The princess regretted it.

Chapter 389 Jiaoyu's Misunderstanding

Jiaoyu's pretty face suddenly darkened, her eyes full of resentment. She stared at the Second Prince and asked in a questioning tone: "You don't know? Then tell me, where did you go just now?" Her voice rose unconsciously.

"Just now? I went to my father's place today, and then went to my mother Concubine Xia Cen's place when I came back. I didn't go anywhere else!" The second prince answered honestly.

"Oh! You even called mother!" Jiaoyu's eyes instantly turned red, as if someone had suddenly poked her in a sore spot. Her nose felt sore, and her tone was full of bitterness and unwillingness. She gritted her teeth and said, "Brother, as a prince, you are indeed more precious. You have the emperor's emphasis on cultivating you, and now you have the care of your new mother. No wonder you ran to pay your respects to your mother in this snowy weather." She became more and more excited as she spoke.

The Second Prince also realized that his sister was unhappy with him paying his respects to Concubine Cen. Jiaoyu's words stung him deeply, and his face turned pale, as if all his strength had been drained away. His voice was filled with helplessness and grievance. "Jiaoyu, do you think I, your brother, am such a deplorable person?" He looked at his sister, his eyes filled with hurt and confusion, wondering when he had become so unbearable in her eyes.

Jiaoyu knew full well that her brother's registration as Concubine Cen was merely their father's decree, and he was powerless to resist. However, Concubine Cen and her biological mother had always been at odds, a fact that was no secret within the palace. Therefore, she deeply resisted her brother's recognition of this mother. Her brother had indeed rarely set foot in Concubine Cen's palace, which gave her some comfort.

But today, Jiaoyu was worried about her mother's difficult situation in the cold palace. Thinking that her mother's food, clothing and other expenses might be stretched, she rushed to find her brother anxiously, hoping that her brother could find a way to get some things in to improve her mother's life.

When she arrived at her brother's place, she found he was not there. Upon asking, she learned that he had braved the heavy snow to pay his respects to Concubine Cen. This news was like a bomb that instantly detonated in her heart. The long-suppressed anger and grievances surged up all at once, and she just wanted to find an outlet to vent.

When she heard Changsun Yunji's question, Jiaoyu already regretted it. Seeing her brother's sad face, she opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but was speechless. She could only turn her head away and remain silent.

The Second Prince's eyes instantly flushed red when he saw his sister's reaction, and beneath his trembling eyelids, his gaze was filled with brokenness and loss. Ever since his mother had angered his father and was punished, he knew that their situation in the palace had changed drastically.

He always thought that in such a difficult situation, the two brothers and sisters could understand and support each other, and were each other's most solid support.

But his sister's attitude today made him feel even more sad. However, he knew that Jiaoyu had indeed suffered a lot of grievances during this period. As a brother, no matter how helpless he was, he could only accept it silently.

"Jiao Yu, I know you have complaints, but I want to tell you that I have not forgotten you and mother. I have never said that I want to sever ties with you." The second prince suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently, and spoke slowly and in a deep voice, each word pronounced clearly.

Jiaoyu still didn't turn around, stubbornly maintaining her previous posture, like a cold sculpture. She didn't respond, but her hands on her knees unconsciously clasped their fingers together, the knuckles turning slightly white from the effort.

It wasn't that she didn't trust her brother, but when she thought of her mother's difficult situation in the cold palace and her brother's current relationship with Concubine Cen, all the grievances, resentment, and unwillingness flooded her heart, causing her to burst into tears and lose control of herself. Now she didn't know how to face her brother, so she remained silent.

The palace fell silent for a moment, the only sound being the rustling of falling snow outside the window. The Second Prince gazed at his sister's stubborn back, his throat moving several times before finally letting out a soft sigh.

"Jiaoyu," the Second Prince slowly stood up and walked into the inner room. He came out holding a package and a box. "This is the fox fur and silver charcoal I prepared for Mother. I know you have a way to get it in. Can you see what else is missing?"

Jiaoyu turned around abruptly upon hearing this and looked at the thing in the Second Prince's hand. Her eyes flushed red, and the anger in her eyes slowly faded away. She slowly stood up with her hands on the chair, reached out to take the package, and said in a trembling voice, "Brother, I, I..."

The Second Prince reached out and touched Jiaoyu's hair bun, and said in a deep voice, "Brother understands. I will do my best to protect you and Mother. I had no choice but to go to Concubine Cen. She actually didn't want to see me."

At this moment, Jiaoyu really wanted to throw herself into her brother's arms and cry her heart out, but she had grown up in this deep palace. She had been living in wealth and luxury since she was a child, and she had an innate pride in her bones, which made it impossible for her to show weakness in this way.

She bit her lower lip tightly, lowered her head, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the surging emotions in her heart. Then she nodded gently and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Well, then I'll go back first."

"Okay!" The Second Prince was already exhausted, physically and mentally, and didn't have the energy to try to persuade Jiaoyu to stay. He forced a smile, his voice tinged with concern as he warned, "The roads are slippery in the snow, be careful."

"I understand!" Jiaoyu bowed slightly, raised her head, and looked deeply at the Second Prince. Then, she quickly averted her gaze, as if afraid that if she looked any longer, she would burst into tears. She reached for her bag and the charcoal box she had brought with her, and hurried out.

"Jiaoyu!" The Second Prince called out to her. Jiaoyu paused, hesitated for a moment, then slowly turned back to look at the Second Prince, her eyes full of confusion. "Be careful," the Second Prince whispered.

Jiaoyu nodded gently, without saying anything else, turned around, opened the door curtain, and walked out of the room into the cold wind.

The Second Prince looked at his sister's departing back, walked feebly to the chair, and slowly sat down. He leaned back against the chair, exhausted and helpless, and slowly closed his eyes. The faces of his mother and sister involuntarily emerged in his mind.

For some time, a thought had been constantly taking root in his mind: to take his mother and sister and escape from this palace, filled with intrigue and calculation, a cold and oppressive place, to a secluded place with picturesque scenery, where the three of them could live a simple and peaceful life. Perhaps then, they would no longer have to face the countless worries and frustrations of today, and no longer have to cautiously struggle to survive in the complex palace struggles.