What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 408 - 404: The Eldest Miss Is Missing

This ordeal of Tao Fen’s was anticipated long ago.

Back in the autumn of last year, when Tao Fen was falsely accused of assassinating Wang Maozhao and was released without charges, Tang Xiaobai had already been guarding against this counterattack.

At that time, Tao Fen’s acquittal relied on Luo Xiong providing a fabricated alibi.

If it’s fabricated, there’s a possibility it could be exposed.

So Tang Xiaobai had a contingency plan in place—

...

Three days later, both Tao Fen and Luo Xiong returned.

The two stood side by side in front of Tang Xiaobai, though their conditions showed some disparity.

Tao Fen was wearing a brand-new set of winter official robes. His stature was tall and upright, his attire immaculate, and although there was a hint of worry between his brows, he generally appeared spirited, showing no signs of fatigue from the journey.

In contrast, Luo Xiong looked quite withered, whether from exhaustion or something else, his face pale. Upon entering the hall, he first glanced at Cheng standing beside Tang Xiaobai, then lowered his eyes, somewhat dejected.

Tao Fen, having traveled with him, naturally knew what was going on. After saluting upon entering the hall, he immediately spoke up: "I am the one who implicated Junior Luo this time!"

Luo Xiong quickly said, "No, no, it was my initial recklessness that almost harmed Brother Tao!"

How could Tao Fen let it go?

"No, it was I—"

"Enough!" Tang Xiaobai laughed helplessly, "Wasn’t it both of you who implicated me?"

Tao Fen gave an embarrassed smile, while Luo Xiong stood silently with lowered hands.

Previously, upon learning about Luo Xiong’s false testimony, the Eastern Palace hadn’t ceased collecting evidence of Tao Fen’s false accusation.

Though Tang Xiaobai hadn’t gone to the Hot Spring Palace, he had long entrusted the matter to his father.

Thus, this incident posed no real danger to Tao Fen; he went and returned unscathed.

But the situation was different for Luo Xiong.

His false testimony could not be overlooked, and despite any attempt at exoneration, he was dismissed from office.

"The matter is settled now, so don’t dwell on it," Tang Xiaobai glanced at Luo Xiong, "Though it initially left gaps, it bought us considerable time. Otherwise, under those circumstances, we wouldn’t have been able to clear Brother Tao’s name—"

"Yes! Yes!" Tao Fen echoed enthusiastically.

Tang Xiaobai smiled slightly and said to Luo Xiong, "Rest for a while. There’s no rush for the Imperial College. His Highness has already reached greater Tuyuhun Royal City. Once the war ends, His Highness will occupy the Royal City with troops. When he returns, the Capital City will be different again."

Luo Xiong seemed to have exhaled softly, his complexion soothing a little: "Thank you, Crown Prince Consort."

...

After Luo Xiong and Tao Fen left, the hall felt a bit quieter.

Cheng silently knelt beside the desk, organizing documents for Chongwen and Chongren halls for Tang Xiaobai.

Tang Xiaobai glanced at her and asked, "Luo Xiong seems quite affected. Do you want to go check on him?"

Cheng paused in her actions, then shook her head: "How can one neglect public duty for personal reasons?"

After that, she hesitated for a moment and asked, "Is His Highness really coming back?"

The Crown Prince Consort had not mentioned it to her.

Tang Xiaobai smiled slightly, "Soon." He glanced outside the hall and said, "Ah Wu is here."

Yu Jun was there to deliver today’s official reports, usually passed to Cheng.

Cheng was just about to rise, but for some reason, she swayed slightly and almost fell.

Tang Xiaobai quickly leapt forward to support her.

When she looked up, her face was completely pale, which pinched his heart with concern.

"Summon the physician!"

...

"Congratulations, maiden officer!" After diagnosing, the physician warmly congratulated, "You are already two months pregnant! The pregnancy is stable, very rejoicing indeed!"

Cheng leaned slightly against the desk, her expression dazed, as if she hadn’t grasped the news fully.

Instead, Tao Zi was beaming with joy, unable to stop smiling, and continued to bombard the physician with questions.

