Time flies, and June is here in the blink of an eye.
After Meng Yulan finished her postpartum confinement, the Tang Family happily moved into their new home, which suddenly felt much more spacious.
Before getting married, Tang Zhuyun finally had her own courtyard at her parents' home.
She lived there with Yanran, while Linlin moved to Tang Mingfan's place and refused to live with them.
Tsk tsk, they've grown up and are starting to understand the differences between boys and girls.
It was too hot. After Xiu'er rejected her phoenix eyes for the 101st time, Tang Zhuyun impatiently waved her fan and said, "Forget it, I'm not doing it anymore. This wedding dress is only worn once, it's exhausting."
Moreover, just thinking about wearing this thick wedding dress during the hottest time of July makes me sweat profusely.
Xiu'er said, "Your Majesty, you'll only wear it once, but this time, it's the time in your life you'll be seen by the most people. Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable if people found fault with it?"
Brain: That makes some sense.
Hand: I don't believe your ghost!
"Master is back!" Xiu'er called out.
Tang Zhuyun said irritably, "Don't try to scare me with my dad. He doesn't care about these trivial matters."
"A-Yun."
"Ah, Father!" Tang Zhuyun jumped up from the stone bench. "Why are you back so early today?"
"There was nothing much to do at the yamen, so I came back."
Tang Zhuyun was somewhat suspicious; was this really her father's style?
When Tang Mingfan said, "Come in with me," she suddenly realized that he had returned early because of her.
"Father, what's wrong?" Tang Zhuyun asked with a smile after serving tea to Tang Mingfan and sitting down to his left.
"You're getting married soon," Tang Mingfan, looking at his daughter with eyes full of reluctance. "Your father is incompetent and has no dowry to give you. I can only leave you with a few words of advice."
Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "Wasn't the dowry given by the Emperor because of you? I am where I am today simply because I was lucky enough to be your daughter."
If Tang Mingfan hadn't persisted, the original owner of this body would have already brought about his own demise; would she have even been able to wait for her to transmigrate?
However, she had ultimately taken over the body of her predecessor, and she was willing to do what her predecessor should have done.
Tang Mingfan said, "A-Yun, since last year, you suddenly became sensible. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you had been enlightened and completely transformed."
Tang Zhuyun felt guilty. If he hadn't trusted his daughter so much, how could he not have noticed something was wrong?
"Father can finally rest easy."
"You and the prince have had a long and winding road. To become the principal wife and gain the prince's favor is entirely because you are good enough."
"I am very proud of you for what you have achieved."
"There's just something that's been weighing on my mind lately."
"Father, just say it. There's no need for beating around the bush between us. If I've done anything wrong, just tell me, and I'll definitely correct it."
Tang Zhuyun blushed slightly. She was a little suspicious that Tang Mingfan wanted to talk to her about how Prince of Jin always secretly met with her.
It's alright, Prince of Jin is out of the capital now, she promises to change!
--Being deeply in love and clinging to each other, wishing we could be Siamese twins, so this is what it feels like.
She wouldn't dare to make any boastful claims if the Prince of Jin didn't leave.
However, despite being mentally prepared, Tang Mingfan did not play by the rules.
He said, "I know you'll object, but let me finish. A-Yun, I want to keep Linlin here."
Tang Zhuyun, of course, objected!
However, Tang Mingfan gestured for silence and continued, "I know the Prince loves him so much that he treats his children as his own. But A-Yun, you will eventually have to have more children."
"Linlin is a sensitive child. Even if we don't intentionally ignore her, it will probably weigh on her mind."
"He can't help but compare, he'll feel envious, and he'll think that the care and favoritism shown towards his younger siblings is a difference between biological and non-biological children."
"A-Yun, that will ruin Linlin."
Looking at her elderly father with his graying temples, Tang Zhuyun felt a pang of sorrow in her heart and slowly knelt down.
Tang Mingfan was extremely surprised and quickly reached out to help her up. "A-Yun, I'm not forcing you, I'm discussing this with you."
For Tang Zhuyun, separating her and her son was indeed a cruel thing.
However, for Linlin's future, and for the unspoken care he had for Tang Zhuyun —he didn't want Linlin to become a thorn in Prince of Jin's side, fearing that the deeper the love, the more it would be reminded— Tang Mingfan still spoke up.
I never expected Tang Zhuyun to react so strongly.
"You can see each other more often from now on," Tang Mingfan said. "Linlin is mainly focused on her studies now and doesn't spend much time at home."
"Father," Tang Zhuyun said, her eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry, I've been keeping this from you because I was afraid you'd get too involved. Now I realize there's no turning back once the arrow is released. Rather than keeping it from you and making you worry, I'd better tell you the truth."
"What truth?"
"Father, Linlin is the Prince's biological son."
Tang Mingfan simply couldn't believe it.
After a long time of digesting this, he still asked Tang Zhuyun in disbelief, "Did you and the Prince conspire to deceive Linlin and us like this?"
"Father," Tang Zhuyun said, "I didn't. What saddens me is that I'm afraid I'll make you take sides."
Tang Mingfan should have been a loyal subject devoted only to the emperor, but now he has no choice but to board the ship of Prince of Jin.
She had been feigning ignorance all along, afraid to accept the Prince of Jin of Jin's feelings; wasn't this very concern part of her actions?
My own future and the safety of my family are both very important.
"Father, I told you this because I don't want you to continue worrying."
"In the future, if the Prince's Mansion encounters any difficulties, I only ask that you remain unaffected."
She decided to commit herself, so let her rise and fall with the Prince of Jin on her own.
"Dad, don't take sides. I know you've been very, very good to me. I know it all in my heart."
"You and your elder brother should just be like before."
Even if one day we lose touch with each other, we will always be father and daughter.
Tang Mingfan was stunned.
"A-Yun, what are you talking about? The Emperor is worried that the tragedy of the struggle for the throne will happen again, so he appointed a Crown Prince early on. How can there be any talk of taking sides?"
Tang Zhuyun sighed inwardly.
The court in my father's eyes is completely different from the court in their eyes.
"Father, I'm just worried about what might happen."
What else could she say?
"I'm just afraid that one day, Your Highness will be driven to a dead end."
"If that's the case, don't worry, A-Yun, your father will definitely protect the Prince."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Alright, this conversation can't go on anymore.
"Father, it's true that Linlin is the Prince's biological son. But there's no way to prove it yet, and others might think we're lying. So, just keep this to yourself; we have no plans to acknowledge him as our son right now."
"I see..."
Tang Mingfan took a long time to react, it was unclear whether he truly believed it or had simply given up on thinking about it, before finally asking, "A-Yun, did you see that locust wood box on the display shelf?"
Tang Zhuyun: I saw it.
In fact, it's always been quite ugly and out of place.
The furnishings in this room were all carefully arranged by Meng Yulan; it's like a complete upgrade from a slingshot to a cannon.
However, Tang Mingfan treasured his locust wood box.
It's like... putting Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) in a Moutai bottle.
This treasure must be part of her dowry.
Tang Zhuyun then strongly suspected that it contained the Four Books for Women.