Ling. Xiao Ling had become even more radiant now, exuding an aura of spiritual energy.
"Greetings to eldest sister."
"Third sister, greetings." Xiao Man walked past Xiao Ling and went outside.
"Eldest sister is going out?"
"Yes," Xiao Man replied without looking back, her steps unchanged as she walked out.
Xiao Ling smiled, turned, and headed in the direction of the main courtyard. Now, the only person she could rely on was the Old Madam, and the Old Madam also needed her to bring glory to the general's mansion. After her mother's death, there was no one who truly doted on her anymore.
Her fingernails dug into her flesh, but Xiao Ling felt no pain. The smile on her face became more and more gentle. One day, she would make everyone pay the price. Consort Xian, the Tenth Prince, the Yan family, the Xiao family, not a single one could escape!
After leaving the mansion, Xiao Man changed into men's clothing and went to the Hundred Flower Pavilion. The successive dreams made her feel very uneasy. Qin Xue saw her coming in person and immediately went to greet her, leading her to a private room upstairs.
"Ying Xue sent a message last night..."
"My body is still there," Xiao Man said, "It has become Murong Shengrui's plaything on his bed."
Qin Xue's eyes widened in disbelief, and tears suddenly fell. "How dare he? How dare he do such a thing?"
"What does he not dare to do? Killing my parents, exterminating my entire family, and treating my body as a plaything, such things are not even worth mentioning."
"I will do my utmost to destroy the body," Qin Xue said hatefully. She never expected Murong Shengrui to be such a beast. Dugu Man was, after all, his nominal mother, who had protected him for many years, yet he had committed such inhumane acts!