The Fourth Princess had entered Tantai Palace before, but this was her first time sneaking in at midnight. Even though she had been invited by Feng Moran, she felt uneasy. After all, the Empress still harbored resentment about her having slept with Feng Moran. If she were to be discovered sneaking into Tantai Palace in the middle of the night again, she would never be able to clear her name, even if she jumped into the Yellow River.
Feng Moran leaned against the head of the bed, reading a book. His profile, illuminated by the candlelight, was even more handsome and ethereal. Yet, such a man with the appearance of a banished immortal possessed the heart of a viper, capable of taking a life in an instant. Even in his current weakened state, no one dared to underestimate him.
"Young Master Feng."
"Fourth Princess has arrived, please have a seat." Feng Moran flipped through the pages of his book. "I apologize for inviting you so late. I hope you are not angry."
The Fourth Princess forced a smile. "I dare not. Young Master Feng, please speak your mind."
"I want you to stay in Bianjing," Feng Moran stated bluntly. "I want you to continue competing with the Eldest Princess and the Imperial Daughter."
The Fourth Princess teased, "I thought Young Master Feng invited me here tonight to rekindle our old flames. Turns out, that's not the case."
Feng Moran narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Tell me, can you leave here alive tonight?"
The Fourth Princess's heart skipped a beat. *Why hasn't Xiao Man come yet? I've been waiting for so long. Why hasn't Xiao Man come to save me? Is she afraid?*
"Are you waiting for Xiao Man to save you?" Feng Moran said in a low voice. "Your personal guard died just as the Fourth Princess left. Xiao Man doesn't even know you entered the palace, so even if you disappear, Xiao Man will only assume you fled out of fear of death."
A flicker of panic crossed the Fourth Princess's eyes. "Young Master Feng is joking. How could I be waiting for Xiao Man to save me? Our relationship isn't that friendly."
"Xiao Man always manages to turn enemies into friends," Feng Moran said slowly. "But she doesn't need too many friends, nor does she need ties."
The Fourth Princess finally understood Feng Moran's intentions. He didn't want her to cause trouble for the Eldest Princess, but to cause trouble for Xiao Man. The reason, she suspected, was because Xiao Man had publicly refuted him, causing him to lose face.
"Young Master Feng, if I may be so bold, is Xiao Man truly your disciple?"
"Yes."
"Do you truly care for her?"
"Naturally."
The Fourth Princess laughed mockingly. "If you truly care for her, why do you want me to stay in Bianjing to vex her?"
"Because she needs tempering," Feng Moran said slowly. "She is too soft-hearted and does not understand the wickedness of human hearts. She is too affectionate and has been hurt by men time and again. I must make her understand that a soft heart is easily wounded, and excessive affection can be overwhelming."
The Fourth Princess watched Feng Moran with interest. "Young Master Feng, you don't truly care for Xiao Man, do you? You hate her, don't you?"
"I don't hate her, and never will," Feng Moran looked up at the Fourth Princess. "But I don't like it when she disobeys me."
The Fourth Princess understood. What Feng Moran wanted was a puppet, an obedient puppet. As the Imperial Daughter of Blue Moon, Xiao Man would one day be the ruler of Blue Moon. Feng Moran wanted to control Xiao Man. Once Xiao Man refused to obey him, he would deal with her as he would an enemy, forcing her to submit.
"So, you want me to deal with Xiao Man."
"Yes." Feng Moran raised his eyes, his peach blossom eyes filled with coldness. "I want you to fight her with all your might."
"Can I refuse?"
"Of course, you can." Feng Moran's smile remained unchanged. "However, refusal means you choose to die here."
The Fourth Princess understood. Feng Moran had never given her a choice from the beginning. If she refused, Feng Moran would have a thousand ways to kill her, and Xiao Man wouldn't be able to save her. If she agreed, from then on, she would have to obey Feng Moran's commands and become Xiao Man's enemy.
"If I kill her, I suppose you would also want my life, Young Master Feng."
"No," Feng Moran's smile deepened. "If she cannot even deal with you, then she deserves to die. And I do not need such weak disciples. Blue Moon does not need such a weak ruler!"
A chill spread from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. The Fourth Princess had initially envied Xiao Man for having a good master, but now, she didn't envy her at all. She even felt a sense of pity for Xiao Man. With such a cold, ruthless, and vicious master, it was no wonder she had grown up with such difficulty!
It is said that the darkest hour is just before dawn, and it is also when people are most weary. Often, killing intent lurks just before dawn.
Due to years of habit, Xiao Man was a light sleeper. In a half-awake state, she suddenly sat up, threw off the quilt, and then grabbed Wen Mohan, who was sleeping beside her. She quickly jumped off the bed, and the bed they had been sleeping on was instantly pierced into a hedgehog.
Although Wen Mohan was a frail scholar and not as vigilant as Xiao Man, he jolted awake in an instant. "Assassins?"
Xiao Man pulled Wen Mohan behind a pillar. Countless crossbow bolts shot into her room, filling it with black bolts!
This volley of crossbow bolts lasted for a considerable time. Xiao Man, hiding behind the pillar, dared not come out, and could only wait for the reloading time to find an opportunity to escape.
"Man'er, the crossbow bolts have a long range and great power. The enemy must be firing from a distance."
"Stay hidden." Xiao Man glanced at her arm, which had been grazed by a crossbow bolt, and quickly reached out to intercept one. The force of the bolt was immense, numbing her hand. It was clear that the enemy must have been firing from a location not far from the Imperial Daughter's manor. How audacious of them to openly attack the manor.
Xiao Man glanced at the arrow in her hand and shot it back in the direction it came from. In a short while, the crossbow bolts stopped. Xiao Man did not rush out but waited.
A sliver of daylight exploded, rapidly spreading from its initial point. As dawn broke, this wave of attack also ceased. Xiao Man told Wen Mohan to hide behind the pillar and not come out, while she herself stepped out to investigate.
"Mistress." Ying Xue, followed by her men, burst in. "Are you alright?"
Xiao Man shook her head. "Investigate."
"Yes." Su Dan Novel Network
Ying Xue quickly led her men to search for traces of the assassins. Xiao Man had people clean up the room. The entire room had been shot through like a sieve, with only the corner where she and Wen Mohan had hidden remaining unscathed. The enemy had surrounded the Imperial Daughter's manor and fired crossbow bolts. This was not intended to kill her, but to make her suffer.
After changing their clothes, Xiang Xue came to treat the wound on Xiao Man's arm. "Mistress, several of the manor's guards are dead or injured, and some of the personal guards are wounded. The enemy's objective seems to have been a warning. After firing one volley of crossbow bolts, they quickly retreated, leaving no trace."
Xiao Man nodded. "I understand."
"In addition, Steward Tan is severely injured and wishes to see you." Because of Auntie Tan's incident, Xiang Xue did not trust the Tan family. However, now that Steward Tan was severely injured and on the verge of death, she could no longer hold a grudge.