The little ancestor used to look at her like this when they had spats.
She would always find it amusing.
But now, it’s a bit different.
His eyes are not quite the sa as before.
They used to be rounder when he was younger, but now they’ve elongated a bit and the corners slightly upturned, tinged with a delicate, alluring peach-pink hue.
Moreover, below the corner of his eye, there’s a tiny tear-shaped mole.
Such a small detail, at once coolly elegant and beguiling.
When he looks at her with that suggestive gaze like before, there’s now an unintentional enchantnt added.
Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but lift her heels, wanting to touch that tear mole at the corner of his eye.
As soon as her hand lifted to et his gaze, her face suddenly reddened, and she awkwardly smiled, drawing her hand back behind her.
Li Mu’s eyes flashed, and he asked, "Nothing you want to say?" His tone was much softer now than before.
Tang Xiaobai touched her face, embarrassed, and mumbled, "How could I not believe you? I just... just think you’re having a hard ti in Hedong."
Back then, the Prince Changshan had just died, Li Xingyuan had not yet fully taken control of Zhenzhou, and the little ancestor was still under the thumb of Prince Jin and Prince Qing in Hedong.
Rather than leaving the situation in Hedong to risk it with her, it was better to stay in Hedong to preserve his strength.
If things really took a turn for the worst, he and Li Xingyuan would be the last resort.
Who would have thought that both of them would co here?
"It’s not hard," Li Mu said, "I’m not as burdened as you think."
He never considered himself to have it hard, even when he was imprisoned or poisoned in the past.
Perhaps he was too young then to feel anything.
Later as he grew, he beca numb.
Coldly watching people scheming against him, using him, or offering seemingly genuine help.
Because he was so young when his parents passed, he had no strong desire for revenge or ambition to seize power. Whatever others asked him to do, he did it, allowing himself to drift along.
Until he t her.
Never having tasted sweetness, he didn’t realize he was consuming bitterness.
After tasting it, the world in his eyes and heart was completely different.
He began to have the mind to do certain things.
"Studying, martial arts, exams, military power, none of these is difficult."
Including withdrawing to the Northwest to find her, which was rely setting up a ga, sacrificing so power, and gambling on the balance of people’s hearts.
"Finding you is what’s hard." Li Mu gazed at her, his words couldn’t be more sincere and earnest.
But in Tang Xiaobai’s ears, it sounded like a classic humblebrag.
Studying, martial arts, exams, military power, none of these is difficult?
Unable to hold back, she pinched his arm hard.
She only pinched thick clothing.
Unwilling, Tang Xiaobai kicked his calf.
He chuckled lightly.
Tang Xiaobai blushed again, feeling a bit childish. She lightly coughed twice and asked nonchalantly, "Aren’t you really going back to Hedong now? Can Miss Qin manage on her own?"
"Isn’t Li Xingyuan not going back to Zhenzhou either?"
Tang Xiaobai was at a loss for words.
Although it was she who asked Li Xingyuan to co to the Capital City, his previous decision to co was also a love-driven move.
Uh...
Why did she even say "either"?
"Everything has its priority, Li Xingyuan and I both know what’s more important," Li Mu looked at her blushing face, a smile forming on his lips, "Moreover, it’s really okay if I don’t go back to Hedong, Qin Rong will definitely find a way to keep Li Shu outside Yann Pass until I return—"
...
"Miss Qin, Prince Jin requests your presence!"
Qin Rong paused, silently draping back on the cloak she had just removed.
It was already ti for lamps to be lit.
When Qin Rong was led to Li Shu, he was facing away from her, examining a map of outside Yann Pass hanging from a screen.
When they left the pass in pursuit, the map from the Ministry of War had not yet arrived.
Originally, the State Mansion had a local map, but it had all been seized during the Turkic invasion.
What they were using now was a makeshift map drawn by the accompanying civil servant.
It has to be said that compared to the maps Qin Xiao had obtained before, it’s extrely crude.
But it was the best they could use for the mont, as she and Li Shu were trapped in Yunzhou Prefecture, temporarily cut off from communication with inside the Yann Pass.
"Haven’t you made contact with Qin Xiao yet?" Li Shu asked.
"No," Qin Rong replied softly, her calm and resolute voice tinged with a trace of heaviness and concern.
Two months ago, "Qin Xiao" was severely injured in the battle at Yann Pass; she, as "Qin Xiao’s" sister, was enraged and led troops to attack to avenge her brother.
After the victory at Yann Pass, she pursued relentlessly for hundreds of miles, unstoppable in her montum.
Until they reached Yunzhou, where she fell into an ambush.
Throughout this, Li Shu was with her.
Thus, they were trapped in Yunzhou together.
"Qin Xiao," due to severe injuries, was left inside the pass, while Yann Pass was controlled by Prince Qing and Yuwen Bo at the mont.
So it was no surprise that no reinforcents had arrived.
Only Li Shu occasionally asked if there was any news of "Qin Xiao."
There truly wasn’t.
She also wanted to ask the Crown Prince how long he intended to leave her here.
Li Shu was not a diocre person; if given more ti, he might find a way to break the stalemate.
"Do you think... Qin Xiao has been detained by Prince Qing?" Li Shu suddenly asked.
Qin Rong gathered her thoughts, replying firmly, "Ah Xiao must be working to break the siege of Yunzhou; he would never abandon !"
Which was essentially saying nothing.
She had been using this excuse to placate Li Shu during this ti.
But she gradually saw suspicion in Li Shu’s eyes.
For instance, at that mont, when Li Shu turned to look at her, his eyes were hard to read.
"Aren’t you worried about his safety?" Li Shu asked.
Qin Rong continued to put on a firm front, "Our Qin Family’s sons are not so easily defeated!"
"How about I dispatch elite soldiers to escort you to break out?" Li Shu suddenly suggested.
Qin Rong frowned, "If anyone’s going to break out, it should be escorting Your Highness out!"
Escorting Li Shu out, she could manage to bring him back. If they escorted her, it would be more like she was being escorted out, which was quite embarrassing.
Li Shu gazed deeply at her for a mont, then suddenly walked two steps toward her.
When he stopped, he raised his hand, intending to touch her face.
Qin Rong was startled and stepped back.
As she retreated, Li Shu’s hand suddenly reached to grab her.
Qin Rong could have avoided it, but chose to let him catch her hand, pulling it in front of him to conceal her true abilities.
"Your Highness!" Qin Rong’s face turned pale, her gaze unyielding as she faced him, internally agitated.
For the sake of the Young Crown Prince’s order, she was sacrificing far too much!
"Upon our return to the Capital, I shall petition to have you made Princess Jin!" he said lowly, his eyes dark with intensity.
"Your Highness’ affection is misguided," Qin Rong refused without hesitation, "Qin Rong has already pledged herself to the Heir of Prince Changshan!"
His gaze turned icy in an instant, "Li Xingyuan?"
"Yes!" Qin Rong t his eyes unflinchingly.
After all, it wasn’t her who would suffer for it—Li Xingyuan would.
"Then why hasn’t he co to rescue you?" Li Shu asked softly, his gaze searching, as if probing for answers.
Qin Rong’s heart skipped a beat.
Yes, she had privately pledged herself to Li Xingyuan, so why had he not co to her rescue?
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