In the澹台 Palace, an eerie silence prevailed. Fury smoldered in Feng Moran's eyes, while Du Yulan smiled enchantingly. After so much, she had learned to pry into human nature. Feng Moran was cunning, seemingly flawless and without weakness, yet in reality, he was as fragile as could be.
"Imperial Tutor, let's cooperate. You want Xiao Man, and I want Wen Mohan. We each get what we desire. What's not to like?" Du Yulan said with a radiant smile, unbothered by her disheveled appearance.
"Have you no shame?"
Du Yulan's expression stiffened. "Shame? Imperial Tutor, you jest. Shame is of no use to me. If I cared for shame, I would have been reduced to dust long ago, wouldn't I?"
Feng Moran took two steps forward. Just then, a palace servant's report echoed from outside: "Young Master, the Imperial Princess requests an audience."
A flicker of surprise crossed Feng Moran's eyes, and he turned immediately. Seeing this, a dark glint flashed in Du Yulan's eyes. As she was about to speak, a figure descended from the sky, instantly subduing her and dragging her into a cabinet to hide.
Feng Moran adjusted his robes and calmly walked out, standing at the doorway. He hesitated to open the door, unsure whether he should. After a moment of silence, he softly asked, "It's so late, why isn't the Imperial Princess resting?"
Xiao Man stood outside the door. Hearing Feng Moran's voice, an unreadable emotion flickered in her eyes. She waved a hand at the palace servant, signaling him to leave, then sat down by the door and placed the wine pot she was holding on the ground.
"Suddenly I felt like drinking, so I came to the palace." Xiao Man took out a cup, poured herself a drink, and downed it in one gulp. "Master, how long has it been since we, master and disciple, sat down and had a proper chat?"
Feng Moran stood behind the door, his heart a complex tangle. "Your eyes and heart are filled with others; where would you have the time to chat with me?"
"Master, do you know what's in my heart?"
Feng Moran did not rush to answer. He truly didn't know what Xiao Man felt, or rather, he never cared what she felt. He merely placed what he liked before Xiao Man, assuming she would like it too.
"You don't know, just as I don't know what's in your heart," Xiao Man said softly. "When I was little, I thought, Master is so beautiful, like an immortal. Just looking at Master made me happy."
A spark of surprise flashed in Feng Moran's eyes. He reached for the door, his hand hovering over it before retracting. "It's merely a face; everyone ages."
"But Master has remained unchanged for ten years, year after year. So many years have passed, and you seem to have changed little, still so extraordinary and refined, like jade from the Western Mountains. I once thought, if I were to find a husband in the future, he would have to be like Master in appearance."
"Superficial. Appearances change the easiest," Feng Moran said disapprovingly. "When you choose a husband, of course, he must have excellent family background, character, and looks."
"Master, in your heart, I am the best, so good that no man in the world is worthy of me." Xiao Man put down her wine cup and picked up the wine pot. "In my heart, Master is also the best. Only the most outstanding woman in the world is worthy of you, but that person is not the Empress."
Feng Moran fell silent again. He had never truly liked the Empress; he had exploited her for the most part. The Empress knew this too, but in the end, she was defeated by his appearance.
"Becoming the consort of Blue Moon is my destiny," Feng Moran said slowly. "Even if that person is not Lan Ruoyu, it will be someone else from the Blue Moon royal family."
"Master, are you willing?"
Xiao Man heard the sound of the door opening. She propped herself up on her arms and looked up to see Feng Moran standing behind her, looking down at her. His eyes held a complex, inexpressible emotion.
"I thought Master wouldn't see me."
Feng Moran sat down beside Xiao Man, picked up an unopened wine pot, removed the stopper, and took a drink directly from it. "This wine is a bit strong. Drink less; it's bad for your health."
Xiao Man smiled. "Wine harms the body, but only temporarily. After sobering up tomorrow, it will be fine. But a wounded heart is hard to heal. Master, I miss my father."
Feng Moran continued to drink. "I miss him too. At this time of year, I would always find him for a few drinks. But now, things have changed, and he can no longer drink with me."
Xiao Man gazed at the stars in the sky, tilting her head and counting them. "One, two, three... Huh, how many have I counted?"
"I can't remember," Feng Moran glanced at Xiao Man. Seeing her hazy, drunken eyes, he knew she was tipsy. Her tolerance for alcohol had always been poor, and it was likely her limit to have held out this long without getting drunk.
"Master, is the Empress good to you?"
Feng Moran withdrew his gaze and looked outward. Was the Empress good to him? One could say she was, but at times, she wouldn't grant his wishes. One could say she wasn't, yet he received everything he desired.
"For some people, it's neither good nor bad. If you don't like them, even if they offer you their entire heart, you won't feel even a flicker of affection."
Xiao Man tilted her head and leaned on Feng Moran's shoulder. "Master, you truly have a heart of stone."
Feng Moran glanced at Xiao Man, his expression somber. He said in a low voice, "I can be heartless towards everyone in the world, but towards you, I cannot."
"Master, you are heartless. When I was little, you dumped a pile of things for me to learn and then left for a long time. When I grew up, you abandoned me to wolves and tigers, letting me struggle for survival. And you say you're not heartless?" Xiao Man grumbled. "You are too harsh on me."
Feng Moran fell into thought. Was he truly too harsh on Xiao Man? He knew Xiao Man's nature; she was always strong-willed and rarely showed her weakness to him. After Xiao Zhen's death, Xiao Man seemed to have changed into a different person, bristling with thorns, wounding anyone who approached her.
He was, and so was Nangong Yu. Only Wen Mohan became an exception.
"Man'er, do you truly like Wen Mohan?" Feng Moran had once thought Xiao Man liked Nangong Yu. But when she discovered Nangong Yu's involvement in Xiao Zhen's murder, her resolute and ruthless demeanor moved him. While he was pleased, he also felt a sense of unease. Would she one day treat him the same way?
Xiao Man sniffled. "Only when I'm with him can I stop thinking, not feel so tired, and not have to rack my brains guessing. He's like a safe harbor, making me feel at ease."
Feng Moran tilted his head back and took a large gulp of wine. The wine was intensely spicy as it went down his throat, choking him into a coughing fit. Once, he too had been Xiao Man's safe harbor. Why had they reached this point?
"Man'er, that day, you cried in front of me and asked me what you had done wrong to deserve me treating you that way. Were you crying then because you felt I was too harsh on you?"