TLDPCRM 39: The Secret of the Princess (Patreon)

Chapter 39: The Secret of the Princess


"Your humble servant Gu Yunru was originally sent to the palace to serve the princess, but I did not expect that the princess had already run away," Gu Yunru said, looking at the princess with a mixture of anger and disappointment.

"Princess, don't be angry. Running away like this is not a solution," Gu Yunru continued.

After hearing Gu Yunru's words, the princess grabbed her hand excitedly and asked, "Do you have any ideas to help this princess avoid the arranged marriage?"

"Well...I'm sorry, I don't. Your servant doesn't have such great abilities," Gu Yunru replied.

Gu Yunru could cure illnesses and solve cases, but this was not something she could handle.

"The way you speak, it seems that I must go to the frontier," the princess said, sitting on the bed with a dejected look.

"Princess, you should discuss this with the emperor," Gu Yunru suggested.

"Don't talk to me about him. There is no family love when it comes to national affairs," the princess replied, her eyes flashing with tears.

Gu Yunru felt sorry for the princess and approached her, patting her back gently. She then suggested, "Princess, why don't you stay in the palace for now and wait for the envoy from the frontier to arrive before making any decisions?"

"What do you mean?" the princess asked, confused.

Gu Yunru whispered a few words in her ear, and the princess looked at her in bewilderment, asking, "Can this really work?"

"Princess, how do you know if you don't try? If you can refuse a marriage, why can't the other party?" Gu Yunru replied confidently, despite her own messy situation.

"Okay, I'll trust you for now," the princess said before opening the door and stepping out.

Gu Yunru breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to be trusted, but if the envoy from the frontier arrived, she would have to help the princess resolve this matter. Otherwise, she might be caught and sent to the frontier, and the princess might be forced to marry someone else.

"As long as I don't marry into the Zhao Wangfu, anything is fine," thought Gu Yunru, feeling a bit relieved and more confident.

The next morning, news of the princess's return spread throughout the palace. Over breakfast, while Gu Yunru was nursing two black circles under her eyes and sipping hot porridge, Rong Zhen asked, "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Yes, why?" Gu Yunru had been tossing and turning until late into the night, and only then did she remember that Rong Zhen's insomnia had improved quite a bit, while she was still tormented and couldn't fall asleep until the wee hours.

"Nothing, just asking," Rong Zhen replied, looking refreshed and alert.

"Okay." Gu Yunru continued to bow her head and drink her porridge.

After their meal, Rong Zhen rubbed his belly contentedly and couldn't resist making a snide comment: "You don't look like a rich young lady at all."

"I..." Gu Yunru retorted irritably, "If Your Highness finds me embarrassing, you can just not marry me."

Rong Zhen's eyebrows twitched. He hadn't expected her to reply like this.

"The marriage contract cannot be changed. This prince is also helpless. Are you saying that marrying this prince is a hardship for you?" Rong Zhen couldn't help but ask, wondering if this woman had been harboring a strong aversion to him all along.

Gu Yunru sat up straight and squared her shoulders. "No, it's not that. Just give me your hand."

"Gu Junru took his hand without hesitation when he hesitated, and after checking his pulse, she let go of his hand.

"You have some blood and qi imbalance recently, which should be caused by your tendency to get angry easily. When will you learn to talk to people like the emperor, always using the same tone and never suddenly losing your temper?"

Hearing Gu Junru's sincere advice, Rong Zhen's pitch-black eyes showed a hint of doubt. "What do you mean? Do you think I have a bad temper?"

Who would dare to talk to him like this?

Gu Junru quickly said, "See, here you go again. If you continue like this, even I won't dare to talk to you."

"...What do you want me to do?" Rong Zhen asked.

"The tone of speech is important. You can't use a commanding tone, after all, this isn't a battlefield." Gu Junru leaned closer to him, and Rong Zhen suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. His heartbeat couldn't help but speed up.

"How about this? I'll teach you a nursery rhyme," Gu Junru proposed an unprecedented idea.

"What?" Rong Zhen said.

"It's a children's song. I'll sing it to you, and you learn to sing it once."

"I don't want to learn such childish things," Rong Zhen turned his head away and refused to cooperate.

"Hey, I'm doing this for your own good. You should cooperate with me." said Gu Yunru to Rong Zhen, who was struggling with his illness and not grateful for her help.

After struggling for a while, Rong Zhen couldn't bear to see Gu Yunru disappointed, so he reluctantly sang along with her.




Meanwhile, master Gu knelt outside the Qianxi Palace gate all night and his legs were almost numb. When Gu Junyao saw him about to collapse, she rushed over and held him in her arms.

"Dad? Are you okay?"

After finally finishing her task, Gu Junyao walked out and saw that it was already dawn. She never expected her father to still be kneeling outside, punished by the empress. Their family had never been treated like this before, the empress was truly outrageous!

As Zi Luo walked out, she looked at Gu Junyao with arrogant eyes.

"The Shufei is not awake yet, you have to wait until she wakes up and reads through the Buddhist scriptures copied by Miss Gu before you can leave. Please rest for a while in the side hall and wait a moment."

Gu Junyao had endured all night and was now starving and exhausted, tortured to the point of death. She had never been treated like this before.

"Please show us some mercy, Auntie, and bring us some hot tea. My father doesn't look too good."

Zi Luo looked at her with a strange expression and scolded her, "It's early in the morning, where am I supposed to get you hot tea? If you want it, go to the kitchen and make it yourself."

After saying these words, Zi Luo twisted her waist and left.

Gu Junyao gritted her teeth and helped her father to the side hall, frowning, "I don't know what we did to offend the noble consort to make her treat us like this. Father, you mustn't get hurt."

master Gu coughed, lowered his head, and waved his hand with difficulty, "I'm fine."

"Are all the people in the palace so unreasonable? Father, why don't we go and tell the Emperor?" Gu Junyao thought that they couldn't tolerate this treatment any longer.

"Let's not make it worse. Besides, the Noble Consort is the Emperor's woman, and he will surely favor her."

"Are we going to let this humiliation go unpunished?" Gu Junyao had always held her head high and was very proud. When would she have to bow her head like a turtle?

"Enough, Junyao. Don't tell your mother about this for now. I'm afraid she will worry."

"Okay."

After about half an hour, the Concubine Shu finally woke up and immediately called master Gu and daughter into the palace.

"Greetings, Imperial Concubine Shu."

Gu Junyao lowered her head, concealing her hatred very well.

"master Gu you have worked hard standing outside the door all day."