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 seed 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 seed absent-minded.
But when Tang Xiaobai ca 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 seed 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 so 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 mont 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 ."
"He’s even worse than the Crown Prince," the eldest sister comnted coldly.
Tang Xiaobai smiled and asked, "Sister, why did you co? Didn’t you say that soone had to stay at ho?"
Yesterday she blad her for coming to pick her up, and today she ca 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 assu I didn’t settle things at the mansion?"
The eldest sister raised an elegant brow, rolled up her sleeves, and ca 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 slls so good and feels so soft!"
Tang Jiaojiao blushed, shafully 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 why the Empress summoned you?"
Tang Xiaobai turned over, leaned on her, and said leisurely: "It’s nothing, probably the sa 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 imdiately 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 ca 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 ti to ddle 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 ti Ashina Duoduo wanted to surrender and negotiate peace, even though it had nothing to do with , she sched to drag into it!"
"Wasn’t she also summoned into the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager?"
"If she could bring down, couldn’t I drag her along?" Tang Jiaojiao snorted coldly, "I’ve even thought it through, if it cos to having to marry into peace, I’ll make sure to drag her along with !"
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 na 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 ca 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 rember the agate cup set that the Xue Family brought when they ca to apologize back then? That seed to be Madam Xue’s dowry."
At that ti, 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, ca 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 ca to apologize.
Because Xue Shaoqin was an orphan with few family mbers 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 ti, 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 mory..."
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 mont, a servant ca to report: "Xue Tenth Son requests an audience!"
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