Murong Ziheng's heart pounded. Qu Yang and Xia Houying were Murong Sheng Rui's trusted aides. Suddenly pushing him forward to act as regent made him suspect a conspiracy, though he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
"Xiao Man has been pursuing us," Murong Ziheng blurted out.
Qu Yang's mind buzzed. Xiao Man had been chasing His Majesty and Prince Song. Did that mean his sighting of Xiao Man in the manor wasn't a hallucination but real? What had Xiao Man done to him during the time he lost consciousness?
A chill ran down Qu Yang's spine. He knew the extent of Empress Dowager Dugu's methods, but her true capabilities remained a mystery, perhaps even to His Majesty.
"Your Highness, are you certain it was Xiao Man pursuing you?"
"Certain. To be precise, she was pursuing Feng Mo Ran."
"Feng Mo Ran, the universally known remnant of the former Qin?" Qu Yang asked doubtfully.
"Yes."
"What does Xiao Man pursuing Feng Mo Ran have to do with His Majesty and you?"
"Feng Mo Ran was traveling with His Majesty. Only Eunuch Wei might know the specific reason, but Eunuch Wei got separated from us and hasn't returned. And His Majesty is now in this state..."
Murong Ziheng watched Xia Houying's expression closely. Qu Yang was as cunning as a fox, and extracting useful information from him was impossible. Xia Houying was the only potential breakthrough, but he was always obedient to Qu Yang, making it difficult for Murong Ziheng to approach him.
"General Xia Hou, shall we send someone to assist Eunuch Wei?"
"Someone has already been sent," Xia Houying replied coldly. Xiao Man's relentless pursuit meant she had already reached Yunqi. Once in Yunqi, she would be like a fish in the sea; who could find her? After all, Yunqi was her true domain!
"Issue an order: search every inch of this place to find Xiao Man." Qu Yang's unease grew. He immediately gave the command. No matter what tricks Xiao Man had played, he had to nip all possibilities in the bud. Xiao Man's ultimate target was undoubtedly His Majesty, and he had to keep His Majesty away from her.
"It's unlikely we'll find her," Xia Houying said slowly. "If she intends to hide, you could turn the heavens upside down and still not find her trace."
"Xia Hou, I'm entrusting this matter to you." Qu Yang made a swift decision. Xia Houying knew Xiao Man well; for some reason, Xia Houying gave him that impression. Others might not find Xiao Man, but Xia Houying certainly could.
Xia Houying frowned instinctively, wanting to refuse.
"For His Majesty, for Yunqi, I beg you." Qu Yang always knew how to make Xia Houying yield. Xia Houying was a renowned general and a loyal subject. No matter how dissatisfied he was with His Majesty or Yunqi, his sense of responsibility would always compel him to stand before His Majesty without hesitation, shielding him from all storms.
"I cannot guarantee finding her."
"Just do your best. Given her nature, she won't stay quiet for long. Once she reveals herself, be sure to capture her." Qu Yang said excitedly. As long as Xiao Man was apprehended, Lan Yue and Yu Sheng would not dare to act rashly!
Xia Houying didn't want to search for Xiao Man. If Xiao Man had returned to Yunqi, she must have had her reasons. And her initial purpose was revenge. Was His Majesty's injury her doing?
Xia Houying wandered aimlessly through the streets. In the vast city of Jinling, finding someone deliberately hiding was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Doing the impossible was what Zhan Tian Que had taught him when he first joined the army. Thinking back, it felt somewhat ironic.
Xia Houying looked up at the sky. He didn't know what Xiao Man would do to Yunqi, but whatever it was, he had to stop her, protect Yunqi, and the families and people behind him.
"If I were you, after returning to Yunqi, what would be the first thing I'd do?" Xia Houying muttered to himself, but he couldn't fathom what Xiao Man would do, as he wasn't Xiao Man. "Where would I go to find you?"
"Master, Xia Houying is strolling on the street."
"He's not just strolling, he's looking for me." Xiao Man's lips curved into a smile. "His personality, not only do I understand it, but Qu Yang also understands it. We both know he's an excellent executor." Su Dan Novel Network
"He thinks too highly of himself, actually trying to find your trace," Qin Xue said with a chuckle. "This brat is still as naive as he was back then."
"Naive?" Xiao Man sneered. "This glamorous Jinling city has no room for naivety. All naivety is merely a pretense. If he were truly naive, how could he have become Murong Sheng Rui's right-hand man?"
"Master, shall we teach him a lesson?"
"No need. He's not my target, but he can be someone we can use." Xiao Man said slowly, a calculating smile appearing on her lips. Loyalty was Xia Houying's strength, but it could also become his weakness.
"Master, what do we do now?"
"Naturally, we cast the net and reel in the fish." Xiao Man closed the window, shutting out everything outside, even the cries of street vendors.
"Are you going to meet Xia Houying?"
"Of course. The fish have taken the bait, so I must reel them in." Xiao Man's lips curved. "At midnight tonight, light the signal and let everyone know I've returned."
"My Lord, won't this alert Feng Mo Ran and Murong Sheng Rui?" Qin Xue asked, confused. They had infiltrated Jinling precisely to avoid drawing their attention. Why expose themselves now?
"It's precisely to alert them," Xiao Man said slowly. "Especially my good master. What do you think, if he knew that the disciple he personally harmed had returned, would he be able to sleep at night?"
"Someone like him probably wouldn't lose sleep, after all, he's committed so many evil deeds, killed so many people. Such a person can hardly be called human, so how could he lose sleep?" Qin Xue detested Feng Mo Ran intensely. If not for him, his lady would not have suffered so much.
"Qin Xue, you don't understand. People who commit evil deeds don't necessarily fear nothing because they are unafraid, but because no one can bring them to justice. That's why they are reckless. When someone can bring them to justice, when they are threatened, they become like startled birds, filled with fear and unease."
"Your subordinate understands. This move of yours is called 'shaking the mountain to scare the tiger,' the goal being to make them fearful and uneasy."
"Clever. Go do it."
"Yes, Master."
Xiao Man tapped her fingers rhythmically, slowly and forcefully, like a heavy hammer striking the heart, once and again, like the bell before a grand ceremony, seemingly announcing to this prosperous city of Jinling that their former master had returned.