What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 345 - 341: Subduing the Enemy Without Fighting
"...Cheng Zi is fine, just a bit of a scrape, it’s already been taken care of, but it seems Young Master Luo injured his leg."
Hearing that Cheng Zi is fine, Tang Xiaobai sighed in relief and said, "Make sure the doctor treats him well, if not, change to another medical clinic. Silver coins are not an issue, I’ll cover it."
Having said that, she left a few people and exited the medical clinic.
She didn’t disturb Cheng Zi.
Luo Xiong got injured so severely because he was protecting Cheng Zi.
The oncoming horse was fierce, the protection in the moment of crisis showed true intentions, Cheng Zi probably has no heart to leave with her right now.
Hopefully, Luo Xiong’s leg is fine, otherwise...
Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but sigh.
"Second Miss?"
Tang Xiaobai looked up.
It was a somewhat familiar acquaintance.
"Steward Pei." Tang Xiaobai collected herself and greeted him.
After Pei Kuan returned the greeting, his gaze lingered on her face, then drifted toward the medical clinic behind her. "Second Miss you..." his expression worried.
Tang Xiaobai waved her hand with a smile, "It’s not me."
Pei Kuan’s expression eased a bit and he asked, "Is it a friend of Second Miss?"
This was difficult to answer; she wasn’t exactly friends with Luo Xiong, but it was also hard to distance herself.
Tang Xiaobai smiled and changed the topic, "Where are you going, Steward Pei?"
Pei Kuan, realizing his breach of manners, looked embarrassed and said, "On orders from my elder brother, I’m going out of the city to greet a friend—"
In a chance meeting on the road, small talk should end with goodbyes.
But Pei Kuan didn’t seem to intend to say farewell, instead, he looked at her again with concern and said, "Just now I saw Second Miss with a frown, is there anything Pei can assist with?" After saying this, he quickly added, "Second Miss has a bond with my elder brother as fellow disciples, seeing Second Miss feels like seeing my junior sister."
No fellow studying together, where comes the bond of fellow disciples?
Tang Xiaobai smiled slightly, "Thank you for your concern, Steward Pei. If there’s any trouble, I won’t hesitate to seek your help as Senior Brother Pei." Saying that, she bowed and prepared to leave.
"Second Miss!" Pei Kuan called out to her.
The voice was a bit louder than before, stopping Tang Xiaobai.
Turning back, she saw his solemn and serious expression, "I, I’m not afraid!"
Tang Xiaobai: ???
Pei Kuan took a deep breath and said, "No matter who uses power to force a marriage, I, Pei Kuan, am not afraid to fight!"
Tang Xiaobai: ...
"How would you fight?"
An icy voice suddenly sounded, making Tang Xiaobai’s scalp tingle.
Could it be?
Such a coincidence?
Across a narrow road, a young man in dark attire with a jade crown was looking coldly at Pei Kuan.
His pupils were already deep-colored, and at this moment, they appeared pitch-black and eerily cold, somewhat intimidating.
But Pei Kuan said he was unafraid and indeed was unafraid, calmly adjusting his attire, even more at ease than when facing Tang Xiaobai: "Pei Kuan of the Ministry of War, greets the Crown Prince!"
Li Mu did not respond, shifting his gaze toward Tang Xiaobai, his eyes still icy and indifferent.
Tang Xiaobai was still unhappy!
She was just saying hi to someone while walking, no need to look at her like catching someone in the act, right?
"Tao Fen said you were busy today and couldn’t make it." The Crown Prince stopped with his hands behind his back, speaking coldly and flatly, his beautiful eyes fixed on her, with a hint of urgency.
Tang Xiaobai suddenly realized and explained, "I was supposed to be too busy to leave, but something urgent came up, I went to find Pingyang Princess!"
"Why are you here?" Still cold and flat.
"A student from the academy was injured, I helped bring him to the medical clinic, and ran into Steward Pei on the way out!" How big of a deal is it? Tang Xiaobai explained it in a few words.
Little ancestor’s face still maintained its composure, but his eyes suddenly brightened.
Tang Xiaobai found it amusing, unconsciously stepped closer, and asked with a smile, "Why did you come out of the palace? Where are you going?"
Looking at him, dressed in plain clothes, without a carriage or horse, he obviously came out privately.
If it was a private outing, why not disguise and hide the trail, instead appearing so openly in front of people?
"Tao Fen said, since you couldn’t come into the palace, I should take the time to come out and see you." Li Mu said.
Tang Xiaobai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Brother Tao was too considerate.
"Crown Prince did have the time?" Tang Xiaobai smiled.
His expression was indifferent, "If there’s the will, time can always be made." His gaze was suggestive.
Tang Xiaobai coughed lightly a couple of times and said, "I actually do have something to discuss with you!"
"Oh? Weren’t you busy today?"
