"Then why are you taking contraceptives?" Xiu'er rolled her eyes and said, "What's the point of lying to me?"
"I can't refuse such kindness."
Xiu'er: "... You're wasting your time!"
I should have saved it for her!
If it's not enough now, she'll have to swallow her pride and ask Tang Zhuyun for more.
Nanxing smiled, "Anyway, congratulations! I'll be waiting to give a gift."
"Just don't make me give you or this radish-eating guy a gift." Xiu'er pouted. "A good horse doesn't eat the grass it's already grazed! Good grass doesn't need you to turn back!"
Nanxing smiled but remained silent.
Xiu'er stood up. "I need to go see if Her Majesty has woken up yet. She slept too much at noon, she probably won't be able to sleep tonight."
"Go."
Xiu'er entered the room and saw Tang Zhuyun rummaging through chests and drawers, so she stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, what are you looking for? This servant will help you find it."
"Find some clothes to wear when I go out."
Xiu'er: "... Are you going out?"
"Hmm," Tang Zhuyun said calmly.
Xiu'er exclaimed in surprise, "Don't look at the Prince! So many eyes are watching you! Even if you changed your face, let alone changed your clothes, people would probably still recognize you!"
Tang Zhuyun: "I'm not going to see the Prince."
"Huh? What are you going there for?"
"Go see Qiao Jiao."
Xiu'er: "What do you want to see her for? Even if you want to see her, why not do it at the Prince's residence?"
Xiu'er sensed a conspiracy.
The Qiao Family is toxic.
They even resorted to using Qiao Qiao's wedding banquet to plot against the Empress.
Although Noble Consort Jia and Qiao Geng succeeded, didn't they leave Qiao Qiao with a shadow that would be difficult to erase for the rest of her life?
Qiao Qiao is those two people's biological daughter!
"She said it wasn't convenient," Tang Zhuyun said. "It's alright, we'll meet at the restaurant. I've already had someone arrange it beforehand."
Xiu'er was very confused. "Your Majesty, why did you listen to her? What did she say that moved you?"
Tang Zhuyun wasn't brainless; knowing there were tigers in the mountains, yet still venturing into them, must mean there was treasure there.
"She said she was the prince's younger sister."
Xiu'er: "But didn't we already know this? What's so surprising about it?"
"How could Qiao Jiao know?" Tang Zhuyun said calmly, "No matter the reason, Noble Consort Jia will keep this secret to herself."
Qiao Jiao knew about this, certainly not through any legitimate means.
"Xiu'er, I think she might know something about the prince's background."
However, it doesn't matter if you don't understand; at worst, you'll gain nothing.
The Prince of Jin has already taken on all the responsibilities of managing the palace for her.
Perhaps because news of her miscarriage had already reached the palace, or perhaps because Prince of Jin had made other arrangements, she, the one who started it all, is now able to stay comfortably in her residence.
Admittedly, she was safe from being schemed against while staying in the Prince's mansion.
But that also meant she couldn't be of any help.
Tang Zhuyun had carefully considered the matter and concluded that the risks were manageable and the potential rewards might be considerable, so she decided to go.
Xiu'er gritted her teeth. "Alright, let's go take a look. We'll take Yanran with us, and let Yanran take Jiaojiao with her!"
Tang Zhuyun laughed and said, "A full-scale mobilization? Okay, take them with you."
Better safe than sorry.
Tang Zhuyun met Qiao Jiao at the restaurant.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Jiao looked even more haggard than she did.
But wasn't it Qiao Qiao who was forced into marriage?
Tang Zhuyun sat down calmly and said indifferently, "What do you want to see me after going through all this trouble?"
Qiao Jiao looked terrified, like a frightened bird.
She stood inside the house, glancing at the doorway one moment and then at the window the next, as if she were being chased.
"Your Majesty, I'd like to make a deal with you," Qiao Jiao said anxiously, her extreme tension making her appear somewhat deranged.
"Explain."
"I'll tell you a secret, and you'll have to help me in return."
What can I do for you?
Qiao Jiao looked somewhat dazed and embarrassed, but she still gritted her teeth and said, "Help me, help me elope!"
Tang Zhuyun never expected such a request.
Originally, Qiao Geng had agreed to Qiao Jiao's marriage to the strategist's son, and the two were in love; it was a perfect match.
However, whether Noble Consort Jia has other plans or not, Qiao Geng is now telling Qiao Jiao that she must marry Wei Xuan.
If Wei Xuan didn't know the Qiao Family's true intentions, he would probably be very willing to agree to this marriage.
After all, it was he who had taken a liking to Qiao Jiao.
Is this an attempt to win over Wei Xuan?
This was the only reason Tang Zhuyun could think of.
Xiao Wu is someone who utilizes everyone around her to an extreme degree.
"I have no one left to turn to, I have nowhere else to go," Qiao Jiao said, her voice trembling with tears. "I haven't seen him for three days! If I hadn't pretended to be calm and obedient, I wouldn't have had the chance to run out and beg for help."
Tang Zhuyun pondered for a moment, "Okay, I promise you, as long as your secret is truly worth it."
"No, you have to agree first!"
Tang Zhuyun laughed, "Are you that stupid? I agreed first, then went back on my word, what can you do about it?"
This Qiao Jiao seems to be truly panicked and desperate.
Qiao Jiao bit her lip, her face flushed, unable to speak.
Tang Zhuyun said slowly and deliberately, "Since you have no one else to turn to but me, you have to trust me, don't you?"
Qiao Jiao lowered her head and thought for a long time.
"That day," she began slowly, "I wanted to ask my father about my marriage, since my younger sister is already married and I was waiting for him in the study..."
As a result, after waiting for too long, Qiao Jiao went from being nervous to exhausted and fell asleep in the inner room of Qiao Geng's study.
"Later, I overheard my father talking to Noble Consort Jia."
Qiao Jiao had met Noble Consort Jia, Qiao Geng then invited the sisters to the palace to pay their respects.
"I was utterly shocked. It turns out that my sister and I are actually the biological daughters of Noble Consort Jia and my father..."
Tang Zhuyun said calmly, "I know all of that."
After a brief moment of surprise, Qiao Jiao continued, "When Noble Consort Jia mentioned the Prince, she kept calling him a bastard. My father warned her not to speak carelessly, and she retorted, 'Born of a bastard, indeed, he was born lowly...'"
"So, Your Highness, I think the Prince is not Noble Consort Jia's child! Although my father has always said so!"
Did my guess come true?
Tang Zhuyun was shocked, but remained outwardly calm.
Indeed, she was delighted with this outcome.
But what if there's an even bigger time bomb hidden behind it?
"Then what?"
"Then they discussed having me marry Wei Xuan, saying that Wei Xuan's family was powerful..."
But she has someone she likes!
It's one thing that Noble Consort Jia resorted to any means necessary, but what Qiao Jiao found most devastating was that her own father, the one who raised her from childhood, didn't speak up for her at all.
Qiao Jiao felt like the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed.
"I don't trust anyone now. I just want to find a secluded place to live my own life! Your Majesty, please help me, I beg you! I haven't seen him for three days. Noble Consort Jia is ruthless; I'm afraid something else might happen... I..."