Even when the original Su Qiao fell from her horse not long afterward and became crippled, Imperial Noble Consort Yun still did not give up on her. She merely proposed demoting Su Qiao to Primary Consort.
After all, a prince of the realm could not marry a crippled woman as his Primary Consort.
The Fourth Prince was extremely unwilling to accept this, especially after meeting the lively, innocent, and spirited Second Miss of the Su Prime Minister's Estate. He resisted it even more strongly.
However, he was a deeply calculating man and did not refuse openly. Instead, he spoke gently to the original Su Qiao and treated her with exceptional care, acting as though he did not mind at all.
This deeply moved the original Su Qiao, who had lacked affection since childhood.
The original Su Qiao had lost her mother when she was young. Her father rarely noticed his taciturn daughter, while her maternal family had always blamed her for her mother's death in childbirth. They had thus grown resentful of her and had scarcely cared whether she lived or died.
Although her stepmother was also her maternal aunt, the woman was no fool. She could naturally sense her aunt's malice and clearly see her hypocrisy.
In the manor, her food, clothing, and other provisions were all far inferior to those of her younger sister, Su Yuxin. After injuring her leg, she was even mocked by the servants.
Her stepmother, who controlled the household, could not possibly have been unaware of any of this.
For all these reasons, the original Su Qiao had developed gratitude and affection for the Fourth Prince, who had helped her out of trouble and cared for her considerately. The Fourth Prince, however, took advantage of this and had her approach the Crown Prince so