This was against etiquette, but it was most likely the truth, which is why the guard spoke hesitantly.
Tang Zhuyun: "You want to see me alone?"
What the heck is this?
She didn't know any strange men!
The guard nodded, then looked timidly at the Prince of Jin.
The Prince of Jin said coldly, "You may leave now."
The guards quickly withdrew.
--The air pressure is too low, run!
Tang Zhuyun discussed with the Prince of Jin, "How about I see him?"
After thinking for a moment, the Prince of Jin said, "Alright."
When you encounter a problem, act decisively and resolve it as soon as possible to avoid future troubles.
After the couple discussed it for a while, the Prince of Jin "went out".
He went out, then climbed back into the room from the backyard.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he left, the young man told the guard that he wanted to see Tang Zhuyun.
"Your Majesty, he said he was a famine victim from the Northern Commandery. His whole family had once come to the capital, but you saved his younger siblings, so he has never forgotten you," Xiu'er said.
Tang Zhuyun: "Did you ask him where he is now and what he's doing?"
Xiu'er said, "That's the strange thing. I asked him, and he said that after receiving a few taels of silver from you to help him and his younger siblings with their travel expenses, they went back to their hometown... Now he's traveled all this way just to thank you?"
No, something's definitely fishy.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Then please invite them in so I can ask them directly."
The Prince of Jin hid behind the screen beside her, and Jiaojiao was also borrowed and held on her other side.
Even if that man really was an assassin, he wouldn't pose much of a threat to her.
"Yes."
Xiu'er led the person in, very wary.
The person who came in knelt down in front of Tang Zhuyun as soon as he entered, addressing her as "Your Highness, Princess Consort," and dared not raise his head.
He really looks like an honest, simple countryman.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Get up. I heard you wanted to see me?"
The man got up from the ground, but kept his head down, stammering, "Yes, yes..."
He glanced at Xiu'er furtively.
Xiu'er glared at him.
What's wrong? You're afraid to look directly at the Princess, so you're secretly glancing at her?
Is she that pretty?
The man hadn't expected Xiu'er to be so fierce. He immediately looked away as if he'd been electrocuted, nervously wringing his hands.
Throughout this process, Tang Zhuyun kept observing him discreetly.
The man was very young, looking to be only about twenty years old. He had dark skin, rough hands, and wore patched dark blue coarse cloth clothes. He looked travel-worn and indeed resembled a countryman.
"Just say what you have to say," Tang Zhuyun said. "This is my personal maid; I don't hide anything from her."
The man then spoke.
"This humble citizen, Zhang Jin, brought his younger siblings to the capital when his hometown was struck by disaster. Later, his siblings all caught colds, and it was thanks to the Empress's medicine that they survived..."
Especially his younger brother, who was on the verge of death, was pulled back from the brink by Tang Zhuyun.
Tang Zhuyun couldn't remember the incident or the person.
Because at that time, the disaster victims were all in dire straits, and I had seen so many of these tragedies that my heart was heavy and I couldn't remember too much.
--Among a group of unfortunate people, misery is the common underlying tone, making it difficult to distinguish who is more miserable than whom.
"It's good that we're all back in our homeland now," Tang Zhuyun said.
A thought suddenly popped into her head—surely he didn't come all this way just to give her something.
However, Zhang Jin's words refuted his guess.
Zhang Jin seemed very nervous. After wiping his sweat with his sleeve, he said, "This humble subject... I've been doing quite well since returning to my hometown..."
Xiu'er: "Alright, as long as you're doing well. Now tell me, what do you want with the Empress?"
Zhang Jin became even more nervous and knelt down with a thud, saying, "Your Majesty, someone wants to harm you!"
Tang Zhuyun remained calm. "Get up and speak. There are plenty of people who want to harm me; one more or a group won't make a difference. Speak slowly."
Perhaps her composure infected Zhang Jin, who bit his lip and gradually calmed down.
Zhang Jin his head and said, "I overheard in the village that some people were asking around about the snow disaster. They said they wanted to find you, the man you had an affair with... That's utter nonsense! I was nearby the whole time; you were completely innocent!"
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
This is such old, rotten stuff, and people are still digging it up?
Every time she appears in public, it's under the watchful eyes of everyone. How could such slander be smeared on her?
Zhang Jin continued, "This humble subject thought long and hard, fearing that someone might harm Your Majesty, so I decided to go to the capital to inform Your Majesty. Later, upon hearing that Your Majesty was coming to the Northwest, I came here first..."
Then Tang Zhuyun realized that Zhang Jin had actually entered the Northwest, but after finding out that she hadn't arrived yet, he went back to Yangqu and that's how they met.
Having traveled thousands of miles, and coming from a poor family, it's hard to imagine how he managed to get here.
Moreover, he has younger siblings at home.
"... Because this matter concerns Her Majesty's innocence," Zhang Jin in a low voice, "This humble subject dared not act rashly. It was only upon seeing His Highness leave today that I..."
Tang Zhuyun praised him highly.
This young man is grateful and incredibly thoughtful; he deserves a brighter future.
"I know, would I trust a treacherous person more than my own queen?"
The Prince of Jin emerged from behind the screen.
His aura was so powerful that Zhang Jin, who had never seen any high-ranking officials before, was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground again.
Even so, he defended Tang Zhuyun in a trembling voice.
"... Your Highness, you are wise enough to know that Her Highness was upright and honorable in the past, as all have witnessed."
The Prince of Jin squinted and looked down at him. "You've been to school?"
Zhang Jin said, "When my father was alive, he was a schoolteacher..."
The Prince of Jin said, "Get up and come with me."
He needs to investigate this matter thoroughly.
Who on earth has the audacity to try and smear Tang Zhuyun?
Very well, they have successfully provoked him.
Xiu'er was so angry that she was trembling.
She looked at the nervous Zhang Jin and said, "The prince is just asking you questions, trying to find the bad guys. Don't be nervous, just tell the truth!"
Zhang Jin glanced at her gratefully, nodded repeatedly, and then followed Prince of Jin out step by step.
Tang Zhuyun rested her chin on her hand, leaning against the small table, lost in thought.
Xiu'er said angrily, "Your Majesty, tell me who is so despicable! When we find out, even skinning them alive wouldn't be enough to vent our anger!"
Tang Zhuyun said casually, "We've offended too many people. Who knows who it is? Let His Highness investigate first."
"Why do you think they're targeting you? What benefit do they gain from it?"
"Separate me from the prince?" Tang Zhuyun said, "That's probably the purpose."