The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 36

Because of the incident at noon, Gu Qing spent a long time coaxing Xie Zhizhen before she finally calmed down. However, because she had ultimately hurt her, Xie Zhizhen refused her kisses for the next several days.

There was nothing for it; Gu Qing only had herself to blame for getting too excited and failing to control her strength. One must make amends for their own mistakes. These past few days, Gu Qing could only hold her small hands or share a few hugs and cuddles, not daring to take things any further.

Soon, the day arrived for the traditional visit to the bride’s family. Gu Qing brought Xie Zhizhen into the palace, first visiting Consort Shu at Chengqian Palace.

Along the way, as was her custom, Gu Qing had Su Juan prepare various pastries in the carriage to feed Xie Zhizhen. Watching her eat with her cheeks puffed out was inexplicably adorable, making Gu Qing want to kiss her.

But she knew that because of the previous incident, Xie Zhizhen remained very resistant to her kisses, so holding hands was all she could do.

They were finally married, and her soft, delicate girl was now her wife in name and fact—yet because of her prior clumsiness, Gu Qing could only look but not “eat.”

Still, holding that soft hand in her palm and simply giving it a squeeze was enough to make Gu Qing feel satisfied. She was someone who knew how to be content.

Entering the palace again gave Gu Qing a sense of “a lifetime ago.” As a child, she had entered the palace as a companion to the Princess to accompany Xie Zhizhen. Later, she was caught by the Emperor here and had to kneel at the palace gates to beg for his consent regarding her and Xie Zhizhen. Later still, she finally entered the palace as a court official to meet Consort Shu.

Now, she was entering while holding Xie Zhizhen’s hand, officially as the Princess’s Consort.

Consort Shu had been waiting in the palace since early morning. Seeing the two of them walking hand-in-hand, with Gu Qing occasionally looking down to catch Xie Zhizhen’s eye with a smile, it was clear they were deeply in love.

The two had specifically chosen matching outfits or “couple’s clothes,” as Gu Qing called them. From a distance, they truly looked like a perfect, harmonious pair.

Seeing the radiant smile on Xie Zhizhen’s face, Consort Shu felt a great deal of relief.

Although Gu Qing had essentially grown up by her side, she had been away for two years. Even though the Consort knew the girl was of good character and treated Xie Zhizhen well, as an aunt, it was hard not to worry.

Because there were palace maids nearby, Gu Qing and Xie Zhizhen formally paid their respects to Consort Shu to avoid giving anyone cause for gossip.

“Aunt.”

“Aunt.”

Consort Shu quickly helped them up and waved for the maids to withdraw. Only then did she take their hands and sit down. Knowing Xie Zhizhen was shy, she didn’t ask any private questions about their relationship.

“I see you’ve only been married a few days and your face has already filled out a bit.”

Young women usually prefer to be thin, so being told she had gained weight made Xie Zhizhen reach up to touch her cheeks. Feeling that they were indeed a bit plumper, she immediately shot a fierce glare at Gu Qing.

Gu Qing scratched her head and quickly begged for mercy, winking at Consort Shu for backup. “You look even better with a bit more weight; you were too thin before. Aunt, don’t you agree?”

Receiving the signal, Consort Shu nodded with a smile and patted Xie Zhizhen’s cheek, teasing in a mock-envious tone, “Exactly. It’s healthier to have a little meat on your bones. You were always too thin; I kept telling you to eat more, but it seems my words weren’t as effective as Gu Qing’s.”

Even with a little extra weight, Xie Zhizhen was nowhere near “fat.”

In the past, because she was too thin and had no appetite, her face lacked fullness. Her indifferent eyes often gave off an elusive, ethereal quality, making her seem like a celestial being who couldn’t be touched by the mundane world.

While beautiful, that kind of beauty lacked a human touch. Consort Shu hadn’t liked that version of Xie Zhizhen because she knew it wasn’t who she truly was.

