"Why does my lady always worry about Second Miss?"
"Since she is my person, I naturally care about her." Xiao Man picked up another piece of pastry, examining it closely. "However, the princes of the imperial family are all exceptionally handsome, a pleasure to behold."
"My lady..." Qiu Tong was exasperated. Their young lady was perfect in every way, except for this one flaw: she had a penchant for handsome men. And the more handsome a man was, the more dangerous he was!
"I'm merely appreciating them, just like I appreciate the scholars at Lanxiao Pavilion. Beautiful sights are pleasing to the eye, aren't they?"
"My lady, when we return to the General's Mansion, please do not mention Lanxiao Pavilion. If the General hears of it, I fear he will punish you even more severely!"
Xiao Man nodded in agreement. Her obedient self had played a trick on her own father, and she could expect a storm of his wrath. She wondered who was more terrifying, her father or her esteemed grandmother?
Along the way, Xiao Man and her entourage encountered several assassination attempts, all directed at Nangong Yan. Nangong Yan remained inside the carriage throughout, never showing himself. Even when they stopped to lodge for the night, Xiao Man never saw him, which indicated that Nangong Yan's health was indeed poor.
It wasn't until they entered the capital that the two groups parted ways. Xiao Man returned directly to the General's Mansion.
Steward Lu saw Xiao Man return and immediately stepped forward, "Has the eldest young lady returned? The General is very worried about you. You should speak carefully."
Xiao Man smiled at Steward Lu and lowered her voice, asking, "Uncle Lu, is Father still angry with me?"
"The General is waiting for you in the study. Knowing you were returning today, he came back from court early. When you see him, say a few more pleasant words."
Xiao Man nodded with a smile and took a box from Qiu Tong. "This is a gift I brought back from Cangzhou. Please don't find it too common, Uncle Lu."
"Thank you, my lady."
Xiao Man went directly to the study. As soon as she entered, a servant closed the door, allowing father and daughter to speak in private.
Xiao Zhen was engrossed in handling official documents, ignoring Xiao Man completely. Xiao Man, holding the gift, moved with light steps to Xiao Zhen's side and whispered sweetly into his ear, "Father."
Xiao Zhen ignored her and continued to review documents.
"Father, you've written a word incorrectly. For the word 'reject' (驳回, bó huí), you've written 'will' (会, huì) instead of 'return' (回, huí)."
Xiao Zhen threw down his brush and glared at Xiao Man with angry, piercing eyes. Xiao Man put down the gift, gently tugged at Xiao Zhen's sleeve, and said with a wronged, pitiable tone, "Father, your daughter misses you dearly."
"Stand properly! What kind of deportment is this!"
Xiao Man ignored him, pouting with a wronged air, "Daughter has just returned, and Father is already scolding me. Doesn't Father love his daughter anymore?"
Xiao Zhen's resolve, which had been hardening with difficulty, instantly melted. He was both angry and exasperated. He reached out and poked Xiao Man's forehead. "Tell me, you audacious girl, you actually dared to deceive your own father!"
"Daughter knows she was wrong. It's just that I was afraid Father would worry, so I didn't tell you."
"So this is my fault?"
"No, no, no, it's daughter's fault. Father's worry for daughter is for her own good. From now on, wherever daughter goes, she will tell Father, and will never cause Father to worry."
Xiao Zhen gave Xiao Man a stern look. "What did you gain from your trip this time? Where did you go?"
Xiao Man immediately dragged a stool over and sat beside Xiao Zhen, excitedly saying, "This time, daughter went to Wuyue Kingdom and reaped considerable rewards. Daughter has an idea: if the trade routes and strongholds are in our hands, it would be entirely beneficial. First, it would deter the surrounding smaller nations, and second, it would keep the other three kingdoms in check. Daughter believes we should send troops to station in Wuyue Kingdom!"
Xiao Zhen's eyes lit up. It seemed Man'er had not gone to Wuyue Kingdom for the Prince of Qin. "Wuyue Kingdom has a fierce national spirit, and the entire populace is militarized. I fear they will not allow Yu Sheng's troops to be stationed there."
"That is not a problem," Xiao Man said calmly. "Only by controlling the trade route strongholds can we grasp the vital arteries of Canglong. Although Wuyue Kingdom has a fierce martial tradition, its population is small. We can send troops to suppress them. If suppression fails, we can drive them out. If both of the above fail, then we annihilate them."
Xiao Zhen looked at Xiao Man with complex emotions. Without realizing it, Xiao Man had grown into a qualified leader, possessing cunning, strategy, and ruthlessness.
"Who do you think is suitable for this task?"
"Prince Han, Nangong Cheng!"
Xiao Man's return to the capital attracted more attention than Prince Chu's return. After all, the General's Mansion, which Xiao Man represented, held immense power that everyone envied. Especially the eldest son, Xiao Luo, who had achieved remarkable feats in Yunzhong City, making the General's Mansion even more coveted.
Prince Chu's return delighted His Majesty, who hosted a grand banquet to welcome him. Prince Qin, who had been confined for reflection, also had his confinement order lifted and was permitted to go out.
Xiao Man languidly rested her head on a small table. "I've only just returned to the capital, and I haven't even slept in my bed, and now I have to attend a banquet in the palace. It's so tiring."
"Prince Chu was away for ten years before returning to the capital. His Majesty is pleased, so it is only fitting to hold a welcome banquet for him. Moreover, we traveled back to the capital together with Prince Chu. In terms of sentiment and reason, my lady should attend the banquet." Yin Zhu said softly, "My lady, have some ginseng tea to refresh yourself."
Xiao Man took it. "I'll sleep for a while. Wake me when we arrive."
"Yes, my lady."
Xiao Man immediately leaned to the side and dozed off. The journey back had been exhausting, and she wanted to sleep. In her dream, she actually dreamt of Murong Shengrui.
Murong Shengrui sat on the ground, leaning against the bed, sobbing softly, much like his childhood. He had been bullied by other princes. With his birth mother gone early, he could only endure in silence and cry alone, even as the Crown Prince, because no one would stand up for him.
"Dugu Man, you abandoned me again!"
Xiao Man frowned. She abandoned him? What a distortion of facts!
It was he who had betrayed her, killed her parents and kin, crippled her martial arts, ordered her to be humiliated, leading to her death in a sea of fire, and yet he blamed her for abandoning him!
"Why did you abandon me?" Murong Shengrui suddenly lifted the bed curtain behind him. Xiao Man then noticed that on the bed behind Murong Shengrui lay a person. The bed was made of thousand-year-old ice, emitting wisps of cold air. And the person lying on the bed was none other than herself!
What was happening? Hadn't she died in a sea of fire? Why was her body here? Shouldn't she have been reduced to ashes?
Murong Shengrui climbed onto the ice bed and curled up beside Dugu Man like a child, kissing her cheek. "Mother, don't leave me."
Murong Shengrui! Xiao Man's eyes widened with fury. How dare he? How dare he do such a thing!
Xiao Man suddenly woke up, retching violently. "My lady, my lady, what's wrong?"
Hearing the sounds from inside, Dongfang Wei quickly stopped the carriage and lifted the curtain. "What happened?"
Xiao Man waved her hand, indicating she was fine, but her face was extremely pale, tinged with extreme anger, as if she had recalled something that made her furiously enraged.