Tang Xiaobai carefully considered his words and asked, "Didn’t I hear before that the Emperor wants you to become a Prince Consort?"

Tang Ziqian responded with an "Oh," and said, "After Father came back, Your Majesty mentioned it once. Father said that I had my fortune told, and I shouldn’t become engaged before my coming-of-age ceremony."

Such a half-hearted excuse?

"Aren’t you reaching adulthood next month?" Tang Ziqian’s birthday is on August 12th, and it’s already mid-July. "You managed to find an excuse and just dragged it out for half a year?"

Tang Ziqian glanced at her, "Yes, I’m not exactly young anymore."

At his age, he indeed should get married, so his father didn’t stall for too long, only leaving him half a year to think it over himself.

"Not young, indeed! My brother is just right! In the prime of life! Radiant and charming! Handsome and graceful!" The young lady flattered him.

Tang Ziqian smiled, "Why are you asking about this?"

Tang Xiaobai hesitated for a moment and softly said, "I met Princess Runan at the West Market today..."

Tang Ziqian’s gaze flickered, "Wenren Bookstore?"

So, brother knows.

Tang Xiaobai nodded, "If you have to marry a princess, can you change to someone else?"

Tang Ziqian laughed, "Who said I want to marry a princess?"

"Oh?" Tang Xiaobai blinked and suddenly gossiped, "Then who do you want to marry?"

Tang Ziqian’s eyes drifted outside, and he smiled, "What do you think of Miss Qin?"

Tang Xiaobai, though not good at many things, was quite perceptive in this regard and immediately turned to look.

There were only two people in the courtyard.

Ah Xiao stood in front of the west wing door, a bit far away, so his expression wasn’t clear;

Xin Yi stood in front of the main hall steps, looking pensive.

"I think..." Tang Xiaobai felt a bit troubled.

First, she didn’t quite understand the relationship between her brother and Xin Yi. Her brother seemed to intentionally say this for Xin Yi to hear, but Xin Yi’s reaction didn’t show any hint of ambiguity;

Second, she didn’t quite want her brother to have any romantic connections with Qin Rong, but she couldn’t speak ill of someone’s sister in front of the little ancestor.

After thinking for quite a while, she finally said, "I think Miss Qin is very popular and loved by everyone..."

"Loved by everyone?" Tang Ziqian smiled and glanced at Li Mu.

As if he had heard from Li Xingyuan that the Crown Prince asked Qin Rong for a painting late at night?

If the Qin Family is vindicated later, it won’t be avoidable for them to live alone in the Qin Mansion with Qin Rong...

Tsk tsk, a solitary man and woman...

...

"...Only me and Qin Rong... Does Second Miss want to stay for a few... months?"

Under the shadow of the trees, the young man’s clear-cut profile was tinted with a slight red by the lamp’s light.

Tang Xiaobai looked at him, speechless for a long time, and pointed to the elegantly dressed and lively figures not far away, "Do you dare to ask the eldest young lady first with this line?"

Do you believe the eldest young lady might have him thrown out right in front of all the distinguished guests?

Li Mu pressed his lips together.

He was just asking out of luck; it was impossible for Miss Tang to follow him out of the mansion.

And it wasn’t suitable for him not to live at the Qin Mansion.

Since the Qin Family had been rehabilitated, and the Emperor granted them a residence, both reason and emotion dictated that he and Qin Rong must live in the Qin Mansion.

Furthermore, moving to the Qin Mansion would make it more convenient for him to connect with court forces in the future.

But just thinking about leaving the Duke Yan Mansion and not being able to be with her every day, Li Mu felt agitated.

"Why don’t you marry me earlier?" Li Mu’s face flushed after he spoke.

Tang Xiaobai was startled for a moment, then burst into laughter.

After finally finishing laughing, the little ancestor’s face was about to emit smoke.

"Not that... we’re still young, hahaha..." She still wanted to laugh.

"I was just speaking casually," Li Mu said with a cold face.

He couldn’t marry her as Qin Xiao either.

