The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 8

Yin Lang was already accustomed to Gu Qing’s personal jabs, so he simply put away his usual carefree demeanor and tossed the imperial edict to her.

As they had anticipated, the emperor, upon verifying the facts, had Lin Chenzhi arrested and thrown into prison, conveniently annulling Xie Zhizhen’s engagement to him in the process.

Moreover, in her haste to return to the capital over the past two days, Gu Qing had barely rested along the way. Now that Xie Zhizhen’s engagement to Lin Chenzhi had been dissolved, she finally felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

The tightly wound string in her mind loosened, leaving her head feeling heavy and dizzy. She decided to stay home for the day to rest properly.

During this time, Lady Gu seemed genuinely surprised that her daughter was peacefully staying at home and even made a special trip to check on her.

Looking at Gu Qing lying in bed, Lady Gu sighed deeply. “I know you’re heartbroken that you couldn’t ask the emperor for Zhizhen’s hand, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. There will be other opportunities in the future.”

When Gu Qing first disappeared two years ago, perhaps to avoid gossip or spare them from idle chatter, Xie Zhizhen had refrained from visiting despite her concern. She only discreetly sent gifts during festivals to express her thoughts.

Initially, Lady Gu hadn’t been too supportive of their relationship. But with her only daughter missing for two years and Xie Zhizhen’s consistent care, Lady Gu had come to accept it.

Children have their own destinies as long as the two of them were happy, that was all that mattered.

Besides, what was wrong with two women together? Apart from being unable to bear children, what couldn’t they achieve that a conventional husband and wife could?

Moreover, recalling how she had narrowly escaped death while giving birth to Gu Qing, and how Xie Zhizhen’s mother had passed away during childbirth, Lady Gu had no desire for her daughter to endure such suffering.

“Zhizhen is a good girl. You mustn’t give up over such a small setback.”

Gu Qing couldn’t help but laugh. “Mother, what are you thinking?” Unless Xie Zhizhen explicitly said she no longer loved her and had fallen for someone else, Gu Qing would never give up.

“I’m just tired from the journey, that’s all.”

Only then, under the candlelight, did Lady Gu notice the dark circles under Gu Qing’s eyes and realize she might have misunderstood. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she tried to shift the blame. “Well, who would’ve thought you’d suddenly decide to rest out of the blue? Anyone would assume you were devastated.”

Seeing that it was getting late and that Gu Qing had slept all day without eating, Lady Gu had the maids bring over some light dishes.

After a simple dinner, Lady Gu left, and Gu Qing went to bathe. Though sleeping all day had been comfortable, her body felt sluggish and oddly restless.

A hot bath helped ease the discomfort. It had been a long time since she’d indulged like this.

Though her two years in the military camp had brought her many good comrades, it had also been the most exhausting period of both her lifetimes. Sometimes, even a hot bath had been hard to come by.

Rolling up her sleeves to expose half her arms, she began drying her long hair.

Suddenly, her expression sharpened, she had heard something. Retreating two steps, she grabbed the longsword hanging on the wall and quietly approached the bed, demanding sharply, “Who’s there?”

But the intruder seemed unwilling to reveal themselves. Relying on her keen hearing, Gu Qing pinpointed their location and pressed the scabbard against their neck.

Then, from the shadowy corner untouched by candlelight, a familiar voice spoke.

“It’s me.”

“Zhizhen?!”

Gu Qing hastily sheathed her sword and stepped into the corner. Though she couldn’t clearly see the person inside, she could make out a crouched figure. Quickly, she helped the person up.

Her hands were cold.

After guiding her to the bed, Gu Qing hurriedly poured a cup of hot tea and pressed it into her hands, covering them with her own.

“You, you should put your clothes on properly first.” The girl’s soft voice carried a hint of barely noticeable shyness.

Gu Qing looked down and only then remembered she had rolled up her sleeves to stay cool.

But back then, she had been alone in the room. Now, Xie Zhizhen was here too. Silently, Gu Qing let her sleeves fall back down.

With the pale, delicate arms no longer swaying in front of her, Xie Zhizhen finally lifted her head. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and the faint red mark left by the scabbard traced her slender neck. Beneath her fair skin, the faint blue of her veins was just visible, making her appear heartbreakingly fragile.

Having spent two years in the military camp, Gu Qing, though not inherently bloodthirsty, had inevitably absorbed some of its harshness. Seeing Xie Zhizhen so delicate and lovely stirred an inexplicable urge within her, a desire to taint that purity.

“Gu Qing, did I do something wrong?”

Her fragile voice was as light as air, filled with helplessness and vulnerability. It made Gu Qing want to pull her into an embrace, to cradle her in her palms, all dark thoughts vanishing in an instant.

Thinking it, she acted on it. Wrapping her arms around Xie Zhizhen, she felt the stiffness in her body and knew she was referring to what had happened earlier in the grand hall.

She was blaming herself.

Xie Zhizhen had thought refusing was for the best after all, she was already betrothed, and her father disapproved of their relationship. Why provoke his anger for something impossible?

Gu Qing reassured her, “Not at all. If the Emperor favored me, your agreement would only be the icing on the cake. If he didn’t, your consent would only make him resent me more.”

