You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

In Xie Wanru's mind, Prince Rui, Xiao Yunli, was deep, cunning, and meticulous in his actions. He was indeed handsome, but he loved to talk nonsense.

In her past life, he did not directly participate in the battle for the throne, but in this life, Xie Wanru does not want to overlook anyone or anything. She must be careful to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

“Lin Qing, everyone in the Princess’s mansion is one of our own, so there’s no need to be too reserved. But you must have Dongzhu disguise you every time you go out. If Prince Rui comes again, try to avoid him if you can. If you can’t avoid him, just say you have caught a cold and can’t speak. I’m not familiar with him, so as long as you don’t speak, he shouldn’t suspect anything.”

Xie Wanru gave detailed instructions, emphasizing that no detail should be overlooked.

Lin Qing nodded, though she was still a little uneasy. "I understand. I will remember everything that happened and tell you all the details when you come back."

"Alright, then my senior brother and I will pack our things and set off now. You two stay in Xuancheng and be careful."

After making the arrangements, Xie Wanru turned around and left, returning to her room to pack her bags.

Shen Cong'an wanted to persuade Xie Wanru not to go, but he felt that he couldn't persuade her at all, so he swallowed his words.

Xie Wanru is highly skilled in martial arts, so it is most appropriate for her and her senior brother to do this, while Dongzhu should stay by Lin Qing's side so that Lin Qing's identity can be confirmed.

As night fell, Xie Wanru and her senior brother Xu Ning quietly left the Princess's residence under the cover of darkness.

They knew that this journey was extremely dangerous. They would not only have to face cunning bandits, but also be constantly on guard against Xiao Yan and Lou Li's defenses. Only by avoiding these dangers could they succeed.

But Xie Wanru was determined to change her fate in this life.

Lin Qing, who remained at the Princess's residence, began her life "playing" Xie Wanru.

She listened attentively to Dongzhu's explanation, occasionally imitating some of Xie Wanru's little gestures. Although she was a little nervous inside, she appeared calm and composed on the surface. She was capable of dressing as a man, so dressing as Wanwan was naturally a piece of cake for her.

Dongzhu didn't go with Xie Wanru this time because she understood Xie Wanru better than Shen Cong'an. Xie Wanru might fail, but with the eldest and third senior brothers around, ordinary people couldn't threaten them.

In the Prince Rui's residence, Xiao Yunli sat in his study, holding an ancient book in his hand, but his gaze occasionally drifted to the window, as if he were thinking about something.

"Xie Wanru, Xie Wanru, what exactly are you plotting? Are you trying to help Xiao Long consolidate his position? Or is it just to get revenge on Xiao Yan?"

Xiao Yunli murmured to himself, a playful smile playing on his lips.

He visited the princess's residence several times, so it's impossible that he only went there for that sticky rice chicken.

Outside Xuancheng, Xiao Yan had already led his men to the first bandit stronghold reported by his subordinates.

This stronghold is a day's journey from Xuancheng. It is said that it has been entrenched for many years. The local magistrate wanted to suppress the bandits, but the bandits' stronghold was located deep in the mountains, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Moreover, the bandit leader here rarely shows himself, and there are many secret passages in the mountains, making it difficult to eliminate him.

"Your Highness, if we go any further, our group will be discovered. I'll send someone ahead to scout ahead."

Xiao Yan's deputy general cautiously offered his suggestion.

The Third Prince is capricious and often doesn't listen to their advice, but if something goes wrong, he will blame them for everything.

This time, Xiao Yan nodded, "Send a few shrewd people to gather information."

He was well aware of the importance of this operation, which was not only related to his personal reputation, but also to whether he could gain an advantageous position in this struggle for imperial power.

Moreover, having experienced the failure of his plan due to a disagreement with Lou Li in court, he was much more meticulous this time.

"Tell them to be careful and not to alert the enemy. This time, we not only want to wipe out this group of bandits, but also to follow the clues and catch more people."

Xiao Yan's voice was deep and firm, truly sounding like that of a general.

The lieutenant accepted the order and quickly organized a small team, instructing them to approach the bandits' hideout as stealthily as possible.

Meanwhile, Xie Wanru and her senior brother Xu Ning had also approached their destination—near Xiao Yan's group.

The night was as dark as ink, and the stars were sparse. With the help of the faint moonlight and their skillful light-footed movements, the two of them moved among the shadows of the trees, trying to avoid making any noise.

They would always lurk near the group, waiting for Xiao Yan to attack the bandit's den. Then they would disguise themselves as Lou Li's men, pretending that they had accidentally exposed their actions, making Xiao Yan mistakenly believe that they were sent by Lou Li to cause trouble.

In this way, Xiao Yan will doubt Lou Li again and break with him. When they are in chaos, they will not have the energy to cause trouble for His Highness the Crown Prince.

Later, we'll find another opportunity to completely deprive the Third Prince of any chance to compete, and the tragedy of the Xie family in their previous life will certainly not happen again.

Xie Wanru knew that every step required careful planning and could not afford to fail.

She and her senior brother, Xu Ning, exchanged a glance. No words were needed; their tacit understanding was deeply ingrained in their bones. They had cultivated together for so many years, and the feeling was indescribable.

The two men, disguised as mysterious figures and wearing masks, hid in the dense forest, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Inside the bandit's den, the lights were dim, and a great deal of noise filled the air.

The bandit leader, "Black Wind Chieftain," was drinking and making merry with his men. They had just robbed a wealthy merchant and were enjoying themselves, completely unaware of the danger that was about to befall them.

Little did they know that a meticulously planned annihilation was secretly brewing.

Xiao Yan's troops dispersed and went into hiding. The deputy general led a small team that successfully infiltrated the area, ascertained the situation, and quickly returned to report.

Xiao Yan listened to the report and was extremely excited. Under normal circumstances, it might have been difficult for him to launch an attack, but at this moment the bandits had relaxed their vigilance, which was a godsend.

He immediately ordered: "Prepare for an attack, and be sure to take down this rabble in one fell swoop."

As soon as the order was given, the soldiers moved quickly, and the large force gradually surrounded the bandit's den. The soldiers given by the emperor were all carefully selected. As for the lack of silver, that was because Shen Cong'an had interfered.

Therefore, Xiao Yan truly had the upper hand this time.

Xie Wanru and her senior brother waited patiently for the right moment, preparing to make their move at the crucial instant.

The battle was about to break out. The two sides met, and flames soared into the sky, with deafening shouts of battle filling the air.

Xiao Yan's soldiers were incredibly brave, and although the bandits put up a stubborn resistance, they ultimately could not escape their fate of annihilation in the face of overwhelming power.

Just as the battle reached its climax, Xie Wanru and her senior brother Xu Ning suddenly appeared. They were dressed in black, their faces covered with black cloth, revealing only their sharp eyes.

They feigned panic and pretended to help the bandits fight back, waiting for Xiao Yan to become aware of their actions. During the fight, Xu Ning deliberately "accidentally" let Xiao Yan's men remove the black cloth covering his face.

When Xiao Yan saw their masks, he was furious and immediately assumed that they were people sent by Lou Li to cause trouble, since only Lou family assassins would wear those masks.