"What's wrong with Nanny Rong?" Prince of Jin entered the room and frowned upon smelling a strong medicinal odor.
Tang Zhuyun stood at the table by the window, her gaze falling on the osmanthus blossoms swaying gently in the breeze, their rich fragrance filling her nostrils.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on her fair face.
"Nanny Rong is gone," Tang Zhuyun said slowly but clearly.
The Prince of Jin's expression changed drastically. "Gone?"
He strode forward and walked to the bedside.
Nanny Rong's eyes were tightly closed, her face was ashen, and she was lifeless.
The Prince of Jin, his hand trembling, brought his finger close to her nose...
"A-Yun, what happened to Nanny Rong? Did she suddenly fall ill?"
"No." Tang Zhuyun looked at him calmly, "A lot has happened while you were gone these past two days. Let me tell you slowly..."
The Prince of Jin's tone was somewhat urgent. "Nothing else matters. Tell me first, why did Nanny Rong do this?"
Xiu'er stood nervously at the door, listening intently. When she heard the Prince of Jin's changed voice, she became anxious and instinctively wanted to lift the curtain and go in.
Song Jingyang held her tightly, covering her mouth with his other hand, "Grandma, don't get involved. Tell me first!"
He didn't know what had happened, but Nanny Rong was very important to the prince.
With Nanny Rong gone, the Prince won't have much patience for Xiu'er.
Song Jingyang carried Xiu'er into the side room. "I'm begging you, please tell me first, how can I not help you?"
Inside the room, Tang Zhuyun was also speaking.
"The old woman was poisoned and then swallowed gold. Before she died, she said that I forced her to do it."
The Prince of Jin was struck dumb, and blurted out, "Impossible!"
Doesn't he know who Tang Zhuyun is?
No matter how sharp her words are, they can't hide her kind, generous, and principled nature.
She had no motive to harm Nanny Rong, nor would she do so.
"But that's what Nanny Rong said." Tang Zhuyun lowered her eyes.
"A-Yun!" Prince of Jin reached out and grabbed her chin, his movements somewhat rough. "Look at me, and listen to me!"
"Okay, go ahead."
"Although I don't know what happened, and my heart is filled with pain and confusion, I won't doubt you," said Prince of Jin. "This should be a conspiracy. Nanny Rong may have been fooled, but respect the dead, don't think too much about it."
Finding the murderer and giving Nanny Rong a proper burial are the most important things right now.
The Prince of Jin's eyes were filled with sorrow yet unwavering determination, reflecting an unquestionable trust.
"Let go, it hurts," Tang Zhuyun said.
The Prince of Jin gently rubbed her chin. "I'm afraid you'll make a mistake and be led by the nose."
He has experienced too much in the past twenty years, and if he wanted to cherish it, he could only keep very little.
Intrigue and betrayal, life and death—this seemed to be the norm in his life.
He was truly grieving, but he was also truly afraid—he feared that Tang Zhuyun would also be drawn into endless schemes because of him; he also feared that she wouldn't be able to bear it.
Tang Zhuyun laughed, "The person who plotted against me is already dead. Who can lead me by the nose now?"
"A-Yun, you..."
"I don't know if it's right or wrong, but that's what I really think— Nanny Rong is trying to harm me."
"No!" Prince of Jin said urgently, "A-Yun, your nanny has always liked you very much. Have you forgotten how she felt sorry for you when she was teaching you manners, and what happened later..."
"I know everything," Tang Zhuyun said. "This all started with a handkerchief... or even earlier, when my uncle came to the capital, I vaguely sensed that something was wrong with Nanny Rong..."
She told the Prince of Jin everything that had happened.
The Prince of Jin was utterly shocked.
In his eyes, Nanny Rong had always been loyal and devoted, willing to give everything for the Xiao Family.
Over the years, Nanny Rong has poured all her heart and soul into him without complaint or regret.
He couldn't even fathom the reason why Nanny Rong wanted to harm Tang Zhuyun.
Hasn't she always been kind to Tang Zhuyun because she loves her so much?
"A-Yun, Nanny Rong told me that I'm different from my father. I'm more like a man of the Xiao Family, stubborn and loyal to only one woman."
Nanny Rong extended far beyond just loving the house and its inhabitants.
She realized earlier than the Prince of Jin that Tang Zhuyun was the right person, so she strongly encouraged the two of them to get together.
She privately spoke highly of Tang Zhuyun to the Prince of Jin.
"A-Yun, I may not understand women well enough, but Nanny Rong watched me grow up since I was a child." Prince of Jin couldn't hide his grief. "She's not a bad person. There must be something fishy about this. Please give me more time..."
Having witnessed countless schemes and plots, how could Nanny Rong resort to such clumsy methods, risking her own life to frame Tang Zhuyun?
Tang Zhuyun reached out and hugged his waist, pressing her face against his chest. "I know."
Even in his grief and sorrow, he thought more about himself.
Thank you, you didn't let me down.
"I know you believe me, just as I believe you," Tang Zhuyun said. "Nanny Rong, she's alright."
The Prince of Jin pulled her out of his arms, looking at her in disbelief. "A-Yun?"
Tang Zhuyun then recounted the whole story, "The old woman woke up soon. I just wanted her to know that everything she did was useless. If she truly cared for you, she should have told you the truth."
Since we're family, what can't we face together?
If the Prince of Jin can trust himself so much, why can't he trust Nanny Rong?
Is he such a easily swayed and muddle-headed person?
"Perhaps it would be better for Your Highness to speak to her alone," Tang Zhuyun said. "But we still need to continue investigating this matter, so we need to think of a way."
"You have an idea?"
These dramatic events left the Prince of Jin in a state of unease.
"Play along with their plan."
Before, it was about Nanny Rong; now it's about the unseen hand in the darkness.
Are they trying to sow discord between her and the Prince of Jin of Jin?
Yes, let them succeed!
So what's the next step?
What's the next step?
The fox's tail will always be revealed eventually.
"Let's wait until Nanny Rong wakes up, then I'll talk to her and we'll decide what to do," Prince of Jin said. "Don't leave, wait for me next door."
"Um."
After a while, Nanny Rong slowly regained consciousness.
Tang Zhuyun stepped out.
She was somewhat stunned when she saw the people in the yard.
It's Nanny Jing.
She once joked with Xiu'er that the surname "Nanny Jing" meant two silly people colliding, which destined her and Song Jingyang to be a couple.
"Your Majesty, this old servant just heard from Xiu'er what happened last night..."
Nanny Jing was very dutiful; she rarely went out of her own courtyard and never inquired about matters within the mansion.
Adding to the fact that last night's events were kept secret, she knew nothing about it.
However, after Song Jingyang returned and heard Xiu'er's general account, he dragged her along to find his biological mother.
In this mansion, the one who understands Nanny Rong best is actually Nanny Jing.
"She wouldn't harm the prince!"