The Prince of Jin stood up and bowed deeply, saying solemnly, "I will certainly work with my father-in-law to protect A-Yun for the rest of her life."
The world is vast, but the human heart is insignificant.
They all simply wished for the peace and happiness of their loved ones.
Tang Zhuyun never asked for much; even with simple meals, she could still live a fulfilling life.
However, even standing beside the Prince of Jin, this hope became a luxury.
If that's the case, then let's conquer the world first, and then give her the life she wants.
After learning the general direction of the Xiao Family's affairs, Prince of Jin's long-cherished wish to exonerate them was instantly dashed.
However, for Tang Zhuyun's sake, so that he would never have to bow down to anyone in the future, he could not relinquish his heavy responsibility.
"I will always remember," the Prince of Jin said with a smile, "The joy she felt when she told me that once the world was at peace, she could become a high-ranking official."
He mocked her for lacking ambition, but wasn't his heart also filled with tenderness and bitterness?
In this oppressive environment, even if she wanted to treat patients and save lives, she had to think twice before acting.
Under heaven, only supreme power can grant her the greatest freedom.
Tang Mingfan returned the gift with the same utmost sincerity.
"A-Yun, then I'll leave her to the Prince."
From then on, he followed the Prince of Jin, traversing mountains and rivers, with no certainty of his return.
Even with all the worry and reluctance, I understand it was my daughter's choice.
No matter how difficult the circumstances, Tang Zhuyun never considered separating from Prince of Jin.
The "backup plan" he left for his daughter (as mentioned earlier: the letters to the Emperor were used as a get-out-of-jail-free card, and he kept them to divorce Prince of Jin) will probably never be used in his lifetime.
But no one could understand the complex emotions Tang Mingfan was feeling.
As long as one's eyes remain open in this life, one will always have to worry about one's children.
To outsiders, the Prince of Jin's ascension to the throne might seem like a great achievement.
However, Tang Mingfan would still have other things to worry about for his daughter at that time...
For now, we can only take it one step at a time.
Tang Zhuyun once made a joke that now perfectly captures Tang Mingfan's current state of mind.
"Father, you still have fifty years of service to the court!"
Yes, he has to keep working hard because his daughter needs him.
He also needs to teach his son and grandson well... the whole family must always be united as one.
"Please take care of yourself," said the Prince of Jin. "I will write to you every month."
Tang Zhuyun found it difficult to sever ties with the Tang Family.
Even so, he will help her protect this home.
"Your Highness, let me add a few more words," Tang Mingfan said, "I have followed His Majesty for decades, and although I dare not presume to know His Majesty's intentions, I do have some understanding of His Majesty's preferences..."
Prince of Jin: "Father-in-law, you are too modest."
Tang Mingfan was undoubtedly the most important person in the Emperor's court.
That's why, initially, Song Jingyang thought he should endure the humiliation and solidify his relationship with Tang Zhuzi...
The Prince of Jin is now grateful that he did not storm off at the time, which led to the later entanglement.
"The Crown Prince is gone, and everyone has their own speculations." Tang Mingfan stroked his goatee, his expression calm, his eyes knowing. "Your Highness, take my advice and let them be."
The Prince of Jin nodded. "I know."
"The 'them' I'm referring to includes the Emperor."
The Prince of Jin was stunned.
"The Emperor is very suspicious. He only likes those who lay their hearts bare before him," Tang Mingfan said. "He likes those who are selfless and allow him to make their own choices."
The more you ask for, the more the emperor will see through you and become more disgusted with you.
"His Majesty acknowledges the Prince's abilities, and that's enough. Don't try to prove anything further."
"Furthermore, no matter what rumors circulate in the capital, Your Highness should rely on my letter and not panic."
The emperor had an excessively strong desire for control, liked everyone to act according to his wishes, and hated being told what to do.
Having spent so much time together, Tang Mingfan had figured him out very well.
However, the emperor's strengths are that he has vision and a broad perspective.
Therefore, if the Prince of Jin is cautious, his future prospects are still very good.
In summary, Tang Mingfan wanted to convey one message to the Prince of Jin: Keep a low profile!
There may be some disturbances in the capital, but those are probably just smokescreens from the Emperor. As long as I don't tell you to be careful, you should stay put.
The Prince of Jin solemnly replied, "Yes!"
"As for A-Yun, I won't give her any separate instructions. I'm relieved that the Prince is handling everything."
Tang Mingfan was afraid that he would lose control of his emotions and that it would make his daughter feel bad whenever she thought about it in the future.
There are some things Meng Yulan will tell her.
Tang Mingfan was extremely satisfied with his eldest daughter-in-law.
"There's one thing I need to tell Your Highness, even if it's not my business..."
Please speak.
"A-Yun is currently pregnant. Your Highness, please prioritize A-Yun well-being during childbirth."
Even though he knew perfectly well that the Prince of Jin would do that, he still couldn't help but give him instructions.
He was worried.
"Even if you didn't say it, I would have done it. No one is more important than A-Yun."
Even for a child who has been eagerly awaited.
After patting the Prince of Prince of Jin on the shoulder, Tang Mingfan sat in his armchair in silence for a long time.
Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on him and outlining his slightly hunched figure, capturing the image of an elderly father deeply concerned for his daughter.
The Prince of Jin stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the white snow on the pine needles in the courtyard, and remained silent.
Meng Yulan didn't give Tang Zhuyun any instructions. After dinner, the women chatted idly.
Meng Yulan was trying to persuade Nanxing.
"I vaguely overheard Xiu'er and Lüzhu exchanging a few words. It wasn't a big deal, so how did it escalate like that?"
Nanxing lowered his head and remained silent.
Xiu'er, speaking her mind, said bluntly, "Aunt, you don't understand the situation! If this happened to me, or even to Her Majesty, we could just talk it out and let it go. But not to Nanxing!"
Meng Yulan scolded playfully, "When have you ever been merciful with your mouth? Instead of helping to dissuade people, you're adding fuel to the fire..."
"Aunt, once bitten by a snake, twice shy," Nanxing said calmly.
She was cowardly.
But who, besides herself, truly experienced the excruciating pain she felt back then?
She abandoned everything to follow Pei Shen, and even forced herself to accept what he said: the Xiao Family was not truly innocent.
Her final despair stemmed from Pei Shen's attitude.
He wasn't with other women, but he almost never explained, even though rumors about his marriage and his relationships with other women were rampant.
She asked him, but how did Pei Shen respond?
Pei Shen said she was overthinking things, and that he was doing it all for her sake.
Nanxing was naive at the time, and all she felt was bitterness in her heart.
But today, she wanted to ask Pei Shen a question: Wasn't her reckless choice made for him?
In the end, her sacrifice wasn't considered a sacrifice at all; yet his sacrifice is expected to be forgiven?
Ultimately, it was simply that their statuses were unequal, and Pei Shen felt he had given too much.
It's difficult for others to fully understand the nature of these two people's relationship.
Nanxing returned this time with the intention of using him, but did not fundamentally solve the problem.
The Ninth Princess isn't the problem; the real problem might be her.
At the slightest sign of trouble, Nanxing instinctively wanted to back down.
Because the sincerity I once gave was shattered, the pain is so intense that I will never have the courage to experience it a second time in my life.