"There is something I'm not sure whether I should ask," Nan Gongyu said slowly.
"If you're not supposed to ask, then don't," Xiao Man cut him off. She knew what Nan Gongyu wanted to ask but didn't want to, or rather, didn't know how to answer.
"But I want to know the reason."
Xiao Man paused in her work. "If you find it difficult, just pretend you don't know. I'll find a way myself."
"She saved my life. I don't wish for her to die without a complete corpse," Nan Gongyu finally blurted out. "Can you give up?"
"No," Xiao Man continued to tend to the medicines. "Her corpse must be destroyed."
Nan Gongyu took a deep breath. "Can I know the reason?"
"It's best for you if you don't know," Xiao Man said softly. If she hadn't been reborn into Xiao Man's body, she wouldn't have known Nan Gongyu respected her so much. She didn't feel she had done anything worthy of his respect.
"What if I insist on knowing?"
Xiao Man fell silent. She didn't know whether to tell Nan Gongyu. If Nan Gongyu knew the truth, he would also desperately try to destroy Du Gu Man's corpse. However, she wasn't sure if Nan Gongyu could remain calm after knowing.
"You... what does Du Gu Man mean to you?"
Nan Gongyu was stunned, as if he hadn't expected Xiao Man to ask him that. What did Du Gu Man mean to him? A life-saver, a worthy opponent to admire?
"A life-saver, a worthy opponent to admire, or someone you like?"
"This prince has someone he likes, but it's not her!" Nan Gongyu liked to refer to himself as "this prince" whenever Xiao Man annoyed him. "She saved this prince's life. This prince wishes for her to find peace in death."
"Do you think her corpse will find peace in Murong Sheng Rui's hands?" Xiao Man's voice was very soft, like a gentle breeze, yet it made Nan Gongyu's heart tremble. Yes, Du Gu Man must have hated Murong Sheng Rui to the bone. And Murong Sheng Rui hiding Du Gu Man's corpse in the underground palace beneath his sleeping quarters was, on second thought, quite bizarre.
"Do you know something?" Nan Gongyu inquired. He always felt there was a secret here, and this secret was the reason Xiao Man was determined to destroy Du Gu Man's corpse.
Xiao Man shook the porcelain bottle in her hand, listening to the sloshing sound of the liquid within, and said slowly, "You still haven't told me, what is she to you?"
"A worthy opponent to respect."
Xiao Man sighed upon hearing this. "For this opponent, how far would you go?"
"I owe her a life, and I will repay it," Nan Gongyu said without hesitation.
"Then, destroying her corpse will mean you both owe nothing to each other," Xiao Man turned to look at Nan Gongyu, her gaze calm. "You wouldn't want her to become Murong Sheng Rui's plaything after death, would you!"
Boom! Nan Gongyu felt blood rush to his head. Murong Sheng Rui hiding Du Gu Man's corpse in the underground palace beneath his sleeping quarters was for such a vile purpose. No matter how you looked at it, Du Gu Man was the Empress Dowager of Yun Qi, his nominal mother!
After a long while, Nan Gongyu slowly uttered four words: "As you wish."
"Miss," a knock sounded at the door.
"What is it?"
"Madam He, the aunt from the He family, has come to visit."
Xiao Man's eyes flickered. He Qingyi wasn't going to the Old Madam but came to see her. Interesting. "Please have her wait in the flower hall. I'll be there shortly."
He Qingyi sat quietly in the flower hall, sipping tea. Outsiders said Xiao Zhen doted on his eldest daughter, Xiao Man, giving her whatever she desired. From the moment she entered Shui Yue Xiao Zhu and saw every flower, tree, brick, and tile, she understood that Xiao Zhen doted on this legitimate eldest daughter even more than rumored.
"Aunt He, you've been waiting." Xiao Man entered with a smiling face. "Aunt He, are you coming from Grandmother's?"
"The Old Madam asked me to come and keep her company," He Qingyi said with a smile. "But I'm here today to deliver an invitation."
"An invitation?" Xiao Man was a little confused.
"The Duchess of Chen is hosting a polo match. I happened to be coming to the General's mansion, so I was asked to bring an invitation to Miss for you," He Qingyi handed the invitation to Xiao Man.
Xiao Man immediately accepted it. Although He Qingyi had bad luck, having her engagement broken by the Jin family and tarnishing her reputation, she was good at handling people. The He family was thriving under her management. This woman was quite capable and had a good relationship with the Duchess of Chen. It was perfectly reasonable to ask her to deliver an invitation.
"Thank you, Aunt. I will certainly attend."
"Miss, it's been a long time since you played polo. You haven't participated in several polo matches this year," He Qingyi said with a smile. "Let's play a match together then."
"Excellent. Please go easy on me then, Aunt."
"Don't tease me. Everyone in the capital knows how well you play polo. I hope you don't make me lose too badly. The Duchess is also preparing prizes this time, all very good things. I'm coveting them too."
Xiao Man smiled gracefully. He Qingyi couldn't help but admire her. This Protector General's mansion still had someone who knew what was what. Old Madam Xiao was ultimately old and couldn't see that this eldest granddaughter was the truly formidable one.
"Then, I wonder if the Great General..."
"My father isn't interested in these things. He's very uninteresting," Xiao Man knew He Qingyi wanted to ask if her father would go, so she could have more contact.
"Indeed, these are things the young people enjoy. I'm just going to join the fun. I'll wait for you at the polo field then."
"Alright."
Xiao Man had someone escort He Qingyi out and looked through the invitation, a meaningful smile curving her lips. "Miss, what does this Madam He mean?"
"She's here to probe my intentions, to see if I'm willing for her to marry into the General's mansion," Xiao Man sighed. "Why don't these people understand? The one who can truly make the decision is my father, not me or Grandmother." Sudan Novel Network
"If Old Madam throws a tantrum, cries, and threatens suicide, the General will surely yield."
"No, Father has always been stubborn when pressured. If Old Madam dares to make a scene, she'll be the one to suffer in the end." Xiao Man rubbed her temples. "My equipment is worn out, and I need to buy a new set. Since we're going, it's best to prepare early."
"Then I'll immediately prepare a new set for Miss."
"How about this, let's go out together. I haven't been out for several days." Xiao Man stood up immediately. She had been confined to her room for the past few days, researching detoxification medicine, but it hadn't met her requirements. It was better to go out for a walk to avoid putting too much pressure on herself.
Ying Xue got a cloak for Xiao Man to wear, and then called for a carriage. The weather was getting cooler, with crisp autumn air, a time for seasonal change that required extra care, lest Xiao Man catch a cold.