By the way... I wanted to talk to Zheng Yu.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Yu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He thought of Jiang Shu, that gentle and graceful woman, who was once considered by everyone and his family to be his perfect match. But now… Thinking of everything that happened last night, Zheng Yu felt inexplicably irritated.

[Oh no, this is going to be a chaotic scene!]

Jiang Shu's visit to the Minister's residence was naturally out of good intentions; how could we possibly refuse?

Zheng Yu walked out of the Minister's residence and looked outside. He saw Jiang Shu standing by the carriage, her face filled with worry. Upon noticing Zheng Yu, Jiang Shu's eyes lit up.

"Young Master Zheng, I wonder how your uncle is doing lately? I came to visit you."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Yu remained calm and composed. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My father was just suffering from a sudden heart attack. He took the ginseng you sent the other day, and now that a doctor has treated him carefully, he is fine and just needs to rest."

Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief, then lowered her head shyly, "I haven't seen you in a long time. May I go for a walk with you? Just for a little while."

Looking at Jiang Shu's seemingly expectant eyes, Zheng Yu recalled He Yi's burning body and hazy eyes from last night.

Zheng Yu paused for a moment, then surprisingly declined: "I'm sorry, Princess. My father is seriously ill, and I need to stay by his side at all times. I'm afraid something might happen to him at any moment, and I won't be able to accompany you on your trip."

Jiang Shu's smile froze, a look of desolation appeared in her eyes, and she tightened her grip on the handkerchief.

But she still forced a smile and said, "I see. Since you are the one who needs to take good care of your uncle, I won't bother you any longer."

[He rejected her! Zheng Yu actually rejected Jiang Shu!]

[Poor Jiang Shu, you're the female lead, my sister! Now you can't even be a backup option.]

[That's great, the villainous female supporting character has completely won! Although she probably doesn't know it yet!]

Just then, He Yi seemed to hear someone talking outside, and hurriedly came out. She heard that Jiang Shu had arrived, so she rushed over to greet her.

"Ah, Sister Jiang? I haven't seen you in so long, I really miss you." She rushed over and hugged Jiang Shu. Jiang Shu saw He Yi and gave a forced smile: "He Yi, little sister." He Yi looked at her face and asked with concern, "Sister Jiang, are you feeling unwell? Why do you look so pale? Is something wrong?"

Fearing that He Yi would see through her, Jiang Shu hurriedly shook her head: "It's nothing, where do you feel unwell? I'm just afraid I've been standing in the wind for too long. I came here to see Uncle. Since Uncle is alright, I'll go back now."

She finished speaking hastily, then gave Zheng Yu a deep look, a look that was extremely complicated. Zheng Yu ignored her and didn't even offer to see her off.

Jiang Shu walked slowly, and it was clear that she wanted Zheng Yu to see her off.

But Zheng Yu seemed to be rooted to the spot, and Jiang Shu couldn't wait any longer, so she could only turn around and leave dejectedly.

Jiang Shu's eyes look so sad... I feel a little sorry for her.

[Wake up, upstairs! Jiang Shu might not be a good person either!]

Watching Jiang Shu's departing figure, He Yi was a little puzzled and turned to Zheng Yu: "Brother, why did Sister Jiang leave so soon? She didn't look well. I wonder if she's sick. Why don't you go and see her off?"

Zheng Yu did not answer and turned away.

"Let's go back, it's windy outside." He Yi could only give a listless "Oh" and follow Zheng Yu back into the house. On the way, she didn't forget to look back at Jiang Shu as she walked away.

On the way back, Yunyu, seeing her mistress's sullen expression, couldn't help but say, "Princess, don't be sad. I think Young Master Zheng only has his sister in his heart now. Look how much he cares for Zheng Heyi? He's always by her side. How can there be any place for you in his heart?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu's expression turned even more unpleasant, but she didn't say a word.

Yunyu continued to fan the flames.

"That's right! I heard that the young master of Yong'an County was unwell a while ago, and he stayed up all night to keep watch over her! Their brother-sister bond is so strong that no one else can interfere..."

The carriage sped towards the Prince's mansion. Inside the carriage, Jiang Shu sat by the window, her fingers unconsciously twisting her handkerchief, the corner of which was already crumpled.

The cold wind from outside the car swept in, ruffling the stray hairs at Jiang Shu's temples.

"Princess, are you still upset about Young Master Zheng's matter?"

Yunyu carefully observed Jiang Shu's expression, her voice extremely low, "This servant observes that Young Master Zheng's eyes and heart are now only on his sister. Didn't you see what happened just now?"

“You were standing at the door waiting for him to see you off, but he just stood there like a dead man. On the contrary, He Yi followed him everywhere he went.”

Jiang Shu's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she didn't say anything in the end. The scenery outside the car window rushed past, just like the past she couldn't hold onto.

Once upon a time, Zheng Yu's gaze towards her carried a gentle smile. In the past, at aristocratic gatherings, he would subtly approach her. But now?

"Princess Yong'an wasn't feeling well a few days ago," Yunyu said, emboldened by Jiang Shu's silence, and continued to stir things up. "I heard that the eldest young master stayed at the princess's residence all night. Tsk tsk, their sibling bond is truly touching; how could anyone else possibly interfere?"

Yunyu, that damned thing, deliberately said "brother and sister".

A barely perceptible sneer appeared at the corner of his lips. Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu suddenly clenched her handkerchief.

Did you keep watch all night?

Zheng Yu had never taken such meticulous care of her before. Now that she thought about it, her relationship with him couldn't even compare to the affection between "brother and sister"! An indescribable sorrow welled up in her throat.

Jiang Shu has always been proud and arrogant. If her mother hadn't begged her to meet with that so-called third-ranked scholar every day, how could Jiang Shu have taken the initiative to come to Zheng Yu?

As for Zheng Yu, he actually rejected her today. Just thinking about this made Jiang Shuju feel incredibly warm inside!

"Enough! Yunyu, don't mention this again." Yunyu was startled by Jiang Shu's sudden change in attitude and immediately shrank her neck and lowered her head.

But she didn't stop fanning the flames, still muttering resentfully, "This servant was only speaking up for you, Princess..."

"I've said enough!"

Jiang Shu's voice suddenly rose three digits, filled with barely suppressed anger. Yun Yu's expression changed slightly, and she looked embarrassed. Jiang Shu snorted coldly and turned her face away, refusing to look at her again.

“Granny Feng returned a few days ago. She said she was not very willing to work at the Princess’s residence anymore. I think you should let her come back.”

Granny Feng was an old woman left behind by my grandmother. She had always disapproved of my close relationship with Zheng Yu, so her sudden departure must have some reason.

Everyone in this mansion is a snob who fawns on the powerful and bullies the weak.

Thinking of this, Jiang Shu felt inexplicably irritable and conflicted, and even the carriage felt suffocating.