Huang Yuhe dared not look up, her entire body feeling as if pricked by thorns, unable to sit still.
Seeing her face flush like a monkey's backside, Li Man'er immediately understood. It seemed she was truly smitten, hence her reaction.
"Do you like him?"
Li Man'er's words startled Huang Yuhe, causing her to shrink back like a rabbit, "Not exactly..."
"Tsk tsk, you're a prime example of saying one thing and meaning another."
Just then, the waiter arrived with the dishes, breaking Huang Yuhe's awkwardness. Li Man'er glanced over. The man was leaning languidly by the window, holding a wine pot and gazing outside, lost in thought.
Li Man'er looked at A'si, who, understanding her unspoken command, turned and went downstairs to handle a matter.
Huang Yuhe whispered, "What did you send her to do?"
"Don't worry about it."
"But you didn't say anything, just a look, and she understood?"
Li Man'er said dismissively, "Of course. A'si is very smart and understands my heart best."
Huang Yuhe suspiciously glanced at her maid, Xiao Tao, and winked at her.
Xiao Tao looked confused, "Miss, is your eye uncomfortable?" Completely oblivious to the meaning her mistress was trying to convey.
Li Man'er couldn't help but laugh, struggling to contain herself. Perhaps her laughter was a little too unrestrained, as the man by the window glanced their way. Then, as if recognizing Huang Yuhe, he put down his wine pot and walked over.
"Excuse me, miss, have we met a few days ago?"
Huang Yuhe's face turned bright red. She lowered her head, speechless. Raised as a well-bred lady under strict etiquette, she naturally prioritized decorum in such a situation.
Li Man'er generously said, "Young sir, my sister is shy. Please don't frighten her."
"It was my rudeness. I just found the lady's face familiar. I believe I saw you in the mountains seeking shelter from the rain some days ago."
That matched up.
Li Man'er, seeing the man was rather handsome with delicate features, a high-bridged nose, and slightly deeper-set eyes than ordinary people, grew suspicious. "May I ask the young sir's full name? Judging by your accent, you are likely not from the capital."
Huang Yuhe strained her ears, unwilling to miss a single word.
"My humble name is Jiang Yu, and I am from Hedong."
"Oh!" Li Man'er said, "Then perhaps you have mistaken the person, sir."
Huang Yuhe felt a pang of impatience, but she knew Li Man'er was acting in her best interest, so she remained silent, her head still lowered.
The man surnamed Jiang was quite tactful. He said, "My apologies for disturbing you," and returned to his seat to drink.
Shortly after, A'si returned and gave Li Man'er a barely perceptible nod, indicating the task was completed.
Li Man'er urged Huang Yuhe to eat more, "I'll escort you back later. We'll discuss that matter later."
That matter?
Huang Yuhe blinked and glanced at A'si, then understood what Li Man'er meant.
After they finished their meal and went downstairs to pay, Huang Yuhe kept her head down the entire time. She envied Li Man'er's innate confidence but lacked the courage, unable to even meet his gaze.
Li Man'er escorted Huang Yuhe back and instructed her, "Stay well at home and don't overthink things. I've sent someone to follow him and gather information. If he's a good person, I will find a way to ensure your happiness."
Huang Yuhe was utterly embarrassed. "Oh, I, I have to go." With that, she turned, accompanied by Xiao Tao, and entered the Huang manor through a side gate.
Li Man'er got into the carriage, her expression turning serious. "Have the arrangements been made?"
"Your Highness, rest assured. A'qi is personally following him, and nothing will go wrong."
Li Man'er nodded. "Find two more reliable people to keep an eye on Huang Yuhe."
A'si was startled. "Your Highness, you suspect..."
"That person might not be from our Zun Kingdom. His appearance is not quite right."
A'si was a bit bewildered. Did she also know how to read faces?
What A'si didn't know was that Li Man'er had observed signs of mixed heritage on Jiang Yu's face. His eyes were deep-set, his nose was prominent, and the lines of his profile were not soft. He did not look like a person from Zun Kingdom at all.
However, it was possible she was being overly sensitive, feeling that this encounter with Huang Yuhe was too coincidental and thus becoming suspicious.
It didn't matter. She would investigate first and see if his name was indeed Jiang Yu.
The investigation progressed even more smoothly than Li Man'er had anticipated. The man was indeed not Jiang Yu but Yelü Hongge, who had changed his name.
"Heh heh," Li Man'er chuckled. It was truly bizarre. Just as she had dealt with the Crown Prince, he was now intending to target Qi Yihan.
"Have you found his current whereabouts? Can he be apprehended?"
"This person is extremely cunning, and he seems to be skilled in disguise. A'qi has lost track of him three times, and they almost came to blows." A'si looked as if she had more to say, but Li Man'er paid little attention.
Li Man'er pondered, still feeling something was amiss. "If he's so capable, how did you manage to track him down?"
"It was the Prince who intervened."
Li Man'er was slightly surprised. "So, this person wasn't after Huang Yuhe, but after me?"
A'si nodded.
"Even with Qi Yihan's intervention, he wasn't captured?"
"The Prince said he would explain it to you later."
Li Man'er understood. It seemed Qi Yihan had let him go, and she had some inkling as to why.
That evening, Qi Yihan indeed arrived.
"Why did you let him go?"
"This person has a past connection with me. I let him off the hook, and we are now even."
Li Man'er said, "Last time you mentioned someone gave you items for disguise as repayment for saving your life. Could it have been him?"
Qi Yihan, as if he had expected she would see through his deception, nodded. "So, sometimes you don't know if the person you casually save is worth saving."
One should mind their own business to avoid future troubles.
"The moment I saw him today, I felt his appearance was not like that of a Zun Kingdom native. And his encounter with Huang Yuhe seemed too coincidental." They hadn't seen each other for months, and the moment she accompanied Huang Yuhe out, she ran into him again. How could it be so coincidental?
"Why would a ruler not stay in his own country but wander into another's territory? Is he afraid others won't find him?"
"The political affairs of Xizhou are all handled by the Empress Dowager. He is merely a puppet," Qi Yihan said. "He is weak and wishes to cultivate his own power to reclaim the throne, which I fear will not be easy."
"So he's set his sights on Zun Kingdom?" Li Man'er shook her head. "This person has been honing his skills for ten years. He won't be easy to deal with, so be cautious. Especially concerning your past with him; if it's unearthed by someone with ulterior motives, it will be troublesome."
Qi Yihan also understood this principle and said seriously, "I will deal with him as soon as possible."
Neither of them expected that the next day, this Yelü Hongge would openly appear in the capital with lavish gifts, claiming to pay homage to His Majesty Tian Sheng of Zun Kingdom.
The entire court was in an uproar!