Xiao Man lay on the lounge chair, tipsy and taking a nap. Suddenly, she felt someone sit beside her. She tried to open her eyes, but was too drowsy to do so, as if something was holding her body captive, rendering her unable to move.
A shiver of horror ran down Xiao Man's spine. She jolted upright, gasping for breath. Glancing around, she saw no one. Yet, on the small table next to her lay a bowl of hangover soup, still steaming. Someone had indeed come to her while she was asleep!
Xiao Man stared at the bowl of hangover soup for a long time but didn't reach for it. Just then, the door to the side room opened, and NanGong Yi emerged, yawning. He reeked of alcohol and sat down beside Xiao Man. He glanced at the hangover soup on the table, picked it up, and drank it all in one gulp. Xiao Man didn't even have time to stop him.
This imbecile, why would he drink anything? Wasn't he afraid of being poisoned to death!
NanGong Yi finished the hangover soup and rubbed his temples. "My head hurts."
"I told you not to drink so much. Now you know it hurts," Xiao Man retorted.
NanGong Yi scooted his stool closer to Xiao Man and leaned his head over. "Sir, please massage it for me. It really hurts terribly."
Xiao Man found it disgusting, but she still reached out and massaged NanGong Yi's temples. NanGong Yi closed his eyes in pleasure and murmured, "If only this moment could last forever."
As night fell, NanGong Yi sat in the carriage returning to his manor, his eyes closed in a doze. Zhou Kang looked at him with a hesitant gaze, wanting to speak but holding back.
"If you have something to say, just say it."
"Your Highness, Xiao Qin is a man," Zhou Kang said after much deliberation.
NanGong Yi flicked his eyelids open and glanced at Zhou Kang. "What do you mean?"
"You are about to be married. You cannot have any unsavory rumors spread at this time. If this marriage is ruined, Consort De will be furious with you."
NanGong Yi let out a cold laugh. "In their eyes, I am not a person but a mere commodity. As long as it can bring them profit, they will not hesitate to sell off everything about me. Do they not care about me at all? Do they not care about my happiness?"
"Her Highness is also doing this for your own good."
"For my own good?" NanGong Yi couldn't help but laugh coldly. "Zhou Kang, in their eyes, I don't even have the right to like someone. I don't need this kind of 'good'."
Zhou Kang remained silent. Everyone said Prince Qi was dissolute and had countless female acquaintances throughout the capital. Only he knew that Prince Qi was not dissolute. His behavior was merely a way to protect the person in his heart!
"She will be safe and sound."
NanGong Yi lowered his gaze. Of course, she would be safe and sound. But to this day, he still couldn't fathom what Xiao Man was planning. With the combined efforts of the three of them, to deal with the Crown Prince, who was she trying to help? Was it his third brother or his fourth brother?
A vague answer began to form in NanGong Yi's mind. Xiao Man was likely helping his fourth brother. Her hiding in Prince Chu's manor was because if the Crown Prince fell, his third brother would become his fourth brother's opponent. She wanted to help her fourth brother keep an eye on his third brother's every move.
"Zhou Kang, tell me, if one day I stand on her opposing side, what would she do to me?" NanGong Yi asked with a sigh.
Zhou Kang dared not answer, for he too had no idea what Xiao Man would do. In his perception, Xiao Man had always been a ruthless woman, and their Prince likely didn't even occupy a tiny corner in her heart.
"I truly envy Fourth Brother," NanGong Yi suddenly said. "I envy him, and I am jealous. Zhou Kang, tell me, if Fourth Brother didn't exist, would she have chosen me?"
Zhou Kang opened his mouth, wanting to say no, but it felt too cruel. To say yes would be too insincere. In the end, he chose to say nothing. After all, he was not Xiao Man, and he didn't know what choice Xiao Man would make.
The weather grew increasingly hot. Even with ice basins placed in the room, the heat was unbearable, and sweat constantly dripped, soaking the clothes within moments.
Xiao Man sat under the eaves, leisurely reading a book. The scorching summer heat and the incessant chirping of cicadas seemed to have no effect on her.
A wax pellet fell into Xiao Man's hand. She crushed it and took out the paper strip, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. She then closed her book and got up to leave.
The ground was scorching hot under the blazing sun. Even with shoes on, one could feel the heat rising from the soles, making it very uncomfortable.
The housekeeper was dozing, occasionally lifting his eyelids to check outside to avoid falling into a deep sleep and missing his master's orders. He noticed Xiao Man walking alone under the scorching sun, heading out of the manor. He quickly got up and chased after her.
"Mr. Xiao."
"Housekeeper, is there something?"
"On such a hot day, where is Mr. Xiao going?"
Xiao Man's expression was calm. "Just going for a walk, looking for a cool place to relax. It's really too hot today."
The housekeeper stared at Xiao Man's receding back, dumbfounded. The weather is too hot, and you're looking for a cool place? A grown man acting so pampered, even more so than their Princess Consort!
The housekeeper immediately went to report. When NanGong Yan heard this, he merely waved his hand. "Let him be. When I recruited him, I told him he could come and go from Prince Chu's manor as he pleased. It is indeed very hot today. Prepare things. His Highness and the Princess Consort will also go to the summer resort outside the city for a few days."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Xiao Man left Prince Chu's manor, weaving through alleys and emerging from another side. The people tailing her immediately followed. Moments later, another person walked out of the alley – it was Xiao Man, disguised as Lian Qiao.
News had come from the General's manor that the situation had changed. She had to return to the General's manor to check.
Xiao Man quietly returned to the General's manor. He Qingyi was dozing in her room.
"Mother."
He Qingyi started in surprise. Seeing that it was Xiao Man returned, she quickly got up and pulled her into the room, ordering guards to stand outside. "My dear aunt, you're finally back. The General is acting strangely."
"I'll go see him first."
Xiao Man followed He Qingyi to Xiao Zhen's room. Xiao Zhen seemed to be asleep, and he didn't notice them entering. Xiao Man took his pulse, and after a moment, her brow furrowed.
"While I was away, who came?"
"The Old Madam visits daily. The consorts in the manor have also come. The second and fourth young ladies also visit frequently." He Qingyi asked cautiously, "I've noticed the General's pulse has been strange these past two days, but I couldn't diagnose what was wrong. Is the General alright?"
A trace of worry flashed in Xiao Man's eyes. "It seems I still need to purge the General's manor first."
"Someone has made a move in the General's manor?"
"How is the matter I asked you to investigate progressing?"
"Since returning to the manor, I've been closely observing everyone's movements. The head maidservant by Consort Lin's side has left the manor twice to buy rouge and powder. Coincidentally, both times were at shops belonging to the Cen family."
Xiao Man's heart filled with suspicion. Cen Yu should still be in Jiangzhou. Who was communicating with Consort Lin?