The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 71

Xie Zhizhen wanted to listen, but Gu Qing was in no mood to tell stories at this moment.

Seeing this, Xie Zhizhen became even angrier. She glanced at Gu Qing and spoke with a cold tone, “Am I interrupting the General’s passion for lecturing?”

Gu Qing did not dare to answer back, but she did not dare to remain silent either. She struggled to recall events from Ning City, picking out stories that were as interesting as possible. If it had only been that, it might have been fine, but two troublemakers kept chiming in from the side.

“Wow! General Gu actually knows so much!” “We only stayed in Ning City for two days; we had no idea there were so many fascinating places there!”

The siblings spoke in perfect harmony, while Gu Qing began to break into a cold sweat. She abruptly changed the subject, deciding to stop talking about Ning City and instead began narrating life in the military camp.

She remembered that Zhenzhen used to love listening to her stories about the camp, and the military was a place where those two troublemakers certainly had no presence.

However, Gu Qing underestimated their enthusiasm for being a supportive audience. As a Prince of the Western Regions, Attila knew quite a bit about military matters and could chime in occasionally. Meanwhile, Rosanna, as a Princess, was thrilled by the novelty of an unfamiliar field.

Almost everyone was enthralled by Gu Qing’s stories, except for Xie Zhizhen.

Xie Zhizhen maintained a polite but awkward smile throughout, her emotions showing no ripple of interest.

Gu Qing was panicked. When noon finally arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief and took the opportunity to dismiss everyone, sending them off to eat and rest.

Xie Zhizhen arranged for the children to have lunch at the academy. Gu Qing intended to step forward and help, but at that moment, Attila and Rosanna patted their empty stomachs. “Gu Qing, what are we eating for lunch?”

Gu Qing’s eyelid twitched. “What does what you eat have to do with me?” She was not their nanny!

Rosanna, however, did not think it was unrelated. She tried to grab Gu Qing’s sleeve, but Gu Qing reacted quickly and stepped back half a pace, preventing her from succeeding.

Rosanna felt hurt, as if she were being loathed. She pouted. “Your Emperor said that we are your responsibility. You cannot just ignore us. You said we would stay at the Gu Manor, so shouldn’t we eat there? Is the food at the Gu Manor good? I am a very picky eater. If it is not good, I will tell your Emperor that you are mistreating us.”

Faced with that long string of complaints, Gu Qing’s headache intensified. She told Shaoyao to quickly escort these two nuisances back to the Gu Manor.

The most difficult person to deal with now was Xie Zhizhen; as for being reported to the Emperor, Gu Qing had never been afraid of that.

Upon hearing Gu Qing’s arrangements, Xie Zhizhen let out a cold laugh. “Sending them to eat with your parents? It seems General Gu takes very good care of them.”

She remembered how nervous she had been the first time she stayed for a meal at the Gu Manor, as she was meeting her future in-laws. Yet here was Gu Qing, casually sending people to meet Father and Mother Gu.

Xie Zhizhen was filled with jealousy. At this moment, everything Gu Qing did seemed to rub her the wrong way.

Hearing this, Gu Qing quickly stopped Shaoyao. “Take them to Wangxiang Pavilion instead. Do not go and disturb my parents.”

Only then did Xie Zhizhen stop speaking. However, even so, Gu Qing still did not manage to get a single word in with her.

For the rest of the afternoon, Gu Qing found no chance to explain. There were always one or two students by Xie Zhizhen’s side.

When night finally fell, Xie Zhizhen issued a command: Gu Qing was not allowed to enter the Eldest Princess’s Manor. She even had Su Juan relay the message that Gu Qing was forbidden from sneaking in, or she would be truly angry.

Thus, the grand General Gu was forced to find a tree near the entrance to lie on.

It was a pathetic sight. With no warm beauty in her arms, she used the sky as her blanket and the tree as her mat.

The next day, Xie Zhizhen still ignored Gu Qing and arrived at the academy as usual. Upon entering, she was surprised to see Zhou Xianyun, who she thought had left.

“Miss Zhou? Why are you here?” She assumed that after yesterday’s conversation, Zhou Xianyun would have departed.

Zhou Xianyun smiled, though there were faint dark circles under her eyes, suggesting she had not slept well. “Although Your Highness has rejected me, I am still a teacher at Zhiqing Academy.”

“Even as a woman, I know that a person of their word should not go back on it. How could I let personal feelings interfere with official business?” “Furthermore, I truly wish to contribute to these children.”

Seeing Zhou Xianyun’s sincerity, Xie Zhizhen glanced at the children who were studying diligently and sighed. “In that case, I will trouble Miss Zhou.”

She and Meng Jing were clearly not enough for the academy. Teaching in shifts was exhausting, especially since Meng Jing was currently preoccupied with the situation involving the poor scholar.

When Gu Qing learned that Zhou Xianyun had returned to the academy, she was furious.

Zhenzhen had clearly rejected her! Why was she still lingering like an unshakable ghost?

