Jiang Zhijing gave a self-deprecating smile: "A precious daughter? If that were the case, they wouldn't have sent me to this marriage alliance. It's just that my father doesn't love me and my mother doesn't care. Even if I die in a foreign land, no one will care."
Shen Tangning choked up, seeing her disheartened expression, and was at a loss for words.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Jiang Zhijing's earlobes were clean, and couldn't help but ask, "Isn't the princess wearing earrings?"
As far as she knew, women in the Qi Kingdom also had the habit of wearing earrings, especially the favored noble ladies in the family, but Jiang Zhijing didn't even have pierced ears.
Jiang Zhijing subconsciously touched her earlobe and turned her face slightly away, a gesture of avoidance.
Her expression was somewhat somber: "I suppose you've heard that I grew up in the countryside. I was adopted by a poor family who struggled to even have enough to eat and wear. How could they have the time or inclination to do these things?"
She lowered her eyes, her emotions unreadable. "Later, when I came to acknowledge my ancestors, I didn't have the habit of doing so. I was already out of place, so why should I pretend to be one of them?"
Shen Tangning realized this was something that saddened her, apologized, and stopped asking questions. Instead, she subtly inquired about other things.
"Did anything unusual happen yesterday?"
Jiang Zhijing probably realized that she was there to ask questions, so she pursed her lips and cooperated fairly: "After attending the palace banquet last night, His Majesty of your country sent many people to guard the post station. My brother was dissatisfied and threw a tantrum."
...
"The Emperor of Daqing clearly suspects that the assassin is one of our people! He's imprisoning us like criminals!" Jiang Heng said sarcastically, his heart filled with anger that he had nowhere to vent.
He stormed into the post station and shouted at the guards, "Get out of the way! I'm going out for a drink, are you going to stop me?"
The guard remained unmoved: "His Majesty has ordered that Your Highness refrain from moving around unnecessarily until the murderer is found. This is for your safety."
Jiang Heng's face turned ashen with anger: "Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?!"
No matter how much he pleaded, the guards refused to give in.
“My brother is feeling down and can only drown his sorrows in alcohol. I heard he drank quite a bit, so I was a little worried and went to comfort him, but I ended up getting a scolding.” Jiang Zhijing’s eyes darkened.
...
"Drinking is harmful to health, and this is especially important in Daqing. Your Majesty, please do not overindulge in wine..."
As soon as Jiang Zhijing finished speaking, Jiang Heng glared at her fiercely: "Who do you think you are, meddling in my business? Know your place!"
A hint of hurt flashed in her eyes as she suppressed her emotions: "It was my fault for meddling. If you, my brother, don't want to hear it, then just pretend I didn't say anything."
She turned to leave, but Jiang Heng suddenly called out to her, his eyes filled with mockery: "Jiang Zhijing, you're very unwilling, aren't you? But what can you do if you're unwilling? Who told you to be a princess? Sending you to marry a foreign ruler is the Emperor's will, and this is your last remaining value as a princess..."
Her fists, hanging by her sides, clenched tightly, and Jiang Zhijing pursed her lips: "Enough!"
She tried her best to control her emotions and ran out of the room with red eyes.
...
Shen Tangning sized up Jiang Zhijing: "The princess is unwilling to marry into a foreign land?"
She paused, somewhat puzzled.
She didn't need to elaborate on how handsome her cousin, the Crown Prince, was. Even if he couldn't be married off, the other princes, except for the fourth prince who was frail and sickly, were all outstanding in both appearance and talent.
Jiang Zhijing has met several princes, so why is she so opposed to marriage alliances?
The latter smiled bitterly: "If it were Miss Shen, would she be willing to go to a foreign land alone? Even if she dies, she would rather die here and never be able to return to her homeland."
Her eyes held a calm numbness. "I just wonder, why have princesses always been the ones sent for political marriages throughout history? Is it just because I wasn't born a man?"
Shen Tangning looked up in surprise.
She suddenly realized that the other person's expression was unexpectedly strained when she said this, as if she was no longer the innocent and gentle princess.
It's as if another soul is hidden beneath this mask.
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