In the afternoon, Tang Ziqian arrived in Li Mu’s room in response to the letter.
After exchanging courtesies, he waited leisurely for the Crown Prince to speak first.
Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince didn’t mention the matter on his mind—
"News from Zhenzhou, there might be an internal spy in the Duke Yan Mansion!"
Tang Ziqian’s eyes narrowed sharply: "Who gave the information?"
"Zhao Jing."
Tang Ziqian’s face turned cold: "Zhao Jing is indeed at the Changshan Prince Mansion!" He sneered, "Zhao Jing says there’s a spy in our Duke Yan Mansion. What does your highness think?"
Li Mu’s expression remained indifferent: "Zhao Jing knows I’m at the Duke Yan Mansion."
Tang Ziqian was momentarily silent.
Zhao Jing knew the Crown Prince was at the Duke Yan Mansion—how did he know? Besides him, who else knew?
This alone was indeed enough to make one cautious.
"The one who kidnapped Miss Tang yesterday was Li Xingyuan, Heir of Prince Changshan, and the news from Zhenzhou was also brought by him." Li Mu unblinkingly exposed Li Xingyuan.
He didn’t initially plan to conceal for Li Xingyuan, he just didn’t think it was a significant matter, not worth telling Tang Ziqian urgently last night.
Unexpectedly, he got reported early in the morning.
In fact, even if Tang Ziqian didn’t report him, he would have sought Tang Ziqian to say this eventually.
Tang Ziqian, at this point, couldn’t care about personal grievances.
This matter, either Li Xingyuan is lying, or Zhao Jing is lying.
The Changshan Prince Mansion had the edge in terms of timing, location, and human resources from the Crown Prince’s perspective, Li Xingyuan had no reason to lie for Zhao Jing;
As for Zhao Jing—
If there truly is an internal spy at Duke Yan Mansion, it would explain how Zhao Jing knew about the Crown Prince’s whereabouts...
But he still didn’t quite believe there was an internal spy in his mansion.
Those who knew Li Mu’s identity were all absolutely trustworthy.
If even these individuals were compromised, wouldn’t the person he and his father risked their lives to protect have been in danger all along?
Thinking of this possibility made his eyes tremble, tension in his voice as he asked, "Your Highness has been at the Duke Yan Mansion for some time, have you noticed anyone suspicious?"
Li Mu shook his head: "If there were, I wouldn’t wait for Li Xingyuan to remind me," his gaze flickered slightly as he looked deeply at Tang Ziqian, "I mostly interacted with people from the Bright Moon Building at the Duke Yan Mansion—"
...
Tang Ziqian stepped into the courtyard, immediately spotting under the east window, a slender boy engrossed in writing at a desk.
Xiao Bai often boasted that the two young boys she selected were both diligent and eager to learn.
There’s nothing surprising about the Crown Prince being diligent, but this kid?
When he first came here, this child was somewhat timid, but after settling in, he would seize opportunities to read and write, as if striving hard could lead him to become a top scholar.
So diligent and eager to progress...
Tang Ziqian stood in the courtyard, hands behind his back, his gaze deep.
Ah Yuan quickly sensed his presence, looked up, hurriedly put away his writing tools, and with his saber in hand, walked out of the house.
Standing before him, he greeted, "Young Master," waiting obediently for instructions.
Tang Ziqian stared at him for a moment, then asked, "Why did you join the Duke Yan Mansion?" Aside from the Crown Prince, Ah Yuan was the only outsider at the Bright Moon Building.
Ah Yuan gave him a surprised look, as this question had been asked before, he answered as before: "After my mother passed and was buried, I came to the capital to make a living, coincidentally came across the Duke Yan Mansion’s recruitment, so I joined—" after a pause, he added, "I was serving beside the Second Miss within half a year in the mansion, and she treats me with great kindness, I truly have no ulterior motives."
Tang Ziqian smiled ambiguously, taking the saber from Ah Yuan’s arms.
