CHAPTER 167: CHAPTER 167: ZHAO JING HAS RETURNED

"That’s not necessary..."

Tang Xiaobai felt a bit embarrassed since she wasn’t the one who saved the life. Such a high reward of toiling like an ox or horse should be left to Doctor Feng!

Bidding farewell for now, Tang Xiaobai suddenly recalled and asked, "How did Gongsun Yi find out about your past?"

Tao Fen sneered, "He became a Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who knows how much effort he spent investigating people’s backgrounds!"

The Ministry of Revenue...

...

"Gongsun Yi is just a minor official at the Ministry of Revenue, he can’t uncover everything," Li Mu consoled.

Just now, seeing her worries after speaking with Tao Fen, Li Mu could guess a thing or two.

Gongsun Yi cannot possibly discover his background.

If Gongsun Yi could, then he would have wasted all these years of effort.

Tang Xiaobai thought about it and felt there was some sense in it.

If Gongsun Yi truly discovered the little ancestor’s heritage secret, he wouldn’t shout it in public; he’d directly report it and gain merit to climb higher.

...

However, they were still thinking of it too simply.

The next morning, as Tang Xiaobai and Li Mu were preparing to leave for school as usual, a team of Imperial Guards blocked the doorway.

Advisor Zhou Xun was conversing with the lead officer.

"Someone has anonymously reported that the Duke Yan Mansion is harboring Turkic spies!" This officer was clearly hostile, Tang Xiaobai had rarely seen someone so confrontational towards people from the Duke Yan Mansion.

Zhou Xun laughed, "Our Duke just escorted a group of Turkic nobles back to the court, who humorously claims that our Duke Yan Mansion is harboring Turkic spies? The Duke didn’t even keep a single Turkic beauty," he said, walking a couple of steps forward, "Our Second Miss needs to leave for school, please make way."

The officer’s gaze suddenly sharpened, pointing to the masked youth on the carriage’s front seat, "It’s him! Arrest him!"

Before the words fell, suddenly a scabbard flew over, striking the officer’s raised right shoulder, causing him to stagger back a few steps, almost losing his balance.

"Arrest someone from the Duke Yan Mansion?"

Tang Ziqian leisurely walked out, glanced twice at the officer, and chuckled, "You must be under Shida, if he wants to arrest someone from the Duke Yan Mansion, he best come himself—" Glancing at the dozen Imperial Guards at the door, "Otherwise, just a few of you are not enough."

...

"How could someone accuse Ah Xiao of being a Turkic spy?" Tang Xiaobai thought it was both ridiculous and annoying.

Tang Ziqian "heh"ed, without saying a word.

"An unjust accusation, Second Miss need not worry," Li Mu consoled.

Taking someone from the Duke Yan Mansion isn’t that easy, and Tang Ziqian has already stepped forward.

Though they were not taken, to prevent any unexpected incident on the way to school and to not disturb the academy’s order, they didn’t go to school today.

"Ah dad fought against the Turkics for over ten years, only returned home twice in those years, such a loyal and brave act could actually be accused of harboring Turkic spies, it’s simply ridiculous!" Tang Xiaobai thought angrily.

"It’s nothing serious," Tang Ziqian smiled, "just a way to disgust us!"

Just as he was speaking, a servant reported: "Right Jinwu Middle Lang General Shida has arrived."

Tang Ziqian stood up.

Tang Xiaobai clenched her fist and said, "Brother! This matter must not be left unsettled!" Seeing how daring they’ve grown, even daring to target her family’s little ancestor!

"Rest assured!" Tang Ziqian’s handsome and gentle face showed a sinister smile.

Seeing that smile, Tang Xiaobai felt relieved as she watched her brother leave.

Li Mu noticed she was no longer angry, and couldn’t help but smile slightly.

At this moment, the young girl suddenly changed her expression: "Ah Xiao!"

"Second Miss?"

