Nangong Yu was slightly surprised. After Xiao Man left, he emerged from his hiding place.
Looking at the charred corpse before him, a meaningful smile played on Nangong Yu's lips.
"I never expected the legitimate eldest daughter of the prestigious Protector of the Nation General to resort to destroying evidence under the cover of night. Zhen has certainly raised a remarkable daughter."
"Master, aren't we going to follow her?" the hidden guard asked curiously.
"Follow her for what? To capture her?" Nangong Yu's expression remained unchanged. Although he didn't know why Xiao Man was destroying evidence in the dead of night, every household had its dirty secrets. He didn't want to meddle.
Despite Xiao Man's notorious reputation in the capital – arrogant, overbearing, and disdainful of others – Zhen doted on her, and Xiao Luo treated his sister like a precious gem.
If he were to move against her, those two would fight him to the death. While he wasn't afraid, he also disliked trouble.
"Master, Xiao Man's status in the Protector of the Nation General's mansion is higher than that of the General's wife. It's possible the General's wife bought the Snow Lotus Dew for this eldest young lady..." the hidden guard reminded Nangong Yu, suggesting that this bold young lady might be the one he was looking for.
Nangong Yu pondered for a moment. Considering Xiao Man's daring actions and decent martial arts skills, she did fit the profile of the person who had infiltrated the Qingfeng Courtyard that night. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to follow her.
Xiao Man, having dealt with the corpse, intended to sneak back into the mansion. Suddenly, she felt someone approaching from behind and instinctively struck out with a palm.
Nangong Yu had not anticipated Xiao Man's swift reaction. He blocked her palm, only to realize it was a feint. Xiao Man lifted her leg and viciously aimed for Nangong Yu's lower body.
Nangong Yu's expression changed. He quickly retreated, evading Xiao Man's attack, and then lunged forward, grabbing her wrist and pulling her closer.
Seeing this, Xiao Man used the momentum to pounce forward. Simultaneously, a dagger appeared in her hand, and she slashed it towards Nangong Yu's neck.
A hint of admiration flashed in Nangong Yu's eyes. As expected of someone personally trained by Zhen, she was indeed like a wolf cub – decisive in her actions and ruthless in her attacks, utterly unlike a sheltered young lady!
Nangong Yu tilted his head back slightly, causing Xiao Man's attack to miss. However, her body was supple and extremely agile. With a flick of her wrist, she attempted to break free from Nangong Yu's grip. Nangong Yu tightened his grip, intending to subdue Xiao Man, but he inadvertently tore off her sleeve.
Xiao Man retreated a few steps, her gaze falling on the torn sleeve. She was slightly annoyed. Did everyone like to pull at her sleeves for fun?
Nangong Yu's eyes landed on Xiao Man's smooth, jade-like arm. Under the moonlight, a crimson virginity mark flickered faintly!
Xiao Man tightened her grip on the dagger, warily observing the masked figure before her.
This person's skill was not weak, and her chances of killing him were slim. She wondered what his intentions were. Just as she was contemplating how to eliminate him, the figure turned and disappeared into the darkness.
A flicker of confusion crossed Xiao Man's eyes. Was he just here to test her skills?
Seeing that the other party had retreated, Xiao Man quickly returned to the mansion.
If she were gone for too long and her absence was discovered, she would have no excuse, no matter how many she had.
Hidden in the night, Nangong Yu watched Xiao Man's receding figure and raised his hand to order his guards, "Retreat."
The hidden guards responded in unison, "Yes!"
Nangong Yu knew Xiao Man was not the person he was looking for. After all, how could there be a virginity mark if she were not pure?
However, Xiao Man's skills had caught Nangong Yu's attention. "This daughter of Zhen is quite different from what she appears. Her tricky fighting style and ruthless techniques are not like Zhen's usual approach."
"Master, your subordinate believes this eldest young lady follows the path of a hidden guard," the hidden guard said uncertainly. "She seems to have learned the art of assassination."
"Indeed, it's quite interesting. Zhen actually allowed his most beloved daughter to learn the art of assassination. Zhen is known to be a righteous man, and it's said he personally taught this daughter her martial arts. Could it be that Zhen has something to hide?" Sudancan.com
When Xiao Man returned to her courtyard, Qiu Tong was still sound asleep. She released her acupoint and quietly went to bed.
The night was deep, and the sound of the night watchman could be heard in the distance.
At the Prince of Qin's manor.
Everyone had been busy all night but still had not found the woman who had infiltrated the Qingfeng Courtyard.
Nangong Yu looked perplexed. "There must be something we've overlooked. Investigate all the mansions on the list, anyone who could have had access to the Snow Lotus Dew. I don't believe she can hide!"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Also, investigate who it was that Xiao Man was destroying evidence for last night."
"Understood."
The next morning, the secondary wife, Madam Yan, meticulously dressed herself and, with her personal maid, headed straight for Madam Sheng's residence.
Since she had brought up the matter to the Old Madam, she had to appear impeccable.
"Madam," Xi Yue whispered, "Madam Sheng is proud and arrogant. Will she agree to teach the eldest young lady in the mansion?"
"When we invite her, we naturally cannot say it's to teach the eldest young lady. Instead, we will say it's to teach the young ladies of the mansion. If the eldest young lady is mentioned, Madam Sheng will likely show me the door."
Yan Shi fiddled with the nail polish on her fingers, a shrewd glint in her eyes. Whether Madam Sheng agreed or not, it was beneficial to her.
If Madam Sheng agreed to become Xiao Man's governess, Xiao Man would surely suffer under Madam Sheng's tutelage.
If Madam Sheng refused, she could use this as an excuse to report to the Old Madam, and let her know that Xiao Man's arrogance was so deeply ingrained that even a governess could not be found. This would make the Old Madam dislike Xiao Man even more.
"The eldest young lady's arrogance is well-known throughout the capital. Outsiders likely think all the young ladies in the General's mansion are the same. Our young lady is truly dragged down by her sister," Xi Yue complained indignantly.
The Madam only had one daughter. She had been personally taught etiquette by the Old Madam Yan since childhood. Lord Yan was the Minister of Rites. The couple had raised their third young lady, Xiao Ling, to be knowledgeable, courteous, and gentle. It was a shame she had such an unrefined elder sister, and a legitimate eldest one at that!
Madam Sheng listened to Yan Shi's request and did not explicitly refuse. She only informed Yan Shi that although she lived separately from the manor, to invite her as a governess, the Prince of Qin's consent was also required.
Yan Shi heard this and understood it as Madam Sheng's polite refusal.
She had not genuinely intended to invite Madam Sheng this time; it was merely a formality.
If Madam Sheng were to enter the General's mansion at her invitation and end up injured by Xiao Man, the Prince of Qin would hold her accountable, and she, who had invited Madam Sheng, would also face trouble. She immediately gave up and took her leave.
Upon returning to the manor, Yan Shi relayed Madam Sheng's words to the Old Madam.
The Old Madam listened and, after a moment of silence, said, "Very well, I will go to the Prince of Qin's manor myself tomorrow."