Chapter 649 - 652: Menace
Hua Manman had no choice but to enter the city again.
She said to Yue Niang, "You and the others stay here at the inn. Once I rescue Gou Dan, I’ll come back for you immediately."
Yue Niang was filled with worry. "Will you be alright on your own?"
Hua Manman didn’t know if she could manage on her own, but things had reached this point. She had to make it work, no matter what.
"It’s easier for me to hide my identity alone. The more people I bring, the more attention we’ll attract. Just wait for news from me here."
She paused, then added.
"If I’m not back in three days, you should leave with Princess Rouwan and the others."
Yue Niang pursed her lips and said stubbornly.
"I’ll be waiting for you right here."
’She hated how useless she was, unable to help Manman when it mattered most.’
Hua Manman reached out and hugged her. "The fact that you’ve come this far with me is more than I could ask for. Leave the rest to me."
When she learned that Hua Manman was really going into the Imperial Palace to save Gou Dan, Princess Rouwan found herself starting to believe that she was, in fact, Hua Manman.
After all, who would go to such great lengths and take such a huge risk for someone who wasn’t their own flesh and blood?
Princess Rouwan handed her a handkerchief.
"After you find Madam Zhong’an, show her this handkerchief. For the sake of the connection between our families, she should help you."
Hua Manman accepted the handkerchief with both hands.
The name "Rouwan" was embroidered in the bottom-right corner of the white silk handkerchief.
Hua Manman thanked her, then pulled a metal token from her robes.
"This belongs to the Prince. If I can’t make it out in one piece, please help me return it to him."
Princess Rouwan took the token and glanced at it, her brow furrowing slightly.
"The Mystic Armor Order... Isn’t this something left behind by the former Crown Prince? How do you have it?"
This matter concerned Li Ji’s true parentage, and Hua Manman felt it would be better for him to explain it himself.
She gave a vague reply, "It’s a long story. We can talk more when we have time."
Princess Rouwan was suspicious, but seeing Hua Manman’s evasive gaze, she knew she was unwilling to reveal the truth. The princess could only drop the matter for now.
Hua Manman quickly changed the subject.
"I went to the Regent Prince Mansion today and found everyone gone. Do you know what happened to them?"
Princess Rouwan said, "The Empress Dowager issued an edict and had them all arrested and taken to the Ministry of Justice."
Everyone knew exactly what kind of place the Ministry of Justice was.
Those people, thrown into the Ministry of Justice, would surely be tortured.
Seeing Hua Manman’s worried expression, Princess Rouwan offered some comfort.
"Don’t worry too much. Until Li Ji is captured, the lives of those from the Prince Mansion are safe for now."
Although the Empress Dowager had already pronounced the Regent King guilty, she still lacked crucial evidence.
Those servants from the Regent Prince Mansion were the perfect leverage.
If she could torture them into confessing and force them to accuse the Regent King of treason, the Empress Dowager would have a solid defense against any future public questioning.
Hua Manman asked, "How could the Empress Dowager suddenly declare the Regent King guilty? Who gave her that authority?"
Even with her esteemed status, the Empress Dowager was still a woman of the inner palace. By tradition, she could not meddle directly in political affairs.
Princess Rouwan glanced in the direction of the Imperial Palace, her expression darkening and becoming difficult to read.
"Not long after the Regent King left, the Saint moved from the Old Imperial Palace in Shangjing to the New Imperial Palace in Tianjing. I heard the Empress Dowager often visits him, and the Crown Prince attends to him by his sickbed daily."
Hua Manman immediately understood. "So the Empress Dowager is acting on the Saint’s orders?"
Princess Rouwan said nothing, which was as good as a confirmation.
Hua Manman grumbled irritably.
"He’s already paralyzed, why can’t he just give it a rest?!"
Princess Rouwan sneered, "As long as he’s still breathing, he’ll never give it a rest."
It was a terribly treasonous thing to say.
But neither woman batted an eye.
In their eyes, the Emperor in the palace was nothing but a menace.
Princess Rouwan thought for a moment before speaking up to warn her.
"If you really are Manman, you must not see Princess Consort Zhen as the same person you once knew.
She’s no longer the eldest daughter of the Zhong’an Bo Mansion you remember. You need to be very wary of her."
Hua Manman nodded. "I’ll be extra careful."
’She had never dared to underestimate Hua Qingqing.’
’After all, this was the woman who defeated countless rivals in a harem drama to finally take the Empress Dowager’s throne!’
Hua Manman quickly packed her things, and once she had everything she needed, she was ready to leave.
Yue Niang saw her off to the main gate of the inn.
"Be careful on the road. If you run into trouble, come back to us. Don’t try to be a hero on your own."
Hua Manman flashed her a bright smile. "Don’t worry, I’ll protect myself. Goodbye."
They waved goodbye to each other.
Once she was back inside Tianjing, Hua Manman headed straight for the Zhong’an Bo Mansion.
The title of Elder Zhong’an was relatively low-ranking among the hereditary aristocracy, but he had the great fortune of fathering two exceptional daughters. His elder daughter entered the palace, became an Imperial Concubine, and gave birth to the Crown Prince. His second daughter became the Regent Queen, and her son was granted the title of Princely Heir.
Thanks to this, Elder Zhong’an, Hua Dingzong, gained immense prestige and enjoyed several years in the spotlight.
Even though the Regent King had now been condemned and the Regent Queen was dead, Princess Consort Zhen remained. With the Crown Prince’s position also secure, no one in the capital dared to underestimate Elder Zhong’an. On the contrary, everyone was exceedingly polite to his family.
Recently, the families of the capital had learned that Madam Zhong’an was seeking marriage matches for her two sons, and they were all scrambling for a way into the Zhong’an Bo Mansion.
When Hua Manman arrived at the Zhong’an Bo Mansion, she found that Madam Zhong’an was hosting a flower-viewing party. Many ladies and young debutantes from prestigious families were in attendance.
Many carriages were parked in front of the main gate, and the doormen were incredibly busy.
Hua Manman stepped forward and asked to see the Madam, but the doorman rudely turned her away.
Before she could say anything else, the doorman gave her a hard shove.
"Can’t you see our family is entertaining guests today? We don’t have time to deal with riff-raff like you. Go on, get out of here! Don’t stand here in the way!"
Hua Manman didn’t get angry. A smile remained on her face.
"I’m here on my Commandery Princess’s orders to deliver a message to the Madam. This belongs to Her Highness. If you don’t believe me, you can show it to the Madam."
She handed over the handkerchief.
The doorman had a sharp eye. He could tell at a glance that the handkerchief was made of fine material. When he saw the name "Rouwan" embroidered on it, he immediately realized it belonged to Princess Rouwan.
Although the Regent King had fallen on hard times, he was still the second young miss’s husband, and the second young miss was the apple of Madam Zhong’an’s eye.
Out of consideration for the second young miss, Madam Zhong’an would not completely sever ties with Princess Rouwan.
The doorman’s impatient demeanor vanished. He accepted the handkerchief with both hands and said politely,
"Wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back."
Hua Manman tucked her hands into her sleeves, studying the main gate of the Uncle’s Mansion before her.
The gate had clearly been recently renovated. The red lacquer surface was glossy and bright, and the stone lions flanking it had been replaced with new ones that looked majestic and imposing.
’It seems the Zhong’an Bo Mansion has done very well for itself these past few years,’ she thought. ’That sets my mind at ease.’