Tang Baixin still didn't understand.
"Qin Li is a shrewd person; surely he noticed something was amiss?"
Tang Zhuyun: Sorry, those sycophantic tactics don't work when it comes to power struggles within a family.
Meng Yulan was much more tolerant of her husband, adopting a humble attitude, "Perhaps Heir Qin, like you, is focused on external affairs and doesn't pay much attention to these trivial matters at home."
Xiu'er kept giving Tang Zhuyun meaningful glances.
Tang Zhuyun: What do you mean?
After Tang Baixin wife left, Xiu'er asked, "Have you learned it?"
What should I study?
"Flattery!"
Tang Zhuyun: "You want me to flatter the prince?"
Is this Xiu'er's style?
Xiu'er said matter-of-factly, "Yes! You can't always be so serious, can you? Occasionally you have to learn some sweet talk to deceive the prince. Look how well Madam is acting, her eyes are full of admiration."
Tang Zhuyun: "... My sister-in-law really idolizes me, okay?"
"See, I fooled you completely."
Tang Zhuyun: "... Isn't my older brother worthy?"
"It's not a matter of whether we're a good match or not. After a while, we get numb to it all," Xiu'er said. "Outside, we're all impeccably dressed, but at home we just burp and fart. We've seen it all, what's left of our admiration?"
Tang Zhuyun thought it made perfect sense.
But she still said, "The Prince doesn't act like that in front of me."
"The prince is good at pretending."
Tang Zhuyun burst into laughter.
"My dear Empress," Xiu'er said, "Do you think things are good between you and the Prince now?"
"Okay." Tang Zhuyun nodded.
She did not complain; Prince of Jin showed her tenderness and care, both emotionally and physically.
"If you want things to stay this way, you'll have to put in more effort. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Don't expect the prince to always be affectionate towards you. You're taking on the roles of five, seven, or eight women in the prince's mansion, so you'll have to do more."
Do more...
"Look at Madam, she's always prepared for the worst," Xiu'er said. "You and Madam aren't the same type of people, you don't follow those rules, but you still need to have your own methods."
Tang Zhuyun: "Like battle robes?"
Xiu'er clapped her hands. "Your Majesty, you are so perceptive. Your uncle is a scholar-official, refined and gentle, who values leisure and elegance. He wanted a beautiful woman to Hongxiu his life, so your uncle's wife catered to his tastes."
Tang Zhuyun felt that she wouldn't have anything nice to say about the Prince of Jin.
Sure enough, Xiu'er continued, "Your Highness is a wolf, a lone wolf at that. Wolves need to eat meat, so you must make sure they're well-fed!"
Tang Zhuyun: "So, you want me to feed the wolves with my own body?"
"Aren't you quite willing too?" Xiu'er muttered. "I'm just reminding you, you have to give the prince a little something, but also keep him hanging on. You should think about the right balance. At the right time, you should also consult Sangsang."
Don't look down on someone's background.
She's an expert at dealing with men.
Tang Zhuyun laughed loudly, "I understand, Xiu'er, my strategist!"
She then inquired about Xiu'er's marriage to Song Jingyang.
"At the end of the year, neither set of elders mentioned changing the date." Xiu'er blushed slightly, staring down at her right foot that was rubbing against the ground. "I've thought it over. Song Jingyang's fate is tied to the Prince's; so is yours. What do I have to fear?"
"That's right," Tang Zhuyun said, "I've been preparing your dowry for a long time. Get married quickly so I can rest easy."
Are you worried I won't be able to get married?
I'm afraid you'll marry someone else and won't be able to stay by my side anymore.
"Absolutely not," Xiu'er said. "This servant will definitely not leave. Even if I don't marry Song Jingyang, I'll marry the man beside me."
" On the Huaishang?"
"I won't take it for free; I'd have to pay extra for it. I'm afraid I'll die young."
Tang Zhuyun burst into laughter.
"Nanxing doesn't want him either, Xiyou seems to like Nanxing, hehe." Xiu'er gossiped.
Tang Zhuyun immediately perked up. "Really? How did you know? Tell me quickly."
"It's nothing..."
"Your Highness, Your Highness!" A little maid rushed in in a panic, interrupting Xiu'er.
Tang Zhuyun felt a chill run down her spine.
--The sound was so shrill and terrifying that it sent chills down one's spine.
Xiu'er quickly went out to greet them, "Get to the point, quick!"
Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you're driving me crazy!
"Your Highness, Sister Xiu'er..." The little maid was so frightened that tears welled up in her eyes, and she was panting heavily.
Xiu'er really wanted to slap her. Hurry up and do it!
"The girl has fallen into the water."
"Which girl? Is it Yanran?" Xiu'er's voice suddenly rose.
The young maid nodded repeatedly.
Tang Zhuyun felt as if her internal organs had been crushed in an instant, and asked in a distorted voice, "Where is he now? Where did he fall into the water?"
"The girl is alright..."
Tang Zhuyun and Xiu'er both breathed a long sigh of relief.
As long as Yanran is alright, nothing else matters.
"... But something happened to the young master of the Cui Family."
Tang Zhuyun's heart jumped again.
Xiu'er was so angry she wanted to hit the maid. "Get to the point! Where is he now?"
The little maid looked to be only about ten years old. Xiu'er couldn't bear to part with her, and in the end, she just gently patted her back, "Is she still alive? Lead the way!"
"This servant doesn't know if he's alive or not... They said he had an accident in the wooden sea in the Prince's mansion."
Tang Zhuyun took off running outside.
As she ran, she thought to herself that Yanran must have wanted to go play in the water, and after she refused, she was still unwilling to give up, so she persuaded Cui Xiaoqiu to go with her.
As a result, something went wrong.
Yanran can swim, so as long as she doesn't get a leg cramp, she should be fine.
But the Cui Family's child was born prematurely at eight months, and at the time, no one expected him to survive.
But he still survived, surviving many illnesses and misfortunes.
This child is said to be very intelligent, but physically weak; it's possible that all the nutrients are being absorbed by his brain.
She learned to read at the age of three, and is now eight years old; she is said to be able to recite poems.
Although everyone thinks their own Zidu the best, Tang Zhuyun had to admit that Cui Xiaoqiu might be more talented in studying than Linlin, since he was probably sickly for 299 out of 365 days a year.
However, Yanran was not convinced by this.
What can I do besides reading when I'm sick in bed?
Her brother has so many things to do.
In short, although he's called Cui Xiaoqiu, he's incredibly talented.
He was only overweight for a short period of time because he took some kind of supplement.
Later, Tang Zhuyun noticed something was wrong and reminded him, after which the Cui Family stopped feeding him.
Cui Xiaoqiu deflated like a punctured balloon and quickly lost weight again.
Yanran met Cui Xiaoqiu when he was at his fattest. She thought he was a healthy child and often fought with him.
But as the game progressed, Cui Xiaoqiu's health actually improved considerably.
He was certainly born with a weak constitution, but the fact that the Cui Family raised him like a hothouse flower must have also contributed to his poor health.
Now, Yanran is fooling around with Cui Xiaoqiu, and the latter has fallen into the water. Hopefully, nothing bad will happen to her.