Sweetheart, you can't repay kindness with ingratitude like this.
Then Linlin said, "Because if you marry my father, I won't get to see Auntie anymore!"
"Brother Linlin can come too."
"Then I'd be the extra baggage."
Tang Zhuyun nearly burst out laughing.
"All right, all right, let's not talk about this." She quickly changed the subject. "I'm starving. Quick, tell me which pastries are good."
Yanran hurriedly picked up a pastry and held it to her mouth, while Linlin gave her his honey water to drink.
With a child tucked under each arm, Tang Zhuyun could hardly have been more pleased with herself.
Who needs men? Raising children is enough!
Men have the hearts of wolves and the lungs of dogs, casting aside the old for the new. But if you raise children well, how many would fail to be filial?
The dragon boat race began, and they all settled down to watch.
The Prince of Jin's Residence's dragon boat came in last, leaving Yanran a little disappointed.
Tang Zhuyun, meanwhile, regretted that they hadn't let her place a bet. Otherwise, wouldn't she have won money too?
Meng Yulan had been gone a long time without returning, but Tang Zhuyun was relieved.
"She's coming. Quick, sit farther away."
"Let's go change."
"Don't let it show, whatever you do. After all, her husband is..."
Who's coming that everyone dislikes so much?
Tang Zhuyun looked up and saw a woman in her twenties approaching in rather ill-suited clothes. She looked somewhat timid, and the two maids behind her seemed a good deal more confident than she was.
She seemed not to have a seat and was looking around, but wherever her gaze landed, people hurriedly looked away. None of them seemed to want anything to do with her.
Tang Zhuyun didn't know what was going on, nor did she intend to invite the woman over. But the woman spotted her and walked up, saying somewhat awkwardly, "Miss, is anyone sitting here?"
"No, please sit."
Only then did the woman sit down.
The woman wore such a thick layer of white powder on her face that it was practically falling off, yet her neck was pitch-black, and her exposed hands were very rough. She looked used to doing hard labor.
She wasn't accustomed to occasions like this either. Her eyes betrayed panic and humility, yet she still tried to smile at Tang Zhuyun and praise the two children's looks, her eyes full of envy.
You couldn't strike someone who greeted you with a smile. Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "Forgive my poor eyesight, Madam. I don't recognize which family you're from..."
The woman's face flushed red. After a long moment, she said timidly, "My husband is Wang Fu."
Wang Fu? That name sounds familiar.
Wang Fu! Isn't he the chief eunuch at the emperor's side?
Understanding dawned on Tang Zhuyun. No wonder everyone treated her that way.
If they befriended her, they'd earn a reputation for fawning over a eunuch. Besides, Madam Wang was no polished social butterfly, so things could easily turn awkward.
Most people probably looked down on her background.
Tang Zhuyun, however, was different.
For Madam Wang to win Wang Fu's favor and have him willing to marry her despite being as she was, she must have had some exceptional qualities.
Other ladies were glamorous and polished, but which of them would dare embarrass her husband in public? Wouldn't they all have to tuck their tails between their legs?
Madam Wang was cautious, but anyone with eyes could see she didn't fit in. Yet Wang Fu had still let her come out, which showed he was pleased with her.
She could win her man's favor, so what right did a bunch of people who anxiously watched their husbands' expressions have to look down on her?
"So you're Madam Wang," Tang Zhuyun said with a smile, inviting her to have some pastries.
Madam Wang was surprised by her reaction. She said awkwardly, "Perhaps I shouldn't sit here after all. I don't want to cause you trouble."
"It's all right. Madam, you don't know who I am yet, do you?"
Her own reputation was in tatters. Once she told her, who knew which of them would be causing the other trouble?
Tang Zhuyun introduced herself, but Madam Wang's gaze was blank.
There's actually someone who doesn't eat melons. Tsk, tsk.
"It's all right. In any case, if you don't mind, please sit here."
