Xiao Man stayed in the side hall for a long time. When she came out, she saw Prince Nan Gongyu standing on the outer corridor, looking at the blooming pear blossoms outside, as if surrounded by melancholy.
"Your Highness Prince Qin." Xiao Man curtsied and prepared to leave, but was stopped by Prince Qin's words.
"Are you also here to mourn your mother?" Nan Gongyu, as if having dropped his guard, chatted with her for a few words.
Also? Mother?
Xiao Man's heart stirred. That was right. Prince Qin's mother, Consort Xue, had passed away many years ago. It must be that the longevity hall enshrined Consort Xue's memorial tablet.
It was a pity that she could not openly enshrine memorial tablets for her own family, but could only light a perpetual lamp to express her grief.
"Yes."
"My mother loved pear blossoms the most. She said that in the Western Regions, it would begin to snow in August, and when the trees were covered with snow, they would look like these pear trees." Nan Gongyu's voice sounded a little indistinct, but Xiao Man could hear sadness in it.
Xiao Man remained silent. Nan Gongyu turned his head to look at Xiao Man. He did not miss the pain on her face when she lit the perpetual lamp.
He even saw hatred. Whom did she hate?
Was it her father?
No, it shouldn't be. Xiao Zhen doted on this daughter immensely. How could Xiao Man hate him?
Xiao Man felt extremely uncomfortable under Nan Gongyu's probing gaze.
"This humble subject requests leave." Xiao Man wanted to leave at this moment.
It was rumored that this Prince Qin was cold on the outside and even colder on the inside. She didn't know why he was waiting here to talk to her today.
There must be a reason for this unusual behavior. Xiao Man did not want to have too much contact with Nan Gongyu.
Nan Gongyu nodded and withdrew his gaze.
The wind blew, and pear blossoms fell from the branches, like snow, landing on Nan Gongyu's heart.
Nan Gongyu no longer paid attention to Xiao Man and turned in the opposite direction. He had an appointment with Master Wuyou to play chess.
Back in the side room, Xiao Man rummaged through her luggage and found a bottle of wine. This wine was something she had taken great pains to find, a thirty-year-old Nu'er Hong. This wine was not prepared for herself, but for the abbot of Gan Ye Temple—Master Wuyou.
In the meditation room, Wuyou looked at the chess pieces on the board with an unpleasant expression. He looked up and glared at Nan Gongyu, who opposite him looked indifferent. He gritted his teeth and made a move. "You brat, you don't know how to respect the old and love the young. You don't even let me have a chance!"
Nan Gongyu glanced at Wuyou indifferently and made a move. "I've already let you have three moves. You old man, aren't you ashamed?"
Wuyou looked unashamed. What was there to be ashamed of by letting moves?
Besides, this young man's chess skills were getting better and better. He lost more than he won when playing against him. Letting him have two more moves didn't matter, but this person refused to let any more.
"Recently, I observed the celestial phenomena at night and found that the Ziwei star was shifting eastward, with the Tujun star in the palace, forming a Qi Sha formation." A hint of worry flashed in Wuyou's eyes. "Be careful yourself."
"I know." Nan Gongyu's voice remained flat. "If you don't concentrate, you might lose again."
"Abbot." A young novice monk knocked and entered. The chess piece in Wuyou's hand instantly slipped, rolling onto the ground. The piece rolled around and landed at the novice's feet.
The young novice quickly picked it up and handed it to the abbot. "Abbot, a guest is here to see you. They say they are an old friend of yours and have brought the thirty-year-old Nu'er Hong as agreed."
Wuyou's expression, which had been somewhat relaxed just moments ago, instantly became solemn. He slowly put the chess piece back into the chess pot and sighed after a long while. "This old monk has a distinguished guest arriving. I will not entertain you today."
What is meant to come, will eventually come.
Nan Gongyu got up to take his leave and walked out. As he emerged from Master Wuyou's meditation room, he saw Xiao Man waiting outside, looking composed. Seeing Nan Gongyu emerge, she quickly curtsied. "Your Highness Prince Qin."
"We are indeed fated to meet again so soon." Nan Gongyu's voice was gentle.
He hadn't expected Wuyou's distinguished guest to be Xiao Man. Given Wuyou's temperament, few people could make him change his expression.
What secrets did this Xiao Man hold?
A young lady raised in seclusion, who was actually an old acquaintance of the abbot of Gan Ye Temple, and seemed to be on very good terms. It couldn't help but pique Nan Gongyu's curiosity.
"It's just a coincidence." After Nan Gongyu left, Xiao Man entered the meditation room.
Xiao Man walked into the meditation room and elegantly sat opposite Wuyou, pushing the Nu'er Hong in her hand towards him. "Master Wuyou, it has been many years since we last met. I hope you are well."
Wuyou looked at the face before him. This face was very unfamiliar, but he was not unfamiliar with those eyes at all. He couldn't help but sigh. "Ultimately, a word has come true."
Xiao Man picked up her tea, blew away the foam on the surface, and said, "A word has come true? I don't think so. Nothing appeared suddenly; there were signs. I was the one who blinded myself, blinded my heart, refused to see or hear, and that's why Heaven is punishing me so."
"It was destined that you would face this calamity," Master Wuyou said slowly. "However, the time has come sooner than I expected, and you have appeared before this old monk in such a manner."
"Yes, I am also very surprised." Xiao Man put down her teacup. "Even now, I still feel it's unreal, as if I'm dreaming. It's as if everything in the past is a bygone era, a dream. But every time I wake up in the middle of the night, I return to that night, with blood everywhere, fires everywhere, burning my body and soul again and again, driving me to the brink of madness."
"Amitabha, you have fallen into a demonic state."
Xiao Man gave a bitter smile. "Master Wuyou, I am not in a demonic state. It's just that some things are already etched into my bones, and some pain cannot be spoken to anyone. The only thing I can do is to do my best to make my enemies pay the price they deserve."
Wuyou understood that he could not persuade her. "You have come this time to retrieve your belongings, haven't you?"
"Yes, to retrieve my belongings." Xiao Man replied softly.
Wuyou got up, took a plain-looking box, and placed it in front of Xiao Man.
He did not know what was in this box, because the method of opening it was such that, throughout the world, besides the creator, it was probably only this person who could do it.
Xiao Man picked up the box, put it away, and got up to take her leave.
Wuyou watched Xiao Man's departing back and recited a Buddhist verse: "Amitabha, benefactor, this old monk still says the same thing, commit fewer killings. You have experienced the seven sufferings and should have attained enlightenment."
"Wuyou, we are also old friends. I once put down my butcher's knife, but what did I get in return? I returned from hell, not to forgive."
Xiao Man looked straight ahead, the scene of the entire Dugu family being executed flashing in her mind. Blood stained her world. If putting down the butcher's knife resulted in the extermination of her entire family, then she would rather wield the butcher's knife and transform into a demon to protect what she wanted to protect!
Moreover, Mu Rong Sheng Rui was still alive.
And her entire family was wailing on the road to the underworld. If Yun Qi was not destroyed, and Mu Rong Sheng Rui's head was not taken, how could the hatred that burned her body and soul day and night be pacified?!