CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: PINGYANG PRINCESS’S PRINCE CONSORT

Tao Zi happily led Ah Yuan away.

Ah Xiao remained standing at the doorway, his expression inscrutable.

Last night, he pondered deeply and decided to feign illness today to excuse himself from the outing, thinking that given the little girl’s concern for him, she might allow it.

Unexpectedly, she had not intended to bring him at all.

It wasn’t that she didn’t plan to bring along any attendants, but rather she brought others and left him out...

"Young Master?" A voice urged by his ear.

The young man responded with a "Hmm" and turned back into the room.

In any case, it was a serendipitous outcome, as he could conveniently return to deal with the Prime Ministers’ inspections...

...

Through a secret passage, from Qinren Street’s Duke Yan Mansion directly to Yongfu Village’s Crown Prince Mansion, the exit led to Chongde Hall, where the Crown Prince Li Mu had been recuperating for years.

"The ministers have left the palace gates and should arrive at the Crown Prince Mansion in slightly over a quarter of an hour."

Li Mu nodded and asked, "How is Changxing Village?"

Since yesterday, the whole city began a manhunt for the assassins, with only one target in focus—the Zhenzhou Imperial Court in Changxing Village.

But Zhenzhou had been intimidating for a long time, and no one dared to infringe.

Even the emperor dared not issue this edict.

It’s not that the edict was useless, but the person on the throne, despite committing numerous ruthless acts, was more eager than anyone to secure a reputation for kindness, so before having absolute confidence, would not explicitly order a search of the Zhenzhou Imperial Court, nor tear relations with Prince Changshan.

At this point, someone who would dare to search the Zhenzhou Imperial Court without an edict was needed.

He had a suspicion about this person—

"Imperial Consort Zhao Jing led the Imperial Guard to surround the Zhenzhou Imperial Court!"

As expected, it was Zhao Jing!

...

"Zhao Jing was of lowly origin, originally part of the Outer Mansion guards, but during his duty rotation to the Capital City, he managed to climb to Pingyang Princess solely by his appearance, and then got transferred to the Inner Mansion to remain in the Capital—"

"Is that Pingyang Princess’s own choice for a Prince Consort?" Tang Xiaobai asked with concern.

A princess having her own mansion generally indicates one situation—that she is married.

Tang Xiaobai thought of this point and inquired about Pingyang Princess’s Prince Consort with Tang Jiaojiao.

The book did not elaborate in such detail, but based on her guess, the relationship between Pingyang Princess and her Prince Consort might not be great. If it were better, how could there be any role for Qin Xiao?

But listening now, it seemed not as she thought?

"If the princess hadn’t chosen him herself, who would permit a mere gate guard to marry a princess? Who knows what bewitching tricks this Zhao used, but Pingyang Princess wouldn’t listen to anyone and insisted on him!" Tang Jiaojiao said disdainfully.

Tang Xiaobai was taken aback.

The most favored princess took a fancy to an unknown gate guard, going to great lengths and with unwavering determination, ultimately succeeding in marrying him as a Prince Consort.

If this isn’t true love, what is?

Then how did their relationship deteriorate to the extent of implicating Little Qin?

With this doubt, Tang Xiaobai arrived at the Pingyang Princess Mansion.

Pingyang Princess Li Yao was the emperor’s eldest daughter. Her birth mother, Consort Miao, died early, but she was the emperor’s cherished love, thus Li Yao was the only princess raised alongside the emperor, more favored than the princes.

Such a favored princess naturally had a lavish mansion; her grand outer courtyard alone was over fifty percent larger than that of Duke Yan Mansion, able to accommodate forty to fifty carriages.

But currently, only seven or eight were parked sparsely.

Tang Jiaojiao was also quite surprised: "How come there are only so few?"

The maid receiving guests turned back and whispered, "The princess is angry about this matter..."

How could she not be angry?

A dignified princess hosting a banquet, with just a few attendees?

