The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 16

Before Gu Qing arrived, she had already tested the water temperature. However, having spent the past two years in the military camp, her hands were no longer as soft and delicate as those of ordinary young ladies, nor was her sensitivity to temperature as keen. So she deliberately adjusted the water to what she felt was warm with a hint of coolness, hoping it would be just right for Xie Zhizhen.

But after all, she wasn’t Xie Zhizhen and didn’t know whether this temperature would feel hot or cold within Xie Zhizhen’s comfort threshold.

“Just right.” Though the water was slightly cool, her heart felt warm.

Hearing this, Gu Qing breathed a sigh of relief and began carefully washing Xie Zhizhen’s hands, ensuring they were thoroughly clean.

Both were women’s hands, yet perhaps due to frequently wielding weapons, Gu Qing’s palms were larger and stronger, while Xie Zhizhen’s hands were smaller and softer.

Xie Zhizhen lowered her eyes, feeling the roughness of Gu Qing’s hands against her own, the slight calluses brushing against the back of her hand, sending a tingling sensation through her.

Maybe it was because they were in the water, but such intimate contact didn’t bring Xie Zhizhen the slightest discomfort.

Once finished, Gu Qing took a cotton cloth from the nearby rack to dry Xie Zhizhen’s hands, tidied up briefly, and then the two headed to the main hall.

Upon seeing Gu Qing’s parents, Xie Zhizhen couldn’t help but think of her own father his disappointed gaze flashing in her mind. The words “Uncle” and “Aunt” she had intended to say stuck in her throat, and she instead addressed them formally, “Lord Gu, Lady Gu.”

By etiquette, as a princess, the Gu couple should have bowed to her. But by sentiment, they were Gu Qing’s parents, and she felt she should bow to them.

Thus, Xie Zhizhen curtsied slightly.

Lord and Lady Gu were flustered by her gesture and quickly helped her up. “This won’t do, this won’t do! Your Highness is of noble birth, how could you bow to us?”

Gu Qing was the first to react when Xie Zhizhen curtsied, immediately stepping forward to support her.

Lady Gu glanced at the hair ornaments adorning the princess’s head recognizing them at once as the few pieces from Gu Qing’s jewelry box and a faint smile flickered in her eyes. She stepped forward warmly and took Xie Zhizhen’s hand. “If I may speak out of turn, Your Highness, since you and A-Qing are fond of each other, you are like a daughter to us.”

“Just call me Aunt, and may I call you Zhenzhen?”

Gu Qing noticed how tightly her mother was holding Xie Zhizhen’s hand and instinctively looked at her, scrutinizing every subtle shift in her expression.

Then, she saw Xie Zhizhen’s lips curve slightly not a trace of displeasure in sight her eyes reflecting genuine warmth. “Of course.”

Xie Zhizhen had initially been nervous, fearing the Gu couple might dislike her, believing she had led Gu Qing astray, just as her own father had accused Gu Qing of corrupting her. But Lady Gu’s kind words warmed her heart.

Xie Zhizhen returned the gesture, clasping Lady Gu’s hand in hers. Though age had softened the skin, it was unexpectedly comforting rather than unpleasant.

“Let’s eat,” Lord Gu chimed in warmly. “We weren’t sure what you’d like, so we had the kitchen prepare a little of everything. See if anything suits your taste. If not, just say the word, and I’ll have the kitchen whip up something else.”

Gu Qing only now noticed that the dining table, which usually held three or four dishes for the three of them, was today laden with twenty or thirty dishes. She was somewhat shocked by her usually frugal parents’ sudden extravagance, but it also demonstrated their regard and goodwill toward Xie Zhizhen.

Seeing Xie Zhizhen smile faintly with the poise of a well-bred lady, Gu Qing felt a pang of heartache. Yet she knew it would take time to restore her to the soft, pampered little princess she once was there was no rushing it.

Gu’s mother picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork for Xie Zhizhen. “Try this, it’s made a bit differently from the usual way.”

The moment it touched her tongue, Xie Zhizhen recognized the familiar flavor, her eyes lighting up. It tasted exactly like the dish Gu Qing had made for her before.

But Gu Qing had been with her the whole time, it couldn’t have been her cooking. Could it be that Gu Qing had learned her skills from the Gu family’s kitchen?

