Xiang Huan'er thought carefully and indeed, it was true. "General Xiao must have put a lot of effort into her safe upbringing, right?"
"Definitely more effort than your father put into you," Ling Xuan chimed in. If it weren't for General Xiao secretly cleaning up her messes, how could she have lived so freely and carelessly in the capital.
"That's true, I'm much less of a worry than she is," Xiang Huan'er said proudly. Her father's greatest skill was knowing when to retreat from a difficult situation and protect himself. Both General Xiao and his daughter liked to face challenges head-on, to row against the current. Thinking about it, she actually felt quite sorry for Xiao Man.
"She lives much more freely than you do. Brothels, gambling dens, she goes wherever she pleases. Princes and lords, she hits whoever she wants. Would you dare?"
Xiang Huan'er touched her nose. "I want to live a few more years, get married, have children, and properly show filial piety to my father. I don't want to be chased and killed every few days. With my physique, I wouldn't even be able to run away from an assassin!"
"You have an advantage that she doesn't."
"What advantage?"
"When an assassin comes, you can be a human shield. She can't take that!"
Xiang Huan'er's expression turned ferocious. She reached out and pinched the soft flesh at Ling Xuan's waist, gritting her teeth. "I think, you don't need to wait for Xiao Man to skin you alive. I'll skin you right now!"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Let go quickly!" Ling Xuan immediately moved a bit further away from Xiang Huan'er. However, the carriage was only so big, there was no escape. "You're about to get married, you should be gentle!"
"Who says women have to be gentle after getting married? Why don't they say men have to be considerate after getting married?"
Ling Xuan choked a little. "Men should be considerate, and women should be gentle."
"What does it mean to be gentle?" Xiang Huan'er moved closer to Ling Xuan and asked curiously.
Ling Xuan was scared and pressed herself against the carriage wall. "Don't be like that, you look quite frightening." Southern Capital Novels
"Don't I look gentle like this?" Xiang Huan'er made a charming gesture and even winked, making Ling Xuan's hair stand on end.
"You… you be normal!"
Xiang Huan'er's expression changed, and she said fiercely, "You're deliberately teasing me, aren't you!"
"No… absolutely not." Ling Xuan breathed a sigh of relief when Xiang Huan'er returned to normal. "By the way, did anything special happen at the flower appreciation banquet today?"
"No, I thought Xiao Man and Shan Yu Yan would clash, but I didn't expect them to get along so harmoniously."
"Although Shan Yu Yan's parents are deceased, she was raised by the Liu family. The Liu family is the Empress Dowager's maternal family, they are not simple. I think this looks like mutual testing."
"However, the Ninth Princess seemed a bit off. Rumor has it she's on good terms with Xiao Man, but it doesn't seem like it today. Her words sounded like a warning and a provocation. What exactly does she want to do?"
"It's not what she wants to do, it's what the Empress Dowager wants to do!" Ling Xuan interjected. "They are all chess pieces in the Empress Dowager's hands, all subject to her manipulation. Coupled with Yun Qi proposing a ceasefire and peace talks, if the Empress Dowager uses her marriage as a threat, even the Ninth Princess will have to obey obediently."
"If it were me, I'd quickly find a man and get married."
"The Empress Dowager won't allow it," Ling Xuan sighed. Xiang Huan'er was thinking too simply.
"What if the deed is already done?"
"The Empress Dowager will kill that man, then imprison the Ninth Princess, and the methods might be even more terrifying." Ling Xuan shivered. "By the way, what are your thoughts on your engagement to the advisor of the Prince of Chu?"
"I am fond of him," Xiang Huan'er said meaningfully. "And he is also fond of me, so we got engaged."
"The court's movements are unclear. Prince Chu needs more support. That Xiao Qin may not be sincere. Keep your eyes wide open and see clearly!"
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Xiang Huan'er said decisively. "I heard from my father that the case you're investigating involves quite a lot and is probably dangerous. Be careful yourself."
"Don't worry, I will be careful." Ling Xuan naturally knew that the case he was investigating was of great significance, but if it were solved, the credit would also be considerable. However, he was hesitating whether it was appropriate to involve Xiao Man.
"Huan'er, what do you think of Xiao Man?" Ling Xuan asked after a moment of hesitation. Xiang Huan'er was usually a good judge of character.
"Unfathomable."
Prince Qin's Manor, Shan Yu Yan's room.
Shan Yu Yan sent the maids away. When she was alone in the room, she carefully took out a wax pellet, crushed it, took out the paper inside, read its contents, and then burned it. She then poured the cold tea in the teacup into the ashes and destroyed the residue completely before getting up, turning off the light, and going to bed.
As Nan Gong Yu walked into the courtyard, he saw that the light in Shan Yu Yan's room was off. He immediately stopped. "Sleeping so early?"
"Greetings to His Highness."
"Is your lady feeling unwell? Why is she sleeping so early?"
Liu Zhu glanced at Shan Yu Yan's room, looking as if she had something to say but hesitated.
"Just say it."
"Miss is an orphan and has lived under someone else's roof since she was young. The ladies at today's flower appreciation banquet were all of noble status and greatly doted on by their parents. Miss probably saw them and was reminded of her late general father and madam."
Nan Gong Yu fell silent. If she had been bullied, he could have stood up for her. But if she missed her parents, he was powerless. After all, he was just an ordinary person, with no ability to bring the dead back to life.
"Take good care of your lady."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Nan Gong Yu turned to leave. After walking only a few steps, he stopped again. "Was your lady bullied by anyone at today's flower appreciation banquet?"
"This… no, there wasn't."
"Alright, I understand."
Nan Gong Yu left Shan Yu Yan's courtyard, a hint of doubt in his heart. He couldn't help but look at Si Chen. "Has Si Ye not sent back any news?"
"He has." Si Chen handed the message from Si Ye to Nan Gong Yu. Nan Gong Yu took it and read it from beginning to end, a smile appearing on his lips. "Little Nine is still too young, actually being fooled by her."
"How can the Ninth Princess be a match for Princess Yongning?" Si Chen sighed. Ordinary people couldn't guess Xiao Man's methods. That Young Emperor of Yun Qi was clearly coming for Xiao Man, but she used this matter to drive a wedge between the Ninth Princess and the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager, who had offended Xiao Man, was truly pitiful.
"Didn't I tell you to deal with Li Lin earlier? Why is Li Lin still alive?" Nan Gong Yu asked, displeased.
"Li Lin probably knows someone wants to kill him and has been staying by the Empress Dowager's side these days. Our people can't find an opportunity." Si Chen was also helpless. Xu Ruo Hai had been killed, and they had picked up a bargain. But Li Lin was very cunning and never left the Empress Dowager's side. Even though they wanted to make a move, they had no opportunity.
"Deal with Li Lin before winter solstice," Nan Gong Yu said slowly. He had to control the situation before the end of the year. The Empress Dowager was being used by Feng Tian Lan, and she would inevitably cause trouble for him. He had to cut off the Empress Dowager's right-hand man first.
"Your Highness, rest assured. Your subordinate will definitely deal with Li Lin before the winter solstice."