Free Web NovelChapter 387: Chapter 389: Wishful Thinking
The system reminded her.
’In the original story, Crown Prince Li Cheng was deeply in love with the female lead, Hua Qingqing, and definitely wouldn’t have brought himself to kill her. But now that he’s been replaced by Prince Dongyang, Li Hao, that’s no longer a guarantee.’
This was also why the system had issued a sudden mission.
Li Hao was impulsive and short-tempered, and he held no special feelings for Hua Qingqing.
If his rebellion failed, Li Hao was capable of anything.
Hua Manman was just a weak woman with no strength to speak of, and the Seventh Prince was still just an infant. The mother and son had no way of protecting themselves. For Li Hao, killing them would be child’s play.
Faced with the Yulin Guards’ threats, Princess Rouwan’s face turned pale, but she didn’t retreat a single step.
Seeing this, the leading Yulin Guard raised his hand.
"I’ll count to three. If the Commandery Princess hasn’t backed down by then, don’t blame us for washing the Duke Zhen Country Mansion in blood tonight."
"Three... two..."
The Protectors had already gripped the hilts of their swords, ready to fight to the death.
Princess Rouwan had also prepared for the worst.
’Worst case, I’ll just die.’
’I’m tired of living anyway. If I die sooner, I can be reunited with the Lord Duke in the underworld sooner.’
Just then, Hua Manman suddenly spoke up.
"Wait a moment!"
The countdown stopped.
Everyone’s eyes snapped to her in unison.
Hua Manman said, enunciating each word, "I can go with you, but you cannot harm anyone else in the Duke Zhen Country Mansion."
Princess Rouwan’s expression changed drastically.
She roared furiously, "Shut your mouth!"
But Hua Manman ignored her, her eyes fixed on the Yulin Guard.
The leading Yulin Guard was still weighing his options.
His mission was to capture Princess Consort Zhao alive. But if he could bring Princess Rouwan back as well, he might exceed his mission objectives, which would mean greater benefits for him.
Hua Manman suddenly snatched the saber from a Protector next to her.
She pressed the blade against her own neck.
"If you don’t agree, I’ll die right here in front of you."
’The Yulin Guards used a net to catch me earlier, which clearly means they want to take me alive.’
’That means they don’t want me dead.’
’At least, not for now.’
’I still have great value to them.’
Hua Manman decided to take a gamble.
And it turned out she had won her bet.
The leading Yulin Guard’s face changed instantly. He said urgently,
"I can agree to your terms! Don’t do anything rash! Put the sword down!"
Prince Dongyang’s orders were to capture Princess Consort Zhao alive, and he had repeatedly emphasized that it *had* to be alive.
If Princess Consort Zhao died here, they would have no way to answer to Prince Dongyang.
They would rather receive fewer benefits than botch the mission.
Hua Manman: "Have your men lower their bows and arrows and withdraw completely from the Duke Zhen Country Mansion."
The Yulin Guards on the walls quickly vanished into the night.
The Yulin Guards in the courtyard also left one by one.
Only when the last Yulin Guard had walked out of the Duke Zhen Country Mansion did Hua Manman finally lower the blade from her neck.
She returned the saber to the Protector and turned to look at Princess Rouwan.
"You must have figured it out by now. Something’s happened at the palace, and I have to go. I’ll have to trouble you to look after Qing Huan and Si Yun."
Princess Rouwan stared at her in disbelief. "You’re actually going with them?"
Hua Manman said helplessly, "I’ve already given them my word."
Princess Rouwan: "You can go back on your word! I’ll have someone lock the main gate right now and not let them back in."
Hua Manman: "Even if you lock the gate, they can still climb the walls."
Princess Rouwan retorted, almost in a fit of pique.
"I can have people pour oil on the walls! We’ll see if those bastards don’t fall and break their necks!"
Hua Manman chuckled. "And what if they set fire to the Duke Zhen Country Mansion?"
Princess Rouwan’s eyes widened. "They’d dare?!"
Hua Manman’s smile slowly faded. "They’ve already dared to rebel. What wouldn’t they dare to do?"
Princess Rouwan was left speechless.
Hua Manman said seriously, "After I leave, you must take good care of yourself. Don’t act rashly. As long as you wait for the Saint and Prince Zhao to return, you will be safe."
Princess Rouwan wanted to ask, ’Then what about you?’
But the words died on her lips.
She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
In the end, she only said stiffly,
"Don’t think that just because you’re doing this, I’ll accept you as my daughter-in-law."
Hua Manman put on a deliberately surprised expression.
"Don’t tell me you think I’m doing this to protect you? Seriously? Seriously? You’re not that full of yourself, are you?"
Princess Rouwan: "..."
She was instantly angered by the embarrassment and snapped, "Shut your mouth!"
Hua Manman: "Those Yulin Guards came on strong. They won’t give up until they achieve their goal.
Even if I refuse to go with them, they’ll just use other methods to take me away.
That being the case, it’s better if I just go with them on my own.
That way, I can at least avoid a lot of physical suffering. Don’t you agree, Commandery Princess?"
She spoke logically, and in any case, that was the truth of the matter.
But Princess Rouwan felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
’She wasn’t a fool. She knew this girl in front of her was deliberately trying to placate her.’
’Who would willingly jump into a pit they knew was right in front of them?’
’This girl was clearly trying to sacrifice herself to protect the entire Duke Zhen Country Mansion.’
’How could there be such a foolish person in this world?!’
’No.’
’There was one other person in this world just as foolish as her.’
’And that was Duke Zhen.’
’He knew perfectly well that the Emperor was wary of him, yet when he learned that enemy forces were encroaching on the borders of Great Zhou, he still chose to lead the troops into battle without a moment’s hesitation.’
’And so, in the end, he died a dubious death on the battlefield, without even a complete corpse left behind.’
’They were both the same kind of fool.’
Princess Rouwan looked at Hua Manman, her expression growing somewhat dazed.
By the time she came back to her senses, Hua Manman had already reached the main gate.
Princess Rouwan couldn’t help but chase after her for a few steps.
"Come back!"
Hua Manman’s steps faltered.
She glanced back at Princess Rouwan and asked in a deliberately teasing tone,
"Why are your eyes so red? Don’t tell me you were so moved by me that you’re about to cry?"
Princess Rouwan forced back the tears that were about to spill from her eyes and squeezed out a stiff smile.
"In your dreams!"
Hua Manman smiled. "Take care."
With that, she turned, strode over the threshold, and walked out the main gate of the Duke Zhen Country Mansion.
Princess Rouwan stood stunned for a moment, then quickly chased after her.
Everyone else followed.
By the time they got outside the main gate, Hua Manman was already inside a carriage.
The carriage was surrounded on all sides by layers of Yulin Guards; not even a mosquito could fly in.
Princess Rouwan watched helplessly as the carriage grew more distant. Her chest was filled with an unbearably painful emotion, making her face turn pale and her vision darken.
Nanny Zhang noticed something was wrong and hurriedly supported her.
"Commandery Princess, are you all right?"
Fighting back her distress, Princess Rouwan gave an order to a Protector.
"Go to the South City Gate at once. Find a way to contact Bian Ziming and have him inform Li Ji as soon as possible.
Tell him that Princess Consort Zhao has been taken away by people from the palace. If he doesn’t want to become a widower at such a young age, tell him to get his ass back here!"
"Yes!"