At that moment, Tang Zhuyun felt full of confidence again.
Her father's sleeves were clean as the breeze. Who would dare say she was fawning over Wang Fu?
After a while, Meng Yulan returned, looking very displeased.
What could have happened to make even the fairy sister lose her composure?
Meng Yulan had probably been about to return to her seat, but when she saw Madam Wang there, she didn't stop. She merely gave Tang Zhuyun a long look.
There was so much in that look that Tang Zhuyun's heart suddenly sank.
It didn't take long for Tang Zhuyun to find out why.
She heard that the emperor had already issued a decree before everyone, bestowing Meng Yulan in marriage upon the Prince of Jin as his principal consort.
If things had ended there, Tang Zhuyun would at most have expressed some regret for Meng Yulan and cursed the Prince of Jin as "cow dung" a few times.
But!!!
The emperor had also decreed that Tang Zhuyun would become the Prince of Jin's secondary consort.
Ten thousand alpacas thundered through Tang Zhuyun's heart.
What does this have to do with me?!
She'd been behaving herself, eating pastries and watching the dragon boat race. How had a huge black pot fallen on her head from the sky?!
She had said she wanted to be a fan of Meng Yulan, but that didn't mean she wanted to share a husband with her.
Where's Father? Didn't he object?
Heavens above and earth below, send a bolt of lightning to strike me dead!
The sky suddenly darkened, and thunder rumbled on the horizon.
Tang Zhuyun: I take it back, I take it back!
There might still be room to turn things around. Keeping her wretched life was more important.
Damn heavens, I'll fight you to the bitter end!
After hearing the news, Madam Wang congratulated Tang Zhuyun.
Tang Zhuyun: Are the words "I'm delighted" written on my face?
Back at the residence, Tang Zhuyun was under a cloud of gloom, and Linlin wasn't very happy either. Only Yanran was overjoyed.
She finally managed to wait until her father and brother returned, then went up to them and asked, "Father, Brother, what happened?"
Tang Mingfan said, "A-Yun, don't get worked up. The formal imperial decree hasn't been issued yet, so I'm afraid things could still change. But don't worry. I'll do everything I can to get the emperor to issue the decree as soon as possible, so nothing can change."
Tang Baixin, however, smiled and said, "Father, there's no need to be so cautious. Saying that will make A-Yun too worried to eat or drink."
Tang Zhuyun: ???
Forget it. Heaven, you might as well strike me dead.
She had nothing left to live for, yet the whole world thought she'd gotten her heart's desire. The gulf between the two made her question the meaning of life.
Tang Mingfan said, "Being a secondary consort is beneath A-Yun, but back then... Besides, that young lady from Duke Meng's Residence has always been known for her virtue. She won't bully A-Yun."
Tang Zhuyun: Nobody stop me. I'm going to die right now!
After a long while and repeated explanations from Tang Zhuyun, father and son finally understood that she really didn't want to marry him.
Yanran was deeply hurt, and Linlin led her out.
Tang Mingfan couldn't understand. "A-Yun, you're not just saying that in anger, are you? Is it because you object to being a secondary consort, so..."
"No, I just don't want to marry the Prince of Jin. Father, is there still room to turn things around?"
Tang Baixin frowned. "I'm afraid not. The emperor has already announced it, so it'll be hard to change things. A-Yun, tell me, why don't you want to marry the Prince of Jin?"
Tang Zhuyun said, "I just don't, that's all. Is there any way out of this? Father, Brother, let's think some more."
Didn't other transmigrated women have all kinds of tricks for escaping marriage?
Climbing over a wall, faking their deaths... In any case, none of them sat waiting to die. She couldn't disgrace transmigrated women either.
After thinking for a moment, Tang Baixin said, "If you really don't want to, then... then we'll think of something..."
From his tone, Tang Zhuyun knew he already had an idea.
"Brother, tell me, quickly."