The princess regretted it.

Chapter 236 Different reactions

Zhangsun Wuwang finally understood what was going on, and was completely shocked. Although he had previously felt that Zhong Chuzhou seemed to be always looking for opportunities to appear around Jin An, he could see that Jin An didn't seem to have any such intentions, so he didn't take it to heart. Now that Zhong Chuzhou was not in the capital, why did the emperor suddenly grant the marriage? Could it be because of the rumored army in the hands of his great-aunt?

Because he had previously asked Jin'an for help, but was rejected by Jin'an, he hadn't sought him out again. Lately, he'd been troubled, trying many ways to get closer to Miss Liu, but every time, something went wrong. Furthermore, Miss Liu was going out less and less, and even when she did, Mrs. Liu was always by her side. He simply couldn't get close.

There had been no news from Wu Anshuo and his son for some time. According to the schedule, they should have arrived at Mu En's military camp. He didn't know what had gone wrong, but things had been going badly for him lately. Even the Second Prince and his faction were at odds with him in the court.

This arranged marriage seemed to rekindle a thought in his mind: he had to find a way to appease Jin'an. If Jin'an supported him, regardless of whether his great-aunt actually had some hidden power, who would dare challenge the Mu Mansion and the Duke of Huguo Mansion behind Jin'an? After making this decision, he turned and went to his own storeroom. He wanted to prepare something nice to congratulate Jin'an.

Within the confined Jiaoyu Palace, a desolate silence reigned. Jiaoyu, dressed in plain clothes, her dark hair caressed, had lost all traces of her former delicate and lively demeanor. She exuded a sense of decadence as she stood blankly at the window, staring blankly at the sky, as if lost in endless contemplation, oblivious to the world outside.

Cuiguo is gone, and now she has not chosen another personal maid to be by her side. The original second-class maid Vanilla has replaced Cuiguo.

Xiangcao came in through the curtains and bowed her head to report, "Princess, the Second Prince is coming down."

"Let him go back. I said I don't want to see him." Jiaoyu's voice was cold and her tone was flat.

"Jiaoyu, I brought you some of your favorite Wufangzhai rose cakes." Just as Jiaoyu finished speaking, the familiar voice of Changsun Yunji echoed from outside the door. Then, he opened the curtains himself and walked in, carrying one or two paper packages printed with the Wufangzhai logo and a gentle smile on his face.

But Jiaoyu seemed to have not heard anything, and still did not turn around or respond. Seeing this, Xiangcao could only quietly retreat to the door and carefully tidied the door curtain.

Second Prince Changsun Yunji seemed unfazed by Jiaoyu's indifference, his expression remaining calm. He first placed the snack bag in his hand on the table, then turned around and took down a cloak from the shelf beside him. He slowly walked behind Jiaoyu and gently put it on her, muttering with concern, "You're wearing so little and standing by the window. Be careful not to catch a cold."

"It's none of your business what happens to me. Just go away. I don't need you to pretend to be a good person in front of me." Jiaoyu slowly turned around and looked at the second prince coldly, with alienation and indifference in her eyes, and that look seemed to be able to frostbite people.

"Jiao Yu, I know you are angry, but you must also cherish your body. I am your second brother, and I feel sorry for you. Grandpa and the others have also thought of a way, but the emperor is still angry, so you and mother may have to suffer for a while. And if your mother knows about this, she will be anxious." The second prince persuaded softly.

"You know I'm angry, yet you still appear in front of me? Don't you know what will make me angry? Aren't you afraid that you will be implicated? Aren't you afraid that the emperor will blame you too?" A cold sneer appeared on Jiaoyu's lips, her eyes full of ridicule and disdain, and she looked at Changsun Yunji and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

The Second Prince truly felt a pang of pain. He looked helplessly at his sister. Ever since she had been confined to her room, he had never received a favorable response from her every visit. He knew that from childhood, under the loving protection of their mother and grandfather, they had lived a smooth life, having hardly encountered any major setbacks or hardships.

This time, Jiaoyu was confined to her house, which was the first time in her life that she had suffered such a severe punishment. Therefore, it was difficult for her to accept this huge gap in her heart and it was difficult for her to change her mood. Her behavior made her, as a brother, exhausted.

It was because of her reaction that the Second Prince, Changsun Yunji, strictly sealed off all communication between Jiaoyu Palace and the outside world, and never dared to tell her that his father wanted to adopt him to Concubine Cen.

Today, as news of Jin'an's arranged marriage spread, he was deeply concerned that if word reached Jiaoyu Palace, it would cause Jiaoyu to lose control even further, so he hurried here. He was then met with such sarcasm and ridicule from her, leaving him truly exhausted. His own life in the palace was difficult and tiring. He had sought the Emperor's revocation of the adoption order, but to no avail. He could only hope that his maternal grandfather and his family would help him.

He didn't understand why his painstaking efforts always resulted in misunderstanding and resentment from his sister. Was he so unbearable in her heart that all his care and efforts were just false?

He said nothing more, slowly uttering, "Well, rest well for now. I'll come see you another day." He then gave Jiaoyu a deep look, his eyes filled with helplessness, pity, and a subtle hint of disappointment. Then he turned and, with heavy steps, slowly left Jiaoyu Palace, his back revealing a sense of sadness and loneliness.

Jiaoyu stared quietly at his departing back, with only a very brief trace of panic and reluctance in her eyes. Then, she quickly returned to her cold and distant look and turned away resolutely.

That's right, she did it on purpose. She deliberately spoke coldly and harshly to her second brother, but she had her own agenda. In her view, her second brother was too cowardly, lacking the courage and responsibility he should have. She wanted to force him to be tough, to force him to ask the Emperor for her and her mother. Why should she and her mother have to endure such hardships while he could eat, drink, and sleep well outside?

Deep down, she believed that all her and her mother's past planning and sacrifices were ultimately for her second brother's bright future and supreme honor. If that was the case, why should he sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor without putting in the effort, fighting alongside them, sharing the hardships? These thoughts lingered in her mind, constantly tearing at her rationality and emotions, making her even more determined to force her second brother, hoping that she and her mother could escape as soon as possible.

She didn't know that after the Zhang family fell, her incompetent second brother, in order to save her and her mother's lives, voluntarily gave up the fight for the throne and was named Prince Yi and sent to his fiefdom. She and her mother were left in the capital. The second prince never returned to the capital.

He was very distressed. He came here after hearing the news of Jin An's marriage.