"Wan'er, has there been any movement from that person?" the Empress asked, her voice soft after a moment of silence.
"No movement," Yu Wan'er replied. "However, a message from Yusheng states that he was not lightly injured."
"Not lightly injured?" The Empress let out a light laugh. "To be injured by the girl he doted on, he's more than just lightly injured; he must be in agony, wouldn't you say?"
Yu Wan'er remained silent. After all these years, Her Majesty still couldn't let go of that person.
"Send a message to the Fourth Princess, tell her to entertain Xiao Man well."
Upon hearing this, Yu Wan'er immediately agreed. An arrogant Imperial Daughter against a Fourth Princess who hid a dagger behind her smile—it was bound to be an interesting spectacle.
"Your Majesty, does the Fourth Princess require any guidance?"
"No. As long as Xiao Man's life is not endangered, let her cause mischief."
"Your servant accepts the decree."
"Remember to spread the news," the Empress said softly. "He should know what kind of life the girl he cherishes and protects leads in my hands. This way, he can also taste what it feels like to be consumed by longing, unable to rest or eat."
"Your Majesty, will he care?"
"Of course, he will. Otherwise, why do you think he watched her grow up?" The Empress leaned back on the couch. "The way he left the Blue Moon Imperial Palace back then, he will return to me in the same manner. His life is bound to the Blue Moon harem!"
Xiao Man left the palace and walked through the streets of Bianjing with Wen Mohan. Bianjing was unlike Yusheng; here, women held the dominant position. Most businesses were run by women, and men, when they went out, either covered their faces or wore masks. The streets were predominantly filled with women.
"The customs here are vastly different from Yusheng."
"If those old men from Yusheng came here, they would surely tremble with anger," Xiao Man said with a smile. "They might even condemn it as indecent."
Wen Mohan took Xiao Man's hand and led her to a small stall selling masks. He picked out a mask and placed it on Xiao Man's face. "This mask is quite exquisite."
"My esteemed wife, why don't you discipline your husband? How dare he put a mask on his wife? Truly indecent."
Wen Mohan looked bewildered. Was he the one being indecent?
Xiao Man removed the mask and looked at the vendor. "This lady, what do you mean?"
"You are not from Blue Moon?"
"No, I am a merchant doing business in Blue Moon."
"No wonder you don't know the rules. In our Blue Moon, only men cover their faces or wear masks. If a man puts a mask on a woman, it means he has ill intentions and intends to flee to another wife. You must properly discipline him when you get back."
Upon hearing this, Wen Mohan quickly took the mask from Xiao Man, put it back on the stall, and hurried away with Xiao Man as if escaping.
Xiao Man couldn't stop laughing. Wen Mohan, amused and somewhat embarrassed, said, "You're still laughing? Seeing me embarrassed and you're so happy about it."
"Different regions, different customs. It's normal not to know when we're new here," Xiao Man's laughter subsided. "Don't be angry. This place is actually quite similar to Yusheng, just that the roles of those in charge have been switched to women."
"The women here are quite formidable."
"If they weren't formidable, how could they keep the men in line?" Xiao Man said with interest.
"I understand. It just takes time to adapt."
"You don't need to adapt to the customs here. You just need to be yourself," Xiao Man said softly. "Do whatever you want, just like before."
"Okay." Wen Mohan smiled and nodded. Just then, a woman approached them, dressed in fine silk, with a smile on her face, followed by a burly woman who was clearly a guard. Su Dan Fiction Network.
The two stopped before Xiao Man and Wen Mohan. The woman in the lead stared at Xiao Man with a smile. After a moment, her gaze shifted to Wen Mohan's face, and she then marveled at how handsome the man was.
"Are you Xiao Man?"
Xiao Man immediately understood that this person was here to cause trouble.
"I am. Who are you?"
"I am Lan Yuan."
"Fourth Princess Lan Yuan," Xiao Man stated, identifying the person before her.
"My sister actually knows my name. It makes me feel rather flattered," Lan Yuan said familiarly. "Sister, you're new here, so you must be unfamiliar with the capital. Why don't I show you around?"
Xiao Man's smile remained unchanged. The five princesses adopted by the Empress were all older than her. The Third Princess, Lan Qin, had a baby face and had impersonated her second sister for many years, hence she called her "sister," although she was several years older.
"In that case, thank you, Fourth Princess."
"Don't call me Princess, Princess. I'm three years older than you, so allow me to call you sister. You should call me sister." Lan Yuan linked arms with Xiao Man and pulled her along. "The most distinctive place in our Bianjing city is not here. Let me open your eyes today."
Xiao Man did not resist, allowing Lan Yuan to lead her away. She had expected Blue Moon to take her to a place of indulgence, but to her surprise, Lan Yuan took her to a beast-fighting arena.
"A beast-fighting arena?"
"Yes, a beast-fighting arena." Lan Yuan's gaze swept over Wen Mohan, who was closely following Xiao Man. She smiled and said, "The people who gamble here are all prominent figures in Bianjing, with power and influence. When disputes arise between two families, they often resolve them at the beast-fighting arena."
"How does this beast fighting work?"
"The competitions in this arena are divided into three types: beast versus beast, man versus beast, and man versus man," Lan Yuan said with interest. "Beast versus beast is the lowest level. You bet on which wild beast will win, and the winner takes the loser's wager."
"What about man versus beast?"
"Man versus beast is a form of challenge. This is offered by the Tianbao Tower. When someone desires an artifact from Tianbao Tower, they must fight a wild beast from the tower. If they win, they take what they desire. If they lose, they forfeit their wealth and life, becoming a slave of Tianbao Tower."
"And man versus man?"
"Man versus man is primarily for resolving disputes," the Fourth Princess's smile deepened. "When two parties have a conflict and don't know how to resolve it, they ask Tianbao Tower to mediate. A competition is held at Tianbao Tower, and the winner can claim any belonging of the loser, including men."
Xiao Man nodded slowly, indicating she understood. This Tianbao Tower seemed quite interesting. The Fourth Princess continued to lead Xiao Man upwards. As they reached the third floor, enthusiastic applause erupted from the arena.
"Who is that?"
"This person is named Fu Dan, a master. He is a resident master of combat at Tianbao Tower and rarely has any opponents. When one party in a battle is weaker, they can hire a master from Tianbao Tower to fight on their behalf. Today, someone must have hired Fu Dan to compete."
Xiao Man looked at the arena. "I wonder who Fu Dan's opponent is?"
"Fu Dan's opponent..." The Fourth Princess paused for dramatic effect, her smile bright and dazzling. Suddenly, she reached out and pushed Xiao Man from the stands. "Good sister, Fu Dan's opponent is you."