The Prince of Jin said, "Let's get a dog."
Tang Zhuyun almost thought she had misheard. "What?"
The Prince of Jin gritted his teeth and said, "I said, let's get a dog! Linlin wants a dog, but you've always refused."
Tang Zhuyun: "That's it?"
Linlin had indeed loved puppies for a long time and had asked Tang Zhuyun twice if she could get one, but Tang Zhujun refused both times.
Tang Zhuyun has many reasons for not keeping a dog.
For example, it's dirty—this isn't modern; the roads outside are paved, and the floors inside are tiled. The dog walks everywhere, so it's definitely dirty. Given that Linlin has even held a speckled chicken, Tang Zhuyun strongly suspects that he would also "keep the dog by his side." Besides, dogs shed fur, which can easily cause allergies in children.
Also, there's no rabies vaccine in this era. What if a dog goes mad and bites a child?
In short, she thought keeping a dog was not feasible, especially when her two children were still young.
However, she didn't simply and bluntly refuse; instead, she reasoned with Linlin.
Unexpectedly, Linlin still couldn't forget it.
Prince of Jin noticed that Linlin liked dogs, and he had previously boasted to Linlin that he would get her a dog.
Linlin's eyes lit up with surprise, but she quickly shook her head knowingly and said, "Never mind."
"Why did you give up?" Prince of Jin, eager to impress his son, asked with concern, "You don't like it anymore? How about the cat? The deer? Or anything else would be fine."
"My aunt doesn't like it," Linlin said. "She thinks it's dirty and says it's sick."
The Prince of Jin thought that Tang Zhuyun was the one who was sick.
What's wrong with having a dog?
It's because her family is so poor that they can't even afford to feed themselves, let alone keep a dog.
Linlin whispered, "Let's not provoke Auntie."
The Prince of Jin didn't say anything at the time, but he was thinking to himself, "I'm going to provoke him anyway."
His son could have the moon in the sky, he'd pluck it down for him, so what's a dog compared to that?
Unfortunately, while the wish was beautiful, reality was cruel. Even the Prince of Jin was intimidated by Tang Zhuyun's talkative mouth. After thinking for several days, he finally seized the opportunity today.
The Prince of Jin said arrogantly, "This one, it's not difficult, is it?"
Tang Zhuyun expressed her doubts. "How powerful can two guards be in exchange for a dog?"
The Prince of Jin really wanted to strangle her.
"My trusted Golden Scale Guard are all experts capable of taking on ten men at once!"
"Then you should show some respect to skilled fighters. You'd sell someone out for a dog," Tang Zhuyun said. "How about we change the terms? For example, I can treat two people for you, injuries like yours are fine."
Or, she could treat him twice more.
However, she knew she might get attacked for saying that, so she kept it to herself.
Prince of Jin: "You won't agree?"
Don't think he'll be led by the nose by her; she clearly wants to refuse.
Tang Zhuyun chuckled twice, "It's not that I'm unwilling, it's just that raising a dog is really not good..."
She rattled off a whole string of words, "Your Highness, did you understand?"
Prince of Jin: "Do you think I'm as easily fooled as Linlin? I've never heard of anyone dying because of their dog."
That's because you haven't seen enough!
The Prince of Jin gritted his teeth. "You think I'm making a fuss over nothing?"
"You said it yourself, I didn't," Tang Zhuyun muttered softly. "Really, really, I know Linlin likes them. If it were really okay, I would have let him keep one a long time ago. Let him wait until he's a bit older. Kids don't know their own strength when playing with cats and dogs, they can easily get hurt..."
After considering for a moment, the Prince of Jin said, "Then let it be."
Tang Zhuyun: "I knew Your Highness was wise. As for the guards..."
"Since I don't want the dog anymore, why should I give it to you as a guard?" Prince of Jin said, narrowing his eyes.
Tang Zhuyun: "... My elder brother raised your son for so many years, shouldn't you repay him in some way?"
"Did I ask him to raise him? Why don't you mention that I was separated from my own son for five years?"
"So you went to the pleasure boat, and after you were done, you just left without a care in the world, and now you're blaming others? Did I say you were irresponsible?" Tang Zhuyun retorted angrily.
She tried to reason with him, but he just made her angry.
"Wasn't what happened before a series of coincidences?" Tang Zhuyun said, "My elder brother sacrificed his future so that Linlin could have a good background. Now, luckily, my sister-in-law ended up with him by chance, otherwise it would Zidu of equal social standing."
In this sense, it's not unreasonable for the Prince of Jin to "compensate" Tang Baixin with a "wife."
But now she's involved too, Prince of Jin is really getting the better deal!
"Besides, if something happens to my elder brother, Linlin will be in Linlin pain, but would you feel any better?" Tang Zhuyun calmed down a bit, and her tone softened.
After all, you're asking for a favor, so don't get angry.
"Furthermore, you know my elder brother's character and talent. If such a person were to be harmed, wouldn't you be losing a valuable asset in the future?"
"Look, we live under the same roof, and I don't often ask you for favors. You were injured, and your Nanxing was injured; haven't I done my best?" Tang Zhuyun said. "Let's help each other and get along well. After all, we have no feelings for each other, and there's Linlin in between. Don't put the child in a difficult position, okay?"
This Prince of Jin is so utterly clueless!
"We have no feelings for each other"? How dare she say that so confidently!
"Alright, I know you want to help, so your conditions aren't unreasonable; I know you're a good person, a really good person, so it's settled then. I still need to change Nanxing's dressing, I'll go now."
Tang Zhuyun slipped away like a greased feather.
Look how sensible she is, even giving the Prince of Jin a way out.
Prince of Jin: "..."
She knew her conditions weren't demanding, but she still refused even those, going on and on about her reasons, only to be met with the response, "You're a good person?"
Does he need it?
However, Tang Zhuyun was right about one thing: he did indeed want to help Tang Baixin.
Tang Baixin's kindness to Linlin was acknowledged by Prince of Jin.
So even though he was angered by Tang Zhuyun again, he still did his best to arrange manpower.
But he simply wouldn't tell Tang Zhuyun.
It wasn't until two days later, when Tang Baixin came to express his gratitude, that Tang Zhuyun learned the truth.
"Your Highness, what would you like to eat? How about roasted mutton? Chicken wontons? Sweet and sour pork?" Tang Zhuyun asked with a beaming smile.
The Prince of Jin coldly ignored her.
Tang Zhuyun, however, was in a good mood and sat in the chair doing needlework.
"What are you doing?" the Prince of Jin asked with disdain.
Because Tang Baixin was leaving, Linlin had gone home for the past few days. Yanran couldn't bear to Linlin, so she went with her.
Now the Tang Family is her legitimate maternal family, so she can go there whenever she wants.
The Prince of Jin could only face Tang Zhuyun, and, bored, he thought of his son again.
"Tiger-head shoes," Tang Zhuyun said, "Made for my nephew and niece."
Prince of Jin: "Isn't it still early?"
Why have I never seen her make clothes, shoes, or socks for Linlin? She's so enthusiastic about making clothes for other people's children.
"It's not that I'm bad at needlework, I just wanted to practice beforehand."
When it came to needlework, the Prince of Jin recalled the ugly, strangely shaped wound she had stitched up for him. He asked her what it was, and she dared to say it was a flower.
He'd never seen such an ugly flower!
Tang Zhuyun: I was just trying to comfort you, don't be ungrateful.