What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 282 - 278: A Sudden Proposal

"When we return to the capital next year, let’s get married, shall we?"

Since Li Xingyuan arrived, Li Mu had few opportunities to be alone with Miss Tang.

Finally seizing the chance, he couldn’t wait to ask what had been on his mind these past few days.

There are benefits to taking things slowly, but he wanted to speed things up now.

Restore his status as Crown Prince quickly and marry his Crown Princess Consort.

Then, they could sleep together every day —

"Of course not!" Tang Xiaobai immediately rejected without even time to be surprised.

Seeing the surprised and slightly hurt expression on her little ancestor’s face, Tang Xiaobai explained, "I’ll be only thirteen next year, too young..."

The little ancestor is only sixteen, still so young, getting married?

"Then when will you marry me?"

Tang Xiaobai blushed: "It’s still early... Why bring this up now..."

At such a young age, always thinking about marriage, isn’t that too precocious?

"It’s not too early," Li Mu replied, "The current war, at the shortest a month, at the longest three months will be over, and when we return to the capital, I’ll enter the court with military merit —"

"Military merit into the court? Weren’t you going to take the imperial exams?" Tang Xiaobai interrupted him in surprise.

"Not anymore," Li Mu couldn’t be bothered to explain to Li Xingyuan, but since Tang Xiaobai asked, he explained carefully, "Earlier, I was unwilling to enter the court through military merit, fearing to make enemies too quickly, wanting to take things slowly. But now that I’m already at odds with Li Shu, there’s no need to take it slowly, it’s better to cut the knot swiftly."

Wanting to marry quickly is true, and the situation changing is also true.

In short, things can be sped up a bit.

"By the latest, the end of next year, I can be reinstated to the Eastern Palace —" he lowered his voice and moved closer to her, eyes shining brightly, "I’ve established my career, when will Ah Jiao finally marry me?"

Tang Xiaobai was urged to step back half a step, stammering: "At least... at least I’ll be eighteen..."

Eighteen?

Li Mu frowned: "Fourteen!"

Tang Xiaobai also frowned: "Eighteen it is then!" How can there even be bargaining?

"Fifteen." He eased a little.

"Eighteen it is!" Tang Xiaobai refused to budge an inch.

He pressed his lips together: "Sixteen." His eyes carried a plea.

Tang Xiaobai hesitated for a while, though not steadfast, she still insisted: "Eighteen!"

"What’s eighteen?" Li Xingyuan’s voice suddenly interjected.

Li Mu’s face changed.

How did he find them again?

Li Mu cast a gloomy glance at Mo Huan.

Mo Huan was also helpless.

It wasn’t just Li Xingyuan who came, but also Qin Rong, Gu Hui, and Tao Fen, such a large group; they couldn’t be held back or bumped into.

Li Mu knew they couldn’t be stopped, but seeing that Miss Tang was hesitating, how could he just let it go?

"Seventeen!" Li Mu ignored everyone else and continued to press her.

"Eighteen!" Tang Xiaobai reflexively insisted.

"Sixteen!"

Tang Xiaobai was startled: "Why sixteen now?"

He pressed his lips into a line, saying nothing.

Tang Xiaobai, being very familiar with him, naturally saw the grievance in him.

Thinking about it, he kept compromising, yet she wouldn’t give in at all, making the little ancestor feel wronged.

Tang Xiaobai’s heart softened, and without thinking much, she blurted out: "Then seventeen it is..."

Seeing his expression turn from gloomy to bright, Tang Xiaobai breathed a sigh of relief yet felt a bit annoyed.

How did it turn into bargaining after all?

Never mind, seventeen and eighteen aren’t much different, just consider it going with the custom...

"What are you talking about? Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen what?" Qin Rong asked curiously.

It was such an ordinary question, yet it made Miss Tang’s face turn red. She didn’t answer but instead gave the Young Crown Prince a meaningful look.

The Crown Prince appeared much thicker-skinned, stepping forward to shield the young lady behind him, calmly asking, "What brings you here?"

Li Xingyuan scoffed: "What are you two doing here?"

Tang Xiaobai peeked her head out from behind Li Mu: "Ah Xiao brought me to see Fuyun Temple."

The place they were now standing was a temple established by the Turkic people, named Fuyun Temple.

Today, they had set up camp near Fuyun Temple.

Upon arrival, she received a sneaky little note sent by Mo Huan, inviting her to visit Fuyun Temple with the young ancestor.

Recently, Li Xingyuan had been watching the young ancestor like a thief, and indeed, she hadn’t spoken to him alone for a while, so she sent the others away and brought only Yingying to meet him.

She thought it was just a small date, never expecting a marriage proposal right off the bat.

Miscalculation!

Now that Li Xingyuan had found them, he couldn’t bear to see them too close, giving Li Mu a cold glance, he gestured to Tang Xiaobai while saying, "Do you need him to show you Fuyun Temple? Couldn’t you just ask me?"

Tang Xiaobai noticed that Prince Li had started to consider himself her brother-in-law.

Not to mention her sister hadn’t agreed yet, even if he did become her brother-in-law, he couldn’t bully the young ancestor!

Tang Xiaobai straightened her face and said, "I was just out for a walk, I couldn’t trouble the princely heir for that!"

Li Xingyuan laughed.

She wouldn’t trouble the princely heir, but wouldn’t mind troubling the Crown Prince, the closeness was clear.

Li Xingyuan gave Li Mu a cold smile.

Such an adorable little girl couldn’t be wrong; surely, some malicious person had instigated this.

"Indeed," Li Xingyuan said with a forced smile, "I’m actually quite busy now, should have been discussing military matters with the generals, but I happened to notice Young Master Qin was missing, so I’m out looking for him!"

Tang Xiaobai blinked and immediately agreed: "Then hurry along! Serious matters are important, I can stroll around by myself!" Saying this, she gave Li Mu a little push.

Quickly take the young ancestor away, spare explaining any strange questions!

Li Mu did not object, there were indeed still things that needed discussing.

By now, it was mid-winter.

After marching to the northern bank of the Yellow River near Fuyun Temple, they had swept across Mosen; it was time to decide what to do next.

After those who needed to discuss serious matters had left, Tang Xiaobai could finally properly tour Fuyun Temple.

Fuyun Temple sat atop Fuyun Heap.

Fuyun Heap is the name of a highland; there are quite a few temples on Fuyun Heap, with Fuyun Temple being the largest and most renowned.

After Tang Xiaobai circled the temple inside and out, she walked out and saw the western sun setting like blood, making the vast land appear desolate, as if catching a glimpse of armored warriors in a daze.

Since ancient times, it had been customary for northern nomadic tribes to hold ceremonies praying to heaven and gods at Fuyun Heap before launching southward incursions.

From Han’s Xiongnu to today’s Turkic people, this tradition continued.

"Back in the day, did Zhaojun travel through here to go to exile?" Tang Xiaobai asked.

"Yes," Gu Hui nodded, "Zhaojun passed through Fuyun Heap on her way to exile and held a ceremony at Fuyun Temple," he sighed, "Delicate and frail, she managed to secure a century of peace at the border."

Tang Xiaobai remained silent.

Fuyun Heap was elevated; with a northward gaze, one could see endless mountain shadows.

She gazed quietly, her thoughts floating away.

"The wind is picking up, shall we head back?" Gu Hui suggested.

Tang Xiaobai nodded, just on the brink of shifting her gaze.

Suddenly, a flicker in the corner of her eye.

Turning back, she saw a group of riders emerging from beyond the northern hills, heading directly for the camp.

"Turkic people!"