Yanran happily linked arms with Linlin and walked towards the carriage.
Once she was in the carriage, she realized she had completely forgotten about Cui Xiaoqiu.
"Cui Xiaoqiu, hurry up! What are you dawdling for! Get in the car!" She lifted the curtain and waved.
Cui Xiaoqiu smiled and shook her head, "No, I should go home."
Yanran: "... Oh, I forgot. I thought we were living together!"
Cui Xiaoqiu: "..."
Living together? It's not good if others hear.
"There will be other opportunities in the future," he said.
"Yes, I'll definitely choose a location nearby for my future princess residence."
She was surrounded by her underlings, and she knew exactly where every rat hole was. It was better not to move; she might have to start all over again.
Lin Lin said Linlin, "Let's go."
He couldn't listen anymore, and his sharp gaze swept over Cui Xiaoqiu.
Cui Xiaoqiu remained humble, a smile playing on her lips, defusing the pressure from Linlin with effortless grace.
--If you can't even handle this, how will you face the Emperor's storms and wraths in the future?
He was well aware of the immense pressure he would face, as Yanran was the Emperor's only daughter.
But it's okay, he can handle it.
"I'm off, I'm off." Yanran waved to Cui Xiaoqiu and said with a grin, "I have to hurry back and tell Mother what happened today."
My brother's tactic of first praising and then criticizing was brilliant.
What's even more interesting is Lang Xuan.
She was too eager to go back and gossip.
When the brother and sister returned to the palace, Emperor Wen was also in Tang Zhuyun Palace.
Upon seeing the two siblings, his eyes flickered slightly, but he quickly reverted to his nonchalant demeanor and continued to pretend to read.
He's completely calm!
Tang Zhuyun stood up excitedly and asked, "Are you alright now?"
"It's alright." Linlin smiled and stepped forward to bow to the two of them.
Yanran recounted what had just happened with great enthusiasm.
Emperor Wen listened intently, afraid of missing a single word.
When he heard Gao Zheng's predicament, he was furious—this idiot! So this is the kind of idiot you are!
Tang Zhuyun was alright, since she was perfectly fine in front of her now, so the twists and turns of the process didn't matter anymore.
"Brother," Yanran looked at Linlin mischievously, "What's going on between you and Lang Jiu? Have you two been having an affair?"
Tang Zhuyun's fist hardened again. "I told you to study hard in the palace, didn't you hear me?"
What does it mean to exchange gifts privately?
They absolutely deserve to be hit!
However, is something wrong with Linlin and Lang Xuan?
The little flame of gossip immediately ignited into a blazing fire.
However, one still has to put on an act.
She said, feigning concern, "Don't talk nonsense. How could your brother be that kind of person? They're just engaged, that's why your brother pays extra attention to her. Right, Linlin?"
"No," Linlin said calmly.
Tang Zhuyun was excited.
Is the next sentence, "I really like him"?
If that were the case, she wanted to see Lang Xuan immediately.
But Linlin disappointed her.
He said, "I didn't pay much attention to her."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Why am I a little disappointed?
She thought he had finally fallen in love, but it turned out she was just being delusional.
Yanran said, "That means Lang Xuan likes Brother herself. That makes sense, Brother is so good, why wouldn't she like him? I like Brother too!"
Tang Zhuyun: You unlucky kid, shut up! Is that kind of "like" you're talking about?
Linlin said coldly, "She just wanted to find a way out for the fourth branch of the Lang Family. I agreed!"
Emperor Wen then spoke, "The matter of raising a private army, which she mentioned, is now entrusted to you."
"Yes."
"Alright, you may leave."
Tang Zhuyun:???
She wanted to keep Linlin around to talk! Shouldn't it be him, this guy who skips court and clings to her, who should be leaving?
Linlin obediently bowed and said, "Father, Mother, I take my leave."
Yanran waved her hand. "Brother, go ahead and do your work."
She felt things weren't that simple, and she needed to have a serious talk with her mother about it.
However, Emperor Wen glanced at her with a hint of disdain. "You go with your brother."
Yanran: "Oh? No need, my brother can handle it."
"I'll feel more at ease if you go." Emperor Wen lied through his teeth.
Yanran was overjoyed by the praise and immediately rolled up her sleeves, saying that she felt she could do it too. Then she followed Linlin away.
Tang Zhuyun looked at Emperor Wen suspiciously. "Why did you send the two children away?"
I don't think this person is up to anything good.
But he didn't mention it before the two children arrived.
Emperor Wen got up and walked over.
Tang Zhuyun gripped her clothes tightly warily. "Don't do anything rash."
All of her clothes are very expensive.
She can take it off herself; don't tear it.
Emperor Wen glared at her and said irritably, "What's going on in your head? Stay away from Ren Yingying from now on!"
Tang Zhuyun felt guilty.
--These two have been talking a lot about things that are inappropriate for children lately.
There's no other way; experienced mentors guide newcomers—it's a fine tradition.
What are you doing?
Emperor Wen sat down opposite her across a small table and asked with interest, "A-Yun Lang Jiu, analyze what Lang Jiu meant by his words to Linlin?"
Tang Zhuyun: "Do you know?"
"Um?"
"You look just like an old lady sitting in the sun on the street, gossiping."
Emperor Wen: "... I wasn't talking about anyone else, I was talking about my own son, is that not allowed?"
"Why are you so agitated?" Tang Zhuyun couldn't help but ask, "Something seems off about you."
The Prince of Jin asked, "Haven't you worried about his future marriage?"
He had a look on his face that said, "I don't believe I'm the only one who worried about this."
Tang Zhuyun counted on her fingertips. "Just this little bit of worry."
The main problem is that Linlin is too rational, so rational that you feel he would never lose control.
However, emotions are inherently uncontrollable.
Not to mention the possibility of an even closer relationship in the future... She couldn't imagine Linlin being as shameless and persistent as Emperor Wen.
"Lang Jiu likes Linlin," Tang Zhuyun said, "If she weren't acting."
"I think so too," Emperor Wen said. "Find an opportunity to test Lang Jiu and see if she is a good match."
"You want to bring them together?" Tang Zhuyun was surprised.
Since Lang Xuan comes from the Lang Family, and the Lang Family was almost completely wiped out this time, what if Lang Xuan harbors resentment because of this in the future?
Emperor Wen said, "If she has no ulterior motives and genuinely likes Linlin, then there's nothing wrong with it."
"Why? Why her? Linlin is still young, we can wait and see."
Putting everything else aside, just the fact that this marriage was bestowed by the Emperor Emeritus made Tang Zhuyun feel a bit uncomfortable.
"I hope that Linlin's future wife will love and cherish him from the bottom of her heart; I also don't want any instances of powerful relatives interfering in politics to occur..."
After all, the Yuwen Family is known for its romantic figures.
Lang Xuan, all alone, is actually quite suited to enter the royal family.
Moreover, from the parents' selfish perspective, Emperor Wen wanted a woman who would be devoted to her son emotionally.