[Is Granny Feng leaving? It seems her days at the Princess's residence aren't easy.]
[This maid really knows how to bring up the most sensitive topics; Jiang Shu must be incredibly annoyed right now.]
[Waiting for Jiang Shu to focus on her career! Don't waste your time on men!]
The carriage finally stopped in front of the Prince's Mansion.
Jiang Shu lifted the carriage curtain. The sunlight was particularly dazzling today, and she subconsciously squinted. The steward at the door saw the county princess return and hurriedly stepped forward: "County Princess, you're back."
Jiang Shu nodded perfunctorily and walked inside.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Xiuchun, who was by the side of Princess Ning, hurrying over. Upon seeing Jiang Shu, she quickly curtsied and said, "Princess, you've finally returned. Her Highness the Princess is waiting for you."
Jiang Shu's heart skipped a beat. It was strange; her mother was looking for her at this time, it probably wasn't anything good. She took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and headed towards her mother's Yi'an Hall.
Princess Ning sat upright in the main seat. When she saw Jiang Shu enter, she put down her teacup, looked her up and down, and frowned: "Where have you been? Why do you look so pale all of a sudden? Where have you been wandering around again?"
Jiang Shu bowed timidly: "Your daughter greets Mother. I went to the Minister's residence to visit Uncle Zheng today."
"Oh?" Princess Ning raised an eyebrow. "How is Minister Zheng? Don't you know what you're thinking? Did you go to see Zheng Yu again?"
Jiang Shu's cheeks flushed instantly, and she lowered her head in embarrassment, "Mother..."
"Let me tell you something," Princess Ning slammed her hand on the table, her voice filled with anger, "Stop focusing on that Zheng Yu! He's just a peasant with such an unclear background! He's the stepson of Minister Zheng, and besides, recently someone in the court has impeached Minister Zheng, so their family is having a hard time and will soon fall into ruin."
He added, "I told you a few days ago to get to know Gao Dekai better. What do you think? That kid is the newly appointed third-ranked scholar, with a bright future ahead of him. He's much better than that Zheng Yu!"
Mentioning Gao Dekai, Jiang Shu's face showed a hint of disdain: "Mother, that Gao Dekai is nothing but a sycophantic opportunist. Last time at the banquet, when I saw the Prime Minister's son, his fawning manner disgusted me. You still let me associate with him?"
"What do you know!"
Princess Ning was immediately enraged and embarrassed. "What's wrong with a man having some ambition? Does he have to be like Zheng Yu, talented but lacking in cunning? I think you've been bewitched by Zheng Yu!"
[Gao Dekai? That name sounds familiar...]
[Jiang Shu has a sharp eye; she spotted him as a snobbish opportunist at a glance, much better than some love-struck fools.]
[Isn't Princess Ning too materialistic? Does she not care about her daughter's happiness?]
[No, Princess Ning truly cares for Jiang Shu.]
Jiang Shu felt uncomfortable hearing her mother scold her like that. She had told her mother many times that she really didn't like that damned Gao Dekai at all.
But the mother, without any regard for right or wrong, insisted on binding them together.
Jiang Shu couldn't help but feel angry and looked at Princess Ning: "Mother, are you forcing me? I don't want to marry some third-ranked scholar, and I don't want to..."
Jiang Shu gritted her teeth and finally asked the question that had been lingering in her mind for a long time, "There are rumors outside that His Majesty intends to send Shu'er to the Turks for a political marriage. Is it true or false?!"
Upon hearing the words "marriage alliance," Princess Ning's face instantly fell. She remained silent for a moment, then sighed deeply, "This matter is absolutely true."
“Since you didn’t ask me back then, I naturally couldn’t tell you. Three months ago, the Khan of the Turks, Sukhebalu, sent an envoy to the capital, specifically requesting to marry the princess of Yecheng. You are from a prestigious family, and moreover, your father and His Majesty… His Majesty also prefers you to go to the Turks.”
Upon hearing Princess Ning's words, Jiang Shu felt a wave of dizziness and lost her balance. She staggered backward and grabbed the hand of the maid behind her, barely managing to stand still.
"It really is true..."
Jiang Shu murmured.
Actually, she had heard rumors some time ago, but she thought they were just gossip. Jiang Shu had been holding onto a sliver of hope, but now that she had received confirmation from her mother, that hope was completely shattered.
The Turkic region is located in a wild and untamed area, with vast deserts as far as the eye can see. The climate is dry and barren. If you go to that terrible place, you may never be able to come back in this lifetime.
"Mother, I don't want to go!" Jiang Shu pleaded, her voice trembling with tears. "I don't want to spend my whole life trapped in that desolate place far from you and Father, and I don't want to live a muddled life with some Turkic Khan!"
Princess Ning felt a pang of sorrow as she looked at Jiang Shu's pale face, but she could not disobey the emperor's decree. What could she do?
Princess Ning sighed helplessly: "Shu'er, your mother knows you're unwilling, but this is His Majesty's decree. If we disobey, we'll be committing treason. Not only you and your mother, but your father will also lose his head..."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and for a moment she felt a chill run down her spine.
Fortunately, Princess Ning still had something to say: "But Shu'er, don't be anxious. This matter may still be salvageable. The most important thing for you now is to find a good man to marry as soon as possible. By then, the die will be cast, and you might be able to avoid this calamity. That's why I asked you to spend more time with Gao Dekai. Why don't you understand your mother's good intentions, child?"
"My daughter said, I won't get married!"
Jiang Shu raised her head, a stubborn glint in her eyes. "Shu'er's marriage is her own decision, so there's no need for Mother to worry about it!"
After saying that, Jiang Shu turned and ran away.
"Jiang Shu! You stop right there!"
Princess Ning slammed her fist on the table in anger, “You’re spending all your time with Zheng Heyi these days, and you’re becoming more and more immature as you get older! I thought you would understand me, but who knew you’d picked up so much of the bandit mentality from the martial arts world, it’s outrageous!”
Jiang Shu was extremely upset. She ran all the way back to her room, slammed the door shut, and slid down against the door, sitting on the floor. Then she pitifully hugged her knees.
At that moment, Jiang Shu could no longer hold back her tears...
The marriage alliance, Zheng Yu, her mother's pressure... all these things weighed on her like a heavy mountain, making it impossible for her to breathe.
She didn't want to go to the Turkic Khaganate, and she certainly didn't want to marry someone she didn't like. But what could a weak woman like her do?
[I'm crying, the female lead is so pitiful, she didn't do anything wrong...]
This is the tragedy of women in ancient times; their fate was never in their own hands.
Will the villainous female supporting character help Jiang Shu? They seemed to have a good relationship before.
Jiang Shu cried in her room for a long time, until it got dark, before she finally managed to stop crying. She washed her face, looked at her swollen eyes in the mirror, and felt completely lost.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
