The princess regretted it.

Chapter 317 The Secret in the Prince's Heart

However, Jiaoyu's next words were like a hammer, hammering down on the Second Prince's heart. Suddenly, the world seemed to have become unreal, as if he could no longer distinguish between truth and falsehood. Jiaoyu unburdened him of the Third Prince's seemingly earnest plea, but in reality, a sinister plot to convict him and drag him into this abyss, and how her father was likely already suspicious of the Third Prince.

Upon hearing this, the Second Prince's head boomed, as if thunder had exploded. A sudden, resounding sound echoed in his mind, shaking him so much that everything around him suddenly became blurry. It was as if cotton were stuffed into his ears, and he could hear nothing but Jiaoyu's lips moving. His face instantly turned as white as paper, a piercing paleness devoid of any color. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and trickled down his cheeks, but he remained oblivious. He stared blankly at Jiaoyu, his eyes empty and vacant, as if trapped in an endless nightmare, unable to hear what she was saying.

After Jiaoyu finished speaking, she finally came to her senses and looked up to see the Second Prince in a strange state. His eyes were dull, like a puppet without a soul, and his face was extremely ugly. He looked as if his soul had left his body and was lifeless.

Upon seeing this, Jiaoyu was so frightened that her face turned pale, her heart suddenly rose to her throat, and she quickly reached out and tightly grabbed the sleeve of the second prince, shaking him hard, calling out anxiously: "Second brother, second brother, what's wrong with you? Second brother, brother, don't scare me!" There was already a tone of crying in her voice, with deep worry and fear, and her eyes turned red instantly, tears welled up in her eyes, and were about to burst out.

After a long while, the Second Prince seemed to slowly come back to his senses from his chaotic and confused state. His eyes gradually regained focus and slowly focused on Jiaoyu's face. His eyes were full of complex emotions, including heartache, guilt, and deep helplessness.

He raised his hand tremblingly and gently touched the slap mark on Jiaoyu's face, which was still slightly red. The moment his fingers touched it, it seemed that the pain of the slap mark was transmitted to his heart, making him frown slightly. He said in an extremely bitter voice: "Does it hurt? Who hit you?" The voice was low and dark, as if every word was squeezed out of his throat with great effort.

Seeing this, Jiaoyu took his hand, her eyes red and filled with tears. She shook her head gently, holding back her tears, trying to make her voice sound steadier, and said, "It doesn't hurt anymore, brother. It was my fault. I almost hurt you. I deserve it. You don't have to worry. It really doesn't hurt anymore." But her slightly trembling lips revealed the grievance and sadness in her heart.

Upon hearing this, the Second Prince felt a growing pressure within him, as if an invisible mountain were bearing down on him, suffocating him. He was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Jiaoyu, tell Mother to stop. Don't continue." His tone was filled with undeniable resolve, as if he had already made up his mind.

"Why? Second brother! You..." Jiaoyu became anxious after hearing what the second prince said, and subconsciously wanted to scold him, but when the words came to her lips, she thought of his previous collapse reaction and was afraid of irritating him, so she stopped talking in time and just looked at him with confusion and anxiety.

"Jiao Yu, there is something that has been weighing on my heart for a long time." The second prince slowly withdrew his hand, his eyes became deep and distant, as if he was suddenly cast into the invisible distance, lost in memories, "Do you really think that my grandparents are wholeheartedly supporting me? In fact, it is not the case at all." His voice was very light, but it was like a heavy hammer, hitting Jiao Yu's heart.

When Jiaoyu heard his words, she was stunned at first and subconsciously wanted to refute, but somehow, looking at the serious and lonely expression of the Second Prince, she held back. She just looked at him quietly, holding her breath, waiting for him to continue, but an ominous premonition surged in her heart.

"Where has your cousin Zhenyuan gone? No one in the capital can guess why he, the only legitimate son of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, didn't take the imperial examinations or join the army, but instead went out to travel." The Second Prince lowered his head slightly, a hint of loneliness in his eyes, and slowly spoke, "He's not traveling far away, nor is he a wealthy child who doesn't care about anything. He's going to carry out the secret order of the Grand Ancestor. Traveling far away is just a cover-up for his whereabouts by the Grand Tutor's Mansion. I'm afraid even mother doesn't know about this. Think about it, he has been traveling far away for so many years, does he really not miss his family at all? Have either you or mother received any letters from him?"

As he spoke, a bitter smile appeared on the Second Prince's lips. That smile was full of self-mockery and helplessness, as if he was mocking his former naivety and his complete ignorance of the truth behind it. It was also as if he was helpless about this complicated and calculated situation.

"Secret order?!" Jiaoyu froze upon hearing this, and she looked at him in disbelief. Her eyes were instantly filled with shock and confusion. She had never imagined that something she had always believed in and taken for granted could hold such a shocking secret. Her mind raced with thoughts, and she couldn't help but recall some of the past.

At that time, I was thinking of betrothing Princess Jin'an to my cousin Zhenyuan, and I thought my maternal family would readily agree. After all, Princess Jin'an's status in the palace was not low, and she was also the emperor's beloved daughter. If I could marry her to my family, it would mean that I would have Jin'an under my control, which would be a good thing for my second brother to ascend to the throne in the future and for the Zhang family to become rich.

Unexpectedly, her grandfather and his family firmly told her and her mother not to worry about her cousin. At the time, she simply thought that her grandfather and his family looked down on Princess Jin'an and thought she was not worthy of her cousin, so she didn't think much of it and secretly felt upset for a long time.

Now that she thought about it, that wasn't the case at all. Perhaps her maternal grandparents had other plans and didn't want this incident to affect her cousin's execution of the so-called "secret order," nor did they want her cousin's whereabouts to be exposed. The more Jiaoyu thought about it, the colder she felt down her spine, and everything she had believed in before began to waver.

"I stumbled upon this by accident. It was around the same time that year, nearing the end of the Lunar New Year. I saw someone on the street who looked very much like him, except he was dressed very simply, a stark contrast to his usual appearance. He hurried down an alley, looking rather furtive. Curious, I followed him and found him entering a small courtyard." The Second Prince paused and asked softly, "Jiaoyu, do you know who opened the door?"

Jiaoyu didn't answer. Although she had doubts in her heart, she couldn't express them. As if it wouldn't be true if she didn't say it. She bit her lip and shook her head gently.