"Empire, beauty, a win-win situation?"
Nangong Yu felt a hint of surprise. Did Xiao Man know what she was talking about?
"Are you making a deal with me, or is the General's Mansion making a deal with me?" Nangong Yu's voice was gentle, sounding somewhat indistinct.
Xiao Man felt that Nangong Yu was too close to her, his warm breath tickling her face.
Xiao Man subtly shifted her body back slightly. "Naturally, I am making a deal with His Highness."
"Oh?" A playful glint appeared in Nangong Yu's eyes. Xiao Man making a deal with him, could this girl be planning to offer herself as the transaction?
"How do we make this deal?"
"The General's Mansion supports Prince Qin in his bid for the throne. Once Prince Qin ascends the throne, will he still worry about not being able to marry the beauty he likes?" Xiao Man winked playfully. "Moreover, I see that His Highness's beauty doesn't seem indifferent to you."
"My beauty?" Nangong Yu had initially thought Xiao Man finally understood his intentions. Now it seemed Xiao Man had no idea. "Do you know who she is?"
"I do. It's the Prime Minister's eldest daughter, Wen Mo Yu." Xiao Man placed a piece of meat into Nangong Yu's bowl. "Your Highness, with the support of the General's Mansion, you'll be like a tiger with wings. Given Prime Minister Wen's character, if you reach a high position, he'll obediently send his daughter to your bed without you even having to ask!"
Nangong Yu's expression was unreadable. Since when did he like Wen Mo Yu? He had no connection with Wen Mo Yu!
"I don't like Wen Mo Yu."
"What?" Xiao Man was shocked. "The number one beauty in the capital, the number one talented woman, and you don't like her? Then who do you like?"
Xiao Man's expression, as if he were blind, made Nangong Yu feel choked. "What does it matter if she's the number one beauty, or the number one talented woman? As long as I like her, even if she's ugly and untalented, she's still my favorite. If I don't like her, no matter how beautiful or outstanding she is, in my eyes, she's just decaying flesh."
Xiao Man became suspicious and leaned closer again. "I wonder which beauty is so fortunate to have become Prince Qin's favorite. Why doesn't Prince Qin just tell me? I'll find a dark and windy night, knock her out, and carry her to your bed."
"Cough, cough..." Nangong Yu choked. He had always known Xiao Man was bold and reckless, but he never expected her to be so audacious as to speak of knocking someone out and carrying them to his bed!
"No need. I will make her willingly become this Prince's wife."
"Then are we still trading?" Xiao Man heard this. If the beauty didn't need her help, would Prince Qin still trade with her?
"A trade is fine. First, tell me your conditions." Nangong Yu felt that Xiao Man's conditions might not be easy to achieve.
Xiao Man smiled slyly. "The General's Mansion supports Your Highness. After Your Highness ascends the throne, destroy Yun Qi and unify the world."
Nangong Yu's expression was rather complex. Unifying the world was his ambition. Destroying Yun Qi was also his goal.
The conditions Xiao Man proposed were not conditions for him at all. However, Xiao Man's insistence on destroying Yun Qi stirred up many doubts in his heart.
"Why Yun Qi?"
"Yun Qi's national strength is comparable to Yu Sheng's, and they are ambitious. Even if we don't attack Yun Qi, Yun Qi will not let us go. What we can do is strike first."
Nangong Yu put down the bowl in his hand and looked at Xiao Man seriously. "I want to hear the real reason, the true reason why you want to destroy Yun Qi."
Xiao Man's gaze remained unchanged. She moved away from Nangong Yu. The real reason, she couldn't tell Nangong Yu. Even if she did, Nangong Yu might not believe her. Moreover, if her identity were exposed, she and Nangong Yu would be enemies. Given Nangong Yu's character, he might destroy her before he destroyed Yun Qi!
"You can't say?" Nangong Yu asked softly when he saw Xiao Man's silence. "If you can't say, then don't. However, there is one thing I must ask you. Can you represent the General's Mansion?"
Xiao Man did not rush to answer. She could not represent the General's Mansion at the moment. She had a clear understanding of the attitudes of General Protector of the Nation Xiao Zhen and Major General Xiao Luo towards her. If she made a request, whether it was her father or her brother, as long as it didn't cross a line, they would agree to her demands. She had to first persuade this father and son pair to support Prince Qin.
"I can persuade my father and brother to support His Highness Prince Qin." Xiao Man met Nangong Yu's gaze without fear. She didn't know if Nangong Yu would agree to her trade, as the annihilation of Yun Qi was no simple matter.
"Deal." Nangong Yu placed a piece of meat into Xiao Man's bowl. "Not just Yun Qi, but also Lan Yue and Bei Rong, I will conquer them all, unify the world, and ensure that there will be no more wars. So that your family will never be separated again."
Never be separated again?
Unfortunately, only Ming Yu remained of the Dugu family. And of the General Protector of the Nation's Mansion, besides her father and brother, no one else was her family.
"In that case, thank you, Your Highness Prince Qin," Xiao Man said indifferently. As long as her objective could be achieved, nothing else mattered. The massacre of the Dugu family could not go unavenged!
"You're welcome. We are trading, mutually beneficial," Nangong Yu said calmly. "When we return to the capital, I hope you can persuade your father to support me. You know, my brothers have always wanted the support of the General's Mansion, especially the Tenth Prince."
"Your Highness, rest assured. The General's Mansion will never support anyone other than Your Highness."
"Then, happy cooperation." In a wilderness inn, the two of them solidified their partnership.
Xiao Man believed that in Prince Qin Nangong Yu's eyes, this was not just a trade, but also a gamble. He wanted Xiao Man to see his heart clearly, and also to uncover Xiao Man's hidden secrets. At the same time, he wanted to understand Xiao Man better.
Although the identity of the Pavilion Master of the Tian Ji Pavilion was useful, there would come a time when Xiao Man would see through it. If Xiao Man saw through his identity, then this would be deception. Therefore, he needed a legitimate excuse to approach Xiao Man and understand her.
After dinner, Xiao Man occupied the only bed in the room, while Nangong Yu sat on a chair to rest.
Tonight, the Desolate God Inn would not be peaceful. As time passed, the killing intent grew stronger. Nangong Yu smiled bitterly. He hoped these people were after him, so he could lure the assassins away and ensure Xiao Man's safety. He feared, however, that these people were not just after him.
The people in the inn were all gathered in the main hall, but they were all gripping their weapons, their eyes fixed on the rooms on the second floor. The candlelight in the rooms had been extinguished, waiting for the occupants to fall asleep before making their move!
The innkeeper glanced at the people sharpening their blades, then pretended not to see anything, sitting behind the counter with his arms crossed, dozing off.
He might as well get some sleep while he could, because once the fighting started, sleep would be out of the question.