What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 82: Ah Yuan’s Unusual Behavior

"Is brother really coming back?"

This was the seventh time today Miss Tang had asked.

"Really, really!" Tang Xiaobai answered somewhat wearily.

On the 23rd of November, the third day after the victorious news from the Yingsuo River arrived, another batch of messengers reached Tingzhou—perhaps eager to deliver the victory news, they even split into two groups to head to the capital.

The second batch of messengers brought a handwritten memorial from Duke Yan, Tang Shigong.

This time, though the Emperor had learned not to have it read aloud in public, the memorial was still formally delivered to the Central Secretariat, went through several layers before finally reaching the Emperor’s hands. Although the contents weren’t widely proclaimed, those who needed to know were aware of it—

"I, due to injuries, was unable to personally lead troops and dare not claim credit, the battle at the Yingsuo River should credit Vice General Cheng Zhidu with primary merit... Please have Cheng Zhidu and Tang Ziqian escort Ashina Zhen and others to the capital as captives!"

Not participating in the battle, not daring to claim credit, and initiating the proposal to have the genuinely deserving generals, along with his own legitimate son, bring captives to the capital.

Reasonable, logical.

Thus, the Emperor approved.

When the news spread, the brother-obsessed Miss Tang remained in a dreamlike state, needing to confirm it multiple times a day, tiring out Tang Xiaobai with her questions.

"Do you think brother can make it back before the new year?"

"Probably not."

"Why not?"

Tang Xiaobai sighed, "Didn’t mother say? This round trip takes at least a month and a half. It would be good if brother arrives in the capital before the Lantern Festival."

Tang Jiaojiao "oh’d" absentmindedly, flipping through the fabrics in front of her, muttering, "Well, he’d hurry back in time to celebrate your birthday, see how nice brother is to you, rushing back to celebrate your birthday..."

Tang Xiaobai chuckled, "Isn’t he coming back to deliver captives?"

Tang Jiaojiao playfully smacked her on the head, "How can you be so ungrateful!"

Tang Xiaobai covered her head and conceded, "I was wrong, sis, I was wrong, brother is indeed coming back specially to celebrate my birthday!"

Tang Jiaojiao shot her an annoyed glance, "Go to the storeroom and pick some decorations for brother’s room!"

"Still have to pick..." Tang Xiaobai glanced at Tang Ziqian’s room.

As the sole heir of the Duke Yan Mansion, even though Tang Ziqian had been away from home for nearly three years, his courtyard wouldn’t be neglected.

Especially since the news of Tang Ziqian returning to the capital, Miss Tang had almost ordered every brick on the ground to be wiped, now it was cleaner than her Bright Moon Building.

All decorations were set up in a very short time, and from Tang Xiaobai’s perspective, the room already seemed fully furnished.

But after glancing around the room, noticing Miss Tang’s slightly narrowed beautiful eyes, Tang Xiaobai immediately changed her tune, "I’ll go pick right now!"

Heading out of the courtyard toward the storeroom, she hadn’t walked far when she saw Ah Xiao standing face to face with a maid in the distance.

The maid seemed to be trying to hand something to Ah Xiao, but the young boy neither reached out to take it nor did he take a step back.

Even from about twenty steps away, even only seeing the back, Tang Xiaobai could sense the maid’s awkwardness and distress.

Unexpectedly, her young ancestor turned out to be a tough straight guy!

Tang Xiaobai sighed as she was just about to watch more.

Just then, Tao Zi beside her shouted, "What are you doing!"

The very straightforward young boy turned his head and calmly called, "Second Miss."

The maid didn’t maintain her composure as much, abruptly turning with a pale face, "Sec-sec-second Miss!" Her hands instinctively hid behind her back.

"What are you hiding?" Tao Zi demanded sternly, stepping forward to check.

Tang Xiaobai held her back, observing the maid.

A girl of thirteen or fourteen years, looking somewhat unfamiliar, likely not from the Gu Family or Tang Jiaojiao’s side.

She was trembling with fear, looking quite pitiful.

"You may leave," Tang Xiaobai told her.

The maid hurriedly made a salute, took a couple of steps back, and fled.

Tang Xiaobai found it amusing.

She had studied the rules of the Duke Yan Mansion, and found it wasn’t as strict as those in family drama novels.

Though private exchanges were forbidden, the rule itself was vague; as long as the exchanged items were harmless, it was fine. Many maids in the mansion liked giving Ah Yuan small snacks!

This maid probably felt insecure due to her status. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Ah, young love, giving a little gift to the boy they fancy, what’s wrong with that?

Turning her head to look at the young boy being fancied, she couldn’t help but smile, "Ah Xiao has grown up!" Having girls like him now.

What kind of experience is it to be praised by a girl under ten years old as grown up?

In any case, Li Mu didn’t feel pleased, pursed his lips, and coldly said, "I don’t know her."

Tang Xiaobai didn’t take it to heart, laughed, glanced at the paper and pen in his hand, and asked, "Going to the study again?"

Her young ancestor was quite a homebody, only frequented three places in the mansion: the Yuanxiao Courtyard, Bright Moon Building, and the study she specifically set up for her and the four little friends to do homework together.

Li Mu shook his head, "Just came from the study."

"That’s perfect!" Tang Xiaobai smiled, "Join me to the storeroom to pick decor for the young master’s room!" Seeing him nod, she casually asked, "Where’s Ah Yuan?"

Li Mu frowned, "He was called away by someone when we were in the study."

Tang Xiaobai picked up on the key point, "By whom?"

"Not sure which courtyard’s maid," Li Mu said indifferently, showing his disdain.

Ah Yuan frequently interacted with the maids in the mansion, and Li Mu disapproved of such frivolous behavior.

Miss Tang listened, pondered with an "oh," then instructed Tao Zi, "Go give them a reminder, avoid causing trouble." Then she called on him and headed towards the storeroom...

...

After accompanying Second Miss Tang for selecting decorations, Li Mu was about to return to his room when he heard movements inside Ah Yuan’s tightly closed door.

So he was back.

Li Mu stared at Ah Yuan’s door for a while, finding it quite odd.

Unlike him, Ah Yuan seldom stayed cooped up inside his room, always either reading or writing, or helping run errands.

But since winter began, he seemed more frequently to lock himself indoors, perhaps afraid of the cold.

Previously attempting closeness, but for the past two months, he consciously kept a distance from him.

When something deviates from the norm, there is bound to be something amiss.

Li Mu closed his door, pondered briefly, then called "Mo Huan" and asked, "Have you investigated Ah Yuan?"

"Of course we have. How could someone sharing quarters with Your Highness not be investigated?"

Li Mu tapped the table, signaling him to get to the point.

"He was originally from Fengxian County in the Capital Prefecture, living with his widowed mother of the Xin Family. At the beginning of the year, the Xin Family passed away due to illness, so he sold himself as a servant to the Duke Yan Mansion."

"He voluntarily sold himself to the Duke Yan Mansion?" Li Mu was intrigued.

"Yes, but so far we haven’t found any connection to the Duke Yan Mansion; it might have been coincidental that he came upon the Duke Yan Mansion buying servants."

Could it be that simple? Li Mu wasn’t convinced.

"Your Highness—" Mo Huan began slowly again, "there is one more thing about Ah Yuan..."