Li Ji took the letter and asked casually.
"Did they say what it’s about?"
Gao Shan answered truthfully, "They said the Heir of Prince Yu ran into some trouble on the road and would like the Prince to send someone to assist him."
Li Ji sneered.
’Are the people from the Yu Royal Mansion out of their minds?’
’They dared to plot against my son, and now they want me to send help?’
’They must have a death wish!’
Li Ji pulled out the letter and flicked it open.
The thin paper unfolded.
He said coldly, "Go tell Wang Bei to take some men, find the Heir of Prince Yu, and... get rid of him..."
Before he could finish, his voice died in his throat.
His gaze fell upon the letter and froze.
This handwriting was all too familiar to him.
He had once held that woman’s hand, teaching her to write, stroke by stroke.
He had told her how to hold the brush, how to apply pressure, how to make her characters beautiful.
They say one’s writing reflects one’s character.
The characters she wrote were always lazy and listless, as if they might topple over at any moment.
After his strict tutelage, her script gradually took on his style. Though it appeared casual, there was a hidden sharpness in the details.
That was Manman’s unique style.
Gao Shan waited for a long time, but the Prince said nothing more.
He assumed the Prince had no further orders and replied dutifully.
"I will see to it at once."
Just as Gao Shan was about to turn, Li Ji stopped him.
"Never mind."
Gao Shan paused, a look of confusion on his face.
The fingers with which Li Ji held the letter were trembling slightly.
His casual demeanor vanished. He carefully folded the letter and tucked it into his sleeve.
"There’s no need for anyone else to handle this. I will go and see for myself."
’He suspected this letter wasn’t written by the Heir of Prince Yu.’
’As for who really wrote it?’
’Li Ji had a guess.’
’But without proof, he didn’t dare jump to conclusions.’
’He was afraid that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.’
’He had to see with his own eyes to know if his guess was true.’
Li Ji had only just returned, yet now he was rushing out again.
Gao Shan stood at the entrance watching the Prince and his retinue ride away, utterly bewildered.
’One moment the Prince wanted the man dead, and in the blink of an eye, he’d changed his mind?’
’He changes his mind so fast!’
’Well, what can you say? As expected of the Prince—truly fickle and unpredictable.’
「...」
A fine drizzle was falling.
The escort party for the Heir of Prince Yu had been traveling for a full day.
They were still far from the next post station. If they wanted to avoid sleeping in the wilderness, their only option was to seek temporary lodging in a small mountain village.
After some discussion with Mr. Du, the villagers gave them a warm reception.
The village chief even brought out his treasured tea leaves and brewed some for them.
Hua Manman was thirsty and was about to lift her teacup to drink when she noticed that Mr. Du and Ban Ren beside her hadn’t moved.
She turned her head and glanced at the other guards and servants.
No one had touched their teacup.
Hua Manman sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere.
She silently put her teacup back down.
’There’s water in the carriage anyway. I’ll just have Jiao Gui bring the waterskin over later.’
The village chief was still urging them on enthusiastically.
"Why aren’t you drinking? Don’t tell me you find my tea lacking?"
"In a poor, remote place like ours, we really don’t have anything good to offer. Please, forgive us."
As he spoke, he put on a look of embarrassed coyness.
Combined with his dark skin and square face, he looked just like a simple, honest farmer.
Mr. Du said slowly, "Your tea is indeed quite good. Even though it’s aged a few years, it still has a pleasant aroma. It’s just a pity..."
The village chief nodded along as he listened.
Seeing him pause, the chief quickly asked.
"A pity about what?"
Mr. Du gave an enigmatic smile.
"It’s a pity you added something you shouldn’t have to this tea, ruining its flavor. We really can’t bring ourselves to drink it."
At these words, the smile on the village chief’s face froze, then his expression changed drastically.
He suddenly reached under the table, pulled out a knife, and lunged at Mr. Du!
Don’t be fooled by Mr. Du’s scholarly and gentle appearance, as if he were a powerless scholar; he actually knew martial arts.
He nimbly dodged the blow.
Ban Ren stepped forward, threw a fierce punch, and kicked the table over!
The table crashed toward the village chief.
The chief was forced to retract his knife and retreat in disarray.
At the same time, people hiding in the bedroom, woodshed, and kitchen all rushed out.
Men and women, all of them the chief’s family.
They were all holding weapons like wood-cutting knives, kitchen cleavers, and axes.
The village chief had now completely shed his simple-minded disguise, his gaze dark as he stared at the group of outsiders.
"How did you know there was a drug in the tea?"
Mr. Du said unhurriedly, "The stench of blood on you is too strong. We could smell it from a great distance. You must have killed many people, I presume?"
Hua Manman sniffed.
’What stench of blood? Why can’t I smell anything at all?!’
The village chief spat on the ground and cursed viciously.
"I thought you were just a bunch of sheltered fat sheep, but it turns out you know a thing or two. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time with you!"
Mr. Du was about to reveal their identity from the Yu Royal Mansion to intimidate their opponents.
But to his surprise, Hua Manman spoke up first.
With her hands on her hips, she taunted them arrogantly.
"You call us fat sheep? You’re the ones who are a bunch of useless louts!"
The village chief was furious. "What did you say, you little brat?!"
Hua Manman retorted, "If you weren’t useless louts, why wouldn’t you even have the courage to fight us fair and square?"
"All you can think of is using underhanded tricks like drugging people. Tsk, tsk, I’m embarrassed for you!"
Her words thoroughly enraged the village chief, who roared.
"Get them! Slaughter these bastards! I’ll tear them to pieces today!"
Seeing them charge murderously toward her, Hua Manman quickly shrank back and hid behind Ban Ren.
Ban Ren had no choice but to engage the enemy.
Hua Manman silently cheered them on.
’Fight! Get them!’
Taking advantage of the chaotic melee when no one could spare her a thought, Hua Manman quietly edged toward the door.
When she slipped out, she found that a fight had already broken out outside as well.
The villagers, who had seemed so friendly before, now all had ferocious expressions.
They were fighting fiercely with the Royal Guards.
People were constantly screaming as they fell.
The rain was still falling.
Rainwater spread the blood on the ground.
Hua Manman grabbed an oil-paper umbrella that had been left by the door.
She opened it and deliberately held it low to hide her face, praying silently.
’You can’t see me, you can’t see me...’
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as she wished.
A villager spotted Hua Manman and came at her, swinging a sickle!
Terrified, Hua Manman turned and ran.
But then another villager appeared in front of her, blocking her path with an axe.
Hua Manman was trapped in a pincer attack.
Just as she was preparing to risk everything and fight for her life.
A sharp arrow pierced the air.
It violently pierced the heart of the villager in front of her!
He let out a bloodcurdling scream and fell, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Hua Manman shivered with fright.
Huddling under her umbrella, she slowly raised her head and saw someone on horseback charging into the village.
The misty, rain-shrouded mountains gradually blurred into a soft wash behind him.
Only one familiar figure grew clearer and clearer.
A traveler in green robes, appearing through the misty rain, like an old friend returned.
「...」
I have slightly modified the content of (Chapter 474: Sisterly Affection) and (Chapter 486: No Longer Needed). Those who are interested can go back and take a look.
It’s fine if you don’t want to; it won’t affect the overall reading experience.