Chapter 2: The Princess Consort Knows Medicine?

It might have been the absurdity of Murong Jiu's words that caused a flicker of surprise to pass through the depths of Jun Yuyan's cold eyes.

"I said I'm already pregnant and cannot become Princess Consort Ling. I also do not dare to usurp your rightful place as prince consort, and my marriage into the Prince Mansion was truly orchestrated by someone else."

Perhaps it was because she had already died once, Murong Jiu's voice was very calm, no longer timid and cautious like in her previous life, afraid that she might say something wrong.

"Is the child the Second Prince's?"

Jun Yuyan asked, squinting his eyes.

"It's not his!" Murong Jiu replied firmly.

Looking back, she realized that the frail, sickly children of her previous life didn't resemble the Second Prince at all, yet she had never noticed.

Jun Yuyan's gaze was deep and probing, as if trying to discern whether she was lying.

She met his gaze steadily and calmly, waiting for his response.

After a long while, Jun Yuyan finally spoke, "This prince does not wish to marry Murong Man, because this prince already has someone else in mind."

Just like in her previous life, Jun Yuyan did not cast her out of the Prince Mansion but let her stay.

He had an established marriage arrangement with Murong Man, but he did not fancy her; to him, it made no difference whom he married.

"Prince, rest assured, when the woman you love enters the household, I will certainly ask to step down."

Murong Jiu promised him.

Moreover, she had to find the real father of her child.

Jun Yuyan found her quite tactful, different from what the rumors suggested.

He nodded indifferently, "That would be for the best. Since you are already Princess Consort Ling, this prince will give you due respect."

"Thank you, Prince."

Jun Yuyan did not leave immediately but sat down in a chair instead.

He sat for a full half hour before he stood up and left.

True to his word, he gave her face, not departing immediately on the wedding night, and even in the future when her belly grew large, no one would dare call it a bastard child.

Murong Jiu's eyes were red with tears falling drop by drop. She had not expected that the first warmth she would receive after rebirth would come from Jun Yuyan, a man as unfamiliar to her as a stranger.

While her so-called relatives only sought to throw her into fire.

She did not understand before; she too was a legitimate daughter of the Marquis Mansion, so why was her treatment so vastly different from the other ladies, even worse than that of the concubine-born daughters.

She had been raised in the countryside until she was of age to be presented at court and brought back to the mansion.

Only on her deathbed, did she learn she was not the flesh and blood of the Marquis Mansion!

But who were her real parents?

Murong Man claimed that her biological father and brother died because of her, yet she could not figure out anyone in the Capital City who could be her family.

Her identity had been switched since childhood; hence, the other party must have been more powerful and influential than the Marquis Mansion, otherwise, the Marquis would not have sent his own daughter away.

However, the Marquis Mansion had long since been internally weak despite its external grandeur and prosperity, truly already in decline, which is why Murong Man was unwilling to marry Jun Yuyan.

A prince who was disfigured and lame could not possibly become the next Emperor, and the Marquis could not afford to back the wrong side.

"Miss, the Prince has instructed this servant to bring water for you, to let you have good rest!"

Chun Tao directed the servants to carry water in and after they left, she attended to Murong Jiu's bathing.

"Miss, Prince Ling is actually quite a good person; perhaps you should consider staying here comfortably."

Chun Tao cautiously said, afraid of saying the wrong thing and angering her.

In her last life, Chun Tao had always advised her to stay away from the Second Prince, yet she suspected Chun Tao had ulterior motives, and gradually alienated her, trusting two other maids instead, leading to Chun Tao's tragic death.

Looking back now, she had truly been blind and foolish.

"Chun Tao, was I very foolish in the past? Always doing silly things?"

"Miss, why do you say such things? You weren't foolish, you were just very young. Neither the Marquis nor the lady gave you any guidance, and that's why you took some wrong turns."

Yes, others had the guidance of their parents, while she was surrounded only by nannies with Buddha's faces and snake hearts.

Murong Jiu thought she wouldn't be able to sleep that night, but unexpectedly, lying in the big red bridal bed at Prince Ling's Mansion, she felt more peaceful than anywhere else.

She caressed her not-yet-swollen belly and fell deeply into sleep.

"Miss, wake up. It's almost time to go to the palace and offer tea."

It was still dark when Chun Tao woke Murong Jiu.

She opened her eyes groggily, and Chun Tao gasped softly, "Oh my, Miss, how did you sweat so much? Did you have a nightmare?"

Indeed, she had dreamed that her two children were viciously bitten by wild dogs and swept away by a flood after falling off a cliff. When found, only their small, bloated corpses remained.

Seeing her pale complexion, Chun Tao fetched hot water and cared for her tenderly as she washed and dressed.

Just as Chun Tao finished helping her, two voices suddenly came from the doorway.

"Miss!"

"Miss, we are late!"

Murong Jiu's mood had already calmed down by then. She lifted her eyes to see two maids rushing in with bundles on their backs.

As soon as they arrived, they pushed Chun Tao aside and surrounded her with a flurry of concern.

"Miss, we were knocked out by someone yesterday. We had no idea what happened. Today, people from the Marquis Mansion sent us here. Wuu, Miss, you've been wronged. Did His Highness Prince Ling do anything to you?"

The maid Zhen Zhu said, her voice tinged with sobs.

The other maid, Cai Yun, said, "Don't worry, Miss. We will definitely help you escape from Prince Ling's Mansion! The Second Prince even sent a message; he said not to be frightened, and he will assist you in the palace today."

Suddenly, Murong Jiu recalled that in her previous life, she hadn't wanted to go to the palace this very day. It was only after listening to Cai Yun that she went and inadvertently caused a disaster, leading to Jun Yuyan being severely punished.

The Emperor had few heirs, only four Princes and two Princesses. Among them, Eldest Prince Jun Yuyan was born to Noble Consort Qi and the Second Prince was born to the Empress. The Third and the Fourth Princes' maternal families were not of high status, and neither were they particularly capable.

Hence, for quite some time, the Eldest Prince had been the Second Prince's most formidable adversary.

Although the Eldest Prince was now disfigured and crippled, he was still seen as a significant threat by the Second Prince because of his once dazzling talent.

And she, as Princess Consort Ling, had become one of the Second Prince's best pawns.

Chun Tao was anxiously stamping her feet to the side. The Miss had just started to see things clearly, but with Zhen Zhu and Cai Yun talking like this, the Miss's will might reignite from the ashes.

However, Murong Jiu calmly said, "I am now Princess Consort Ling. If you speak such treasonous and unfilial words again, don't blame me for casting you out."

Chun Tao's eyes sparkled, and the corners of her mouth lifted. She felt that the Miss was different from before.

"Princess Consort, the Prince is asking if you are ready. He is waiting for you," called a middle-aged eunuch from outside.

Murong Jiu immediately stood up, pushed the two maids in front of her aside, and summoned Chun Tao.

"You two stay in the Prince Mansion. Chun Tao, come with me to the palace."

"Miss!"

Zhen Zhu and Cai Yun's expressions were ones of disbelief.

Murong Jiu walked out expressionlessly, and upon exiting, she saw Jun Yuyan standing in the courtyard entrance, his tall figure inexplicably bringing her a sense of security.

She glanced at his right leg and then, after the two of them sat in the carriage from the Prince Mansion, she whispered to Jun Yuyan,

"Prince, perhaps, I know of a way to cure your leg."

Jun Yuyan opened his half-closed eyes and looked at her, replying in a flat tone, "Since when did the daughter of the Murong Family know Medicine?"