The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 38

Initially, Gu Qing had been worried that Xie Zhizhen wouldn’t be able to handle the physical strain, but upon reflection, she felt that regular exercise would be beneficial in the long run. Since Zhizhen had a naturally frail constitution, strengthening her body would do her a world of good. With this in mind, Gu Qing nodded in agreement.

Just then, Shao Yao knocked on the door. Gu Qing’s gaze sharpened; she quickly adjusted her and Zhizhen’s clothing to ensure everything looked proper before allowing her to enter.

Perhaps sensing what the two had been up to, Shao Yao kept her head bowed the entire time, terrified of seeing something she shouldn’t. “News has come from the palace. His Majesty has passed away, and the Ninth Prince has ascended the throne.”

Gu Qing wasn’t surprised by Xie Zhibai’s ascension. Since Consort Shu had dared to orchestrate the regicide, she certainly hadn’t done it on a whim; she had clearly been well-prepared.

Xie Zhizhen’s body stiffened. The warmth she had gained from their kiss began to fade into a chill. Gu Qing patted her back, trying to soothe her, and then asked, “Did the other princes not raise any objections?”

Even though Xie Zhili had been demoted to a commoner, he wasn’t the only other prince in the palace. While Consort Shu held immense power, Gu Qing didn’t believe for a second that the others wouldn’t have designs on the throne when faced with such a temptation.

Shao Yao had clearly gathered the details before reporting. She answered without hesitation, “The other princes did indeed try to fish in troubled waters, but Consort Shu holds the late Emperor’s final edict. Furthermore, General Yin is stationed in the palace, and even the Grand Tutor made a rare appearance. Those few princes couldn’t stir up any trouble.”

Gu Qing raised an eyebrow. She hadn’t expected the Grand Tutor to intervene. This Grand Tutor was the father of both Consort Shu and the late Consort Xian; he had been the teacher of the late Emperor back when he was still the Crown Prince. It was likely due to this teacher-student relationship that the Emperor had met the then-unmarried Consort Xian, leading to the shameful act of stealing a subordinate’s wife.

Shao Yao paused, recalling a message from Xie Zhibai. “The Ninth Prince sent word asking you to take good care of the Princess. He and Consort Shu will handle matters in the palace, so there is no need to worry.”

To an outsider, this might sound like Xie Zhibai was trying to strip Gu Qing of her power. Usually, during such volatile times, one needs their closest allies by their side; conversely, enemies are confined to their manors to prevent interference. But having known Xie Zhibai for years, Gu Qing knew he simply cared for Zhizhen. He chose to let Gu Qing stay at the Princess’s Manor to provide the comfort Zhizhen needed most.

Gu Qing waved her hand, signaling Shao Yao to withdraw. “I will take care of Zhenzhen. Tell His Highness that if he needs me, I will do my utmost to help.” She knew that she, Zhizhen, and Zhibai were all in the same boat. Only with Zhibai on the throne could they live in peace.

As Shao Yao left, she glanced at the pale Xie Zhizhen. She realized she might have overthought the Ninth Prince’s intentions; his bond with his sister had always been deeper than that of many blood siblings.

Once they were alone, Gu Qing cupped Zhizhen’s face. “Life, aging, illness, and death are natural. Besides, what happened to Imperial Father has nothing to do with you. Don’t overthink it, alright?”

Xie Zhizhen nodded. She wasn’t stubborn by nature. Though the news had left her feeling lost and sad, the initial shock was fading. Perhaps those born into the imperial family were naturally a bit detached. Even though she had been pampered by Consort Shu, she wasn’t entirely naive.

Her father had been kind to her when she was small, but as more siblings were born and he grew busier, they had drifted apart. Moreover, Consort Shu had “immunized” her against such grief long ago. Consort Shu had hated the Emperor for years, and while she hadn’t originally planned to kill him, she had always raised Xie Zhibai with the throne in mind. She had often told Zhizhen about Consort Xian, how she was already married to another man before the Emperor stole her away.

Knowing that her father had used such foul means to take a subordinate’s wife—especially when that woman was her own mother had created a lasting rift in Zhizhen’s heart.

Leaning into Gu Qing’s arms, Zhizhen whispered, “I know who killed him.”

Gu Qing’s heart skipped a beat. “Wasn’t it the Empress?”

Xie Zhizhen shook her head against Gu Qing’s neck, her hair tickling Gu Qing’s skin. Her next words left Gu Qing stunned: “It was Aunt.”

Her intuition had been right. Before Gu Qing could try to dispel her suspicions, Zhizhen continued, “No matter how foolish the Empress is, she must know that killing Imperial Father wouldn’t change the current situation. It would only make things worse for her.”

Gu Qing fell silent. Zhizhen was right. She held her even tighter, offering a somewhat hollow comfort: “Aunt must have had her reasons.”

Xie Zhizhen gave a faint laugh, burying herself in Gu Qing’s grass-scented embrace. “I know why. Because the Empress killed my mother. Aunt was simply avenging her.”

At that moment, Gu Qing realized that while Consort Shu loved Zhizhen, she had never intended for her to be completely ignorant of the palace’s dark secrets. She wouldn’t allow her sister’s daughter to be unaware of who caused her mother’s death.

“Imperial Father was the same,” Zhizhen added. “He stole my mother away, yet he couldn’t protect her. Even when he knew the Empress killed her, he did nothing because he feared the Empress’s family’s influence.”

Tears began to dampen Gu Qing’s neck. “I understand why Aunt did it. I just… I just need a moment to accept it.”

She knew her father wasn’t a good man, and she had no right to forgive him on behalf of her mother or aunt. But he was still the father who had doted on her since childhood. She just needed time to process the loss. Gu Qing stayed by her side, holding her until her sobs faded and she fell into an exhausted sleep.

The next morning, Gu Qing woke Zhizhen early.

Seeing Gu Qing fully dressed and ready, Zhizhen thought something urgent had happened. Instead, she heard: “Didn’t you say you wanted to work on your abs? Time to get up!”

Gu Qing’s bright smile contrasted sharply with the heaviness of the previous day. She deliberately avoided the topic of the Emperor’s death, knowing Zhizhen needed to move forward in her own way.

“Come on, no slacking,” Gu Qing teased, pulling her up.

They began with a jog around the manor. It was then that Zhizhen realized just how massive the estate was. As a pampered princess whose only exercise was light shopping, she quickly ran out of breath. Despite her pity, Gu Qing encouraged her to keep going, knowing it was good for her health.

By the end, Zhizhen had to lean on Gu Qing to finish the last stretch. Gu Qing laughed and wiped her sweat with a cloth, but accidentally used too much force, leaving a red mark on Zhizhen’s delicate cheek.

She’s so fragile, Gu Qing thought guiltily, I really need to control my strength better. Exercise is definitely necessary—for both of us.

After a short break, Gu Qing led her into the bedroom. Confused, Zhizhen asked why they were exercising indoors. Gu Qing dismissed the maids and explained, “Since you’re targeting your core, we can do specific floor exercises. You don’t need to swing swords with me.”

Gu Qing laid a mat on the floor and guided Zhizhen into a bird-dog position. As Gu Qing’s warm hand rested on her waist to steady her, Zhizhen felt a flutter in her chest. Her throat felt dry as she stammered, “Are you sure this is how it’s done?”

Gu Qing nodded. “Now, bring your elbow and knee together toward your core.”

After ten reps, Zhizhen’s supporting arm was trembling. Even though there was a thin quilt on the floor, she could feel her knees turning red.

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