He was still being stubborn.
Tang Xiaobai was both annoyed and amused. She tugged at his sleeve and whispered with a laugh, "Stop messing around! Get in my carriage, I’ll take you back to the Eastern Palace."
He refused: "I’ll take you back to the Duke Yan Mansion."
"Fine, fine, fine!" Tang Xiaobai agreed repeatedly.
Just as she was about to leave with the little ancestor, she realized there was another person nearby.
Pei Kuan stood there, his figure somewhat rigid, with eyes that seemed shocked yet heartbroken, as if she was the tragic yet deeply romantic heroine he couldn’t hate.
Tang Xiaobai coughed awkwardly and said, "Thank you, Steward Pei, for your kind intentions, but... there is no forced marriage matter."
Pei Kuan’s lips quivered, as if he wanted to speak.
Yet the person beside her interjected first, "How does Steward Pei wish to compete with me?"
Tang Xiaobai held her head and grabbed the little ancestor to run.
Too childish!
After getting in the carriage, the Crown Prince still felt it wasn’t enough: "Pei Shiyi hasn’t spoken yet."
"That’s enough already!" Tang Xiaobai warned him with a look.
Li Mu frowned, "He wants to compete with me, should I still retreat?"
Tang Xiaobai pinched his cheek, "Subdue the enemy without fighting, that’s the best strategy."
Only then did the Crown Prince’s expression ease, he asked, "What business do you have today that keeps you busy?"
"I have business every day that keeps me busy!" Tang Xiaobai complained, "Did you forget? After returning to the capital, I need to organize map data and draw a new domain map." That’s quite a project.
Li Mu remembered and hurriedly asked, "How is the progress?"
"It’s okay."
"When can it be finished?"
"Twenty or thirty years!"
Li Mu: ...
Tang Xiaobai glanced at him sideways, "What did you expect?"
This was an era extremely lacking in information, drawing a national map wouldn’t be easy!
"Could you draw a simplified map first?" Li Mu humbly inquired; he indeed didn’t know much about this.
"It’s possible." Tang Xiaobai nodded in a pretending manner.
Actually, she was drawing a national map based on state mansions as basic units.
To draw it more detailedly, she couldn’t do it alone; she must gather enough professional artists to complete it together.
The claim of twenty or thirty years was just a way to tease the little ancestor.
Li Mu didn’t sense her scheming, he pondered while continuing to ask, "If it’s a simplified map, when can it be finished at the earliest?"
Tang Xiaobai thought about it and shook her head, "Hard to say."
"How about I help you?"
Tang Xiaobai was surprised, "You’re so free?"
Li Mu thought again and presented a more detailed plan, "Why don’t you go to the Wenren Bookstore to draw, let Wenren Jia help you, every afternoon I will find a way to leave the palace and go to the bookstore."
Tang Xiaobai was more surprised.
Didn’t she know her little ancestor was big on jealousy? How could he suggest she go to the Wenren Bookstore?
"Is it so urgent?" Tang Xiaobai asked.
Li Mu nodded, "If the map can be presented on the fifteenth of next month, I could commend you and confer you as Crown Princess Consort!"
Tang Xiaobai widened her eyes and stared at him for a while, both angry and amused, "Dream on!"
Li Mu saw she seemed irritated and confusedly asked, "Did I say something wrong?"
Tang Xiaobai snorted softly, "I’m working hard to draw a map for you, and your reward is marrying you? You consider your family—" Suddenly, she stopped speaking.
"What’s wrong with my family?" Li Mu asked nervously.
Tang Xiaobai snorted again but still didn’t continue.
His family, wasn’t there really a throne in his family?
Li Mu couldn’t fathom her thoughts, so he asked, "What do you think is appropriate? Twenty or thirty years is too long, let’s first present the simplified map, receive the rewards, and then we can gather artists to draw the map together."
Tang Xiaobai glanced at him and said, "You don’t need to leave the palace specifically, with Wenren Jia’s help, the simplified map should be finished before the fifteenth of next month."
"It doesn’t have to be by the fifteenth of next month either," he corrected himself, "New Year’s Day works too, just don’t let Wenren Jia get involved—" He paused, emphasizing, "It’s Ah Jiao’s gift to me, after all."
Tang Xiaobai hugged his arm and laughed.
Such a jealous jar!
Li Mu saw her laughing and couldn’t help but laugh too.
The girl leaned on his shoulder, the golden-winged butterfly in her hair fluttered its wings delightedly with her laughter, lovely and charming, making one unable to resist cherishing her.
Li Mu watched for a while and couldn’t resist raising his hand to touch the butterfly’s wings.
As his fingertip touched them, she suddenly raised her head; her smile had vanished, replaced by a serious demeanor: "Since you’re not leaving the palace today, I was just about to find you—"
