Part 2
Hearing her distant form of address, the female official knew she was refusing. She sighed inwardly, her voice growing even softer. “Although Her Imperial Majesty doesn’t say it, how could she not have the Grand Princess in her heart these days? Just going for a look isn’t a big deal.”
After hesitating for a long time, the words of comfort from Zhao Yiyi surfaced in her mind. She said, “Alright.”
In Wanchun Hall, the Empress Dowager was speaking with the Emperor. Hearing the noisy footsteps and laughter outside, her heart leaped to her throat.
She stood up and looked out. Her nose tingled, and she almost shed tears.
Usually, even if she invited ten times, Duanduan might not come once. To think she came today—how could she not be pleasantly surprised?
“Duanduan.” Looking at the young girl walking toward her, the Empress Dowager called out carefully.
Looking closely now, she realized Zhao Duanduan’s eyes were phoenix eyes, just like the Emperor’s. Only hers were rounder, possessing the cuteness of a young girl.
In the past, she hadn’t recognized it.
The Empress Dowager felt a pang of regret. She softened her voice. “Last time, I heard the Empress say you like crispy bone fish. Fresh crucian carp was delivered today, so I made a dish.” Saying this, she pushed the plate in front of her forward. “Taste it, how is it?”
Zhao Duanduan expressed her thanks and picked up a piece with her chopsticks to eat.
Both of them were very unfamiliar with each other, even somewhat constrained. Zhao Duanduan felt a faint resistance in her heart, while the Empress Dowager didn’t know what to do.
Not having raised the child by her side, she inevitably had to be cautious.
Watching her lower her head to eat, the Empress Dowager’s eyes filled with a smile. “It’s rare for both of you siblings to be free and come to my place today. Why not stay for lunch before going back?”
Gu Zhen gave a faint assent. Zhao Duanduan showed a bit of confusion on her face, but then heard the Emperor say, “I will send someone to tell your sister in a moment.”
Seeing her daughter rely so heavily on the Empress, the Empress Dowager had mixed feelings. She knew that even if she forced her to stay, they might not be able to have a proper lunch. Remembering Nanny Song’s advice, she whispered, “The Emperor mentioned earlier that the Empress’s younger brother entered the palace today? Why not ask the Empress to come over as well, and we can all have lunch together?”
Gu Zhen remained noncommittal, but Zhao Duanduan looked conflicted.
In the end, someone was sent to invite her.
“Your childhood name was given by your Father Emperor. Now that you’ve returned and are the Grand Princess of the Gu clan, I have thought of a few names these past days. What does the Emperor think? Which one is better?” The Empress Dowager tried to keep her voice gentle, even carrying a hint of caution.
Gu Zhen glanced at Zhao Duanduan and said, “In my opinion, the current one is just fine.”
The Empress Dowager was stunned, but since the Emperor had spoken, she naturally couldn’t object. She simply said, “That is good, that is good. We are used to it anyway; changing it might feel unfamiliar.”
Throughout the meal, the five of them barely spoke. It was strangely quiet.
Zhao Yiyi hadn’t been to Wanchun Hall for a long time. Looking at the scenery in the hall now, she felt as if a lifetime had passed.
After the meal, she and Zhao Duanduan walked in front, while Zhao Chen lagged a few steps behind.
As he walked with his head down, the space beside him suddenly darkened. Zhao Chen turned his head and saw it was the Emperor.
He froze for a moment, then whispered, “Your Majesty?”
“Come here.” Gu Zhen glanced at him, his voice faint.
Zhao Chen was puzzled, but facing the Emperor, he obediently slowed his pace, walking half a step behind him.
Once the two in front had walked further away, Gu Zhen asked, “Before you acted, did you think about your sister?”
“Your Majesty rest assured, Chen would certainly not implicate Sister,” Zhao Chen bowed slightly, answering in a measured voice.
He couldn’t swallow that anger. If he didn’t act, if he didn’t ensure his father and Madam Xu’s enemies were punished, he would die with his eyes open.
But he had never intended to drag his sister into the water.
Gu Zhen sneered. “You never thought about it? If your reputation is ruined, can your sister’s remain pristine? Or do you think her heart would be at ease?”