"Do you think someone wants to deal with the Duke Yan Mansion through you?" Tang Xiaobai felt a chill in her heart, "Just like they falsely accused the Qin Family back then..."

Arrest someone randomly from Duke Yan Mansion as a Turkic spy, then frame Duke Yan Mansion with treason.

What made her feel worse, the book described that the crime leading to the fall of the Duke Yan Mansion was exactly treason!

"No way!" Li Mu immediately shook his head, "The Duke Yan Mansion is different from the Qin Family, moving against Duke Yan Mansion, the emperor wouldn’t be able to suppress Zhenzhou anymore."

Tang Xiaobai pondered blankly for a while before finally exhaling.

Although Zhenzhou and Duke Yan Mansion are supporting the Crown Prince now, the emperor doesn’t know, so he should temporarily not act against the Duke Yan Mansion.

Thinking it through, the book also stated that they moved against Duke Yan Mansion after the Duke and his son were killed in battle.

It shows both the emperor and Prince Jin dreaded the Duke and his son.

"What are they aiming for by doing this?"

It couldn’t just be to disgust the Duke Yan Mansion, right?

Li Mu pondered for a moment before saying, "Perhaps it’s a ploy to force me to reveal my identity."

He was definitely not a Turkic spy, but if things escalated, the true identity might be exposed.

"Who suspects your identity?" Tang Xiaobai suddenly became nervous.

The ones who knew the little ancestor’s identity were Li Shu, and...

"Ah Xiao!" Tang Xiaobai’s face changed, "Did you find out who killed Feng Pu?"

Li Mu shook his head, "Not yet."

"I think I might know..."

"Who?"

"Zhao Jing!"

Feng Pu only interacted with Ye Qingrong a few times, and so quickly met his end.

It shows the person knew very clearly about Feng Pu and Ye Qingrong’s identities.

Before, descendants of the Qin Family appeared in Hedong, which attracted a lot of attention there, even Li Shu only knew that Ah Xiao was a descendant of the Qin Family, who would notice Ye Qingrong so quickly?

The only one she could think of was Zhao Jing.

Because Zhao Jing is reborn!

Rebirth, so he also knows the little ancestor’s identity.

Before, she had always worried about Zhao Jing exposing the little ancestor’s identity, and after all this time, the worry still came true!

"It’s him! Zhao Jing! He’s back!" Tang Xiaobai anxiously paced around the room.

Li Mu frowned.

He didn’t understand why she feared Zhao Jing so much.

Zhao Jing was under Commandery Prince Changshan, Li Mingyi, if he entered the capital, Li Xingyuan would get the news.

But he hadn’t heard Li Mingyuan mention it.

It was not Zhao Jing he suspected—

Just then, the girl suddenly rushed to him, her eyes filled with urgency: "Quickly think! If Zhao Jing entered the capital, where would he be?"

...

Pingyang Temple.

In the side hall, the setting sun entered sideways, awakening Princess from her nap.

Her eyelids lifted slightly, and she lazily opened her eyes a crack.

After lying quietly for a moment, she sat up, supporting herself by the bed.

"Someone, bring me a cup of water—"

A cup of water was handed from the side.

She instinctively reached to accept.

As her gaze accidentally caught sight of the hand offering the water, her whole body tensed instantly, a cold chill ran straight down her spine.

A low laugh sounded from behind, the hand then continued to feed the water to her lips, while the other hand, like a snake, silently entwined around her body.

In an instant, the man’s presence closed in from behind, swiftly surrounding her.

Shivering, she attempted to knock over the cup and flee outside.

Unfortunately, before she could rise, or even leave the couch, she was tightly encircled by those arms, firmly trapped.

The man’s warm breath brushed against her ear, accompanied by suppressed whispers: "Ah Yao... I knew you would never forget me..."

Li Yao’s eyes suddenly welled with tears; she gritted her teeth in hatred and said, "You dare to come back!"

"As long as you’re here, I will always return..."