Looking at him, he extended the other hand, placing it firmly on his head.
This gesture was assertive.
Ah Yuan’s face instantly turned pale, barely able to stand.
"Then you must behave, stay put, and don’t wander off." Tang Ziqian said gently with a smile.
After retracting his hand, he turned to leave, stopping at the doorway, and said lightly: "Watch him, do not let him leave even half a step."
...
Generally, nobody would notice the absence of a servant.
But Second Miss Tang was different.
"Where’s Ah Yuan?" Tang Xiaobai quickly noticed the absence of someone beside Tang Ziqian, glanced behind him but still didn’t see, "Isn’t Ah Yuan coming today?"
Today, they had long planned to hike a mountain, and as Tang Ziqian’s close attendant, Ah Yuan usually accompanied them everywhere.
"He’s not feeling well, so I told him not to come out." Tang Ziqian casually made up a reason.
Tang Xiaobai wasn’t bothered, but Miss Tang was displeased: "He’s just a servant, yet more delicate than his master," then she glared at Tang Xiaobai, "It’s all because of your teaching, none of them listen!" Another glance, and Li Mu was included too.
"No way! They’re very obedient!" Tang Xiaobai immediately defended.
Especially her little ancestral thing at home, self-studied ten disciplines, never needed any directing, and arranged his affairs clearly, also so good-looking, taking him out is a matter of pride!
Tang Ziqian chuckled, glanced at the "very obedient" Crown Prince standing hand in hand beside Tang Xiaobai’s steed, and pulled Tang Xiaobai along: "Alright, let’s go!"
With that, he helped her onto the horse personally, and at last, took a look at Li Mu, who seemed slightly displeased, chuckling internally.
Got addicted to being ordered around, huh?
...
The mountain they were planning to climb today was northwest of the Taihe Palace, the mountain was filled with temples, temples lined with incense routes, surrounded by lush greenery, making it more like a leisurely outing.
The mountain wasn’t high, but by the time they reached the Reclining Buddha Temple at the top, it was nearly noon.
"Let’s rest in the temple first, in a quarter hour lunch will be ready." Tang Ziqian said.
Tang Xiaobai squinted as she looked upward: "Still haven’t reached the top!"
Saying it was the top, but there was still a small road up the temple’s side, leading to a small platform from which one could overlook the entire temple.
Tang Xiaobai was eager to try.
Tang Ziqian also looked, smiled and said: "Alright, let’s go up and take a look!"
Though it was a small platform, it could still hold over twenty people.
Standing on it, they could look southeast over the Reclining Buddha Temple, while to the northwest lay a cliff, overlooking the majestic palace in the distance.
"That on the west side of Taihe Palace is the Crown Prince’s Palace." Tang Ziqian pointed out, glancing at Li Mu.
Li Mu was intently observing.
In no more than a month and a half, "the Crown Prince" would die in that palace.
The Emperor and Prince Jin would come for one last look, to confirm that it was he who had died.
Once they left, he would sneak out from the palace’s north, along the mountain path, rushing northeast, leaving Zhongnan Mountain without delay.
His gaze followed the escape route, gradually stretching into the mountain range beyond—
"Step back! It’s dangerous over there!" Li Mu was suddenly pulled away from the cliff edge.
Turning around, he saw the anxious expression of the little girl.
Li Mu was momentarily stunned.
He had promised Tang Ziqian earlier that before leaving, he would find a suitable excuse to explain "Ah Xiao’s" departure.
Yet he still hadn’t thought of a reason.
How should he say it, to make her wait for him for a year with ease, neither saddened nor forgetting him, nor seeking someone else to replace him...
As he pondered, sudden footsteps were heard at the mountain entrance.
A servant reported: "Young Master, it’s Prince Jin!"
Li Mu’s heart tightened, looking up, he saw Prince Jin, Li Shu, emerging from the stone steps, his eyes naturally scanning the crowd, looking directly towards them—