Xiao Man rode her horse back slowly. She had naturally seen Nangong Yu crush the jade pendant. Now she dared not court disaster, for if the Prince of Qin was angry, she would have no good outcome.
"Mo Han, I'm truly sorry. I promised to win the jade pendant back for you as a gift, but I failed. However, rest assured, I will prepare another birthday gift for you."
"It's alright, you did your best," Wen Mo Han said softly. "There's still the pottery throwing game next, do you want to play?"
"No, I'm tired. I'll go rest first." After speaking, Xiao Man turned to change her clothes, with several maids following her closely. Cen Yu glanced at Wen Mo Han, saying nothing. These two were now completely at odds.
Before Xiao Man could enter the dressing room, she was stopped. Those who blocked her were all daughters of noble families from the capital: "Xiao Man, how dare you shoot Prince Qin!"
"Mmm," Xiao Man replied lazily, intending to leave. However, since these people had decided to stop her, they had no intention of letting her leave unharmed.
"You injured Prince Qin, and you still want to leave?"
"Prince Qin didn't blame me, so by what right do you blame me?" Xiao Man sneered. If the tiger doesn't show its might, they really thought she was a sick cat. "Are you Prince Qin's woman, or Prince Qin's daughter?"
"You... you shameless woman! First, you were ambiguously involved with that poor scholar, then you were seen associating closely with ruffians. Now, not only are you seducing Young Master Wen, but you also deliberately shot at Prince Qin! Do you think because you are the eldest daughter of the Protector General's Mansion, you can do whatever you want?"
"That's right, I am the eldest daughter of the Protector General's Mansion. What can you do to me?"
"Beat her!" With the command of the leader, countless people swarmed forward, intending to overwhelm Xiao Man with numbers.
Xiao Man's expression turned cold. She kicked the person in front of her in the stomach, sending them flying. The scene immediately descended into chaos. Ying Xue and the other maidservant protected Xiao Man while trying to ward off the frenzied women. If these women's identities were not so high, they would have truly wanted to unleash a massacre.
At this moment, a scream rang out: "Murder! Murder, Xiao Man killed someone!"
Those who were attacking Xiao Man immediately retreated upon hearing the word "murder." The crowd then discovered someone lying on the ground, a dagger plunged into the woman's chest, her clothes stained with blood.
Xiao Man's gaze fell on the dagger. It was her personal weapon, but she had taken it off when changing into her riding attire and placed it in the dressing room. The dressing room of the General's Mansion was always guarded. Someone in the General's Mansion was framing her!
"Heavens, it's the Fifteenth Princess!"
"This is terrible, Xiao Man killed the Fifteenth Princess!" Those women scattered like birds, shrieking and running away. In a moment, many people had gathered.
The death of a princess of the realm was no small matter!
"Man'er, what happened?" Wen Mo Han heard the news and rushed over, holding Xiao Man's hand. "They say you killed someone, what's going on?"
Xiao Man shook her head. "I don't know what happened. The scene was too chaotic. By the time I reacted, I saw the Fifteenth Princess lying there."
"Guards, apprehend Xiao Man," declared the Duchess of Chen, making a decisive move. This Fifteenth Princess was the Empress's own daughter and the Emperor's most beloved princess. Now, she had died at the polo match hosted by her, so she would have to bear responsibility!
"Wait, the matter has not been clarified yet. How can the Duchess of Chen arrest people indiscriminately?"
"Princess Wen, do not protect this murderer. We saw with our own eyes that she killed the Fifteenth Princess!" a woman immediately stepped forward to accuse Xiao Man. "Tell me, isn't that right?"
The women pointed to by that woman looked at each other hesitantly and nodded. They had come to trouble Xiao Man, but they had not seen her kill anyone. However, given Xiao Man's arrogant and overbearing demeanor, killing a princess was nothing. She had even tried to kill Prince Qin earlier.
"Yes, it was her, she killed the Fifteenth Princess!"
"Xiao Man, do you have anything else to say?"
"Why worry about having no excuse when you want to commit a crime? I did not kill the Fifteenth Princess."
"You say you didn't kill the Fifteenth Princess, then whose dagger is this?" someone questioned. After all, many people had seen Xiao Man use this dagger, and Xiao Man had no way to deny it.
"This is indeed mine."
"Duchess of Chen, the truth is out. Xiao Man is the culprit who murdered the Fifteenth Princess!"
"Apprehend Xiao Man, bring the body of the Fifteenth Princess, and enter the palace to face the Emperor." This matter was too serious for the Duchess of Chen to handle alone. She could only have the person apprehended and take them to the palace for the Emperor's judgment.
"What's going on, causing such a commotion?" a voice came. Everyone looked at the speaker.
"Greetings to the three Your Highnesses." Everyone quickly bowed.
Nangong Yi strode forward to examine the Fifteenth Princess Nangong Qin lying on the ground, then looked at Nangong Yu and Nangong Yan, slowly shaking his head. She was already dead.
"What happened?" Prince Chu asked gently.
"Replying to Your Highness Prince Chu, it was Xiao Man's doing," the Duchess of Chen stepped forward slowly and said. "Originally, we were at the polo field when suddenly someone ran over saying that Xiao Man had murdered the Fifteenth Princess."
Nangong Yan's gaze fell on Xiao Man, but he saw her staring at Nangong Yu. His gaze then shifted to Nangong Yu's arm, which Xiao Man had shot. The wound had not yet been treated, and the sleeve was already stained with blood. Blood dripped from the back of Nangong Yu's hand onto the ground, forming patterns like blood-red plum blossoms.
"Xiao Man, was it your doing?"
Xiao Man withdrew her gaze. "It was not."
"A quibble! It is clear that you were unhappy with the Fifteenth Princess for insulting you, so you took advantage of the chaos to murder her," a woman jumped out to accuse Xiao Man.
"I am merely stating the facts."
"Facts? Is the dagger that killed the Fifteenth Princess not yours?"
"It is." Xiao Man admitted frankly. After all, many people had seen her use the dagger, and denying it would be useless.
"You yourself admitted that the murder weapon is yours, and you still claim you didn't kill the Fifteenth Princess?"
"She relies on the prestige of the General's Mansion and is accustomed to being arrogant and overbearing. On the polo field, she even deliberately injured Prince Qin. What is killing a princess to her?" someone immediately said sarcastically.
Nangong Yan understood in his heart that this was a scheme targeting Xiao Man, but the person who set the trap had great audacity to use a princess's life to frame Xiao Man.
"Xiao Man, do you have any evidence to prove you are not the murderer?" Nangong Yan asked.
"No," Xiao Man said calmly. "However, the clear will clear itself. Even if it reaches His Majesty, my words will remain the same: I did not kill her."
"Since that is the case, let us proceed to the palace to face the Emperor," Nangong Yan decided. Guards stepped forward to apprehend Xiao Man, who remained unfazed.
"Wait." Nangong Yu finally spoke. Nangong Yan looked at Nangong Yu, wondering if he would, at this moment, protect Xiao Man regardless of the consequences.