...
The events of that night at Liushang Pavilion ended with the conclusion that Zheng Yutong had no substantial evidence to suggest that she had plotted against the Crown Princess.
The affair between Jing Shuo, Zheng Yutong, Jing Lu, and Cheng Suyun can be considered a breach of private morality.
Because it concerns the face of the royal family and the two princes, even though such a mistake has been made, there is no intention to deal with it publicly. After a few days, Jing Huaixu will bestow marriage upon the four of them.
Jing Lu was poisoned by Cheng Suyun's potent medicine, and on that day he suffered a sudden attack of anger and vomited blood. His sickly appearance persisted for days, and he gradually became depressed.
Consort Zheng couldn't bear to see her son suffer, so she came over three times a day to take care of him with medicinal meals. She looked at Jinglu lying on the bed, looking lost and dejected, and all her words of comfort were in vain.
So she summoned Zheng Yutong, who sat by Jinglu's bedside, clutching a handkerchief in her hand, tears streaming down her face.
"Third cousin, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have wanted to find a quiet place to rest because I wasn't feeling well. I forgot to tell you, otherwise I wouldn't have run into the Second Prince."
“There was no one around me at the time. The Second Prince held my hairpin to my neck and forced me to take off my clothes. He threatened to stab me to death if I didn’t comply. I was really scared.”
“But I’m not afraid of dying, I’m afraid of not seeing you one last time, Third Cousin, and now things have turned out this way.”
"I...I have lost all face. I have made up my mind that I would rather die than marry the Second Prince. At worst, I will just find a day to end my life."
“Absolutely not, Cousin Yutong,” Zheng Yutong said, and with each word, a look of sorrow flashed in Jinglu’s eyes. Until he heard that Yutong, who loved him wholeheartedly, wanted to commit suicide, he could no longer remain silent.
Jing Lu struggled with his heavy body, grasped Zheng Yutong's hand, and spoke with a heart full of unspoken emotions.
"Yutong, don't say that. It's all my fault for not taking good care of you. I left you for so long when there were so many people around."
"My second brother hates you so much because he still hates me. He hates that I caused his leg to break, so he vents his anger on you. I bear the most responsibility and have no face to blame you."
"Things have come to this point, and although there is no possibility between us, I don't want you to do anything foolish. Since Father has already discussed it with the two Grandmothers, once the imperial decree is issued, Second Brother will definitely not dare to treat you too badly. I hope you live well."
"Third cousin, Yutong really can't bear to part with you," Zheng Yutong said, tears streaming down her face, her shoulders trembling as she cried.
I should have known better than to take that risky trip. It would have been fine if I hadn't met His Highness the Crown Prince, but I had to run into that reckless and arrogant good-for-nothing Jing Shuo.
Jing Lu is right. That night, Jing Shuo was still resentful about his broken leg, and because he had a very good relationship with Jing Lu, he vented his anger by torturing her.
Even if Jing Shuo didn't care about his own life, he still wanted to ruin his face with the hairpin. Zheng Yutong had no choice but to seduce Jing Shuo and make him have to find another way to do it to her.
Jing Shuo was no pushover. Even though he was incredibly infatuated with her at the time, he still tormented her for a long time, seemingly unwilling to be aroused by her desires. He used a hairpin to leave many wounds on her collarbone.
Now she has to marry him and live with him day and night. Zheng Yutong trembles with fear at the thought.
What's even more infuriating is that she didn't realize Cheng Suyun had long harbored feelings for Jing Lu, thus robbing her of her escape route.
"Third cousin, this is all I have in my life. Fortunately, Princess Cheng truly loves you. I know you are soft-hearted and won't hold a grudge against her. Forget about me and treat her well."
Zheng Yutong stopped crying and generously comforted Jing Lu.
Jing Lu broke down: "Yu Tong, even if I marry her, I will never forget you, Yu Tong. If there is any other way, I would rather marry you again."
"Enough, enough, Third Cousin, you're just trying to make me happy. Stop talking, or I'll never forget you. I'm leaving now."
Seeing that things had gone on long enough, Zheng Yutong didn't want to talk to Jing Lu any longer. After all, there was an unbreakable entanglement between them, which was why Jing Lu couldn't forget her.
If she ever suffers any injustice at Jing Shuo's hands in the future, she will still have Jing Lu as a fallback option to seek help from.
Before long, Zheng Yutong wiped away the tears on her cheeks, turned around, and left the palace gate with a sorrowful expression.
Jing Lu was in a daze. He only started crying and stretching out his arms after Zheng Yutong stepped out the door. His grief intensified.
"Yutong, Yutong, please come back."
Hearing this, Zheng Yutong, who had already walked out the door, quickened her pace and left Jing Lu's sight.
Hearing her son's piercing cries from outside, Consort Zheng rushed in. As soon as she entered, tears streamed down her face, and she ran straight to Jinglu's bedside.
"Lu'er, things have come to this. Just take your medicine, eat well, and get better, okay?"
"Otherwise, if you say Jingning is going to marry into the Jade Kingdom and never returns, and then Mother loses you too, how can I live?"
"Your grandmother has cried herself to death several times because of your marriage. It pains her to see you like this."
"It's all because of that Cheng family member. Not only did she covet the title of the prince's consort, but she also almost caused your death. Don't worry, even if you enter the family, I won't let her get away with it."
Consort Zheng poured out her bitterness and indignation, but her son remained unmoved, his eyes blankly staring at the doorway.
She had overheard Jing Lu and Zheng Yutong's conversation, and it was all within her expectations; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked Zheng Yutong to persuade her.
Consort Zheng pursed her lips, slowed down her stirring of the medicine, and after careful consideration, calmly offered her advice.
"To be honest, your mother can tell that you are fond of Yutong, and Yutong is also fond of you. It was your grandmother who had already decided on Yutong's fate and wanted to send her to the East Palace."
"Your mother can't make decisions for you two, and can only watch helplessly as you two fall in love..."
"Sigh, you're torturing yourself, and she must be having a hard time too. You two are destined to be apart, so don't think about her anymore."
Jing Lu closed his eyes briefly, his expression neither sad nor happy, and asked, "Has Yu Tong gone far away?"
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