CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 40: WHAT KIND DO YOU LIKE?

Tang Jiaojiao was amused and exasperated: "Why would Prince Jin lie?"

"He just wants to sow discord!" Tang Xiaobai affirmed confidently.

Tang Jiaojiao chuckled: "Is it necessary for Prince Jin to create discord between us and the Crown Prince?" With such a downtrodden Crown Prince, why would Prince Jin, who enjoys the emperor’s favor, waste effort dealing with him?

"Maybe it’s just his bad nature?" Tang Xiaobai couldn’t find a suitable reason at the moment, but she knew Prince Jin was no good.

Tang Jiaojiao frowned and gave her a little smack on the head: "Don’t talk nonsense!"

"Sis! Why, why did you go to Prince Jin for help?" Tang Xiaobai was angry.

How could sister not see Prince Jin’s true nature!

"I did it for you!" Tang Jiaojiao was even more upset, grabbing and twisting her cheek, "In such a chaotic place, you didn’t stay close to me! Falling and being carried off, should I blame anyone for asking help to find you?"

Tang Xiaobai was about to retort, but suddenly saw the tears in her sister’s eyes, and her anger immediately dissipated.

"Sis..." She tugged Tang Jiaojiao’s sleeve.

Tang Jiaojiao snorted coldly, pulling her sleeve back.

Tang Xiaobai felt even more guilty.

During such a chaotic scene, her sister was focused on finding her, not caring whether it was about Prince Jin or not.

Maybe it was Prince Jin Li Shu using the excuse to get close to Tang Jiaojiao.

After all, with the Duke Yan Mansion holding military power, if Li Shu wanted to be the Crown Prince or the emperor, surely, he’d covet the Duke Yan Mansion’s influence. As the eldest legitimate daughter, and so beautiful, wouldn’t she be the dream wife of the princes?

Even in the original text, before and even long after the heroine Ye Qingrong appeared, Li Shu never wavered from wanting to marry Tang Jiaojiao.

When she read the book at the time, she thought it was Tang Jiaojiao shamelessly throwing herself at Li Shu.

But now, she’s changed!

Having become Tang Xiaobai, it must be Li Shu deliberately seducing Tang Jiaojiao!

My sister is only thirteen! Such a pure and beautiful young girl, if not for Li Shu’s shamelessness, how could she fall for such scum?

"Sis—" Tang Xiaobai saw her sister turn her face away angrily, so she hugged her arm and leaned against her, "Sis, I want to ask you something."

Tang Jiaojiao glanced at her without speaking.

Tang Xiaobai spoke on her own: "Sis... Um... are you about to discuss marriage?"

Tang Jiaojiao suddenly turned her head to look at her, and then nudged her, speaking irritably: "What does it matter to you!"

Tang Xiaobai hugged her tighter, shamelessly continuing to ask: "Sis, what kind do you like?"

Tang Jiaojiao shook her arms a few times but couldn’t shake her off, snorted lightly, but didn’t shy away from answering: "I, Tang Jiaojiao, of course, will marry a one-of-a-kind man in this world!"

Tang Xiaobai pouted and asked: "What does one-of-a-kind mean?"

Could it be that in Miss Tang’s eyes, one-of-a-kind means someone like Li Shu? Does the original male lead Li Xingyuan know you don’t even consider him?

Uncertain what strange point she hit, Tang Jiaojiao suddenly became proud, raising her chin: "One-of-a-kind, like our brother!"

Tang Xiaobai laughed.

Hey! You brother-loving fool!

...

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Tang Xiaobai finally enjoyed two days of peaceful and happy student life.

Yes, just two days.

On the third morning upon arriving at the Diligence Academy, she saw several classmates whispering together.

She wasn’t usually so gossipy, but as soon as she entered, all eyes "swished" toward her.

How to describe those looks?

Analyzed like a pie chart, it was about three parts concern, three parts surprise, ninety-three parts sympathy, and one hidden part schadenfreude.

"What are you talking about?" It was Gu Qinglan asking.

All eyes "swished" toward Gu You.

The very Gu You whom Tang Xiaobai’s previous self had beaten.

Maybe due to this grudge, for the few days of school, Gu You proudly hadn’t spoken a word to her, occasionally looking at her like "I can’t afford to mess with you, but I can avoid you."

But since Gu Qinglan was a few months older, Gu You stood up obediently to answer: "Talking about the Crown Prince being sick."

"Hasn’t the Crown Prince always been... hm?" Gu Qinglan was dismissive.

Gu You looked at Tang Xiaobai with a complex love-hate gaze: "It’s said outside that Xiao Bai made him sick."

The young boy waiting by the door suddenly looked up, a flicker of darkness in his eyes.

Tang Xiaobai felt utterly innocent: "When did I ever upset the Crown Prince?"

Gu You snorted: "Didn’t you go to the Crown Prince Mansion on Dragon Boat Festival?"

"Just because I went doesn’t mean I upset him? Couldn’t he upset me?"

Li Mu cast her a glance upon hearing this.

Though unable to see her expression, she seemed to be agitated by the tone of her voice.

Did she think he leaked the news?

"Rumors stop with the wise. Do you believe all street rumors?" Gu Qinglan sternly reproached, and just then Mr. Zhang arrived, dispersing the children like birds and beasts.

Tang Xiaobai didn’t pay much attention to it.

The young Crown Prince was always frail, what did that have to do with her?

Let the outside world talk; what was there to fear? She was from the Duke Yan Mansion!

However, after school, another came up to her to say: "The matter isn’t entirely street rumors."

It was Gu Hui speaking.

When Mr. Zhang previously gauged the children’s knowledge, Gu Hui was among the senior students who had read the Four Books.

But there’s a vast difference between having read and truly understanding the Four Books, and Gu Hui was a top student among the seniors.

While others were quizzed on phrases from Mencius, he could engage Mr. Zhang in dialogue over the Spring and Autumn Annals for a dozen exchanges.

Though only twelve, being outstanding in both character and academics, and a direct descendant of the Gu family’s eldest house, what Gu Hui said naturally carried different weight from that proud Gu You.

Tang Xiaobai immediately took him seriously, setting aside her half-packed study materials, looking up and gravely asked: "Cousin Hui, which matter are you referring to?"

She apologized sincerely, having been lost in the sea of knowledge, she hadn’t quite caught on yet.

Gu Hui paused, smiled, and turned back to shout: "Today, I’ll escort Xiao Bai home!"

Gu You abruptly raised his voice: "Didn’t you already escort her this morning?"

Though walking from the Duke Yan Mansion to the Diligence Academy was only a quarter-hour, the Gu family uncles insisted the little niece must be escorted by cousins.

Usually, it was Gu Hui and Gu You who studied with her who did the daily escorting.

Yet, though Gu You came to escort her, he did so with a cold face, not speaking, and Tang Xiaobai thought he merely found it hard to defy his father’s orders. Unexpectedly, he started sparring with Gu Hui today.

Gu Hui smiled slightly: "I happen to have business to see my aunt—"

...

"—The news came from Liangyi Palace, not just street rumors," Gu Hui reported respectfully, "The Crown Prince indeed fell ill after the Dragon Boat Festival, and Your Majesty mentioned Xiao Bai in Liangyi Palace. At the time, Prince Jin, Prime Minister, Prime Minister Zheng, the Chief Imperial Doctor, and several imperial attendants were there. My father said it’s not confirmed yet who spread the word."