Tang Xiaobai gently caressed Cheng’s pale face, "You need to be extra careful now that you’re newly pregnant. Why not stay in the palace for a while, and with Tao Zi taking care of you, we’ll all be more at ease, wouldn’t we?"

Cheng gazed at her blankly for a while, lowered her head, placing her hand gently over her abdomen, then raised her head with a faint smile: "Don’t worry, Crown Prince Consort, the physician said this pregnancy is very stable!" She paused, lowering her eyes gently, "Please grant me leave; I wish to quickly share this joyous news with Luo Lang."

Tang Xiaobai quietly observed her for a moment, then broke into a gentle smile: "Alright."

...

Cheng’s silhouette had already disappeared outside the hall doors, yet Tang Xiaobai’s gaze lingered.

"His Highness didn’t mention he was returning, did he?" Yu Jun said.

During the chaos earlier, he had been waiting outside the hall.

Once inside the hall, he finally spoke softly.

Tang Xiaobai responded with a soft "Mm" and finally withdrew his gaze.

Without Cheng to handle things, Yu Jun delivered the documents directly to Tang Xiaobai’s desk, and while bowing slightly, he whispered, "Does the Crown Prince Consort suspect Cheng?"

"I don’t doubt her," Tang Xiaobai replied almost immediately.

Yu Jun chuckled, "She’s expecting, in a rush to leave the palace to inform her Luo Lang!"

Tang Xiaobai didn’t respond, focusing intently on a document in hand.

"Isn’t it a bit risky?" Yu Jun asked, "Why not wait until His Highness is indeed on his way back before revealing it?"

The Crown Prince Consort half-lifted her face, her eyes drifting beyond him to the exterior of the hall.

Among the layers of the palace, there was a patch of pale blue sky.

"I think he should be back soon."

This was not some baseless intuition.

She had been closely following the situation in the Northwest, from military reports to the movement of supplies and armaments. Of course, the most crucial were His Highness’s handwritten feedbacks, gradually unveiling to her the signs of the war’s conclusion.

...

In mid-November, a letter arrived from Liangzhou.

As soon as Tang Xiaobai read the letter, he rushed to Duke Yan Mansion.

Tang Jiaojiao was still in the Capital City’s Duke Yan Mansion.

In September, Tang Ziqian had returned to Hebei; in October, Tang Shigong and his wife took their youngest son with the imperial entourage to the Hot Spring Palace.

Tang Jiaojiao had insisted on staying in the Capital City.

Why stay? Tang Xiaobai naturally understood, so every now and then he would visit Duke Yan Mansion to see his sister, though Miss Tang rarely showed him a cordial face.

This time, as soon as he entered, Miss Tang greeted him with a glare: "What are you doing here again? Do you still remember you’re the Crown Prince Consort?"

In Miss Tang’s eyes, a Crown Prince Consort should be high and mighty sitting in the Eastern Palace, summoning whoever they wished, rather than running off themselves.

Tang Xiaobai paid no heed: "If I don’t come, would you come to find me?"

Tang Jiaojiao sneered, "In such cold weather, I wouldn’t step outside for anything!"

And that solves the problem, doesn’t it?

Tang Xiaobai approached and took her arm, whispering into her ear.

Tang Jiaojiao’s eyes sparkled, "Really?!"

Tang Xiaobai nodded, "Yes. The letter today says he’s already petitioned to come back, that means the Capital City will be different soon." Thinking further, he decided not to show her the letter, as it contained other matters.

"Brother-in-law should come back too!" he added, looking at Tang Jiaojiao with a smile.

"They say they’re coming back but who knows? The emperor may not even permit it!" She kept her tone stern, yet a flicker of hope shone in her eyes.

"I’m not waiting for him!" The eldest Miss Tang said, brimming with annoyance, giving him one last poke before fiercely adding, "I’m going to the Palace to find father and mother tomorrow, and I won’t bother with you anymore!"

Tang Xiaobai sensibly shut his mouth, carefully nodding.

The prideful Miss Tang had already left the city walls by the time Tang Xiaobai heard of it from the Duke’s Mansion the next day.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiaobai smiled and assigned a team to follow her.

After all, rising storm waits for no one, and it’s just as well to send Miss Tang away now.

However, two hours later, the people sent by him returned.

"We lost the lady outside the city gates."