What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 295 - 291: Beware of Prince Jin

Tang Xiaobai still remembered, at that time she wasn’t very familiar with Ah Xiao. His hints were subtle yet clear; he didn’t want Lv Xia to enter the Gu Family’s clan school.

She always thought it was because Lv Xia knew him.

However, that wasn’t the case.

So, if Lv Xia had indeed taught at the Gu Family’s clan school back then, what effect would that have had on Ah Xiao?

As Tang Xiaobai pondered this question, Lv Xia’s words rang in her ears again, "Fortunately, there was no teacher-student relationship, otherwise, Lv might still be misguiding students now."

"Mr. Lv, you think too highly of me!" Tang Xiaobai had to set aside her doubts and smiled to comfort Lv Xia.

Lv Xia shook his head and said, "Back then, I did foresee a calamity in Hedong, but I didn’t know what it was. I was worried about Hedong’s plight, but when I witnessed thousand miles of drought and people barely surviving, I found my worries laughable." He lowered his head, looking at the land trampled by horse hooves, and sighed softly, "In the past, I only looked up at the sky. From now on, I wish to look down more, to see the ground beneath my feet."

Seeing him stoop down, Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but advise, "Don’t always keep your head down, it’s not good for your body."

Lv Xia glanced at her in surprise and then burst into laughter, "Second Miss, you are indeed, indeed—" Laughing heartily, he said, "Indeed a good girl!"

They were passing outside the city. Lv Xia’s loud laughter attracted a lot of attention.

Among those watching, besides the nearby workers, was a young man on horseback wearing a cyan-green official uniform.

He looked over at the sound, a slight furrow appearing between his brows, and urged his horse closer.

Tang Xiaobai, a little surprised to see him, said, "Imperial Censor Wang is here for another inspection?"

Wang Jian nodded.

Since the construction began, Li Mu no longer managed Wang Jian.

Wang Jian did not flee the place of his previous confinement, instead he nonchalantly performed his duties as an Imperial Censor, inspecting more frequently than the officials of the Ministry of Industry.

"Who is this?" Wang Jian looked at Lv Xia.

Tang Xiaobai introduced him.

Wang Jian nodded and then just left.

Tang Xiaobai was baffled.

Did he come all the way just to meet Lv Xia?

But to run over like that, listen to her introduction, and then leave without a word, what kind of behavior was that?

Was it because he felt Lv Xia’s status was too low, or did he find his name unpleasant?

"Perhaps he saw a stranger beside Second Miss and was concerned about any inappropriate situations, so he came to ask," Lv Xia said with a smile. "Does this Imperial Censor Wang have a past with the Duke Yan Mansion? He seems quite concerned about Second Miss."

A past?

Tang Xiaobai shook her head, "Our families aren’t familiar."

No past, but perhaps a grudge isn’t far off.

...

Tang Xiaobai spent an afternoon showing Lv Xia around, and on their return to the military camp, they passed by the under-construction central city.

Wang Jian was still there, as if he had never left.

Upon seeing Tang Xiaobai pass by, he looked at her for a moment before nodding in acknowledgment.

Tang Xiaobai reined in her horse and said to Lv Xia, "Mr. Lv, please head back to camp first, I have a few words to say to Imperial Censor Wang."

The two of them halted side by side on the plain, looking back at the burgeoning city.

"I didn’t expect Imperial Censor Wang to be quite dedicated to the city construction," Tang Xiaobai remarked.

"In one’s position, one should manage one’s responsibilities," he answered in a ceremonious manner.

"I remember, the Prime Minister supported the peace through marriage," Tang Xiaobai said.

Wang Jian was silent for a moment, then said, "Last summer, Second Miss left the capital with the Inspection Envoy, while Duchess Yan and Miss Tang stayed behind to negotiate, diverse paths leading to the same goal."

Tang Xiaobai laughed, "You’re taking diverse paths too far."

