"It’s no longer a secret," Tang Xiaobai said, "I learned it from a merchant returning from Liangzhou."

Since her father and brother went to Liangzhou, she had been on edge every day, but today, she suddenly calmed down.

Her worries had finally come true, leaving nothing to guess.

And things were better than she had imagined.

The news of her father and brother’s disappearance was likely being intentionally spread; now even merchants traveling back and forth know it, so it won’t be long before the whole world does.

Zhou Xun also understood this trend, only saying, "The Madame is in poor health and must be kept unaware for a while longer."

Tang Xiaobai did not answer, lowered her eyes, pondered for a moment, and then looked up with a determined expression: "Sir, I have a matter I would like to discuss with you!"

Zhou Xun was about to speak but was interrupted.

"Sir —" A servant hurried in from outside, presenting a letter, "Urgent letter from Mr. Qin!"

Surprised, Zhou Xun took it, "He would still write me a letter?" As far as he knew, since the Crown Prince went to Hedong, he had only written to Second Miss.

"What did Ah Xiao say?" Tang Xiaobai asked.

No sooner had she spoken than Zhou Xun’s expression changed drastically —

...

In the afternoon, the sound of insects was incessant, making the courtyard appear even more tranquil.

"Thud, thud, thud—" Footsteps like a sudden rain stormed into Ningchun Court.

"Mother—" Tang Xiaobai ran to the courtyard, only to find Tang Jiaojiao was also inside the room.

The eldest lady, rarely displaying her daughterly demeanor, leaned against Gu Ning with faintly red eyes.

"What are you yelling about!" As soon as Tang Jiaojiao saw her, she sat up straight, her face cold and scolding, "There’s no decorum when you’re with Mother!"

Tang Xiaobai recovered, quickly stepped inside the house, and said, "Mother, I have something I want to discuss with you—" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"I also have something to tell you." Gu Ning smiled warmly.

Resisting the anxiety in her heart, Tang Xiaobai asked, "What is it?"

Gu Ning, smiling gently, touched Tang Jiaojiao’s hair and spoke with some sentiment: "Your sister has already been matched with Wang Fourth Son, the legitimate grandson of the Prime Minister."

Tang Xiaobai looked at Tang Jiaojiao in shock.

Tang Jiaojiao’s expression was indifferent, neither happy nor sad.

"I’ve already had someone send a letter to your father for confirmation, and once he replies, our two families will proceed with the betrothal." Gu Ning said.

Tang Xiaobai felt a sting in her heart.

"Mother..." she spoke with difficulty, "Father and Brother... are missing."

Gu Ning’s face instantly turned ashen, and she swayed as if a fallen leaf floating on water, yet her slender, fragile hands tightly grasped the corner of the table, preventing her from collapsing.

"Where did this news come from?" Gu Ning asked, her voice hoarse.

Tang Xiaobai stepped forward, knelt beside her, and whispered, "Mr. Zhou has already received the news, and soon it will spread through the Capital City."

Mr. Zhou said that Mother was weak and couldn’t withstand such a blow.

But she didn’t see it that way.

Her father and brother had guarded the frontier for many years, and Duke Yan Mansion remained stable. She and her sister grew up healthy, and in terms of resilience, Mother had already surpassed countless others in the world.

If an accident really befell their father and brother, the three of them, mother and daughters, would undoubtedly face it together.

"Mother, I want to go to Liangzhou!" Tang Xiaobai held her hand and said.

"You want to go to Liangzhou?" Tang Jiaojiao seemed to come to her senses, raising her voice suddenly.

Tang Xiaobai nodded: "Before Father went to Liangzhou, I said this to him, and he promised that when I had thoroughly studied military books and mastered riding skills, he would allow me to go to Liangzhou."

She tightened her grip on Gu Ning’s hand, looking increasingly resolute.

"Mother, you know, before Father left, he arranged for me to enter the Ministry of War. The division in charge deals with maps, city temples, stationed troops, and beacon posts across the nation. He really intended for me to go to Liangzhou;"

"Over the past six months, I have not slackened for a single day. I am well-versed in everything about Liangzhou, Shanzhou, Lianzhou, Kuozhou, including within the Turkic borders and everything under the division. And what the division doesn’t have, I have sought out everywhere;"

"Mother, I can go!"

"Impossible!" Tang Jiaojiao opposed sharply, "Mother, Xiaobai is only twelve years old!"

"At twelve, you were already managing Duke Yan Mansion!"

"How is that the same? I was home with Mother watching over me! You going to Liangzhou, you going to Liangzhou—" she abruptly choked and couldn’t continue, only glaring at Tang Xiaobai angrily.

"Going to Liangzhou, but your Father and Brother are not there," Gu Ning continued, "If they were, it would be alright for you to go, but since they’re not, how can you go? Who will protect you?"

This question, Tang Xiaobai naturally had considered: "Liangzhou has its own garrison, most of whom are Father’s subordinates. Besides, I won’t be going unprepared; the news of Father and Brother’s disappearance must have reached the Court already, and they will send someone to Liangzhou. I will go with the dispatched envoy!"

Gu Ning looked at her quietly, gradually showing signs of concession in her gaze.

But suddenly, Tang Jiaojiao stood up: "Father promised you could go to Liangzhou after thoroughly studying military books and mastering riding skills. I trust you’ve studied military books—what about riding skills?"

"Beat me in a race, and I’ll agree to let you go to Liangzhou!"

...

Sleeves rolled up, boots on, hair tied atop, a belt around the waist.

Tang Xiaobai habitually wrapped the whip twice in her palm and looked up to see her sister doing the same.

Same outfit, same action.

Tang Xiaobai stepped closer to her and looked up, asking, "Sister, have I grown taller?"

When she first came, she only reached her sister’s chest; now she’s past the chin.

She must be 1.5 meters tall by now?

Tang Jiaojiao said nothing, pressed her head, and pushed: "Get on the horse! Go to Changle Slope!"

...

Red clothes like a glow, blue clothes like the wind, through city gates drawing countless onlooker glances.

"The one in blue is the Second Miss of Duke Yan Mansion," someone said.

After speaking, no response was heard; turning around, he saw the teenager beside him had blushed...

...

The early summer heat was already apparent, with few tourists on Changle Slope.

The two rode side by side outside the woods, ahead was an expansive uphill view.

Tang Jiaojiao pointed the whip: "Up the hill is an old poplar, that’s the finish line!"

At the sound of the command, both horses dashed forward, galloping like the wind.

Tang Jiaojiao always had high ambitions, only rode adult horses, her mount reportedly a warhorse sent back from the Northwest by Tang Ziqian, tall, strong, and majestic;

Tang Xiaobai’s mount had always been the little red horse previously gifted by the Crown Prince. However, as she grew, the little red horse did too, now a fully grown horse even surpassing Tang Jiaojiao’s in breed.

But neither Tang Xiaobai nor the little red horse were accustomed to such high-speed galloping. Once they set off, they lagged behind half a length.

After adapting to the pace and rhythm, they had already fallen a full horse’s length behind. No matter how hard she chased, the gap didn’t narrow.

As soon as she saw the half-withered old poplar on the hill, Tang Xiaobai’s heart sank.

Will she lose?

She clenched her teeth, squeezed her legs against the horse’s belly, the whip cracked loudly—

"Go!"

The little red horse seemed to sense her anxiety and suddenly accelerated.

But the dramatic turnaround seen in dramas didn’t occur.

When she struggled to catch up by a third of a horse’s length, Tang Jiaojiao’s mount had already reached the tree, with one leap over the trunk, winning the race.