Tang Zhuyun said to the two little rascals, "Sit here and be good. Watch me go fight some monsters."
Yanran tugged at her sleeve worriedly. "Big sister, let my father help you. He's really formidable!"
Linlin, however, had complete confidence in his aunt. "Don't worry. Auntie will definitely win a resounding victory."
Tang Zhuyun turned around, her gentle expression changing in an instant to a smile that did not reach her eyes, as if she were performing a face-changing act. She narrowed her eyes at the newcomers.
"Oh my, who did I think it was? It's the capital's famously shabby pauper!"
Two meticulously dressed women stood before her like walking jewelry racks, as if they wished they could wear every fine garment and piece of jewelry they owned.
One was her "old friend" Ruan Anruo; the other was Ruan Anhua, her older paternal cousin.
Ruan Anhua was a legitimate daughter of the marquis's household. Unlike Ruan Anruo, who had already separated from the family and moved out, her status was more distinguished.
But even people of distinguished status had to eat. The marquis's household had fallen on hard times in recent years, and Ruan Anhua often went to Ruan Anruo's home to sponge off her.
It was hard to speak harshly after eating someone's food or accepting their gifts, so Ruan Anhua treated Ruan Anruo rather well.
Ruan Anruo, however, greatly disliked this older cousin who came to take advantage of her. She was polite to her face, but would turn around and complain to Tang Zhuyun that she was like a penniless beggar.
Ruan Anhua sneered. "When it comes to being shabby and poor, who would dare rank ahead of the minister of the Court of Judicial Review? Don't think I don't know you borrowed money from loan sharks!"
Tang Zhuyun smoothed the hair at her temple and smiled alluringly. "Even if I borrowed from loan sharks, I paid back what I borrowed, so I can always borrow again. Unlike certain people, who wish they could scrape up a layer of the ground and take it away whenever they visit the Ruan residence!"
Some of the noble young ladies around them could no longer hold back their laughter.
Looking at Ruan Anhua's face, which had turned purplish-red, Tang Zhuyun went on, "Guess what your dear younger sister says about you? 'Other people are iron roosters, too stingy to part with a single feather. But my older sister is a sugar rooster. She won't rest until she's stuck other people's feathers to herself!'"
They wanted to embarrass her? Today, she would make sure the two sisters had a good taste of embarrassment themselves!
Ruan Anhua could not help looking at Ruan Anruo.
Ruan Anruo looked ready to burst into tears. "Sister, how could I possibly say such a thing about you? A-Yun, you can't sow discord like this. Even if I spoiled things between you and the Prince of Jin last time, it was for your own good!"
She was bringing up the Prince of Jin again!
Tang Zhuyun spouted nonsense without missing a beat. "Anruo, wasn't I going to the Prince of Jin to plead on your behalf? I hoped he'd take you in, so you wouldn't make your mother angry by pining after your cousin. That's terribly unfilial!"
Come on, then. They could hurt each other!
What did someone with bare feet have to fear from someone wearing shoes?
"Don't worry," Tang Zhuyun said, looking as if she were laying her heart bare. "I'll definitely help you. I know there are things you can't say, so I'll say them for you. Ruan Anhua, have some shame. Don't snatch everything from her. That round fan in your hand was a gift to Anruo from her cousin. You have no idea how much it pained her to part with it."
"You're slandering me!" Ruan Anruo cried, flustered.
How could she let people find out in public that she and her cousin had secretly exchanged gifts?
Besides, the fan really was hers, but it had not come from her cousin at all!
"Oh, oh, oh." Tang Zhuyun hurriedly covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, Anruo. I accidentally let it slip. I didn't mean to. I, I... oh, I didn't say anything, and none of you heard anything!"
Didn't Ruan Anruo love playing the part of a dear sister? She would play along!
"Let's not talk about that," Tang Zhuyun continued. "Ruan Anhua, didn't you ask Anruo for her twin-fish pendant, take her newly made lotus skirt, and the pure gold collar Madam Ruan had made for her..."
