Jiang Yuyao huddled in the carriage, twisting her handkerchief. Ever since Jiang Yihuan returned to the capital, the Fourth Prince had become increasingly attentive to her. Today, he'd specially brought her to the enclosure, even leaving the principal concubine at home. Listening to the two princes' heated exchange, she couldn't help but lift a corner of the carriage curtain to peek.
"Second brother is right." Xinyi Zigu suddenly grabbed Jiang Yuyao's hand, "But Yuyao is different from those vulgar women. She belongs to General Jiang." He suddenly stopped talking here, and caught a glimpse of Jiang Songyi's figure not far away.
Xin Yiwei tapped the golden saddle with her whip and sneered, "A concubine is a concubine. Fourth brother, have you forgotten that your wife is still seven months pregnant and nursing her child at home?"
"Goodness, these two are the same," Jiang Songyi thought, tugging at the tassels on the reins. She had heard vaguely of the Second Prince beating his concubine to death in her previous life, but she had no idea the fetus was actually of royal blood. The sun made her squint, and she suddenly noticed Jiang Jinzhao riding closer.
"The second prince's concubine is called Chunying." Jiang Jinzhao's voice came with the chirping of cicadas, "She is the daughter of his wet nurse." He always disdained to talk about these dirty things in the backyard, but seeing Jiang Songyi eavesdropping with her ears perked up, he inexplicably wanted to say a few more words.
Jiang Songyi pretended to arrange her quiver, but her fingertips paused. The shadows of the trees fell dappled on her crimson riding coat, like a handful of scattered gold.
"Last December, Chunying knelt in front of the Second Prince's consort's courtyard, her belly bulging." Jiang Jinzhao looked at the startled birds flying away in the distance. "The imperial physician said the fetus was already four months old—just in time for the Second Prince to discuss marriage with the Qi family."
Isn't this a slap in the face of the Qi family? Jiang Songyi plucked off a tassel. In her previous life, when she was trapped in the mansion, she often heard the maids and servants discuss these secrets.
Seeing her eyelashes flutter, Jiang Jinzhao continued, "The Qi family's daughter wanted to return home right then and there, and the Second Prince kicked Chunying in the heart in public." He paused as a sudden gust of wind blew through the woods. "Later, when Chunying died, she was still clutching the jade pendant the Second Prince had given her."
"I've seen that jade pendant!" Jiang Songyi clenched the reins fiercely. In her previous life, she had accompanied the Crown Prince to a banquet in the palace and had seen the Second Prince's wife wearing a similar jade ornament. She had been puzzled at the time, wondering why it was carved with cherry blossom petals.
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