Tang Zhuyun did it, dismantling and rebuilding, without ever getting tired of it.
She was about to become an aunt, and she was overjoyed. This joy was enough to make her do the needlework she disliked the most.
Other babies have tiger-head shoes made by their aunts, so her nephews and nieces have to get them too!
"Once I've mastered needlework, I plan to make a pair of deerskin boots for my father, and a pair for both Linlin and Yanran..."
Prince of Jin: "And what about me?"
Tang Zhuyun blinked. "I burned several sets for you on the Lantern Festival... but they're ugly, and if someone finds out I made them for men, and they're not even my father's or brothers' size, what am I going to do?"
The Prince of Jin was tall and had large feet; his shoes were like boats...
The Prince of Jin turned his head. "I want to eat Eight Treasure Duck."
"Okay," Tang Zhuyun readily agreed. "Now you can buy anything, just tell me what you want to eat."
Anyway, I figured he'd leave soon.
However, she had barely put down her needlework and hadn't even gotten up when Xiu'er said, "Your Highness, Madam Wang is here to see you."
"Madam Wang?" Tang Zhuyun asked in surprise, "Is she from Eunuch Wang's family?"
"Yes, that's right," Xiu'er said.
Tang Zhuyun was a little puzzled. What did Madam Wang want with her?
She looked at the Prince of Jin: "Is it alright if I see her?"
Wang Fu's identity was somewhat sensitive, and she was unsure whether it would cause trouble for the Prince of Jin.
She finally has eyes for him...
The Prince of Jin said, "Go see her. I also want to know what she wants from you."
Tang Zhuyun straightened her clothes and went out to greet the person. Normally, she would have been respectful enough to simply stand at the door and give a slight greeting, but thinking of Madam Wang's timid and easily frightened appearance, Tang Zhuyun still went out to greet her.
Even so, she came up empty-handed.
"Where is he?" Tang Zhuyun had almost reached the second gate when she still hadn't seen anyone, so she asked Xiu'er, who was coming towards her.
Xiu'er looked equally bewildered. "I just asked, and they said Madam Wang has left again."
Tang Zhuyun was baffled—what did this mean?
Xiu'er added, "When I saw her just now, she seemed very conflicted, like a twisted rope. She was probably hesitating about whether or not to look for you."
Tang Zhuyun stroked her chin and said, "Why would she want to see me?"
Xiu'er: "Perhaps she feels you're like her, so she wanted to confide in someone..."
"How am I the same as her?"
"You're both widows! She's living like a widow, and you're a widow, but actually, you're living like a widow now too."
Tang Zhuyun: "... If the Prince hears this, you'll be in big trouble."
"If you don't tell, how will the Prince know? You mustn't be on the same side as the Prince," Xiu'er muttered. "I guess Madam Wang thought about it later and realized you were in a bad mood, so she didn't want to cause trouble and left."
After thinking for a moment, Tang Zhuyun said, "Regardless of the reason, since they're here, let's go ask them."
"Okay, I'll go right now." Xiu'er quickly chased after him.
Tang Zhuyun returned completely bewildered and told Prince of Jin about it, then asked him, "Do you have any connection with Eunuch Wang?"
The Prince of Jin sneered, "Are you so eager to become a widow?"
Tang Zhuyun thought about it and realized it really was a stupid question.
--Wang Fu was the emperor's closest and most trusted chief eunuch. The princes all had to fawn over him, but if anyone got too close to him, wouldn't that arouse the emperor's suspicion that they had ulterior motives?
That head is in real danger.
Tang Zhuyun muttered, "Why is that?"
"Have you forgotten how you got into the Prince's mansion? Wasn't it because you helped Madam Wang that Wang Fu spoke up for you?" Prince of Jin said.
Tang Zhuyun was stabbed, and her heart, liver, and lungs ached terribly.
So the question is, what did Madam Wang want with her?