Now, Xie Zhizhen’s eyes were full of smiles, and her whole being was brimming with life and vitality. Her slightly fuller cheeks softened her cold aura, adding a touch of the charm and cuteness befitting her age.

Xie Zhizhen let go of Gu Qing’s hand and hugged Consort Shu’s arm, her voice soft and sweet. “That’s not true. Zhenzhen listens to Aunt the most.”

Consort Shu then went through the usual motions of asking about Gu Qing’s life at the Princess’s Manor, while also checking how Xie Zhizhen liked staying at the Gu residence, mentioning she could go back and stay for a few days whenever she liked.

Just as the three were chatting happily, Xie Zhibai arrived.

Given Xie Zhibai’s status, none of the maids at Chengqian Palace would stop him, so he entered easily without even an announcement.

“Sister! You’re finally back!” Xie Zhibai’s eyes lit up when he saw Xie Zhizhen, and he ran over to them.

Xie Zhizhen looked at the time, feeling a bit suspicious. “Shouldn’t you be in morning lessons?”

Usually, this was the time for the princes’ lessons and the officials’ morning court. Gu Qing was only exempt because she was on leave for her wedding.

Xie Zhibai’s grin stiffened. He hadn’t expected his sister to cut straight to the point. He glanced at Consort Shu, worried he was about to get a scolding. Feeling nervous, he quickly explained, “I knew you were coming back today, and I missed you!”

Knowing it was the day of her return visit, he had specifically had someone help him feign illness to get permission from his tutor to rest for the morning.

Xie Zhizhen rolled her eyes at him, her tone full of playful schadenfreude. “I knew it. You feigned illness to skip class again. Aunt is right here—let her give you a proper scolding.”

Xie Zhibai hadn’t seen this side of her in a long time—a Xie Zhizhen so full of life and energy. For a moment, he stood there dazed.

Consort Shu tapped Xie Zhibai lightly with her finger but, unusually, didn’t scold him. She simply said, “Don’t do it again.”

Gu Qing couldn’t help but steal a glance at Consort Shu. In her memory, Consort Shu was a standard “loving mother” to Xie Zhizhen but a “strict mother” to Xie Zhibai. Usually, she would have lectured him thoroughly for this, but she let it slide quite easily.

Gu Qing wondered if it was because of the return visit, but Consort Shu seemed to be in a very good mood today.

After chatting for a while, Consort Shu, being older, grew weary. She rubbed her temples. “At this hour, your Imperial Father should be finished with court. Go and see him.”

Xie Zhizhen noticed the dark circles under Consort Shu’s eyes—a clear sign of poor sleep. She helped rub the Consort’s temples and murmured, “Aunt, don’t worry about me. Gu Qing and I are doing very well. You must take care of yourself in the palace and not make me worry.”

Those words of concern visibly softened Consort Shu’s brow. “Don’t worry, I am doing perfectly fine. You just focus on taking care of yourself.”

Once she was sure Consort Shu was alright, Xie Zhizhen left Chengqian Palace and headed for Qianqing Palace.

Because the Emperor’s health had been declining lately, he mostly stayed in Qianqing Palace to review memorials.

Eunuch Li saw Gu Qing and Xie Zhizhen from a distance and hurried to greet them, the wrinkles on his face bunching together as he smiled. “The Princess and Consort have finally arrived. Please allow this servant to go in and announce you.”

Xie Zhizhen nodded.

The two didn’t wait long before Eunuch Li returned. He bowed and smiled. “His Majesty invites you both in.”

As soon as she entered Qianqing Palace, Gu Qing smelled a heavy scent of medicine—a pungent odor that even incense couldn’t mask. Her heart tightened.

Though she wasn’t a physician, the sheer intensity of the medicinal smell gave her an ominous feeling.

Sure enough, upon entering, they saw the Emperor sitting at his desk reviewing memorials. His lips were pale and slightly cracked, and the deep circles under his eyes made him look as though he hadn’t slept in ages. His eyes were somewhat sunken; he clearly was not in a good state.