Gu Qing had thought this through clearly. Given the Emperor’s stance, he would never easily consent to Xie Zhizhen marrying her not two years ago, and not now.

With Gu Qing’s explanation, the heavy stone in Xie Zhizhen’s heart finally settled.

“What’s wrong?”

Gu Qing noticed Xie Zhizhen’s increasingly pale face, her teeth biting down hard on her lower lip until a faint crimson stained her pallid lips.

The faint scent of blood lingered in the air, sharply stimulating the wildness in Gu Qing’s heart. She wanted to lean in and lick away the red droplets, to fill Xie Zhizhen’s hollow gaze with herself, to pin her down and claim her.

But meeting Xie Zhizhen’s watery eyes, Gu Qing suppressed her desires and gently freed her lip with a finger.

“Did something happen?”

“No! I just thought I ruined your plans.”

Gu Qing was instantly overwhelmed with guilt. Seeing the little princess she cherished reduced to tears because of her, she felt nothing but heartache.

“It’s all my fault.” She hadn’t explained things clearly, leaving Xie Zhizhen feeling so insecure.

Originally, she hadn’t wanted Xie Zhizhen to know too much. Her precious princess should live a life of luxury, waiting for her to overcome all obstacles and marry her. But now, to ease her worries, Gu Qing laid out her entire plan in detail, finally stopping her tears.

Gazing at the blood-tinted lips, Gu Qing retrieved a simple first-aid kit she had made from under the bed and applied ointment to the wound.

Her pale fingertips carried a faint herbal fragrance as they brushed against Xie Zhizhen’s soft lips. Her eyes flickered slightly, instinctively wanting to pull back, but the sight of Gu Qing’s serious expression forced her to suppress the urge.

The ointment looked coarse in texture, but the moment it was applied, a soothing coolness spread over the wound, easing the pain.

“Gu Qing,” Xie Zhizhen suddenly called out.

Understanding her fear, Gu Qing replied, “I’m here.”

“Gu Qing.”

“I’m here.”

“Gu Qing.”

“I’m here.”

She didn’t know how many times she called, but Xie Zhizhen’s unease was finally soothed by Gu Qing’s steady responses. The tension that had gripped her all day finally loosened, and exhaustion and drowsiness washed over her. Unconsciously, her consciousness slipped into darkness.

Seeing Xie Zhizhen sway unsteadily, Gu Qing quickly reached out to steady her, preventing her from collapsing.

Looking at the girl’s weary face, Gu Qing’s heart ached.

Though she didn’t know what had happened in the past two years, she was certain Xie Zhizhen had suffered. Otherwise, how could a once lively and radiant princess become so cautious and insecure?

Gu Qing applied some ointment to the marks on her neck before scooping her up and carrying her back to the princess’s residence under the cover of night.

When Sujuan learned that the princess intended to visit the Zhenguo General’s residence to see the Second Miss Gu, she had tried to dissuade her, suggesting she wait until morning or at least bring more guards.

How could the princess possibly slip past so many guards and enter Gu Qing’s chambers alone?

But the princess insisted, claiming she knew a secret passage and wouldn’t be caught.

Unable to persuade her otherwise, Sujuan had no choice but to let her go alone.

Now, with the hour nearing choushi (1–3 AM) and the princess still not back, Sujuan was beside herself with worry. Relief finally came when she saw Gu Qing carrying Xie Zhizhen through the gates.

Sujuan rushed forward, alarmed at the sight of the princess in Gu Qing’s arms, fearing something terrible had happened. But before she could speak, Gu Qing stopped her with a quiet whisper.

“She fell asleep.”

Gu Qing laid her gently on the bed and was about to leave when she heard Xie Zhizhen murmur in her sleep.

“No, no!”

“Gu Qing, Gu Qing, where are you? Where have you gone?”

Gu Qing didn’t think much of it, assuming the night’s events had truly frightened her. Softly, she reassured her, “It’s alright. I’m here.”

Slowly, Xie Zhizhen settled back into peaceful sleep, and only then did Gu Qing leave her chambers.

Sujuan, still troubled by the princess’s restless state, led Gu Qing a short distance away to avoid disturbing her rest before speaking.

“Second Miss Gu, as the princess’s maid, it’s not my place to ask, but I’ve grown up by her side. Though I haven’t been with her as long as you have, seeing her like this pains me deeply.”

“May I ask, do you have a plan?”

The memory of Xie Zhizhen’s fragile state tonight made Gu Qing’s heart clench. “Don’t worry. If I weren’t certain, I wouldn’t have returned to her life.”

Sujuan studied Gu Qing’s resolute gaze and felt somewhat reassured by her promise. After all, matters between their masters were not her place to question her inquiry alone had already crossed boundaries.

Early the next morning, Gu Qing went to the general’s residence to seek out Yin Lang.

Since Yin Lang had already given instructions, the household staff led her directly to the training grounds.

Yin Lang had a habitual early morning workout routine, a practice he maintained even after returning to the capital. Seeing Gu Qing, he finally set down his weapon and walked over.

“What brings you here?” he asked with a raised brow.

Support The Transmigrated Princess