A man like Prince Yu, who had held a high position for many years, naturally possessed an unusual aura of authority.
An ordinary person would surely feel flustered under his gaze.
But Hua Manman seemed accustomed to dealing with such people. She wasn’t flustered in the slightest. In fact, she calmly answered him while trying to figure out the intention behind his question.
"When I fell, I accidentally lost a sachet. I want to go back and look for it."
Prince Yu asked, "It’s just a sachet. Why trouble yourself to make a trip for it?"
Hua Manman smiled sheepishly.
"I’ve been cooped up at home for too long. I wanted to use looking for it as an excuse to get some fresh air."
Seeing how fluently she answered, Prince Yu couldn’t help but think a little more highly of her.
"You will be leaving for Shangjing soon. Don’t go out again, lest another accident occurs.
The household is packing your luggage. Go and see if there is anything you need to bring.
You can also freely choose the servants and trusted aides who will accompany you."
He spoke nonchalantly, but Hua Manman keenly sensed that he didn’t want her to return to the place where she had fallen, been injured, and lost her memory.
If there was nothing wrong with that place, he would have no reason to stop her.
Outwardly, Hua Manman nodded in agreement, but she had already made a decision in her heart.
’I’ll have to find a chance to sneak out later.’
Prince Yu was old and shrewd. He instantly guessed what Hua Manman was thinking.
He sized up the girl before him and asked abruptly.
"Do you really not remember anything?"
Hua Manman froze, not understanding. "Huh?"
Prince Yu spoke slowly, his words laced with a deeper meaning.
"Although the household doctor said you might have amnesia, that was just a possibility.
Whether you truly have amnesia or are only pretending... only you know for sure."
Prince Yu left it at that and then watched her in silence.
She stared at Prince Yu, utterly bewildered.
The two of them stared at each other.
The atmosphere was a little awkward.
Prince Yu frowned. "Do you really not understand, or are you pretending not to?"
Hua Manman said earnestly.
"I really don’t understand!"
With no other choice, Prince Yu could only continue to hint.
"It’s enough for you to be aware of certain things. There’s no need to get to the bottom of it."
The more Hua Manman listened, the more confused she became. "How could I be aware? Can’t you speak more plainly?"
Just a moment ago, Prince Yu had thought this girl was quite clever, but now he realized he’d overestimated her.
’Even now, she’s still playing dumb!’
Displeased, Prince Yu frowned and said.
"Do you really have no idea what your own status is?"
Hua Manman wanted to ask, ’What is my status?’
But she quickly realized.
’The status he was referring to must be my true origin.’
She asked cautiously.
"So you’ve known all along that I’m not your granddaughter?"
How could Prince Yu possibly not know?
He was the one who had ordered his men to rescue this girl of unknown origin.
He still remembered when he first saw her. She was wearing strange clothes, her hair was disheveled and loose, and she had nothing on her person to prove her identity.
Only her face was identical to that of his eldest granddaughter.
His silence was a tacit admission.
Hua Manman couldn’t understand.
"Since you know perfectly well that I’m not Lu Man, why are you making me impersonate her? Aren’t you afraid your own granddaughter would be heartbroken if she found out the truth?"
Prince Yu seemed to recall something he was unwilling to remember. He closed his eyes and was silent for a long while before he spoke softly.
"When we found Amang, she was already a corpse.
She died from a broken neck."
Hua Manman was stunned.
Prince Yu slowly opened his eyes, his grayish-blue eyes fixed on her.
"I have already had Amang’s body buried, and the scene has been thoroughly cleaned.
You won’t find any clues even if you return to the site of the incident, so there is no need for you to make that trip."
At this, Hua Manman finally understood.
’So, because his eldest granddaughter died, this old man found a substitute to make everyone think Lu Man was still alive.’
’But why?’
’Was it because Lu Man was the Prince Mansion’s Princely Heir that even her death could not be revealed?’
Prince Yu met her gaze, which was filled with confusion, and slowly explained.
"Amang was our Yu Royal Mansion’s legitimate eldest grandchild. With her dead, my title will have no successor."
Hua Manman said, "You could pass the title to Lu Kai! He has a son, which guarantees you’ll have a successor."
But Prince Yu shook his head and sighed softly.
"He is not of the legitimate line. According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a son born to a concubine is not qualified to inherit a noble title."
Hua Manman was stunned.
She had never considered that such a rule existed.
Prince Yu said grimly.
"If news of Amang’s death gets out, the court will learn that the Yu Royal Mansion has no successor.
When I die, the title of Prince Yu and its fiefdom will be reclaimed by the court.
I cannot let that happen."
Hua Manman finally understood the gravity of the situation.
At the same time, she also realized her own importance.
’The entire future of the Yu Royal Mansion now rests on her. This is a perfect opportunity to negotiate terms with him!’
’This was a great opportunity to turn a passive situation into an active one.’
An idea formed in Hua Manman’s mind. She leaned back, slumping in her seat with poor posture, and said.
"I sympathize with your current predicament, but why should I help you? You’ll have to give me a reason."
Prince Yu watched her calmly and said in an unhurried tone.
"If you stay in the Prince Mansion and continue to live as Lu Man...
...you will not only live a life of comfort and privilege, far above others, but you will also inherit the title and become a regional overlord with immense power."
Since waking up, Hua Manman had been staying in the Prince Mansion and had never gone outside to take a look.
She didn’t know how large the fiefdom under Prince Yu’s control was, nor did she know what kind of status Prince Yu held in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Hearing Prince Yu say this, she thought the old man was just bluffing and scoffed.
"It’s just a mere title. You make it sound like you’re some local emperor."
Prince Yu had no desire to argue with her about this and said flatly.
"Of course, if you are unwilling to do as I say, then I have no choice but to kill you, to settle things once and for all and eliminate any future problems."
Hua Manman’s body stiffened.
"You’re at your age... isn’t it a bit unseemly to be talking about killing people?"
Prince Yu called out expressionlessly, "Ban Ren."
A burly man well over eight feet tall pushed open the door and strode inside.
He was Prince Yu’s most capable trusted aide. It was said he possessed Divine Power from birth and could kill an ox with a single punch.
Ban Ren stared at Hua Manman, brimming with killing intent.
It was as if he was about to twist her head off in the next second.
Hua Manman felt an intense sense of danger.
Spurred on by her will to live, she quickly sat up straight and said meekly.
"Grandfather, your grandson will listen to your every command from now on."
’So long as she submitted fast enough, her head wouldn’t have time to roll.’