"Why are you speaking to my dad like that?"

The young lady put on a stern face, looking extremely serious.

Li Mu knew that when he was discussing the bandit suppression in Hedong with Tang Shigong in the morning, the young lady and her sister were eavesdropping outside the door. He didn’t realize she was angry about it.

He couldn’t help but pause his action of peeling the pomegranate, and asked uneasily, "What did I say wrong?"

"It’s not about saying something wrong—" Tang Xiaobai sighed, "My dad, if you think about it, is also your elder. Can’t you be a bit more respectful?"

Having clung to someone’s thigh, she then went on to demand that the thigh respect her father. Was she dreaming too much?

"Alright." Li Mu nodded.

After thinking for a moment, he explained, "Because of Mr. Tang’s injury, both the Duke and I are a bit anxious. It wasn’t intentional disrespect towards the Duke."

He indeed was careless.

Although he and Tang Shigong were monarch and minister, and he would be his father-in-law in the future, he should adopt a better attitude.

Thinking this, Li Mu explained further, "I don’t have many elders, so I wasn’t mindful. It won’t happen next time."

When he said "Alright" without hesitation, Tang Xiaobai was delighted; the young master still listened to her;

When he explained the first sentence, Tang Xiaobai was satisfied; the young master was still obedient and sensible;

When he mentioned "without many elders," Tang Xiaobai started feeling sorry for him.

What ill intentions could the young master have?

He’s just a poor little orphan without elders!

Feeling sorry, Tang Xiaobai snatched the pomegranate from his hand, peeled a couple of seeds and stuffed them into his mouth, comforting him, "It’s okay, you’re young, my dad won’t mind."

He responded with a sound, holding the pomegranate with his lips and slowly mulling it into his mouth.

Perhaps having tasted the sweetness of the pomegranate, his brow suddenly softened, looking so adorably cute that Tang Xiaobai nearly screamed in delight, eagerly peeling more pomegranate to feed him.

"What are you two talking about? Why does it sound so weird to me?" came a voice from the doorway.

Tang Xiaobai paused her feeding action, turned her head to look, and unexpectedly her fingertip touched something warm and soft. Turning her head back, she saw the young master leaning forward to eat the pomegranate in her hand.

Li Xingyuan at the door blinked in shock.

Was this the Crown Prince of his house?

Listening to whatever a young maiden says and eating whatever she feeds, is this the Crown Prince he’s preparing to assist?

Tang Xiaobai also felt she was being a bit overly intimate with the young master, so she put down the pomegranate and wiped her hands, addressed seriously: "Is your injury okay?"

Both Li Xingyuan and Qin Rong were actually injured, but they were mere superficial wounds, nothing compared to Tang Ziqian’s.

"It’s fine." Li Xingyuan replied casually, as he walked into the room, sat down with them, picked up a pomegranate himself, peeling it while asking, "Where’s Miss Tang? Why didn’t she come over?"

"My sister was exhausted all night, hasn’t gotten up yet?" Tang Xiaobai replied.

Because she overslept last night and was mandated to take a nap, she got up relatively early and came to guard Tang Ziqian’s place early.

The young master and Li Xingyuan seemed to be in good health, still practicing martial arts, recovering quickly.

Miss Tang might not be up anytime soon.

"Is there something for my sister?" Tang Xiaobai asked cheerfully, eating the pomegranate seeds peeled by the young master in the bowl.

"Not particularly," Li Xingyuan glanced outside, "just wondering why Miss Tang didn’t chase me away?"

Turning back, he saw the young lady looking at him with a weird expression.

"What?" Li Xingyuan asked.

Tang Xiaobai shook her head.

"If you have an opinion, just say it!" Li Xingyuan teased her.

"No opinions..." How could she dare to have an opinion on the male lead?

"No opinions, maybe just think you’re a bit shameless—" Another person entered from outside.

Bright eyes and white teeth, graceful waist and slim figure, walking with light steps, face exceptionally clear, with an aura of immortality.

