Chapter 33: A Suitable Match with the Princess Residence

While Tang Mi was still in a daze, Xiao Fengze and Jun Qianche also noticed them.
Jun Qianche was a bit surprised to see Tang Mi.
His cousin rarely left the house, so it was indeed strange to run into her here today.

“What a perfect day to admire lanterns!” Xiao Fengze said excitedly, then hurried over.
“Bea… Miss Tang, what a coincidence!” Xiao Fengze, holding his folding fan, smiled at Tang Mi in an elegant manner.

Seeing Xiao Fengze like that, Tang Feng instinctively stepped forward to stand protectively in front of Tang Mi.
Even Nanny Gui frowned and quietly positioned herself behind Tang Mi, shielding her.

Tang Mi was also taken aback. This person seemed different from their past encounters…?

Just as Xiao Fengze started acting up again, Jun Qianche felt a headache coming on and quickly stepped forward to pull him away.
Xiao Fengze nearly stumbled from the tug, but Jun Qianche didn’t care and turned apologetically to Tang Mi and Tang Feng.
“He likes to joke around a lot. Please don’t mind him, cousin.”

“Not at all.” Tang Mi glanced at Xiao Fengze, who immediately waved at her.
Tang Mi lowered her head uncomfortably.
Seeing that, Jun Qianche gave Xiao Fengze another kick.
This shameless guy was a complete embarrassment.

Seeing how shameless Xiao Fengze was, even Jun Qianche felt awkward.
“Is it just the two of you out today?”

Tang Mi smiled faintly and looked at Nanny Gui.
“Grandmother had Nanny Gui accompany us. We’ll be fine.”

Jun Qianche naturally knew Nanny Gui was under the Old Madam Tang’s command and nodded politely at her.
“Thank you, Nanny.”
“You’re too kind, Young Lord,” Nanny Gui quickly bowed to him.

“Zimu, aren’t you going to introduce your cousins to me properly?” Xiao Fengze shamelessly squeezed in again.
Jun Qianche shot him a glance and said to Tang Mi and Tang Feng,
“He’s the heir of the Marquis of Chang’an, Xiao Fengze.”
But he didn’t introduce Tang Mi and Tang Feng to Xiao Fengze.

Xiao Fengze didn’t mind, and with graceful manners greeted the two,
“Miss Tang, Young Master Tang, pleasure to meet you.”
“Greetings, Heir Xiao.” The two returned the gesture.

“No need for such formalities while out and about,” Xiao Fengze said grandly, then glanced at Tang Mi again.
“Miss Tang, we’ve met before. Do you remember me?”

Tang Mi looked closely at Xiao Fengze, trying to read something from his eyes, but was left disappointed.
He gave off the feeling of someone who had never interacted with her before, merely eager to make her acquaintance.
How could he face her with such composure and ease?

Tang Mi suddenly felt a little irritated. She lowered her eyes and gave a polite bow.
“Heir Xiao.”
“No need for such courtesy, Sister Mi’er. We’re all like family.”

In a blink, his address changed from “Miss Tang” to “Sister Mi’er.”
Not only that, Xiao Fengze even tried to reach out to help her up.
Jun Qianche immediately grabbed his paw-like hand and, apologetically looking at the siblings, said,
“We still have other matters today. Let’s meet another time.”

“Don’t go yet! We just met! Let’s chat for a bit more!” Xiao Fengze wasn’t willing to leave and tried to get closer to Tang Mi again.
Jun Qianche’s face darkened. Ignoring his protests, he dragged Xiao Fengze away.

“Jun Qianche, what’s wrong with you? Let me go!” Xiao Fengze muttered lowly at Jun Qianche while still smiling and waving back.
“Sister Mi’er, there’s a poetry gathering in two days. I’ll send you an invitation, don’t forget to come!”

Poetry gathering?
Tang Mi’s eyes flickered.
Why would he invite her to a poetry gathering?

“We should head back too,” Tang Feng said, frowning at the direction Jun Qianche had dragged Xiao Fengze.
She didn’t like that man, he was far too forward.

“Alright.” Tang Mi snapped back to herself just in time to see the two men vanish from sight.

They returned to the Tang residence and first stopped by the Mingchun Courtyard to report their safe return to Old Madam Tang.

Seeing them each holding a lantern, the old lady smiled.
“Did you have fun?”
“Yes, we even bought a lantern for Grandmother!” Tang Feng replied eagerly.

Nanny Gui quickly took out the lotus lantern Tang Feng had bought.
“Knowing how much Old Madam loves lotuses, the young miss and third young master picked out lotus lanterns especially for you. They even got one for me.”

Nanny Gui, touched, held up her own lantern for the old lady to see.
Seeing the two identical lanterns, the old lady nodded in approval.
“You were very thoughtful.”
Then she instructed Nanny Gui,
“Hang these two lanterns at the entrance.”
“Yes, I’ll do it right away,” Nanny Gui replied with a smile and took the lanterns out.

“Grandmother, we even bumped into Cousin at the lantern fair,” Tang Feng shared.
“Really? What a coincidence.” The old lady always held respect for the Jun family.
“When you two have time, you should visit your maternal grandparents. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Yes.” Tang Mi’s eyes flickered.
Since returning to the capital, she hadn’t gone back to visit.
Not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t dare.
She was afraid to face her grandparents and be reminded of her past sins.

Seeing Tang Mi distracted, the old lady said,
“You’ve been out a long time. You’re probably tired. Go rest early.”
“Yes.” The two bowed and took their leave.

After Nanny Gui finished hanging the lanterns, she returned inside.
The old lady looked at her and immediately sensed something was up.
“Did something happen at the lantern fair?”

Nanny Gui quickly bowed.
“Nothing major, but the young miss and young master ran into the Young Lord, and with him was the heir to the Marquis of Chang’an.”
“The heir to the Marquis of Chang’an?” The old lady’s brows furrowed, then she paused and asked,
“Did he do anything to the young miss?”

Afraid of a misunderstanding, Nanny Gui quickly shook her head.
“Nothing of the sort. He’s close with the Young Lord and naturally wouldn’t do anything inappropriate.
But… it seems he’s taken a liking to the young miss.”

“Oh?” The old lady blinked in surprise.
Her Mi’er was talented and beautiful, of course a noble heir would be drawn to her.

She hadn’t considered the Princess Residence before, but now that she thought about it, it wasn’t a bad idea.
Although she usually avoided royal ties, the Princess had long been married off and the residence wasn’t considered part of the imperial family anymore.

Besides, while the Princess was a bit proud, she had excellent manners and was skilled in social dealings.
Such a mother-in-law would be much easier to get along with than most.

If Mi’er married into the Princess Residence and did nothing wrong, she would be under the Princess’s protection.
Though merely a princess, she had made great contributions during the founding of the dynasty, and the Emperor held her in high regard.
With the Empress Dowager still alive, the Princess’s position in the capital was quite prominent.

The more she thought about it, the more the old lady felt that this match with the Princess Residence was quite suitable.