"Your father will definitely punish you for eating koi fish today."
Yanran: "..."
But wasn't that what Mother Consort had agreed to?
Does it also involve entrapment enforcement?
If the koi was really delicious, that would be one thing, but the problem is that the koi was so awful that she ended up with a meal of stewed meat on bamboo slabs. She'd be devastated.
Just as she was about to feign pitifulness and beg for mercy, she suddenly felt her hand being grabbed.
She turned her head and saw Linlin looking at her.
"Stop fooling around. I'll tell Father later that it's what I wanted to eat."
Yanran's eyes welled up with tears: Dear brother!
Only when someone else took the fall did she realize what was wrong with her mother.
My mother seems a bit off.
Xiu'er sensed it too, and she came over to support Tang Zhuyun's arm, saying, "Your Highness, would you like to have Concubine Yu take a look?"
Tang Zhuyun nodded.
Concubine Yu said, "No need to look, I'm fine. I... I've caused trouble."
She lowered her head.
She's a useless person; she can't even die, she only causes trouble for others.
A woman like her is unworthy of being a mother; her existence is nothing but a disgrace to her children.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Xiu'er, have someone take my invitation and bring Zhou Xu here. Tell her that I lost a precious pomegranate and ask her to come and question me."
It's probably going to be difficult for Zhou Xu to come this morning.
So Tang Zhuyun had already prepared an excuse for her.
Xiu'er quickly gave orders.
Concubine Yu, however, panicked and said, "Your Highness, no, Xu'er wouldn't steal anything from you."
She struggled to kneel down.
Tang Zhuyun couldn't accept her courtesy and wanted to help her up, but Linlin was faster and stepped forward to support Concubine Yu.
Concubine Yu felt the strength in her arm, looked down at the handsome young boy, and tears streamed down her face.
Lin Lin said Linlin, "My mother doesn't like people kneeling. Let's sit down and talk slowly."
Tang Zhuyun gave Linlin a deep look.
The latter responded with a calm smile, his eyes filled with trust, firmness, and composure.
In that instant, not only Concubine Yu, but even Tang Zhuyun felt deeply comforted.
The child, who has excelled since childhood, has grown up day by day.
Tang Zhuyun could even sense that Linlin seemed to know something as well.
The mother and son understood each other without saying a word.
Xiu'er looked around, somewhat bewildered.
Tang Zhuyun asked someone to bring some ointment so she could apply it to Concubine Yu's neck.
Concubine Yu, however, looked extremely frightened.
Xiu'er said, "Your Majesty, let me do it."
"No, let me do it," said Nanny Jing.
She and Concubine Yu were quite familiar with each other.
Besides, Concubine Yu's condition is so unstable; it wouldn't be good if she accidentally pushed or bumped into Xiu'er.
This time, Concubine Yu did not struggle and let Nanny Jing apply the medicine for her.
Xiu'er took the thick cushion from the maid and laid it on the stone bench, inviting Tang Zhuyun to sit down.
Looking at Concubine Yu's prematurely aged appearance and her frightened and uneasy eyes, Tang Zhuyun felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.
If her guess is true, if this really is the Bai Lu... how will the Prince of Jin bear it?
But if Concubine Yu isn't Bai Lu, then why does her surprised expression resemble Yanran's so much?
Why was she so resistant to staying in the Prince's mansion? She clearly had no worries about food and drink here, wouldn't be beaten or scolded, and wouldn't be implicated by Zhou Xu.
If she is Bai Lu, what happened back then that led her to fall into Zhou Yushan's hands?
What Tang Zhuyun couldn't understand even more was that the Zhou Family had been dependent on the Prince of Zhenbei's Residence back then.
In other words, if Zhou Yushan knew Concubine Yu's identity, he should either stay far away to avoid getting into trouble, or treat her well, since she was the descendant of his former master.
The result? Utter torment.
Does the Zhou Family have a grudge against the Xiao Family and want the Xiao Family to fall?
In an instant, countless thoughts flooded her mind like a tide, and Tang Zhuyun's thoughts were complicated and difficult to sort out.
This is a very serious and important matter, so she cannot speak rashly before things are sorted out, and can only stay with her for the time being as if nothing is wrong.
The atmosphere was somewhat somber.
Yanran found it boring and whistled.
Concubine Yu looked up at her, but only glanced at her before lowering her head again.
A moment later, Jiaojiao's fierce figure appeared at the door.
Others were used to it, but the two maids brought by Concubine Yu had never seen anything like it before. When they saw the tiger pounce, they screamed in fright.
Concubine Yu was so frightened by the sight of the tiger that her legs went weak.
But in the blink of an eye, she jumped up and rushed to Tang Zhuyun, spreading her arms to protect her, then called out to Linlin and Yanran, "Good children, come here quickly!"
Everyone was stunned.
Tang Zhuyun felt a slight warmth in her eyes.
Perhaps because she was more sensitive during her pregnancy, she felt like crying.
Whether I am strong or weak, as long as I am a mother, I am the bravest.
Yanran: "... Jiaojiao, stop right there!"
Linlin replied, "Madam, you don't need to worry. This is a domesticated animal, not a wild beast."
Concubine Yu didn't understand and hurriedly came over to pull the two of them, trying to hide them behind her as well.
Her figure was slender, and when the wind blew, her clothes hung loosely, almost brushing against Tang Zhuyun's face.
She was trembling with fear, but she still stayed in front.
"Concubine Yu," Xiu'er said, "Don't be afraid, it's a domesticated cat, just a bit bigger."
Abbreviated as Big Cat.
Jiaojiao lay down on the spot, wagged her tail, and looked completely innocent and harmless.
Concubine Yu was stunned.
"This..."
Tang Zhuyun asked her to sit down, then glared fiercely at Yanran.
Knowing she had made a mistake, Yanran lowered her head pitifully and said, "Mother, I know I was wrong. I forgot she had never seen Jiaojiao..."
Tang Zhuyun deliberately said coldly, "Go back and copy the Classic of Poetry. You don't need to leave until you've finished."
Yanran: "... Mother, please give me a beating instead!"
A few hits and it's over; he'll be lying down and recovering for a few days and then he'll be jumping around again.
Moreover, during her recovery period, she was treated as a wounded soldier, and everyone treated her very well.
What is this "punishment copying"?!
Not only did it drag on for a long time, but everyone who saw it had to say, "You know you were wrong, right? Don't do it again next time, hurry up and write it..."
She refused!
Concubine Yu blushed and hurriedly said, "No, no, no, this isn't the child's fault. I was just being naive. I, I..."
Tang Zhuyun was even more certain of her guess and said, "Since the old lady is pleading on your behalf, then we'll let it go this time."
She suddenly realized that Linlin was an exceptionally perceptive and intelligent child.
The sudden change in address to "old lady" alone made people feel much more comfortable.
She planned to give the order that from now on, everyone in the mansion should be addressed as "Old Madam".
If it's true, then it's confirmed; if it's false, just treat it as a term of respect—it's never wrong to be polite.
Yanran smiled and said, "Thank you, Madam."
There was absolutely no shame in almost being punished.
Tang Zhuyun: This child, how can he be so shameless?
Yanran: "Madam, its name is Jiaojiao, it's so well-behaved. I'll call it over, you can pet its bottom."
Xiu'er, ever outspoken, said, "Little darling, stop trying to sell Jiaojiao's butt to everyone you meet! You've rubbed it raw!"
Everyone laughed.