She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

"You, when do you ever have a free time!"

At this point, Lanxiang suddenly remembered something and asked, "Man'er, why are you making pills? Are you going to some dangerous place again?"

Shen Man paused for a moment, her chopsticks hovering above the braised pork, the steam rising from the bowl blurring her eyelashes.

She looked up at Lanxiang's suddenly tense brows and eyes, and suddenly remembered how her mother would stay by her bedside all night when she was sick as a child, keeping the medicine bowl warm to her chest so it wouldn't get cold.

"Mother, I'm going to the Kingdom of Mi tomorrow!" Shen Man knew she couldn't hide it from her, so she had to tell the truth.

"What are you going to Mi Kingdom for? Mi Kingdom is separated from us by the Dragon Ridge Mountain. I've heard that it's very dangerous there because of the heavy miasma!" Lanxiang put down her chopsticks and asked worriedly.

“Go find someone. Mother, His Highness the Crown Prince wants to exonerate the Meng family, but there is still one important criminal who has not been brought to justice.”

Upon investigation, it was found that this person had fled to Miriam more than a decade ago and was said to have become a high-ranking official there.

I have to bring him back and make sure he gets the punishment he deserves!

Upon hearing this, Lanxiang dropped her chopsticks with a clatter on the rim of the bowl, splashing soup onto her clothes and leaving dark stains.

Her lips trembled as she reached out to grab Shen Man's hand, the warmth of her palm shockingly high: "What did you say? Go catch a fugitive? Or a high-ranking official from the Mi Kingdom? Man'er, that's a den of wolves..."

“Mother, if we want to overturn the verdict for the Meng family, we must bring that traitor Meng Qi to justice. You know that it has always been Uncle Meng’s long-cherished wish to clear the name of the Meng family. How can I sit idly by?”

Lanxiang knew, of course, how strong Meng Zhuo's desire to avenge his family was, but she was reluctant to let her daughter take such a risk if fulfilling his wish required it.

"Man'er, does the Crown Prince have no one else he can use? Why does he have to send you?" Lanxiang said with dissatisfaction.

“I live nearby, so I know the situation here better. Mother, don’t worry, General Meng will be coming with me. The medicine I had made at the clinic today is specifically for dealing with miasma.”

"Man'er, you must be extra careful." Although Lanxiang knew her daughter was very capable, she still couldn't help but worry about her.

“Isn’t that Meng Qi from the Meng family army? Your Uncle Meng should know something about him. Tomorrow, ask your Uncle Meng if he has any special quirks or weaknesses. That way, it will be easier to deal with him.”

Shen Man nodded in agreement: "Mother, I remember. With General Meng and the others with me, and with prior preparations, everything will be fine."

Lanxiang sighed and said helplessly, "Alas, I know you are decisive and wholeheartedly want to help the Meng family. It's just that the journey is long and dangerous, and I'm really worried about you."

Shen Man held Lanxiang's hand and gently comforted her, "Mother, don't look so worried. I promise I will bring Mengqi back safely. When I come back, I'll take you to the border town."

Lanxiang forced a smile: "Okay, Mother believes you. Just please take good care of yourself while you're away."

The night passed.

The next morning, Shen Man got up early and went to Meng Zhuo's place to tell him about her upcoming trip to the Kingdom of Mi.

Upon hearing that Shen Man was going to the Mi Kingdom to capture the traitor Meng Qi, Meng Zhuo became very agitated: "Man'er, that beast Meng Qi is an enemy of my Meng family. The matter of capturing Meng Qi should be handled by me and Shao Rong. How can we let a young girl like you take such a risk!"

"Uncle Meng, this is a task given to me by His Highness the Crown Prince. Meng Qi is not only an enemy of the Meng family, but also an unforgivable sinner in the entire Chi Yan. Furthermore, General Meng and I already discussed countermeasures yesterday."

I've come to see you today to inquire whether Meng Qi has any particular quirks or fetishes. Perhaps we can use these traits to devise a plan to lure and capture him.

Meng Zhuo suppressed the overwhelming hatred surging in his heart, and after thinking carefully for a moment, said: "That beast loves fine horses very much! I remember one year, my father seized a Ferghana horse from the Qi Rong people. He stayed in the stable and took care of the horse for three days and three nights."

Later, seeing how much he liked it, his father gave it to him as a reward!

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Shen Man's eyes: "So that's how it is! Once a person has an obsession, they will have a weakness. As long as we find a peerless horse that can drive him crazy, why worry about him not taking the bait?"

Meng Zhuo could only smile bitterly, his voice full of helplessness and worry: "Man'er, the Akhal-Teke horse is one in a million, and even the Qi Rong people, who are famous for producing fine horses, regard it as a treasure."

Now that Meng Qi holds a high position of power in the Kingdom of Mi, he must be raising many fine horses, and ordinary horses are simply not worth his attention.

In such a short time, where can you find a steed that can surpass all the horses in his stable?

Shen Man smiled confidently, her eyes sparkling. "Uncle Meng, what do you think of my Wanfeng?"

It was a gift from Danzeng, the second prince of Qirong. When I first met it, it was extremely unruly.

Its hooves thundered as it ran, leaving no trace in the snow. Even more remarkable was its jet-black coat, except for a crescent-shaped white mark below its left eye, a unique, divine mark. Such a horse was enough to ignite Meng Qi's greed!

As Meng Zhuo thought of Wan Feng, his eyes gradually shifted from worry to joy.

He muttered to himself, "My father always said that a good horse is like a sharp sword, and only someone who knows how to appreciate it can unleash its power. Wanfeng is indeed a rare and excellent horse, and perhaps it can truly become the sharp blade that pierces Mengqi's defenses!"

"Uncle Meng, I'll leave the family matters to you. I'll go back and make some preparations. I need to rush to the military camp to meet up with General Meng and the others."

"Man'er, you must be careful and come back safely!" Meng Zhuo instructed.

Shen Man nodded in agreement, then returned to her home and went straight to the stables.

Since the arrival of the harpy eagle, Wanfeng has gradually been neglected. Shen Man entrusted it to Su Yao for care, and she hasn't seen it for a long time.

The stable was filled with the scent of hay mixed with horse sweat. Wanfeng stood alone in the corner, his tail idly brushing against the base of the wall.

The once glossy fur was now covered in a layer of dust, and the crescent-shaped white stripes had lost some of their luster.

When Shen Man's footsteps approached, it merely raised its eyelids lazily before lowering its head again to continue munching on the half-wilted alfalfa.

Seeing this, Shen Man knew that Wanfeng was angry with her.

She slowly approached it and whispered to it, "Wanfeng, I'm sorry, I neglected you."

Shen Man reached out and stroked its mane, her fingertips touching several knotted tufts of fur, and her heart ached slightly.

She recalled the time when she first acquired Wanfeng, riding freely along the mountain road, the wind whipping its long mane across her cheek—how spirited she was!

Now, however, she has forgotten about the harpy eagle, which once shared life and death with her, because of its ability to deliver secret messages and its fast flight speed.