In the study, Ye Qing was idly playing with the brush holder hanging on the desk. Seeing Nangong Yu enter, he teased, "Congratulations, you've got yourself a kid."
Nangong Yu's expression remained unchanged, "You said the same thing as Xiao Man."
"Oh? Third sister said the same thing? As expected of siblings, even your thoughts are alike." Ye Qing said with delight, "I haven't seen her in a while, I wonder how she's doing?"
"Alive and kicking, can kill a bull with one punch."
Ye Qing's wrist went soft, almost hitting his chin, "Her body has recovered?"
"You forgot, her medical skills and poison arts are not bad. If she wants to appear weak, she can. No one can detect any issues." Nangong Yu sighed. He had countless times wanted to conquer territories, but Xiao Man's poison arts were too formidable. He would be incapacitated before he could even get close, making it difficult to achieve his desires.
"Then I can rest assured." Ye Qing sat down beside him, "I still haven't found any trace of the National Preceptor, but I've found some things related to him. Do you want to hear about them?"
"Don't want to hear."
"It's related to Du Gu Man."
"Speak." Nangong Yu immediately changed his mind.
"The National Preceptor's footprints are all over the four kingdoms, but he spent the most time in Yun Qi. During that time, he approached the Du Gu family under the guise of Feng Mo Ran, becoming Du Gu Man's mentor, teaching her martial arts, poison arts, and national strategy."
Nangong Yu frowned slightly, "He deliberately cultivated Du Gu Man."
"And I've also found out a secret."
"What secret?"
"The birth mother of Yun Qi's young emperor, Empress Zhen Xian of Yun Qi, was poisoned to death. The Emperor of Yun Qi also died from poisoning. The perpetrator is very likely the National Preceptor, Feng Tian Lan." Ye Qing felt a chill of fear. Feng Tian Lan's heart was truly wicked; to sow chaos in Yun Qi's court, he poisoned the Emperor and Empress of Yun Qi, and sent the sixteen-year-old Du Gu Man into the palace, holding the young emperor hostage to command the world.
"I suddenly understand why he wanted to kill Du Gu Man," Nangong Yu said slowly. "He wanted Du Gu Man to be the Empress of Yun Qi, causing turmoil and internal strife in Yun Qi's court. Who knew that although Du Gu Man respected him, she was not a puppet to be manipulated, and even deviated from his original plan. That's why he instigated Murong Sheng Rui to kill Du Gu Man."
"If Murong Sheng Rui hadn't had such intentions, Feng Tian Lan wouldn't have been able to instigate him. Neither of them are good people," Ye Qing sighed. "A generation's prodigy meeting such an end is truly lamentable."
Nangong Yu remained silent. The Du Gu Man he knew was proud, confident, and elegant. Although cold, she held her bottom line. He knew deeply that she was not a bloodthirsty person, but sometimes, only by killing could one stop further killing. Unfortunately, she trusted those around her too much, leading to her death and the extermination of her clan.
"Nangong, I must kill him!" Ye Qing said word by word, "Only Feng Tian Lan, I cannot let him go. He is the real murderer of my master."
Nangong Yu glanced at Ye Qing, "Don't worry, it's not just you. I won't let him go either."
Ye Qing breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to tell Nangong Yu that Feng Tian Lan actually had a weakness. But thinking of Nangong Yu's feelings for Xiao Man, he hesitated. He worried that Nangong Yu would be reluctant to use Xiao Man against Feng Tian Lan.
After all, Feng Tian Lan was utterly wicked. Who knew if he would do something to harm Xiao Man? If anything happened to Xiao Man, he worried Nangong Yu would not be able to bear it.
"However, I don't know where he's hiding. Our people can't find any trace of him."
"He's been in the Imperial Capital all along," Nangong Yu said slowly.
"You found his trace?"
Nangong Yu shook his head, "It was Xiao Man who discovered his trace. He's lurking around the Empress Dowager, seemingly wanting to cultivate her into another Du Gu Man. He really thinks highly of the Empress Dowager, does he really think everyone can become Du Gu Man?"
"He's hidden by the Empress Dowager's side, so how can we act against him?" Ye Qing was somewhat troubled. After all, the Empress Dowager was in the inner palace. It was already extremely difficult for them to enter the palace, and it would be even harder to act against someone by the Empress Dowager's side within the palace.
"Don't worry, he'll be back at the National Preceptor's mansion soon." Nangong Yu's lips curved into a cold smile. Having been provoked by him in such a manner, Feng Tian Lan's temperament would likely not allow him to resist. He would surely restore his identity as National Preceptor and openly break them up.
Ye Qing understood Nangong Yu well enough to know that since he said so, the National Preceptor would undoubtedly return to his mansion within a short period.
"The National Preceptor is very wary. It's not easy for us to get close to him, and it's difficult to plant informants in the National Preceptor's mansion."
"Isn't the most powerful informant already planted there?" Nangong Yu said slowly, "He planted it himself."
Ye Qing was startled, "You... you know?"
Nangong Yu picked up a wolf-hair brush from the brush holder, "The way he looks at Xiao Man is too ardent. I can't ignore it even if I wanted to. It's only because Xiao Man doesn't understand what love is and can't understand his gaze. How could anyone else not see it? It's not just me; I'm afraid Wen Mo Han has also noticed."
Ye Qing rubbed his nose, realizing they all saw Xiao Man as a sharp tool to deal with the National Preceptor. He had been so cautiously hiding, which was indeed laughable.
"Then will you use Xiao Man to deal with the National Preceptor?"
"Do you think Xiao Man would use the National Preceptor's feelings for her to deal with him?" Nangong Yu asked slowly.
Ye Qing didn't know how to answer. After all, Xiao Man and the National Preceptor were master and disciple. The National Preceptor treated her with utmost sincerity and saved her from peril several times. He truly couldn't be sure if Xiao Man would use the National Preceptor's feelings for her to deal with him.
"Xiao Man wouldn't, but she will!" Nangong Yu said slowly, seeing Ye Qing's distress.
"Besides Xiao Man, no one can get within three feet of him."
"Is that so?" Nangong Yu said slowly. After all, Feng Tian Lan had spent a long time with Du Gu Man, accompanying her throughout her youth. When he killed Du Gu Man, he must have struggled. However, in the end, he chose to go against his conscience, thus sealing his fate of unrequited love and requiring him to pay for his actions.
"Who is she?" Ye Qing asked sensitively. He had a strong intuition that there was something he didn't know regarding Feng Tian Lan, or rather, regarding Xiao Man. He just couldn't guess what it was.
"She is Feng Tian Lan's creditor!" Nangong Yu's lips curved into a cold smile. Wasn't she indeed a creditor? Murong Sheng Rui alone could not bear the responsibility for over a hundred lives in the Du Gu family. Feng Tian Lan had to bear most of the blame for it. "By the way, have you found the murderer of Wu You?"
"No, but I suspect it's related to Yao Yue Tower."
"Related to Yao Yue Tower?" Nangong Yu sneered, "Then Feng Tian Lan has another blood debt to settle!"
"Is Yao Yue Tower truly the National Preceptor's influence?" Ye Qing asked in surprise.
"Yes and no, but she will hold Feng Tian Lan accountable for this debt!"