CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: CALL ME SISTER

When the young boy was brought in front of her, Tang Xiaobai was still pondering over her words.

"Second Miss Tang." The boy greeted softly, then looked up at her, his eyes seemed filled with hesitation.

"What’s the matter?" Tang Xiaobai temporarily put aside her own dilemmas and decided to care about the child first.

However, the child shook his head and asked her in return, "Second Miss, do you have any instructions?"

"Uh..." Tang Xiaobai’s mind went blank for a moment before she thought to raise the item in her hand in front of him and said, "Here, this is for you!"

She had thought about it for a long time and decided that before addressing the main issue that might upset the little ancestor, she’d first bribe him a bit to smooth things over.

Li Mu looked carefully and saw that she held a longevity thread woven from five-colored silk threads in her hand.

The longevity thread, a wish for long life.

Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, the Empress Dowager personally ties longevity threads with five-colored silk threads and sends them to him.

He would wear them, though he never really believed in such things.

Each year he wore the longevity thread, yet his health had not improved year by year.

"Shall I put it on for you?" The young girl blinked her round eyes, her fair cheeks dimpled slightly, as if dotted with honey.

Li Mu was suddenly puzzled.

He couldn’t count how many times he had wondered why this little girl was so kind to him?

Was it simply a misunderstanding, thinking he had saved her?

Or... did she know something?

Seeing that he remained silent for quite some time, Tang Xiaobai guessed at the little ancestor’s thoughts and explained, "Although everyone has a longevity thread, this one I hand-wove, only for Ah Xiao!"

The young boy’s eyes flickered, and he finally reached out his hand to her.

Tang Xiaobai smiled gently, lowered her head, and tied the slender five-colored thread around his wrist.

His skin was delicate, and his wrist bones were slender and exquisite, the longevity thread looked beautiful on him.

Tang Xiaobai admired it for a moment, then reviewed the lines she prepared next in her mind, cleared her throat—

"Ah Xiao, there’s something..." Facing the gaze of the raising young boy, Tang Xiaobai suddenly felt guilty.

Leaving the child behind felt a bit cruel, and it wasn’t her first time doing so.

But what else could she do? Even Pingyang Princess, who is quite fond of children, would be there!

Tang Xiaobai composed herself and said, "On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, I’m afraid... uh... I can’t take you out..."

Before she finished speaking, she noticed her little ancestor’s charming and fair face gradually darken.

"Because I heard the Crown Prince would also visit Xianfu Temple, and certainly at that time there will be strict security, and I won’t be able to bring many people with me. The weather is so hot, you would suffer waiting outside!" Tang Xiaobai continued with a thick skin.

"Then who is Second Miss planning to take?" Li Mu asked coldly.

For the past two days, he had thought of many reasons why "Ah Xiao" could not go to Xianfu Temple, but none seemed quite right, he even started considering whether the Crown Prince might not go to Xianfu Temple.

But, just as last time, he didn’t expect that Second Miss Tang simply did not want to take him again.

Tang Xiaobai sneaked a glance at his expression and realized where his anger originated. She immediately explained, "I’ll just take Tao Zi, no one else!"

The little ancestor’s expression instantly improved.

Tang Xiaobai chuckled and said, "You and Ah Yuan don’t have to stay in the mansion, I’ll give you a holiday for the Dragon Boat Festival, you can go out and play, how about that?"

The young boy shook his head, "I’m not fond of noise—" he paused, then corrected himself, "unless Second Miss commands."

Tang Xiaobai burst into laughter and said, "Stop with the servitude talk, you don’t usually mention it all the time!"

Most of the servants here refer to themselves by name, it’s normal to say "I" as well, the little ancestor only called himself "servant" when he was distant at first or when he was unhappy.

Li Mu glanced at her and said, "Second Miss, you can rest assured, I’ll just rest in the mansion."

"And don’t call me Second Miss anymore," Tang Xiaobai felt she could get a little closer with the little ancestor, "when it’s just the two of us talking, call me—" she thought for a moment, "call me sister!"

The little ancestor suddenly widened his eyes, "I, I am older than Second Miss!"

Tang Xiaobai was caught off guard by his cuteness and quickly held his face, "Do it again! Make your eyes round again like before!"

...

Li Mu embarrassedly escaped from Second Miss Tang’s hands, returning with his face still warmed.

After calming down for a while, he said, "Second Miss has already made arrangements, just keep an eye on Ah Yuan then."

"Yes!"

"Is there any news from Mr. Wang?" Li Mu asked.

"Mr. Wang said that on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival at Xianfu Temple, the arrangements were normal, various government offices have assigned people to watch, from the Crown Prince Mansion to Xianfu Temple, the escort is handled by the Crown Prince Right Guard, please rest assured, Your Highness!"

Li Mu replied with a simple "Hmm."

Whether he was assured or not didn’t really matter.

It had no effect on the emperor, nor would it affect Mr. Wang.

Though he was called the Crown Prince, the only one whose emotions he could affect was that nine-year-old little girl.

"If there is nothing unusual at Xianfu Temple, perhaps this Dragon Boat Festival blessing is not targeted at me," Li Mu said.

If the emperor wanted to target him, there was no need to go to such lengths.

So, who is the real target this time?

...

The fifth day of the fifth month, Dragon Boat Festival.

In the height of summer, the sky brightened relatively early, yet when the carriages from the Duke Yan Mansion set out in neat order, the sky had not fully brightened.

"Isn’t the Dharma Assembly starting at noon?" Tang Xiaobai yawned and asked.

"The Dharma Assembly starts at noon, and you’d arrive at noon too? Who do you think you are?" Tang Jiaojiao mocked.

Tang Xiaobai could only yawn again.

Indeed, while the status of the Duke Yan Mansion was already very high, there were even higher above!

This sinister feudal society always drags the people below to stand guard, at this rate, they’ll be waiting for hours today.

Ugh...why wasn’t she born a princess? Being Pingyang Princess would suit her well!

If she were Pingyang Princess, the first thing she’d do is kick Zhao Jing out and snatch Little Qin from the Duke Yan Mansion to treat him dearly...

Uh, something seems off...

Tang Xiaobai leaned in the Gu Family’s embrace, her thoughts wandering in a daze, just as her consciousness turned vague, the carriage stopped.

"Have we arrived?" Tang Xiaobai questioned, jolting awake.

The Gu Family coaxingly patted her back, signaling the maid to inquire.

"Madam, we are letting Princess Pingyang’s carriage pass."

Tang Xiaobai rubbed her eyes and asked, "Why is Princess Pingyang here so early?"