"I heard that a lot of things have been stolen from the Prince's mansion recently, but they can't find out who stole them. I guess it's hard to guard against a thief within the family; you all probably know this better than I do. Come on, let's play a game..."
Tang Zhuyun stood up, looked down at everyone, and said, "Listen carefully to the rules of the game, because they will determine whether you can stay in the Prince's mansion or spend the rest of your lives in the mines."
The Prince of Jin, hiding in the shadows, couldn't help but prick up his ears.
He had a vague feeling that Tang Zhuyun's game would be very malicious, but also very exciting.
Amidst the tension, Tang Zhuyun slowly and deliberately said, "First of all, from now on, anyone who speaks privately, makes gestures, or winks will be kicked out. You are welcome to try."
She wanted to prevent these people from conspiring.
"Now, I'll explain the formal rules. First, those of you who weren't here today will be taken to different places by the guards for questioning. You must do your best to name everyone you know who stole things..."
Everyone looked surprised.
Reporting others? Who would do that if it didn't involve their own interests?
Tang Zhuyun then answered their questions.
She said, "You can be good people and not report anyone; but if someone reports you, then you can reserve a spot in a mine."
"However," she said with a smile, but her eyes were cold, "If you report more people than you, then congratulations, you can still avoid that tragic fate; at most, you'll just be expelled from the palace."
"But if you report things indiscriminately, it will backfire and it will be recorded as a report. Now, do you understand?"
Since human nature is so despicable, then don't blame her for using it even more despicably.
The Prince of Jin was not the type to mistreat his servants. Despite being so angry with himself that he gritted his teeth many times, he never shortchanged himself on his monthly allowance.
Even though the Tang Family wronged him, he didn't hold a grudge. Instead, he did what was right, even though he didn't handle things perfectly.
Upon careful consideration, she realized that the Prince of Jin had wronged anyone.
He died a violent death at the end of the year; even if the servants weren't grieving, they must have felt some compassion.
But no, those servants who stole things were so brazen.
She endured these past few days to expose more of them, so she could deal with them and make plans for her own peaceful life in the future.
The guards split up and led their men away. Tang Zhuyun asked Linlin, "Don't you think this is ungentlemanly?"
"Auntie, I'm not that old-fashioned," Linlin said through gritted teeth.
Tang Zhuyun's eyes showed satisfaction, and she patted Yanran's head, saying, "Remember, if you repay evil with kindness, how will you repay kindness? Pity for bad people is cruelty to yourself! If you are in charge of the household in the future, you must never tolerate evil."
Yanran nodded emphatically.
A look of admiration appeared in the Prince of Jin's eyes.
It's surprising that Tang Zhuyun, who seems so crazy, has such a deep understanding of human nature and can come up with such a brilliant idea.
She knew this was petty-minded, but what reason could she possibly have with such a person?
"Alright," Tang Zhuyun stood up, "Leave the rest to Song Jingyang. Now that these people have been dealt with, the rest should also be dealt with one by one. Those who should be dismissed should not be kept for the New Year; with the Prince gone, the Prince's mansion has no surplus grain."
By evening, only eighty-six servants remained in the palace, and most of the lost items had been recovered.
Tang Zhuyun was satisfied with the outcome of this matter; she had never liked having so many people around anyway.
But something "supernatural" happened while she was sleeping that night, which made her uneasy.
She clearly remembered that the books on her desk were open before she went to sleep, and that she had pressed them down with a paperweight, so it was impossible for the wind to have blown them closed.
But when I woke up the next morning, the book was closed!
When Xiu'er, Xiu'er said she hadn't touched it at all; the two children were still asleep, but she wouldn't get up to touch her books in the middle of the night.
Tang Zhuyun started to feel a little guilty when she remembered the ghost story.
She's an atheist, but if time travel can happen, what else is impossible?
Could it be that the prince truly died with his eyes open in discontent?
Before the two children woke up, Tang Zhuyun went to the mourning hall, sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, and muttered to herself as she threw paper money into the brazier, "Your Highness, if you are truly resentful, then go find the person who harmed you. What can I do? See, I haven't been having any affairs, I haven't abused the children, and I've even helped you manage this messy palace, haven't I?"
None of this mattered; it was entirely in line with her usual style. The Prince of Jin listened from behind the curtain Zidu.
She doesn't engage in casual relationships, isn't that because she wants to maintain her chastity? These are her exact words to Xiu'er!
She didn't abuse the child, isn't it because she originally wanted to possess Yanran herself, saying that having both a son and a daughter was enough for her in this Zidu? Or were these her and Xiu'er's original words!
Managing the Prince's Mansion? Isn't it because she's afraid of future trouble? A triple whammy of her own words and Xiu'er's!
However, what he said next surprised the Prince of Jin.
Because Tang Zhuyun said, "Your Highness, if you're not dead, please stop playing tricks and scaring people, okay?"
The Prince of Jin could barely stand, suspecting that she had discovered him.
Tang Zhuyun muttered, "They say good people don't live long, but evil people live for a thousand years..."
So, in her eyes, he's a menace?
The Prince of Prince of Jin's heart was in turmoil once again.
"You're not a good person, but you're not a menace either. You should live to be at least sixty or seventy."
That makes more sense.
"Besides, weren't you supposed to be amazing? Didn't you sweep everyone 18-0? Weren't you a great swimmer? How could you die so easily?" Tang Zhuyun muttered, then her voice suddenly rose, "Your Highness, I see you!"
The Prince of Jin felt a chill run down his spine, but he did not move.
He didn't move, but Xiu'er rushed in. "Where is the Prince? Has the Prince appeared? Don't be afraid, young lady, I brought a peach wood sword, let me help!"
In her anxiety, she called out to the girl again.
Before Tang Zhuyun could react, Xiu'er had already started brandishing her broken peach wood sword, which she had bought for ten coins, all over the room, chanting, "I'll kill you, you mischievous little devil!"
The Prince of Jin was caught off guard, watching helplessly as the curtain in front of him was lifted, revealing Xiu'er's distorted face of surprise and Tang Zhuyun's wide-open mouth.
"A ghost! He has no shadow!" Xiu'er cried out before being knocked unconscious by Prince of Jin with a single blow.
Prince of Jin: Fool! This mourning hall isn't open to the elements; there are no shadows there. Where would he get a shadow from?
Tang Zhuyun was stunned.
Is her mouth blessed?
She only had a sudden realization yesterday that she was doomed if Prince of Jin hadn't died, so she came today to test him by muttering to herself, and then Prince of Jin came back to life?
Where has that bastard been all these days? Now he's showing up at the funeral hall—was he really hiding in the coffin?
She looked at the approaching Prince of Jin and stammered, "Your Highness, you... you just crawled out?"
The Prince of Jin nearly collapsed.