Volume One, Chapter Seven: Crown Prince, Are You Seeking Justice for Her?

As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over the room once more.

Indeed, if the Emperor and Empress Dowager saw Song Jiayin in her current state, they would surely feel both heartache and anger.

Song Jing had never imagined that Song Jiayin would so directly oppose his thoughts with such words.

He had only been concerned about the turbulent situation here, the insecurity of the capital, and the fact that both his younger sisters were here. If anything were to happen, how could he explain it to the family?

But Song Jiayin, out of stubbornness, had outright defied him.

Song Jing looked at her in disbelief, but seeing her trembling legs, he suddenly realized that forcing her to go to Nanjing might very well cost her half her life.

Yet, what else could he do?

He had never been skilled in warfare, which had cost him the crown prince’s title.

If anything were to happen to Song Jiayin, he truly could not face his family.

The Jin people were cruel beyond measure, treating the imperial bloodline of Great Zhou with such brutality.

Song Jing felt a suffocating pain in his heart, a mix of frustration, anger, and disappointment. He glanced at everyone present, then stood and said, “In that case, Yueyue and A Zhen will return to Nanjing with me first.”

With that, he swept his sleeves and left.

In truth, this was a compromise.

Song Zhen then stood and said to Song Lin, “Crown Prince elder brother, I will accompany Great Elder Brother to leave first.”

Song Lin acknowledged with a nod. Song Zhen glanced at Song Yueyi and then withdrew.

Since Su Lingfeng remained still, Song Yueyi looked at him, hesitating, “Brother Lingfeng, will you leave with us first?”

Su Lingfeng looked straight ahead without flinching. “I have official duties with the Crown Prince. You may return first.”

Song Yueyi cast a glance at the cold expression of Song Jiayin and cautiously said, “But… if Sister is here alone with no one to care for her, if we all leave, wouldn’t that be unkind?”

Su Lingfeng replied, “If you want to stay, then stay.”

He was still capable of protecting the two women.

Song Jiayin no longer wished to watch their hypocritical act. She bowed and said, “Yun Nu takes her leave.”

No one spoke after that. Song Lin merely held his teacup quietly, watching Song Jiayin depart. Only when she was gone did he coldly say, “If you two intend to flirt and quarrel, please take it outside. I still have matters to attend to.”

Su Lingfeng abruptly rose, gave a casual salute, and swept his sleeves as he left.

Song Yueyi bit her lip, looking toward Song Lin with a wronged expression. “Fourth elder brother, why are you always like this to me? What have I done wrong? I can change.”

Song Lin didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids. “You’re overthinking. I treat everyone the same. I never put on two faces.”

Song Yueyi’s grievance deepened. “Fourth elder brother, are you venting on behalf of elder sister? I know sister suffered much in the political marriage. But I wanted to marry into the Jin, and Father, Mother, and you all opposed it, saying I was too foolish to handle the Jin people.”

Song Lin gave a half-smile and retorted, “Song Yueyi, have I ever said anything about the marriage? You are the true princess. What comparison is there between you and someone who calls herself a servant?”

Song Yueyi immediately suppressed her grievance. Every word from Song Lin was a reproach, and she could find no retort.

Her face flushed like a red apple. She bowed and hurriedly left.

Outside in the courtyard, Song Jing had begun packing with Song Zhen.

Some items could be carried by servants, but certain important things had to be taken personally.

Su Lingfeng was helping, and Song Yueyi stood by, waiting. Seeing Song Jing return to the room to gather more things, she took the opportunity to ask the solitary Su Lingfeng, “Brother Lingfeng, when we return to Nanjing, can you ask Father to marry me?”

Su Lingfeng’s back stiffened slightly, then he turned and asked, “Why bring this up all of a sudden? Didn’t we agree on next May?”

Song Yueyi rubbed her handkerchief, stammering, somewhat embarrassed. As a young lady, such words were difficult to voice. “I saw you specifically come looking for sister. Do you feel it’s wrong to just leave her like this? Also, about our marriage, are you afraid sister might be unhappy?”

Su Lingfeng regarded her, roughly guessing her thoughts, and spoke with a comforting tone, “Our marriage is arranged by the Emperor. Whenever the Emperor says the wedding will be, that’s when it will be. You’re overthinking.”

He turned and added, “If you don’t want to return, stay with Jiayi for company. If you want to go back, I’ll help you pack now.”

Song Yueyi suddenly felt reassured. Hearing Su Lingfeng say this, she thought she had imagined too much.

Yet Su Lingfeng’s answer remained somewhat ambiguous.

He had not truly answered her question.

Song Jing came out again and saw Song Yueyi standing dazedly. He urged, “What are you thinking? Aren’t you going to prepare to return to Nanjing? Yueyue, at a time like this, you mustn’t be willful.”

Before Song Yueyi could reply, Han Wuhen hurried in, saluted, and went straight to report to Song Lin.

Song Lin had just come out, and Han Wuhen said, “Your Highness, all the people of Great Zhou have been accounted for. The Jin are truly despicable—some have had their eyes gouged out, some had limbs cut off, others are barely alive. I have already sought military doctors, but where to settle them next requires your orders.”

Song Jing heard this. His once rosy, plump little sister’s mood had been quite good, but Han Wuhen’s report immediately plunged him into despair.

The princess of Great Zhou was trained in martial arts, so why had Song Jiayin been utterly powerless in Jin?

She was, after all, a royal consort—surely not left to tend cattle and soak in cold water?

Song Jiayin had come for a political marriage, and yet the Jin offered no respect at all to Great Zhou.

Even if she were a false princess, she had been pampered in the Great Zhou imperial harem for fifteen years.

No wonder when they met yesterday, Song Jiayin showed no joy at seeing him.

No wonder she no longer dared call him brother.

But soon, a strange fury rekindled in his heart.

After all, no matter what these people said, Song Jiayin was at least alive and intact. Should a few years of suffering in Jin erase all the love and honor she had in the Great Zhou royal family?

It had taken painstaking effort to find her, and yet she showed no gratitude, no appreciation?

In the end, she was just an ungrateful bastard!

Everyone had told her she was still a princess, yet she insisted on calling herself a servant.

Song Jing grew angrier the more he thought about it.

Returning to Nanjing, letting Mother punish her personally—that was the only way she would understand that he, her brother, truly cared for her.

Song Lin finally responded, “If their limbs are crippled, how are they different from the dead?”

Song Jing found this too cruel. “Fourth brother, what do you mean? They are all lives. You cannot treat them so. Great Zhou has always ruled with benevolence; you must not defy that.”

Song Lin snorted coldly, his tone icy and arrogant. “I am the Crown Prince. I took the capital with the army. How to deal with this is my decision.”

Song Yueyi’s eyes reddened, her expression the very picture of kindness and fragility. “Fourth elder brother, Great Elder Brother does not mean that. Please don’t misunderstand. The common people are pitiful. Why not spare their lives?”

Song Lin gave a disdainful laugh and glanced toward Song Jiayin’s room. She seemed to sense his gaze and shrank back in fear.

“When I act, you’d better not interfere!”

Song Jing was deeply displeased. “Song Lin, Song Jiayin’s life is a life. Are theirs not the same?”