CHAPTER 155: CHAPTER 155: YE QINGRONG’S INVITATION

Don’t be fooled by Gongsun Yi’s arrogance towards the Academy’s teachers. Even he knows to back down when facing the Second Miss of the Duke Yan Mansion.

He only dared to glare once before turning back to his contest with Ye Qingrong nonchalantly.

This kind of predictable contest was originally of no interest to Tang Xiaobai.

But just as she was about to leave, she noticed that the teachers were also secretly squeezing into the crowd to watch.

Especially Lin Xujiji, who discreetly waved her over when he saw her approaching.

As a good student who respects and values her teachers, Tang Xiaobai obediently stepped forward to greet, "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Do you know that young man in white?" Lin Xujiji asked.

Just now, he had heard this girl confidently assert Gongsun Yi’s defeat, so she seemed to know the strength of his opponent.

Tang Xiaobai did not hide anything for the heroine, "That’s the only daughter of the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Ye Family."

"A lady?" Lin Xujiji was surprised.

Tang Xiaobai was also surprised, couldn’t he tell?

Thinking this, she gave Ye Qingrong a closer look.

Indeed.

Ye Qingrong dressed up as a man quite thoughtfully, eyebrows drawn, face contoured, even the chest was bound flat, making her figure resemble a slender young man, except her bones were more delicate, and her features more refined.

But to bind the chest so flat requires innate conditions—something that Miss Tang could never achieve.

Thus, the heroine was at least not very large.

Being petite has its own beauty. Anyone with a figure as proud as Miss Tang or Pingyang Princess would not have the delicate elegance.

Yan Jingjing, who exudes a high and cold literary air, is also petite and exquisite.

Of course, these girls are only fourteen or fifteen years old, perhaps they haven’t developed fully yet.

Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but steal a glance at herself, wondering which style she would fall into in the future.

As she was lost in such thoughts, the contest over there ended swiftly like a quick knife slicing through confusion.

"Who won?" Tang Xiaobai asked just as she saw Gongsun Yi storm off angrily.

Ye Qingrong stood still, adjusted her collar, gathered her sleeves, and bowed with a clear voice, "Ye Qingrong of Suzhou requests an audience with Mr. Lin of Huntian Academy!"

...

Ye Qingrong came to request enrollment in the Academy.

Upon hearing this news, Tang Xiaobai fell into deep thought.

Ye Qingrong had only been in the capital for four days and had already encountered her three times, more than she had met the male lead. Why was that?

Tang Xiaobai thought it over and concluded there was only one possibility.

She pulled the young ancestor aside and quietly asked, "Do you think Miss Ye is intentionally getting close—"

Li Mu couldn’t help but smile; his family’s Second Miss is indeed sharp!

"To you?"

Li Mu was taken aback, "What?"

"Don’t you think it’s a bit too frequent that we’ve run into Miss Ye these past days?"

Li Mu nodded, "What does it have to do with me?"

"I don’t think it’s just a coincidence; she might intentionally be trying to get close to us. But what could she possibly see in me? It can only be you!" Tang Xiaobai said seriously.

With her saying this, Li Mu surprisingly found it somewhat reasonable...

"I’ll be cautious!" Li Mu stated.

Though he had some guesses about Ye Qingrong’s identity, they hadn’t been confirmed yet.

Without confirmation, caution was still necessary.

However—

"She might want to ingratiate herself with the Second Miss." Li Mu said.

If Ye Qingrong wasn’t a child of the Qin Family, or even if she was but had developed a nature greedy for wealth, she could likely try to win the favor of the naive Second Miss of the Duke Yan Mansion.

Ingratiating oneself is a minor matter; what he truly cared about was whether Ye Qingrong had other intentions.

"How could she possibly ingratiate herself with me?" Tang Xiaobai found it amusing, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" A heroine’s character can’t collapse to that extent?

"Second Miss—" At this moment, Ye Qingrong arrived.