Seeing the little friend’s "proposal" rejected and his face showing discomfort, Tang Xiaobai comforted him with a smile, "Aren’t we still going to school together every day? We’re not really separated!"

Li Mu still had a cold expression, but he took a brocade bag from his sleeve, grabbed her hand, and forced it into her palm with some force.

This size of the brocade bag was something Tang Xiaobai had seen a month ago.

"Is it ready this quickly?" She opened the brocade bag in surprise, and sure enough, there was a seal inside.

Similar to the last one, but this time the seal button was changed from a snake to a —

"What’s this?" Tang Xiaobai couldn’t make it out.

It seemed like a tiger, but also like a dog.

"I intended to carve it as a tiger, but only the Emperor and Empress Seal can have a tiger button, so I only carved half of it," Li Mu explained.

Tang Xiaobai was startled, "Couldn’t you just carve something else instead?" This was overstepping!

The little ancestor pursed his lips, "My zodiac is the tiger."

Tang Xiaobai was amused and exasperated, "If your zodiac were the dragon, would you want to carve a dragon then?"

Li Mu snorted lightly in his heart, it wasn’t impossible.

But seeing the young girl’s worried brows, he reassured her, "Only carving half doesn’t matter." The remaining half could be carved later.

Well, that worked...

Tang Xiaobai put the seal away, deciding it was best not to take it out much.

As soon as she put it away, she heard a gentle voice beside her, "Where’s mine?"

"It’s still being carved! It’s still being carved!" Tang Xiaobai hurriedly said, "I’m not as quick as you!"

Li Mu curved his lips slightly and hinted, "Today is already August 12th."

"Got it! Got it!" Tang Xiaobai nodded repeatedly and asked, "By the way, when will the imperial granted house be ready?"

The Qin family’s original residence had been turned into Xianfu Temple and couldn’t be returned, so the Emperor granted a new mansion near Xianfu Temple to the Qin siblings.

New mansions always needed some repairs, but it shouldn’t take too long.

However— 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"It probably won’t be ready this year," Li Mu said.

Tang Xiaobai didn’t really understand the construction speed of the time and shook her head, asking again, "Will the house need more people added? Should we bring a few from Duke Yan Mansion?"

"Hmm... Mo Ji and Mo Huan will come with me."

Tang Xiaobai nodded.

She had always felt Mo Ji and Mo Huan, who came to the mansion with Li Xingyuan, had unusual status, turns out they were with the little ancestor.

"Li Xingyuan will also go with me to the Qin Mansion."

Tang Xiaobai frowned slightly.

The male and female leads were grouped again? Was it some kind of gravitational pull?

She sensed that Li Xingyuan seemed quite interested in her eldest sister, but her sister’s thoughts were somewhat hard to read.

Hopefully, her sister was just being arrogant and Li Xingyuan didn’t turn around and develop feelings for someone else.

That would be a headache!

Tang Xiaobai thought for a moment and said, "With such a beautiful sister in your family, having so many men isn’t appropriate, right? I think having Prince Li hiding with Su Shunqing sounds suitable!"

Li Mu furrowed his brows as well.

If Li Xingyuan wasn’t around, it would just be him and Qin Rong left in the Qin family; the Second Miss wasn’t concerned?

Seeing his troubled expression and thinking Li Xingyuan’s stay at the Qin family was some strategic arrangement, Tang Xiaobai thought again and proposed, "Why don’t we ask Brother if Xin Yi can go with the Qin family? She can accompany Miss Qin."

Previously, her brother mentioned that there was something off about Xin Yi, but recently, he seemed to trust Xin Yi more, as if there was no longer any significant issue.

If there were no issues, it would be better to set someone free.

Having a young, beautiful girl around a young master didn’t seem right no matter how you looked at it.

Especially when Xin Yi didn’t seem to have any romantic interest in her brother.

Li Mu nodded, "That could work."

He had found hints about Xin Yi’s identity and felt it was no longer appropriate for her to stay at the Duke Yan Mansion.