The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 15

Gu Qingjia traveled east with Liu Qingyue on horseback, and it was indeed much faster than a horse-drawn carriage. However, as it was Liu Qingyue’s first time riding, she still felt quite uncomfortable despite being carried by Gu Qingjia. To look after her, he made frequent stops.

They didn’t intend to let their rest periods go to waste. Gu Qingjia found a tree branch and handed it to Liu Qingyue.

“I’ll teach you a few moves of a sword dance. Although it’s more for show, if you practice it well, handling a few street thugs won’t be a problem.”

Liu Qingyue nodded obediently. She felt that being able to fight off a few thugs was better than standing there and taking a beating.

A military sword dance was different from those performed in entertainment houses; every move and stance hid a hint of killing intent. Gu Qingjia drew the soft sword from his waist and began to dance. Though it was a dance, it lacked any feminine softness; instead, it carried a vigorous, masculine aura.

He had an excellent physique—narrow waist and broad shoulders. He didn’t look like a pampered Prince, but more like a high-spirited young swordsman just entering the martial world. If the Emperor were willing to send Gu Qingjia to the frontier, he would surely carve out a territory of his own.

Unaware of her wandering thoughts, Gu Qingjia sheathed his sword and asked how much she remembered. Liu Qingyue had a good memory, and since she had been focused on admiring his form, she remembered most of it. In her youth, she had learned folk dance to strengthen her body, and the Liu family had trained this body with the goal of becoming a Princess Consort, so the movements weren’t difficult for her—she simply lacked strength.

“When striking, you must be fast, accurate, and ruthless. Do not hesitate. Your hesitation is your mercy toward the enemy.” Gu Qingjia stepped behind her, grasping her hand to guide her movements.

He taught her with great focus, but the distance between them was so small that Liu Qingyue could clearly feel his breath and his strong, steady heartbeat. She lost focus for a second but was quickly pulled back by him.

His large, hot palm gripped her slender waist. There was no intended lewdness, but the cool breeze, the setting sun, and the distant greenery dyed the scene with a romantic hue. Liu Qingyue’s heart rate quickened, and the tips of her ears turned red.

Once the dance ended, Gu Qingjia stepped back. “Dance it again for me to see.”

He acted like a responsible teacher, and Liu Qingyue was too embarrassed to slack off. They practiced like this for ten days, covering more than half the distance to their destination.

“We’ll enter the city today to rest and set off again after two days of recuperation.” Gu Qingjia knew she had been exhausted lately. To avoid pursuit, they had taken back roads and hadn’t slept soundly at night.

“Alright. You’ve worked hard these past few days too.”

There were many skills Liu Qingyue lacked; aside from the sword dance, Gu Qingjia found time to teach her how to ride. Although her progress was average, if they weren’t in a hurry, she could now travel on horseback. She felt more than ever that Gu Qingjia was a truly good person.

While he had collected many “good person cards” on this trip, he truly had taken great care of her.

After entering Ruzhou City, they went straight to an inn. They caught up on sleep in their room before preparing to go out and wander. Ruzhou was far from the capital and not as prosperous as Yingzhou, but it had its own local character. Liu Qingyue dragged Gu Qingjia along with great interest; having spent the last few days on a horse, she finally had her feet on the ground and wanted to enjoy herself.

“Husband, we’ve been walking for so long, why don’t we get something to eat?” she suggested. “Let’s try the specialties of Ruzhou today. Otherwise, once we leave, we don’t know when we’ll be back.”

Liu Qingyue knew that restaurants were the best places to gather information. If they left without understanding the situation in Ruzhou, it would be a missed opportunity. Although Gu Qingjia was far from the throne, she still hoped to build some reputation for him among the people. While a Prince having a high reputation can be dangerous, if a “waste” Prince like Gu Qingjia had no reputation at all, no official would speak up for him if he were targeted in the future.

“Alright, whatever my lady says.” He nodded, always compliant with her wishes.

The restaurants in Ruzhou couldn’t compare to the capital, but they still gathered many scholars and talents. As soon as Liu Qingyue went upstairs, she heard them discussing current events loudly.

“The Emperor still has no intention of naming a Crown Prince. In my humble opinion, the First Prince is a very good candidate.”

“But rumors say the First Prince has left the palace and his whereabouts are unknown. Prince Jing has also left the capital with his consort. Only those few remain in the Imperial City now. If they have the ambition, I fear the court is already surging with undercurrents.”

“The Second Prince is still guarding the frontier with a massive army. I doubt those few would dare to move recklessly.”

“That may be so, but distant water cannot put out a nearby fire. If those few truly harden their hearts, the Second Prince might not be able to contend with them.”

Liu Qingyue listened with amusement, thinking their points were somewhat valid. However, she knew the other Princes wouldn’t move easily; their interests clashed, so they would naturally restrain one another.

“Brothers, it is better not to speak recklessly of court politics. For now, you and I are merely scholars. It is yet unknown if we can even make the list in the examinations.”

This speaker was quite clear-headed, unlike the other self-important students.

“Brother Wenzhang, I don’t like hearing that. We are all men of great ambition, just waiting for next year’s Spring Examinations. We will surely ride the spring breeze to the Qionglin Banquet.”

The man refuting Zhao Wenzhang was named Zhang Boyuan. He came from a family of scholars, and his father was a local official in Ruzhou, so many students flattered him. As the saying goes, “Commoners do not fight with officials.” Even among scholars who claim they “won’t bow for five pecks of rice,” there are many with the mindset of commoners who seek convenience through flattery.

Zhao Wenzhang did not approve of such behavior and remained out of place among them. He hadn’t known Zhang Boyuan would be there, and now that he was, it would be impolite to leave. However, the talk of this group made him frown. Setting aside the fact that court politics weren’t for them to discuss, this “motley crew” lacked true foresight.

“Brother Wenzhang, we are of lowly birth, unlike those at the foot of the Emperor who can soar to the heavens in one step. But we also have the heart to share the country’s burdens.” This came from one of Zhang Boyuan’s sycophants, who loved to act as if his talent was unrecognized while treating Zhang Boyuan as his patron.

Zhao Wenzhang answered calmly, without a hint of fluster. “It is good to have a heart that cares for the country, but our current Emperor is in his prime. Even without a Crown Prince, our dynasty prospers and the people live in peace. Furthermore, as scholars, we should think of how to serve the nation with our lives, not gossip about the internal affairs of the Emperor’s household.”

Zhao Wenzhang never cared who the Crown Prince was or who the Emperor was. He intended to be a loyal minister of the state; his loyalty was to the people, not the Imperial family.