Chapter 97: Chapter 93: On Restoring Pan Jiaojiao’s Intelligence

Pan Jiaojiao couldn’t think of a rebuttal for the moment, so she had to redirect the topic back to Song Yan. “How could Yunyun not care about her feelings if she wasn’t vicious?”

Shen Jingxian: …

This line of thinking made Shen Jingxian doubt Pan Jiaojiao’s intelligence.

She no longer wanted to gossip from Pan Jiaojiao but instead asked Song Yan, “Sister Song Yan, when did you get engaged to the Princely Heir of Prince Rong?”

Song Yan noticed that Shen Jingxian referred to Shen Ming as the Princely Heir of Prince Rong, rather than using the affectionate Brother Ming like Song Yun, realizing that Shen Jingxian was deliberately avoiding familiarity.

Her evaluation of Shen Jingxian rose even higher in her heart; she had judged correctly. Based on her understanding of the Princess, she was composed and proper, so how could she possibly do something as inappropriate as seducing a married man?

In a past life, she was indeed blinded by a leaf.

“Just recently at my coming-of-age ceremony, the two families exchanged betrothal letters, which confirmed the engagement.”

Yes, the timing was delayed a bit from the original version; in the original text, the exchange of betrothal letters happened before the coming-of-age ceremony, and Song Yan was schemed against by Song Yun during her ceremony because of this.

“So, Sister Song Yan, how did you come to know the Princely Heir of Prince Rong?”

Song Yan glanced at Pan Jiaojiao and said blandly, “My only interaction with the Princely Heir of Prince Rong was at the Lantern Festival during the Mid-Autumn Festival. After that, I’ve not seen the Princely Heir of Prince Rong again. The engagement was entirely arranged by our parents.”

Pan Jiaojiao clearly didn’t believe it, “You’re lying. Yunyun told me that he personally proposed. If you only met once, why would he do that?”

“Perhaps it was the beauty of the humble daughter that attracted the Heir.” Song Yan calmly suggested a possibility, her face serious enough that even Shen Jingxian couldn’t tell if she was speaking the truth.

“You?! Your beauty? What a joke, you’re nowhere near as beautiful as even a strand of the Princess’s hair!”

Shen Jingxian: ?

Why involve me in your argument?

And that excessive flattery deserves a yellow card!

However, Song Yan didn’t refute; she merely went along with Pan Jiaojiao’s words. “Indeed, in terms of appearance, this humble daughter is not as beautiful as Her Highness the Princess and in terms of character, not as good as my half-sister. It’s hard to figure out what the Princely Heir of Prince Rong sees in me.”

Hearing these sarcastic words, Pan Jiaojiao surprisingly wasn’t angry; instead, she seemed to be pondering something, bowing her head in thought without retorting.

Not the appearance, not the character, so what love is there? It has to be the family background.

Yet, family background happens to be Song Yun’s weakness. Even if she is recognized by Prince Rong as an adopted daughter, she is still a concubine-born daughter.

A concubine-born daughter could never surpass a legitimate daughter.

This is why Shen Ming doesn’t marry Song Yun. It’s not for lack of love or, as Song Yun suggests, being seduced by another woman, but because Song Yun’s own status isn’t enough.

Pan Jiaojiao might not be clever, but families like hers are far more sensitive to distinctions of birth and status than average people.

Understanding this point, when she thought back to times Song Yun cried and hinted at Song Yan being a seducer, knowing that Song Yan was deliberately making things difficult for her, she realized this was all just an attempt to cause her pain. Does an elder sister even need a reason to make things hard for a concubine-born sister?

This is why every time Pan Jiaojiao saw Song Yan being lauded in Imperial College, she felt these people were blind and couldn’t see Song Yan for the hypocritical and vicious woman she was.

But just seeing Song Yan’s demeanor earlier, she seemed to have no feelings for Brother Shen Ming, and agreeing to the engagement was purely out of parental authority and matchmaker arrangements.

Pan Jiaojiao, with a noble status and favored by Prince Jing, naturally had the luxury of choosing her own marriage.

Nevertheless, she knew not everyone had such freedom. Many women’s marriages were still dictated by their family’s elders.

Originally, Pan Jiaojiao wouldn’t have listened to Song Yan no matter what. She felt every word Song Yan said was hypocritical to the extreme.

Until she heard Song Yan’s zither playing—crystal-clear and pure.

If Song Yan were truly a villain, she couldn’t possibly play such soothing music, which is why she gave Song Yan a temporary opportunity to defend herself.

Though Song Yan did speak disagreeably, if not for the Princess continually coaxing her, she would’ve given this woman a lesson long ago.

If Shen Jingxian knew what Pan Jiaojiao was thinking, she surely would have shaken her, telling her to wake up—you can’t possibly take on the lead heroine.

Song Yan seeing the change in Pan Jiaojiao’s gaze indicates she finally grasped the key point. Although that key isn’t the truth, her goal now is to make it true.

Pan Jiaojiao could become a knife in Song Yun’s hand, who says this knife can’t be taken by someone else?

Song Yan glanced at the Princess as well; even though Pan Jiaojiao had accused her of many things, the Princess still chose to believe in her.

Even though she didn’t know why the Princess trusted her, she chose not to dwell on it. Sometimes people trust without a reason; why make things difficult for herself?

At this moment, Shen Jingxian was pointing at Pan Jiaojiao, laughing heartily, calling her foolish.

Under normal circumstances, if anyone dared call Pan Jiaojiao foolish, she’d have already wielded her status as a Commandery Princess to pressure them; but this was Shen Jingxian, and Pan Jiaojiao even took it as a gesture of closeness, feeling delighted inside.

Before Pan Jiaojiao could revel in it further, Song Yan threw another bombshell. “Commandery Princess, we’ve had many misunderstandings between us before. Since today we’ve cleared the air, and you’re not someone who can’t distinguish right from wrong, I hope to say a bit more.”

“Of course, trust or distrust is entirely up to you, Commandery Princess.”

Song Yan’s words piqued both Pan Jiaojiao and Shen Jingxian’s interests.

Seeing the two pairs of eyes wide open, staring at her unblinkingly, Song Yan felt like she was being watched by two squirrels.

“The students at the Imperial College are categorized into three types: one is connections students, two is recommendation students, and three is exemplary students. Connections students are mostly nobles who enter with the emperor’s favor, which you, Commandery Princess, should know well. Recommendation students enter as scholars, and as for exemplary students, I won’t elaborate further.”

“What are you trying to say?” Pan Jiaojiao didn’t understand why Song Yan was explaining this, as any student of the Imperial College would know such things.

“The Commandery Princess once declared that she would make it impossible for me to stay in the Imperial College, and this matter became known not only among the nobility at the college but also to many tribute students. The nobility aside, the Song Family isn’t what it used to be, naturally leading many to side with the Commandery Princess. However, Song Yan has already earned her title, entering Yiyun Hall by merit, not by internal promotion at the Imperial College, so the tribute students naturally stand by me.”

“In another month will be the Spring Surpass. Now, both the Princess and I have been attacked, yet the culprit actually came for me. Once the investigation concludes, can the Commandery Princess be certain she won’t be a suspect, given her actions at the Imperial College?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep