"Oh, right, contraceptives!" Xiu'er suddenly said, "I have some here, I'll get them for you!"
You absolutely must not forget this.
Nanxing: "..."
Xiu'er found the medicine and poured her some fresh water. "Tea might neutralize the medicine's effects. This is something we can't be careless about. Think about it, how did Linlin get here?"
Nanxing chuckled, but still put the medicine in her mouth and swallowed it with water.
You have everything here.
"I'm hiding the Empress," Xiu'er said, "But not between me and Song Jingyang..."
Nanxing suddenly said, "I know, you didn't eat any radishes."
Xiu'er was amused by her. "Nanxing, you've become naughty!"
"Master."
Xiu'er laughed until tears streamed down her face, "Hey hey hey!"
Nanxing pressed on, delivering a consistently outstanding performance. "If you need to knock Song Jingyang unconscious and force yourself on him, let me do it. He can't beat me."
Xiu'er laughed and fell onto her, "Then Nanxing, I'll follow you from now on."
Nanxing: "No."
Do you like men?
I'm not leaving.
Xiu'er froze, then silently wiped away her tears. "Are you going to stay with that guy who's eating radishes?"
"Um."
Her initial intention was the same as Xiu'er's: to help the Princess.
It's just that people choose different directions to put their efforts into.
After a moment of silence, Xiu'er asked, "Is he married? He must be married. How many concubines does he have? How many maids?"
Nanxing said casually, "I don't have a cleanliness obsession."
She didn't care how many women Pei Shen had.
As long as Pei Shen still has possessiveness and a protective instinct towards her, that's enough.
"That's pretty disgusting."
"It's not mine, I'm just borrowing it. The one who's disgusting is the rightful owner."
Xiu'er: "Whatever makes you happy. You, can you handle him?"
"It seems alright now," Nanxing said.
"You're pretty good," Xiu'er teased.
Two people, both burdened with worries, find joy amidst their suffering and console themselves.
"Shang Ke. Some people just have unusual tastes."
"Hahahaha," Xiu'er laughed loudly, "I never knew Nanxing was like this before!"
"It's not too late now. Even if we don't see each other for a few years, we still have decades ahead of us."
"That's right!" Xiu'er cheered herself up. "We have a long life ahead of us! We'll outlive that old hag!"
"So, do you want Song Jingyang or not? If you do, I'll bring him over to you right now," Nanxing said.
Xiu'er: "... No, I don't want it anymore."
"Don't you want to leave any souvenirs before you leave?"
Nanxing thought that Xiu'er, with her personality, was bound to do something.
Xiu'er said, "I won't make his future wife disgusted. Why should women make things difficult for each other? Besides, maybe I can remarry in the future!"
Nanxing didn't say anything more.
"If you ever have any contact with him in the future, and you find out who he married, whatever you do, don't tell me."
Nanxing: "..."
"I won't listen to him anymore," Xiu'er said. "I need to let myself off the hook too."
If he's doing well, she has to be doing well too.
Nanxing said, "Don't think so much about it yet. Isn't this all your own idea? Let's hear what Song Jingyang has to say."
She felt that Song Jingyang wouldn't let go.
Xiu'er sighed, "Are you sleepy?"
"Not sleepy."
"Martial arts really does keep you healthy," Xiu'er sighed. "I don't want to talk about Song Jingyang anymore; it makes me sad. Let's talk about something else."
Do you want to hear my story?
That's exactly what I meant.
"That spring," Nanxing said softly, "I received orders that the imperial court had sent someone to secretly monitor his every move..."
At that time, she never imagined that meeting Pei Shen would ruin her life.
"... To this day, I still don't know whether he deliberately approached me because of a mission he was carrying."
"Sigh," Xiu'er patted Nanxing's shoulder after hearing the long story, "Why think so much? It's all in the past."
Nanxing smiled bitterly, "Yes, it's all in the past. Now I'm approaching him for my own purposes, maybe it's just an eye for an eye."
"So what exactly do you want to do?" Xiu'er asked directly.
"I can fight, but I'm not good with my brain," Nanxing said. "I don't have any good ideas, I can only imitate what others do."
"Don't keep me in suspense. I'm feeling unwell, and my brain isn't working properly."
Nanxing said, "Pei Shen is arrogant. Since he promised to protect me, he will hold a grudge if anyone else arrests or hurts me."
"You mean you want to use a self-inflicted injury ruse to make him clash with Noble Consort Jia?"
"That's what I'm thinking," Nanxing said, "But whether it will succeed is another matter."
"Yes, absolutely. Otherwise, what are you and him for today?"
"I guess I'm taking advantage of him," Nanxing joked seriously. "After all, there are far more women in the world who want to sleep with him than men who want to sleep with me."
Xiu'er was speechless.
Neither of them felt sleepy, and each lost in their own thoughts, they talked until the rooster crowed.
Xiu'er went to help Tang Zhuyun get up, and the two of them got up then.
Song Jingyang arrived soon after.
Today he was going to deliver something to the Prince of Jin —this was standard procedure for someone newly imprisoned, after all, they were all members of the imperial family, and even while in jail, they had to have something prepared and sent to him.
So Song Jingyang came to pick up his things and casually asked Tang Zhuyun if there was anything he wanted to bring.
Tang Zhuyun pointed to the two thick bundles on the table and said, "They're all inside. I've also prepared some food for the Prince; go to the small kitchen and get the food box later."
Song Jingyang asked cautiously, "Your Highness, aren't you going to pass on a message to the Prince?"
"No need, I'll go talk to him myself."
Song Jingyang was startled. "Your Majesty, no, you won't be allowed into the Imperial Prison."
Tang Zhuyun smiled, "If you want to get in, there's a way. You go first, I'll go later."
Song Jingyang looked completely bewildered.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Won't they check the food?"
"No, that won't happen. No one would think we would harm the Prince. Ah, Your Highness, do you mean to tamper with the food?"
"Yes," Tang Zhuyun said, "We'll naturally need to find a doctor then."
"But that doesn't necessarily mean they'll look for you."
What if I'm the only one who can save them?
"Then, wouldn't that poison the prince half to death?"
Xiu'er stamped her foot. "Just go when I tell you to! Why all the nonsense? Doesn't Your Majesty know what's going on?"
Song Jingyang scratched his head. "Alright, I'll listen to Your Majesty."
Tang Zhuyun teased him, "I think you listen to Xiu'er."
Song Jingyang chuckled twice.
Nanxing glanced at Xiu'er, whose face showed no unusual expression.
After Song Jingyang left, Xiu'er cautiously asked Tang Zhuyun, "Your Majesty, did you sleep well last night?"
"She's asleep," Tang Zhuyun said.
I just didn't sleep well.
"Don't worry," Tang Zhuyun said, "I feel fine."
Those who need to be greeted should be greeted; the rest is up to fate—no, to the emperor's mood.
(One more chapter, my heart aches for Xiu'er, crying)