"You're getting involved in the princes' struggle?" Xiao Zhen asked incredulously.
"Father, if I don't get involved, can I stay out of it?" Xiao Man retorted. "Prince Han has plotted against me multiple times, attempting to defile my reputation and force me into marriage. Don't you know why?"
"Then you don't have to ally with Prince Qin."
"Besides Prince Qin, who else can I ally with? The Crown Prince? The Crown Prince has the Duke's Mansion behind him. Even if the General's Mansion supports the Crown Prince, it would only be icing on the cake."
"The Crown Prince is not an option."
"Prince Chu is frail and has been recuperating in Jiangnan for a long time. He has only just returned to the imperial capital, so his foundation is unstable. If I were to ally with Prince Chu, the Crown Prince would surely join forces with Prince Qin to eliminate Prince Chu first, given His Majesty's favoritism towards Prince Chu."
"That is true."
"As for Prince Qi, he is backed by the Jin family, who are wealthy and influential. To seize the throne, princes always need two things: military power and money. If I were to truly ally with Prince Qi, His Majesty would be restless."
"So, allying with Prince Qin puts His Majesty at ease?" Xiao Zhen asked.
"He's not at ease, but looking at all the princes, allying with Prince Qin is the safest for me."
"Then you could find Wen Mohan."
"Father, Mohan is meant to inherit Prime Minister Wen's legacy. If he allies with the General's Mansion, wouldn't it ruin his future?" Xiao Man disagreed.
"You're afraid of ruining Wen Mohan's future, but aren't you afraid of endangering Prince Qin's life?"
"If he were that easily killed, he wouldn't be Nangong Yu."
Xiao Zhen picked up the chopsticks that had fallen on the table and gestured for Xiao Man to sit beside him. "Tell me honestly, do you like Prince Qin?"
"Father, if I like Prince Qin, does that mean I can ally with him?"
Xiao Zhen was speechless, not knowing how to answer. If he said yes, Xiao Man would surely reply that she liked him. "Does Prince Qin like you?"
"You'll have to ask Prince Qin that. How would I know?"
Xiao Zhen wanted to refute, but he felt Xiao Man had a point. Whether Prince Qin liked his daughter was something he should ask Prince Qin. Sudan Fiction Network.
Seeing Xiao Zhen's difficulty, Xiao Man quickly refilled his cup. Xiao Zhen drank it down in one gulp and put down his wine cup. "If possible, I don't want you to have any dealings with anyone in the royal family."
"Why?" Xiao Man was puzzled. Other fathers would be delighted if their daughters married into the royal family, gaining honor and possibly becoming empress.
"Because... because..." Xiao Zhen was silent for a moment, then looked up at Xiao Man. "Where is the puzzle box I gave you?"
Xiao Man's expression changed. "The puzzle box is really Father's?"
Xiao Zhen shook his head. "It's not mine. It's what your mother left for you."
Xiao Man's thoughts raced. She had very few memories of her mother; she didn't even know what she looked like. "My mother... has something to do with the Blue Moon Kingdom?"
Xiao Zhen gave a wry smile. "When I saw the puzzle box in your hands, I was very shocked. After much thought, I gave you the puzzle box your mother left. I don't know how to open it, but your mother said before she died that once you obtained the puzzle box, you would know how to open it."
Xiao Man inwardly smiled bitterly. She had truly disappointed her mother. She had studied it for a long time and still didn't know how to open it, which was why she had summoned Mo Mo to the imperial capital – precisely to open the puzzle box.
"I'm afraid I'll disappoint Mother. I still haven't opened the puzzle box, but I will eventually."
"Since that's the case, I won't say more. Everything you want to know is in the puzzle box," Xiao Zhen sighed. "I originally thought you could live a lifetime of peace, but you are not a caged bird but an eagle soaring through the sky. One day you will fly away from my side."
"Father, no matter how far I fly, I am still your daughter."
"Yes, no matter how far you fly, you are Xiao Zhen's daughter!" Xiao Zhen said loudly. "Come, have a couple of drinks with me."
"Alright." Xiao Man quickly refilled Xiao Zhen's cup. "This drink is for Father. After drinking this, you can't be angry with me anymore."
"When has Father ever been angry with you?" They clinked their cups. "It's just Prince Qin! My Xiao Zhen's daughter can like whomever she pleases!"
"Then Father, if I like Prince Qin, can I cooperate with him?"
"Even if you don't like him, you can still cooperate with him if you wish!"
"Father, I knew you were the best!" Xiao Man quickly refilled Xiao Zhen's cup. "Today, I will definitely stay with Father until we are both drunk."
Xiao Zhen glared at Xiao Man playfully. "Why would a young lady drink so much?"
"Drinking with Father, no amount is too much. Daughter will drink first!"
The father and daughter went back and forth at the table, and as they drank, they even started addressing each other as siblings. The maids watched in astonishment, quickly arranging for Xiao Zhen to be escorted back to his courtyard and then attending to Xiao Man's sleep. Only then did Shui Yue Xiao Zhu finally fall silent.
He Qingyi came to visit, but Xiao Man was still asleep, suffering from a hangover.
The Third Concubine was now in charge of the household affairs and came out to entertain He Qingyi. However, the Third Concubine rather disliked He Qingyi, as He Qingyi had almost become the main wife of the Prime Minister's mansion.
"Miss He, what business do you have at our estate?" the Third Concubine asked languidly, sitting in the main seat and sipping her tea.
He Qingyi's demeanor was graceful, and every move exuded the elegance of a noble lady. "I have come to visit the eldest young lady."
"The eldest young lady is unavailable. Miss He should come another day," the Third Concubine said without hesitation. She knew what Miss He was scheming by coming to see the eldest young lady.
He Qingyi stood up. "Since the eldest young lady is unavailable, I will take my leave."
He Qingyi did not dally and got up to leave. The Third Concubine felt pleased that He Qingyi was so easy to dismiss. However, she didn't feel at ease until she saw He Qingyi leave, so she followed her out.
Unexpectedly, as they reached the entrance, they encountered Xiao Zhen returning from outside. Xiao Zhen had also drunk a lot last night and was suffering from a headache, so he returned to the estate early and happened to meet He Qingyi.
"Great General."
"Miss He." Xiao Zhen's gaze fell on He Qingyi. He Qingyi had not revealed the slightest detail about the matter concerning the Old Madam, proving to be tight-lipped. "Are you here to see Man'er?"
"Yes, but your estate's concubine said the eldest young lady was unavailable, so I was thinking of coming another day," He Qingyi asked gently. "I was also worried about the eldest young lady's health and wanted to know how she is recovering."
Xiao Zhen's gaze shifted to the Third Concubine. "What is the young lady doing?"
The Third Concubine lowered her gaze and said, "Last night, the eldest young lady drank too much with the General and has not yet risen."
"The young lady is frail, how could she drink so much?" He Qingyi frowned slightly. "After all, I am a physician by training. If the General doesn't mind, perhaps you could let me examine the eldest young lady? The aftereffects of a hangover can be quite painful."
Xiao Zhen scrutinized He Qingyi for a moment, then said slowly, "Follow me."