"Your Highness," she suddenly became alert, "Could someone be trying to harm me?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out," said the Prince of Jin, "But right now, Hongfu is the one attracting attention."
Sigh, a princess who hasn't had children is not as good as a prostitute who is pregnant. Indeed, a mother's status depends on her son.
On the Lantern Festival, Huaishang led his men to repel several waves of people who wanted to take advantage of the chaos to attack Hongfu. Hongfu claimed that she had suffered a miscarriage and was still lying down.
Tang Zhuyun guessed that she wanted her to go see her.
Dream on.
"Then..." Tang Zhuyun continued, "Could it be that she's encountered some difficulties and is asking for help?"
Before the Prince of Jin could speak, she herself dismissed the possibility.
"No, with Eunuch Wang around, how could it be my turn?"
Prince of Jin originally intended to say that he would know when Xiu'er returned, but for some reason, he was led astray by Tang Zhuyun and began to speculate as well.
"Perhaps she wants to discuss the matter of distributing porridge and medicine with you."
"Huh?" Tang Zhuyun didn't understand.
"After the snow disaster in Jiangbei, a large number of disaster victims flocked to Beijing, and every household set up soup kitchens to distribute porridge, and some also distributed medicine."
Madam Wang came from the countryside and had never truly integrated into the community. She seemed willing but unable to do this, which might be why she sought Tang Zhuyun's help?
Tang Zhuyun: "How come I didn't know about this? You didn't even tell me."
The Prince of Jin, who hides in his room all day, knows more than she does... Indeed, the prince is remarkable.
"You just 'died' from your man, you don't have time for all this!"
"Oh." Tang Zhuyun.
If she were truly a widow, she would surely remember her status; but since it's not true, it's no wonder she keeps forgetting.
After a while, Xiu'er returned, panting, and said, "Your Highness, no, we didn't catch up. I even went to the Wang residence, and they said, they said Madam Wang hasn't returned either."
Tang Zhuyun became anxious upon hearing this.
Madam Wang didn't have many friends in the capital, and she didn't like going out. If it weren't for Wang Fu forcing her, she would basically never leave the house.
Tang Zhuyun had a very bad feeling in her heart.
"Xiu'er, find a few people and have them search around to see what's going on," Tang Zhuyun said. "Your Highness, wouldn't that be taboo?"
"It's alright, go ahead." Prince of Jin said after a moment, his thin lips pressed tightly together.
Xiu'er hurriedly ran out again.
Tang Zhuyun asked, "Your Highness, the Emperor knows about your faked death, but does Wang Fu also know about it?"
What do you think?
Can't this person speak properly?! If she knew, would she need to ask him?
Tang Zhuyun rolled her eyes and said, "I don't know."
"Wang Fu has been with the Emperor since he was a prince, and he was already the Grand Eunuch more than ten years ago. Even the princes don't know as much about the Emperor as he does."
Tang Zhuyun: Why don't you mention Father Emperor...?
She wondered if she was overthinking it, but she always felt that the relationship between Prince of Jin and the Emperor was a little strange.
In other words, Wang Fu should also know that the Prince of Jin was not dead.
More than an hour later, Xiu'er returned, exhausted and covered in sweat. "We went back. We didn't know where Madam Wang went, but she's back at the Wang residence now. Maybe we were overthinking it."
Tang Zhuyun: "It's better if we overthink things like this."
She stood up and walked outside, feeling very relaxed.
Prince of Jin: "Where are you going?"
Tang Zhuyun said irritably, "Eight-Treasure Duck!"
The Prince of Jin was also pleased.
Making Eight Treasure Duck was time-consuming and laborious, Tang Zhuyun didn't finish it until very late. Just as Prince of Jin picked up his chopsticks, Xiu'er exclaimed "Ah!" which almost made him drop his chopsticks.
"Your Highness, no, something terrible has happened! Tragedy has struck the Wang residence!"