Seeing Song Zhaoyu’s crestfallen expression, Song Jiaojiao felt increasingly uneasy.
She comforted Song Zhaoyu a few words, then muttered, "Fourth sister... all being princesses, why is there such a big difference between being Princess Ning and Princess Chang?"
"That's only natural."
Song Zhaoyu lowered her eyes, her tone dejected. "You haven't seen it, how glorious our second sister is now! Not to mention the ten-mile dowry on her wedding day, which family in the capital doesn't curry favor with their Ning Prince's mansion, and curry favor with second sister?"
As if Song Jiaojiao became even more curious about this matter, she even leaned closer to Song Zhaoyu. "Really? Fourth sister, tell me, how glorious is the Ning Prince's mansion?"
Song Zhaoyu pretended not to know her intentions, then smiled faintly. "It's not to mention that second sister usually wears gold and silver. The entire Ning Prince's mansion is controlled by her alone. If she later gives birth to the Ning Prince's eldest son, won't all this be second sister's credit? And I see... the Ning Prince is so highly valued by the Emperor now, who knows how prosperous the Ning Prince's mansion will become in the future!"
She clicked her tongue. "Let alone second sister, even a side consort of the Ning Prince's mansion, even a favored concubine, walks as if they want to put their hands on their hips! The other day I saw a concubine of the Ning Prince's mansion being bumped into on the street, and they directly beat the offender with planks! Others heard she was from the Ning Prince's mansion and dared not do anything to her. You tell me, isn't this a heaven-shattering fortune, an immeasurable glory?"
Upon hearing this, Song Jiaojiao quickly nodded. "Is the Ning Prince's mansion that good? But I heard that the Ning Prince dotes on second sister alone? How can there be other women by his side?"
"My foolish sister!"
Song Zhaoyu reached out, took Song Jiaojiao's hand, and then sighed and shook her head. "Are the words of others more believable than the words of your sister? Moreover, don't you think all men in the world are the same? Where is the sincerity to be with one person for a lifetime? Just say the Ning Prince has a side consort, although she cannot compare to our second sister in the Ning Prince's mansion, she is also very favored!"
Song Zhaoyu put on an envious look. "I heard that the Ning Prince is very protective of women. There isn't a woman in the capital who speaks ill of him! To be able to enter his Ning Prince's mansion, that is truly good fortune!"
Song Zhaoyu's words made Song Jiaojiao's eyes dart around.
The more she listened, the more restless she became. "Sister, do you really think the Ning Prince's mansion is better than the Chang Prince's mansion?"
"Naturally."
Song Zhaoyu's gaze was firm. "The Chang Prince's mansion... look at it. I will have to guard a man who is in a wheelchair every day. I don't know what the future holds. While the Emperor is still alive, it's still alright. But if I say something disrespectful, if one day—no one protects the Chang Prince, who knows how difficult life will be!"
"Alas!"
She sighed again, her eyes filled with deeper melancholy. "From now on, we sisters will have to fend for ourselves. Since life is already like this, how can I have the ability to change fate? I can only hope that Heaven will pity me, but then again, in that mansion, does the length of time spent there matter?"
"Sister... one's fate is determined by heaven, don't be sad!"
Song Jiaojiao also reached out and patted Song Zhaoyu's hand. "You're still getting married in some time, sister, so you should enjoy your time in Jiangzhou and relax. Don't think too much about other things."
Saying this, Song Jiaojiao also stood up, eager to go outside. "Sister, I should go back to serve my uncle and aunt. I won't disturb you here anymore. Sister, cheer up, life will get better bit by bit!"
After speaking, she hurried away and left.
Seeing her rushing departure, a hint of mockery appeared in Song Zhaoyu's eyes.
Until Song Jiaojiao's figure disappeared, Tiaohong also came up from the side and removed the tea from the table. "It's a shame she didn't drink a single sip of such good tea!"
Naturally knowing the mockery in her tone, Song Zhaoyu also smiled coldly. "She only thinks about how to quickly enter a prominent family now, why would she care about our tea? Good tea needs to be paired with someone who appreciates it!"
Tiaohong also smiled at these words. "Miss is still smart! Now she probably only thinks about how to enter the Ning Prince's mansion, and won't insist on marrying our Chang Prince anymore. These people, Miss, they never asked about her before, but now they are all rushing to take advantage of her. Who knows what they were doing before. Such people should be left to the second sister to discipline."
Tiaohong felt indignant for Song Zhaoyu, but Song Zhaoyu herself felt no different. "Forget it, let them be. We just need to live our own lives well, other things are not important!"
The mistress and servant chatted quietly for a while longer, and then Song Zhaoyu went to rest.
—
Song Zhaoyu thought that even if Song Jiaojiao was in a hurry, it wouldn't be within a day or two.
Unexpectedly, when it was time for dinner, Song Zhaoyu saw the First Madam storming in from outside the door, angrily shouting in the courtyard, "She doesn't even know what she is! And she wants to provoke me? I'm telling them, no way! Anyone can dream, and she wants to enter the Ning Prince's mansion? So many women in this world want to ascend to immortality, why doesn't she go do that!?"
Judging by her words...
Song Zhaoyu turned back and gave Tiaohong a smiling look. "How is it, did it work?"
Tiaohong covered her mouth and smiled, then watched the Old Madam frown and come out of the room. "What are you shouting about? Why is there never a peaceful day? What's wrong now?"
"Mother!"
The First Madam immediately complained to the Old Madam. "Do you know what that Ning clan told me just now? She said they've thought it through and won't send the illegitimate girl from the fourth branch to the Chang Prince's mansion. Instead, they want me to find a way to tell Jiaojiao to send her to the Ning Prince's mansion, even if it's as a favored concubine! You tell me, what are they saying? Do they think I don't know their intentions?!"
In fact, the Old Madam guessed that this matter was probably related to Song Zhaoyu.
But she just glanced at Song Zhaoyu, then frowned and said to the First Madam, "Enough! In the morning, when they wanted to send the person to the fourth girl, you didn't say anything. Why are you anxious now that it's the second girl? They are clearly taking advantage of the fact that you, as the matriarch, don't refuse, so they are becoming more presumptuous."