Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 537 - 279 Why Change Your Mind_1

The mother and her two daughters were somewhat annoyed at being neglected for so long, and Sun Xiaochen, the youngest of them, could not hold back any longer as she blurted out, "Big sister, no wonder everyone says you’re kind-hearted. I don’t even understand the words of these rural people, yet you chat with them so merrily."

Princess Ning’s face fell at once, and she said coldly, "They are benefactors of Prince Ning Mansion, honored guests; how can you be so disrespectful? Both the Prince and I aren’t ungrateful. We will forever hold in our hearts those who have been kind to us. You are my sister and should not embarrass me or tarnish my reputation. Apologize, right now."

Lady Jin was three years younger than Princess Ning. She was a concubine’s daughter from the declining household of Lord Xi Qin and was somewhat attractive. With little discipline at home and being spoiled rotten by her much older husband, she kept her distance from Prince Ning’s family when they were under house arrest. As soon as Prince Ning rose in favor again, she drew close.

At first, she simply wanted to bask in their reflected glory. However, as the year went on and her daughters grew older, with her own poor reputation among the nobility making it difficult for her daughters to marry well and seeing Princess Ning’s health deteriorating, she began to entertain some insidious thoughts.

These thoughts, of course, could not be voiced. She maintained the pretense that Princess Ning might be lonely at home and that she brought her daughters to keep the Princess company and cheer her up.

Aside from the eldest, Prince Ning’s other three daughters were born to concubines. Prince Ning felt that Princess Ning had suffered enough following him, without her son by her side and her eldest daughter marrying away to a distant place, rarely enjoying familial love. Plus, since the Princess could not go out due to her poor health, he welcomed Lady Jin and her daughters. Especially when he was off to war, he worried about the Princess being lonely and even arranged for more visits from her natal family to keep her company.

In the past few months, as Lady Jin noticed the Princess’s health getting worse, even to the point where she sometimes couldn’t get out of bed, she started dropping hints to the Princess, suggesting that it’s better for a sister to benefit than outsiders, and that it was a common tradition for a sister to replace an ailing elder.

Only then did Princess Ning realize the true intentions of Lady Jin and her daughters. She was secretly heartbroken but didn’t want to tell the Prince that her own family was so disgraceful. She was of a gentle nature, especially knowing her husband’s ambitions, she was reluctant to do anything that might tarnish his name. Since Lady Jin, despite being a stepmother, was still a mother, she couldn’t snub her too blatantly and give others a reason to attack her husband. Thus, for every three visits, the Princess would see them once and feign illness to avoid them the other two times, hoping they would get the hint and leave her alone.

Lady Jin, with her thick skin, didn’t mind being turned away and still brought her daughters to the Prince Residence, offering hollow greetings through the door curtain and expressing concerns for the Princess to take good care of her health. Then, she would boast everywhere that her relationship with Princess Ning was like that between mother and daughter, and that her two daughters shared a deep sisterly bond with the Princess.

Eventually, it was the servants who couldn’t stand it any longer and hinted to Prince Ning. After the Prince lost his temper, he specially invited his father-in-law, Duke Sun, to reprimand him. Only then did Lady Jin and her daughters temper their behavior, reducing their visits to once every two or three months, and they no longer dared to speak out of turn, only saying they came to cheer up the Princess. During the time the Prince was away on inspection, however, they began to visit more frequently. Still, the servants of the Prince Residence did not welcome them and seldom allowed them to meet with the Princess.

They came again this afternoon, and the Princess, thinking of the Qian family’s imminent visit, felt embarrassed to leave them in the guest room, so she invited them in to join the conversation.

Upon being reprimanded so unsparingly by the Princess and asked to apologize to the rural guests, Sun Xiaochen felt so wronged that tears streamed down her face as she pulled at Lady Jin’s sleeve, calling "Mother".

Lady Wu was about to say it was unnecessary when Sister Dan behind her gently tugged her sleeve, and she kept quiet. Old woman Qian also wanted to say it wasn’t necessary but wasn’t quick enough to speak before Pan Yue sternly said, "So rude. Calling us rural people, you’re not even as good as us."

The Princess continued, "If you are my sister, apologize immediately, or don’t come here again. Princess Zhenyue is not only Jinjin’s adoptive mother but also the Empress Dowager’s legitimate granddaughter. I don’t need a sister who is ungrateful, lacks manners, and doesn’t know the seriousness of her actions."

Behind Pan Yue, Sister Gong, along with Sister Zeng and Sister Hu on the side, huffed, "Princess Zhenyue is the Empress Dowager’s legitimate granddaughter, from the aristocratic Hundred-year-old Pan Family, and now she’s been called a rural person by someone from a destitute household."