Chapter 843: Raising Another Man’s Son
Yun Jiao was about to say a few modest words when, unexpectedly, Princess Shoukang covered her mouth and laughed, "I heard in Jin Country that the second Crown Prince there fell so deeply in love with you that he died of lovesickness."
Yun Jiao’s face turned cold as she quietly watched Princess Shoukang.
Upon hearing these inappropriate words, the Empress quickly stepped in to smooth things over, "Huan Huan, take a seat. We were just waiting for you to start the feast."
As she spoke, she gestured for the nanny to quickly inform the attendants to start serving the dishes, otherwise, the situation would be difficult to handle.
However, Princess Shoukang did not appreciate the gesture and continued laughing with her mouth covered, "Among all the women in the world, I only admire Doctor Gu."
"Not only did she enchant the second Crown Prince of Jin Country to the point of madness, but he treasured her so much as if afraid she might break if he held her too tightly or might fall if not careful, truly treating her like a priceless gem."
"Then she turned around and captivated our Great Chu’s Lord Chief Minister, who willingly raised someone else’s son without a single complaint."
Originally, Yun Jiao didn’t mind others bringing up her past affairs in Jin Country too much.
After all, it was a fact, and as long as neither she nor Jiang Youzhi cared, it was fine, not to mention no one dared say it to their faces.
Yun Jiao could endure all that being said.
But questioning You Er’s parentage was something she could not tolerate.
If the slander about You Er’s parentage was not cleared, You Er would carry the shame of his lineage for life.
Without hesitation, Yun Jiao slapped Princess Shoukang across the face, "What insolent maid dares impersonate a princess and come here spouting nonsense?"
The ladies and young misses in Kunning Palace collectively gasped in shock, no one expected someone would dare strike a princess.
Each one watched Yun Jiao and Princess Shoukang with a mix of tension and excitement.
Yun Jiao considered it inappropriate to mention Princess Shoukang’s past of offering company at the Huaining Laundry Yard.
Doing so would disgrace the Royal Family and put His Majesty in an awkward position.
In a moment of quick thinking, all she could come up with was to turn the issue to her identity.
Yun Jiao said coldly, "From what I know, apart from the Retired Emperor and the Emperor in Yilan, all the princesses are in Huining."
"You claim to have served the Retired Emperor and the Emperor in Yilan, but that is a lie! It only proves that you are not the real Princess Shoukang!"
Princess Shoukang was momentarily silenced by Yun Jiao’s words.
Of course, she knew herself to be the true Princess Shoukang.
The years she spent in Jin Country were truly not fit for one to live.
Sometimes, she had to entertain over a dozen guests in a single day.
The nobility and dignity she held as a princess had long vanished beneath the bodies of those Jin Country men.
Back when she was offering company at the Laundry Yard, sometimes she would overhear the guests jokingly talk about how the second Crown Prince was infatuated, having fallen for a woman from Chu Country.
This woman, it was said, was now the wife of Chu Country’s Grand Secretary and had enchanted the second Crown Prince to madness, even causing injury to a few of his concubines, yet he couldn’t bring himself to say a harsh word to her.
These stories were naturally spread by the disfigured second wife, and the disgruntled third and fourth wives.
Every day, feeling as though she was better off dead than serving guests, Princess Shoukang deeply loathed Yun Jiao in that moment.
Why was it that she could be treasured like a gem by the second Crown Prince?
While she had to endure such humiliation and degradation at the hands of these men?
Clearly, her status was even higher.
Trapped in a mire with no strength to escape, Princess Shoukang only wished she and Yun Jiao could swap places; she longed to be protected by a powerful man.
In such hopeless circumstances, she heard that the wife of Chu Country’s Grand Secretary had vanished under the eyes of hundreds, and just a few days later, the second Crown Prince died of lovesickness.
At that time, she cursed Yun Jiao fiercely in her heart, thinking her foolish. If she had met a man so passionately devoted, willing to protect her, she would have offered him everything.