She and her family were working towards the same goal from different directions, truly diverse paths leading to the same goal.

But Wang Maozhao and Wang Jian, one advocating peace and the other war, could that also be considered diverse paths leading to the same goal?

If one insisted it was all for the Wang Family, it could make sense, but it’s certainly a stretch.

"Previously, Imperial Censor Wang proposed to marry my elder sister, was that also diverse paths leading to the same goal with the Prime Minister?"

To be fair, her family’s Miss Tang wasn’t exactly the ideal daughter-in-law or granddaughter-in-law for an aristocratic family.

At that time, the Duke Yan Mansion was shaky, and Wang Maozhao wasn’t the type to provide support in times of adversity.

That marriage proposal was only to enhance Wang Maozhao’s reputation as a righteous man.

He had done similar things when the Yu Family and the Qin Family were in trouble.

A strike and then a helping hand, his self-directed plays were expertly executed.

So what about Wang Jian?

"No," he replied.

Tang Xiaobai turned her face to look at him, "Then why does Imperial Censor Wang wish to propose to my elder sister?"

Wang Jian turned his face to look at her, his expression calm, yet his eyes earnest, "Miss Tang is a beauty."

Tang Xiaobai: "..."

You face-loving person!

"Mr. Wang’s proposal to Miss Tang comes from genuine feelings. Once this matter is over, I will return to the capital and propose again," Wang Jian said.

Tang Xiaobai instinctively looked around, not seeing Li Xingyuan suddenly appear, and then secretly sighed in relief.

But with Wang Jian’s declaration, she could only respond with silence.

Many admired her elder sister.

Although Wang Jian once ranked high on the list of eligible bachelors for Miss Tang, he is now the least likely.

She couldn’t handle a Romeo and Juliet scenario.

Whether Wang Jian truly didn’t know or had other thoughts, she wasn’t sure.

"It’s getting late, I should head back," Tang Xiaobai ended the conversation.

As she turned to leave, Wang Jian called out to her.

"From the first day I came here, I was subtly guided to approach where the Minister of Rites was," he said, "Be wary of Prince Jin."

...

Whether it was because of Wang Jian’s reminder or not, on the way back, Tang Xiaobai felt a slight restlessness.

She had always been cautious of Prince Jin, Li Shu.

No matter how far the plot deviated, she always remembered that, in the book, Ah Xiao died at Li Shu’s hands.

She dared not be careless.

With Wang Jian’s reminder, on the way back to camp, Tang Xiaobai kept recalling what moves Li Shu had made.

During the earlier march, when Ah Xiao was injured, Li Shu had attempted to seize power.

But that time, he only briefly stormed into Ah Xiao’s camp, only to be blocked by a few words from Ah Xiao.

Not only did he not succeed in seizing power, but he also appeared awkward and ridiculous.

So that didn’t count as anything.

Ah Xiao mentioned that Li Shu would make a move, referring to the beginning of the year when Li Shu revealed the death of Feng Pu.

He attempted to sow discord between the Qin Family and Wang Maozhao.

Feng Pu’s death was to silence him regarding the Qin Family’s old case.

If Feng Pu were killed by Wang Maozhao, what that implied was self-evident.

And this time, Li Shu led Wang Jian to discover the truth of the peace negotiations, likely hoping for conflict between Ah Xiao and Wang Maozhao.

And then what?

Now, with no sign of conflict erupting, what else might he do?

The more Tang Xiaobai thought about it, the more agitated she became. Dismounting, she proceeded to Ah Xiao’s tent.

Although nothing seemed out of place, something felt off, leaving her ill-at-ease.

Upon entering Li Mu’s tent, the sudden sight of a girl’s fair skin caught her off guard.

Squinting her eyes against the glare, she saw the disheveled girl and the anxiously rising Ah Xiao.

"Ah Xiao, you—"

She had barely spoken three words when she suddenly bent over in pain.