Just as Nanny Rong was about to knock on the door, she heard this and stopped in mid-air, listening intently to the sounds coming from inside the room.
"No, I have a father now," Linlin said resolutely. "If he doesn't want me, I don't want him either!"
"It's not that he doesn't want you..." Tang Zhuyun said truthfully, "He just doesn't know you exist."
Although she didn't want Linlin to acknowledge his family, she also didn't want him to harbor resentment.
Prolonged hatred is a very draining thing.
"Because he never intended to have me." Linlin's eyes were stubborn. "Auntie, I have a father! My surname is Tang, and I want to be the third-generation top scholar in the Tang Family!"
His goal since childhood was to have three students from his family achieve the highest rank in the imperial examinations.
Tang Zhuyun: "Then do you want to know who your father is?"
"No. Aunt, if you knew, you didn't have to tell me," Linlin said. "I don't need it. I'm doing fine now. Why should I acknowledge him just because he acknowledges me? Where was he when I needed him?"
The clear, resonant voice of Tang Baixin teaching him to read, the broad, supportive arms of Prince of Jin teaching him to ride a horse... these were the fatherly loves he received.
He doesn't want a biological father!
Tang Zhuyun: "Then... whenever you want to know, just tell me, and I'll tell you the truth."
Linlin turned her face away. "I don't want to, I never want to!"
Nanny Rong immediately "understood"—it turned out that the Princess Consort was considering Linlin's feelings.
It turns out that Linlin harbors such deep resentment towards the prince.
Although the two are currently as close as father and son, they may develop a rift once they know the truth.
However, since they are father and son, a few days of coaxing will be enough; after all, the prince had his own reasons back then.
"Linlin, you're still young, don't speak too hastily. Your aunt won't be angry if you want to acknowledge your family," Tang Zhuyun said patiently. "I really don't mind having another person to love and care for you."
As for her relationship with Linlin's biological father, that night the transaction was completed, and they had no further connection.
"I don't want to, Auntie, I don't want to!"
"Okay, okay, Auntie won't say anymore." Hearing that the little beast's voice had clearly changed, Tang Zhuyun stopped the conversation.
Nanny Rong quietly slipped out.
Tang Zhuyun was preoccupied with this matter and felt terrible all day.
After thinking it over carefully, she decided to be honest with the Prince of Jin.
Her threats to Huaishang were completely baseless; it was obvious who held more importance in the Prince of Jin's eyes than Huaishang.
If Huaishang is truly determined to take Linlin back, Prince of Jin might just help him.
No, she has to strike first!
She wants the Prince of Jin to help her!
In return, what can she offer? To gain protection, one must give.
What can she offer in return? That's a real problem.
Strange, the Prince of Jin went out today, why hasn't he returned yet?
Xiu'er came in too, muttering, "I wonder where Song Jingyang ran off to. He said he'd give me shoe patterns today! Men's words are just lies!"
Tang Zhuyun was amused. "Shoe pattern? What, you're going to make shoes for him?"
"Don't even mention it, it's all because of my mother!" Xiu'er said. "He went to my mother and acted pitiful, and my mother insisted that I cook for him."
Oh my, I didn't know Song Jingyang could also play the mother-in-law card.
She was much better than Prince of Jin. She watched coldly. Prince of Jin was such a stupid, straight man... Really, he was lucky to have a father, otherwise he would be a bachelor forever!
These two, master and servant, must have been up to something again. That's to be expected; otherwise, why would they be pretending to be dead for no reason?
Thinking of this, Tang Zhuyun realized that she hadn't gone to the mourning hall yet.
After all, the Prince of Jin is "dead," and it wouldn't make sense for her not to visit him even for a day.
So Tang Zhuyun took the two children and went there.
To her relief, both her children and Xiu'er, even after learning the truth, acted outwardly as if they were genuinely sad.
After Nanny Rong returned, Huai Shang, who had been waiting Huaishang her, couldn't help but ask, "Mama, you're back? What did the Princess say? Did you ask her how I offended her?"
"I think I know now, it's probably because of Linlin," said Nanny Rong. "Let's not worry about it for now, let the Prince return and untangle this knot himself. I need to go burn incense for the young lady now and tell her the good news!"
Since Tang Zhuyun has admitted it, it must be true.
If the girl were alive, she would be overjoyed to know she had such a well-behaved and promising grandson! Nanny Rong thought, wiping away her tears.
The current issue is simply the child's emotions; it's not a serious matter at all.
Huaishang: "No, Granny, wait a minute! What about me? Why is Her Highness the Princess threatening me? What happened to me?"
Nanny Rong: "Those are all minor matters. Once the Prince returns, you can explain everything to Linlin."
Which mother doesn't side with her own child? Tang Zhuyun especially dotes on her child. It's perfectly normal that she doesn't want to force Linlin to acknowledge Linlin family.
Nanny Rong felt she needed to find a place to enjoy herself for a while.
This news was so wonderful that she felt she couldn't contain herself and was so happy she wanted to go crazy.
If we calculate the timeline, the girl was already gone by the day Linlin appeared.
It must be the spirit of the girl in heaven protecting the prince.
The young lady couldn't bear to leave the prince alone in this world, so she sent him Tang Zhuyun —otherwise, how could the legitimate daughter of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review have gone mad and boarded a pleasure boat?
And they had such an outstanding child like Linlin overnight!
It's a girl, it must be a girl! Nanny Rong's eyes filled with tears.
She now eagerly awaits the Prince of Jin's return to tell him this good news; she is sure the Prince will be happy to hear it.
Tang Zhuyun was also looking forward to Prince of Jin's return—although she hadn't figured out what the exchange conditions would be, since Prince of Jin was thinking of having Linlin become Yanran's son-in-law and wanted to raise her by his side, his original intention wouldn't change, right?
She desperately wanted to know how the Prince of Jin would react; but whatever the outcome, she believed the Prince of Jin would not harm Linlin.
But as they waited and waited, until the two Zidu were asleep by nightfall, Prince of Jin still hadn't returned, nor had Song Jingyang.
When I don't want him, he's always around; when I want him, he's nowhere to be seen.
Haha, men.
Huaishang was also getting anxious. It was clearly a small problem, so why had the Prince and Song Jingyang disappeared without a trace?
He told Nanny Rong that he dared not appear in front of Tang Zhuyun again, and then took his confidants to find Prince of Jin.
The Prince of Jin has not returned for three days, nor have Song Jingyang and Huaishang.
Tang Zhuyun's eyelids kept twitching, first her left eye, then her right, and she felt uneasy. What was going to happen?
Blame it on the prince for making a promise to come back and treat her well, and now he can't come back?
Pshaw, he'll definitely come back! He's her lifeline, he has to come back!
Xiu'er came running in, panting. "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"
You're the bad one!