She listed the items one by one, and Ruan Anhua's expression turned ugly.
These matters had originally been between the sisters, but now Tang Zhuyun knew about them and was humiliating her in public. Ruan Anruo must have been the one who told her.
It seemed she really did have a grudge against her!
"Anruo, what is the meaning of this?" Ruan Anhua cried. "Those things were clearly given to me by you of your own-"
What a fool, an opponent as stupid as a pig. Tang Zhuyun was delighted.
But Ruan Anruo was not so easy to deal with. She cut Ruan Anhua off. "Sister, what's mine is yours anyway. Don't say any more."
Catching her look, Ruan Anhua said no more, though her expression remained extremely ugly.
Tang Zhuyun had won a resounding victory and felt thoroughly refreshed.
"She's here! Miss Meng is here!"
Hearing this, the crowd stopped watching the spectacle and turned to look at Miss Meng instead.
"Have you heard? Miss Meng was actually supposed to attend the flower-viewing banquet last time, but she was ill and didn't go. That's why the Princess of Prince of Jin still hasn't been chosen."
"My mother said the same thing. She said the position of Princess of Prince of Jin is most likely being kept for Miss Meng."
"Wouldn't that make Miss Meng so pitiful? The Prince of Jin is like that... she's really so pitiful..."
When Tang Zhuyun heard there was gossip, and about the Prince of Jin no less, she immediately became like a melon-eating zha darting up and down, not knowing which melon to crunch into for the sweetest mouthful.
"You can't quite put it that way. Miss Meng is wonderful, but she is nineteen, after all."
There was a noble young lady here who was still unmarried at nineteen?
Hearing that, Tang Zhuyun thought she knew who they meant.
They were probably talking about Meng Yulan of Duke Meng's Residence.
She was exceptionally beautiful, dignified and graceful, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Her virtue, appearance, speech and conduct were exemplary, and she was the center of attention wherever she went.
If one had to pick a weakness, it was that she was already nineteen this year, yet her marriage had still not been settled.
However, given how outstanding she was, it seemed understandable that Duke Meng's Residence would be picky.
Her predecessor had been such a handful that she had had few chances to go out and had never met Meng Yulan.
Curious about this paragon among noble young ladies, Tang Zhuyun could not help looking over with everyone else.
Wow, she really was a beauty. Her features were like a painting, she walked like a delicate willow swaying in the wind, and her bearing was dignified. Tang Zhuyun instantly thought of Xiaolongnü.
That was right, Xiaolongnü! That noble, aloof beauty made one forget all worldly things at the sight of her.
Big sister, big sister, look over here! Big sister, I want to be your fan!
Meng Yulan's status was high as well, for the current Consort De came from Duke Meng's Residence and was her paternal aunt.
Tang Zhuyun even began to indulge in a fantasy-if only she could lure this young lady into becoming her sister-in-law!
To match her with the Prince of Jin would really be like sticking a fresh flower in a cowpat.
Just as her thoughts were running wild, the cowpat appeared as well.
He did not come over to the women's side, however, but appeared at the emperor's side.
Yanran was the one who noticed him. She said excitedly, "Father! That's my father!"
By the time Tang Zhuyun tried to stop her, it was already too late. Everyone had probably guessed Yanran's identity.
After all, her little hand was still pointing excitedly at the Prince of Jin!
Wherever the Prince of Jin went, not a blade of grass grew... he alone accompanied the emperor while everyone else kept a wide berth, making him a very conspicuous sight.
Tang Zhuyun tilted her head back and looked at the sky, intending to pretend she did not know Yanran.
"Big sister, big sister!" Yanran came bouncing over and took her hand. "Look, it's my father!"
Tang Zhuyun wanted to die.
Seeing how close Yanran was to Tang Zhuyun, everyone looked astonished.
Wasn't the Prince of Jin's daughter supposed to be sickly?
Wasn't the Prince of Jin supposed to keep his distance from women?
Wasn't Tang Zhuyun supposed to be a lovesick fool whom everyone hated on sight?