Seeing her father like this, Xie Zhizhen was worried. “Imperial Father, how has your health been lately? What do the imperial physicians say?”

The Emperor coughed twice and looked up with tired eyes, waving his hand. “I know my own body best; you needn’t worry.”

His gaze moved slowly from Gu Qing to Xie Zhizhen, and he naturally noticed her slightly fuller cheeks. He looked gratified, but as a father, he didn’t forget to ask, “How is that girl Gu Qing treating you? She hasn’t been bullying you, has she?”

At the mention of “bullying,” Xie Zhizhen couldn’t help but think of that kiss in bed two days ago. She was still a bit annoyed; the root of her tongue still hurt even now.

However, since they were in front of the Emperor—and knowing her father already had some minor issues with Gu Qing—Xie Zhizhen decided it was best not to speak ill of her.

Instead, she just smiled and nodded. “I told Gu Qing just the other day that if she ever dares to treat me poorly, I’ll divorce her!”

Seeing his daughter looking so much more spirited, the Emperor finally found Gu Qing a bit more tolerable.

Although he doted on Xie Zhizhen, he was the Emperor after all. He was busy with state affairs and wasn’t exceptionally close to her. After a few words of concern, he ran out of things to say and dismissed them.

As they walked out of Qianqing Palace, Xie Zhizhen’s mood was visibly low.

Gu Qing took her hand and pressed it against her own cheek, asking softly, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Zhizhen kept her head down, staring at the stone slabs beneath her feet. Recalling the Emperor’s frail appearance, she felt increasingly distressed. “Gu Qing.”

“Mm.”

Gu Qing stroked her head, knowing she had likely deduced something from the Emperor’s condition. She listened silently without interrupting.

“Actually, at first, I hated him a little. I didn’t understand why he wanted to stop us, why he believed the National Preceptor when he said I was possessed, or why he sent me to the Preceptor’s manor for three months of ‘recuperation’.” Recalling those feelings, Xie Zhizhen grew even more dejected. “But I also know he was just trying to do what he thought was best for me in his own way.”

To Xie Zhizhen, the Emperor truly was a good father, especially within the cold environment of the imperial family. However, he was also a product of his time. Not everyone could accept a relationship between two women.

Perhaps his version of “doing what was best” had hurt her, but he was still her father. Xie Zhizhen had never wanted him to die. Her father might have many faults, but as his most beloved daughter, while others might have the right to harm him, she did not.

Seeing him like this now made her feel guilty. She couldn’t help but feel that if Gu Qing hadn’t needed the merit of “saving the Emperor,” they might have rescued him sooner, and he wouldn’t be in this state now.

Gu Qing sensed her thoughts immediately. She stopped, cupped Xie Zhizhen’s face in both hands, and looked straight into her dark eyes. “That’s not how it is.”

She explained, “The National Preceptor had been planning his usurpation for a long time. Even before our wedding, I found dragon robes hidden in his manor. The poison in Imperial Father’s system wasn’t administered in a day or two; it was something the Preceptor had been preparing for ages.”

Gu Qing hadn’t told her some of these details earlier because she thought they were minor matters, and between the wedding and the honeymoon bliss, she had forgotten. She hadn’t realized that the timing of the rescue had become a knot in Xie Zhizhen’s heart.

“Even if we had taken down the Preceptor earlier, Imperial Father’s body was already beyond saving. Think back to when I first returned to the capital didn’t he cancel several days of morning court because he was feeling unwell then?”

Xie Zhizhen looked up at Gu Qing, her eyes red and heart-wrenchingly misty. “So… it wasn’t me who harmed him?”

Gu Qing pulled her into her arms and patted her back, telling her firmly, “Of course not. This has nothing to do with you at all.”

Just as she finally managed to soothe her and let out a sigh of relief, the funeral bells began to toll.

In the distance, Eunuch Li stood by the Emperor’s side and cried out in a loud, grief-stricken voice: “His Majesty has passed away!”

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