Chapter 334: Chapter 330: Xue Tenth Son

The Crown Prince barged into Lizheng Hall, but was ushered out in less than a quarter of an hour.

When he left, his gaze was cold and intimidating, causing the palace attendants to remain silent and fearful, unsure of what had happened inside.

After another half an hour, the Second Miss Tang also left.

Inside Lizheng Hall, it was so quiet it seemed as if no one had ever been there.

…

As soon as Tang Xiaobai exited the palace gates, she felt a sudden brightness before her eyes.

Whoa!

Two stunning beauties!

One was dressed in bright red, vibrant as fire, the other in pale blue, naturally elegant and delicate.

However, the two beauties did not appear to be getting along well, one with a look of disdain, the other seemed absent-minded.

But when Tang Xiaobai came out, both of them simultaneously dropped their airs and looked over.

“Sister!” After greeting her sister, Tang Xiaobai looked at the other person, “Senior Brother Qin… going to the Eastern Palace?”

Qin Xiao now held an official position and was a confidant of the Crown Prince, often entering and leaving the Eastern Palace.

But today it seemed otherwise.

“Just passing by,” he said, glancing at Tang Xiaobai slightly, smiling, “I heard that Junior Sister Tang was summoned by the Empress, is there some good news?” His eyes were filled with concern and inquiry.

Tang Xiaobai smiled slightly: “I just ran into the Crown Prince in the palace, so it’s really nothing special.”

After saying that, she pulled Tang Jiaojiao away.

Once in the carriage, Tang Jiaojiao opened a sliver of the curtain, saw Qin Xiao standing at the original spot seemingly deep in thought for a moment before turning away and leaving.

“That Qin must have no good intentions towards you!” Tang Jiaojiao snorted coldly.

Tang Xiaobai was non-committal: “Senior Brother Qin has always taken good care of me.”

“He’s even worse than the Crown Prince,” the eldest sister commented coldly.

Tang Xiaobai smiled and asked, “Sister, why did you come? Didn’t you say that someone had to stay at home?”

Yesterday she blamed her for coming to pick her up, and today she came herself.

A definite double standard.

Tang Jiaojiao gave her a cold sideways glance: “Of course, I made sure everything was settled at the mansion before coming out, how could I be as reckless as you?”

“How am I reckless? You just assume I didn’t settle things at the mansion?”

The eldest sister raised an elegant brow, rolled up her sleeves, and came to pinch her face: “You grew a mouth just to talk back to your sister?”

Tang Xiaobai knew she would be furious but didn’t run away, instead she plunged directly into her sister’s arms, embraced the delicate waist, took a deep breath, and said with a mischievous grin, “My sister smells so good and feels so soft!”

Tang Jiaojiao blushed, shamefully angry: “Where did you learn this rascal behavior! Get up quickly!”

“Sister, don’t pinch my face, and I’ll get up!”

Tang Jiaojiao didn’t really want to comply, but if Tang Xiaobai didn’t get up, she wouldn’t be able to pinch her even if she wanted to, so she could only resentfully pat her back: “Get up quickly! Tell me why the Empress summoned you?”

Tang Xiaobai turned over, leaned on her, and said leisurely: “It’s nothing, probably the same reason they summoned you into the palace.”

Tang Jiaojiao’s face changed instantly: “They dare to make plans for you?! Where’s the Crown Prince! Is the Crown Prince dead?!”

“Didn’t I say I ran into the Crown Prince in the palace?” Tang Xiaobai held her forehead, “I ran into him at Lizheng Hall!”

Only then did Tang Jiaojiao’s face slightly ease: “It must be that wretched Yan Jingjing stirring things up!”

When Tang Xiaobai did not immediately respond, she left her questioning: “Stirring up what?”

Tang Jiaojiao gave her a “How can you not understand this?” side-eye: “Didn’t you talk with Xue Tenth Son by the bridge yesterday? Yan Jingjing’s carriage passed by on the opposite side, she’s always fancied Xue Tenth Son, anyone who gets close to him will have trouble—”

At this point, Tang Jiaojiao sneered disdainfully.

“All these years, she still hasn’t married into the Xue Family and only picks on easy targets, like last year, a County Magistrate who came to report for duty in the capital brought his daughter, that girl accidentally bumped into Xue Tenth Son, and the next day she broke her leg!”