On the way here, Tang Xiaobai had heard her sister estimate that today’s banquet would attract at least forty or fifty people, or even over a hundred.

And yet...just this?

Whether standing others up or being late, it was a huge slight to Pingyang Princess.

"Have they eaten a bear’s heart and a leopard’s gall?" Pingyang Princess threw a handful of fish food fiercely into the pond, with such force that the golden-threaded shawl draped over her arm almost got thrown out as well.

Seeing this, Tang Jiaojiao wrapped her own shawl more securely around her arm and said, "Those living in Qinren Street and to the east have arrived; perhaps something happened outside the neighborhood."

Even before the princess, Miss Tang did not adjust her demeanor; when the princess invited her to sit, she casually took a seat beside the princess, speaking and acting with her usual poise.

Pingyang Princess didn’t mind, continuing to express her anger: "If something happened, wouldn’t they send someone to inform first?"

"If they could send someone, wouldn’t they?" Tang Jiaojiao chuckled.

Only then did the princess’s anger subside.

"Why not send someone out to check? Blocking so many people at once suggests something significant," Tang Jiaojiao suggested.

Pingyang Princess nodded and called for a servant.

After just a few words, Tang Xiaobai understood.

This princess not only had a temper but also wasn’t very sharp; in such an obviously suspicious situation, she couldn’t think to send someone to check, only getting angry herself.

However, she was truly beautiful.

With a black blouse and red skirt, exquisite makeup, and hair akin to clouds, her graceful form leaning against the railing drew the admiring eyes of the young Tang Xiaobai.

Judging by the princess’s appearance, she seemed no more than seventeen or eighteen; two or three years later, she would be around twenty, in her prime.

Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but wonder, could Qin Xiao have been willing?

Probably not.

As soon as the thought arose, Tang Xiaobai shook her head.

After all, to a servant, becoming a princess’s favored one would undoubtedly be more enviable, coupled with the affection of a beautiful princess, but Qin Xiao was not an ordinary servant.

He was educated, a man of scholarly integrity!

"What’s Little Bai shaking her head at?" Pingyang Princess glanced at her with a smile, her demeanor seeming quite affectionate.

Why did she always form good relationships with the antagonists?

Tang Xiaobai sighed inwardly and casually replied, "I was thinking about what could have happened outside—" suddenly she felt a spark, "Could it be the search for assassins?"

No sooner were the words spoken than the servant sent out by the princess scampered back in: "Miss Liu, Miss Xue, Miss Yuwen..." rattling off a list of names, "—all sent people to apologize, the Imperial Guard is searching for assassins, blocking several streets, and the ladies are trying to detour from the south."

So it really was...

"Blocked several streets? Caught anyone?" Pingyang Princess sat up and inquired.

The servant shook his head: "Still unknown."

Tang Xiaobai could guess a little; it might not be that they caught someone, perhaps they intended to surround the Zhenzhou Imperial Court.

A mere local office, and yet it caused such a commotion, the emperor truly seemed inadequate!

"They started yesterday and still haven’t caught anyone, creating such a fuss, what a bunch of incompetents!" Pingyang Princess said angrily with furrowed brows.

Tang Jiaojiao leaned in close and whispered: "I heard that the Imperial Guard is largely concentrated in Changxing Village..."

"You mean the assassin is in Changxing Village?" Pingyang Princess asked in surprise, "Where in Changxing Village?"

Tang Xiaobai was amused.

No wonder everyone thought she was justifiably ignorant; here was someone of higher status and older age who was equally clueless!

Tang Jiaojiao, who had always been on good terms with Pingyang Princess, whispered two words into her ear.

Pingyang Princess frowned slightly and said, "They should search wherever necessary. Why block my guests?" pointing at the servant and commanding, "Order a squad of Princess Guards to go and escort my guests over! Let’s see which Imperial Guard dares to stop them!"

A quarter-hour later, the servant returned, flustered: "The one leading the Imperial Guard is-is the Prince Consort..."