The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 3

Though her mind was racing with schemes, Liu Qingyue kept a bright smile fixed on her face.

“My Aunt is right. I understand everything,” she said, nodding in agreement and maintaining a facade of perfect obedience.

The Noble Consort was pleased with her niece’s response. She pulled the girl closer to chat about domestic matters, though the conversation inevitably drifted back to the topic of children.

“Only by bearing a son can you truly secure your place. You are newly married; while the Prince still dotes on you, you must conceive early. Even when side-consorts inevitably enter the household, you will have a foundation to rely on.”

On the surface, Liu Qingyue hummed in agreement, but internally, she was rolling her eyes. If it weren’t for this high-born identity I can’t escape, I would have run away ages ago, she thought. Instead, I’m stuck here worrying that Gu Qingjia might lose his mind and try to snatch the throne, dragging the whole family to the executioner’s block.

“Auntie…” Liu Qingyue murmured, her cheeks flushing as she feigned shy embarrassment.

The Noble Consort chuckled, her voice full of doting affection. “Fine, fine, I shall say no more.”

Relieved that the nagging had ceased, Liu Qingyue happily stuffed a pastry into her mouth. The Consort gestured for a maid to pour her some tea.

“Drink some water so you don’t choke. You’ve eaten a stomach full of sweets; I fear you won’t have room for dinner.”

The Noble Consort had never raised a daughter, and in Liu Qingyue’s presence, she found herself enjoying the novelty of the maternal role. Liu Qingyue didn’t mind; she was happy to be there simply to enjoy the free food and drink.

Knowing the Emperor would likely bring Gu Qingjia to her palace after their meeting, the Noble Consort had prepared in advance. Upon hearing the attendant’s announcement, she rose and led Liu Qingyue to receive the Emperor.

Liu Qingyue did not dare stare directly at the Son of Heaven. She kept her head low, catching only a fleeting glimpse. The novel hadn’t described the Emperor much, focusing instead on the First Prince’s perspective—and the First Prince had fled the palace in the opening chapter. Unsure of the Emperor’s temperament, Liu Qingyue stayed close to her aunt, trying to make herself as invisible as possible.

Despite her efforts, the Emperor noticed his new daughter-in-law immediately.

“So this is Old Fifth’s Princess. Raise your head and let Us look at you.”

As soon as the Emperor sat, he addressed her directly. Tension gripped Liu Qingyue; she was terrified of saying the wrong thing and offending the sovereign. Gu Qingjia, sitting just below her, looked equally nervous.

“Imperial Father…”

Liu Qingyue raised her head slightly, her mind racing for a way to give a diplomatic, non-committal answer.

As if unaware of her nerves, the Emperor spoke casually. “You only married Old Fifth yesterday, and then this mess occurred, forcing your first formal visit to the palace to be so hurried. You have been wronged.”

Unaware of what had transpired in the inner hall, Liu Qingyue replied, “This daughter-in-law does not feel wronged. Since I am wed to the Prince, his concerns are my own. If the Prince can ease Your Majesty’s burdens, I share in that honor.”

She couldn’t begin to guess the Emperor’s true thoughts; her only wish was to return home and rest. This entire family was a den of foxes—only Gu Qingjia seemed somewhat honest.

The Emperor was delighted by her response. He took the Noble Consort’s hand and praised her repeatedly. “She is truly a daughter of your house, raised exceptionally well. With such a Princess at Old Fifth’s side, I am at ease.”

The Noble Consort smiled and joined in the pleasantries, further lifting the Emperor’s mood.

Liu Qingyue breathed a sigh of relief as her aunt took over the conversation. When the Emperor had questioned her, his tone was light, but she felt that a single wrong word could have spelled disaster. This was her first true realization of the proverb: Accompanying a monarch is like accompanying a tiger. Proving the majesty of an Emperor was far more daunting than reading about it in a book.

Gu Qingjia also relaxed. On the way to the palace, he had seen how “unrestrained” his wife could be and feared she wouldn’t be able to maintain her act. Fortunately, the Emperor was charmed by the Noble Consort and paid them little further mind. After the meal, the Emperor bestowed gifts upon them and allowed them to depart.

Inside the carriage, Liu Qingyue sat back to contemplate her life, feeling that these high-tension days were far too exhausting.

“Princess, you are being a bit too relaxed,” Gu Qingjia reminded her, looking up to see her sprawling posture.

Liu Qingyue had already categorized Gu Qingjia as a harmless, somewhat dim-witted fellow, so she didn’t bother to fix her stance. His reminder only solidified her opinion of him as an “honest man.”

“There’s no one in this carriage but you. What’s the harm in relaxing? Surely I don’t need to put on an act in front of you?” She waved him off dismissively. She had never intended to maintain a facade around him.

Gu Qingjia’s mouth twitched. They were a political match—shouldn’t they be treating each other with “mutual respect like honored guests”?

“The Princess is certainly not simple,” he muttered. “Two different faces at such a young age.”

