Chapter 919 Double Happiness (Second Update)
Gu Xiaobao was a frequent visitor to Renshou Palace. Gu Jiao held him and experienced the privilege of entering the palace by using her face.
Gu Xiaobao used up all his power while searching for his sister in Bishui Hutong, and now he's not moving an inch.
Gu Jiao was strong and was happy to carry him.
Yu Ya'er helped Gu Jiao carry her things and happily went into the palace with her.
Empress Dowager Zhuang no longer attends to state affairs. She spends her free time playing cards in Bishui Hutong, living a leisurely life. However, she was too worried about Gu Jiao a while ago and fell seriously ill. She only gradually recovered after news of a great victory at the border came from the front.
"Auntie." Gu Xiaobao was very close to his auntie, and reached out his hand to her as soon as he entered the bedroom.
My great-aunt thinks the children are noisy, but Gu Xiaobao is quiet and a rare little cutie.
The aunt allowed Grandpa Qin to bring him over.
Eunuch Qin stepped forward with a smile: "Princess, you're finally back! The Empress Dowager has been thinking of you every day, she can't eat or drink. If you hadn't returned, she would have been—"
I've gone to the State of Yan to find you.
Eunuch Qin wisely swallowed his words.
"Give it to this old servant." Eunuch Qin reached out to hug Gu Xiaobao.
Gu Xiaobao turned around in a flash.
They won't let me hug them.
Eunuch Qin exclaimed in pain.
"I'll do it," Gu Jiao said.
"Then, this old servant will go make tea!" Eunuch Qin smiled and withdrew, taking the palace maids from the bedchamber with him.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was sitting by the window drinking tea when Gu Jiao walked over, sat down beside her, and greeted her softly, "Auntie."
Empress Dowager Zhuang: "Hmph."
Yu Ya'er curtsied and said, "Empress Dowager!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang: "Hmm."
Gu Jiao: No, is this how you treat people differently?
Gu Xiaobao climbed onto Empress Dowager Zhuang's lap and sat there for a while, but found it quite boring, so he twisted his little body and climbed down.
Yu Ya'er placed the food box on the table and carried him out to play.
Gu Jiao opened the food box and took out the contents one by one: "Candied fruit, made by my great-uncle; rose cake, made by my mother."
Empress Dowager Zhuang remained unmoved, her face grim.
Gu Jiao took out a small box from the bottom: "Peach shortbread, I made it."
Empress Dowager Zhuang's expression softened somewhat.
But the next second, her brows furrowed sharply again: "Who let you into the kitchen? Is my kitchen missing a piece of peach shortbread or something? Do you think your cooking is so delicious?"
Gu Jiao suppressed the corners of her lips that were turning up, and mischievously reached out to grab the box of peach shortbread: "Oh, then I'll take it back."
Empress Dowager Zhuang hugged the peach cake and glared at her with a very resentful look.
Gu Jiao laughed so hard she fell back into the chair.
The sun was shining brightly, and the girl's smile was especially radiant.
Empress Dowager Zhuang scoffed, but the corners of her lips unconsciously curled up, and a few drops of water glistened in her eyes.
Her beloved Jiaojiao is back.
They returned unharmed.
During the year or so that Gu Jiao was away from the capital, a lot happened. First, Crown Princess Wen Linlang "died of illness". Then, Empress Xiao selected two concubines for the Crown Prince. To Gu Jiao's surprise, one of the concubines was actually the younger sister of Princess Rui.
Her name is Du Xiaoyun.
Gu Jiao had some impression of her because she had met Du Xiaoyun a few times when she first came to the capital. Du Xiaoyun was a loyal supporter of Wen Linlang and regarded Wen Linlang as her perfect goddess.
I wonder what she felt when she was chosen to be a concubine in the Eastern Palace.
Du Xiaoyun's belly was very cooperative; she became pregnant three months after entering the palace and is now five months pregnant.
Empress Xiao had confided to Empress Dowager Zhuang that if Du Xiaoyun could give birth to a son for the Crown Prince, she would request that Du Xiaoyun be promoted to the position of Crown Prince's principal wife.
In addition, Prince Rui demonstrated his abilities in the court and gained the emperor's favor. The emperor appointed him as an imperial envoy to go south of the Yangtze River to investigate the people's conditions.
Princess Rui and her daughter accompanied him and have already set off.
Huangfu Xian also went to Jiangnan for sightseeing. It is worth mentioning that he was able to walk with a prosthetic leg.
"Where is Prince Ning?" Gu Jiao asked.
Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed: "The same as always, he is still confined to his residence. Since Chu Yue divorced him, his temperament has changed a lot. I heard that he has been sending people to secretly inquire about Chu Yue's whereabouts, but unfortunately he has found nothing."
Prince Ning clearly had Princess Ning in his heart; his feelings for Wen Linlang were merely unrequited love from his youth. Unfortunately, he realized this too late.
Chu Yue had long since disappeared, and he was filled with remorse.
"What about Zhuang Yuheng? Is there any news about him?" Gu Jiao asked again.
"You seem to have quite a few people on your mind." Empress Dowager Zhuang said this, but she knew in her heart that Gu Jiao was worried about her.
Whether it was Prince Ning or Prince An, they were both children she had truly loved. No one expected that Grand Tutor Zhuang, as Prince Ning's maternal grandfather, would not only fail to discipline Prince Ning properly, but would also secretly instigate Prince Ning to rebel.
Prince Ning fell, Grand Tutor Zhuang was defeated, and the entire Zhuang family was exiled.
Zhuang Yuheng was first expelled from his home by Grand Tutor Zhuang, and then made meritorious contributions. He could have stayed in the capital, but he resolutely chose to be exiled along with his family.
When the dealer was at the height of his power, he gave up all his wealth and left the dealer.
When the dealer fell into a quagmire, he gave up his promising future and returned to the dealer.
Thinking of him, Empress Dowager Zhuang felt both heartache and regret.
She had a lot of pent-up emotions, but no one dared to ask or mention them except Gu Jiao, who could get her to speak.
Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed deeply: "He became a teacher at a small private school on the border. He taught during the day and wrote letters and copied official documents for people at night to earn a little money to supplement the family income."
Although he was exiled, Zhuang Yuheng was not a criminal, so he was allowed to teach at a private school.
Even so, life was still extremely difficult.
Zhuang Yuheng himself did not feel bitter. When the people sent by Empress Dowager Zhuang asked him how he was doing, he said that Xiao Liulang had suffered all these hardships before, and if Xiao Liulang could endure them, so could he.
Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted: "Still arguing with Sixth Prince. By the way, Little Xue wrote to you."
Gu Jiao: "Oh?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang was too lazy to move, so she pointed to a spot and Gu Jiao went to fetch the letter.
There are six letters in total.
In ancient times, transportation was inconvenient, and a letter could take two or three months to arrive. Gu Jiao received six letters during the year and a half that Gu Jiao was away, which shows that Xue Ningxiang wrote letters quite frequently.
Xue Ningxiang mainly talked about the events in the back mountain and her daily life in the countryside in her letter.
"Your handwriting is even better than mine..."
Gu Jiao muttered to herself.
The back mountain has been cleared and planted with different kinds of medicinal herbs according to Gu Jiao's needs. It is expected that some of them will be harvested next year.
Gouwa is five years old and very naughty. He always runs around the streets, making it hard for Xue Ningxiang to find him.
Gouwa got along well with Dean Li. He really believed that he was Dean Li's biological son. Dean Li taught him to write, and guess what? He actually learned very well.
The penultimate letter said that her aunt had sent a letter to Xue Ningxiang, asking her to bring her husband and Gouwa to the capital for a visit, and she said she would come right away.
The last letter followed immediately, informing that Xue Ningxiang was pregnant and could not come to the capital for the time being. She would visit her aunt and Gu Jiao after giving birth.
After listening to news all afternoon and reading so many letters from Xue Ningxiang, Gu Jiao suddenly felt as if she had been transported to another world.
When she first transmigrated, Gouwa was only one year old; now he's five.
Unbeknownst to her, she had already spent four years here.
With a sigh, Gu Xiaobao staggered in.
He stood in front of Gu Jiao and Empress Dowager Zhuang, looking at Empress Dowager Zhuang with a particularly innocent and obedient gaze.
"Grandma," he called out in his childish voice.
Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted: "Ha, what trouble have you gotten yourself into now?"
Gu Xiaobao placed her two small hands in front of her, her right hand pinching the index finger of her left hand: "No."
Empress Dowager Zhuang hit the nail on the head: "If you didn't wave your little hand, then you did."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Ya'er and a young palace maid from Renshou Palace walked in in a panic.
The two lowered their heads.
Yu Ya'er didn't know what it was, nor how to report it.
The young palace maid finally mustered the courage to speak: "The Phoenix... Phoenix Seal is broken."
Empress Dowager Zhuang's face darkened, and a row of sharp glares flashed in her eyes!
