Nan Gong Yu was still happily contemplating the wedding arrangements, pondering how lavish the betrothal gifts should be to demonstrate sincerity, and how to persuade the Emperor and the Great General Xiao Zhen. Then, he received news that Xiao Man had fled the imperial capital overnight.
"What do you mean she fled?" Nan Gong Yu asked, his face turning ashen.
"Tian Ji Pavilion sent word that the Princess Consort, along with the young madam of the Xiao family, left the imperial capital under the cover of night," Si Chen reported cautiously. He had thought the Prince would finally see the dawn after a long night, only to have Xiao Man flee out of fear of punishment, once again completely taking advantage of their master and washing her hands of the matter!
"Scoundrel woman!" Even with Si Chen's good temper, he couldn't help but curse.
Nan Gong Yu's expression became even more complex, shifting from ashen to pale, then purple, and finally dark. After a moment, the corners of his lips curved into a devilish smile.
"Never mind, she's still young and likes to play. Let her play, but if she thinks she can take advantage of me and then deny everything, that's impossible!"
"A'man, if we just leave like this, will Father and Xiao Luo be angry?" Chu Qing Ge asked worriedly. Prince Qin was not to be trifled with, and her father-in-law and husband were not easy either!
"I'm not worried about my father and brother. I'm worried about..." Xiao Man thought of Prince Qin flying into a rage and chasing her with a sword. She shivered inexplicably, then shook her head, dismissing the image from her mind. What she needed to do now was to secure the trade routes of the four nations. Other matters could wait!
"A'man, are you worried about Prince Qin?"
"There's no time to worry about him now." Xiao Man looked ahead. Nan Gong Cheng was leading the army, moving slower than them. Even if the army set off first, they had already arrived before it.
Chu Qing Ge looked in the direction of the distant dust clouds, where the army led by Prince Han was advancing towards the Wu Yue country. Ten thousand troops against Wu Yue's mere twenty thousand – by all accounts, Wu Yue was no match for Yu Sheng.
"A'man, are we just here to watch Prince Han crush Wu Yue with his army?"
Xiao Man looked at Chu Qing Ge meaningfully, "Sister-in-law, sometimes, having more people doesn't necessarily mean victory. Prince Han certainly has the numerical advantage, but the Wu Yue people are fierce and, though fewer in number, every citizen is a soldier. Coupled with the complex terrain, Prince Han might not be a match for Wu Yu."
"I heard that Wu Yue, with its entire population being soldiers, once lost to a force of only two thousand men, utterly defeated."
Xiao Man's smile remained unchanged, "The men led by Prince Han are not comparable to that army."
"Does A'man know who defeated the Wu Yue army?"
Xiao Man's eyes twinkled with a smile, "You will know soon enough."
"Then what is our purpose for coming here?"
"To sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight," Xiao Man said with a smile. "Let's first assess Wu Yue's strength."
Chu Qing Ge felt that Xiao Man was very different at this moment. Xiao Man gave her the feeling of a powerful minister who had wielded authority for many years. This feeling was exactly like facing Prince Qin – that calm confidence, that posture of having everything under control, made her feel both unfamiliar and excited.
"A'man, why do I feel like you're becoming more and more like Prince Qin?"
"Sister-in-law, Prince Qin and I are not on the same path!"
Chu Qing Ge chuckled, covering her mouth, "You say you're not on the same path, yet you've forgotten so quickly why you ran out of the imperial capital?"
Hearing this, Xiao Man blushed and pretended not to hear, her gaze returning to the distance. Prince Han's march was not slow, but the Emperor's widespread search for the Hu people had already made Wu Yue wary. Even with a fast pace, they couldn't catch Wu Yue off guard.
"A'man, are we just going to watch from here?"
"What, do you want to join the fray?" Xiao Man asked with amusement. "No rush. To win a hundred battles, know yourself and your enemy."
"I understand. A'man, you plan to figure out Wu Yue's strength and then help Prince Han deal with Wu Yue!" Chu Qing Ge said, nodding. But halfway through, she realized something was wrong. How could Xiao Man possibly help Prince Han? It would be a miracle if she didn't trip him up!
"You're not going to help Wu Yue deal with Prince Han, are you?"
Xiao Man blinked playfully. "I'm not helping anyone. I'm just here to watch the show. Sister-in-law, shall we make a bet? Let's bet on how long Prince Han can last under Wu Yue's attack. I bet a month."
"That can't be right. Prince Han has a hundred thousand men, after all. I think he has a high chance of winning."
"Since that's the case, let's wait and see."
Xiao Man's expression was calm and collected, her gaze falling on the Yu Sheng army not far away. Prince Han would have no return from this expedition. Originally, she just wanted to teach Prince Han a lesson and take over the four nation's trade routes. She hadn't intended to kill him, provided she didn't know that Prince Han, Nan Gong Cheng, was the mastermind behind Jiu Yu Lou!
"My Lord," a deep voice sounded. Chu Qing Ge turned and saw a man suddenly appear behind them, wearing a ferocious Xiu Luo mask that exuded a strong killing aura, sending chills down her spine. Chu Qing Ge instinctively took a step back, frightened.
Xiao Man turned and smiled, "Tian Que, you've arrived."
Zhan Tian Que looked at the unfamiliar face before him. Though they were two completely different people, he knew this was the woman he followed.
Zhan Tian Que nodded, "Everything is ready."
"What about Wu Yu?"
"Wu Yu has not yet detected our presence."
"He's truly getting old," Xiao Man said softly. "He still hasn't detected your presence. What about Bai Ling?"
"She went to the palace to negotiate."
Xiao Man listened and said slowly, "Ensure her safety. If Wu Yue refuses to negotiate, then there's no need to talk. Outside, there are already a hundred thousand troops waiting for them. Although they are not afraid, this battle will severely deplete Wu Yue's strength. At that time, it won't take much effort to take it down."
"If we can win without fighting, that would be even better."
"The premise is that Wu Yu is sensible," Xiao Man said softly. "I don't take the small Wu Yue country seriously, but even a mosquito's bite can hurt. Leave this matter to you. Wu Yue is Bai Ling's homeland. Unless absolutely necessary, do not harm the innocent."
"Your subordinate obeys your Lord's command."
"My Lord, Yan Yu Qing has been trying to find our whereabouts. After we revealed ourselves last time, Yan Yu Qing has been lingering around Wu Yue. I fear he will ruin things."
"Yan Yu Qing?" Xiao Man frowned. She had almost overlooked him. This kid's tenacity was indeed troublesome.
"Where is Yu Qian Mo?" Xiao Man's thoughts stirred. If she made two troublesome people clash, they wouldn't have time to bother her!
"He has already been lured away."
"Excellent. Have Dong Fang Wei lead his men to wait for the rabbit," Xiao Man said with a sly smile. "Let's catch them all in one net!"