The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 70

Gu Qing finally managed to coax Xie Zhizhen into a better mood. It happened to be time for Xie Zhizhen’s class, which allowed Meng Jing to take a break.

Considering that Xie Zhizhen’s throat had not yet recovered, Gu Qing naturally felt protective of her wife. She decided to take over the class for her; after all, it was simply teaching the children how to read and write.

Upon entering the classroom, Gu Qing was surprised to find that, besides the children and Meng Jing, Attila and Rosanna were also there.

The two tall, imposing figures did not seem out of place among the children at all. The students gathered around them, listening intently as they spoke of the distant landscapes of the Western Regions. The children’s faces were filled with longing for such unfamiliar places.

Meng Jing noticed Gu Qing immediately. She walked over and explained, “Does this count as what you call ‘after-school enrichment’? Letting the children see a broader horizon.”

Gu Qing looked at the inquisitive eyes of the children and suddenly felt that these two were not so annoying anymore.

At that moment, the children noticed Gu Qing’s arrival. A thin, frail child named Gu Heyu walked toward her.

Gu Qing had picked this child up from the streets. Unlike the others, when Gu Qing first saw her, the other children were fighting over food in a trash heap, while she stayed huddled in a corner, motionless. She was wearing ill-fitting clothes that were clearly made of decent fabric; she did not look like a typical beggar child.

Gu Qing had approached her and learned about her situation.

Gu Heyu’s original name was Li Zhaodi. She was the eldest daughter in her family. At first, the family of three lived a hard but relatively happy life, until her younger brother was born.

Little Zhaodi then learned the meaning of her name, which meant “beckoning a younger brother.” Her mission was complete now that she had brought a brother to the family.

On a pleasant afternoon, Zhaodi’s mother took her to a wealthy household, gave her beautiful clothes she had never worn before and delicious candies, and then her mother vanished forever.

It was only then that little Zhaodi heard from others that her mother had sold her to that pot-bellied man.

Terrified, little Zhaodi took advantage of their lack of vigilance toward a child and secretly escaped.

When Gu Qing learned Zhaodi’s story, she thought of Xie Zhizhen’s need for female students. After asking for the girl’s consent, Gu Qing brought her back to a residence to live with other children and asked the elderly woman in charge to prepare some food for her.

Before Gu Qing left, Zhaodi ignored the food and rushed over to grab the hem of Gu Qing’s robe. She was emaciated and pale from days of hunger, but faced with the temptation of food, she chose Gu Qing first.

“Sister, could you… could you give me a new name?” Zhaodi looked restrained. She knew that this lady had rescued her and intended to teach her to read and write, which was already an immense kindness. She felt she should not trouble her with more requests. “I… I do not want that name anymore.”

Gu Qing raised an eyebrow. She had considered naming the child, but reflecting on how a name affects a person’s entire life, she said, “It would be better to choose one for yourself once you can read.”

Such a meaningful task was more valuable if done personally.

However, Zhaodi shook her head with a determination unusual for a child. “Sister, I want to change it now. I beg of you.”

She had not cried when her mother sold her, but now, facing Gu Qing, her eyes were red. She gripped Gu Qing’s sleeve so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Gu Qing did not expect such resolve. After thinking for a moment, she said, “How about Heyu? Yu signifies strength and fortitude. Li Heyu is a very good name.”

Zhaodi’s eyes sparkled upon hearing the name. But when Gu Qing said “Li Heyu,” the girl pursed her lips and shook her head firmly. Her voice was weak and anxious, as if afraid of upsetting Gu Qing. “Sister, can I take your surname? I… I do not want his surname anymore.”

Gu Qing was stunned. She had not expected a seven or eight-year-old child to have such strong convictions.

Perhaps because Gu Qing hesitated, Zhaodi thought she had offended her. She quickly apologized, “Sister, if… if it is not possible, I can take another name. As long as… as long as it is not his.”

Gu Qing reached out and stroked Zhaodi’s head. Facing such a pitiable and lovable child, she felt mostly heartache. “From now on, you shall be called Gu Heyu.”

Even though she did not know how to write her name yet, Gu Heyu was overjoyed. She kept murmuring, “Gu Heyu, Gu Heyu!”

She looked up, her amber eyes shimmering with tears. “Thank you, Sister! My name is Gu Heyu now!”

“Sister.”

Heyu’s voice snapped Gu Qing out of her thoughts. Looking at the healthy color returning to the girl’s face and her spirited eyes, Gu Qing felt a sense of relief. She patted Heyu’s head and asked, “What is it?”

Heyu seemed to enjoy the affection. She squinted her eyes with a smile. “I heard Princess Rosanna say that you helped them in Ning City, Sister. Ning City is very far away. Have you been to many places?”