“Quite different from the usual, isn’t it?” Seeing Xie Zhizhen’s pleased expression, Gu’s mother smiled. “This is a recipe A-Qing developed herself. She’s just too lazy to cook often, so she taught it to the kitchen staff instead.”

So it was Gu Qing’s own creation. This genuinely surprised Xie Zhizhen.

Gu Qing quickly waved it off. “No, no, no, don’t give me credit, Mother. I learned this from someone else. I wouldn’t know how to develop a recipe.” She had picked it up in the modern world, after all, she hardly deserved praise for it.

Gu’s mother shot her a reproachful glance, and only then did Gu Qing realize her mistake. She couldn’t help but laugh. “Mother, Zhizhen and I grew up together. She probably knows my strengths and flaws better than you do. There’s no need to try and salvage my image.”

Both of Gu’s parents were easygoing, and by the end of the meal, Xie Zhizhen’s tightly wound nerves had relaxed. By the time they finished, she was already calling them “Uncle” and “Auntie” with warm familiarity.

“It must be lonely eating alone at the princess’s residence. You’re welcome to visit often, it’s livelier with more people,” Gu’s mother said, holding Xie Zhizhen’s hand as they prepared to leave. She teased, “A-Qing hasn’t been back in so long that the hairpins in her vanity are all out of style. Feel free to drop by, I have plenty of seasonal ones that would suit a young lady like you.”

Xie Zhizhen touched the ornament in her hair, surprised that Gu’s mother had noticed. She lowered her head slightly, a little embarrassed.

Worried Xie Zhizhen might feel awkward, Gu Qing quickly took her hand and led her toward the gate. “Alright, Mother, stop teasing her, or she might not come back next time.”

With that, she took Xie Zhizhen out for a stroll through the bustling streets to walk off their meal.

The capital, at the foot of the imperial palace, was naturally prosperous. Vendors lined the streets, and among the passersby were young couples bantering playfully, parents out with their small children, and groups of close girlfriends chatting as they browsed.

The cries of street hawkers, the laughter of children, the conversations between friends, this was the vibrant pulse of everyday life.

“Would you like me to take you to wash your hands?” Gu Qing asked, still concerned about her mother’s earlier gesture of holding Xie Zhizhen’s hand, worried it might have made her uncomfortable.

Xie Zhizhen shook her head and then briefly described how she had felt in that moment.

Listening to her, Gu Qing suddenly understood.

It seemed Lin Chenzhi had only ever brought young girls around, so Xie Zhizhen’s discomfort stemmed mainly from her own standards for judging young women.

For example, Lady Gu, due to her advancing age, had skin on her hands that was completely different from that of a young woman, which was why Xie Zhizhen didn’t feel uncomfortable with her.

As for herself, although objectively she met the standards of a young woman, because she had been wielding swords and spears in the military camp, her hands bore some slight calluses and were a bit rough. So while it might cause Xie Zhizhen some discomfort, it wasn’t severe and remained within an acceptable range.

Once she understood this, Gu Qing took the initiative to hold Xie Zhizhen’s hand, curling her lips into a smile. “Seems like roughness has its perks too.” Meanwhile, she wondered if she should intensify her training to develop a few more calluses on her hands.

Though she had grown up in the capital, Xie Zhizhen spent her childhood in the palace with limited opportunities to go outside. By the time she finally had her own princess estate built outside the palace, she had already lost interest in outings. Thus, the lively scenes on the streets still fascinated her greatly.

Noticing her enthusiasm, Gu Qing interlaced their fingers and said, “I see a circus performance over there. Shall we go take a look?”

Her gaze followed the direction of the circus, where despite the bustling crowd, she could vaguely make out someone breathing fire. Xie Zhizhen’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Given the large crowd, accidental brushes were inevitable. Gu Qing did her best to shield Xie Zhizhen from being touched by others, and the two finally managed to squeeze their way to the center.

The performer picked up what looked like a wooden stick, blew on it forcefully, and suddenly a roaring flame erupted, eliciting gasps from the surrounding audience. Xie Zhizhen was utterly captivated.

She gently tugged on Gu Qing’s sleeve, her eyes still fixed on the performer as she asked, “How is this done? It’s so amazing!”

“Actually, it’s just powdered rosin wrapped in some white hemp paper.” Gu Qing had once been curious about such tricks and had looked them up, so she happened to know a bit about the simple principles behind them.

A man nearby listened carefully to Gu Qing’s explanation and nodded in sudden understanding. “Ah, I see. I never expected someone so young to know so much.”

