The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 13

The streets were incredibly lively. As Liu Qingyue wove through the crowds, she couldn’t help but let out a joyful smile.

Dressed as an ordinary woman, she didn’t attract any unwanted attention. Gu Qingjia allowed her to wander as she pleased, silently following behind her. Keeping the purpose of their journey in mind, whenever she saw something novel or interesting, she would only pick it up to look at it, having no intention of buying.

“If you like it, please buy one. It’s a small business, and the price isn’t expensive,” the street vendor said with a smile.

Hearing this, Liu Qingyue immediately put the item down and gave an apologetic smile. “I’ll look a bit more, just looking.”

She wasn’t good at saying no, but she knew she couldn’t afford to buy random trinkets to carry on the road. Gu Qingjia had previously bought an accessory she liked, only to be sternly lectured by her. Now, that very accessory hung from his waist.

Gu Qingjia looked down at it, a faint curl appearing at the corners of his lips.

Unaware of his thoughts, Liu Qingyue turned around with eyes full of pleasant surprise and beckoned to him. “Husband, come quickly! There’s excitement to see up ahead.”

She loved a spectacle, but fearing they might get separated in the crowd, she waited for him. Knowing her intent, Gu Qingjia strode up to her and took her soft, smooth hand in his.

“Let’s go see it like this,” Gu Qingjia whispered, gently shaking their joined hands.

Liu Qingyue froze for a moment, but a bright smile soon broke across her face. “Alright! That way we won’t get separated.” She squeezed his hand back and pulled him toward the commotion.

“Excuse me, let us through.” “What happened? Why is it so crowded?”

Her crisp voice rang out. Just as she pulled Gu Qingjia to the edge of the crowd, they were jostled by others and pushed right into the inner circle.

“Oh, it’s street performers!” she whispered, covering her mouth. Her voice was laced with delight and the fresh excitement of someone seeing such a performance for the first time.

Before the show ended, she surreptitiously tossed a silver coin as a tip and pulled Gu Qingjia away.

“I never knew life was so hard for ordinary people—that they have to risk their lives for silver,” she sighed. At first, she found it fun, but after watching for a while, she realized how dangerous their acrobatics were, and not everyone in the crowd was willing to tip.

“They are earning their living through their own skills, not stealing or robbing,” Gu Qingjia remarked after a moment of silence. These were peaceful times; if the common people were truly struggling, there would be famine everywhere, and she would find it even harder to bear.

“You’re right. They rely on true ability. It’s dangerous, but they live honestly.” She nodded, refusing to let herself sink into a low mood.

Still holding his hand, she continued forward. The people of Yingzhou were prosperous, so festivals were frequent; even the villagers from outside the city would come in to set up stalls. As strangers, they didn’t stand out.

In any other situation, Gu Qingjia would never have allowed her to move so freely. Although they were traveling in secret, there was no guarantee their tracks wouldn’t be leaked. With his status, there were far too many people who wanted him dead. He had to be cautious.

Liu Qingyue, unaware of his worries, dragged him along until the festival ended before heading back, still wanting more.

“I’ll only wander like this once. Once we leave Yingzhou, I won’t dally; we’ll focus on the journey,” she said, swinging his hand playfully with a hint of a coquettish tone.

Unlike Gu Qingjia’s restraint, she was naturally more lively. Reaching Yingzhou had made it impossible to suppress her desire for fun. After all, while Gu Qingjia had been confined to the Imperial City, he had relative freedom once he established his own estate. Liu Qingyue, however, had spent years motionless on a hospital bed. Now that she had a healthy body and freedom, how could she stop herself from running wild?

“It doesn’t matter. Even in other cities, you can look around if you wish. This trip was meant for leisure anyway,” Gu Qingjia said. Though he was worried, he didn’t want to pass that pressure onto her.

Liu Qingyue shook her head inwardly. She wasn’t traveling just for fun. Regardless of Gu Qingjia’s current abilities, she needed to recruit some talent. That way, if they were dragged into the struggle for the throne, they would have people to strategize for their survival.

She knew her “little cleverness” was no match for real political warfare. But a successful leader rarely fights alone; they need a team of capable assistants. Truly talented people aren’t always bought with gold, but with enough wealth and power, even if money doesn’t move them, status will. For those whose talents go unrecognized, you give them a stage; for those at rock bottom, you give them help. A mix of kindness and authority usually earns loyalty.

