The Empress Dowager felt a clot of blood in her throat, unable to swallow or spit it out. Xiao Man, this girl, had always protected Yi’er since childhood. What was happening today? Every word was barbed, pushing Yi’er into a burning pit.
“I naturally won’t argue with a child like you,” the Empress Dowager forced a smile. “It’s just that you and Prince Qi have always been close. Today, your every word seems to push Prince Qi into a fire pit. Has someone instructed you?”
“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, you speak incorrectly,” Xiao Man cupped her fists. “My Prince Qi and I were childhood sweethearts, inseparable. We frequented brothels and casinos, never missing out. But play is play.” She continued, “His Majesty trusts me to command the Divine Capital Guard, and I cannot betray his trust.”
“And what does that have to do with Prince Qi?”
“As everyone knows, Prince Qin has the Silver Armored Army, and Prince Chu has the support of the Duke of Chen. Only Prince Qi lacks military power, yet he possesses immense wealth,” Xiao Man said slowly. “As the commander of the Divine Capital Guard, I am responsible for the safety of the imperial city and have the duty to supervise all officials. I am authorized to suspect anyone I deem suspicious. This is not directed at Prince Qi. If Your Majesty the Empress Dowager feels uncomfortable, I ask for your forgiveness!”
The Empress Dowager almost ground her molars to dust but managed to restrain herself. Nangong Yi, Nangong Yi, look, this is the woman you insisted on protecting! She is openly instigating your father’s suspicion of you!
“Yongning, you girl, when did you become so suspicious?”
“Your Majesty, since I have been entrusted with this heavy responsibility by you, I must be extremely vigilant. Let alone Prince Qi, if Prince Qin or Prince Chu were to approach me deliberately, I would also suspect them of malicious intent and coveting the Divine Capital Guard!”
Nangong Yan felt that Xiao Man had gone mad: “Then must we brothers stay away from you, lest we be suspected?”
“If Prince Chu has nothing to hide, what is there to fear?”
Nangong Yan felt a wry smile. So, approaching was wrong, and not approaching was also wrong. Xiao Man must be in a bad mood today and deliberately picking a fight.
“I heard that Yusheng has always been governed by men. I didn’t expect it to be like our Lan Yue, where women hold military power.”
“Our Yusheng is a vast nation, embracing all rivers. It is not unusual for women to hold power. Unlike your Lan Yue, where men cannot even enter officialdom, let alone study.”
Yao Ran frowned slightly. She had a feeling that Xiao Man was filled with hostility towards everyone tonight, not just targeting her, but even her own people.
Yao Ran simply stopped speaking and whispered to Lan Qin, “Did she forget to take her medicine? Biting everyone she sees?”
Lan Qin covered her mouth with her sleeve: “If she forgot her medicine, she wouldn’t be biting everyone she sees, she’d be killing them!”
“Is she crazy?” Yao Ran asked listlessly. If she weren't crazy, who would be so foolish as to offend everyone to death? The future emperor of Yusheng would be one of these three princes, but Xiao Man has offended all three at once!
“Are you only realizing this now?” Lan Qin smiled and said, “I advise you, don’t set your sights on Nangong Yu, or you will witness just how terrifying a lunatic can be.”
“Does Xiao Man have an unspeakable relationship with Nangong Yu?”
Lan Qin winked playfully: “Prime Minister Yao, why not guess? There’s a prize if you guess correctly.”
Prime Minister Yao’s smile vanished: “Do you know the consequences of defying orders?”
“You dare not touch me,” Lan Qin said with a smile. “If you touch me, I guarantee you won’t be able to leave the Imperial Capital of Yusheng.”
Nangong Yao narrowed her eyes dangerously: “Are you threatening me?”
“Prime Minister Yao, don’t speak so harshly. As a puppet princess lurking outside without any power, how could I dare to threaten the high-ranking Prime Minister Yao? I just hope Prime Minister Yao doesn’t forget your purpose for coming to Yusheng and uses the time you spend scheming against this princess on actual matters. Otherwise, this princess won’t mind a mutually destructive fight with Prime Minister Yao.”
Prime Minister Yao’s expression remained unchanged. Her gaze inadvertently fell upon Nangong Yu, only to see that Nangong Yu was also staring at her. She immediately raised her wine cup towards Nangong Yu.
Nangong Yu withdrew his gaze. He finally remembered what felt wrong. He had overlooked someone: the Imperial Princess of Lan Yue!
From beginning to end, the Imperial Princess of Lan Yue had not appeared. After Yao Ran entered the Imperial Capital, she had not left the envoy’s palace even once. He originally thought that after entering the Imperial Capital, she would definitely search for the Lan Yue Imperial Princess hidden within the capital, but she had not made any moves. Why?
Was it indifference, or did she know what the other person was doing, even without leaving her residence?
“Wen Ruyu, I have a question for you.”
“What question?” Wen Ruyu asked absentmindedly while flirting with the Lan Yue envoy.
“How can a person without eyes or ears, who stays indoors all day, know every move of another person?”
Wen Ruyu, while winking at someone, replied: “Simple. It means that person is famous, known to everyone. Every move they make will be gossiped about. Even if they don’t leave their residence, the people in the mansion must have had contact with people outside, so they can know their every move.”
“In the Imperial Capital, which people’s every move is gossiped about?”
“Your Highness, speaking of that, the list is quite long,” Wen Ruyu withdrew his gaze and began counting on his fingers for Nangong Yu. “First, the three princes. Any minor incident involving them will be widely spread among the common people. Second, famous figures on the Wind and Cloud Ranking, such as Princess Yongning, the Ninth Princess, Wen Mohan. The actions of these individuals are all closely watched by others.”
“Which women are the most closely watched?”
“Your Highness, why would you ask such a silly question? In the entire Imperial Capital, there is only one woman who is the most closely watched, and that is her!” Wen Ruyu gestured towards Xiao Man.
It was as if lightning struck Nangong Yu’s mind. He had been so foolish, so easily deceived by Xiao Man. The Lan Yue Feng Xi had been passed from Xiao Man, and although she had shifted the blame to Lan Qin, why was Lan Qin not hiding in someone else’s mansion but in the General’s mansion? And why was she targeting Xiao Man? Unless Xiao Man was inextricably linked to her interests!
If Xiao Man were the Imperial Princess of Lan Yue… Once this thought emerged, it quickly took root and grew. The doubts surrounding Xiao Man, Xiao Zhen’s excessive protection of Xiao Man, and the Xiao family’s hidden guards… Every detail pointed to Xiao Man’s unusual identity!
If Xiao Man were the Imperial Princess of Lan Yue, did Feng Tianlan know? If he did, were all his schemes meant for Lan Yue, for Xiao Man? He was helping Xiao Man cultivate power, weakening the strength of Yun Qi and Yusheng, and planting countless secret agents. When Xiao Man returned to Lan Yue and ascended the throne as empress, and with a single call, the secret agents hidden in various countries would cooperate with them from the inside and outside. At that time… Nangong Yu could barely imagine it!