"They might just be trying to ruin the prince's reputation."
Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "You're right, I didn't expect that."
She never had the awareness to be a vassal of the Prince of Jin.
Regardless of how she viewed herself, people of this era regarded her as part of the Prince of Jin.
Therefore, to humiliate her is tantamount to humiliating the Prince of Jin.
This is really frustrating.
"Xiu'er, think about it," Tang Zhuyun joked, "I used to think my rivals were just trying to steal the prince's women, but now, even men aren't leaving me alone."
"To be honest," Xiu'er said, "It's mainly to protect against men."
That's one of the advantages of the Prince of Jin: when it comes to attracting women, he's much less troublesome than many men.
So far, it seems that only Zhou Yanhui truly admires the "bees and butterflies" of the Prince of Jin.
Tang Zhuyun laughed loudly.
"Your Majesty, how can you still laugh?" Xiu'er stamped her foot. "When men get ruthless, women are nothing. Don't listen to those people who always say that the most poisonous heart is a woman's; the most ruthless is a man."
Men will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
They have a stronger desire to win, lower bottom lines, and more ruthless and cruel methods.
If a woman in the backyard is targeted by a man and he uses underhanded tactics to deal with her, it becomes more than just a domestic dispute; it sends chills down one's spine.
Tang Zhuyun looked at her and calmly said, "I considered these things when I decided to be with the Prince."
Choosing this man almost meant breaking with half the world.
If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight; she shared in the glory of the Prince of Jin, and therefore had to bear the pressure that came with it.
"Xiu'er, do you think no man ever tried to get against me before?"
No, it has always been.
It's just that the Prince of Jin protected her very well.
"The prince besieged the palace, killed the crown prince, and yet managed to escape unscathed," Tang Zhuyun said calmly. "So many people have realized that, in the struggle for the throne, the prince is not a useless fool."
Then, attacks from all sides followed one after another.
The little thing Zhang Jin to report is actually nothing.
Xiu'er stared blankly at Tang Zhuyun.
"What's wrong?" Tang Zhuyun asked with a smile.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting flickering shadows on her profile, making her resemble a serene lady in a traditional Chinese painting.
"Nothing much, I just suddenly realized how amazing Her Majesty is!"
Tang Zhuyun laughed heartily, and instantly stepped out of the portrait, becoming bright and beautiful again.
"My previous reluctance to marry and my desire to be a widow wasn't just being pretentious."
She has an all-knowing understanding of the difficulties and dangers that will be encountered in the future.
You might encounter a very capable man, but there's no guarantee he won't be someone like Li Chengyin or Fu Shenxing.
Okay, he's not, then he's the Fourth Master, which means things will be fraught with danger.
Tang Zhuyun wouldn't want a female lead like that.
This still doesn't take into account situations like jealousy or rivalry...
In fact, power is a scarcer resource than beauty, and it can make women flock to it.
In a modern society where monogamy is prevalent, how many mistresses knowingly pursue married men with children, all for financial gain?
Moreover, this was in ancient times when having multiple wives and concubines was legal.
Other women who fawned over the Prince of Jin were not even violating any moral principles.
Your wife is jealous? Fine, you're jealous. You can get out now.
These difficulties, though not exhaustive, are enough to make many people want to give up.
Tang Zhuyun didn't consider herself a strong or capable person, but at least she remained clear-headed.
"However," she changed the subject, "The Prince is just too kind."
"How wonderful?" Xiu'er pouted.
Tang Zhuyun: "He's only slightly worse than Song Jingyang."
Xiu'er chuckled, but still opened her arms and muttered, "Is this all the little bit you meant?"
Tang Zhuyun: "That's enough. I've already praised your husband, it wouldn't be polite not to reciprocate!"
Xiu'er: "You praising Song Jingyang is fair, but asking me to go against my conscience and praise the Prince is unacceptable."
Tang Zhuyun: "... The Prince is very good too!"
"Sigh," Xiu'er said, "Everyone says you're obsessed with women, but I think you're obsessed with men."
Tang Zhuyun blushed.
Oh no, it seems we've been discovered.
The Prince of Jin is truly excellent in this respect, both internally and externally, from top to bottom.
Let us row our oars, the little bed gently swaying...
"So, Zhang Jin this up," Tang Zhuyun abruptly changed the subject, "The matter itself is nothing. We don't know anything about it, and we don't know how much more there is! But I think this person is reliable and usable, so that's a gain."
I've seen people with big hearts, but I've never seen anyone with a heart as big as yours.
This concerns your reputation; could you please be a little nervous as a sign of respect?
Tang Zhuyun said that she had to finish the path she had chosen, even if she had to crawl on her knees.
The Prince of Jin, he deserves it.
"Actually, I'm a coward too," she sighed, "But Xiu'er, there's no turning back now. The prince hasn't wronged me, I can't run away halfway."
Xiu'er didn't like hearing that.
"What are you so cowardly about? You have the prince, and with you and your husband working together, what are you afraid of, demons and monsters?"
Besides, she's here!
Where's her big broom?
"It's just too hard for the prince," Tang Zhuyun said.
If Prince of Jin hadn't faced difficulties, wouldn't he have seized the throne in one fell swoop?
Arranged marriages are actually the easiest way to strengthen oneself, but because he married her, the Prince of Jin couldn't use it.
Who isn't struggling? Who isn't carrying a heavy burden for this relationship?
After hearing this, Xiu'er said, "What, you want to take a concubine for the prince?"
"Taking a concubine? Maybe in your next life." Tang Zhuyun declared that it was absolutely impossible.
She stood up, stretched, and said, "We'll deal with whatever comes our way; there's no need to worry about the future."
This is probably the price of love.
But there's always hope for marital happiness.
What's there to fear about the hardships ahead? As long as we have someone to walk hand in hand with, we'll weather the storm together.
Thinking of this, she instantly felt a firm belief, like that of Tang Sanzang on his pilgrimage.
Even if you set yourself eighty-one challenges, and become an extremely single person, you can still achieve a happy ending in marriage.
"Come on, Xiu'er!"
"Your Majesty, where are you going?"
Tang Zhuyun said irritably, "There's snow everywhere, and we're both afraid of slipping and falling, where else can we go?"
I just walked around in the yard where there was no snow to get some fresh air.
The Prince of Jin was meticulous; he had already instructed people to clear all the snow from the inn, even shaking the snow off the trees and removing it all.
Look how many advantages her man has.
Xiu'er muttered to herself, "There are so many hot springs here. I really want to go soak in one, but I can't because I'm pregnant."
"It's alright, there are many border towns. I'll take you there after everyone has had their babies by Chinese New Year this year."
The two talked as they went downstairs and took a walk in the courtyard.
After a while, Zhang Jin out, his face flushed, clearly very excited.
Upon seeing Tang Zhuyun, he bowed and then hurriedly left.
Tang Zhuyun looked at Prince of Jin.
"Let him stay and see what suits him best; he's in a hurry to send a message to his family," said the Prince of Jin. "I'll go back inside to write a letter. Don't stay too long; it's still chilly outside."