A moment later, Tang Zhuyun heard Xiu'er say, "Be careful, slow down, Song Jingyang! Hey, the threshold, watch out for the threshold!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Song Jingyang and Xiu'er carried someone in, who was reeking of alcohol and looked completely drunk.
It was Tang Mingfan.
"How did you get so drunk!" Tang Zhuyun quickly got up to help.
Xiu'er said, "We owe it all to Sangsang today!"
"Sangsang?" Tang Zhuyun looked up as she helped tidy up the things on the bed and saw Qin Sang and a maid-like person also coming in.
What does this have to do with Qin Sang?
Could it be that her father was drunk and passed out by the roadside, and Qin Sang found him?
But in this pitch black, it must be incredibly difficult to recognize anything.
Qin Sang said, "This is a long story. Please help Lord Tang lie down first, and I will tell you slowly."
Several people hurriedly put Tang Mingfan on the bed, and Tang Zhuyun covered him with a quilt. She sat by the bed, panting heavily from exhaustion.
The man was drunk and his body was sluggish. It's a mystery how Qin Sang and her maid managed to bring him back.
Qin Sang whispered, "Your Highness, please help Lord Tang take off his boots; he's not comfortable sleeping like this."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Let her catch her breath!
She disliked her father forcing her to drink, and she didn't like anyone getting drunk.
Seeing that Tang Zhuyun didn't move, Qin Sang stepped forward to help.
Xiu'er quickly said, "Let me do it, let me do it."
Qin Sang is a guest; how can we ask her to help serve others?
Song Jingyang had already deftly helped Tang Mingfan take off his boots. "It's no big deal, let me handle it."
Qin Sang's hand froze in mid-air, then she lowered it somewhat awkwardly, saying sheepishly, "It was just a coincidence today... You know, I'm quite popular in the brothel. I was the one who brought a few of my sisters to seek help from the Empress before. Today, one of them came to tell me that someone was plotting against Lord Tang, and I immediately panicked when I heard that..."
Tang Zhuyun only understood after Qin Sang finished speaking that tonight was not as simple as her father getting together with old friends and having a drunken night.
--This is all a conspiracy!
Tang Mingfan was framed.
If it weren't for Qin Sang's help, he would probably have been caught in bed with someone else by now.
Someone bribed a courtesan in an attempt to ruin Tang Mingfan's lifelong reputation.
"I don't know who wanted to do this, I only know that they promised one hundred taels of silver. By the time I found out, it was too late to tell you, so I discussed it with my sister and asked her to let me take her place. When I arrived, the private room of the restaurant was a mess of cups and plates, and only Lord Tang was left."
What about Great Confucian Scholar Kong? Did he participate in today's events?
What about Chang Zhi? Wasn't he always following Tang Mingfan?
In an instant, many questions popped into Tang Zhuyun's mind.
"I was worried that things might get complicated if I waited too long, so I gritted my teeth, and together with Xiao Ran, we grabbed the adults and ran outside."
Xiao Ran is Qin Sang's maid.
"... Fortunately, I saw Lord Chang as soon as I stepped outside. He was startled when he heard what I said, and we escorted him to the door. He said he needed to get back as soon as possible to get to the bottom of this matter, otherwise the evidence might be lost, so he left..."
Tang Zhuyun now only feels waves of lingering fear.
Tang Mingfan was an honest and cautious official who never attended banquets with his colleagues and preferred to keep to himself. — Good heavens, Tang Zhuyun suddenly understood why he thought marrying the Prince of Jin was a good idea; wasn't the Prince of Jin also just as "reclusive"?
It can be said that this is the first time in several years that Tang Mingfan has been invited to such a banquet, and it is only because the other party is Great Confucian Scholar Kong who has no connection with officialdom that Tang Mingfan is willing to attend.
However, in this one and only time, he was outmaneuvered...
"Song Jingyang, have the Golden Scale Guard investigate as well," Tang Zhuyun said in a deep voice.
"Yes!"
Xiu'er stomped her foot and cursed, "Master is the reincarnation of the Wenqu Star of Literature! Which scoundrel dares to harm him? Aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning!"
Qin Sang then said, "It's a pity that time was too tight, and I couldn't get more information out of you. If you want to investigate inside the building, I can help..."
Tang Zhuyun replied, "You've already helped a lot. Now that you and your sisters have messed things up, you might face retaliation..."
"I'm not afraid," Qin Sang said. "I'm free now, and no one can do anything to me. As for my sister... I'll try to scrape together some money to help her get out of jail."
"I'll pay for the ransom," Tang Zhuyun said.
Qin Sang did not refuse, and said cheerfully, "In that case, I thank Your Highness on her behalf."
"Are you sure you can handle this?" Tang Zhuyun asked. "Don't push yourself. If you encounter any difficulties, just mention the Prince's Mansion."
Qin Sang smiled and shook her head, "How could I mention the Prince's Mansion? Right now, it's just you with Young Master Yanran... Don't worry, I can handle it."
"Please don't force yourself," Tang Zhuyun repeated. "You're doing this to help me. If something happens because of it, I'll never be able to live with myself."
Qin Sang smiled and said, "Don't worry, I've thought it all out. I'll stay here tonight, and then I'll say that Lord Tang wasn't drunk and insisted on taking me home, but you noticed and kept me here for questioning, which is why we're delayed."
Xiu'er: "Would it be easier for you to explain if I slapped you twice?"
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Qin Sang said, "Isn't that right? Sister Xiu'er is clever."
Xiu'er was smug.
Qin Sang then looked at Tang Zhuyun: "Your Majesty, you should also investigate who Lord Tang drank with today; there might be something amiss."
"I know," Tang Zhuyun nodded. "I really owe you a lot today; otherwise, I can't even imagine what the consequences would have been."
If her father's reputation were truly ruined, his resignation this time wouldn't just be a bluff to frighten the emperor.
Not only will he have to resign from his official post, but he will likely live the rest of his life in humiliation and suffering.
Tang Zhuyun's gratitude towards Qin Sang was beyond words.
Even if Qin Sang said now that she wanted to enter the Prince's mansion and become a concubine for Prince of Jin, Tang Zhuyun felt that she could agree in a moment of impulse.
Qin Sang said modestly, "Your Majesty, shouldn't we make some hangover soup for Lord Tang?"
Tang Zhuyun: "... A good night's sleep will do the trick."
Although the hangover soup would help, her father was so drunk that it was unlikely he would get up and drink it. It would be better to let him sleep it off and sober up on his own.
"If you don't drink the hangover soup, you'll probably have a headache tomorrow," Qin Sang said. "Xiao Ran, go and make some for Lord Tang."
Xiao Ran readily agreed.
Qin Sang then busied herself getting hot water and a towel to wipe Tang Mingfan's face and hands, taking excellent care of him.
Tang Zhuyun's biological daughter was like a drafty cotton-padded coat.
Watching Qin Sang bustling about, a thought suddenly exploded in her mind like a thunderbolt—could Qin Sang possibly have feelings for her father...?
Xiu'er, that silly girl, said, "Sangsang, you really know how to serve people. Our master may never have been served so attentively in his entire life!"