Tang Xiaobai frowned tightly: “Then what happened?”

“How would I know?” Tang Jiaojiao glanced at her sideways, “Do I have time to meddle with her family affairs every day?”

The topic shifted back: “Yan Jingjing went into the palace with Li Huan to see Consort Zheng yesterday afternoon, she must have stirred up trouble in front of Consort Zheng, who then badmouthed you to the Emperor!”

Tang Xiaobai was indifferent: “What ability does Yan Jingjing possess? If you said it was Li Huan who stirred trouble, I’d believe it a bit more.”

“Don’t underestimate her,” Tang Jiaojiao sneered coldly, “Last time Ashina Duoduo wanted to surrender and negotiate peace, even though it had nothing to do with me, she schemed to drag me into it!”

“Wasn’t she also summoned into the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager?”

“If she could bring me down, couldn’t I drag her along?” Tang Jiaojiao snorted coldly, “I’ve even thought it through, if it comes to me having to marry into peace, I’ll make sure to drag her along with me!”

Tang Xiaobai chuckled: “Even if Yan Jingjing is eloquent, can persuade Li Huan, and influence Consort Zheng, she can’t sway the Emperor’s decisions.”

Tang Jiaojiao knew her little sister wasn’t one to talk nonsense, so upon hearing this, several thoughts crossed her mind, and a name surfaced: “Could it be… Xue Tenth Son?”

…

“…Back then, your brother captured Murong Shun, brought him to Shanzhou, and handed him over to Xue Shi. Later when Murong Shun was escorted to the capital and titled Commandery Prince, all affairs were overseen by Xue Shi, who thus ascended to Minister of the Imperial Secretariat;”

In the afternoon, Qin Xiao secretly came to the Duke Yan Mansion, talking about Xue Shaojian.

“Yesterday the Emperor summoned Xue Shi at Liangyi Palace, surely to ask about the matter of wedding Murong Shun—” Peach blossom eyes glinted with cold light, and the aura of a stunning heroine reminiscent of their first encounter at the city gates.

“Did our Duke Yan Mansion offend him?” Tang Jiaojiao was beginning to grow angry.

Speaking of this, Tang Xiaobai got excited: “Sister, do you remember the agate cup set that the Xue Family brought when they came to apologize back then? That seemed to be Madam Xue’s dowry.”

At that time, Xue Shaoqin’s cousin, Xue Shaoqin, was working as a County Magistrate in Wannian County. Due to the matter of the Duke Yan Mansion being infiltrated by an assassin, Xue Shaoqin and his subordinate, Yao He, came to investigate. Yao He carelessly asked two questions to the spoiled Second Miss of the Duke Yan Mansion, angering the eldest sister, resulting in both Yao He and Xue Shaoqin being kicked out of the mansion.

The next day, the Xue Family tactfully came to apologize.

Because Xue Shaoqin was an orphan with few family members and very poor, Madam Xue specially took out a set of her dowry agate cups, asking Xue Shaojian to accompany them when apologizing.

This trivial matter had long been forgotten by Tang Jiaojiao.

After thinking for a long time, she barely recalled a little, giving Tang Xiaobai a side-eye: “Are you really keeping score of family grudges for others?”

Tang Xiaobai chuckled: “I just happen to have a good memory…”

It’s important to keep track of what reckless things our family might have done, to avoid not knowing where the grudges stem from when others seek revenge.

“Would Xue Tenth Son act over such trivial matter?” Tang Jiaojiao was incredulous.

How could the issue lie with her?

The gaze turned towards Qin Xiao: “Could it not be that you toyed with his emotions, leading him to hate you out of love, and now seeing you laughing and joking with Xiao Bai, he takes it out on Xiao Bai?”

Qin Xiao blushed slightly, lowering his head and coughed softly: “I’ve already talked to him…”

“Xue Tenth Son… probably isn’t that kind of person,” Tang Xiaobai wanted to laugh, but realizing she was also involved, couldn’t, “even if it was his suggestion, it wouldn’t be for personal grudges.”

Qin Xiao pondered.

But Tang Jiaojiao hadn’t thought of it and asked directly: “Then for what reason?”

At this moment, a servant came to report: “Xue Tenth Son requests an audience!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep