Chapter 1243

So she suppressed the vexation in her heart and began instead to plan an escape route.

First she had to figure out where she was, then find a way to contact Prince Jin.

But she had no idea at all where the Wang Fu was.

While she was still agonizing, the carriage came to a stop.

"Tian'er, we're here." Tian Fu lifted the curtain and said, "Come on, your father will help you down."

Tian Tian hopped down from the carriage and looked around, discovering that this residence was very large—bigger even than the village chief's house in Tian Family Village, covering more than five hundred mu!

"Eh, this house was built by our village chief?" Tian Tian asked in surprise.

Tian Fu was mildly taken aback: "No, it was built by the Marquis of Zhenxi's family."

"The Marquis of Zhenxi?"

"The Marquis of Zhenxi is the Grand General who guards the border on the western frontier. His house is many times bigger than the village chief's house in Tian Family Village!"

"So rich, and it's a marquis's residence too…" Tian Tian remarked with feeling, "I remember, only the Marquis of Zhenxi lives alone in the marquis's residence, right?"

The Marquis of Zhenxi has three concubines.

The youngest and most beautiful among them is the Second Concubine, a foxy, seductive hussy.

They say the Marquis of Zhenxi especially dotes on her.

So this grand residence must have been prepared for the Second Concubine.

Tian Tian gave a cold snort and strode inside.

The path was clear all the way to the main courtyard, which made Tian Fu heave a sigh of relief: "Looks like your reputation in the family is pretty good!"

Tian Tian lifted a proud smile: "Of course—I am my father and mother's precious pearl!"

"Haha…"

Father and daughter walked into the main courtyard, chatting and laughing.

In the main courtyard's garden stood a slender young man.

He wore a blue-grey cloth robe, his features were pretty, his five features proper and comely, looking as gentle and refined as jade.

"Elder Uncle." Tian Tian called out obediently.

The young man gave a slight nod and said coolly: "I heard from the steward that you got a beating today.

Do you bear any resentment toward your grandmother?"

Tian Tian lowered her head and said timidly: "I'm in no position to complain about Grandmother.

But she didn't distinguish right from wrong, wrongly accused me of being a jinx, and even cast me out of the Tian family—I… I'm very disappointed, very sad, very wronged."

The young man furrowed his brow slightly: "If you are disappointed and sad, then you shouldn't have come back."

Tian Tian raised her eyes to look at him: "If I didn't come back, wouldn't that be a betrayal of the grace you and Grandmother have shown in raising me?

Besides, I'm already married with children—how could I abandon my husband and run away from home?

Elder Uncle, although I was born of a concubine, I still know filial piety."

The young man's deep, pitch-black eyes gazed at her quietly for a moment, then suddenly stretched out both arms and embraced her.

Tian Tian was stunned for a beat.

He patted her back and said in a comforting tone: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Tian Tian:??

What's going on?

Why is he hugging her?

No—why is he suddenly hugging her?

Just as Tian Tian was about to push him away, the young man released her, patted her head, and a look of appreciation surfaced on his gentle, jade-like face: "Truly a clever and quick-witted child—no wonder you could fool Grandmother into thinking you were a boy.

1057 Learn fast, learn well!

1057 Learn fast, learn well!

I heard that Old Man Tian and your mother were also deceived.

Your mother came crying to me, saying that you were actually a Miss, but during her pregnancy she ate something wrong and the baby turned into a boy, so she didn't dare speak up.

Your father, on the other hand, thought you looked like your mother, so he raised you as a boy.

When I heard it, I thought your Tian family was quite the bunch of oddballs.

Your father is a muddled fool. Your mother is a foolish woman.

You are a clever and bright child—you needn't worry about being used by others."

Tian Tian:??

Wait—is he actually praising her?

His way of praising people is a bit too bizarre!

Also, who exactly is he?

Why would he help her?

Tian Tian warily retreated two steps and asked carefully: "Elder Uncle, you… who exactly are you?"

"Would you be willing to take me as your master?" The young man did not answer her question, but instead proposed.

"Take you as my master?" Tian Tian's eyes widened in astonishment, "I'm only nine! Are you sure you want to take me as a disciple?"

The young man nodded: "Your wits far surpass those of your peers; if the Ruoshibu Sect does not teach you well, sooner or later you will bring about a great disaster.

As the saying goes, the higher one's skill, the bolder one grows—if I teach you, I can guarantee you will learn fast and learn well!"

Tian Tian hesitated: "Elder Uncle, I'd like to ask you something."

"Please, go ahead."

"Do you know where His Highness Prince Jin is?"

"You're going to find him?" The young man raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Tian Tian nodded.

"Why would you go see him? You're his fiancée!"

"Fiancée…" Tian Tian pouted. "Who knows if he's even taken with me? What if he doesn't like me?"

"How would you know without trying?" the young man urged. "Besides, since he's your fiancé, if you go see him, he can't exactly chase you away."

"It's precisely because I don't know that I'm going to test the waters!" Tian Tian said, entirely self-righteous.

"Oh…" The young man nodded as if suddenly enlightened. "Then go ahead and try. I'll go with you."

Tian Tian paused.

Isn't this uncle being a little too eager?

"Ahem… Uncle, I'm only going to take a look. I never planned to find him." She laughed, a touch awkward.

"No." The young man shook his head, refusing. "You going alone, single-handed to find him—I can't rest easy."

Tian Tian was dumbfounded.

Uncle, we don't even know each other, not even acquainted—on what grounds are you being so attentive to me?

Tian Tian was still puzzling over it when footsteps reached her ears.

Right after, a slender, graceful young woman stepped out slowly from behind the screen.

One glance and Tian Tian got a fright!

Isn't that Grandmother?!

How did Grandmother come out?

Could she have secretly followed her and Great-Uncle?

Tian Tian's gaze landed on Great-Uncle, the corner of her eye twitching, her expression strange.

This isn't her grandparents' family's Great-Uncle—it's her father, the one whose dragon is seen by its tail but never its head!

"Father, Mother…" Tian Tian called out twice.

"Mm." Tian Xingye answered lightly, then instructed Tian Tian: "I'm taking you to Wang Fu."

Tian Tian's face was blank. "What for?"

Tian Xingye was silent for a moment, then said: "Prince Jin's illness is rather peculiar. I'm taking you to diagnose him."

Tian Tian wrinkled her nose. "What does his illness have to do with me? I'm not going!"

She turned to flee, but Great-Uncle caught her arm and dragged her forcibly toward the outside: "If you don't come with me, don't even think about getting out of this."

"You—!" Tian Tian struggled.

But she was a frail woman—how could she be a match for Tian Xingye? In no time at all she was hauled out the courtyard gate.