Xiao Man's eyes held a faint smile as she gazed at the phoenix circling above the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. After today, no one in the vast capital city of Bianjing would dare underestimate her. It was, in fact, rather amusing that she commanded less deterrence than a mere bird.
Overnight, a grand structure rose from the ground, and the phoenix appeared to celebrate. The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner, even the Empress herself. Though she had intended to keep Xiao Man waiting a few more days, it was no longer possible.
"Your Majesty," Ye Fei said softly as he brewed tea, "the phoenix has appeared over Bianjing. It is said that many citizens witnessed it circling the newly erected Hundred Flowers Pavilion, flying around the Imperial Princess for a long time before departing." He continued, "There are many rumors outside, suggesting Xiao Man is the true heavenly destined daughter..."
"Ye Fei, the inner court shall not meddle in state affairs," the Empress stated indifferently, her gaze fixed on the memorial she was perusing. Her countenance was cold and beautiful, making her true age impossible to discern.
"This servant spoke out of turn," Ye Fei bowed, placing the brewed tea before the Empress. He then moved to the side to grind ink for her. "This servant does not understand politics, only the gossip from outside. Today, I heard from several brothers that rumors are flying everywhere, and I worry that if these rumors continue, they may be detrimental to Your Majesty."
"A grand building rising from nothing overnight, she indeed possesses some skill," Lan Ruoyu said softly. "She has truly surpassed her predecessor. If her mother knew her daughter was so outstanding, she would be at peace in the netherworld."
Ye Fei lowered his eyes, daring not to respond. The Empress had countless male consorts in her harem, yet she bore no children. To secure their positions, the male consorts naturally sought to build good relationships with the princesses. If the one they backed triumphed, their own futures of wealth and honor would be assured.
"It seems Your Majesty is quite pleased with Xiao Man."
A devilishly charming smile graced Lan Ruoyu's lips. "It is also time I met her. After all, she is the sole bloodline of my Lan family. As her aunt, I cannot treat her poorly."
Ye Fei was unsure of the Empress's intentions, nor could he fathom what she truly desired. A vague sense of unease settled upon him. The Eldest Princess had sent assassins to target the Imperial Princess. Not only did the assassins never return, but the Tianyu Tower was reduced to ashes. Now, even the deed to the tower had been seized by the Imperial Princess. The monthly income from Tianyu Tower had been sufficient to support the Eldest Princess's manor; without it, the Eldest Princess was effectively crippled.
"Ye Fei, how long have you been in the palace?"
"To Your Majesty, this servant has been in the palace for ten years."
"Ten years?" The Empress set down her brush, her eyes deep and profound. "Has it been that long already?"
"Yes, this servant has accompanied Your Majesty for ten years," Ye Fei replied as he ground ink. "I still vividly remember the first time I saw Your Majesty; it was as if seeing a celestial being. At that time, Your Majesty praised my eyes, and I was so overjoyed that I couldn't sleep for several nights."
"Your eyes used to be clear and pure, brimming with spirit. Now, they are like the eyes of a dead fish," the Empress uttered a cruel sentence.
Ye Fei was startled and quickly prostrated himself, begging for forgiveness. "This servant deserves death, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
The Empress did not look at him, her gaze passing through the windowpane to a distant point. "Why is it that the things I cherish, I can never keep?"
"This servant deserves death for displeasing Your Majesty."
The Empress waved her hand, signaling Ye Fei to leave. Ye Fei hastily retreated. The Empress was known for her unpredictable moods, but this direct expression of aversion was unprecedented, leaving Ye Fei deeply unsettled. If he lost the Empress's favor, his path within the harem would become impossibly difficult.
All along, he had believed himself to be special. The Empress would spend seven or eight nights a month in his chambers, a sign of considerable favor. He had always maintained his composure, but recently, with Xiao Man's appearance, he had become impatient and overstepped his bounds, thus incurring the Empress's displeasure. It seemed he needed to tread carefully.
The Empress summoned Xiao Man, not to the Hall of Political Affairs, nor the Imperial Study, but to the training grounds.
Xiao Man remained composed, as if nothing could disturb her. The Empress was practicing with her whip in the training grounds. The whip danced with vigorous force in her hands. Though it was a soft whip, in the Empress's grasp, it was like a sharp sword, the resulting gust of wind seeming to tear the very air apart.
"Your Majesty is currently occupied. Please wait outside, Imperial Princess," a palace attendant said, escorting Xiao Man to the edge of the arena before departing.
Xiao Man crossed her arms, watching the Empress's whip technique with keen interest. As she watched, she pondered how she would counter the Empress's attacks.
Suddenly, a whip carrying a sharp killing intent lashed out towards Xiao Man's face. She tilted her head, reaching out to grab the whip. The Empress smiled, and with a strong pull on the reins, dragged Xiao Man, who stood at the side, into the arena.
The Empress gave Xiao Man no time to react. Using the momentum, she delivered a palm strike towards Xiao Man, who had been pulled in. Xiao Man immediately countered with her own palm, and they exchanged a blow. Separating for a moment, they exchanged a look and then charged at each other, engaging in a fierce battle on the training grounds.
The guards on the training grounds appeared unfazed. After all, the Empress often sparred with people, and they had all been beaten into submission before. If they fought with full effort, they feared injuring the Empress and meeting a grim end. If they didn't fight with full effort, they might be killed on the spot by the Empress. Thus, after enduring a few blows, they would lie down, refusing to get up, no matter what. Yet, even then, the Empress wouldn't spare them.
The Empress's initial intention was to test Xiao Man's skills. However, Xiao Man showed no restraint, her every move a killing blow, clearly intending to take her life. Now, the Empress found herself in a difficult position! This temper was a world away from her mother's!
"Your martial arts are quite good. Who taught you?"
"My master," Xiao Man replied with a beaming smile. "I believe the Empress must know who my master is."
The Empress's eyes darkened slightly. Of course, she knew who Xiao Man's master was. She simply hadn't expected Feng Mo Ran to teach her with such dedication. Did Feng Mo Ran not hate her?
"I don't know much about your affairs," Xiao Man said, seizing the Empress's arm. Her fingers formed a claw, and she exerted force downwards. The Empress cried out in pain, attempting to withdraw her arm, but Xiao Man tore off her sleeve, leaving several bloody scratch marks on her fair, jade-like arm.
"Your Majesty."
The Empress waved her hand, signaling the guards not to be alarmed. "That is enough for today."
"My apologies for my transgression."
The Empress let out a cold laugh. Transgression? This girl had clearly done it deliberately. "Let's walk together."
Xiao Man clasped her hands behind her back, her posture relaxed and at ease, showing no sign of unease at having injured the Empress. The Empress led Xiao Man back to her chambers, where a lady-in-waiting immediately brought a medical kit to tend to the Empress's wounds.
"Your mother was the gentlest of souls. You are worlds apart from her," the Empress said to Xiao Man in a calm, unhurried tone.
"If I were like her, I would have long since met my end," Xiao Man replied with a smile. "What does Your Majesty think?"