"Has the second sister met with misfortune?" the old madam continued, seeing Xiao Man’s silence. "The Empress Dowager is not an easy woman to deal with, and Prince Qi is not as simple as he appears. I know you've always been on good terms with him, but caution is still necessary. The Empress and the Xue family are deeply entrenched. If this becomes a struggle for the throne, the General's mansion will inevitably be implicated. Especially since your father commands the Shen Du Battalion, and your elder brother guards Yun Zhong City. A single misstep, and your father and elder brother will be dragged down. They have always doted on you, so consider them a little more."
Xiao Man merely listened, offering no reply. Madam Xiao was unconcerned, as if talking to herself. "I had intended to take the fourth sister with me, but she refused, saying she wanted to stay by your side. I couldn't stop her. You are her elder sister, look after her well. She's not inherently bad, just unlucky to have a mother who has led her astray. Fortunately, she herself is a sensible person."
"I understand."
Madam Xiao let out a sigh of relief. "I will have things prepared shortly. We will return to Cangzhou tomorrow. Please take care of things here in the mansion."
"Does the old madam intend to take the fourth miss, and will she take Concubine Lin along?" Xiao Man inquired.
"Bring her along. The fourth miss is still young and cannot be separated from her mother."
"Perhaps not. She is not one to remain quiet. If taken to Cangzhou, who knows what trouble she might cause. Since the old madam has decided to leave tomorrow, I will arrange for escorts." Xiao Man's tone was businesslike and cold.
"Then I shall trouble you."
After speaking with Xiao Man, the old madam, along with the fourth miss, left the imperial capital early the next morning without a sound, returning to their ancestral home in Cangzhou.
When Concubine Lin received the news, Madam Xiao and her entourage had already departed the city. She immediately wanted to pursue them but was stopped by the butler.
"Steward Lu, where are the old madam and the fourth miss going?"
"The old madam is unwell and has returned to her ancestral home in Cangzhou to recuperate. The fourth miss, being filial, is accompanying her to Cangzhou to tend to her illness. She specifically instructed Concubine Lin not to worry."
"The fourth miss has gone with them…" Concubine Lin’s expression soured as if she had swallowed a fly. The fourth miss was nearing her coming-of-age ceremony, and she was already vetting suitable matches for her. For the old madam to take her away at this juncture was effectively cutting off her lifeline.
In her distress, Concubine Lin had no choice but to sneak out of the mansion to seek help, unaware that her every move was being closely monitored.
"Eldest sister, Concubine Lin truly cannot keep her composure."
"The fourth miss is her fallback. The old madam taking the fourth miss away is equivalent to severing her lifeline," Xiao Man said softly. "At the same time, the fourth miss is also a hostage. Once she is taken away, Concubine Lin will be beyond control, and the Cen family will no longer feel secure using her."
"Eldest sister, this tactic of pulling the rug out from under someone is brilliant," Xiao Ling chuckled. "But, little sister doesn't understand, how dare the Cen family, mere merchants, plant spies in the General's mansion?"
"He was on good terms with the Prime Minister's mansion from a young age, and the Prime Minister's mansion is a sworn enemy of the General's mansion. To curry favor with the Prime Minister's mansion, it's not surprising he would plant a few spies in the General's mansion." Xiao Man had always been puzzled by what Cen Yu sought. If it were for high office and wealth, he hadn't entered officialdom. If it were for ultimate riches, the Cen family was already wealthy enough.
"I have also met Cen Yu. He always followed the Wen siblings around. I initially thought he was fond of Wen Mo Yu, but even after Wen Mo Yu became the Princess of Han, he remained a loyal dog of the Wen family."
"Third sister, be mindful of your words," Xiao Man glanced at her.
Xiao Ling quieted down, almost forgetting that the eldest young master of the Wen family was very close to her eldest sister. Rumor had it that the eldest young master of the Wen family would become the General's mansion's son-in-law. She wondered what her eldest sister thought of young master Wen.
"I apologize, Eldest sister. I spoke out of turn."
"It's alright. I'm just trying to understand what Cen Yu is after."
"What people seek is usually money, power, or love. The Cen family is wealthy, so they lack no money. Perhaps it's for power."
"There is no one in the Cen family who has entered officialdom. If he wanted power, he could have joined the bureaucracy, but the Cen family has not."
"Then it can only be for love," Xiao Ling sighed. "Wen Mo Yu is a sworn enemy of Eldest sister. Could he be acting against the General's mansion because of Wen Mo Yu's affairs?"
"It's not impossible." Xiao Man said this outwardly, but inwardly she disagreed. If Cen Yu truly loved Wen Mo Yu, Wen Mohan would have done everything possible to facilitate their marriage, rather than letting Wen Mo Yu marry the morally corrupt Prince Han. But if it wasn't for Wen Mo Yu, then who was it for?
A person's face flashed in Xiao Man's mind, startling her. She immediately recalled what He Qingyi had said: Cen Yu, due to his exceptional beauty in childhood, was treated as a plaything by the Cen family patriarch and given to high officials for debauchery to gain benefits, until he met Wen Mohan, which ended his life as a catamite.
Was he repaying Wen Mohan? No, that wasn't right. If he were repaying Mo Han, why would he repeatedly scheme against her after knowing Mo Han’s relationship with her?
Unless, his purpose was not repayment!
Xiao Man pondered for a long time, still unable to fathom what Cen Yu sought. She decided to return home. On the way back, she passed the Lan Xiao Pavilion and her gaze involuntarily fell upon its plaque.
She had intended to go to Lan Xiao Pavilion to cure the Fire Charm poison. Instead, she took a wrong turn and inadvertently entered Nangong Yu's Qing Feng Bie Yuan.
"Eldest sister used to frequent these places with Prince Qi. At the time, little sister thought it was absurd. Prince Qi, being a man, goes to brothels for pleasure. Does he go to male courtesan houses because he also likes men?"
"What did you say?"
"Eldest sister, little sister was just joking."
"No, you're saying Prince Qi likes men?"
"Eldest sister, Prince Qi is already married. He married the youngest granddaughter of Grand Tutor Du. How could he like men? It was just a jest. After all, what normal man would go to a male courtesan house, unless they had a taste for the same sex!"
Xiao Man's mind suddenly became clear. She finally understood. Cen Yu sought not money, nor power, but a person! The person he sought should be the Wen family's eldest young master, who saved him from the abyss in his youth!
"Xiao Man!" Cen Yu and Xiao Man chanced upon each other on the street. Cen Yu sneered, "What, are you trying to go in?"
Xiao Man smiled. "It would be normal for me to go in, as this place caters to women and those with special tastes. If Master Cen were to go in, he would certainly be assumed to have a taste for men."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Cen Yu's face turned pale with anger. He pointed at Xiao Man and cursed, "You unchaste… unchaste…"
"A wicked woman who is unchaste?" Xiao Man interjected. "Tsk, tsk, I imagine there are more venomous words you'd like to use, but perhaps you fear damaging your good reputation and being disliked. You, a grown man, are you afraid a young lady will mock you?"