The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 62

Gu Qingzhao, the Fourth Prince, knew better than anyone that his brother was not as simple as he appeared. Gu Qingjia’s “mediocrity” was a shield. In the royal family, a tree that stands taller than the forest is the first to be toppled by the wind; for a prince without a powerful maternal clan, staying low was the only way to survive.

“Fifth Brother, what is it you wish to say?” Gu Qingzhao asked. Despite his usual composure, his mind was currently preoccupied with Shen Xizhi, and he was in no mood to trade pleasantries.

Gu Qingjia, also eager to return to Liu Qingyue, dispensed with the small talk. “Fourth Brother, your Buddhist teachings speak of reincarnation and the cycle of karma. Tell me… is it possible for someone to truly live a life over again? And if so, is that person the same as they were before, or someone entirely new?”

Gu Qingjia possessed his own memories of a past life, but his brothers’ behavior had become increasingly erratic. He suspected he wasn’t the only one who had “returned,” and the “Immortal” Fourth Prince seemed to be making choices vastly different from his previous path.

“Each person’s fate is unique,” Gu Qingzhao replied, neither confirming nor denying the possibility. “I do not know what you have discovered or experienced, but since things have reached this stage, it is best to let nature take its course.”

The Fourth Prince was a man who had learned to let go; otherwise, he would never have descended from the mountain so readily. He had long noticed the oddities in his brothers, but he chose not to dwell on them.

“I lack your enlightenment, Fourth Brother,” Gu Qingjia said with a faint smile. He wasn’t ready to let things be. He had a wife to protect now, and he needed to know the terrain of this new life.

“Do not be too persistent,” Gu Qingzhao warned softly. “You have a Princess Consort now; you are no longer alone. Old Six is consumed by his obsessions, which is exactly why he has fallen to this point.”

He left his true thought unsaid: What a pity for Miss Xie. In the previous life, she had married Old Six only for the entire Xie clan to be annihilated because of his treason. Even knowing her tragic end, Gu Qingzhao did not interfere. He was, after all, a man with his own attachments—a mortal man, despite the labels others gave him.

The brothers parted ways at the teahouse. Unlike the others, the Fourth Prince held no official rank or office. The Emperor had offered him power upon his return, but Gu Qingzhao had declined. He hadn’t come down the mountain for fame or gold. He only wanted to see the woman who refused to see him.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince, Gu Qingyi, was finally making progress with Wei Shangzi.

“A-Zi, Sixth Brother is getting married soon,” Gu Qingyi said as they walked, his intent clear.

Wei Shangzi ignored the bait. “That is wonderful. I shall have to congratulate the Sixth Prince.”

“A-Zi, do you have any thoughts on the matter?” he pressed.

She looked at him and laughed. “None at all. If you have thoughts of marriage, Your Highness, I shall simply wish you a happy wedding. Or perhaps you’d like me to prepare a particularly grand gift for your future bride?”

She understood the gap in their status. She wouldn’t ask for a promise he couldn’t keep, and she wouldn’t yield until he proved himself. She was waiting for him to take a stand, but whether he was unable or simply unwilling to grant her the exclusivity she craved remained to be seen.

As the New Year approached, the capital grew crowded. The Second Prince, Gu Qingzhe, returned from the border, bringing a mysterious woman with him. The following day, he and the lady, Ren Songyan, paid a visit to the Prince Jing Manor.

“Second Brother, you come here the moment you enter the city. People will think I’m hiding treasures in this house,” Gu Qingjia joked as he poured tea.

“It’s not just me. Songyan wanted to meet your wife,” Gu Qingzhe sighed. Their situation was complicated, and it was only thanks to Gu Qingjia’s advice back at the border that Ren Songyan had finally begun to accept him.

“Congratulations then,” Gu Qingjia said. “Old Six is marrying now, and after the New Year, you should ask Father for a decree of your own. That will settle everything.”

“I only rushed back because of Old Six’s sudden wedding,” Gu Qingzhe admitted. He had planned a leisurely journey home, but the news was too strange to ignore. “What is wrong with him? Why the sudden urge to marry?”

“Let him be. He’s of age,” Gu Qingjia replied. “But be on your guard. Protect those close to you. During the New Year, the palace will be chaotic, and some might use the cover of the crowds to strike.”

He didn’t need to say it out loud: Old Six wanted them all dead. Gu Qingjia might be the “weakest” target, but Gu Qingzhe—a legitimate son with control over a heavy garrison—was the most valuable target.

“I know. I’m not a child,” Gu Qingzhe said firmly. “I wonder if Big Brother will return this year. I’d love to see him bring a wife and children to greet Father. The drama would be spectacular.”

The brothers shared a look of mutual mischief. Neither had much affection for the eldest prince, but both were more than happy to watch the sparks fly.

“But this wedding with the Xie family…” Gu Qingzhe frowned. “It’s so rushed. How did the Xie family even agree to it?”

“They didn’t have much choice,” Gu Qingjia explained. “Old Six had Consort Ling go straight to Father for a decree. To treat a prestigious family like the Xie clan with such haste… it’s a total lack of respect. If it were my daughter, I’d be livid.”

“Did they even know each other?” Gu Qingzhe asked, baffled.

“Who knows? Old Six doesn’t exactly confide in me,” Gu Qingjia noted dryly. “Every time he sees me, it’s either cold mockery or snide remarks. I’ve never heard a normal sentence come out of his mouth.”

“The kid has been like that since he was small,” the Second Prince agreed, shaking his head. “So sour and cynical… if I didn’t know better, I’d think we didn’t even share the same father.”