It turned out that Meng Yulan wanted Tang Zhuyun's help delivering something to Jiang Beihan.
"I actually wanted to do this a long time ago, but I didn't have a single person I could turn to," Meng Yulan said self-mockingly. "Lüzhu wants to help me, but she's a young girl who hardly ever leaves home herself. She really can't do much."
Besides, every extra person who knew about this meant another measure of danger. She simply didn't dare tell an outsider.
"I know I'm asking a lot," Meng Yulan said, lowering her eyes, "but I really don't know who else I can turn to now."
Tang Zhuyun hesitated at first. After all, she didn't want to get caught up in something like this either.
She still hadn't found out why Jiang Beihan had been convicted back then. What if she became involved and dragged her father and brother down with her?
She had once been fearless by nature, but the three men in her family made her feel the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.
"I'm afraid he'll blame me for not contacting him all these years... I can't wait. I wish I could let him know how I feel this very moment."
Tang Zhuyun understood now. Meng Yulan was sending the things in her own name.
In that case, it was no big deal.
"All right, I just need to find someone to carry a package, don't I?" Tang Zhuyun agreed at once.
Meng Yulan thanked her a thousand times over.
"If you hear any news from his side, tell me too."
"All right." Tang Zhuyun decided to make some discreet inquiries.
Meng Yulan didn't stay long. "My family is keeping a very close eye on me now. They only let me out today because I said I was coming to see you. I have to hurry back."
Tang Zhuyun walked her to the door. She had just lifted the curtain and stepped aside to let Meng Yulan go first when Tang Baixin came rushing in, nearly crashing into Meng Yulan.
Tang Baixin froze, then flushed scarlet and apologized repeatedly.
He stood to one side with his head lowered, his expression hidden from view, but even his earlobes were red.
Tang Zhuyun was delighted. She'd never realized her elder brother was so shy!
Meng Yulan hadn't expected to nearly run into an unrelated man either. Although the separation between men and women wasn't so strict here, the near collision still left her shaken. Her face flushed, and she bowed. "I was clumsy. Please forgive me, Lord Tang."
Tang Zhuyun steadied her and said reproachfully, "Why are you so flustered today, Elder Brother, rushing back all of a sudden?"
Tang Baixin said, "I forgot an official document. I-I'll go inside first. Go see Miss Meng off!"
Seeing how embarrassed he was, Tang Zhuyun couldn't bring herself to tease him further. Only after she had seen Meng Yulan off did she ask, "Huh? Elder Brother, how did you know she was Miss Meng? I hadn't introduced you yet, had I?"
Tang Baixin stammered, "I happened to see her once or twice before. All right, I'm very busy. I'm off."
With that, he grabbed the document and fled in disarray.
Tang Zhuyun said, "...Did he have to panic like that?"
Could Elder Brother have a secret crush on Sister Meng?
Oh my!
Come to think of it, Meng Yulan was an absolutely perfect match for her brother!
Unfortunately, there was already someone else in her heart.
Otherwise, if Tang Zhuyun brought the two of them together and made Meng Yulan her sister-in-law, she could spend every day with this dignified, gentle young lady who was true to herself and whose every action felt like a spring breeze.
Then, even if Tang Zhuyun stayed at home and refused to marry, Meng Yulan probably wouldn't object to her presence.
She couldn't keep thinking about it. Tang Zhuyun was so regretful she nearly slapped her thigh red.
Tang Zhuyun didn't know what Meng Yulan had given her to send to Jiang Beihan. She found two old wrapping cloths and wrapped the package in two more layers, then took some silver and went out to find a courier.
The capital was prosperous, with trade flowing frequently in every direction. There were people who specialized in this business, so she found a place without much trouble and paid twenty taels of silver to arrange the "express delivery."
The young clerk smiled. "Rest assured, once the recipient receives it, a receipt will be sent back to you. If we can't find him, the package will be returned, but the silver won't be refunded."
The service was thorough, and Tang Zhuyun agreed.
She went to the restaurant to collect payment for the cold-dish seasonings she had supplied recently. It came to more than forty taels. She bought meat and vegetables, then went home to cook.
Linlin was teaching Yanran to read. When they saw Tang Zhuyun return, the two little ones eagerly rushed over to help carry her things.
Tang Zhuyun smiled. "I bought you some pastries. Let's wash our hands and have some. But don't eat too many. If either of you doesn't eat a proper lunch later, no more pastries for you."
Both children agreed and helped her put everything away before washing their hands and eating the pastries. They even insisted that she have some first.
Looking at the large characters Yanran had written, Tang Zhuyun said, "You wrote these very well."
Linlin said, "Better than Auntie."
Tang Zhuyun laughed. "Really? Then I'll have to work hard too."
After all, she hadn't studied for a doctorate in her previous life for nothing. Her ability to learn was no joke. Although she had only been here a few months, she could now recognize most of the hair-tearingly difficult characters.
But she still wasn't good at writing with a limp brush, something Linlin criticized her for at every opportunity.
As they ate the pastries, someone knocked at the door. Xiu'er trotted off to answer it and, after a while, brought in a cut of pork weighing seven or eight jin and two plump carp. "Miss, Chang Zhi says he wants to come over for a feast."
Tang Zhuyun said, "..."
If the pork hadn't been just the right mix of fat and lean for red-braised pork, which she wanted to eat herself, she wouldn't have paid him any attention!
But when it was time for lunch, the Prince of Jin showed up too.
Yanran and Linlin both ran up and hugged his legs, making Tang Zhuyun burn with envy.
I work so hard looking after the two little ones at home, so of course they're close to me. But what has the Prince of Jin done? Why should he get the same treatment as me? I'm so mad!
Annoyed, she spoke sarcastically.
"Your Highness, don't you know how to avoid suspicion?"
"I do, unlike you, who can't read a word."
Tang Zhuyun gnashed her teeth.
But the Prince of Jin continued expressionlessly, "You're my woman. There's no need to avoid suspicion. You already fall under the household rules of the Prince of Jin's Residence. I think that if you keep looking at me like that, I'll have to send two instructing nannies to teach you proper manners."
Instructing nannies-Nanny Rongs armed with disciplinary rulers...
To vent her anger, Tang Zhuyun tossed a handful of salt into the Prince of Jin's soup.
Salt the bastard to death!
She served the soup but didn't leave. Instead, she stayed beside him, pretending to serve everyone else while waiting to see his reaction.
The Prince of Jin picked up the bowl and took a sip. His brows immediately knitted together, but he said to Tang Zhuyun without otherwise betraying any reaction, "I'm bestowing this bowl of soup on you!"
Tang Zhuyun said, "..."
"I'm your master. When I bestow something on you, you should thank me for my grace," the Prince of Jin said.
Tang Zhuyun was furious. He had come to sponge a meal, and now he was acting superior about it?
I thank eighteen generations of your ancestors!
Chang Zhi was wolfing down the red-braised pork. He burst out laughing. "Your Highness, A-Yun, what's gotten into you two today? Are you flirting?"
Tang Zhuyun regretted only that she hadn't sprinkled an extra handful of salt into his soup too. Then she heard him laugh and say, "Your Highness, that wasn't fair of you. You even tried to arrange a match between A-Yun and me. I wondered why you were meddling in that sort of thing. Turns out you had feelings for her yourself and were testing me!"
Tang Zhuyun desperately wanted to dump that bowl of soup over the Prince of Jin's head.