Chapter 102: Chapter 98: What’s So Bad About My Own Spit?

“The Princess’s skin looks even better today than the last time～”

“My face, you see, gets terribly dry these few months. Fortunately, thanks to the Honey Cloud Powder Yun’er brought last time, my skin is not only not dry now, but also very hydrated.”

“If I had known the Princess liked it so much, Yunyun should have brought more this time.”

“You are very thoughtful, Yun’er.”

Song Yun seemed a bit shy, lowering her head slightly. When she unintentionally glanced at the Princess, there was a perfect touch of affection in her eyes, as if her heart was full of the Princess.

The Princess was also moved by this concern in her eyes.

She thought Song Yun was good.

Although she was just a concubine’s daughter by birth, she carried no petty air, and her conversation was very pleasant.

She was aware of the incident where one of the Song Family’s concubines caused trouble at the Imperial College back then, which initially made her suspicious of Song Yun. Thinking back now, she found it unnecessary; Yun’er was implicated by her biological mother.

Moreover, this child not only saved their Jiaojiao but was genuinely good to her, only her birth was somewhat lacking.

The Princess even considered acting as a guarantor for Song Yun, seeking a marriage proposal to elevate her status.

“By the way, Princess, when will Jiaojiao return?” Song Yun asked adorably by the Princess’s side, “Last time she mentioned wanting to eat the Furong Cake I made, so today I brought some for her.”

Song Yun knew how to please the Princess very well, by praising Pan Jiaojiao without fawning, and pretending to genuinely care for her, which was exactly what the Princess liked, the kind of “friend” Pan Jiaojiao had.

Sure enough, upon hearing Song Yun’s words, the Princess was delighted, “Jiaojiao went to the palace, she might take some time before returning. If Yun’er has other matters, you can leave the Furong Cake here, and I will hand it over to Jiaojiao when she gets back.”

Song Yun shook her head, “Besides giving Jiaojiao the Furong Cake, Yunyun also wants to have a chat with her.”

While saying this, Song Yun seemed to have thought of something amusing, a slight curve appeared on her lips.

The sight made the Princess overflow with maternal love, “Indeed, only between you can speak intimately, it’s me the old woman who spoke too much.”

“How can the Princess be an old woman? When you took Yunyun out last time, someone even asked if the Princess was Yunyun’s sister!” Such words might sound overly flattering and utterly nonsensical to outsiders, yet to the Princess’s ears, they were just right.

“You…”

It was this scene of her mother smiling dotingly at Song Yun that Pan Jiaojiao walked in on.

Pan Jiaojiao couldn’t help but frown; since when did Song Yun have such a good relationship with her mother?

At that moment, seeing her own daughter, the Princess immediately disregarded the pretender and affectionately said to Pan Jiaojiao, “Jiaojiao, you’re back.”

For some reason, Pan Jiaojiao suddenly felt not so well and just responded lightly without greeting Song Yun.

Song Yun didn’t notice the oddity, and once Pan Jiaojiao came in, the Princess released her hand. This left Song Yun feeling quite imbalanced inside.

No matter what she did, she could never compare to Pan Jiaojiao in the Princess’s heart. Why should someone as foolish as Pan Jiaojiao have a good mother, while hers was just a merchant’s daughter, a concubine at that!

If only she was born better, if only she was a legitimate daughter, she wouldn’t live like she does now!

“Why aren’t you very happy, my dear daughter? Did something upset you in the palace?” The Princess asked with concern, noticing Pan Jiaojiao’s low spirits.

Before Pan Jiaojiao could speak, Song Yun interrupted from the side, “How could a woman easily move on when encountering such a thing? I’m sure the one in the palace must be… If Jiaojiao encountered something bothersome today, why not tell me about it?”

In the past, had the old Pan Jiaojiao been wronged elsewhere and then received such considerate care from Song Yun, she would have poured her heart out.

But today, firstly, Pan Jiaojiao was not wronged in the palace, and secondly, Shen Jingxian had told her the culprit was Song Yun.

Even though Pan Jiaojiao kept saying that it couldn’t be Song Yun, deep down, she believed it seventy to eighty percent.

The gap between the Princess and Song Yun’s status was as wide as heaven and earth. If the Princess truly wanted to deal with Song Yun, she could easily pin a trumped-up charge on Song Yun, without needing to employ such roundabout methods.

Besides, she knew in her heart who truly cared for her.

Indeed, Song Yun was good to her, but due to the status inequality, it was always Song Yun complaining while she was the one giving.

Originally, Pan Jiaojiao had not realized this, but these days, after interacting with the Princess and Song Yan, she understood what natural friendship meant.

No one needed to give more; it was simply done if thought of.

Song Yun’s words made her very unpleasant.

What does it mean when a woman encounters such a thing? Clearly, being falsely accused of ruining one’s purity was baseless, yet from Song Yun’s mouth, it sounded as if it had been concluded.

It seemed as though she was comforting her, urging her to speak of her troubles, but in reality, she was subtly suggesting that the Princess had lost her purity.

If relations between her and the Princess had not improved, and under Song Yun’s influence, she took this matter seriously, with her usual character, it would not be surprising if she blurted it out in a future conflict.

Pan Jiaojiao also thought of Song Yan.

Apart from having clashed with Song Yan when they were young, there was really no deep animosity between her and Song Yan.

The reason she was so displeased with Song Yan was that Song Yun kept saying this and that about Song Yan in front of her. It seemed as though there was no direct comment, yet it left her with the impression that Song Yan was venomous, cunning, and hypocritical.

Pan Jiaojiao acknowledged having little direct interaction with Song Yan and could not decisively claim Song Yan wasn’t that type of person. Similarly, she shouldn’t have judged Song Yan solely based on Song Yun’s words.

Pan Jiaojiao had already made a decision in her heart.

“Song Yun, mind your status, matters of the palace are not for you to comment upon.”

Pan Jiaojiao knew that what Song Yun cared about most was her own status. In the past, to accommodate Song Yun’s inexplicable pride, she would often humble herself. But now, she could no longer afford to do so.

The Princess wasn’t someone just anyone could talk about, even if Song Yun had saved her, this was too inappropriate.

Since connecting with Pan Jiaojiao, Song Yun was never scolded by her like this before.

She felt humiliated, angry, yet she had to endure it. She still needed Pan Jiaojiao and couldn’t afford to fall out with her now. She could only swallow all her resentment and bitterness, force a smile, and eagerly apologize to Pan Jiaojiao, “Oh, you see me, I’m so worried about Jiaojiao that I spoke without thinking. Jiaojiao is right; matters of the palace are not for us to comment on… Let’s not speak of this anymore. Didn’t you say you wanted to eat Furong Cakes a while ago? I made and brought some for you.”

Pan Jiaojiao noticed that Song Yun said “us” instead of “me,” frowning slightly, wondering if it was deliberate or accidental.

Once the seed of doubt is planted, many of Song Yun’s not-so-clever tactics become traceable.

Song Yun opened the pastry she brought, but Pan Jiaojiao showed little interest, not as pleased as before.

She preferred the food the Princess casually handed her while lying in the lounge chair over such deliberately gifted treats.

Just as Shen Jingxian, who was randomly feeding Song Yan, suddenly sneezed.

Looking at the fruit in her hand, she murmured, “How this sneeze came so suddenly, surely this can’t be eaten now.”

After thinking it over, Shen Jingxian regretted it again, “It’s my own saliva, what’s there to mind.”

She took a big bite nonetheless.

So sweet.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep