"This item, I give to you. I believe you will find it more useful than I would," Wen Mohan said after much thought, deciding to return the mechanical box to Xiao Man. It was useless in his hands, but perhaps in Xiao Man's, it could serve a different purpose.
Xiao Man was somewhat surprised. She had been fretting over how to get the mechanical box back from Wen Mohan, and he had offered it to her himself.
"Since that's the case, then I shall accept it."
"As an exchange, give this to me," Wen Mohan took the jade pendant from Xiao Man's waist. The hollowed-out circular jade pendant showed hints of red from within. Ever since he had known Xiao Man, this pendant had always been on her person, indicating her deep affection for it.
Xiao Man was slightly taken aback. Just as she was about to refuse, she swallowed the words back. "You have a good eye. This is a memento left to me by my mother. Be careful not to damage it."
"I will cherish it dearly and will never let it get bumped or scratched," Wen Mohan said with a gentle smile. "As long as I am here, and this item is here, even if something were to happen to me, I would not let it suffer the slightest damage."
"Nonsense. An object is just an object; it's not as important as a person. At any time, you must take care of yourself," Xiao Man said seriously. It was acceptable for the item to be in Wen Mohan's possession. No one would have imagined that she would openly wear the Phoenix Pearl and then give it away!
After Wen Mohan left, Ying Xue asked, confused, "Miss, why didn't you tell Master Wen about the situation? Lord Cen has framed you multiple times, and he is not a good person!"
"Mohan and Cen Yu are old friends. If I were to tell him that Cen Yu has harmed me, it would seem like I am trying to sow discord. Moreover, some truths must be discovered by oneself to be believed. The truth told by others may not be the truth."
"Miss means that we have misunderstood Lord Cen?"
"It's not that we misunderstood him, but rather, in our eyes, Cen Yu is a bad person because he always frames me. However, in Mohan's eyes, Cen Yu is his good friend, a good person. A person cannot have only one side, nor can they be judged by simple good or bad. In our view, someone might be an utterly wicked person, but to those around him, he might be a great benefactor."
"Miss means that whether Lord Cen is a good person or a bad person, Master Wen should determine that for himself?" Ying Xue, being quick-witted, understood.
"Yes, after all, he is his brother. Regardless of what kind of person Cen Yu is, no one else has the right to make that decision for him."
"What if Master Wen believes Lord Cen is a good person?"
"Then I will not shatter his perception," Xiao Man said softly. After all, Cen Yu and Wen Mohan had been brothers for many years, having faced life and death together. Cen Yu's current status in the Cen family was inseparable from Wen Mohan's help, and the Wen family's economic support was also inseparable from the Cen family's profit transfers.
"Then if he reveals Miss's information to Cen Yu, won't that cunning fellow harm Miss again?" Ying Xue disagreed, saying, "I think you should tell him and let him sever ties with that Cen Yu!"
"If someone thought your young lady, I, was a murderous demon, who committed all sorts of evil, and asked you to sever ties with me, would you?"
"Of course not!"
"Then that's right," Xiao Man patted Ying Xue's shoulder. "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you."
Ying Xue glared at Xiao Man's retreating back as she entered the house. She felt that Xiao Man's words were somehow wrong, yet also made a lot of sense, and for a moment, she didn't know how to refute them.
"Ying Xue, why are you staring with wide eyes?" Yin Zhu came over, carrying clothes, and asked curiously upon seeing Ying Xue staring intently at the hall.
"Yin Zhu, if someone called me a murderer and asked you to sever ties with me, would you?"
"Are you a murderer?"
"No."
"Then I wouldn't."
"But what if I really were a murderer?"
"I'd immediately distance myself from you. I'd be afraid you'd kill me," Yin Zhu immediately moved away from Ying Xue. Ying Xue felt a surge of blood choke in her throat, unable to swallow or spit it out.
"Are we not sisters anymore? Just because I'm a murderer, you want to cut ties with me?" Su Dan novel network
"Otherwise? Are you going to kill me?"
"I..." Ying Xue stammered. "Why would I kill you?"
"A murderer, naturally, kills without batting an eye. Perhaps on a whim one day, you'll kill me. Where would I go to cry?" Yin Zhu retorted.
"Does a murderer necessarily kill people?"
"If a murderer doesn't kill, can they still be called a murderer?"
Ying Xue paused, then realized, "Then will Lord Cen kill Master Wen?"
"Why would Lord Cen want to kill Master Wen?" Yin Zhu said with a look of disdain. "They are good brothers, brothers for many years. He could kill everyone in this courtyard and wouldn't lay a finger on Master Wen."
"So this means that Lord Cen isn't too bad, at least he wouldn't kill Master Wen?"
"Silly girl, he'd dare to kill anyone but Master Wen!" Yin Zhu chided. "However... he might also kill Master Wen on a whim. After all, no one knows what a madman thinks."
"Then isn't Master Wen in danger?"
"I call you silly and you really are silly!" Yin Zhu poked Ying Xue's forehead and continued, "Do you think Master Wen is a little white rabbit in a cage, for anyone to kill?"
"Master Wen is utterly defenseless..."
"A scholar's weapon is the brush in their hand, and their eloquent mouth! Their weapons are sometimes more powerful than a general's saber. A general kills one person with a single strike, but a scholar's words can potentially destroy a family. Our General wouldn't necessarily be his match!"
"Is Master Wen that formidable?" Ying Xue asked in surprise. In her eyes, Wen Mohan was a weakling, easily dispatched by any assassin.
"Is our Miss formidable?" Yin Zhu lowered her voice and asked.
"She is formidable. Miss is the most formidable person I've ever met!"
"He can render our Miss speechless, making her follow his wishes. Can he not be formidable?" Yin Zhu saw it clearly. Master Wen was best at using subtle tactics. While His Highness Prince Qin was decisive in his actions, he never gained an advantage in any confrontation with Master Wen.
"Really?"
"Look, Wen Moyu and Master Wen are siblings. Wen Moyu has done so many bad things, and Miss has tried to distance herself from Master Wen multiple times, but has she succeeded?"
"No."
"Miss has an extraordinary relationship with His Highness Prince Qin. She wanted to return the bracelet from Master Wen, but was she able to?"
"No."
"Miss has always been decisive. With her personality, Lord Cen has framed her multiple times. She should have dealt with him by now, but has she?"
"No..."
"Therefore, never underestimate scholars. Their weapons are invisible but extremely lethal," Yin Zhu said earnestly. "It's fine, read more books, you'll learn a lot."