"As peace negotiations with Yun Qi are ongoing, it is not wise to stir up trouble. The Crown Prince will be confined to the Eastern Palace for now. Once the negotiations are settled, a decision will be made." The Emperor decided instantly. He knew the Crown Prince was mediocre, but a mediocre Crown Prince would put him at ease. He hadn't expected him to be so foolish!
"Your Majesty is wise."
"Your Majesty." Hu Wan's voice sounded from outside the door.
"Enter."
"Your Majesty, a message has arrived from the Grand Tutor's manor. Princess Yongning appears to be unwell and a physician has been summoned. They have also sent someone to inform the Great General..."
"This humble subject takes his leave." Xiao Zhen quickly excused himself, his heart filled with worry. She was fine during the sacrificial ceremony, so how could this happen?
"Go. Yongning has always been frail; do not worry too much."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. This humble subject takes his leave."
Xiao Zhen left in a hurry. Nangong Yu also felt restless. Had something happened at the Grand Tutor's manor? Was it the Grand Tutor's doing, or an accident?
"Xiao Si."
"Your son is here."
"You will be responsible for the peace negotiations with Yun Qi. As for matters of state, Xiao San and Xiao Shi will share the responsibility." the Emperor commanded.
"Your son obeys."
As soon as Nangong Yu left the palace, he immediately asked, "What happened at the Grand Tutor's manor? Why is Xiao Man ill?"
"We do not know. No news has come from the Grand Tutor's manor. Princess Yongning went straight to the Grand Tutor's manor after leaving the Imperial Ancestral Temple and has not emerged since. After dark, the Grand Tutor's manor suddenly summoned an imperial physician," Si Chen reported truthfully.
"Isn't Si Ye by Xiao Man's side? Do you know what happened to Xiao Man?"
"At the Grand Tutor's manor, Si Ye... cannot get in."
"Meaning you know nothing about what happened at the Grand Tutor's manor?"
Si Chen lowered his head. Although the Grand Tutor's manor had few personnel, it was filled with various formations. Trespassing would alert those inside, making it easy to enter but impossible to leave.
"This Prince will personally..."
"Your Highness, no!" Si Chen stopped him. "At this time, if your concern for Princess Yongning is exposed, it will become a weakness the Grand Tutor can exploit against you."
"Am I to just wait here?"
"The Great General has already rushed there. Princess Yongning will be fine. Moreover, the Grand Tutor would not dare to harm Princess Yongning so boldly."
Nangong Yu's brows furrowed, his heart filled with unease. What exactly had happened to Xiao Man at the Grand Tutor's manor?
At the Grand Tutor's manor, Feng Tianlan's expression was grave. Xiao Man's temperature kept dropping. Even more astonishing, inexplicable wounds appeared on her body. Yet, he had been guarding her side, and no one could have harmed Xiao Man under his watch. Still, this bizarre situation was happening before his eyes.
"What exactly is going on?"
"This subordinate does not know." The imperial physician trembled. The wounds on Xiao Man's body looked like they had been cut, but no one had harmed her. Everyone had seen it.
"The General has arrived."
"Grand Tutor, what's wrong with Man'er?" Xiao Zhen walked in quickly, followed by Wen Mohan, who was equally anxious.
Feng Tianlan moved aside, allowing Xiao Zhen to see Xiao Man lying on the bed. A thin layer of frost had formed on Xiao Man's eyebrows and hair. Even though the room was filled with braziers, Xiao Man shivered from the cold. Even more terrifying was a wound that abruptly appeared on Xiao Man's face.
"What... what is happening?" Xiao Zhen reached out to touch the wound on Xiao Man's face. As blood flowed out, it instantly froze, as if Xiao Man were in a frozen wasteland, her blood almost congealed.
"I don't know. When I returned, I saw Man'er sleeping by the door of my study. I intended to wake her, but I touched her body and found it extremely cold. After I carried her inside, the fire was burning fiercely, yet she still shivered uncontrollably and even developed strange wounds."
"Imperial Physician, what is going on?"
"General, this humble physician is useless. Princess Yongning's body temperature is very low, and she has frostbite and cuts. This situation is unprecedented for this humble physician."
Wen Mohan stepped forward and carefully examined Xiao Man's condition. Xiao Man appeared to be asleep, but the wounds on her body and her icy coldness indicated something was wrong. No one could have injured Xiao Man under the Grand Tutor's watch, yet wounds kept appearing on her. This situation was truly bizarre. Harming Xiao Man in front of everyone was impossible, unless it happened in a dream.
This thought flashed through Wen Mohan's mind. He turned to the Grand Tutor, "Grand Tutor, is it possible that Man'er was injured in her sleep?"
Injured in her sleep? Feng Tianlan shook his head. Everyone dreams, good dreams and nightmares. Some people even dream of being torn apart, yet remain unharmed in reality!
"Injuries sustained in a dream do not manifest on the body," Feng Tianlan said slowly. "Just as we have nightmares, the events in the dream do not affect us physically."
"If not in a dream, then what is happening? Man'er is clearly in a deep sleep, yet wounds frequently appear on her body, indicating she was injured while sleeping, and those injuries have manifested on her body."
Feng Tianlan and Xiao Zhen exchanged a look, and both spoke simultaneously: "Illusion!"
"Illusion? What is that?"
"Guards, investigate thoroughly. I want to see who dares to set a trap in my manor!" Feng Tianlan's expression turned grim. He hadn't considered an illusion. Illusions are different from dreams. An illusion is a trap set by others. If one is injured within an illusion, the body will also be injured. If one dies in an illusion, they will never awaken!
"The priority now is to find a way to save Man'er. We must find the trigger that led her into the illusion and help her break free, otherwise, if Man'er dies in the illusion, she will never wake up!"
"Uncle Fu."
"Grand Tutor."
"Tell me, in detail, everything Miss did, ate, and drank after entering the Grand Tutor's manor."
Uncle Fu immediately recounted how Xiao Man searched for the Grand Tutor everywhere after entering the manor, and then mentioned wanting to "light" the Grand Tutor's room. However, he omitted the vulgar language Xiao Man used during that time.
"Light the Grand Tutor's room? Why?" Wen Mohan asked, puzzled.
"Miss thought the Grand Tutor had returned and was deliberately hiding from her."
"There seems to be nothing unusual."
"Has Miss eaten or drunk anything since entering the manor?"
"No."
"Then where did the problem arise? The trigger for the illusion must enter the body to be effective." Feng Tianlan paced the room, looking at the ever-increasing number of wounds appearing on Xiao Man's body. He was consumed by anxiety. If he could catch whoever did this, he would tear them to shreds.