Liu Qingyue disagreed. She was simply distinguishing between family and outsiders. Since her fate was now tied to Gu Qingjia’s, there was no point in being stiff.

“Listen to you,” she countered. “We share a bed—do we really need to keep up appearances all day? Does the Prince not even trust his own wife? How tragic it would be to have to hide one’s heart even from one’s most intimate partner.”

Despite her words, her own head was full of hidden thoughts. Gu Qingjia felt she was the type of person who “allows the officials to light fires but forbids the commoners from lighting lamps” [a hypocrite].

“Princess, you really are…”

Before he could finish, Liu Qingyue’s face suddenly zoomed in toward his. Having spent so long bedridden in her past life, she was a woman of spontaneous action now that she had a healthy body. This was exactly why she wanted Gu Qingjia to keep a low profile—she didn’t want to lose her life right after gaining her health.

She leaned in close to his face and smiled. “Your Highness, I am what?”

Her fair, small face was exceptionally cute. Her sparkling eyes seemed to hold a magnetic pull, and her small, moving lips emitted a faint, pleasant fragrance. For the first time, Gu Qingjia realized that his new wife was indeed as “pitifully lovely” as the rumors suggested.

“If you have something to say, just say it. Why lean so close?”

Gu Qingjia swallowed hard, his eyes darting away in embarrassment. Seeing his lack of reaction, Liu Qingyue found it boring and pulled back.

“Does the Prince have nothing to tell me? I assume something happened in the inner hall, otherwise, His Majesty wouldn’t have spoken to me that way.”

She was sharp. She dared not speak much before the Emperor, but in private with Gu Qingjia, she was fearless.

“We are husband and wife now, which means we are in the same boat. If something happens to you, the Liu family and I will suffer too. There’s no need to keep secrets from me.”

She wasn’t lying. Although the Liu family was officially neutral, her marriage forced them to consider Gu Qingjia’s future.

Gu Qingjia lowered his gaze and recounted the events of the hall to her.

“You mean… you volunteered to find the First Prince, and the Emperor agreed? And he’s letting me go with you?”

Liu Qingyue blinked, staring at him. She understood every word, but the combination seemed baffling. Gu Qingjia and the First Prince had never been on good terms. In the original book, he wasn’t the one sent to find the runaway. Why had the plot suddenly veered off course?

She couldn’t understand why the Emperor had become so easygoing. They hadn’t done anything to change the timeline—except for this morning, when she had tugged his ear and warned him not to fight for the throne. Could Gu Qingjia really be that obedient?

She searched his face for clues. In her memories of the “original” host, there had been almost no contact between them. There was no old flame or secret history.

“Imperial Father has always been easy to talk to, especially regarding matters of brotherly harmony,” Gu Qingjia explained, confused by her intense reaction.

Liu Qingyue didn’t know what to say. She wanted to ask: Is there actually such a thing as “brotherly harmony” in the Royal Family? Regardless, the deal was struck.

“After the ‘Third-Day Return’ to your family home, the Emperor will issue the decree. Then we can set out.”

Gu Qingjia didn’t mind the mission; he viewed it as a government-funded vacation. “Which attendants do you want to take? I need to make arrangements.”

Hearing this, Liu Qingyue stopped dwelling on the Emperor’s motives.

“Since we are going to find someone, we shouldn’t travel with a grand entourage. Eldest Brother is intentionally hiding from us. If we show up with a loud, bustling parade, he’ll just flee further away if he doesn’t want to be found.”

She thought for a moment and smiled. “How about we travel alone? Just the two of us.”

A Prince and his Princess traveling alone, without a single maid or guard? It was madness. Gu Qingjia looked at her serious expression, unsure of how to even begin refusing.

“That is… a bit absurd,” he finally managed to say.

Liu Qingyue looked at him with genuine confusion. “How is it absurd? I think it’s very logical. Didn’t the First Prince go out alone? If he can survive out there by himself, why can’t the two of us do it with a bag full of silver?”

To her, taking a crowd was the real absurdity. News of their arrival would travel faster than they could. The First Prince was a man of deep schemes—he wasn’t someone an ordinary guard could catch. Whether this trip was a real search or an excuse for a holiday, they needed to go solo.

“Let me consider it,” Gu Qingjia said.

To his own surprise, he found her proposal somewhat reasonable. However, as a Prince of the Realm, he had never stepped foot outside without a retinue.

Liu Qingyue wasn’t in a hurry. “Sure, think about it. We still have a few days. I’m not in a rush.”

She felt certain he would agree. Whatever his ultimate goal for finding the First Prince was, he would see the logic.

Gu Qingjia did want to agree. Though he acted clumsy, he had studied martial arts under the Second Prince since childhood and was more than capable of defending himself. He just needed a little push to make the decision.

Meanwhile, Liu Qingyue acted as if the matter were already settled, casually cracking melon seeds in the carriage as they rattled toward home.