Qi Yihan sat in the carriage, his expression stern and silent.
Li Man'er secretly observed him, her heart filled with unease. If it hadn't been for the sudden turn of events, she wouldn't have come up with any other way to escape. She would never have voluntarily revealed her secret and brought Qi Yihan into her space.
Would he think she was a monster!
Qi Yihan's heart was indeed in turmoil.
The world was vast and full of wonders, and he had never imagined that something like a mustard seed containing a Sumeru world could actually exist. This had shattered all his perceptions from the past twenty-odd years.
"Why aren't you speaking?" Li Man'er felt it was hurtful that he remained silent after she had told him her secret and entrusted her life to him.
"I simply don't know what to say," Qi Yihan sighed. "Man'er, who else have you told about this?"
"My maternal uncle," Li Man'er felt there was no need to hide this anymore. Since she had already revealed her space, what was one more thing?
"So he's the one you brought back from Mobei, not someone the Ning family found."
Li Man'er nodded. "The major events I accomplished when I went to Mobei were all related to this. Otherwise, do you think I'm an immortal? That I had the ability to take down tens of thousands of people by myself? They couldn't detect me at all, and I could escape any crisis."
Qi Yihan gave a wry smile, then said, "Man'er, promise me you won't tell anyone else about this. You are so smart, you should know that people are never satisfied. If others find out, it might be detrimental to you."
Li Man'er nodded incessantly. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, only you and my maternal uncle know."
Hearing this, Qi Yihan felt a pang of jealousy. He wasn't the first to know this secret.
Li Man'er asked again, "Aren't you going to ask me how I got this thing, or where it's hidden?"
"No, I won't," Qi Yihan held her hand. "I only have one question for you: does it have any harm for you?"
Li Man'er thought carefully and shook her head. "If no one else knows about it, and no one tries to harm me to get it, then it's harmless. Not only is it harmless, it's beneficial to me, and it has saved my life several times."
Some things didn't need to be explained explicitly. A smart person like Qi Yihan would naturally understand.
She figured that when she went to Mobei to kill the barbarians, she had used this cheat to great effect, which allowed her to wreak havoc.
Truly, the blessed don't need to toil! Heaven had bestowed such fortune upon her, indicating that she was a blessed person.
"It's harmless, that's good." He felt fortunate to have married Man'er. "Just remember what I said, don't tell anyone."
"I've got it." In fact, the space had many uses, not only for storing items and hiding people, but also for its spiritual mist spring water. Qi Yihan didn't know about these yet. However, they would be married soon, and she could tell him slowly later!
Thinking of this, Li Man'er couldn't help but blush, and the temperature in the carriage seemed to rise significantly.
She quickly changed the subject. "That... you should investigate the people around you thoroughly. Today's incident must have been an inside job." She already had a suspect in mind, but that person was still Qi Yihan's subordinate, and she hadn't married him yet, so she didn't need to concern herself with such matters.
She believed Qi Yihan would judge wisely on his own.
"I know!" Qi Yihan said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "It seems I have misjudged people, allowing them to become so ambitious."
"It's not your fault," Li Man'er continued. "The human heart is the most unpredictable thing in the world, and the most insatiable. Having one, one desires two; having a wish leads to extravagance, and if one cannot obtain it, they will seek to destroy it."
This was clearly the most accurate critique of Consort Rong.
"I knew long ago she still harbored ill intentions towards you, but I never expected her to be so audacious as to frame you using Consort Ying," Li Man'er said. "What exactly does she want?"
Qi Yihan smiled faintly. "She simply wants to prove her own value through this incident."
Value?
A flash of inspiration struck Li Man'er. "You mean, she..." was that audacious?
"If one plan fails, there will likely be another. Man'er, do we really have to wait until she gives birth?"
"Yes, you better not ruin my plans."
The two reached a tacit understanding and did not mention the matter again.
After returning to her residence, Li Man'er first washed up and changed her clothes. She then instructed A'Si not to mention anything that happened in the palace that day.
A'Si understood.
"County Princess, how do you plan to handle today's events?"
"What, are you still feeling wronged for your A'Shuang?"
A'Si quickly knelt down. "No, this servant would not dare to have such thoughts. This servant simply did not expect her to become like this."
"Power, profit – these are things that change people's hearts. She is no longer the A'Shuang she used to be; she is now Consort Rong."
Consort Rong spent a sleepless night, fearing that her actions would be discovered. However, she waited until dawn, and there was no movement from the palace. The Ninth Prince and Li Man'er did not make a move, the Noble Consort seemed to have noticed nothing, and even Emperor Chenghua, who was usually so discerning, did not react.
It seemed heaven was on her side.
How could Emperor Chenghua's thorough investigation into Consort Ying's fainting due to medicine not uncover anything? If he didn't investigate, he had his own reasons.
Li Qingshu could not fathom Emperor Chenghua's intentions and sent someone to quietly deliver a message to Li Man'er, advising her to be prepared.
She always felt that Emperor Chenghua's thoughts were too dark and that he was likely plotting something bigger.
Li Man'er also conveyed to Li Qingshu to wait patiently, and that if anything arose, inaction would be the best course.
Upon hearing Li Man'er's reply, Li Qingshu said nothing, only felt a sense of relief.
As it turned out, Li Man'er's conjectures were all correct.
The Empress Dowager fell gravely ill, and Emperor Chenghua, in order to pray for her recovery, went to Ganzhao Temple to partake in vegetarian meals and chant scriptures, begging for heaven's mercy and Buddha's blessings.
He was gone for seven days, accompanied by many eunuchs and civil and military officials. Even state affairs were temporarily suspended.
With Emperor Chenghua absent, Consort Rong impatiently stirred up trouble. She boldly intercepted Qi Yihan in the heavily monitored imperial palace, wanting to discuss important matters with him.
Qi Yihan naturally refused. "You are now His Majesty's concubine, it is best to maintain a distance from this prince."
"What is Your Highness afraid of?" Consort Rong said with a smug look. "This consort has already dismissed everyone nearby. No one is here, so no one will overhear our conversation."
"I have nothing to say to you," Qi Yihan said, standing up to leave, but Consort Rong stepped forward and blocked his path.
She boldly pressed forward, pressing her belly against Qi Yihan. "If Your Highness dares to take another step forward, this consort will shout. If something were to happen to this consort's belly, can Your Highness bear the responsibility?"