Qin Xue looked at Du Yulan, then at Nangong Yi, who was still holding her mistress's hand. For a moment, she didn't know whether to speak. After all, men and women should maintain a proper distance, and with the future Princess Qi present, even though her mistress was disguised as a man, she was fundamentally a woman!
"Your Highness Prince Qi..."
"You all can leave. I'll handle it here," Nangong Yi said, directly dismissing Du Yulan and Qin Xue.
Qin Xue watched the door close, helpless. Normally, she could have taken her mistress away, but since Nangong Yi had just saved her, she couldn't just betray him.
"Miss Du, to show my gratitude, all your purchases today are free. Please, feel free to choose anything you like," Qin Xue said generously.
Du Yulan glanced at the closed door, then smiled at Qin Xue and nodded. "Thank you, Pavilion Master Qin Xue. However, I haven't seen anything I particularly fancy, nor have I been much help. I'll take my leave now."
Qin Xue saw her out. Du Yulan maintained a dignified smile on her face until she got into the carriage and lowered the curtain. Only then did the smile fade.
"Sui Yu."
"Miss."
"Investigate Xiao Qin. Find out everything, no matter how small."
"Yes, Miss."
Du Yulan had many doubts. She had always known Prince Qi was a philanderer. After all, there wasn't a single brothel in the capital that Nangong Yi hadn't visited. However, she believed Prince Qi was a good person at heart. Moreover, it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines, and Prince Qi's estate could not possibly have only one mistress, so she didn't mind his womanizing.
But the current situation was different. If rumors of Prince Qi being attracted to men were to spread, it would be detrimental to him and to her.
Du Yulan believed she understood Prince Qi quite well. He had many playmates since childhood, but those around him changed more frequently. Prince Qi was not a man of deep affection. Over the years, the only one who had remained by his side was Xiao Man.
When Xiao Man was seriously injured, Prince Qi had been lost for a while. It was only when he finally rallied that Du Yulan felt a headache coming on, and it was because of a man.
"Prince Qi likes men?"
Du Yulan quickly shook her head. It was impossible. If he liked men, it would have been common knowledge long ago. How could he be known as a dissolute prince? Yet, Prince Qi's behavior today was inexplicable. If he didn't like men, why was he so concerned about this man? Su Dan Novel Network
A thought suddenly flashed through Du Yulan's mind: unless this person wasn't a man, but a woman!
When Xiao Man woke up, her throat ached terribly, and her neck burned. She had scratched it herself. At that moment, she felt a cool sensation on her neck, as if someone was applying medicine.
Xiao Man slowly opened her eyes, but the light behind the person made it difficult to see their face. She vaguely thought it was a man. "A Yu?"
The person sitting by the bed stiffened. Then, with a teasing tone, he said, "What? You don't even recognize me anymore?"
Hearing the voice, Xiao Man finally realized. "Nangong Yi, why are you here?"
"If I hadn't happened to be here, you would be drinking tea with King Yama by now." Nangong Yi's voice was soft. Seeing Xiao Man try to sit up, he immediately pressed her down. "Don't move. I haven't finished applying the medicine yet."
"You saved me. Thank you."
"Knowing you're allergic to jasmine, why did you eat it?"
"I didn't know it was jasmine cake," Xiao Man's voice was hoarse, likely from the effort of vomiting, which had injured her throat. Speaking also caused her throat to ache.
Nangong Yi's movements were very gentle. Since childhood, Xiao Man had often been injured. Other young ladies were doted upon and protected from even the slightest scratch, but Xiao Man never cared about injuries. She had sustained so many, yet fortunately, she recovered quickly and rarely had scars.
"Since you were a child, you've always made people worry."
"That's the wrong way to put it. You're the one who makes people worry," Xiao Man retorted. "Think about it, how many troubles have you caused since you were little?"
"We're both the same, more or less," Nangong Yi said with a smile. "Be careful from now on. Jasmine is something you can't touch."
Xiao Man nodded slowly. She felt a ticklish sensation as Nangong Yi's fingers brushed her neck, and she couldn't help but move her neck. "I told you not to move. The medicine isn't finished yet."
"Did you come to the Hundred Flower Pavilion today to get rouge and powder for your new princess?" Xiao Man teased. "Miss Du is quite an interesting person."
Nangong Yi's movements paused for a moment. After a while, he asked softly, "Why didn't you return after you recovered?"
Xiao Man smiled. "If I had come back so openly, do you think I would have been lucky enough to escape with my life next time?"
Nangong Yi lowered his gaze, silent. Yes, if Xiao Man had returned, would she have been lucky enough to escape with her life next time?
All these years, he had lived with fears, seemingly carefree and unrestrained, but no one knew the pain within him. Loving but unable to, desiring but unable to obtain, he was almost driven mad. If Xiao Man hadn't always been by his side, he didn't know how much longer he could have endured.
"What must I do so that you won't get hurt?" Nangong Yi asked in a low voice. He thought that by acting recklessly, he could hide his true preferences, and Xiao Man would be safe. Yet, Xiao Man still couldn't escape the hidden dangers. What was the point of his forbearance then?
Xiao Man smiled. "What does it have to do with you? No matter what you do, those who want to scheme against me will not give up their goals, unless I am no longer the Eldest Miss of the General's Estate."
Nangong Yi fell silent. Yes, no matter what he did, as long as Xiao Man remained the Eldest Miss of the General's Estate, those lurking evils would not let her go. The only thing he could do was not to add more trouble to her.
"You... be careful of the Empress Dowager," Nangong Yi warned Xiao Man. The truly threatening person in the palace to Xiao Man was not the Empress, nor Consort Xian or Consort De, but the Empress Dowager.
Xiao Man was puzzled. She had met the Empress Dowager before. The Empress Dowager had always treated her kindly. When she was young, she often went to the palace and dined in the Empress Dowager's chambers. Yet Nangong Yi warned her to be careful of the Empress Dowager. Why?
"I understand," Xiao Man said softly. "By the way, how did you recognize me?"
Xiao Man was truly perplexed. No matter how she disguised her appearance, Wen Mo Han could always recognize her at a glance. No matter where she was, Nangong Yu could quickly find her. How could Nangong Yi recognize her? Her father and brother couldn't even recognize her.
"Your scent," Nangong Yi said with a smile. "After all, we grew up together. My sense of smell is particularly keen, and I'm most familiar with your scent."
Xiao Man sniffed herself. She couldn't smell anything. She rarely used incense or perfumes, precisely to avoid revealing her identity at critical moments. Yet Nangong Yi claimed she had a scent.