Nangong Yu saw this scene without any surprise. After all, he had discovered in the Ten Thousand Ghost Forest that those poisonous creatures feared Xiao Man's blood. He had also guessed that what could truly suppress the蛊 poison within him was Xiao Man's blood.
The scent he smelled on Xiao Man only intensified when she was injured. In normal times, the scent on Xiao Man was so faint that it was almost undetectable.
A smile played on Xiao Man's lips as she turned to leave. It seemed there might be a second way to cure Nangong Yu's蛊 poison, and that second method was her blood. However, her blood could only suppress the蛊 poison within Nangong Yu; curing it would not be an easy task.
"How is it?"
"Just as we expected. However, we still need to meet the Saintess of Wu Yue Country first." Xiao Man said with a smile. "In two days, it will be the Wu Yue Country Lord's birthday. Once I'm in the palace, I'll find an opportunity to speak with the Saintess alone."
"Speaking with the Saintess alone will not be easy," Nangong Yu said calmly. "Fortunately, she has come out of the White Tower. We should be able to see her at the King's banquet."
"That's great! Grabbing her directly at the birthday banquet will save us time looking for her." A cold glint flashed in Xiao Man's eyes. Regardless of whether the Saintess had other ways to detoxify, she would definitely know more about the Life and Death Gu than they did!
"If we must capture her, wouldn't it be better to go now?"
"No," Xiao Man rejected. "The palace guards are strictly stationed at this time, and the Saintess is surrounded by experts. It won't be easy for us to make a move. On the day of the birthday banquet, with so many people around and so much noise, there will always be loopholes. You will be responsible for capturing her, and I will be responsible for attracting attention. We'll take her to the White Tower. Ordinary people cannot enter the White Tower, so hiding in it will be safer."
"Have you considered that the White Tower might be even more dangerous?"
"It doesn't matter. With the Saintess as a human shield, there's nothing to fear."
Nangong Yu was momentarily stunned. If Xiao Man were an enemy...
Nangong Yu felt a chill down his spine. Fortunately, they were not enemies. After all, becoming Xiao Man's target would be too terrifying.
"Alright, it's decided. We'll make our move at the birthday banquet."
Xiao Man nodded. However, Princess Wu Lan was an unstable factor. She would undoubtedly be watching Nangong Yu's every move, and Nangong Yu might not find an opportunity to act. At that time, he would still have to rely on her.
The next morning, Princess Wu Lan personally delivered the invitation to the birthday banquet. Nangong Yu accepted it with a cold face, not even saying a word of thanks. Xiao Man quickly thanked her with a smile.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for the gracious invitation. My second brother is not good with words, but he is actually very happy. He just doesn't show it, isn't that right, second brother?"
Wu Lan looked at Nangong Yu, who was sitting aside, drinking tea indifferently. Xiao Man immediately pinched him. Nangong Yu winced in pain, turned his head, and reluctantly nodded.
Wu Lan lowered her gaze and smiled charmingly, truly like a delicate flower in the wind, stunningly beautiful. Xiao Man glanced at Nangong Yu. Prince Qin was truly blessed with good fortune. Such a beauty favored him, yet he was completely unmoved!
Xiao Man immediately thought that since he was unmoved by Wen Mo Yu, the most beautiful woman in the capital, how could he be moved by Wu Lan?
Xiao Man became even more curious about the kind of woman Nangong Yu liked.
She imagined a woman of unparalleled beauty, with skin like jade and bones like ice, standing tall and graceful like an orchid in a secluded valley, captivating the world. Furthermore, she should be exceptionally talented, capable in both literature and martial arts. But were there any such women among the top ten on the Capital's List of Beauties?
At the Wu Yue Country King's birthday banquet, surrounding smaller countries came to offer their congratulations, making Duoluo City even more lively. Envoys from various countries arrived one after another, and even Yu Sheng sent an envoy to offer congratulations.
When Xiao Man discovered that the envoy from Yu Sheng was Wen Mo Han, she almost fell over.
Wen Mo Han was too familiar with the two of them. If they appeared, she was afraid she would be recognized by Wen Mo Han!
She could manage. At most, she would say she was a young girl with a childish nature, who ran away out of playfulness. But Prince Qin was currently under house arrest in his mansion, reflecting on his mistakes. Sneaking to the capital of Wu Yue Country was a violation of imperial orders and showed disrespect to the Emperor!
Xiao Man's head ached: "Why is Wen Mo Han an envoy?"
"He participated in the spring imperial examinations and was selected. After we left the capital, he took up a post in the Hanlin Academy. It is reasonable for him to be sent as an envoy to Wu Yue Country." Nangong Yu was remarkably calm. Although Wen Mo Han being an envoy was unexpected, he didn't take Wen Mo Han seriously.
"Fortunately, we chose to stay at an inn. If we had stayed at the temporary palace as Princess Wu Lan suggested, we would have encountered him!"
"You don't want to see him?" Nangong Yu asked softly.
"Your Highness, should I say you are heartless, or that you are not afraid of death?" Xiao Man said with disdain. "If we were seen by Wen Mo Han in Wu Yue Country, I could still explain. But you, how would you explain your presence here?" Souda Novel Network
Nangong Yu's lips curved upwards in a good mood: "Are you worried about me?"
"How could I not be worried? We are in the same boat!" Xiao Man rubbed her temples. "With Wen Mo Han here, the previous plan won't work. We need to implement another plan."
"There's another plan?" Nangong Yu was confused. Had they discussed another plan?
"What plan?"
"Improvise!" Xiao Man said calmly. "Find a way to capture the Saintess without alerting anyone."
"That might not work. The Saintess has many guards around her."
"Then find a way to avoid Wen Mo Han." Xiao Man frowned. "The palace is not small, and there will be many people at the birthday banquet. It won't be easy to run into Wen Mo Han."
"I'm afraid we can't avoid him." Nangong Yu's gaze swept in Wen Mo Han's direction. Wen Mo Han was already walking towards them.
Xiao Man's expression changed: "Quickly hide! Don't appear in front of him. As long as we are not caught on the spot, we can deny everything."
Nangong Yu's peripheral vision was on Wen Mo Han, and he felt a surge of annoyance. Wen Mo Han's being sent as an envoy to Wu Yue Country probably meant he was fully aware of Xiao Man's whereabouts and had deliberately come looking for her. Thinking of this, Nangong Yu felt a suffocating frustration.
"No matter what he says, don't believe him!" After saying this, Nangong Yu quickly moved away.
Xiao Man quickly turned around, reached for the pastries on the table, and prayed that Wen Mo Han hadn't recognized her.
Wen Mo Han's gaze fell on the departing figure, then he withdrew his eyes and stopped behind Xiao Man. Seeing Xiao Man covering half her face with one hand and stuffing pastries into her mouth with the other, his eyes filled with laughter.
He reached for the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and pushed it towards Xiao Man, lowering his voice: "Man'er, are you afraid I'll steal your pastries?"