Just then, Yanran entered.
"I saw Pei Shen was here, and I wouldn't let her in!" she said smugly.
Xiu'er: "Yanran did a great job!"
Nanxing nodded in agreement.
They're gone, and I don't want to see them again.
She wasn't that magnanimous; she was petty and narrow-minded.
The thought of Pei Shen explaining himself when they met, with an attitude of "I'm innocent and upright, you're petty and have wild thoughts," made her feel even more disgusted.
That's enough!
She admires scholars, but she's not looking for a father figure.
Yanran felt a sense of relief and enlightenment upon receiving the affirmation.
So many people love her, not because she's someone's daughter, but because she's just such Little Lovely!
She sat down next to Tang Zhuyun and said, "Mother, I need to tell you something, but please don't get agitated, nothing's wrong..."
She is very, very good.
Tang Zhuyun suddenly felt uneasy.
Yanran rarely acts this serious and earnest.
What happened?
"I am not my father's daughter, I know."
So that's what it was about.
Upon hearing this, Tang Zhuyun actually felt relieved.
Actually, she's been struggling with this matter lately.
She felt that Yanran was old enough to understand this, but with Yanran about to have a child, she worried that Yanran would feel resentful if she poured too much effort into her young child...
So after much thought, she decided to wait until she got to the Northwest before making any decisions.
After all, that's where Yanran was born, so perhaps there's a more compelling context for saying that.
In fact, Tang Zhuyun admitted that she was hesitant and worried about the consequences of speaking out about it.
"How did you know?" Tang Zhuyun gripped Yanran's hand tightly, staring intently at her.
"This..." Yanran handed the tattered piece of paper to Tang Zhuyun.
She had considered it; a family shouldn't keep secrets from each other, each afraid of upsetting the other. But what about the misunderstandings that might result?
So let's be open and honest about it.
Tang Zhuyun immediately ordered someone to investigate the peddler.
"Mother, I'm sorry, I should have just grabbed him back then..." Yanran with great remorse.
"Silly child, how old are you?" Tang Zhuyun patted the back of her hand. "This matter, to be honest, was not handled well by Father and Mother..."
Now that things have come to this, the only way to avoid mutual suspicion is to tell the whole truth.
Although her biological parents were distant and unfamiliar figures, Yanran couldn't help but burst into tears as she listened to their past.
"... Yanran, your mother loves you very much too. It's just that living is too painful for her, so please don't blame her."
"She loves my dad more, doesn't she?" Yanran, her eyes filled with tears.
Tang Zhuyun was speechless.
Xiao Mo's feelings for Xiao Pang are touching, but her treatment of Yanran is indeed irresponsible.
Xiu'er: "Yes, she doesn't care about you, and you don't care about her either. Come on, Yanran, let's not cry anymore. Let's pretend nothing happened!"
Nanxing: "I have no parents, but I'm not doing badly now."
Tang Zhuyun: Is this how you two comfort people?
Just then, the Prince of Jin entered.
He saw Yanran crying and quickly went over to her. "Yanran, what's wrong?"
Yanran burst into tears and threw herself into his arms.
She had always known that she was not her mother's biological daughter; but today she learned that she and her father were not actually father and daughter.
Prince of Jin picked up Yanran, "Don't cry, don't cry. Tell your father, have you been wronged?"
He naturally trusted Tang Zhuyun, so the Prince of Prince of Jin, in a petty way, wondered if Cui Xiaoqiu had bullied his precious daughter.
Yanran was crying so hard she couldn't speak, so Tang Zhuyun succinctly explained what had happened.
The Prince of Jin's face was ashen. "Where is the letter?"
How dare they try to undermine him!
The Prince of Jin handed the well-coaxed Yanran to Tang Zhuyun and hurried out.
He had to find out the truth about this immediately; he couldn't wait a moment longer!
But after going outside and seeing Pei Shen there, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't mentioned Pei Shen's arrival...
"It's not convenient for you to go in. I'll have someone call Nanxing out for you."
The Prince of Jin gave an order, then said he had something to attend to and left quickly.
Pei Shen: You didn't believe me! You clearly don't care about my affairs.
When Nanxing heard that the Prince of Jin had summoned her, she knew that Pei Shen had arrived.
Not wanting to put Tang Zhuyun in a difficult position, she refused Xiu'er's help and came out on her own.
Pei Shen stepped forward.
"Let's find a secluded place to talk." Nanxing's attitude was cold and distant.
Pei Shen was hurt by her attitude and followed her without saying a word to a courtyard, which was where Nanxing used to live.
"Speak."
Pei Shen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he began to speak, "I grew up by the Emperor's side; however, the Emperor was mostly busy with state affairs, so he entrusted me to Jieyu Li..."
Jieyu Li was the birth mother of the Ninth Princess.
Nanxing sneered.
Hehe, they've arrived as expected.
I treat her like a younger sister; I have absolutely no other thoughts about her. You're overthinking it.
"I didn't know she would develop romantic feelings for me," Pei Shen said. "This is the first time I've heard her mention it."
Otherwise, he wouldn't have met with her alone.
"Really? But I heard her say that a month ago. It seems she's upset that I didn't tell you," Nanxing said coldly.
Pei Shen said, "It's not your fault, it's my fault for not being careful. Come with me to the palace, we'll go now and make things clear in front of Consort Jieyu and her."
Nanxing shook off his hand. "I'm not going. That's your business, it's none of my business."
"Speak properly," Pei Shen said through gritted teeth.
"I'm going to the Northwest with the Princess. I'm informing you, not discussing it with you!"
Pei Shen: "Because of the Ninth Princess?"
"Yes. I am indeed petty and narrow-minded," Nanxing said provocatively.
"Little Birdie, this is my fault..."
The time spent waiting in solitude softened his hardened heart.
Compared to losing her, admitting my mistakes is nothing.
For Nanxing, however, it was a spectacular sight of the sun rising in the west.
Pei Shen, will you admit your mistake?
"Jieyu Li has raised me with great kindness, and I've long wanted to take you to meet her," Pei Shen said. "I've only hesitated because I was afraid the palace rules would make you uncomfortable. Why don't we take this opportunity to go and have a heart-to-heart talk? The Ninth Princess is not young anymore; it's time she found a husband."
Nanxing sensed a hint of coldness in the last sentence.
She knew that Pei Shen was truly angry.
He dislikes people who try to scheme against him, especially those close to him.
But so what?
She was still angry and didn't want to wrong herself.
She was once like a moth drawn to a flame for this man, and now she's meticulous about everything, down to the smallest detail.
That's your problem, it's none of my business.
Seeing that Nanxing remained unmoved, Pei Shen suddenly laughed, "Little Birdie, have you forgotten your mission?"
I have no mission related to you.
"No, you do. You must keep a close eye on me and make sure I serve the Prince of Jin forever..."