"I didn't think of that at all back then," Yao Ran's eyes revealed a smile. It seemed that although Xiao Zhen was a brute, he had raised his daughter exceptionally well. "So, she was the one who saw through your identity?"
Lan Qin's expression turned cold. "Prime Minister Yao, do not underestimate her. Otherwise, you will suffer greatly."
"So, to save your life, you sold out all your informants?"
Lan Qin said with resentment, "It wasn't me who sold out the informants."
"If not you, then who?"
"There was another informant in the General's residence besides me."
Upon hearing this, Yao Ran couldn't help but sneer. "Are you implying that Qiu Tong sold out our informants?"
"Qiu Tong has already left the General's residence. Didn't she report back?"
"Qiu Tong is dead. Are you still trying to pin the blame on her?"
"Dead? How is that possible!" Lan Qin asked incredulously. From what she knew of Xiao Man, even if she discovered Qiu Tong was Lan Yue's informant, Xiao Man wouldn't have killed her. After all, Qiu Tong was only monitoring her and had not harmed her in any way.
"It's absolutely true, she is indeed dead." Yao Ran looked at Lan Qin. Lan Qin's surprise did not seem feigned. Did she genuinely not know Qiu Tong was dead, or was she afraid that with Qiu Tong dead, no one would take the blame for her?
"I underestimated her. She's more ruthless than I imagined," Lan Qin said softly.
Yao Ran scoffed. Although Xiao Zhen was a brute, he had extensive experience in battle and had taken countless lives. He was by no means soft-hearted. As for Xiao Man, she was even less so.
"I need a quiet place to recover from my injuries." At this moment, Yao Ran did not want to bicker with Lan Qin. Lan Qin had been in Yusheng for many years. As the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. Even without the General's residence's protection, she would have secret hiding places.
"I've already prepared a place for you to recover. However, I received a secret order from His Majesty to negotiate with Young Emperor Yun Qi. It would be best if we could form an alliance privately."
Yao Ran seemed a bit weak. "Young Emperor Yun Qi proposed to marry Xiao Man as Empress. Can the Empress agree?"
Lan Qin lowered her gaze. She had only just learned that Mu Rong Sheng Rui was Sheng Rui, the man she loved. She had originally thought Mu Rong Sheng Rui would marry her, but it turned out to be Xiao Man. This made her feel uneasy.
"If Xiao Man becomes Yun Qi's Empress, the situation will be unfavorable for us," Lan Qin said, leading Yao Ran into a small courtyard. "This is where you will recover. The Imperial Capital is full of Xiao Man's spies. Only outside the city is relatively safe."
"Now that I am injured, you will carry out His Majesty's orders." Yao Ran handed a wax-sealed bamboo tube to Lan Qin. "I wonder if the Third Princess can complete the mission?"
"It is my duty." Lan Qin untied it and immediately broke the seal on the bamboo tube, taking out the secret order. Upon a glance, her face changed instantly, and her gaze fell upon Yao Ran. "Is this His Majesty's command?"
Yao Ran nodded slowly. "Yes, it is His Majesty's command. What, Third Princess, can you not do it?"
"I truly cannot," Lan Qin stated frankly. "All of Lan Yue's informants in Yusheng have been eliminated. The Prime Minister has come this time ostensibly to promote diplomatic relations between the two countries, but in reality, it is to re-establish the informant network and, if possible, to form an alliance with Yun Qi."
Yao Ran appeared listless, as if very tired. Lan Qin cursed internally, calling her an old fox who didn't reveal an inch of information. Despite being a mere minister, she was so arrogant towards a princess like herself.
"Prime Minister Yao looks tired. Rest early." Lan Qin turned to leave. As soon as the door closed behind her, she wished she could smash the secret order in her hand onto Yao Ran's face. She absolutely could not do this, or she would surely die!
"Third Princess, Prime Minister Yao is..."
"Her? She's too arrogant. Someone couldn't stand it and taught her a lesson," Lan Qin said coldly. "The Imperial Capital of Yusheng is full of hidden talents. She is the Prime Minister, second only to the Emperor in Lan Yue, but in Yusheng, she is nothing. If I hadn't arrived in time tonight, she would have already died at Xiao Man's hands."
"Prime Minister Yao offended Miss Xiao?"
"It appears so. It's likely that Xiao Man caused the injuries on him." Lan Qin handed the secret order to the nearby hidden guard. "This is His Majesty's secret order. Have someone carry it out."
"Yes, Third Princess."
"Oh, and don't be too diligent. Just go through the motions," Lan Qin cautioned. "Otherwise, no one can save you."
"But... but this is His Majesty's command."
"His Majesty is far away in Lan Yue. If we fail to complete the mission, at most we will be reprimanded for not performing well. If you complete the mission..." Lan Qin patted the head of the hidden guard. "Then your lives will be forfeit!"
The head of the hidden guard looked bewildered and immediately opened the secret order to read it. What mission would cost them their lives if completed?
When the head of the hidden guard read what was written on the secret order, his hands trembled. "Kill... kill Xiao Zhen!"
"Yes, kill Xiao Zhen."
"Then Miss Xiao will fight us to the death, won't she?"
"I'm glad you know she will fight you to the death. If you want to die, I won't stop you. But you are not allowed to implicate me, or else, before Xiao Man kills you, I will kill you first."
"So, should we execute this order or not?" The head of the hidden guard was confused. If they didn't execute it, Prime Minister Yao was here. When she returned and exaggerated things to His Majesty, they would be dead. But if they executed it, they would have no chance of returning to Lan Yue alive!
"Boss, what should we do?"
"Just go through the motions, pretend to do it. Xiao Man is not someone to be trifled with!"
When Xiao Man returned to the General's residence, she was surprised to find someone in her courtyard and felt a bit puzzled.
"Miss, you're finally back. That..."
"Ming Yu." Before Yin Zhu could finish speaking, Xiao Man had already rushed towards Du Gu Ming Yu.
Du Gu Ming Yu immediately opened his arms to meet her. "I'm back."
"It's good that you're back." Xiao Man hugged Du Gu Ming Yu's neck. "When did you arrive?"
"Not long ago. Seeing you weren't here, I waited in your room."
"Did you not see me, a living person?" As Xiao Man rushed over, Yan Yu Qing had opened his arms to receive her. To his surprise, Xiao Man not only didn't fall into his embrace but didn't even look at him!
Xiao Man poked her head out of Du Gu Ming Yu's embrace. "Yan Yu Qing, did you fulfill your mission properly?"
"If I hadn't fulfilled my mission properly, would you see him alive?" Yan Yu Qing said irritably. "I watched him the whole way. When I saw others fighting, I held back. But he, for some reason, rushed forward and stabbed someone right through!"
"You got into a fight?"
"It wasn't a fight, but I discovered someone bullying an old acquaintance, so I couldn't help but teach them a lesson."