Chapter 240: Chapter 236: I Was Bullied

Tang Xiaobai’s campsite was not far from Li Mu, just about twenty steps away she could see the top of the tent.

When she saw the tent top, she heard a series of “ding ding ling ling” sounds, like metal clashing, the rhythm somewhat nonchalant.

Among these “dinging” sounds, she also heard the voice of Tao Fen.

Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but stop her steps.

The group was as distinct in setting up camp as they were on the road; Tao Fen didn’t stay here but was next to Wenren Jia.

What was he doing here?

“Ding ding ling ling…”

“…A true man in the world, loyalty comes first…”

“Ding ding ling ling…”

“I know you’re not an ordinary man, yet one must not forget his roots, you were originally a servant of the Duke Yan Mansion—”

“Brother Tao!” Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but interrupt.

Tao Fen’s voice came to an abrupt halt.

The “ding ding ling ling” sound also stopped abruptly.

Tang Xiaobai stepped out from the shadows.

Tao Fen had his back to her but turned around when he heard her voice, his expression somewhat shocked, also a bit embarrassed.

The young lord was originally facing her, as though only now noticing her, lifted his eyes, eyes dark as night.

Tang Xiaobai glanced at him, turned to Tao Fen, and said seriously, “Brother Tao, heroes shouldn’t be questioned about their origins, let alone Qin Xiao has grievances with the Duke Yan Mansion for a reason, carrying the burden of the entire Qin Family’s wrongs, a pain of last resort, I hope no one brings up ’servant of the Duke Yan Mansion’ again in the future!”

Tao Fen, a bit anxious, said, “Second Miss, I didn’t mean it that way—”

“I know Brother Tao doesn’t have ill intentions, just don’t mention it again in the future.” Tang Xiaobai said gently.

Tao Fen’s complexion changed several times, finally sighed, “It’s my narrow-mindedness, ashamed! Ashamed!”

After speaking, he respectfully bowed with folded sleeves to Li Mu and said solemnly, “I hope Mr. Qin will forgive any offense in my words just now!”

Li Mu glanced at Tang Xiaobai, returned the courtesy, and said, “Brother Tao is too polite, your teachings, Qin Xiao will not forget lightly.” His tone was gentle, his attitude unexpectedly humble.

Tao Fen’s face showed even more regret, and he bowed again before leaving.

Li Mu glanced at Tao Fen’s departing back, his lips moved almost imperceptibly.

Feeling Tang Xiaobai approaching, he quickly turned his gaze back.

When he turned back, the little girl was already in front of him.

She seemed to have grown taller this year too, but standing in front of him, she was still petite, looking down, he could see the top of her head.

For convenience on the road, she tied her hair at the top of her head like a young man, her ears exposed, pink and crystalline, as beautifully carved as jade, delightful and lovely.

Her face had become much thinner, shedding its childishness, gaining a bit more of the maiden’s appearance.

When she slightly tilted her head, looking at him with a half-smile, Li Mu felt his heart race, unable for a moment to pay attention to her actions.

It wasn’t until his waist was tugged that he snapped back to reality.

“Ding ding ling ling…”

It was precisely the metallic clashing sound that Tang Xiaobai heard just now.

Li Mu was usually dressed in military attire, his waist bound with a leather belt, the belt punched with holes to hang tools like flint, daggers, and Yue Que.

The sound Tang Xiaobai heard just now came from these tools clashing with each other.

Why would these objects make a sound while standing still?

Tang Xiaobai sneered coldly, looking at him.

“Does the Second Miss like this sound?” he asked nonchalantly, fiddling with his waist accessories once more.

“Ding ding ling ling,” sounded confidently aggressive.

Tang Xiaobai sighed, “What scheme are you up to this time? How did Brother Tao offend you?”

As she approached, she didn’t lighten her footsteps; if not for the young lord deliberately making noise, Tao Fen would have discovered her long ago.

Clearly, he wanted her to hear what Tao Fen had to say.

But she knew Tao Fen’s character too, today he came looking for the young lord probably because of the young lord’s rudeness to Gu Hui during the day.

Tao Fen values righteousness, feeling that the young lord, being from the Duke Yan Mansion, was rude to Gu Hui and thereby seemed to disregard the Duke Yan Mansion, with tendencies of “forgetting his roots.”

As for referring to him as a “servant,” to Tao Fen, it was simply stating a fact.

The class system in this era was still quite particular.

Someone just had to seize the opportunity to make a big deal out of it.

“No offense,” Li Mu said nonchalantly, “We never interacted before; the sudden visit, the intentions are unfathomable—” He smiled at Tang Xiaobai, “If not for the Second Miss being here, I would have been bullied.”

His eyebrows softened when he smiled, like a newborn puppy, innocent and weak, seemingly bullied by anyone.

Yet his face was so beautiful that it made people reluctant to bully him.

Tang Xiaobai stared intently for two seconds, turned away, “Come on! It’s good enough if you don’t bully him!”

Darn!

How did her young lord evolve from a cute little boy into a dazzling rogue?

“In the eyes of the Second Miss, am I the villain?” he asked softly.

Tang Xiaobai snorted coldly, eyeing him, “Don’t you have any self-awareness?”

Li Mu grabbed her sleeve corner, whispered, “I really don’t know, you tell me where I’m bad, and I’ll change.”

Tang Xiaobai wanted to cover her ears.

Could you first turn off that illicit voice of yours?

“Second Miss?” Soft and tender, slightly hoarse and raspy.

It’s practically deadly!

“Right! I cooked fish soup over there, would you like some?” Tang Xiaobai decisively changed to a mundane topic.

Li Mu smiled slightly, “Sure.”

…

Tang Xiaobai held the fish soup, chattering, “We didn’t bring many bowls, this one’s mine, can you just make do drinking? Or do you have your own? Should I ask Yingying to get it?”

“No,” Li Mu said, taking the bowl directly and drinking.

As he drank the fish soup, Tang Xiaobai looked at him hesitantly as if she wanted to ask what Wenren Jia had told him, but then thought it must be quite a secret, not appropriate for an outsider like her to ask.

However, Li Mu put down the soup bowl and took the initiative to speak: “Wenren Jia indeed knows who forged the seal all those years ago, but that person held high power and rank; at the time, he underestimated the Qin Family’s strength and feared the consequences, so he didn’t disclose it.”

Tang Xiaobai pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing, “It was obvious that he saw you all as alone and weak; he was afraid that in your haste for revenge, you’d ruin things, which is why he purposely didn’t tell you!”

This child, why always think the worst of people?

“Second Miss is right.” This time answering very obediently.

Tang Xiaobai sighed again and said, “Now that he sees you siblings wielding military power, and feel you can contend with that man, he is willing to tell you?”

Li Mu made a soft “hmm.”

“So—” Tang Xiaobai looked around, seeing no one, still lowered her voice, “Who is the person who forged the seal?”

Li Mu softly uttered a name.

Tang Xiaobai was so shocked her eyes widened: “How could it be him?!”

Li Mu smiled faintly.

When he heard the answer, surprisingly, he wasn’t surprised at all.

“Are you sure?” Tang Xiaobai still didn’t quite believe it, “How did Wenren Jia know? He was so young back then, who told him?”

“Back then, he was twelve, already learning engraving for three years—”

“That seal, the counterfeit that ruined the entire Qin Family, came from Wenren Jia’s hand!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep