Tang Zhuojun was ruined by being raised by her paternal grandmother back in her hometown.
Her mother died from complications during childbirth, and her father was devastated, yet he still had to return to the capital to take up his post. He had no intention of remarrying. Thinking that his daughter was still very young, he felt it would be most convenient to leave her in the care of his own mother. So he went to the capital with his son— Tang Boxin.
This was the decision Tang Mingfan regretted most in his entire life. There was no other.
He was an honest and upright official, with a meager salary and no gray income.
Everything in the capital was expensive, so his life there was far from comfortable. Even so, he sent most of his income back home— partly to show filial piety to his parents, and partly so his daughter could live more comfortably.
But he understood his own mother far too little. He only returned home once every few years and never realized that his daughter was being raised badly.
In reality, Tang Zhuojun had already been molded by her grandmother into a vain, snobbish, sharp-tongued girl who didn’t know her own limits.
It wasn’t until the scandal of her becoming pregnant before marriage broke out that Tang Boxin rushed home— only then did he discover how unfamiliar his sister had become.
Tang Boxin brought his sister back to the capital. By then, the child was already too far along to be aborted, so she had no choice but to give birth.
To protect his sister’s reputation, he discussed it with Tang Mingfan and claimed that the child was his own illegitimate son, thereby ruining his own good name.
At that time, Tang Boxin had already placed first in the imperial examination and earned the title of top scholar, so his prospects were affected by this. Even so, the emperor still held him in high regard, which was why he was now serving in the Ministry of Personnel.
But if there had been no illegitimate child and no stain on his personal virtue, he could have entered the Hanlin Academy.
Tang Zhuojun couldn’t help but think: why did this father and son bother clean up after the original owner of this body? They should have let that woman suffer the consequences of her own actions!
Emotionally, however, she knew that was impossible.
The former Tang Zhuojun caused trouble endlessly. Even after dragging her father and brother down like this, she still didn’t behave herself. Not only did she neglect her own son, she also squandered money, leaving the three men in the household -young and old alike— living in hardship.
On top of that, she was extremely arrogant and obsessed with good looks, always believing she deserved to marry the best man in the capital, which led to countless embarrassing incidents.
Tang Mingfan had built a spotless reputation over a lifetime and never wanted anyone to say a single bad word about him. Yet because of this daughter, his name was utterly disgraced. If the emperor hadn’t repeatedly urged him to stay, he would have retired and gone home long ago.
The clothes Tang Boxin was wearing were worse than what even servants wore, yet they were already the best outfit he owned for going out.
As for Linlin, even the meat the family had set aside for him had been snatched away by Tang Zhuojun, so he loathed this aunt of his to the core.
The former owner of this body truly didn’t know how to cherish her blessings. Her father was a top scholar, her brother was a top scholar, her son was a genius… yet everyone was sacrificing their reputations to clean up after her mess.
It was all her fault.
She didn’t even dare to meet Linlin’s eyes. Feeling guilty, she said to Tang Boxin, “Big brother, I…”
I didn’t.
But before she could finish speaking, Tang Boxin shouted harshly, “Shut up!”
Tang Zhuojun: “…”
The former owner committed sins—was she here now to repay them? What rotten luck.
Ruan Anruo said, “Young Lord Tang, I’m certain there’s something disgraceful hidden in Zhuojun’s purse!”
“And what is your ‘certainty’ worth?” Tang Boxin sneered.
“If you knew, why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Linlin sneered as well, looking exactly like Tang Boxin.
“Whatever my daughter is hiding is none of your business.”
Father’s here too!