"I came to find you tonight because I want to know about Yun Qi's spies. Otherwise, I can't explain it to others," Nangong Yu stated his purpose.
Getting information from Xiao Man directly was the best approach.
Xiao Man looked up at him upon hearing this. "Do you have a deal with the Prince of Qin?"
Nangong Yu nodded slowly. "You could say that."
"Then, can you obtain the head of Qian Yi Han?"
"Qian Yi Han?" Nangong Yu was slightly taken aback. "Is the leader of Yun Qi's spies called Qian Yi Han?"
"A deal," Xiao Man said, placing a white stone. "Give me Qian Yi Han's head, and I'll tell you about Yun Qi's spies."
"Deal."
Xiao Man's eyes curved into a smile, her expression gentle and captivating. "Qian Yi Han is a companion to the Yun Qi Emperor during his studies, rarely appearing in public. He must have only recently taken charge of the spy network here. The Yun Qi Emperor has always harbored ambitions of ruling the world and has placed many spies in various countries."
"How do you know about Qian Yi Han?"
"I have my own sources. Ask me whatever you wish to know. As long as I know it, I will tell you everything without reservation."
"Last night, were you the one who ambushed Yun Qi's spies?" Nangong Yu asked in a deep voice.
"No. While I know some martial arts, I'm not so formidable as to ambush spies from another country. My father also forbids me from getting involved in such matters," Xiao Man said with a smile.
A lie! Nangong Yu stared at Xiao Man's face. Xiao Man didn't trust him, which was understandable; who would trust someone they'd only met a few times? "Is the maid I sent you still useful?"
"She's alright, but I don't lack maids."
"Keep her. Perhaps you'll need my help someday," Nangong Yu said slowly. "May I ask why you want Qian Yi Han's head?"
"To send it to the Yun Qi Emperor."
Nangong Yu was startled and made a wrong move. Xiao Man immediately placed a stone of her own. "No regrets about the move!"
Nangong Yu was slightly annoyed. "Are you not afraid that by provocatively challenging the Yun Qi Emperor, he'll send people to kill you?"
"Who said I'm provoking the Yun Qi Emperor? It's the Prince of Qin who's provoking him!" Xiao Man said slowly. "Send Qian Yi Han's head to the Yun Qi Emperor in the name of the Prince of Qin, and tell him that for every one he sends, we'll kill ten. Yu Sheng is not afraid of Yun Qi!"
Nangong Yu's eyelids twitched. Being schemed against right in front of him felt… peculiar. "Do you dislike the Yun Qi Emperor?"
"Wouldn't I? If it weren't for them, my elder brother wouldn't have been sent to guard Yun Cheng City, and my father wouldn't have been in the military for so long, rarely coming home. It's because of the ambitious Yun Qi that our family is separated."
Nangong Yu returned the chess piece to the pot. "I lose this game."
"Pavilion Master Qin, you flatter me."
Xiao Man collected the chess pieces one by one into the pot. Her slender, beautiful fingers were quite a sight, and Nangong Yu found himself staring at them absentmindedly.
After Xiao Man finished putting away the pieces, she looked at Nangong Yu, who was still sitting motionless, with a hint of confusion in her eyes. "Pavilion Master Qin, is there anything else?"
"I'll deliver the head for you," Nangong Yu said, standing up. "If you can avoid it, do so. The Yun Qi Emperor is ruthless and cruel; he's not someone to be trifled with."
"Since that's the case, I'll trouble Pavilion Master Qin to deliver an additional item with the head."
Xiao Man took a blood-red Lycoris radiata from a drawer. "Place this flower with the head and send them both to Yun Qi."
Nangong Yu took it and leaped away. "As you wish."
Wu Xiang looked at the Lycoris radiata being placed into the box, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Pavilion Master, where did you get this Lycoris radiata?"
"Is there a problem?" Nangong Yu asked.
Wu Xiang frowned deeply. "Do you know that Lycoris radiata is also called the Forgetfulness River Flower, the Yellow Springs Flower, and it symbolizes death? Sending this Forgetfulness River Flower with the head to the Yun Qi Emperor is rather peculiar."
"What's peculiar about it?" Nangong Yu asked, puzzled.
"Legend has it that when the Yun Qi Empress Dowager Du Gu Man perished in a sea of flames, she issued such a curse: 'I, Du Gu Man, shall offer my flesh as sacrifice and my soul as a guide, cursing the Murong imperial family and this Yun Qi realm. The Forgetfulness River Flower shall surely bloom across this Yun Qi realm in the near future.'"
Nangong Yu said slowly, "Send the item to Murong Sheng Rui. If Du Gu Man were still alive, I might have hesitated a little. But now that the Du Gu family is destroyed and Du Gu Man is dead, I don't take the current Yun Qi seriously."
"Yes, Pavilion Master."
Upon returning to the Prince of Qin's manor, Nangong Yu changed into casual clothes and began to attend to the day's official documents. The butler came in to report, "Your Highness, the Prime Minister's manor has sent an invitation to a flower appreciation banquet, inviting you to their residence."
Nangong Yu said without looking up, "I won't go."
The butler, accustomed to Nangong Yu's refusal of all banquets, turned to leave. However, Nangong Yu called him back.
"Who has been invited to the Prime Minister's flower appreciation banquet?"
"This flower appreciation banquet is hosted by Miss Wen. They've invited famous young talents and ladies from the capital, and even the Protector General's manor has been invited. It's likely the Prime Minister's manor wants to take this opportunity to find suitable marriages for their son and daughter," the butler quickly explained.
"Leave the invitation here."
The butler was taken aback and quickly placed the invitation down. "Your Highness is going?"
"If I have time, I'll go and see," Nangong Yu said without looking up.
However, his mind was not on the official documents at all, but on the butler's words about selecting suitable marriages.
The image of Wen Mohan and Xiao Man playing chess at Gan Ye Temple flashed through Nangong Yu's mind. Their affectionate and gentle demeanor made him feel restless.
"Then I shall inform the Prime Minister's manor…"
"When is the flower appreciation banquet?"
"In two days."
"I understand," Nangong Yu said, lowering his head to continue reviewing the documents.
The butler wasn't sure what he meant and relayed the message to the Prime Minister's manor as it was.
Meanwhile, at the General's manor, the atmosphere was somewhat delicate.
The Prime Minister's manor had first sent an invitation to Xiao Man, and then the next day, they sent one to Xiao Xiang. The Old Madam, without a second thought, refused.
The second wife, Yan Shi, seeing the Old Madam's refusal, quickly explained that if the eldest young lady of the household went, but the second young lady did not, it would arouse suspicion. It would be better for the second young lady to accompany the eldest young lady; with the eldest young lady watching over her, nothing untoward would happen.
The Old Madam hesitated for a long time before agreeing to release Xiao Xiang from the ancestral hall.
Xiao Xiang, with a plain face, had not expected to be released so soon, thinking it would take a few more days.
She immediately came to kowtow to the Old Madam, but was stopped before she could even enter the courtyard.
Xiao Xiang gritted her teeth, knowing she had no bargaining power now. Having lost her purity, she held no value to the Old Madam. She still kowtowed outside the Old Madam's courtyard before returning to her own.