Tang Zhuyun hates Jiang Beihan the most right now, without a doubt.
Even though the truth had already come out, he was the foolish one, and he was the one who acted like a fool. Now, when he saw Meng Yulan, he still acted like he was the best in the world, and she couldn't help but mock him.
Jiang Beihan had suffered at her hands before, so he didn't respond, but just kept staring at Meng Yulan with a piercing gaze.
Meng Yulan did not shy away from the question; her expression was calm, and her back was straight.
He owed her, but she didn't owe him.
Zong Heng smiled and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Tang Zhuyun, saying, "Your Highness seems to have a deep misunderstanding about Lord Jiang. In any case, I was indeed impolite that day, and I was just about to apologize to the Princess before I went to the Northwest."
Go to the Northwest?
Tang Zhuyun noticed he was deliberately emphasizing those words, and her heart skipped a beat, but her voice remained unchanged. "Then I won't accept it. Get out of the way; a good dog doesn't block the way."
As soon as he finished speaking, Nanxing stepped forward to clear the way.
Caught off guard, the two men were actually separated by her.
"Your Highness, Princess Consort—" Nanxing bowed in an inviting gesture.
Tang Zhuyun was satisfied and helped Meng Yulan upstairs.
After a while, while waiting for the food to be served, Nanxing whispered, "Your Majesty, they are sitting next door."
Tang Zhuyun's eyes darted around, and suddenly an idea came to her.
She beckoned to Xiu'er and whispered, "Give me the lipstick I just bought."
Taking the lip rouge, Tang Zhuyun dipped it in water, applied it with her fingertips, and then smeared it on her neck.
Meng Yulan looked at her, puzzled.
Tang Zhuyun lowered her voice and said, "Last time he raided the Prince's mansion in the middle of the night, I later found out that he saw the mark on my neck and thought that either the Prince was not dead, or I was having an affair."
Of course, all of this was discovered by the Golden Scale Guard.
"Then why... did you repeat the same trick?" Meng Yulan asked quietly.
"I want him to fall for it again," Tang Zhuyun said.
She stood up and pretended to go to the restroom, passing by the door of the next room on both the way back and forth; she deliberately didn't wear a veil, and the ambiguous marks on her neck were very obvious, and she looked at Zong Heng provocatively, as if to say, even if you know, what can you do to me?
Over the next few days, Tang Zhuyun went out almost every day, staying at the inn for about an hour each time before leaving.
"Have you found out?" Zong Heng said coldly.
"Your Excellency, we have investigated. The Princess goes out every day, but she disguises herself as a servant and wears a veiled hat, so she is not conspicuous."
"Was it really a secret rendezvous?"
"I don't know... but there seem to be other people in the room. Nanxing, who's with Her Highness the Princess, is very powerful; it won't be easy for our people to get close."
"Whether she's genuinely having a secret rendezvous or trying to lure me in, I'm going to give it a try. I want to see how she explains herself for showing up at the inn!"
The numerous restrictions placed on widows and the implications they might evoke were his bargaining chips.
"Your Majesty, Zong Heng has already sent people to investigate, and they should be at the inn tomorrow," Song Jingyang said nervously.
The Princess Consort is truly a woman of exceptional skill and daring.
The prince has replied, telling her to vent her anger, and the princess immediately took action without hesitation.
In this light, it seems the prince has been a burden to the empress...
"Okay," Tang Zhuyun said, "They've taken the bait."
Yanran tilted her head and asked curiously, "Mother, what are you saying? I don't understand."
Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "It's already March, and the Dragon Boat Festival is in May. Everyone will be racing dragon boats. Although your father is no longer here this year, the palace is not empty. We still have to participate in the dragon boat races. How about your mother takes you out to watch them practice?"
Yanran was very happy.
Speaking of this, Tang Zhuyun asked Song Jingyang curiously, "Why was the Prince's Mansion ranked last last year?"
Given the Prince of Jin's strength, it's highly unlikely that he could beat his brothers 18-0!
As long as the prince doesn't use his brain, he's excellent at everything.
Song Jingyang: "Last year, the Emperor specially summoned the Prince and asked him to give the other princely residences some face."
So he started slacking off?
"Yes," Song Jingyang said, "If it weren't for my subordinates persuading him, Your Highness wouldn't have wanted to participate at all."
Tang Zhuyun rolled her eyes. She really was a loner!
She took Yanran and Linlin out to watch the guards of the Prince's Palace practice dragon boat racing, and brought a lot of food to reward everyone and boost morale.
Meanwhile, Zong Heng had received a report from his subordinates that Tang Zhuyun had entered the inn.
"Wait a while before going upstairs," Zong Heng, who had been waiting downstairs, said coldly.
Judging from the heated argument upstairs, Zong Heng led his men up.
"That's the one!" the subordinate said, pointing to a room.
No sooner had she finished speaking than Tang Zhuyun, wearing a veiled hat, suddenly came out of the house, carrying something in her hand.
Before Zong Heng could see clearly, she took a few steps, kicked open the door of one of the rooms, and then banged on the gong in her hand, saying, "Someone is scattering silver!"
As soon as she finished speaking, "Tang Zhuyun" entered the room, then quickly went to the window, and leaped off the third floor.
The onlookers, who rushed to grab the silver after hearing the news, witnessed the "wonderful scene" inside the house along with Zong Heng...
Tang Zhuyun didn't see it, but Qin Sang later gave her a lesson.
Zong Heng wanted to find something wrong with her, but his plan backfired, making the Zong Family a laughingstock.
Although he forcefully suppressed the news, which wealthy family in the capital wasn't keeping a close eye on everything?
With Tang Zhuyun's encouragement, the matter quickly spread.
Zong Heng wanted to involve Tang Zhuyun, but the latter had a perfect alibi—at that time, she was filled with longing for Prince of Jin and inspiring the dragon boat team's guards to turn their grief and indignation into strength to win the championship this year!
Moreover, how could Tang Zhuyun possibly escape by jumping from the third floor?
Zong Heng has once again fallen into Tang Zhuyun's hands.
"This time, Zong Xueci is finished," Meng Yulan said to Tang Zhuyun. "Don't overthink it. You and the Zong Family are already bitter enemies. Even if you don't deal with her, she won't let you off the hook. After she enters the Eastern Palace, she won't be polite to you."
Tang Zhuyun stroked her chin. "I didn't think much about it, but I just wondered if Zong Xueci would just accept her fate like that?"
"Her fate was sealed the moment she was born into the Zong Family. After such a disgraceful incident, she could only 'die of illness'."
"What a pity." Tang Zhuyun shook her head.
"What's a pity?"
"Actually, I'd rather see those sisters fighting like dogs," Tang Zhuyun said with a hint of regret.
Meng Yulan smiled, "We can't have all the advantages. A-Yun, tell me honestly, is the Prince alright?"
Tang Zhuyun almost dropped the teacup in her hand.
"I understand," Meng Yulan said. "I won't ask. I'm happy for you."
Tang Zhuyun: Hey, hey, hey, why are you so smart!
Just as I was about to ask her how she knew, Xiu'er ran in excitedly and said, "This is going to be good!"