Gu Qing scratched her head. Since she had merely read about it online, she was at best a knowledge courier. “I just heard it from someone else.”

The man seemed genuinely interested and was about to ask a few more questions when Xie Zhizhen quietly tugged on Gu Qing’s sleeve, as if wanting to leave.

Though unsure what was wrong, Gu Qing followed her slight pull and led her away from the noisy crowd. Only when they were in a quieter spot did Gu Qing ask, “What’s the matter? Was it too crowded and uncomfortable?”

Xie Zhizhen lowered her eyes, pouting slightly, looking somewhat displeased.

“Are you feeling unwell? Let me take you to wash up.” The crowd had been overwhelming, and despite Gu Qing’s best efforts to protect her, some contact was unavoidable.

Gu Qing grew anxious and quickly took Xie Zhizhen’s hand to leave, but Xie Zhizhen remained rooted to the spot. Finally, she whispered, “No, I’m not uncomfortable.”

“I just…” Even she felt a bit embarrassed saying it. “I just don’t like it when you get so close to others.”

She knew Gu Qing and that man were complete strangers, but seeing Gu Qing standing so close to someone else and chatting still made her feel uneasy. Without thinking, she had pulled her away.

Gu Qing found it somewhat amusing but, for the sake of the little princess’s pride, she held back her laughter and coughed lightly. “It’s all my fault. I didn’t maintain the proper distance with others, making the princess jealous.”

Xie Zhizhen punched Gu Qing’s arm in annoyance. “I was not!”

“Alright, alright, you weren’t, you weren’t.”

The tone was as if coaxing a child, yet it made Xie Zhizhen’s lips curl slightly. She randomly pointed at a nearby candied hawthorn stick. “I want that!”

Without waiting for Gu Qing’s response, she walked over to another stall to browse some small trinkets.

Gu Qing smiled helplessly, took out some coins to buy a candied hawthorn stick, and then went to find Xie Zhizhen at the stall.

Though the sachets and jewelry at the stall were far less exquisite than those in the palace, they had their own unique charm. Xie Zhizhen picked through them while opening her mouth slightly.

Having known her for so many years, Gu Qing naturally understood what she meant. With a faint smile, she brought the candied hawthorn stick to Xie Zhizhen’s lips.

Xie Zhizhen took a bite. The outer layer of sugar was sweet and crisp, and with a gentle bite, the sugary shell broke, releasing the sour juice of the hawthorn inside. The tartness made Xie Zhizhen scrunch up her face, but soon the sourness blended with the sweetness of the sugar, creating a delightful sweet-and-sour flavor that made her want more.

The hawthorn seeds had been removed beforehand, so there was no need to spit them out.

Xie Zhizhen selected a wooden hairpin. Though the carving wasn’t particularly refined, the pattern was unique, one she had never seen before. She held the hairpin up to Gu Qing’s hair, then tucked it into the dark locks.

The wooden hairpin clearly didn’t match the other gold accessories, but Xie Zhizhen thought it looked beautiful. Gu Qing glanced at herself in the mirror and didn’t refuse. After paying, the two continued to stroll around.

Along the way, Xie Zhizhen bought many odd little trinkets and an assortment of snacks.

As for the candied hawthorn stick, Xie Zhizhen ate two pieces and handed the rest to Gu Qing to finish.

What had started as a leisurely walk to aid digestion ended with both of them returning to the princess’s residence with full, round bellies.

From a distance, Gu Qing spotted Sujuan waiting at the entrance of the princess’s residence and quickly handed over some pastries to her. Only then did Sujuan realize that the person accompanying the princess wasn’t a maid but the Second Miss Gu.

She immediately called a few maids to help carry the items.

Though it would have been enough to escort Xie Zhizhen to the residence, the two ended up lingering at the door of her boudoir.

Hand in hand, they clung to each other like inseparable dolls, neither willing to let go first.

Gu Qing said, “I should go now.”

Xie Zhizhen pouted slightly, her little finger hooking onto Gu Qing’s. “Then go ahead.”

Though she said that, her hooked finger didn’t loosen.

“I’ll come see you tomorrow after court.”

“Mm.”

In the end, Gu Qing didn’t know what else to say. Reluctantly, she let go, turning back every few steps. “Don’t go to bed too early. Sleeping on a full stomach isn’t good for digestion.”

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