After Xiao Man left, she did not return to the Protector General’s mansion. Someone had orchestrated this incident, and there would surely be further moves.
Her gaze fell upon her smooth, jade-like arm. There had once been a mark there, like a blood-red gecko, but now it was gone. A cold glint flashed in the depths of Xiao Man’s eyes. She found a medical clinic and secretly infiltrated it.
Within the Protector General’s mansion, the lights were ablaze. A thief had entered the estate.
The guards pursued the thief into the eldest daughter Xiao Man’s room, only to discover that the quilt on the bed was tidy, but the eldest daughter Xiao Man was nowhere to be found.
The guards of the Protector General’s mansion searched the entire estate for the eldest daughter’s whereabouts. Little did they know, Xiao Man herself had quietly left the city and was heading towards Gan Ye Temple outside the imperial capital.
Gan Ye Temple was the national temple of the Yusheng Dynasty, and its abbot, Master Wu You, was renowned throughout the land. Xiao Man understood that her failure to return all night required a reasonable explanation, and also to see who was actually behind this scheme.
Within the Protector General’s mansion, chaos reigned. The old madam, her face etched with weariness, her eyes filled with coldness, knew that her granddaughter’s disappearance overnight was no trivial matter!
If she were a concubine’s daughter, she could be married off to anyone. But Xiao Man was the legitimate daughter of the main wife and the eldest daughter, holding a noble status and deeply favored by her son. However, if Xiao Man had truly committed anything that disgraced the family’s honor, she would show no leniency!
The secondary wife, Madam Yan, seeing the old madam’s ashen face, knew that Xiao Man was in dire straits. “Mother, you should rest. The eldest daughter has likely gone off to have some fun. She’ll be back when she’s had enough. She’ll be fine.”
“With Zhen’er away, she starts staying out all night. If she’s allowed to indulge like this, what will become of her?” The old madam struck the ground with her cane, clearly enraged. “She’s going to shame the Protector General’s mansion completely!”
“The eldest daughter has always been arrogant and disrespectful. This isn’t a new behavior. Now that she’s reached her coming-of-age ceremony, and just two days ago she struck the matchmaker who came to propose from the Ministry of Revenue’s family. Could it be that her heart belongs to someone else, and she went to meet her lover in secret last night?”
“Aunt Lin, do not speak nonsense,” Madam Yan said slowly. “How can you speak such things without evidence?”
“I think she’s not speaking nonsense. Everyone knows what kind of person the eldest daughter is,” the third concubine chimed in. “What kind of girl is like her, uneducated and only good at wielding swords and spears?”
The old madam was displeased. While she disliked Xiao Man’s imperious behavior, she was, after all, the legitimate eldest daughter. This was partly her son’s fault. A proper young lady, instead of being taught to play the zither and embroider, was taught archery and warfare. Furthermore, he doted on her, granting her every wish, and thus fostered a disposition that was arrogant and disdainful of others. She couldn’t change her. If things continued like this, it would surely bring disaster upon the Protector General’s mansion!
“Old Madam, Madam, the eldest daughter has returned.”
“She finally remembers to come back. Make her get in here!” The old madam roared furiously.
Xiao Man slowly walked into the main hall. Seeing everyone present, she couldn’t help but look confused. “Greetings to Grandmother, greetings to Mother. Grandmother, why such a commotion so early in the morning? Is Father returning?”
The old madam’s hawk-like eyes stared fixedly at Xiao Man, as if regarding prey. “You didn’t return all night yesterday. Where did you go?”
Xiao Man’s expression flickered with panic for a moment. She twisted her sleeves nervously. “Granddaughter… granddaughter went to Gan Ye Temple…”
“Eldest daughter, Gan Ye Temple is outside the imperial capital. The city gates are closed at night. How did you get to Gan Ye Temple? I suspect the eldest daughter went to meet a man in secret!”
“Aunt Lin, think before you speak,” Xiao Man said coldly. “I am the legitimate daughter of this household. You are slandering a legitimate daughter with meeting a man. Do you have any proof? If not, I will ask Grandmother and Mother to uphold justice for me.”
Aunt Lin’s expression changed, and she dared not retort. The second daughter, standing beside her, quickly interjected, “Eldest sister, don’t be angry. Aunt Lin meant that if it gets out that eldest sister was out all night, it would be detrimental to eldest sister’s reputation and also damage the reputation of the Protector General’s mansion. Aunt Lin was merely worried that eldest sister might have done something wrong.”
“In that case, I should thank Aunt Lin and Second Sister for your concern.” Xiao Man immediately changed her tone. “Grandmother, your granddaughter did indeed stay out all night yesterday. However, it was not to meet a man in secret…”
Suddenly, the second daughter spotted something peeking out from Xiao Man’s sleeve. Judging by its pattern and style, it was a man’s belt!
“What is this?” the second daughter exclaimed, feigning surprise and covering her mouth. “Heavens, eldest sister, how dare you carry a man’s belt with you? This is clearly an exchange between lovers!”
Upon hearing this, the old madam’s face turned ashen. She sternly ordered, “Xiao Man, kneel down!”
Xiao Man quickly knelt down. “Grandmother, your granddaughter did not.”
“Eldest sister, don’t rush to deny it. Have you forgotten that there is more than one person in your courtyard?” the second daughter, Xiao Xiang, said with a smile. “Grandmother, why don’t we summon the personal maids serving eldest sister and ask them?”
The old madam, hearing this, immediately ordered that the maids attending Xiao Man closely be brought forth. Xiao Man looked at Hong Yu, kneeling on the ground, and frowned deeply.
“Grandmother, what are you doing?” Xiao Man asked nervously. “My maidservant has not committed any offense.”
“Hong Yu, tell me, where did the eldest daughter go last night?” The old madam ignored Xiao Man and stared chillingly at Hong Yu, as if threatening to expel her from the household if she dared to conceal anything for Xiao Man.
Hong Yu glanced timidly at Xiao Man and stammered, “Your servant… your servant does not know.”
The old madam slammed the table. “You don’t know! You are the personal maid serving the young lady, and you don’t know where she went? What use are you? Guards, drag this negligent maid out and beat her to death!”
“Old Madam, your servant was wrong. The eldest daughter… the eldest daughter last night… last night she probably went to see… went to see Young Master Liang.”
The old madam narrowed her eyes. “Who is Young Master Liang?” Su Dan Novel Network
Hong Yu glanced timidly at Xiao Man. “Young Master Liang is a scholar who has come to the capital to take the imperial examinations. He is quite talented, and the young lady admires him greatly. It is because of Young Master Liang that the young lady refused the marriage proposal from the Ministry of War’s family. She must have gone out last night… to meet Young Master Liang in secret. Old Madam, please fulfill the young lady’s wish. The young lady and Young Master Liang are true lovers.”
Xiao Man sighed. Xiao Man, Xiao Man, how much of a failure are you as a person? Even your personal maid is someone else’s pawn. How carelessly must you live?
“Xiao Man, do you have anything to say? You publicly assaulted a matchmaker, refused the marriage proposal from the Ministry of War’s family, and even met with a man in secret. Do you think you can be lawless just because your father protects you?”
“Grandmother, please enlighten me, your granddaughter has not. As for this Young Master Liang, your granddaughter has only met him once and praised his talent.” Xiao Man explained calmly.
“In my humble opinion, the eldest daughter has likely been secretly carrying on with that Young Master Liang, feigning one thing while doing another,” Aunt Lin continued. “Eldest daughter, are you still a virgin?”