The doctor left reluctantly under the guards' urging. As he rounded the corner, his expression of helplessness vanished, replaced by a mocking smile. Reaching up, he peeled off a human skin mask, revealing a beautiful face. It was none other than Xiang Xue.
Xiang Xue made her way to the depths of the alley. After many twists and turns, she finally entered an inconspicuous civilian residence.
"I'm back."
Xiang Xue entered with a smile. "Miss, it was so much fun. You weren't there to see Lan Bing grinding her teeth and her face contorted with rage. I can guarantee that if the two princesses of Bianjing were here right now, Lan Bing would pounce on them and bite them to death."
Xiao Man smiled. "Lan Bing is a person who craves praise and is easily incited. After being ostracized for so many years, she hasn't learned to restrain herself. She holds military power, yet those two in Bianjing don't take her seriously, and there's a reason for that."
"Miss, why don't those two in Bianjing try to win her over?"
"If she can be the successor, why would she help others?" Xiao Man asked with interest. "Rather than helping someone else ascend the throne, it's better to sit on it herself. Moreover, their statuses are similar. With Lan Bing's temperament, do you think she's willing to be subordinate to others?"
"She probably isn't willing," Xiang Xue said thoughtfully. "But Miss, if she's not willing, why doesn't she return to Bianjing?"
"Do you think she doesn't want to go back?" Xiao Man picked up her tea, took a slow sip, and then continued. "Military power is her reliance, but it's also her shackles. With military power, she can fear no other princesses. However, those who lead troops cannot return to the capital without an order. If she were to bring her troops back to the capital privately, it would be considered treason. Although her mind isn't the sharpest, she's not foolish."
"I forgot about that. But Miss, back then you held military power, didn't you also lead troops back to the court at any time?"
"Silly girl, back then I was the Empress Dowager of Yunqi, and I had no heirs. Even though I held military power, could I have rebelled against Yunqi and become emperor?" Xiao Man asked softly. She hadn't not considered this idea, but she had suppressed it in time. If she had staged a coup, the chances of success would have been very high, but it would have given external enemies an opportunity. She had stepped down for the peace of Yunqi, and in doing so, had also given up the lives of the Dugu clan.
"Miss, I think you should have rebelled against the young emperor back then and become the empress yourself, just like the Empress of Lan Yue. Look, Lan Yue is ruled by a woman, and yet the country is still prosperous and strong."
Xiao Man smiled and shook her head. "It's different."
"I don't think there's any difference," Xiang Xue continued. "If you had become the emperor of Yunqi, Yunqi would certainly be the leader of the four nations, and no one would dare to invade even slightly."
Xiao Man fell silent. This was indeed an undeniable fact. As soon as the news of the assassination of Dugu Man spread, the other three nations began to stir. To the other three nations, the person they feared was not the young emperor of Yunqi, nor the Scarlet Feather Iron Cavalry, but her. She alone was worth a thousand troops!
"Alright, stop talking nonsense here. Hurry up and pack. We need to depart."
"So soon?"
"While Lan Bing is seriously injured, we should hurry back to Bianjing. The journey might not be peaceful. Whether it's Lan Ya or Lan Yuan, they probably want to keep me away forever." Xiao Man's eyes shimmered. "Unfortunately, many people want me dead, but the only one who can truly take my life is myself."
Xiang Xue didn't understand Xiao Man's meaning, but she obediently went to pack her luggage.
When the Fifth Princess woke up, it was already dark. The pain in her arm reminded her of the suffering she had endured that day.
The Fifth Princess glanced around the room. "Where is everyone?"
"Who does Your Highness refer to?"
"The person who treated this princess's injuries."
"They have already left," the guard said cautiously.
"Who gave you permission to let them go? Go and bring them back immediately," Lan Bing said through gritted teeth. Thus far, no one who had dared to wield a knife on her had lived!
"Yes, Princess."
Just as the guards were about to go and apprehend the doctor, the inn suddenly erupted. Thick smoke billowed, and the waiters ran out, shouting, "Fire! Fire!"
This inn was occupied solely by the Fifth Princess and her entourage. The Fifth Princess had ordered the entire inn to be booked. At this moment, with the inn catching fire, the guards had no mind to capture a doctor and quickly led the Fifth Princess to escape.
However, as they descended the stairs, a violent explosion occurred. The blast wave sent them flying, and they landed awkwardly outside the inn. The Fifth Princess collapsed onto the ground, her arm pinned beneath her, causing her face to contort in pain and her screams to echo.
The guards immediately scrambled to help the Fifth Princess, while some guards who hadn't managed to escape perished in the sudden explosion.
The Fifth Princess was furious and anxious. "They want my life! I will be irreconcilable with them!"
The guards lowered their heads, not daring to reply. After all, there was no evidence, and no one knew who was responsible. However, this incident was undoubtedly aimed at them, as the fire in the inn was too suspicious.
"I will kill them!"
"Princess, the priority is to leave here first. We don't know how many assassins are lurking in the shadows. Our men have been dispatched for ambush, and we are short-handed. If we fall into a trap, Your Highness will be in danger."
Although Lan Bing was furious, she also understood that at this moment, preserving her life was paramount!
"Recall all those dispatched to ambush Xiao Man!" Lan Bing immediately ordered. "They want to use me to kill Xiao Man? No way! Not only will I not kill her, but I will ensure she returns to Bianjing whole and intact, and let Xiao Man be a thorn in their side!"
The guards thought to themselves that the Fifth Princess was truly driven mad by the stimulation. If Xiao Man, a princess, were allowed to return alive, it would not only be a nuisance to those in Bianjing, but also a nuisance to the princess herself!
"Princess, is this not appropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about it? If I can't be a princess, they won't be princesses either!" Lan Bing gritted her teeth. "I would rather an outsider be a princess than let them sit in that position!"
Humans are sometimes strange creatures. Facing those around them, no one is willing to yield. They refuse to let those close to them snatch what they cannot obtain themselves, and would rather give it to outsiders.
Meanwhile, Xiao Man, who had been prepared for a bloody battle on her return journey, found the road back to Bianjing surprisingly peaceful. Although ambushes were detected, they never encountered them. By the time they successfully returned to Bianjing, those who wanted her dead had not made a move, or rather, had no opportunity to do so. Despite Lan Ya and Lan Yuan's cunning schemes, they never anticipated that Lan Bing would act contrary to their plans!