Chapter 38: Sowing Discord

As soon as Jing Hu finished speaking, Jing Xun immediately grasped the implications of her words. Standing behind his wife, the Heir Consort, he began making exaggerated faces at her.

Jing Hu found it amusing, and the Heir Consort, seemingly sensing the movement, turned back to glare at Jing Xun. Her third brother, usually the most unruly of them all, instantly lowered his head and assumed a look of meek obedience, as if he were the newly wedded bride himself.

This third brother of hers had been a troublemaker since childhood; he was the very definition of someone who would "tear the roof tiles off if left unattended for three days." By the age of six or seven, he was constantly climbing trees or wading in rivers, acting more like a wild, unsupervised village child than the noble scion of a princely house. As he grew older, he became a regular fixture in brothels and wine houses, frequently drawing the ire and reprimands of their father, the Prince.

When she was younger and still naive, she had heard whispers about what those places were for and had felt a genuine disdain for him. Even when he tried to pat her head or pinch her cheek to show brotherly affection, she would immediately swat his hand away. Yet, he was good-natured; no matter how she treated him, he never held a grudge and would greet her happily the next time they met.

She had always assumed he would remain a dissolute playboy and a fickle lover for the rest of his life. She never expected him to have the resolve to travel alone to the Northwest and prove his worth on the battlefield. Now that he had married such a fine wife, she believed his future would surely be brighter, and she was genuinely happy for him.

Jing Xun’s antics had not gone unnoticed by everyone. Consort Xu, who sat beside Jing Hu, had observed the entire scene, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.

As soon as Jing Hu returned to the Qixue Pavilion with her mother, Consort Xu sat down and dismissed all the servants, leaving only her most trusted maid, Nanny Zhao. Consort Xu took Jing Hu’s hands, her gaze burning with intensity. "Hu’er, my good child, tell your mother—what was the meaning of the words you spoke to your third sister-in-law earlier?"

When the young Princess wasn't causing trouble, her mother was usually quite gentle. This kind of intense focus, however, was rare. Having committed a mistake just yesterday, Jing Hu was eager to appease her mother. Unaware of her mother's true motives, she recounted the events of that day without reservation.

Consort Xu was silent for a moment before smiling. "Your third brother has always been a source of worry. Even as his wedding approached, he remained so dissolute. I thought that trip to the Northwest and his petition to the Emperor for a marriage decree had changed his nature, but it seems he is still the same."

Jing Hu had merely been teasing her third brother. The Wan family was among the most prestigious in Yanliang; it was perfectly normal for her sister-in-law to change the incense.

Consort Xu continued, "Hu’er, if you have nothing else to do today, why not go to your third brother’s Minghui Hall and chat with your sister-in-law? You didn't visit the bridal chamber yesterday; I fear your sister-in-law might be harboring some resentment toward you."

Jing Hu was bewildered. Confused by her mother's words, she replied, "There were so many people in the bridal chamber yesterday, and I have never been particularly close to my third brother. I doubt my sister-in-law would blame me, would she?" Besides, Jing Xun was there today; if she wanted to swindle him for pocket money, she would rather wait until he was alone.

Her mother was firm. "You must go. Talk to her more. And tell her about that incident as well—sincerity is the most important thing between a husband and wife." She added, "Before the wedding, Lady Wan likely didn't see your third brother clearly, which is why she agreed to marry into this family. But for the decades of marriage ahead, it is best to keep secrets to a minimum." As if fearing Jing Hu wouldn't believe her, she added, "Your father and I are exactly like that; he never hides anything from me. How else could we have sustained such affection for so long? It is only a small matter; just go."

If it was only a small matter, why was her mother so persistent? She always treated her like a child. Yet, her mother’s insistence made Jing Hu begin to reflect: had she caused trouble and harmed her third brother? She had only wanted to get some favors out of Jing Xun, but if she had damaged his relationship with Lady Wan, she would feel terribly guilty.

She once overheard her mother talking to her eldest brother, saying that Jing Xun’s trip to the Northwest was prompted by Lady Wan catching him with a famous courtesan. Lady Wan had wanted to sever ties, and it was only then that he had taken the drastic step of going to the Northwest to forge a future, proving his sincerity to win her hand. If this beautiful union were destroyed by her own hand at the very start, she would be a great sinner!

Thinking this, Jing Hu could no longer sit still. She stood up and said, "Mother, I understand. I will go to Minghui Hall now." Consort Xu did not stop her, and Jing Hu hurried out. She had only gone a few steps when she remembered that the gift her sister-in-law had given her earlier was still with her mother.

The courtyard was empty. As she approached the main room, she heard the voices of her mother and Nanny Zhao.

"...Look at her, every step she takes is so steady. Even for a daughter of a military family, it seems unusual—it doesn't look like she has consummated the marriage with Jing Xun. If not, wouldn't she be..."

"It is also possible they were intimate before the wedding... one is a Prince's heir, the other the descendant of a famous general. How interesting."

Hearing her mother and the nanny speaking, Jing Hu instinctively knew she shouldn't barge in. For some reason, hearing these words made her feel deeply unsettled, as if she had eaten a chestnut cake she detested, leaving a cloying, unpleasant aftertaste in her heart. It felt exactly like the moment her mother had goaded her into sowing discord between her third brother and his wife.

They had only just been married; why bother with such things? Jing Hu did not understand her mother. What benefit could there be in causing strife between a husband and wife?

Jing Hu walked slowly along the path by the lake. The words she had just heard refused to fade from her mind. She knew what "consummating the marriage" meant. When she was young and didn't understand, she had accidentally heard the term and asked her mother. Her mother, who had been with her father at the time, had blushed and ordered her father to take the young princess outside. He hadn't the heart to punish her, so he simply told her that it was something only married couples did, and that it was how they had children—she would understand later.

She clearly hadn't reached the "later" her father spoke of. Although she didn't fully grasp the significance, if all other newlyweds did it but her third brother and his wife did not, it couldn't be a good thing. As she reflected, she recalled that when she first saw her sister-in-law, there had been a hint of gloom on her face; perhaps they had been arguing about something.

If she added fuel to the fire with those words, she would be a major culprit. The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She quickened her pace, heading toward Minghui Hall.