The next day, Yanran's eyes were still red and swollen, and she was still sullen when she went to pay her respects to Tang Zhuyun.
Tang Zhuyun: "Do you want to go horseback riding?"
Yanran: "I'm not a child, you can just coax me."
Tang Zhuyun: "Then I really won't try to fool you anymore. Anyway, Xia Kingdom is impossible now; your brother should have arrived by now."
Yanran pouted, as if she wanted to cry again, but she held it back.
Tang Zhuyun invited her to eat, but she said she didn't have much of an appetite and reluctantly sat down.
But the mutton buns were so delicious that she ate four in one go.
"Would you like another bowl of porridge?" Tang Zhuyun asked.
Yanran then belatedly realized that eating so much didn't fit her "heartbroken" persona, and turned her face away, saying, "I won't drink, let's go hungry."
Then, she let out a burp.
Tang Zhuyun couldn't help but laugh.
Yanran left in grief and indignation.
My mother is really bullying me! She makes the food so delicious that even a hunger strike is impossible!
Xiu'er clicked her tongue and said, "The Empress really knows how to eat her fill without getting angry."
"I'll be angry for a few more days," Tang Zhuyun sighed. "Actually, if the prince were to go, I would have let her go with him. I wouldn't feel at ease without an adult present."
Linlin will definitely be very busy if she goes, and if I have to take care of her as well, I'm afraid I won't be able to manage.
"It's alright," Xiu'er said. "Her temper flares up quickly but subsides just as fast; she doesn't hold grudges."
"Okay," Tang Zhuyun said, "I'll make her something nice tonight."
Xiu'er was the happiest when Linlin Xia Kingdom.
She felt relieved and no longer needed to worry about Song Jingyang.
She used to think Song Jingyang wasn't very bright and was always worried that he would be taken advantage of; now that a bright one has left, there's nothing to worry about.
Tang Zhuyun then inquired about Ren Yingying.
Xiu'er said, "Your Highness, I went to see the young master yesterday, and he really is a good match for Yingying."
Tang Zhuyun: "... Is there any gossip you can't get your hands on?"
Xiu'er: "No. I've been watching closely, and that young master isn't bad. Although he's a bit simple-minded, he doesn't seem like a bad person."
"What, you still want to set them up?" Tang Zhuyun rested her chin on her hand, looking somewhat melancholy. "To be honest, after all these years with Yingying, I still can't figure out what kind of man she likes."
The main issue is that she pursued countless brothers and sisters.
Diverse in type, embracing all rivers.
She's a real womanizer.
She wasn't sure if Qu Nian was suitable or not, so she decided to remain neutral.
Xiu'er said, "It's not that I want to match them up, but I want to comfort Yingying."
"Comfort?"
"Your Majesty, have you forgotten? They were also betrothed by the Emperor! What else can they do but divorce?"
Since we're still husband and wife whether we're crying or laughing, we should try to be more positive.
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
"If all else fails, we can fake our death again," Xiu'er said. "But I have a feeling that this trick might not work as well as it used to be."
Tang Zhuyun: "That definitely won't work!"
Qu Nian, having been around them for so long, even if he were Dog Meat, wouldn't he know all their intricacies?
This tactic definitely won't work.
Xiu'er said, "If this doesn't work, then we can only sit and wait to die. So it's best to get along well."
Ren Yingying declared: Absolutely not!
Meanwhile, Yanran left indignantly, burping as she went.
Upon reaching the second gate, I saw Cui Xiaoqiu.
Cui Xiaoqiu was followed by Cui Run, who carried his book bag. It seemed that the two of them were on their way to have class with Great Confucian Scholar Kong.
Oh wait, that's not right! Great Confucian Scholar Kong went to the Xia Kingdom with Linlin!
Actually, it was the great Great Confucian Scholar Kong who volunteered to go with Linlin.
Yanran didn't understand, but her father was very happy.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but pout.
"Where are you all going?" she couldn't help but ask.
Cui Xiaoqiu smiled and said, "Go study."
"Great Confucian Scholar Kong is not here again."
Go and study with your senior brother.
"Oh."
Oh, and Xiyou too.
"Then you should hurry up and go, don't be late," Yanran said listlessly.
Cui Xiaoqiu asked, "Where are you going?"
Yanran said, "I'm in a bad mood, I'm going to find Sanbao to lasso the horse. Oh, and could you take care of Wu Yu for me?"
Lately, Wu Yu seems to have stopped bothering her as much.
Yanran breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a sense of loss.
Cui Xiaoqiu nodded and smiled, "Okay. Have fun, and be careful."
"Um."
Cui Xiaoqiu watched Yanran leave, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
Cui Run stood behind him, his face a little thinner, but his eyes were still bright and piercing.
Seeing Cui Xiaoqiu's smile, Cui Run couldn't help but recall their conversation a few days ago.
"Young master, why don't you go to the battlefield and seek your fortune?"
"I intend to pursue the imperial examination system in the future, but that's not my forte. Besides, a wise person avoids dangerous situations."
Cui Run held him in even higher esteem.
At such a young age, what's most commendable is knowing what you want and remaining steadfast in your pursuit of it.
In fact, it would have been incredibly easy for Cui Xiaoqiu to earn military merit; but he refused.
Cui Xiaoqiu asked him if he wanted to go, and Cui Run shook his head. "I'll serve the young master. Wherever the young master goes, I'll go."
Cui Xiaoqiu asked, "Does your mother need my help...?"
"No need." A flicker of pain crossed Cui Run's eyes. "Young Master, it's over. If she's worried about me, then she can stay here with me."
He simply couldn't understand how his mother, who didn't want him to marry Mingzhu, could continue to live in the Prince's mansion as if nothing had happened after their falling out.
She was worried, fearing that she and Mingzhu might get entangled again.
She really doesn't understand her son at all.
Even if she begged him to get back together with Mingzhu, he would never hold Mingzhu back.
Mingzhu has suffered too much; she shouldn't live the rest of her life in anyone's shadow.
Cui Xiaoqiu said, "I'll go to my senior brother's place first. Brother Run, keep an eye on Yanran's movements, and call me immediately if anything happens."
Cui Run's thoughts were interrupted, and he quickly bowed his head and agreed.
As for Yanran, she pouted and strolled out. Before she even reached the door, she was suddenly stopped by a thin, bony hand that reached out from the side.
She looked up and saw that it was Xiao Pang.
"You, did you need something from me?" Yanran's attitude was somewhat distant.
"Hmm." Xiao Pang nodded. The white hair at his temples seemed to have increased, almost turning frost-white, but his complexion looked much better than before.
He lived in the Prince's mansion, but rarely went out, not even during the New Year.
Yanran somewhat surprised that he would contact her.
"Are you in trouble?" Yanran asked. "Go find my father."
Xiao Pang said, "No. I want to talk to you. Why don't we go sit down and talk?"
He pointed to the stone table and chairs not far away.
Yanran thought for a moment and said, "Okay."
The father and daughter sat down around the stone table. Xiao Pang lingered on Yanran, but dared not stare at her too openly.
He recalled what Cui Xiaoqiu had said to him, paused for a moment, and then slowly spoke.