Zhao Chen’s expression froze, and he suddenly felt a chill.
He had only thought about not implicating them legally, but he hadn’t considered that his siblings would worry about him.
“It was Chen who did not think it through,” he said, lowering his head. “Thank you for the pointer, Your Majesty.”
Gu Zhen’s expression did not improve; he kept his anger suppressed. “Did you think those tricks of yours would keep you alive until today? If it weren’t for your sister, you would have been sent to the magistrate back when you beat up Cui Siyuan.”
Zhao Chen knew this was true; his sister had scolded him last time. But having it pointed out by the Emperor now made his face flush red, and he almost died of shame.
A few cold gusts of wind blew past his face, dissipating some of the heat.
As his brother-in-law, the Emperor rarely spoke to him even when they bumped into each other in the palace.
This was the first time he had said so much.
Zhao Chen knew why. He said penitently, “Chen knows his mistake. In the future, I will definitely not put myself in danger and cause Eldest Sister to worry.”
After watching him coldly for a moment, Gu Zhen’s expression softened slightly. He said in a deep voice, “Your sister has long been handling this matter. Even if she couldn’t, there is still your eldest brother; it is not your turn to manage it.” He paused, then added, “If there is anything in the future, tell your sister first. If you are afraid she will be angry, you can also tell me.”
Zhao Chen was shaken. He looked up slightly at the Emperor, but upon meeting those phoenix eyes, he hurriedly lowered his head again. He clasped his hands and bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“If there is a next time, your sister won’t need to discipline you; I will do it myself,” Gu Zhen added coldly.
Back at Yande Hall, Zhao Yiyi felt somewhat sleepy and returned to the sleeping quarters to remove her makeup and hairpins.
As she reached for the last velvet flower hairpin, she heard footsteps behind her. A tall, slender figure appeared in the bronze mirror. She raised an eyebrow. “Did Your Majesty speak to A-Chen just now?”
Gu Zhen acknowledged it and asked, “Did he tell you?”
“He didn’t say anything; how would he dare?” Zhao Yiyi wiped the rouge from her fingertips with a handkerchief, smiling playfully. “He ran over to admit his mistake with red eyes, almost crying. If he wasn’t scared by Your Majesty, what else could it be? I didn’t expect Your Majesty to have such a talent for stopping a child from crying at night.”
Zhao Chen had already admitted his mistake, but coming over again was to admit the mistake of causing her worry.
Gu Zhen smiled faintly. He stepped forward to remove the velvet flower hairpin for her. Watching her smooth black hair cascade down, he placed both hands on her slender shoulders and whispered, “Do I really have such ability?”
“Your Majesty scared A-Chen to tears, yet you say you don’t.”
Zhao Yiyi turned her head and was caught off guard, crashing into a pair of smiling eyes. Her expression froze for a moment.
“Though he is sharp, his temperament is paranoid. If I don’t strike a warning into him, his reckless behavior will inevitably cause you worry. I have already given instructions regarding your father’s affairs; Yiyi, you need not worry about your family being implicated.”
He murmured in her ear, saying many things. Zhao Yiyi only felt waves of warmth spraying against her ear, ticklish and numbing, causing her body to stiffen.
“Alright.” She reached out and pushed gently. “It’s a bit hot.”
Gu Zhen turned his head and saw the red luo charcoal burning vigorously in the corner, a brilliant hue.
He walked over and extinguished one basin.
“Is that better?”
Hearing his question, Zhao Yiyi wanted to say it wasn’t the charcoal, but the words reached her lips and took a turn. “En, much better.”
Translator’s Note:
- “Stopping a child from crying at night”: A Chinese idiom referring to someone so fearsome or intimidating that their mere mention can silence a crying child.
- Velvet Flower (Ronghua): A traditional Chinese craft where silk is used to create flower shapes, often worn as hair ornaments.
📖 Advance Access: Complete Novel
- Option 1: Note your email on PayPal/Ko-fi.
- Option 2: Email proof to beezzzreads@gmail.com.
- Option 3: Comment below.
Recommended Reads
