Tang Zhuyun came out of the kitchen, while Song Jingyang, pulling up his pants and running out of the outhouse in a panic, yelled, "Who the hell deserves a beating? What are you yelling about so early in the morning?!"
A guard-like man entered, bowed, and cried out, "Lord Song, the Prince is gone."
Song Jingyang kicked the man a long way away, yelling, "I'll beat you to death, you lying dog!"
Xiu'er: "Why are you being so tough on him? Make him explain himself clearly, he's driving me crazy!"
Tang Zhuyun felt a lump in her throat and managed to ask with difficulty, "Tell me, what's wrong with the Prince?"
"The prince was assassinated on his way to court and fell into the water; he can't be found now."
"Then hurry up and go find it!" Song Jingyang's voice changed. "Lead the way!"
The two left in a hurry, without even saying a word to Tang Zhuyun.
Tang Zhuyun leaned against the door, trying to process what she had just heard. She felt as if her brain had been stuffed with a honeycomb, buzzing and making it impossible to think.
No, no way! How could someone as powerful as the Prince of Jin just die like that?
No, definitely not.
Isn't she the female lead from the start? At least she's with Prince of Jin. Even if Prince of Jin isn't the male lead, he has to be a supporting male character. It's just the beginning, he won't die!
In short, Tang Zhuyun comforted herself from various angles, telling herself that Prince of Jin would be alright.
She couldn't imagine what the situation would become if something were to happen to the Prince of Jin...
Her biggest worry wasn't herself, but her two children.
That's Yanran's biological father, and Linlin's idol. If something really happens to him, how much of a blow would the two children have to endure?
Tang Zhuyun couldn't bear to think about it anymore.
"Xiu'er, go call Linlin, I'll call Yanran, then grab the prince's coat, let's go to the riverbank and take a look!" she said decisively.
Linlin, however, had already heard the commotion outside. She came over and took Tang Zhuyun's hand, saying, "Auntie, don't be afraid. The Prince can swim; he'll be alright."
Tang Zhuyun felt the small hand in her palm was cold and trembling, and her heart ached. She nodded and said, "Yes, Your Highness will be alright. I'll go call Yanran."
"Yanran, Father may be in some trouble and needs our help. Let's go take a look now," she said to Yanran.
Fortunately, there were coachmen in the manor, so they went out in a carriage.
Xiu'er lifted the curtain and anxiously looked outside.
Yanran had already learned what had happened from Linlin, and she cried as she said to Tang Zhuyun, "Father will be alright, won't he, sister?"
"Yes, everything will be alright."
What could Tang Zhuyun say?
Yesterday, after watching the two children finish their studies, Prince of Jin smiled and said he wanted to test them. He wrote an uncommon character and first asked Yanran, "Do you recognize it?"
Yanran's eyes darted around. "Most people recognize him."
Prince of Jin's eyes lit up with delight. "You've indeed made progress these past few days. Tell your father, what character is this?"
"Father, I am no ordinary person either!"
After saying that, Yanran hid behind Tang Zhuyun and stuck out her tongue.
The Prince of Jin was both amused and exasperated. He made a move to grab her, Linlin grabbed Prince of Jin leg and cried, "Yanran, run!"
The familiar scene is still vivid in my mind, the Prince of Jin's feigned anger still echoes in my ears, but now they may be separated by life and death?
Let alone the two children, Tang Zhuyun couldn't accept it all at once.
It has nothing to do with romantic love, but the fact that someone so familiar, someone who wasn't a bad person, could just disappear like that, the emotional impact on me is indescribable.
Prince of Jin must be alright!
However, the Prince of Jin was nowhere to be found, even though the emperor ordered thousands of people to search for him.
He vanished as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth; neither his life nor his body could be found.
When Prince of Jin got into trouble, the two children were the most heartbroken, but the most worried were Tang Mingfan and his son—they were concerned about Tang Zhuyun's future.
The two of them visited Tang Zhuyun almost every day, their eyes filled with deep worry.
They felt that they had agreed to and approved of the marriage in the first place, and now that Prince of Jin was in trouble, they were the ones who had harmed Tang Zhuyun.
Tang Zhuyun, however, did not allow them to think that way.
Who knows which will come first, tomorrow or an accident? Whom can she marry to guarantee that the other person will live a long and healthy life and always treat her well?
That day, after she had put Yanran to sleep, she heard her father and brothers talking quietly outside.
Tang Baixin himself, "Father, look at A-Yun. It's been six days since the Prince's accident, and she hasn't shed a single tear. I'm really worried. I'm afraid she's bottling it all up inside and ruining herself. I'd rather she had a good cry, and after she's cried and made a scene, she'll gradually let it go..."
Tang Mingfan sighed deeply, "No matter how reluctant I am, I have to get through this. I still have to see my child alive..."
He was probably thinking of his deceased wife, and of all the years of longing he had felt for her; his tone was heavy.
Tang Zhuyun wasn't actually that heartbroken. She and Prince of Jin didn't have a deep, life-or-death bond; she hadn't invested much of her true feelings either. But she was distressed; these past few days, her heart felt like it was on fire.
The Prince of Jin should not have died so unjustly.
He's dead, what will happen to Yanran?
So much time has passed since the incident, and the assassin's identity and background have not been investigated at all. She also felt that the emperor did not seem to have any intention of investigating further, as if all his love for this son was just lip service.
Who is the murderer? What will become of Yanran now?
Tang Baixin and said, "Father, we must find the murderer and give Prince of Jin and my sister an explanation! I know my sister's personality; if we don't get to the bottom of this, she definitely won't be able to get over it."
"I know, and the murderer shouldn't have gotten away with it in the first place," Tang Mingfan said. "I'll volunteer again tomorrow to take on this case!"
Again? What does that mean?
Tang Baixin to himself, "I really can't understand why the Emperor is in such a hurry to find the person, but not so eager for you to investigate the case. You've brought it up for several days now, but the Emperor still won't budge... Is the Emperor waiting for the mastermind behind the scenes to destroy the evidence?"
It was actually the Emperor who interfered?
Could it be that the Emperor has targeted Prince of Jin? No, no, no, Tang Zhuyun quickly dismissed the thought.
Even tigers don't eat their cubs, and the Emperor has always treated Prince of Jin well; besides, if the Emperor had any intention of killing Prince of Jin Prince of Jin, he wouldn't have bestowed her upon him, since Tang Mingfan is a trusted minister and she is Tang Mingfan's only daughter.
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Tang Zhuyun's mind.
"That's not necessarily true," Tang Mingfan said. "Baixin, parents everywhere have the same heart, and the Emperor is only a father. The Emperor refuses to believe that Prince of Jin is in trouble, and now he only wants to find the Prince..."
"But finding the prince and investigating the case are not contradictory at all!" Tang Baixin said what Tang Zhuyun was thinking.
"His Majesty is also afraid, afraid that if it's discovered it's another prince... His Majesty is already deeply affected and may not be able to withstand it any longer," Tang Mingfan said. "These are the words His Majesty said to me yesterday."
"Then you will return tomorrow...?"
"Because whoever the murderer is, they must be brought to justice!"
"Investigate Huaishang!" Tang Zhuyun came out of the house, putting on her coat.