After seeing the Xue Family family off, the flow of vehicles and people entering and leaving the city resumed smoothly.
Tang Zhuyun asked Lady Deng to leave first.
Xue Lie spoke a few words to her and even said he wanted to freeload a meal, but Lady Deng grabbed his ear and dragged him away, which made Tang Zhuyun laugh uncontrollably.
It's no wonder Lady Deng was anxious; if Xue Lie continues to be so irresponsible, he might never find a wife.
After all, he wasn't the Prince of Jin, so he couldn't rely on his father's connections.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Let's go back too. Oh, and we should stop by Sangsang's shop later..."
Her words came to an abrupt halt.
Because she saw an old acquaintance— Zong Heng.
Zong Heng, sitting in a sedan chair, smiled at her as he lifted the side curtain.
Tang Zhuyun immediately sensed from his expression that he was up to no good and had ulterior motives.
She didn't intend to pay him any attention, but Zong Heng had the sedan chair stopped and then got out of it.
"What are you doing?" Xiu'er asked, hands on her hips. "A good dog doesn't block the way."
Zong Heng was not angry. He looked at Tang Zhuyun and asked, "How has Your Highness been?"
Tang Zhuyun looked at his limp and said with a half-smile, "Shang Ke, at least you're healthy."
She gestured for Xiu'er to take Linlin and Yanran to the car first.
When you're disciplining the dog, don't scare the children.
Especially when dealing with someone like Zong Heng, who seems normal but is actually a mad dog, you never know when he might bite.
Yanran refused to leave, but Linlin took her hand and she unknowingly followed him into the carriage.
"Your Majesty should believe me now, shouldn't you?" Zong Heng said with a smile. "If Your Majesty had listened to me earlier, wouldn't you have been forced to return to your parents' home?"
Xiu'er: "What's it to you? Our Lady is going home to visit her family, what right do you have to criticize her? How come your Zong Family's daughters are sold into a life-or-death contract after marriage?"
Tang Zhuyun then said, "Someone sent you a handkerchief, didn't they?"
This is the only possibility she can think of right now.
Zong Heng unfolded his fan and gently fanned himself, even though it was already September.
"I couldn't bear to see the Empress suffer, so I kindly reminded her, but she didn't appreciate it. So," he said slowly, "This matter fell into Qin Li's hands."
"Then I really have to thank you." Tang Zhuyun sneered, "After all, you're the only one who can't marry, making you a prime suspect; Qin Li, on the other hand, is a devoted lover, which has cleared my name to some extent."
"If we were to seriously consider my feelings for Your Majesty, they wouldn't be considered unjust."
Tang Zhuyun didn't want to see Youxing for three days because of his greasy words.
"I just don't know where you get your confidence from," she sneered mercilessly, "That you think I'd choose the fish eye over the Mingzhu."
Zong Heng said, "Your Majesty recognizes Mingzhu, but Mingzhu is unaware of Your Majesty's innocence."
Tang Zhuyun: "Enough with the nonsense, what do you want?"
"I'll help you, Your Majesty; please heal my leg, Your Majesty."
Tang Zhuyun rolled her eyes. "Don't even think about it."
"Your Majesty, are you truly not afraid of things getting worse?" Zong Heng's true colors were revealed, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Your Majesty, a woman's innocence..."
"Looks like you've forgotten your past lessons," Tang Zhuyun retorted defiantly. "You dare to smear me?"
"It seems Your Highness does not wish to accept my kind offer."
"I really don't want to, and I want to stab you twice more."
Zong Heng gritted his teeth, clearly furious. "Your Majesty, there will come a day when you'll be begging me for help. Just you wait and see."
Xiu'er said with a forced smile, "We'll have to wait and see. After all, if you have to run, it'll be the Empress bullying your lame leg!"
Tang Zhuyun laughed heartily, feeling great as she looked at Zong Heng, whose face was flushed with anger.
"Xiu'er, let's go."
After getting into the carriage, Yanran showered Xiu'er with praise.
Linlin then said to Tang Zhuyun, "Once or twice, you can catch him off guard and make him suffer. But this person is cunning and treacherous; in the long run, you still need to be more careful."
Tang Zhuyun nodded. "I know."
If Zong Heng weren't wicked enough, could he have become the future pillar of the Zong Family?
However, the Prince of Jin was clearly more skilled and crippled his leg.
Zong Heng was thus rendered useless, but the Zong Family had other options; the only one who remained anxious was Zong Heng himself.
Human nature is fickle, and the tendency to fawn over the powerful and belittle the weak is a common problem in large families.
I simply don't believe that those people in the Zong Residence) won't now be chasing after new hope.
In this way, even if Zong Heng eventually finds a good doctor and recovers, there will still be internal strife within the Zong Family.
Xiu'er muttered, "That Old Woman Rong is really wicked! She's gone to great lengths to harm the Empress."
When Zong Heng failed, he turned to Qin Li.
If Qin Li doesn't fall for it either, there will probably be another target.
Tang Zhuyun laughed and said, "What are you counting on your fingers for?"
Xiu'er: "..."
She couldn't say directly what she was, but she could say that she was calculating who the Empress had pursued when she was infatuated with someone else.
Prepare early, for better times than never.
There are just too many people, and we can't manage them all at once.
Sigh, the tears we shed now are all the result of the foolishness that went into the Empress's brain back then.
Xiu'er said in a muffled voice, "I'm thinking about the Prince's birthday, which is in three days."
"Your Highness's birthday? I remember it!"
Tang Zhuyun thought Xiu'er was right. There was no need to send gifts. She could just invite Prince of Jin to sleep with her all night long, and Prince of Jin would be overjoyed.
Xiu'er said, "Whether you remember it or not, it's up to me."
Tang Zhuyun: "?"
What's the meaning?
"Just wait here," Xiu'er said.
Tang Zhuyun wanted to ask Linlin what he had just discovered, but seeing that he had his eyes closed and didn't seem inclined to speak, she didn't ask.
--This little thing, when it comes to being mysterious, is becoming more and more like the Prince of Jin.
It's just that she met Prince of Jin a little too early. If it had been two more years, given Linlin's personality, she could have found him a biological father.
They're growing more and more alike; from their appearance to their demeanor, there's nothing they don't resemble.
When I arrived at Qin Sang 'Qin Sang shop, she was already waiting inside, having given me advance notice.
Upon seeing them arrive, Qin Sang smiled and welcomed them upstairs to talk.
Tea, refreshments, and various snacks and fruits were already prepared. Tang Zhuyun picked up a crisp date, took a bite, and looked around, saying, "Sangsang, you've done a great job with the arrangements."
Qin Sang smiled and said, "Since we're running a business and want to make money, we naturally need to be more thoughtful."
How's business?
"Thanks to Your Majesty, business is pretty good," Qin Sang said with a smile, personally bringing over various cosmetics and face powders from the shop for Tang Zhuyun to inspect.
Yanran came over and chattered with Tang Zhuyun, even picking up rouge and applying it to her face, which made everyone laugh.
Taking advantage of this time, Xiu'er pulled Qin Sang aside, and the two whispered and laughed together.
"What good things can't you tell me?" Tang Zhuyun put down the rouge and said with a smile.
"I was planning to give you a gift!" Xiu'er said.
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Sangsang's gift was too much for her to handle; she hoped it wouldn't be too overwhelming.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Sangsang asked, "What's wrong?"
The maidservant whispered, "Miss, the Prince has arrived."
Tang Zhuyun:??
Did the Prince of Jin come all the way here to find her?