This is the original book’s female lead, Qin Rong, Beauty Qin.

Beauty Qin’s smile was elegant and poised, not showing at all the cold mockery that had just come from her mouth.

"Who just said I’m shameless?" Li Xingyuan looked behind her again, also doubting that the phrase came from Qin Rong.

Qin Rong paid no heed to him; entering the room, she sat down next to Li Mu and reached for the bowl with peeled pomegranate seeds.

Her hand had just extended when a hand knife, carrying murderous intent, chopped down.

Qin Rong hurriedly withdrew her hand in surprise, exclaiming, "I’m your sister, what’s wrong with me eating a few pomegranate seeds?" Too harsh a hand!

Li Mu cast a cold glance at her, not speaking.

Tang Xiaobai looked from the young master to the young master’s real sister, feeling a bit gleeful inside.

Ah, the young master still likes her the best...

"Speak about what’s going on with the bandit suppression in Hedong?" Qin Rong picked up a pomegranate herself, peeling while asking.

Li Mu glanced at the inner room.

There was still an Imperial Physician inside.

"Hedong has been suffering from consecutive spring droughts for two years, leading to rampant bandits. Since February this year, no fewer than ten batches of official grain and official silver have been robbed. Your Majesty intends to have Prince Jin lead troops to Hedong to suppress bandits." Li Mu said.

"Prince Jin leading troops? Leading my brother’s troops?" Tang Xiaobai scoffed lightly.

Has Prince Jin ever led troops? Fought a battle?

Clearly, it’s letting Tang Ziqian lead the charge while Li Shu picks up the rewards afterward!

Shameless!

"In that case, it’s better if Mr. Tang doesn’t go." Qin Rong said.

Li Xingyuan shook his head: "Hedong... everyone wants to go, but nobody dares to go."

"What do you mean?" Tang Xiaobai frowned.

Most annoying when people keep you guessing.

"The bandit problem in Hedong isn’t something just anyone can solve. Solving it—" considering there was still an Imperial Physician in the inner room, Li Mu couldn’t speak openly. Seeing the young lady puzzled, he leaned over and whispered a few words in her ear.

Tang Xiaobai’s eyes widened suddenly.

This, this...

Li Xingyuan "tsk"ed, couldn’t help but complain to Qin Rong, "Look at him, telling everything to a young girl."

Qin Rong chuckled, saying, "Since Mr. Tang is so seriously injured, forget about Hedong, he couldn’t even attend tomorrow’s court meeting—"

"Who says I can’t go?"

Everyone’s movements and voices froze, then collectively turned to look towards the inner room.

Tang Ziqian stood leaning against the door frame, his handsome and delicate face pairing with a pale complexion, creating a sort of morbidly charming beauty.

The corners of his lips slightly curved, his eyes carrying a faint smile, with not an ounce of arrogance reduced by his severe injury.

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

Suddenly, Tang Xiaobai jumped up.

"Why did you get up! Couldn’t you just have called us in to talk!"

...

Whether it was an effortless landing or a forced one, Tang Ziqian was able to get out of bed.

With this god-like recovery ability, even the Imperial Physician could only say heaven bestowed its blessing.

But Tang Xiaobai always felt it was because both the male and female leads were guarding him; if he took three to five years to recover, how would the main plot proceed?

However, although he’s out of danger, the Imperial Physician earnestly suggested it’s better not to get off the bed and run around.

The injury is on the chest, and the remaining poison hasn’t cleared, recommending rest and recovery.

Therefore—

"Let’s forget about the bandit suppression in Hedong..." Gu Ning looked at her eldest son with tear-filled eyes.

Li Mu also felt regret, asking, "In Mr. Tang’s opinion, who is suitable to replace you in Hedong?"

Tang Ziqian lay back, closed his eyes for a moment, then smiled: "I think I’m the most suitable!"

"Ziqian—"

"However, I probably won’t be able to attend tomorrow’s court meeting—" He paused, then laughed again, "Remember to see who is eager to take over for me in Hedong?"