Xiao Man did not answer this question, or rather, she didn't know how to answer. Her feelings toward Wen Mohan were complex and hard to articulate.
"You hesitated, which means he is not the one you envision as your consort." Fu Dan said slowly. "Princess, since you did not choose him, why not tell him?"
"If I must have a husband, then he should be the one," Xiao Man said after a moment of silence. "Being let down feels terrible, and I don't want to let down someone who wholeheartedly cares for me."
"I don't quite understand, do you like him or not?"
"This is no longer a matter of liking or disliking," Xiao Man said slowly. "He has become family to me, someone I must protect."
"Then he is truly fortunate to receive the Princess's protection."
Xiao Man put her arm around Fu Dan's shoulder. "Silly girl, I'll protect you too."
"Oh, isn't this Master Fu Dan from Tian Bao Lou? I heard you lost the competition and lost yourself, and now you're serving as a slave."
Fu Dan frowned, unwilling to engage with the person in front of her. She pulled Xiao Man to the side, but the other person blocked their path again.
"Fu Dan, I didn't expect you to have fallen this far in such a short time. You lost to a snot-nosed brat and wagered your life and fortune."
"Hu Xi, move aside. I don't want to fight you."
"Fight me? Are you my match?" Hu Xi scoffed disdainfully, her nostrils practically flaring.
Xiao Man glanced at the stout woman, as large as a small mountain. "Do you know her?"
"She's also a resident competitor at Tian Bao Lou, Hu Xi," Fu Dan explained. "However, she privately accepted employment from the Fourth Princess and is now a guard in the Fourth Princess's mansion."
"A guard for a mere Fourth Princess, and not as grand as a Princess Imperial?" Xiao Man asked pointedly.
Fu Dan gave Xiao Man a helpless look. You are merely a Princess Imperial in name, while the Fourth Princess is a true Princess, holding considerable power. Even as a Princess Imperial, you are like a phoenix fallen from grace.
"Move aside, or I won't be polite."
"Oh, I'd like to see how you intend to be impolite!" With that, she immediately assumed an offensive stance. However, as soon as she struck the pose, she let out a scream.
Fu Dan looked bewildered. She hadn't made a move yet, so why the scream? Then she looked down and saw that Xiao Man had stomped on the woman's foot and was grinding it fiercely. The woman’s face contorted in pain, and she raised her hand to strike Xiao Man.
"Insolence!"
Xiao Man lifted her foot and stomped down again, this time with more force. Fu Dan even heard the sound of bones cracking. Hu Xi collapsed to the ground, her large frame crashing down and kicking up a cloud of dust.
Fu Dan stared at Hu Xi, who was moaning on the ground, in astonishment. She was about to persuade Xiao Man to stop, realizing that this person had many connections in Bian Jing and offending her would be unwise. Just then, Xiao Man stepped on Hu Xi's body. With that step, the previously screaming woman passed out completely.
Fu Dan felt suddenly unwell. Even as a Princess Imperial, you can't be this arrogant. You've just returned to the capital, your foundation is unstable, you've already offended General Jing Yu Jun, then the Commander of the City Guard, and now you've offended this noble lady. You're courting disaster!
Although Fu Dan felt Xiao Man's actions were somewhat inappropriate, for some reason, she felt incredibly satisfied. Even as a top competitor at Tian Bao Lou, she couldn't beat people up so wantonly.
"Princess, you acted so rashly, aren't you afraid of retaliation?"
"If I were afraid of everything, what would I have come to Bian Jing for? I might as well find a dark corner and be a turtle in a shell," Xiao Man said slowly. "Besides, with my current status, would they dare to openly attack me?"
"Open spears are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against!" Fu Dan worried.
Xiao Man raised her index finger and wagged it. "Fu Dan, in the face of absolute strength, all other tactics are futile."
Fu Dan was puzzled. "Absolute strength?"
"Yes, absolute strength," Xiao Man said as she walked. "If you were the number one expert at Tian Bao Lou, undefeated, then neither Tian Bao Lou nor those who seek your favor would dare to offend you, because they know they cannot bear the consequences of offending you."
"But you are just..."
"Just a Princess Imperial in name," Xiao Man finished Fu Dan's sentence. She turned back and gave Fu Dan a charming smile. "If I were truly just a Princess Imperial in name, do you think I could have left Yu Sheng alive and safely reached Bian Jing?"
Of course not. Xiao Man had turned Yu Sheng upside down, directly rebelled against the Emperor of Yu Sheng, almost caused the death of the Emperor of Yu Sheng's most favored son, and severely wounded the Grand Preceptor of Yu Sheng, crippling Yu Sheng’s power. If she had no ability, she would have died countless times over.
"As the saying goes, it is better to offend a gentleman than a villain, for a villain's schemes are always unpredictable." Fu Dan still disagreed with Xiao Man's style of conduct. She felt Xiao Man should be more restrained and seek revenge later, once her position was stable.
"If I remain silent, everyone will try to step on me," Xiao Man said earnestly. "Fu Dan, constant forbearance is sometimes synonymous with weakness. It makes people feel you are easily bullied and irresistibly want to bully you."
Fu Dan fell silent. She couldn't find a counterargument to Xiao Man's words. Xiao Man's identity was different from hers. She was a martial artist, and the ways of the martial world wouldn't work in the imperial court. When martial artists had disputes, they fought, and the winner was right. But the court was different.
The court had laws and rules, with a strict hierarchy. Xiao Man's status as a Princess Imperial was enough to suppress most people.
"Master, where do we go now?"
"Tian Yu Lou," Xiao Man said lazily. "I plan to open a new inn, right at the location of Tian Yu Lou."
Fu Dan started. "Master, you want to seize the First Princess's territory!"
"What do you mean by 'her territory'?" Xiao Man asked languidly. "Under heaven, all lands belong to the King, and all who dwell on its shores are the King's subjects. Even though she is the First Princess, she is still a subject. Above me is only the Empress. Even she must respectfully bow and call me Princess Imperial when she sees me."
"But Tian Yu Lou is the First Princess's property; everyone knows that."
"Tian Yu Lou was destroyed by a great fire; everyone knows that too," Xiao Man said playfully. "And I was frightened by this fire, so it is only reasonable for the First Princess to give me this land as compensation."
"What if the First Princess refuses?"
"Then I'll make all her properties go up in flames."