Chapter 74 You certainly care about others [39]

Three months have passed since the incident involving Shen Jingya. Marquis Zhongyi has been reinstated, and Rong Shi has resumed her activities outside the home.

Those wives of officials who already had a good relationship with Rong mostly felt sympathy for her, so it was alright.

However, it's inevitable that you'll occasionally hear some unpleasant things.

However, Rong was not a fragile person; he simply pretended not to hear it.

It was because Rong Shi went out and about that A Chu heard some news that she couldn't hear in the Eastern Palace when she returned to her parents' home again.

For example, after Si Jinxuan was released from his three-month confinement, Consort Jiang began to find him a new princess.

Three months ago, Si Jinxuan would have been a hot commodity.

After all, he was the son of Consort Jiang, and he was outstanding in talent, appearance, and ability. He was also the prince with the best chance of taking the throne after Si Jinye's death.

But nowadays, Si Jinxuan's reputation is really not good.

Those daughters of officials who were outstanding in terms of family background, appearance, and talent were not very willing to marry Si Jinxuan.

After more than half a month of dating, Consort Jiang still arranged a marriage for Si Jinxuan.

When Rong Shi mentioned this, A Chu asked curiously, "Which young lady has been chosen?"

Rong Shi's face showed a somewhat subtle expression: "The eldest daughter of Prime Minister Fang has been chosen."

Achu had no close female friends and had never heard of this eldest daughter of Prime Minister Fang.

However, seeing Rong's subtle expression, she asked, "Mother, is there something wrong with this Miss Fang?"

Madam Rong neither nodded nor shook her head: "There is nothing wrong with this Miss Fang. In terms of family background, she is the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Fang, and Prime Minister Fang loves and values ​​this only daughter left by his late wife very much."

"In terms of talent, this Miss Fang is also outstanding."

"However... this Miss Fang's appearance is rather ordinary."

Rong described him as having an ordinary appearance: seven feet tall, slightly dark skin, a square face, single eyelids, a flat nose, and thin lips.

He looks about 80% like Prime Minister Fang.

In recent years, there have been some suitors, but those were all families hoping to establish a connection with Prime Minister Fang.

In addition, Miss Fang has some requirements for her other half, which is why she hasn't gotten married even though she's been married for several years since she came of age.

Miss Fang is now over nineteen years old, which is considered old maid in this era.

Consort Jiang's choice of Miss Fang was a compromise.

Miss Fang is flawless except for her looks.

After hearing Rong's description, Achu didn't think Miss Fang was lacking in appearance; it was just a pretty face.

On the contrary, she felt that Miss Fang was quite unlucky to have to marry Si Jinxuan.

When Si Jinye came to the Marquis of Zhongyi's residence to pick up A Chu in the afternoon, A Chu told him about this matter.

The carriage swayed slightly as Si Jinye and A Chu sat side by side, holding hands.

Hearing Achu's words, he turned his head to look at her, and tugged at the corner of his lips: "You do care about other people."

Achu looked at him and said, "Why does that sound a bit sarcastic? Don't I care about you enough?"

Si Jinye toyed with A Chu's fingers and hummed softly, "You haven't been that concerned about me lately."

“A few days ago, when I got up in the morning, you would tell me to drive slowly.”

"But these past few days, when I tried to kiss you before leaving in the morning, you just pushed me away."

Achu was speechless.

She never expected Si Jinye to turn out like this.

“It’s been raining every day for the past few days, and the roads are slippery, so I told you to drive carefully.”

"These past few days... these past few days, tell me how late you've kept me up? How can I possibly be in the mood to give you any instructions in the morning?"

Achu glared at Si Jinye with little intimidation, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Si Jinye said that just now to tease A Chu.

Now, listening to her complain about being kept up too late these past few days, he can't help but reminisce...

Si Jinye never expected that he was such a lustful person.

But he was only attracted to Achu's beauty and wished he could be with her every day.

A few days ago, A Chu had her period, and Si Jinye abstained for seven or eight days. Only in the last few days has he become more sexually active.

Si Jinye coughed lightly, looking unusually guilty.

He then brought up the matter of Si Jinxuan's engagement to the Fang family.

"Si Jinxuan and the eldest daughter of the Fang family are indeed engaged. Because Miss Fang is a bit old, the wedding date was set in a hurry and will be next month."

"My father will issue an imperial decree to grant us the marriage today or tomorrow."

Achu was somewhat surprised: "So rushed?"

Si Jinye nodded.

Achu suddenly thought of Shen Jingya, wondering if she had heard the news.

Shen Jingya heard about it.

She only found out from the gossip of the maids in the courtyard.

For the past three months, Shen Jingya has been recuperating.

Those eighty strokes of the cane nearly killed her.

Several times, she thought she wouldn't make it through because her wounds became infected and she had a fever.

But Shen Jingya persevered thanks to her indomitable will.

Later, she kept waiting for Si Jinxuan to come and see her.

Shen Jingya knew that Si Jinxuan had also been punished severely, so she didn't think much of it when he didn't come to see her at first.

Three months passed in the blink of an eye. Si Jinxuan had fought thirty fewer times than her, and being a martial artist, his body should have recovered much faster.

But Shen Jingya still didn't get to see Si Jinxuan.

She's been able to walk around these past few days, and I was originally planning to go see Si Jinxuan once she got a little better.

As a result, she overheard the maid saying that the Prince Rui's mansion was going to have a new princess!

She remained calm and composed, as if struck by lightning.

She called the two maids in and asked them, "What were you talking about just now? Who wants to marry the princess?"

In the past three months, Shen Jingya has become much thinner and more haggard. In addition, without dressing up, her appearance and temperament are not as good as before.

Moreover, her expression was somewhat ferocious, which was rather frightening.

The two young maids were naturally not afraid of this former princess who was now a concubine.

They exchanged a glance, and one of the maids replied, "Reporting to Aunt Shen, our Prince is going to marry a Princess, and the wedding date is set for the ninth day of next month."

The title "Aunt Shen" made Shen Jingya's expression even more unpleasant.

She was calm and elegant, yet she ended up as a concubine!

But soon, she lost interest in the title.

"What?! Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

Shen Jingya's eyes were almost popping out of their sockets, and her face was contorted with shock, disbelief, anger, and other emotions.

She was lying in bed, but she threw off the covers and got out of bed.

Because she was still a little weak, Chen Jingya staggered and almost fell.

The two maids, seeing this, made no attempt to help him up.

It was Cuiyue, another of Shen Jingya's personal maids, who stepped forward and helped her up.

"Miss, you're not fully recovered yet, please go slowly."

Shen Jingya disregarded everything else and put on her shoes to go find Si Jinxuan and get some answers.

She couldn't believe it; she couldn't believe that, given her relationship with Si Jinxuan, he would marry someone else so quickly!

Shen Jingya was stopped by the guards of the Prince's Mansion as soon as she reached the courtyard gate.

“Aunt Shen, the Prince has ordered that you cannot go out without his permission.”

Shen Jingya hadn't left the house for over three months and had no idea that Si Jinxuan had actually confined her to her quarters!

She felt a rush of blood to her heart, and her vision went black.