CHAPTER 146: CHAPTER 146: THE BENEFICIARY

The carriage came out of Duke Zheng’s Mansion, and as it passed Yankang Village, Tang Xiaobai instructed, "Go inside!"

During the day, the village gates were open, allowing for shortcuts.

Gu Wan returned to the Gu Mansion from Princess Puan Mansion, and Wei Sui returned home from the academy, both taking shortcuts through Yankang Village.

Tang Xiaobai leaned out from the carriage window, taking a longer look at the spot where Gu Wan had encountered danger, and saw a familiar figure.

"Stop!" Tang Xiaobai shouted.

The person turned at the sound of her voice, and upon seeing her, wore a gentle smile.

"Fourth Cousin Gu!" Tang Xiaobai called out to him, "What are you doing here?"

Gu Yuan walked up to her, turned his head casually, and said, "Just taking a look."

Tang Xiaobai nodded in understanding.

She too glanced around and whispered, "From Xiao’er Village to here is not so close..."

Even if hunting dogs escaped, why did they come here and specifically attack Gu Wan?

"Two dogs running in the streets during daylight wouldn’t attract much attention," Gu Yuan said.

Tang Xiaobai frowned.

Where did the problem lie? Could it be just an accident?

"It’s cold outside, you should go back," Gu Yuan smiled.

As she was leaving, Tang Xiaobai lowered the carriage window curtain and saw Gu Yuan lingering at that corner.

"If it wasn’t an accident, what kind of person would be involved?" Tang Xiaobai asked.

"Look at who benefits," Li Mu answered from outside the carriage.

While answering, he looked at the gradually distant figure of Gu Yuan.

...

Who would benefit?

After conducting a deep analysis from multiple angles, Tang Xiaobai approached Tang Jiaojiao and asked, "If Cousin Wanwan had an accident, who would be the next person to discuss marriage with Brother?"

Tang Jiaojiao thought for a long time and shook her head, "There’s none in the Capital City that matches Brother."

Tang Xiaobai paused for a moment, then asked, "It’s not about whether it’s a match, but whether they desire."

Tang Jiaojiao sneered, "It doesn’t matter what they desire. Even if a Princess wants to marry into our Duke Yan Mansion, it’s not that easy!"

Tang Xiaobai was stunned.

Tang Jiaojiao also understood the implications, looked at her with uncertainty: "Do you mean...?"

Tang Xiaobai quickly shook her head, "I didn’t mean anything!"

Tang Jiaojiao, however, pulled her with a serious expression: "Let’s talk to Mother—"

...

Upon hearing, Gu Ning showed no surprise but only smiled tenderly: "Your grandmother recently sent a message saying Your Majesty intends to marry Princess Runan to Duke Yan Mansion."

Princess Runan is the daughter of Consort Zheng, Prince Jin Li Shu’s sister.

"How does the Palace know we’re discussing marriage with the Gu Family? Is there a spy in our mansion?" Tang Jiaojiao’s face was unpleasant, as she managed personnel matters in Duke Yan Mansion.

"The Palace might not know," Tang Xiaobai said, "If His Majesty intends to marry off a Princess, he can say it directly, there’s no need to harm Cousin Wanwan."

If another family targeted Tang Ziqian, they might act against Gu Wan, but the Emperor certainly wouldn’t need to.

Gu Ning smiled and nodded, her gaze extending to the approaching Tang Ziqian, softly said: "Ziqian is here—" Then said to the two sisters, "You two go ahead, I have some matters to discuss with Ziqian."

The sisters knew they were going to discuss the Princess’s dowry, lowered their heads, and retreated.

Upon leaving Ningchun Court, Tang Jiaojiao sneered, "In my opinion, it must have something to do with that one from Buzheng Village!"

Buzheng Village is where Princess Puan Mansion is located.

Historically, stepmothers are often portrayed as malicious figures.

Tang Xiaobai had met Princess Puan several times, and at least outwardly, she seemed benign. Over the years, no scandal of abusing stepchildren had emerged.

So, could it be her?

...

Since Gu Wan was saved, it wasn’t immediately clear who benefited from the incident.

The Gu family investigated the hunting dogs, carriage, people involved but found no evidence.

They could only temporarily set it aside to prepare for the New Year.

As everyone prepared for the New Year, a rumor gradually spread.

Tang Xiaobai heard this rumor post-New Year.

Previously, she listed numerous potential beneficiaries if Gu Wan encountered an accident; upon hearing this rumor, she realized she had overlooked someone.

If not for this rumor, she wouldn’t have thought of that person at all.

Nonetheless, Tang Xiaobai still felt it more likely someone manipulated things in the dark to frame Gu Wan.

Until the night of the Lantern Festival.

The Lantern Festival of Taixing Year 13 was her 11th birthday.

Just like last year, Tang Xiaobai went out with family to enjoy the Lantern Festival.

Once again, successfully collecting countless prizes and treasures along the way, yet the protagonist shifted from Tang Ziqian to the young Tang Xiao.

Tang Xiaobai continued to follow along with a smile, enjoying the attention.

Upon receiving the seventeenth prize, as she instructed servants to store it, her gaze inadvertently caught sight of this scene amidst the crowd—

A handsome young man holds a palace lantern painted with a Beauty, smilingly handing it to the beautiful girl before him.

The girl gently raises her porcelain wrist, accepts it with her own hands, lightly lifts her eyes to glance at the young man, slightly lowering her head—there’s an incredibly gentle shyness in the scene.

The bright moon, colorful lanterns, and passing pedestrians seemed to be merely the backdrop.

Tang Xiaobai suddenly recalled the rumor.

Could it... be true?

...

"How could it be? Impossible! It’s not true!" A denial three times.

Tang Xiaobai clasped her hands behind her back, standing on the steps, gaining a vantage point to coldly regard the person before her: "You mean I mistook someone during the Lantern night?"

"That’s not entirely wrong..." Wei Sui scratched his head, "I indeed ran into Third Miss Gu that day and casually gave her a lantern."

"Casually?"

"Yes!" Wei Sui almost swore by Heaven, "She seemed to fancy that lantern; the seller wouldn’t sell it and insisted on a riddle—"

"And then you solved it?" How could Tang Xiaobai believe this? Gu Wan’s academic skills surely surpass Wei Sui!

"Not quite," Wei Sui replied, "I kept tossing coins one after another, by the tenth coin, the seller relented."

Tang Xiaobai: ...

Why does this remind her of her elder sister’s demeanor?

"Indeed, Third Miss Gu was grateful to me for the incident at Yankang Village, but truly, I’ve hardly met her!" Wei Sui said solemnly.

"At Chengji Tea Shop?"

"A coincidence, coincidence."

"At Heavenly Skill Workshop?"

"An accidental encounter, accidental."

"At Drunken Immortal Pavilion?"

"I was just eating there!"

Tang Xiaobai coldly sneered.

Initially, upon hearing the rumors that Gu Wan felt enamored by Wei Sui due to the heroics, Tang Xiaobai didn’t believe it. Even if whispers claimed that people often saw Gu Wan and Wei Sui together, she deemed it gossip.

Yet she’d personally witnessed it.

Originally, when Gu Wan didn’t get harmed, she thought no one benefited.

But here was one!

"What exactly are you implying?" Wei Sui showed irritation, "Certainly, I’ve seen Third Miss Gu more frequently these days, but it’s not like I orchestrated it! Why pin it all on me?"