"Qian Yi Han's death was too strange. I always suspected an inside job," Qu Yang's voice sounded somewhat unreal. "But after searching everyone who knew, we couldn't find the mole."
"Speak plainly," Xiahou Ying disliked Qu Yang's circuitous ways the most.
Qu Yang looked at Xiahou Ying. "Yin Feng..."
"You're not allowed to call me by my courtesy name!"
Qu Yang seemed surprised, then said, "You still can't let go?"
Xiahou Ying didn't answer. He polished the gun barrel repeatedly, just as that person had taught him. His expression showed no sign of wavering. He knew he absolutely could not show any abnormality in front of Qu Yang. Any suspicious look would be seized upon by this man, who would then meticulously dig for his secrets.
"Le Tian was sent to Yusheng to teach the Prince of Qin a severe lesson," Qu Yang said slowly. "After extensive investigation, we discovered that the Prince of Qin had a close relationship with Miss Xiao Man, the eldest daughter of the General Who Protects the Nation's Mansion. Thus, we decided to kill Xiao Man as a form of punishment."
Xiahou Ying looked at Qu Yang in shock. Kill Xiao Man... How dare he!
"However, we underestimated Xiao Man. Not only did Le Tian fail to kill her, but he also lost his life because of it." Qu Yang's gaze drifted towards Yangguan, the border of Yusheng. Their enemy was beyond that. "I will avenge Yi Han and Le Tian."
Xiahou Ying withdrew his gaze, not replying. Xiao Man had killed Qian Yi Han and Bai Li Le Tian, but not him. Why? With her abilities, killing him should have been easy. After all, Du Gu Luo was by her side. If she had intended to kill him, he would never have been able to leave the imperial capital of Yusheng safely. Yet, she had spared him and urged him to leave quickly. Did she not know his identity? No, she knew. She had let him go deliberately!
"Qu Yang, is the Empress Dowager's body in the palace?"
Qu Yang's expression stiffened upon hearing this. After a long silence, he replied, "The Empress Dowager's body was dissolved into a pool of blood by Nangong Yu with corpse dissolving water. This is also why we were determined to kill the Prince of Qin of Yusheng."
The envoys from Wuyue Kingdom entered the imperial capital, their procession grand and imposing. The leader was the youngest princess of Wuyue, Wu Lan Na.
Inside her carriage, Wu Lan Na glanced at the intelligence report. She had come to negotiate to buy Wuyue time to breathe and, at the same time, to return Nangong Cheng to the imperial capital of Yusheng. If the prince returned safely, there would be no mortal enmity between the two nations. She could only win this negotiation; losing was not an option.
As the welcoming envoy, Wen Mohan calmly escorted them to the envoy's guesthouse. After making arrangements for the Wuyue envoys, he then proceeded to the palace to report.
"Did you see the King of Han?"
"There was no trace of the King of Han among the envoy party. It is likely he did not travel with the group to the capital," Wen Mo Yu's voice was unhurried, as if he were always this composed.
"Did you meet the Princess of Wuyue?"
"Yes, I did. She is valiant and possesses the bearing of a princess of her nation."
The old emperor looked at the chess pieces on the board, glaring at the young girl sitting opposite him. "Girl, did you steal my chess pieces?"
Xiao Man spread her hands innocently. "Your Majesty, Yongning did not steal your pieces. You are the one who took back your move and changed positions."
The old emperor examined the chessboard carefully. Indeed, his pieces were all there. It was Xiao Man who was missing two pieces, and they were hidden in his pocket.
"Then I won't move here, I'll move here." The old emperor immediately moved the piece he had just placed back.
"Minister Wen, why don't you say something to His Majesty? As the ruler of a nation, he actually bullies a little woman like me," Xiao Man said coquettishly.
Wen Mohan smiled gently. "His Majesty is the elder. Princess Yongning, why don't you yield to His Majesty a bit more?"
"Yes, yield to me a bit more."
Xiao Man said with a hint of disdain, "Last time, no more taking back moves."
"Minister Wen, come, be my strategist. I don't believe I can't defeat this girl."
"Two against one, how shameless," Xiao Man picked up a pastry and nibbled it indignantly. "Your Majesty just bullies Yongning."
"If you surrender, I will let you go."
Xiao Man slammed a chess piece down. "The children of my Xiao family only die in battle, they do not surrender."
"This scoundrel Xiao Zhen. He had a good daughter and insisted on teaching her like this. Why would a woman need to fight on the battlefield? You should just be a princess, find a good man, and marry him, then stay home and raise children."
"Your Majesty, you made me a princess just so I can raise children?" Xiao Man asked, feigning shock. "Not so I can find a good man to marry me, and he can raise our children?"
The emperor burst into laughter at her words. "Listen, listen, this girl is still thinking of finding a son-in-law to marry into her family. What good man would want to do that?"
"I'm different. I am Princess Yongning, personally conferred by Your Majesty. Marrying me would be soaring to the heavens, saving ten years of hard work compared to others!" Xiao Man said confidently. "I heard there are many good men among this year's scholars. Your Majesty, tell me about them."
"The top scholar of this batch is right here," the old emperor looked at Wen Mohan.
Xiao Man quickly waved her hand. "Your Majesty, if I force Minister Wen to marry the princess, wouldn't Prime Minister Wen be furious with me?"
The old emperor was amused by this. "You're afraid of him?"
"Yes, I am," Xiao Man said earnestly. "His mouth can revive the dead. How could I not be afraid?"
"Your mouth is no worse than Prime Minister Wen's," the emperor said with a smile.
"Your Majesty is teasing Yongning." Xiao Man deliberately made a wrong move, giving the emperor an opportunity. The emperor immediately placed a piece, blocking Xiao Man's retreat.
"No taking back moves!"
"Your Majesty, that is not very honorable," Wen Mohan reminded him.
"Nonsense, Yongning is letting me win," the old emperor said shamelessly. "Right, Yongning?"
Xiao Man smiled slyly. "Your Majesty, how about you let me take back my move?"
"No!" The emperor said with a stern face. "After all, you are the eldest daughter of the General Who Protects the Nation's Mansion. Your father is a man of his word. How can you go back on your promise?"
Xiao Man pouted and continued the game. "Your Majesty is bullying me!"
"Haha, I'm not bullying you." The old emperor narrowly defeated Xiao Man and triumphantly returned to the imperial study. Xiao Man watched the emperor's cheerful departing back and sighed.
"It's not easy. Your father truly has it tough!"
Wen Mohan lowered his head and smiled. "Knowing it's not easy, you still specially came to the palace to play chess with His Majesty."
Xiao Man picked up the chess pieces and put them into the jar, saying, "I just came to the palace to express my gratitude. Who knew His Majesty would drag me into a game of chess?"
"Yongning is in the palace." A figure in imperial yellow approached gracefully. Xiao Man's eyes flickered. In the palace, besides the emperor, the only other person allowed to wear yellow was the Crown Prince.