To these children who were born and raised in the capital and had never left, the outside world was always something to yearn for. Gu Qing nodded. “I suppose I have been to many places.”

Although half of her time during those two years was spent in military camps, she often had to travel to deal with bandits and other matters.

Heyu looked fascinated. Gu Qing said, “In the future, you will also have the chance to see the world.”

Encouraged by Gu Qing, Heyu became as excited as if she had been given a boost. Gu Qing waved for her to return to her seat, and she herself sat down to listen to Attila and Rosanna share interesting stories about the Western Regions.

Heyu glanced at Gu Qing with a strange look, then used the excuse of going to the latrine to leave.

Gu Qing felt as if she had forgotten something. She frowned. Suddenly, Attila called out to her, “General Gu, tell us, are there many strange-looking mountains in Ning City?”

Her train of thought was interrupted. Seeing the children looking at her with eager eyes, Gu Qing’s heart softened. She smiled and replied, “Yes, there are many mountains there. Also, there are many local dialects; almost every village has its own.”

Meanwhile, in the study, Xie Zhizhen was happily eating the tanghulu. The pitted candied hawthorns could be eaten in one bite, which was very convenient.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Xie Zhizhen quickly put the tanghulu away and composed herself to look more dignified. “Come in.”

When Gu Heyu entered, Xie Zhizhen was surprised. She asked, “Isn’t it time for class? Why are you here?”

Seeing that Xie Zhizhen was unaware of the situation, Gu Heyu looked conflicted. Although Prince Attila and Princess Rosanna were nice, Sister Xie was Sister Gu’s wife.

Even though she was just a child, she could see that the way Prince Attila and Princess Rosanna looked at Sister Gu was very different.

Xie Zhizhen saw that Gu Heyu remained silent and thought something had happened. She walked over with a smile, knelt in front of the girl, and said in a gentle voice, “Did something happen? You can tell me anything. Don’t be afraid. Hmm?”

After a moment of hesitation, Gu Heyu said, “Sister Xie, why don’t you go to the classroom and take a look?”

She didn’t know how to put it. Should she tell Sister Xie to go and defend her territory as the legitimate wife? It felt a bit strange.

Though Xie Zhizhen did not quite understand, she took Heyu’s hand and walked toward the classroom.

Along the way, Heyu kept speaking up for Gu Qing. “Sister Gu only wants us to learn more about the outside world. She doesn’t mean anything else by it.”

Xie Zhizhen was confused. She assumed Gu Qing was telling the children stories about the military camp, but she wondered why Heyu kept emphasizing that point.

The classroom was not far from the study. Soon, Xie Zhizhen arrived at the door. Hearing the children’s laughter inside, her lips curled up involuntarily.

When she opened the door, she saw Meng Jing and the other twelve children sitting in a circle. In the center sat Gu Qing, Prince Attila, and Princess Rosanna.

Gu Qing had a bright smile on her face. She was engaged in a heated discussion with Rosanna about something, and the children surrounding them had sparkling eyes.

Suddenly, the lingering taste of the tanghulu in Xie Zhizhen’s mouth did not feel sweet at all. Instead, it felt slightly bitter.

The sound of the door opening was quiet, but Gu Qing was sitting directly facing the door. She saw Xie Zhizhen and Gu Heyu immediately.

She went silent instantly.

Oh no!

No wonder she felt she had forgotten something!

She had left Xie Zhizhen all alone in the study while she sat side-by-side chatting with Attila and Rosanna!

What on earth was she doing?

Because Gu Qing suddenly stopped talking, the people around her realized something was wrong and noticed Xie Zhizhen.

The children’s thoughts were simple; they did not notice the strange atmosphere among the adults. Seeing Xie Zhizhen, they called out affectionately, “Sister Xie!”

A few children even moved to make room for her, competing to have her sit beside them. Sister Xie was beautiful and gentle; they loved playing with her the most.

“Sister Xie, come quickly! Sister Gu is telling us stories! It is so interesting!”

The smile on Xie Zhizhen’s lips was a bit stiff. However, in front of the children, she could not lose her temper. She could only force a smile. “Is that so? What is Sister Gu talking about?”

Before Gu Qing could speak, one of the children chimed in, “She is talking about Ning City! Brother Attila said that is where they met Sister Gu!”

Other children, not wanting to be outdone, quickly added, “Sister Rosanna also told us about Sister Gu catching a thief. She was so amazing!”

“I want to be as amazing as Sister Gu in the future!” “Me too! I want to catch thieves!”

Seeing that things were going south, Gu Qing stood up to explain. However, Xie Zhizhen had already sat down next to one of the children, directly facing Gu Qing.

She wore a faint smile, less stiff than before. “Is that so? Then I shall join in and listen to the heroic deeds of General Gu.”

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