"Come in with me."
Tang Zhuyun washed her hands and had Xiu'er keep them warm over a low flame before following Prince of Jin into the house.
"I said I couldn't sleep well because I was nervous around you, nothing more." Tang Zhuyun, "Really, your kidneys aren't weak; I can tell by taking your pulse."
I even saw you pee; it was indeed quite far...
"Shut up! I'm asking you, when did you find out that Meng Yulan likes Jiang Beihan?"
Prince of Jin encountered Jiang Beihan at court today and suddenly remembered that Tang Zhuyun had been staring at Jiang Beihan with a strange look on her face at the Great Xiangguo Temple.
Looking back now, was she already speaking up for Meng Yulan back then?
"The day Sister Meng hanged herself," Tang Zhuyun asked. "What happened?"
"So you knew all along, yet you kept it from me?"
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Is this how you settle scores after the fact?
"Your Highness, I was wrong."
In any case, Prince of Jin was truly innocent in the matter of Meng Yulan.
He was originally an older single man struggling to find a wife, with such a bad reputation that no one wanted to marry him. So even the Grand Princess had to specially arrange a flower-viewing banquet for him, only to have it ruined by his predecessor. Finally, the Emperor granted him a marriage, but then so many unexpected things happened.
The Prince of Jin is being quite restrained now.
"I'm giving you a chance to atone for your sins."
So easy to talk to? Tang Zhuyun sensed a conspiracy.
This scoundrel brought up old grievances; he was waiting for her here all along.
"My wound..."
"Your Highness, I've done my best," Tang Zhuyun said. "To recover like this in such a short time, although you have a good constitution, I still put in my best effort and held nothing back."
"I didn't say you didn't try your best," said Prince of Jin. "According to tradition, the royal family will hold a Cuju (ancient Chinese football) match on the fifteenth of August, and I will participate."
Mid-Autumn Festival, Tang Zhuyun counted on her fingers, "It's okay, there are still more than twenty days, it's okay, you can still play."
Royal activities are really frequent. During the Dragon Boat Festival, they watch dragon boat races, and on the Mid-Autumn Festival, in addition to moon gazing, they also have to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football). The princes must be exhausted.
"After the football match, everyone will go to Mingze Lake to bathe."
Tang Zhuyun understood. "Are you worried that you won't be able to explain the wound later?"
"Um."
Tang Zhuyun touched her chin, her big eyes rolling around.
However, the Prince of Jin already had an idea. "If there are burns, can the previous scars be covered up?"
Tang Zhuyun was startled. "Your Highness, what do you want to do?"
The Prince of Jin said calmly, "Every year, countless people are burned in the fires that break out in the capital."
Oil lamps and candles are used every day, so this situation is unavoidable.
Tang Zhuyun: "Why are you being so ruthless to yourself? What a terrible idea!"
"Why don't you just gloss over it?"
"Some people are already suspecting me."
"Huh? What shameful thing have you done? You're so stupid that people are even suspicious of you." Tang Zhuyun muttered. "Let me think of a way... What legitimate reason do you have? How about pretending to be sick and not going?"
"They'll still be suspicious; they're just waiting for that day!"
them?
Tang Zhuyun inexplicably felt that it was related to the Crown Prince's group.
Her eyes darted around a few times, then she suddenly sighed, "Fine, I'll do it. My reputation is bad enough already, one more thing won't make a difference."
The Prince of Jin suddenly became wary. "What do you intend to do?"
"Of course I'll help you." Tang Zhuyun pouted. "From now on, you have to come back every day, and you have to bring me gifts, like going around the capital several times to buy me gifts. Everyone should know, so that everyone knows how much you like me."
"Then what?"
"Then of course it's up to me! By the way, you should also be polite to my dad, isn't it because you love him so much that you love his dog too?"
After hearing her offer her idea, the Prince of Jin hesitated slightly. "This wouldn't be good for you."
"It's better for me to be treated badly than for me to lose my head with you." Tang Zhuyun rolled her eyes. "Besides, Sister Meng, we really do owe you something; I can't sleep if I don't repay a favor. Let's just leave it at that. Oh dear, don't let my pancakes burn!"
She rushed out in a flurry.
The Prince of Jin gazed at the hem of her skirt fluttering in the wind, his eyes deep and complex.
A moment later, her loud voice rang out. "Linlin, Yanran, come and eat! Sister Meng, don't bother cooking, I'll have Xiu'er bring some back for you."
Soon, the two children came over hand in hand. When they saw the Prince of Jin of Jin, Linlin happily stepped forward.
Yanran ran to the kitchen to watch Tang Zhuyun cook, and excitedly told her about learning to paint with Meng Yulan.
"Go wash your hands!" Tang Zhuyun ordered. "Help set the table and let's eat!"
A family of four sat around the table for a meal.
Tang Zhuyun knew the proper hierarchy, but Prince of Jin remained silent, she was too lazy to set up another table.
Most of the time, the Prince of Jin was easy to fool.
"Auntie, there's no spicy food," Linlin whispered. "Both the Prince and I like spicy food."
Tang Zhuyun: "The prince has offended me. Now that you're getting together with him, I'm jealous, but I can't be."
Yanran smiled and said, "My sister and I are close, and I like sweets."
Tang Zhuyun placed a piece of sweet and sour pork on her plate. "Eat more. Aren't you going horseback riding with the Prince this afternoon?"
"It's Brother Linlin who wants to go, I'm not going, riding a horse isn't pretty."
"Fool, what do you care about looking good! If you're in a hurry to escape, why would you wait for someone to hitch up your carriage? Skills are never a burden." Tang Zhuyun said while serving her a large bowl of bone broth. "Don't believe in that virtuous and gentle stuff; that's for others to see. Skills are what you truly own. If a man teaches you to be weak, it's so he can bully you. If you believe that, you're a fool."
Yanran looked timidly at the Prince of Jin.
The Prince of Jin said, "I want to teach your brother Linlin how to ride and shoot. If you'd like to come, you can join me."
He appeared calm, but no one knew that his hand under the table was gripping his thigh tightly.
All the clash of swords and the thunder of horses have turned into dusty memories. Yanran's mother, in her younger days, once stood tall and proud, sword in hand, full of heroic spirit.
Unfortunately...
"Father, I... I'm afraid I won't learn well."
"So what if you don't learn it well? Nobody is born knowing everything," Tang Zhuyun encouraged her.
"You come along too," the Prince of Jin, looking at her.
"Okay!" Tang Zhuyun said.
She'd always wanted to learn to ride a horse, and now was her chance.
Linlin still rode her Gale, Liefeng. Although it was insignificant compared to the many famous horses in the Prince's mansion, Linlin still preferred it.
Tang Zhuyun looked at the tall horse and was at a loss.
She can't climb onto the horse! We can't expect the Prince of Jin to carry her up like he carried Linlin...
Come on, step on it!
Prince of Jin walked up to Tang Zhuyun, who was gazing longingly at the horses, and squatted down, interlacing his fingers and presenting his hands to her with his palms facing upwards.
To have the Prince of Jin make a footstool for her with his hands... What an honor it is to have him do this today.
But he was injured.
"Sixth Brother and Sister-in-law, how loving they are!" The Seventh Prince's irritating voice rang out.
Okay, here comes another one looking for trouble, but that's not within her scope of service.
Close the gate and release the prince.