Not only Tang Baixin returned, but also Tang Mingfan and Linlin.
Tang Zhuyun rushed to help Tang Mingfan, but the latter gently pushed her away, saying, "Father is alright."
"Thank you so much for saving my life, Young Master Tang." Meng Yulan curtsied, her expression composed and her gaze resolute, a far cry from her tearful self. "I have somewhere else to go, and it's getting late, so I'll take my leave now."
Tang Zhuyun wanted to speak up and persuade her to stay, after all, if Meng Yulan left this house, she would definitely be strangled to death by her own mother immediately.
However, she didn't have the chance.
Tang Baixin himself, "The Emperor has issued an edict, bestowing you upon me."
Everyone was stunned by these words.
Did the Emperor bestow Meng Yulan upon Tang Baixin?
reward?
Why does he sound so much like he's talking to a servant?
"From now on, she is a member of the Tang Family and has nothing to do with the Duke's mansion anymore," Tang Mingfan said to Madam Meng, stroking his beard. "Even if she loses face, it's a disgrace to the Tang Family."
Madam Meng was shocked by the news and was chased out of the house in a daze.
Tang Zhuyun: "Brother, what did the Emperor say? You'd better explain yourself!"
She was a little worried that the emperor would do something reckless.
The Emperor, while he cannot kill them, will certainly not let the Tang Family have an easy time; that's for sure.
Meng Yulan also stared blankly at Tang Baixin.
Tang Baixin himself, "From now on, Miss Meng will be your sister-in-law."
"Huh?" That's a really fast change of heart.
Seeing Meng Yulan blushing, Tang Zhuyun said, "Big brother, don't be so blunt. If you want to change your address, you can wait until after the wedding, right?"
Tang Baixin glanced at Meng Yulan, then made up her mind and said, "The Emperor wants Miss Meng to be my concubine..."
The Emperor's original words were even harsher, belittling Meng Yulan and saying she was only fit to be a concubine, and that there should be no ceremony, so she would be a lowly concubine.
Tang Baixin wanted to say something more, but Prince of Jin pulled her back, causing her to swallow the rest of her words.
"I know this is unfair to Miss Meng, but it's for the best," Tang Baixin somewhat awkwardly, "It will be easier for Miss Meng if she has other plans in the future."
Brother, have you lost your mind? This woman was bestowed upon you by the Emperor; how dare you give her away to someone else?
Once you become a concubine, you'll likely be a concubine for life. It's incredibly difficult to become the principal wife. The censors are already prepared to hurl insults at you, and even the emperor will have to think twice before agreeing.
This is truly a great humiliation for Meng Yulan.
Unexpectedly, Meng Yulan nodded, knelt down facing the direction of the imperial city, kowtowed to express her gratitude, and then turned to kowtow to Tang Baixin: "This humble concubine greets Your Highness."
She actually knew that the Emperor wanted her to be his concubine; otherwise, she wouldn't have referred to herself that way!
Seeing Meng Yulan's resigned expression, Tang Zhuyun choked up. Just as she was about to help Meng Yulan up, she saw her elder brother kneeling down before her as well.
Alright, let's proceed with the wedding ceremony.
Tang Baixin looked at the panicked Meng Yulan and said, "On the way back, I already spoke with my father. It is my greatest fortune to have you. The Emperor only said that you would be my concubine, but he did not force me to marry. From now on, there will only be you by my side, no one else. Others may see you as a concubine, but you must know that in my heart you are my wife."
"It was my incompetence that I failed to secure a wife for you, and I will do my best to make it up to you in the future. If you are unwilling, then in a few years, when time has passed, I will try my best to send you away."
"I do," Meng Yulan down her face. "Please get up, I can't bear this."
"Since you're willing," Tang Baixin remained calm and restrained, making a promise, not a declaration of love, "Come with me to pay our respects to Father, and then in a few days kowtow to Mother's memorial tablet."
The two of them kowtowed to Tang Mingfan together.
Tang Mingfan said, "Get up quickly. Live a good life from now on. What's past is past. We're a family, let's look to the future. Eldest daughter-in-law, this family will still have to work hard for you in the future."
He admitted it! He admitted that she was Tang Baixin's wife!
Tang Zhuyun's eyes welled up with tears; it was just too heartbreaking.
True love prevails in the end. Although it's a bit of a pity that Meng Yulan won't fall in love with her older brother right away, given how he is, Sister Meng 'll definitely fall in love with him in the future.
Only later did she realize that Linlin had been watching her the whole time, her gaze complex.
"Linlin, what's wrong?" Tang Zhuyun asked with a smile.
"Will I need another mother in the future?" Linlin asked.
Tang Zhuyun's smile froze on her face.
Linlin knew that she was his biological mother, and now that she had accepted him, it would be too difficult for him to call a woman he had no feelings for his mother.
Meng Yulan said, "Young Master, you can just call me Aunt. Although Master and Eldest Master don't mind, this is the Emperor's decree, and our Tang Family cannot be accused of disobeying it."
Wow, Sister Meng got into character so quickly!
"Then I'll still call you Sister Meng." Tang Zhuyun happily stepped forward and took her hand. "From now on, we're family."
Meng Yulan smiled at her.
Tang Mingfan went out and came back in, his steps unsteady but refusing any assistance, and handed Meng Yulan a book. "This is a gift for you."
Tang Zhuyun: What can her father say? A book as a gift for his daughter-in-law? Surely it's not "Admonitions for Women"?
Meng Yulan was clearly taken aback for a moment, but quickly accepted it respectfully.
Tang Zhuyun peeked out and saw two words on the book cover, but she only recognized one of them.
What's the secret?
"A secret?" she tentatively asked. "This book looks quite interesting."
"It's the ' Secret Score '." Meng Yulan was clearly overjoyed. "Master, it's so valuable, I can't accept it, I..."
Tang Mingfan waved his hand. "My family is poor, and we don't have anything valuable to give you. Keep it."
Tang Baixin also said, "Since it's a gift from your father, you should take it. You'll still have to help me show filial piety to him in the future."
"Yes." Meng Yulan curtsied and accepted the gift as if it were a precious treasure.
It turns out that this is a long-lost musical score, of immeasurable value.
"One thousand taels of silver?" Tang Zhuyun asked.
"More, not less." Meng Yulan smiled.
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
It turns out she'd been begging all along while holding a golden bowl.
If I had known, I would have packed up and sold all the books in her father's study. We would have been out of poverty long ago, or at least living a life of luxury.
But then I thought, if he wanted to sell Tang Mingfan's books, he could probably sell hers first...
No wonder her older brother said that their father had no interest in money; he really did regard money as dirt.
"Father, elder brother, you should go back and rest first," Tang Zhuyun said. "I'll find some ointment, Xiu'er will go get a table and food. We'll have a proper celebration tonight. But keep it low-key, a low-key celebration!"
"Wait," Tang Mingfan called out to Tang Zhuyun, "There's something else I need to tell you."
"Father, what's wrong? Please tell me." Tang Zhuyun was pondering how to arrange accommodations for the night, and asked with a grin.
I never expected this matter to be resolved so perfectly; I'm so happy.
"The Emperor wants you to become a concubine for Prince of Jin, but Father has already..."
What?
She went from being one of the Prince of Jin's concubines to becoming a Prince of Jin without any official status?
Is she someone who cares about titles and status? No.
So, nothing happened.