Tang Zhuyun pulled her to sit down beside her. "Tell Yingying that Yingying told me. Don't overthink it, it has nothing to do with you."
"Wu Guang has never liked me," Mingzhu said. "Wu Zhenhai, being related to him, has been very supportive and trusting of him, and doesn't guard against him at all..."
Wu Guang must have found out that he was Zhou Xu, and then couldn't persuade Wu Zhenhai, so he did this.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Would someone truly be loyal, putting Wu Zhenhai to utter ruin because of a moment of anger? He is clearly ungrateful and ambitious; it has nothing to do with you."
"Sister-in-law, let Wu Zhenhai tell the truth. I'm not afraid, even if it means bringing shame to the Prince's Mansion..."
This is what Mingzhu feels most guilty about.
Tang Zhuyun held her hand and said, "Mingzhu, you weren't always so hesitant and indecisive. I still prefer your previous spirited nature. Do you have to become restrained now that you're home?"
She had long realized that Mingzhu in the Prince's mansion was like dancing in shackles.
I'm happy, but this girl is too calculating.
She was always thinking about how to be worthy of others, fearing that others would say "no," which made her life extremely tiring.
"I'm tired just watching you, you know?" Tang Zhuyun said. "I've wanted to advise you for a long time, but I didn't know where to begin. No matter what happens, we're family."
"Sharing honor and disgrace doesn't mean you should constantly worry about whether you've tarnished the Prince's reputation; it means that no matter what you do, the Prince's Mansion will never abandon you and will always help you."
"Mingzhu, we are family."
"You are the prince's sister. If you are wrong, we will deal with it. Don't put yourself in these shackles."
"We named you Mingzhu) in the hope that you will shine brightly both in the royal palace and at home."
"Mingzhu, we just want you to live a carefree and happy life, to do whatever makes you comfortable."
Whether you like Cui Run, Wu Zhenhai, or anyone else, it doesn't matter whether you're smearing or not. The most important thing is your happiness.
"Now that something's happened, we'll face it."
"The thing you should really think about is whether you still have feelings for Wu Zhenhai."
"No," Mingzhu shook her head. "Sister-in-law, I don't want to be with him. But I also don't want him to bear a sin he shouldn't have because of me."
The two of them were just ordinary acquaintances.
"I understand," Tang Zhuyun said. "You should trust that your elder brother won't let him be wronged. However, Wu Zhenhai will probably have to learn a lesson for trespassing on your property."
Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Serves him right."
"That's right." Tang Zhuyun smiled as well. "We're family, no need to be so formal."
"I just feel like I didn't do anything, and suddenly I found myself with family... I..."
"Since God arranged for us to become family, we didn't have to do anything; what have we done?"
After Tang Zhuyun comforted Mingzhu, the latter's condition improved significantly.
It took a month for the truth of this matter to come to light.
Wu Zhenhai found evidence of Wu Guang's treason, and following the clues, he found an old Northern Yi spy who had been lurking in the border town for decades, and wiped out his entire family.
He wanted to go find Mingzhu, but felt too ashamed.
Finally, he only glanced at Mingzhu furtively, and seeing that she was in much better shape than before, he slunk away.
Just wait!
It turns out that the Prince of Jin has been busy these past few days leading 50,000 men on a campaign against the Northern Yi, so Mingzhu certainly wouldn't have had the time or inclination to engage in romantic conversation with him.
Tang Zhuyun was mentally prepared, and although she was reluctant to part with him, she remained calm.
In contrast, Ren Yingying was much more excited.
"Tangbao, you've always been a top student. Did we learn anything useful in physics and chemistry in junior and senior high school?"
They can help the Prince of Jin fight battles!
Tang Zhuyun rolled her eyes. "Me, build a rocket and launch a satellite?"
How could she even think of that?
Ren Yingying: "Then we won't need that. How about explosives?"
Tang Zhuyun: "I'm also using TNT!"
Isn't TNT more powerful?
"The most powerful weapon is the hydrogen bomb."
"No, we can't make that. Let's think about TNT first."
Tang Zhuyun: "Should we blow ourselves up first?"
Is it possible to manufacture explosives simply by knowing the principles behind them?
Gunpowder existed long before explosives, but dynamite came about more than a dozen centuries later.
How come all the people in all these centuries combined aren't as smart as her?
Ren Yingying is truly a close friend; she thinks too highly of her.
Ren Yingying: "How could you be so hopeless!"
If something happens to Prince of Jin, won't Tangbao cry her eyes out? Besides, that string of candied hawthorns is still waiting for Daddy!
Because of the saying "love me, love my dog," I can't let anything happen to my best friend's husband either.
Alright, asking Tangbao is less helpful than asking the soles of your feet. Ren Yingying went to find Qu Nian.
Qu Nian was initially quite happy to see her take the initiative to find him.
But upon hearing that she was going to help Prince of Jin, Qu Nian immediately sharpened his knives—did Ren Yingying have some designs on Prince of Jin?!
"Aren't you fighting in Nanyue? Do you have any particularly powerful weapons, like crossbows or catapults?"
Ren Yingying racked her brains, but these were the only two words she could come up with.
So what if we have it?
"Give it to the Prince of Jin! Aren't you two doing well? Don't worry, the Prince of Jin won't treat you unfairly!"
Qu Nian gritted his teeth and said, "On what grounds do you say that?"
Ren Yingying: "Don't worry, Prince of Jin listens to Tangbao, Tangbao listens to me. If I agree, it'll be fine!"
Qu Nian's expression softened slightly, but he said disdainfully, "Are you sure the Consort of the Prince of Jin will listen to you?"
"Nonsense! Otherwise, why would I listen to you?"
"Then why don't I care about the Prince of Jin of Jin's benefits?"
Ren Yingying: "Then what do you want? Just tell me!"
The Prince of Jin promises to satisfy you.
Qu Nian: "You!"
"Me? What happened to me?" Ren Yingying thought there was an ellipsis after "you," and wondered why he was so angry he couldn't speak when she hadn't said anything.
Qu Nian: "I like you."
Ren Yingying: You've gone mad.
She turned and left.
Qu Nian: "Stop!"
Ren Yingying walked even faster.
Qu Nian's voice was sinister. "... Don't you want to help Prince of Jin anymore?"
Ren Yingying didn't even turn her head: If you want to help, you don't need to drag yourself into it, hmph!
Qu Nian: "Stop right there, I agree."
It seems the Prince of Jin wasn't that important to her, and she felt a little better.
Ren Yingying had vanished from sight.
Qu Nian: "..."
He agreed to everything!
This is all Prince of Jin's fault. He told Qu Nian to be more thick-skinned, but clearly, Ren Yingying wasn't buying it.
He had only half-jokingly said "How rare!" when she was so frightened that she ran away.
No, it looks like we need to change our strategy.
Soon it was the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Prince of Jin set off with an army of 50,000.
On the day he set off, he didn't let Tang Zhuyun see him off. Instead, he quietly got up in the early hours of the morning, gently kissed Tang Zhuyun's forehead, and then left.
He couldn't bear to see the scene of parting, nor could he bear to see Tang Zhuyun's tears.
As soon as he closed the door, Tang Zhuyun opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face.
Brother Qi, I don't ask for your success or fame, I only hope for your safe return.
After suppressing her emotions for so long, Tang Zhuyun finally let them out. She pulled the covers up and cried.