However, lately, every time she appeared before Xie Zhizhen, no matter how good the Princess’s mood was, her smile would instantly vanish. Gu Qing did not even dare to approach her. After all, she was the one who had caused the trouble.

Now, she could not enter the academy, and she could not enter the Princess’s Manor. Gu Qing could only sit in Wangxiang Pavilion drinking tea, her face filled with sorrow.

How did she end up so alone? Yet, even now, people would not leave her be.

“General Gu!” In the distance, Rosanna’s eyes lit up upon seeing Gu Qing, and she hurried over to greet her.

Since leaving the academy yesterday, she and Attila had been accompanied by another official. That official was also present and was surprised to encounter Gu Qing.

The three of them walked up to Gu Qing. Gu Qing looked at them, primarily at Attila and Rosanna, and felt increasingly irritated. If it were not for these two nuisances, she would not be in a position where she had a home but could not return to it.

Attila and Rosanna were not fools; they could see Gu Qing’s disdain. They rubbed their noses, not quite understanding why she had such an attitude. Thinking this, they asked her directly.

Gu Qing snorted. She had been drinking quite a bit, and a faint blush had climbed onto her cheeks. She looked a bit dazed, and her head was spinning. “You two, the Prince and Princess of the Western Regions. I told you that you did not need to repay my kindness, but are you trying to take revenge instead?”

“Do you not know I am a married woman?”

The official listening in immediately realized there was gossip afoot. Being only a minor official, he did not dare get involved in the entanglements of the Imperial family and the Western Regions. He made a quick excuse and hurried away.

The three remaining people did not care about him anyway and did not ask any questions.

Rosanna looked confused. “We know that, but we are not taking revenge. Attila and I truly want to repay your kindness.”

Attila quickly echoed her. Facing their benefactor, how could they possibly return kindness with enmity?

Gu Qing was irritable. Due to the alcohol, her speech was not as cautious as usual. “Are you here to repay me? Why is it that as soon as you arrived, I was kicked out of the Princess’s Manor?”

Attila and Rosanna exchanged a look, never expecting such a result. Rosanna even began to stutter. “Wh… why did the Eldest Princess kick you out? Aren’t you married?”

“It is because of you two, constantly hovering around me. Zhenzhen is jealous.” Gu Qing held an exquisite little wine cup, draining it sip by sip. “But I am also to blame. Yesterday, I actually forgot Zhenzhen was all alone in the study.”

It was her own fault, and Gu Qing would never deny it.

“Forget it. Let me think of another way to coax Zhenzhen.” The biggest problem now was that Zhenzhen refused to see her. Without a face-to-face meeting, any words of comfort were useless.

Rosanna thought for a long time. She looked at Gu Qing’s flushed cheeks and her hazy, drunken eyes. In this state, she did not look like a General, but rather showed a bit of feminine charm.

Thinking that this person was her benefactor, Rosanna realized that while she liked Gu Qing, she could not let her divorce the Princess because of her. Nor could she ever be a General’s concubine. It was a pity she could not marry her savior, but she still had to repay the debt.

Rosanna pondered for a moment before speaking. “Perhaps… the General could consider seduction.”

That single word chased away a portion of Gu Qing’s drunkenness. She chewed on the word as Rosanna continued. “Since ancient times, whether man or woman, everyone has a bit of a lustful nature. You have excellent looks, General, and you are already in a committed relationship with the Princess.”

“Since Her Highness refuses to see you and words are not working, why not try a physical approach?”

Although Rosanna had never been married, her theoretical knowledge was extensive. “There is nothing a single session cannot solve. If there is, then do it again!”

Attila quickly waved his hands, dismissing his sister’s idea. “How could that work!”

Rosanna glared at him. “Why not? I heard Mother say that is how she coaxes Father!”

As the siblings argued, Gu Qing fell into deep thought. Her dizzy head was not keen on thinking, but she vaguely felt it was a good idea.

But… the problem was that she could not even get into the Princess’s Manor. How could she execute this plan?

Gu Qing’s gaze fell on several jars of fine wine on the table. Her eyes lit up; she seemed to have found a solution.

Rosanna and Attila supported the drunken Gu Qing as they arrived at the Eldest Princess’s Manor. The guards at the gate immediately recognized their Consort. Seeing her so intoxicated, they instinctively went over to assist.

Once they had handed Gu Qing over to the manor staff, Attila and Rosanna, fearing they might interfere with her plan, retreated without a word.

One guard looked at Gu Qing and then at his companion, as if asking what should be done. Gu Qing was their Consort, after all; they could not just leave her at the gate. If something happened, they would be held responsible.

However, Her Highness had given an order forbidding the Consort from entering. If they brought her in and the Princess became angry, what then?

Unable to decide, they happened to see Su Juan, who was in the manor today. They quickly went to ask her.

Learning that Gu Qing was drunkenly lingering at the main gate, Su Juan hurried out to help her inside. After all, the Princess and the Consort were only having a lover’s spat; they could not really let the Consort lie unconscious at the door.

Having successfully entered the manor, Gu Qing, supported by Su Juan, flashed a triumphant smile.

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