Gu Xiaobao stepped forward and hugged Empress Dowager Zhuang's hand: "Grandma, Xiaobao loves you."
Empress Dowager Zhuang's body trembled: Who taught him that?!
Gu Jiao had dinner at Renshou Palace before returning home.
Gu Xiaobao was so tired that he fell asleep, snoring sweetly in Gu Jiao's arms.
Gu Jiao looked at him and said, "Hmm, kids are so cute."
Yu Ya'er said with a smile, "Miss, don't be envious, you and your husband will soon be able to have a child together!"
She? Giving birth? Gu Jiao was stunned, completely bewildered.
...
The Yuan family.
Grand Secretary Yuan and the old Marquis had a very pleasant conversation in the flower hall.
Gu Changqing felt extremely uncomfortable sitting next to the old Marquis.
Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a figure flashing past the window, and the person seemed to glance at him.
He understood and stood up, saying, "Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom."
The old marquis glared at his grandson with displeasure. "We're talking about serious business. Why are you going to the latrine?"
Grand Secretary Yuan smiled and raised his hand: "It's alright, go ahead. Zhao San, take Prince Gu to the latrine."
"yes."
The servant boy, Zhao San, led Gu Changqing to the urinal.
Gu Changqing said without changing his expression, "I know the way. You go back first. I'll be gone for a while."
"Yes." Zhao San returned to the flower hall.
Gu Changqing turned around and used his lightness skill to arrive at a small garden nearby.
There, a young Taoist nun in a Taoist robe had been waiting for a long time, holding a newly published storybook in her hand.
The young nun closed the storybook she had been reading for half a day, turned around and looked at Gu Changqing: "You've finally come. If you hadn't come, I would have gone to invite you myself."
He said, "Was it you who sent someone to call me just now?"
"Yes." The young Taoist nun nodded.
He asked, "Is there something you need?"
The young nun glanced behind him and then winked at the maid beside her.
The maid understood and went to a short distance away to keep watch.
The young nun then asked, "How did your grandfather's talk with my grandfather go?"
“They…” Gu Changqing recalled the scene of the two elders hitting it off immediately, his expression indescribable. “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect my grandfather to bring in the phoenix. Give me some time, I will find another way to break off this engagement.”
Yuan Baolin paused, then tentatively asked, "You've broken off the engagement, so you don't have to get married again?"
"What?" Gu Changqing didn't understand why she asked such a question.
She explained, “What I mean is, there were flaws in our original plan. I won’t go back to the Taoist temple so easily, especially since my grandmother threatened to kill herself a few days ago… The same goes for you. Even if you break off your engagement with me, your family will find you another marriage until you get married.”
Gu Changqing remained silent.
Yuan Baolin is right. As the heir of the Marquis's mansion, he will inherit the family business in the future, and his grandfather will not give up on his marriage.
Yuan Baolin thought for a moment and asked him, "Do you still not want to get married, just like before?"
"Yes." Gu Changqing nodded firmly.
Yuan Baolin said, "Me too, I don't want to get married. What's so good about men? All the women I've met who lived to be a hundred years old were women whose husbands died young. Cherish life, stay away from men."
Gu Changqing: "..." I was speechless.
Holding the storybook in her hands, Yuan Baolin rolled her eyes and looked at him mischievously, saying with a smile, "Since you don't want to get married and I don't want to get married, why don't we cooperate?"
Gu Changqing gave her a deep look: "You mean—"
Yuan Baolin took a few steps forward and said casually, "Anyway, as long as we can fool them! If you find someone you love in the future, or I find someone I love, it's not too late for us to get a divorce!"
Gu Changqing hesitated for a moment and said, "But that's not fair to you."
It's not a big deal for a man to get divorced, but if a woman gets divorced, she will inevitably face criticism, even if she is the granddaughter of the chief minister Yuan. She cannot escape these worldly customs.
Yuan Baolin smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about that. To be honest, I don't care what others think of me. Their opinions and words can't hurt me. Just tell me if you agree or not."
This unconventional personality... is somewhat similar to her younger sister's.
Gu Changqing frowned. This matter was entirely beneficial to him, but for her it was truly—
Yuan Baolin said frankly, "Don't underestimate women, and don't judge me by your own standards. I know what I want. Unless you don't want to cooperate with me, then pretend I said nothing."
Gu Changqing pondered for a moment, looked at her with a complicated expression, and gave his decision.
Monthly passes can be saved until the end of the month, or you can vote for them now.
(End of this chapter)
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