What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 395 - 391: Won’t Anyone Miss Me?

"I deliberately said that to provoke my brother!"

As soon as they left the Duke Yan Mansion, Tang Xiaobai quickly explained.

But the Crown Prince just gave a faint "oh".

"What does ’oh’ mean?" Tang Xiaobai turned his face towards her.

"How do I know if you’re deliberately saying this to appease me now?"

Tang Xiaobai blinked.

Surprising!

Her usually docile little ancestor actually retorted!

Tang Xiaobai held back a laugh and gently said, "I was telling the truth, and I’m soothing you for real. If the Crown Prince is upset, how can I not try to soothe him?"

The Crown Prince, looking cool as always, gave her a look that said, "Try soothing me some more."

Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but chuckle and kissed him hard on the cheek.

The Crown Prince remained cool, raising an eyebrow: Is that it?

What should I do then?

Tang Xiaobai scratched his palm: "Can I get a hint?"

Li Mu lowered his gaze to his hand: "You said I’m not reliable."

Tang Xiaobai: ...

"I really just said that for my brother to hear. Ah Mu is definitely reliable. No one is more reliable than you!" Tang Xiaobai insisted earnestly.

But the Crown Prince just gave a noncommittal hum.

So hard to appease...

Tang Xiaobai thought for a moment and shouted out, "Stop the carriage!"

The Crown Prince finally shifted his gaze and silently asked her why.

Tang Xiaobai giggled and dragged him off the carriage.

The carriage had reached Chengtian Gate Street, in front of the East Palace Gate. The wide street occasionally saw officials hurrying between the Imperial Palace and the Imperial City.

After getting off the carriage, Tang Xiaobai faced Li Mu, stepping back three to five steps.

Li Mu frowned, looking at her in confusion.

She beamed at him, suddenly lifted her skirt, ran two steps towards him, and threw herself into his arms.

With the added momentum from the run, the impact was considerable.

However, having practiced martial arts, the Crown Prince’s footwork remained firm and his body didn’t waver as he confidently caught his Crown Princess Consort.

Tang Xiaobai ignored the surrounding stares, tightly wrapped her arms around his neck, hanging onto him while smiling with eyes curved: "See! I told you our Crown Prince is very reliable!"

Li Mu adjusted his position, bringing her closer into his embrace, and finally smiled at the sight of the girl’s radiant smile: "Then you should rely on me properly."

"I am relying!" Tang Xiaobai giggled, rubbing against his chest. "No one else but me can come close to you!"

Li Mu felt warmth in his heart, bent slightly and lifted her up.

Tang Xiaobai was a bit startled, stiffening in his arms, not daring to move: "W-what are you doing?" Could it be he intended to carry her into the palace?

Just as she thought this, Li Mu turned towards the palace gate.

Tang Xiaobai’s face flushed red, tugging him in a small voice: "Is this necessary? It’s such a long way—"

"Such a long way, does the Crown Princess Consort believe I can’t be relied on, that I might drop you?" The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow, bringing out a bit of sharpness.

Tang Xiaobai sheepishly closed her mouth.

She just thought it was too ostentatious! 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Still outside the palace gate, it would take at least a quarter-hour to walk to Lizheng Hall.

How many pairs of eyes would be watching during this quarter-hour journey?

How could her little ancestor be so thick-skinned?

Yet, having just discussed the issue of reliability, she was now cornered and didn’t dare argue.

Forget it, let it be...

Tang Xiaobai closed her eyes, burying her face in his embrace.

Might as well act like I’m dead!

Suddenly, she heard Li Mu’s light laughter, and then felt herself being moved.

But after only a moment of movement, she was put down.

Not on the ground, but seated.

Tang Xiaobai opened her eyes to find they were back in the carriage.

"The scorching sun, I let you off this time." Li Mu sat down leisurely as he spoke.

The carriage wheels rolled forward again.

Suddenly overjoyed, Tang Xiaobai shook his arm, giggling: "I knew Ah Mu is the best to me!" She explained the previous matter again, particularly carefully, "I was really just provoking my brother, you saw it too. In the past year, his spirit has become quite gloomy, unlike his past arrogance—"

Hmm... "Arrogance" might not be a good word?

"Anyway, my brother has changed a lot." Having used the wrong word, Tang Xiaobai hastily wrapped up.

Li Mu simply hummed, without much comment.

But Tang Xiaobai had thoughts: "I’m thinking, with the Northwest turmoil this time, maybe my brother should reclaim Shanzhou. Zhang Yichao is one of his beloved generals, having him request to fight for revenge is most appropriate, even on the court it’s reasonable."

This "reasonable" wasn’t just Tang Xiaobai’s casual remark.

Currently, the Northwest Army has various branches, leaderless.

This situation was initially orchestrated by the Emperor, but it’s no longer favorable with enemy forces at the gates.

Thus, yesterday in the Taiji Palace’s Ganlu Hall, prominent ministers were summoned to discuss the deployment of generals.

The Duke Yan and his son were naturally among the suggestions, but there were also many other candidates.

Tang Xiaobai stood by her father and brother both publicly and privately.

Especially considering Tang Ziqian’s current condition, she felt letting her brother return might reignite some youthful passion.

Unexpectedly, Li Mu shook his head: "Today I discussed with my father-in-law, in the battle against the Turkic, the Duke Yan Mansion should not get involved."

Tang Xiaobai was shocked: "What do you mean by should not get involved? It’s a foreign invasion, how can anyone not get involved?"

Taking a step back, even if her father and brother couldn’t, if Li Shu was brave and skillful in battle, he should be sent!

How could politicking be prioritized over national interests?

This thought crossed her mind and her eyes showed a bit of reproach.

Li Mu hurriedly explained: "What I mean is, both my father-in-law and I believe that for this Northwest expedition, I’m the most suitable."

Him?

The Crown Prince personally leading the troops?

Tang Xiaobai was stunned.

She had sent him off to battle more than once, so she should have been able to handle it calmly.

But, perhaps due to a change in mindset after marriage, she unexpectedly felt a bit anxious this time, and her first reaction was not wanting him to go.

Tang Xiaobai quickly overcame her first reaction, calming down: "Is it decided?"

"Not yet," Li Mu squeezed her hand, pulling her out of the carriage, "Am I not discussing it with you?"

Tang Xiaobai lowered her head to organize her thoughts, letting him lead her into Lizheng Hall.

"I think it’s feasible!" After figuring it out, she lifted her head, her gaze steady.

"Although Li Xingyuan lacks proper justification, the Capital City surely has to send a commander over. Now, the candidates focus mainly on my father and Prince Jin;"

"We certainly wouldn’t want Prince Jin to be stationed in the Northwest, but since father has decided to detach from the Northwest, it’s unsuitable to intervene now. Besides, the Northwest situation isn’t so urgent that the Duke Yan Mansion must come to secure it. From this perspective, if my father and brother were to vie for it, they might not win against Prince Jin;"

"And you, although you’ve made a name for yourself at the border, still struggle to command the Northwest. Even after sending Li Xingyuan to Liangzhou, people weren’t convinced. It would be better for you to personally lead an expedition to establish authority. You’re the Crown Prince, your status can suppress the court ministers’ debates and even the Northwest armies;"

"Furthermore, the Zheng Faction has considerable influence in court. Rather than being confined to power struggles and calculations, it would be better to solidify military authority and expand the Eastern Palace’s advantage!"

After analyzing item by item, Tang Xiaobai’s emotions stabilized.

But across from her, the Crown Prince’s face gradually worsened.

After she finished speaking, the Crown Prince’s gaze was somber: "Ah Jiao doesn’t feel reluctant or worried for me?"