Xiao Man hadn't cooked in a long time. It was rare for her to prepare a few of her specialty dishes. Just as they started eating, Yin Zhu arrived, her gaze fixed on Xiao Man.
Xiao Man glanced at Wen Mohan and gestured with her eyes for Yin Zhu to wait outside.
Yin Zhu, always attentive, immediately understood that Xiao Man did not want to be disturbed while dining with Young Master Wen. She went to wait outside.
Wen Mohan's peripheral vision caught sight of Yin Zhu waiting outside. He placed some food on Xiao Man's plate: "Yin Zhu is usually discreet. If she's here now, it must be something urgent that requires your attention. Eat quickly and attend to it after."
Xiao Man replied softly, "There's no rush. If it were truly urgent, Yin Zhu would be pacing anxiously by now, not calmly waiting outside."
Wen Mohan smiled, "Is this what you call neglecting your duties?"
"If accompanying my family for a meal is considered neglecting my duties, then I am willing to be a corrupt official."
Wen Mohan's eyes curved into a smile. While serving Xiao Man food, he urged her to eat quickly and attend to her business.
Despite her words, Xiao Man ate no slower. She finished a bowl of rice, put down her chopsticks, and left with Yin Zhu.
Wen Mohan looked at the three dishes and one soup on the table. It was quite a bit for two people. Although Xiao Man ate quickly, she had consumed a good portion of the food. He leisurely finished the remaining dishes, then tidied up the bowls and washed them, putting them back in place. A maidservant offered to help, but he declined.
In the front hall, Lan Qin was restless, pacing back and forth, then sitting down and constantly jiggling her leg: "What is your mistress doing? Why hasn't she appeared yet?"
Fu Dan kept her eyes straight ahead, not replying. Most of the people in the Imperial Princess's mansion were Xiao Man's trusted confidantes. It wasn't easy for outsiders to gain entry. Fu Dan was the captain of the guards in the Imperial Princess's mansion, and she could afford to ignore someone like Lan Qin.
Lan Qin grew impatient and paced the hall. After an unknown amount of time, she heard footsteps from outside and immediately looked towards the entrance, finally seeing the long-awaited Xiao Man.
"My dearest miss, I'm in such a desperate situation, and you're not in a hurry at all!" Lan Qin rushed forward.
"You came to find me without checking the time. It's precisely dinnertime. Just because you don't eat doesn't mean I won't either."
"You're still in the mood to eat!" Lan Qin looked at Xiao Man in disbelief. With the situation so dire, this person still had the appetite to eat!
"Why wouldn't I be in the mood to eat?"
"His Majesty is in a terrible rage in the palace because of your doing!" Lan Qin's face turned pale with anxiety. "Why did you issue an official document privately?"
Xiao Man said "Oh" with understanding. "So it's about my marriage."
Seeing Xiao Man's nonchalant demeanor, Lan Qin felt immensely frustrated. It was truly a case of the emperor not being anxious while the eunuchs were. Xiao Man, the one directly involved, didn't care, so why was she here jumping with anxiety?
"Not just anyone can be an Imperial Princess's consort!"
"Indeed, my husband is not just anyone," Xiao Man agreed, nodding. "After all, I have high standards and am quite picky."
Lan Qin was momentarily stunned, then said, "I think you have ulterior motives!"
"I merely wish to announce to the world that I am about to get married. How could that be having ulterior motives?"
"You don't love Wen Mohan at all; you're just using him!" Lan Qin blurted out. It was only when she received Xiao Man's icy gaze that she realized she had spoken out of turn.
Lan Qin mumbled, supplementing her words: "Didn't you always have a crush on the Prince of Qin? I'm just stating facts."
Xiao Man's expression grew colder. Lan Qin immediately fell silent, looking at Xiao Man cautiously, biting her lip. Seeing Xiao Man remain silent, she repeatedly apologized: "Alright, I was talking nonsense. But, my dearest miss, do you know what this decree you sent out signifies?"
"Since I dared to send it, I can bear the consequences."
Lan Qin was both angry and exasperated, yet she didn't know how to persuade Xiao Man: "Who are you trying to provoke with this? The Prince of Qin? If he flies into a rage and marches his army south, and then colludes with Yun Qi, what will you do!"
"They won't cooperate."
"Xiao Man, never underestimate men; men can be very petty!" Lan Qin paced ceaselessly. "You hurt the Prince of Qin, and he might overlook it due to past affections. But if you betray him, he will surely fight you to the death."
"What do you mean by betrayal?" Xiao Man asked Lan Qin in a low voice.
"You are his woman, and now you are going to marry someone else..."
"When did I become his woman?" Xiao Man's voice was devoid of any emotion. "Did I perform the wedding ceremony with him?"
"No..."
"Did I register as husband and wife with him at the government office?"
"No..."
"Since we never performed the wedding ceremony and were never registered as husband and wife, when did I become his woman?"
"You've already had intimate relations with him..."
"Are all the men you've had intimate relations with your men?"
Lan Qin almost choked, wishing she could slap Xiao Man. But she didn't dare. If she dared to strike Xiao Man, she wouldn't leave this Imperial Princess's mansion without losing an arm today!
"The Prince of Qin is not to be trifled with!"
"Am I easy to trifle with?"
Lan Qin stared at Xiao Man. After a long while, she finally uttered, "It's better to avoid trouble than to cause it."
"If it were about saving trouble, why would I have defected from Yusheng and come here to be an Imperial Princess? I could have gone for a political marriage to Yun Qi and become the Empress of Yun Qi, which would have been far less troublesome."
Lan Qin realized she couldn't refute Xiao Man. It seemed no matter what she said, Xiao Man could find a counter-argument.
"Do you really intend to marry Wen Mohan?"
"Yes."
"Do you want Wen Mohan to be your consort?"
"Yes."
"You don't want the Prince of Qin anymore?"
"The Prince of Qin was never mine," Xiao Man stated calmly, without joy or sorrow.
"Are you truly giving up on the Prince of Qin?"
Xiao Man glanced at her. "If you like him, you can have him."
"Forget it. I want to live a few more years." Lan Qin quickly stepped back. "I don't have the good fortune to enjoy such a heavenly beauty."
Xiao Man smiled. "Did you come all this way late at night just to discuss this matter?"
"Not just this," Lan Qin said, looking outside. "Come in."
At that moment, two masked men entered. One of them removed his mask, revealing the Fourth Princess underneath.
Xiao Man was not at all surprised to see the Fourth Princess. Given the Empress's current displeasure with her, if she wished to survive, she would undoubtedly need to seek help. The Empress had left her no other path.
"Imperial Princess."
"Fourth Princess, why do you look so pale, and why are you dressed like this?" Xiao Man asked knowingly. "Although my Imperial Princess's mansion has strict security, if the Fourth Princess wished to visit, she could do so at any time. There's no need to dress like this. If someone were to see you, they might mistake you for plotting something nefarious."