Tang Zhuyun gave Xiu'er a few instructions and soon met Qin Sang.
Qin Sang was somewhat flustered as she entered the Prince's residence for the first time. She said, "Your Highness, you shouldn't have invited me in. If someone sees this, I don't know how they'll try to smear you!"
Tang Zhuyun smiled and invited her to sit down, then introduced her to Tang Mingfan: "Father, this is Miss Sangsang."
"I am from Zhangtai Road... I have just met Lord Tang."
She revealed her humble identity first, as if that would make things less embarrassing.
Tang Mingfan said, "Please get up and sit down. Thank you for coming to help Her Highness the Princess today."
Tang Zhuyun was deeply moved.
This is what a real father is like. No matter how lowly someone's status is, as long as they are good to him, he will put aside his status and treat them well.
Qin Sang blushed slightly. "This servant dares not. I have only ever heard of Lord Tang's impartial and incorruptible judgments. It is my honor to meet you today."
"Alright, alright," Tang Zhuyun said with a smile, "Sit down and talk, I have something to ask you."
Qin Sang then sat down unsteadily in the chair.
"Sangsang, how did you know about yesterday's events?"
"I heard about it upstairs," Qin Sang said. "Do you still remember Xiao Kouzi?"
Tang Zhuyun nodded.
Xiao Kouzi is a seven or eight-year-old boy whose parents are disaster victims. He almost died from a cold, but was saved by Tang Zhuyun.
"Xiao Kouzi is clever; he comes to my place from time to time to run errands for me. Last night he came to tell me that the disaster victims were coming to support me, so I came too."
Tang Zhuyun: "Do you know who organized this?"
Qin Sang looked bewildered. "Wasn't this something everyone organized spontaneously?"
Upon hearing this, she impulsively followed suit.
"It couldn't have been spontaneous; someone must have started it," Tang Zhuyun said.
"Your Majesty, have I... caused you any trouble?" Qin Sang was adept at reading people and immediately sensed that something was wrong.
"No," Tang Zhuyun said. "It's just that something's not right about this matter. It's alright, I'll have someone investigate. In any case, thank you for today."
Qin Sang said apologetically, "I wasn't much help... You go ahead with your work, I'll take my leave now."
She vaguely felt that something was wrong with what happened today. Tang Zhuyun didn't ask everyone to help her get revenge; instead, she inexplicably gave out money.
The way things are going is really not right.
But no matter what, it's already like this; even if it backfired, that's all we can do.
Tang Zhuyun had Xiu'er escort her out the back door.
"Father, this is a girl I treated before," Tang Zhuyun explained to Tang Mingfan. "Although she came from a brothel, this girl is very loyal and devoted..."
"Father can see that you value relationships, which is why you associate with people like that," Tang Mingfan said with a look of satisfaction.
Tang Zhuyun was surprised. "I thought you would be unhappy because of her identity."
Her father is perfect!
Tang Mingfan stroked his beard and said, "Speaking of which, when I went to the capital to take the imperial examination back then, I also received favors from others..."
Tang Zhuyun's mouth dropped open. "No way, she's not also a girl from a brothel, is she...?"
Who has such foresight to invest directly in a future top scorer?
Qin Sang should definitely go and learn from their experience.
"Yes," Tang Mingfan said with a look of regret, "It's just a pity that when Father went to return the money, the man was already gone."
"Ah?"
"She died of illness at only nineteen," Tang Mingfan said. "I specially raised five hundred taels of silver to help her redeem herself and get married properly, but it was too late."
Tang Zhuyun sighed. No wonder her father treated Sangsang so well; it wasn't just because of her, but probably because he was also reminded of what happened back then.
Tang Mingfan quickly changed the subject. "We need to find out as soon as possible who incited the disaster victims. I suspect it was Zong Heng himself."
I think so too.
This Zong Heng is utterly despicable, and his actions are swift, ruthless, and precise, with each move meticulously planned and executed, leaving no room for respite.
"Fortunately, A-Yun, you are clever and generous, and you made a decisive decision." Tang Mingfan's eyes were full of pride and regret. "It's just a pity that the Prince is no longer here; he didn't have the good fortune."
Tang Zhuyun: No, he was there; it's just that I'm unlucky.
My heart aches; I'll need to listen to "Pearl" several times tonight to calm down.
"Father, do I really need to go and cry to the Emperor about this?"
"No need. His Majesty has already dealt with Zong Heng, so you don't need to go anymore. If you go, it will be seen as you being foolish; if you don't go, His Majesty will still remember your grievances. A-Yun, when dealing with superiors, you must think more and do less, and if you do something, you must do it properly."
Wow, I didn't realize that his biological father was quite knowledgeable about the emperor's psychology. No wonder they've been best buddies for so many years.
"Twenty strokes of the cane? Why is that so light?" Tang Zhuyun was displeased. "No wonder that fellow was so fearless."
"The Zong Family isn't so easy to deal with..." Tang Mingfan sighed. "Empress Zong is also surnamed Zong. If it weren't for Empress Zong back then, would Xiao... have come to this? Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore. The person is no longer here."
Tang Zhuyun: It's so annoying to only tell half the story.
But she understood what Tang Mingfan meant.
In a sense, the emperor is the one who sells himself. Don't be fooled by the fact that he has three thousand concubines in his harem, just like three thousand young men pursuing the most beautiful courtesan. It seems like he can sleep with whomever he wants, but in reality, there are some people he really dares not refuse to sleep with!
The Empress is probably that kind of person.
These people are fighting tooth and nail to become emperor, scrambling to sell themselves out—it's ridiculous.
"The Zong Family is not as powerful as it used to be, but we can't easily shake it," Tang Mingfan said. "Let's wait and see."
The phrase "let's wait a bit" carries a deeper meaning.
Tang Zhuyun imagined a lot.
After Tang Mingfan left, the palace's rewards arrived.
The Emperor bestowed upon Tang Zhuyun ten bolts of silk and a thousand taels of silver.
--Is this to compensate her for the money she spent on disaster victims? What a wise ruler!
The one who came to deliver the imperial decree was Wang Fu, Tang Zhuyun, following custom, slipped him a red envelope.
Wang Fu declined the offer, and while he was refusing, he said to Tang Zhuyun in a very low voice, "Your Majesty, twenty strokes of the cane are all I could manage. It's just a pity that I couldn't cripple him."
Tang Zhuyun was delighted.
So, those twenty slaps were actually plus-level?
I'm so happy!
"Thank you, Eunuch Wang." Tang Zhuyun winked. "There's plenty of time in the future."
Zong Heng, is it? This feud is now set in stone!
Song Jingyang led the Golden Scale Guard to investigate and found that it was indeed the Zong Residence people who had done something, deliberately instigating the disaster victims to cause trouble.
Who would have thought that the main branch of the Zong Family would incite others to attack them?
Fortunately, their strategy backfired. They first sent someone to the Prince's residence to try and frame them completely, which gave Tang Zhuyun the opportunity. Otherwise, if they had directly attacked the Zong Residence in her name, Tang Zhuyun would have had no way to explain herself.
Good, very good, Zong Heng.
Now I wish you infertility, but a house full of children and grandchildren!
If it weren't too conspicuous to act now, she wouldn't have waited until tomorrow.
"Your Highness, the Prince has sent a message by carrier pigeon," Song Jingyang said again.