"What are you saying?" Xiao Man said with disapproval. "When you sent Nongyue here, wasn't it to save my life at a critical moment?"
Nangong Yu couldn't refute her. He had sent Nongyue to monitor Xiao Man, but this woman could even tell lies that sounded like the truth.
"Next time, don't play with your own life like this."
"I never play with my own life," Xiao Man said softly. "This time, it's an unexpected gain. I never thought that our humble Protectorate General's Mansion would have hidden talents."
Nangong Yu's expression shifted slightly. Xiao Man had indeed noticed. The General's Mansion had hidden talents. Among the women in the inner courtyard, only the third concubine had a clear and innocent background; the others were not simple at all.
"By the way, there's news about Du Gu Mingyu."
Xiao Man sat up excitedly, then cried out and slumped back down.
Nangong Yu sighed repeatedly. "You're still injured, don't move around."
"There really is news about him? Where is he?"
"First, tell me why you were looking for Du Gu Mingyu," Nangong Yu asked slowly, staring into Xiao Man's eyes.
Xiao Man's expression was calm and confident. "Of course, it's to win him over!"
"Win over Du Gu Mingyu?" Nangong Yu didn't know whether to call Xiao Man confident or naive.
Du Gu Mingyu was a great general of Yun Qi. Even if he had been persecuted and was in exile, he wouldn't betray Yun Qi.
"Yes, win him over!" Xiao Man extended her hand. "The Du Gu family was uprooted by the Emperor of Yun Qi. Except for Du Gu Mingyu, who luckily escaped, the rest were beheaded. The Empress Dowager Du Gu was burned alive in the imperial harem. If Du Gu Mingyu wants revenge, he will surely seek external help."
"He could contact the old subordinates of the Du Gu family and rebel against the Emperor."
"Naive!" Xiao Man snorted. "Do you think the Emperor of Yun Qi wouldn't have anticipated this? He must have prepared for many years before daring to take action against the Du Gu family. I fear that the Du Gu family's old subordinates have already been rooted out. Even if there are still people lurking in the shadows, it will be difficult to achieve anything in a short period. If he wants revenge quickly, he can only defect to an enemy country and use its power to destroy Yun Qi. It's impossible for him to avenge his family without betraying Yun Qi."
"Your analysis is good."
Xiao Man continued, "Du Gu Mingyu is a famous general. If we can use him, it would be like adding wings to a tiger. After all, our Yu Sheng and Yun Qi are known as two great powers, the only countries capable of confronting Yun Qi."
"Lan Yue's national strength is not bad either."
"Lan Yue is ruled by women. Both in the court and among the military leaders, most are women. If he goes there, not only will he not be able to avenge his family, but he might even be captured and made a husband in their stronghold."
Nangong Yu's lips twitched. "He could also defect to Bei Rong."
"Bei Rong is a fence-sitter, harassing other countries every few days. If push comes to shove, Bei Rong will immediately sell him out for profit. Yu Sheng is his only way out."
Xiao Man's expression became somewhat obscure. For a moment, Nangong Yu saw a flicker of pain on her face.
"Actually, there's no need to win over Du Gu Mingyu. The Emperor of Yun Qi cutting off his own arm is a good thing for us. As long as the Du Gu family existed, Yun Qi had the right to be ranked alongside Yu Sheng. Now that the Du Gu family is gone, Yun Qi no longer has the qualifications to be called a great power alongside Yu Sheng."
"Doesn't your Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, Pavilion Master Qin, also spy on the enemy's military intelligence?"
"What do you mean?"
"If Mu Rong Sheng Rui hasn't groomed a successor, how could he dare to attack the Du Gu family?" Xiao Man said coldly. "He still has quite a few usable generals at his disposal."
Nangong Yu was confused. "Usable generals? Besides the Du Gu family, who else?"
"There's also the Xia Hou family, and the Zhao family," Xiao Man's voice became low. These were people she had cultivated for Mu Rong Sheng Rui, people to whom she had personally handed the knives.
"The Xia Hou family, I know one person, Xia Hou Ying."
Nangong Yu had met Xia Hou Ying before. She was by the side of the Empress Dowager of Yun Qi, Xiao Man, and was quite heroic. At the time, on the battlefield, he had praised Du Gu Man for having many capable subordinates, never expecting her to hand over such talent to the Emperor of Yun Qi.
Nangong Yu suddenly understood why Du Gu Man had died in the deep palace.
The woman he considered an opponent had trusted the child she raised too much. One must know that the imperial family is the most heartless. Even one's own flesh and blood would kill each other, let alone those who were not.
Thinking of Xia Hou Ying, Xiao Man closed her eyes. If possible, she did not wish to face Xia Hou Ying sword to sword one day, but their positions destined them to be enemies.
"Du Gu Mingyu is on his way to Yu Sheng," Nangong Yu said slowly.
Xiao Man's analysis was correct. Yu Sheng was Du Gu Mingyu's only way out. This girl's analysis of the situation was precise and ruthless. Xiao Zhen had truly raised an extraordinary daughter.
After Nangong Yu left the General's Mansion, Xiao Man's pained expression kept flashing in his mind, especially when she mentioned the Du Gu family. The hatred that inadvertently flashed in Du Gu Man's eyes was chilling. Did Xiao Man really want to win over Du Gu Mingyu, or did she want to kill him?
Nangong Yu sighed repeatedly. He thought that by getting close to Xiao Man, he would get the answers he wanted, but instead of getting answers, he became even more confused.
Xiao Man was a mystery to him. He couldn't tell which of her words were true and which were false.
Xiao Man's confident expression when she said she wanted to win over Du Gu Mingyu made it impossible to doubt her.
However, the hatred that flashed in her eyes when she spoke of the Du Gu family was not fake either. As a young lady from a boudoir, Xiao Man couldn't possibly have had contact with the powerful families of Yun Qi, yet she knew so much about Yun Qi. What was the connection?
Nangong Yu couldn't figure it out. He suddenly stopped in his tracks. A faint killing intent permeated the air, growing stronger and stronger. Unknowingly, he had been surrounded.
Nangong Yu's gaze fell on a man who appeared not far away, his expression unchanged. "The number one assassin of the Nine Feather Tower, Po Jun. May I ask why you are stopping this Pavilion Master in the middle of the night?"
"To kill you."
As soon as Po Jun spoke, his long sword was unsheathed, and he rushed forward with a sharp killing intent.
Nangong Yu immediately engaged in combat. The powerful aura generated by their fierce fighting spread out, devastating everything. The assassins of lower ranks were all sent flying.
The Nine Feather Tower was an assassin organization in the capital, specializing in assassination. Because they had many masters and rarely failed, their business was quite good. The Nine Feather Tower and the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion had always been at peace with each other. Yet now, the Nine Feather Tower had dispatched its number one assassin to kill the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, clearly signaling an all-out war.
"Does the Nine Feather Tower think this matter can be easily resolved by surrounding and killing this Pavilion Master?"
"You'll be dead, and it will be resolved!"
Nangong Yu let out a cold laugh, a hint of killing intent flashing in his phoenix eyes.