The young man in white walked under the light, eyebrows and corners of the eyes, radiating charm like peach blossoms.

Upon arrival, he bowed elegantly, smiling with eyes as brilliant as stars, "On the sixth, the Ye Mansion will host a banquet, Ah Rong wishes to invite the Second Miss to honor us with her presence!"

Tang Xiaobai began to think it might be a slight possibility that the heroine wanted to get closer to her...

...

"Do you want to go?" On the way home, Tang Xiaobai asked Li Mu.

She thought for a long time and couldn’t figure out what she had that would be appealing to Ye Qingrong, except for the young ancestor next to her.

The young ancestor might not feel it, but Ye Qingrong, being the heroine, might plausibly have some strange sensing ability.

Isn’t that how it’s written in novels?

"The first time she saw so-and-so, she had a premonition that she would be entangled with this man for life."

"The first time she saw so-and-so, she felt a sense of closeness..."

Maybe Ye Qingrong saw her inseparable from the young ancestor and invited her to the Ye Mansion’s banquet to conveniently probe the young ancestor.

"Does the Second Miss want to go?" Li Mu countered.

Tang Xiaobai saw an inexplicable look in his eyes and thought, that’s true.

Why would the young ancestor want to attend a socialite’s banquet?

"Then should I... go?" Tang Xiaobai asked uncertainly.

She still wanted to create opportunities for this pair of siblings.

Before Li Mu could reply, Cheng Zi, who rarely chimed in, couldn’t hold back, "If the Second Miss agrees, the Miss might..."

The Miss might just tear her apart!

Tang Xiaobai shrank back a bit, decisively shaking her head, "I’m not going!"

Li Mu smiled slightly, "The Ye Family girl is a bit peculiar, no need for the Second Miss to mind," he paused, "Moreover, the Duke will be returning tomorrow—"

...

On the fifth of March, Duke Yan, Tang Shigong, returned triumphantly to the capital.

Prince Jin, Li Shu, led the civil and military officials to the city gates to welcome him.

In the second year of Taixing, due to treason by important court ministers, the Turkic forces invaded in full force, reaching all the way to Liangzhou, nearly occupying the entire Longyou Road.

Tang Shigong was appointed at the crisis moment, donned armor, and has been at it for the twelfth year now.

In these twelve years, Tang Shigong had only returned twice.

The first time was in the seventh year of Taixing, staying a year, and upon departure, took his just-turned fifteen eldest son to the battlefield.

The second time was in the ninth year of Taixing, stayed only a few months before rushing back to the Northwest due to resuming war, taking Tang Ziqian with him hurriedly.

As they awaited Tang Shigong at the gates of the Duke Mansion to return from the Palace, Tang Xiaobai did the math, realizing that right about when she was born, her father went off to war.

She was eleven this year, and combined with her original life, had only seen her father twice.

Too harsh...

The book only mentioned that Duke Yan, Tang Shigong, held sole control over military power, was proud of his achievements, with no mention of him fighting on the battlefield to protect the country for so many years. What is wrong with being a little proud?

And as for Gu Ning, such a delicate beauty, anyone would want to cherish and protect her, yet she’s lived year after year alone, raising two young daughters, sustaining the vast Duke Yan Mansion.

Tang Jiaojiao didn’t have it easy either, with a sickly mother, a young sister, and father and brother away from home, she had to manage the house from twelve years old. How else could she maintain order without a fiery disposition?

Thinking a little about this, Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but tear up.

"Xiaobai misses her dad too..." Gu Ning choked up, hugging her in close, patting gently.

Tang Jiaojiao, with red-rimmed eyes, disdainfully glanced at her, "You’re grown up already, still clinging to Mother to act spoiled!"

Gu Ning laughed, pulling her into her embrace as well.

Tang Ziqian stood behind the three, watching with a smile.

At this moment, a servant sent to scout ran back shouting, "The Duke has returned! The Duke has returned!"