Thinking this, she turned to look at Gu Qingjia. He wasn’t talentless; he was kind and virtuous. If he had the support of a family or court officials, he could hold his own. However, he was destined to fail in a bid for the throne. Kindness was a virtue, but it was also a fatal flaw. He wasn’t ruthless enough to be Emperor.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Gu Qingjia asked, unable to guess her thoughts. Years ago, he had already come to terms with his own strength and status, preparing himself to be an idle prince.

“Nothing. I just suddenly felt that my husband is a truly good man for treating me so well,” she replied with a smile. She knew he would understand her meaning; they had no romantic foundation, yet he performed better than many husbands.

Gu Qingjia looked down at their joined hands. “You are my wife,” he said softly. Regardless of what she thought, in his eyes, they were already a couple.

They walked back to the inn in silence. The inn was very ordinary, filled with a mix of different people. She didn’t like the environment, but she knew it was the most appropriate place for their current identities. Gu Qingjia had certainly never stayed in such a poor place, so she didn’t complain—especially since the idea was hers. To her surprise, he seemed more adapted to it than she was. If she didn’t know his identity, she would believe he was from a common family. It made her feel a bit frustrated for being the “delicate” one.

After eating out, they returned, called for hot water to wash, and lay down.

“Lady, are you sure we can find Eldest Brother by heading east?” Gu Qingjia didn’t actually care where Gu Qingzhan was, but he had to make an effort.

“I’m not certain, but I feel heading east isn’t wrong. It happens to pass through Jiangzhou anyway.” Jiangzhou was the destination she had mentioned back at the estate.

“Then east it is. I hope Eldest Brother hasn’t run too far.” Gu Qingjia smiled. He and the Eldest had never gotten along. If the Eldest knew their father sent him to find him, he’d probably run even faster. None of the brothers trusted one another, and the Eldest was the most suspicious of all.

If Liu Qingyue knew his thoughts, she would have agreed. The First Prince was indeed a master strategist. In the book, he didn’t just recruit talent; he framed the Third Prince (leading to his permanent imprisonment), set a trap to kill the Second Prince after ascending the throne, poisoned the Seventh, and had the Fifth (Gu Qingjia) assassinated on the way to his fief.

Many readers thought the First Prince’s methods were brutal, but also felt he was a true “power-fantasy” protagonist. Now that she was on the same chessboard, she was nervous. She didn’t want the throne, but she didn’t want to die either—not as a poisoned Princess Consort, and not as a sacrificial lamb of the Liu family.

She pulled back her thoughts. She could only hope Gu Qingjia was more capable than he was in the book. Turning her head, she met his eyes. His gaze was dark and deep in the night, like a bottomless pool that wanted to pull her in.

“Lady, no matter what you are thinking…”

Before he could finish, he moved swiftly, covering both his and her nose and mouth with his hand.

Someone found them.

Gu Qingjia thought instinctively, though he didn’t know which faction they belonged to. Liu Qingyue didn’t understand what was happening. She blinked, her long lashes brushing against his fingers like tiny brushes.

After a moment, he let go but pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay silent. Even a fool would understand by now.

An assassination attempt.

She didn’t know how many people were outside and began to worry: Could Gu Qingjia handle them alone?

Gu Qingjia eased out of bed and moved to the door with his sword. He was trained in martial arts and wasn’t afraid of a fight. The intruders, thinking the sedative had worked, pushed the door open only to be intercepted by him.

Liu Qingyue watched them fight with anxiety, but she knew she couldn’t help. She had no combat skills; going over would only be a distraction. Fortunately, Gu Qingjia was more skilled and wounded them. Realizing they were at a disadvantage and fearing their identities would be exposed, the two attackers fled. Being captured while trying to kill a Prince was far worse than failing the mission.

Gu Qingjia didn’t pursue them.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” Liu Qingyue ran from the bed. She wanted to touch him to check but hesitated, her eyes scanning him up and down. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you unwell?”

She was terrified. This was her first time experiencing such a thing. If he was hurt, they might as well have traveled with a full escort.

Gu Qingjia didn’t answer. He just looked at her with a frown.