Chapter 44

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Chapter 44: Title

Lian Rong was not prepared for that strike. The punch landed solidly, and her face turned as she got hit.

Gu Hengbo pushed the still-dazed Lian Rong onto the bed and sat on the edge, pointing at Lian Rong lying on her back. "What’s wrong with you, huh? Just because you’re strong, you think you can bully me? With that look in your eyes, you might as well wish for my death, right? What kind of insult is that?"

Lian Rong, still catching up, touched her mouth. For the first time, the calmness in her always smiling eyes began to change. She propped herself up and silently watched Gu Hengbo.

Gu Hengbo felt uneasy under her gaze, lifting her chin defiantly. "What? Want to fight?" She was ready to go all the way!

Lian Rong sat up and said casually, "Sister-in-law wants us to divorce."

Gu Hengbo was taken aback. Divorce? Oh… "You mean divorce?"

"……"

Gu Hengbo pouted, the tense atmosphere vanished without a trace. She sat on the bed, looking up at Lian Rong. "What do you mean?"

"Want to know?" Lian Rong asked.

Gu Hengbo nodded.

"Come here so I can tease you a bit," Lian Rong said before Gu Hengbo could respond. "Consider it a way to make up for the punch you just threw at me."

Gu Hengbo puffed out her cheeks, looking like she didn’t want to comply.

Lian Rong sighed. "Alright, I’m sorry for what happened earlier."

Gu Hengbo shot her a sideways glance. "Did you have a fight with the Empress?"

Lian Rong smiled but didn’t answer.

"Is it because of me?" Gu Hengbo asked again.

Lian Rong looked at her helplessly. "If you keep digging for answers, do you believe I will tie you to this bed?"

Yes, Gu Hengbo thought to herself.

Lian Rong noticed the traces of tears on her face and leaned closer, gently helping her wipe them away. "You’re really good at acting. You even fooled me."

Gu Hengbo turned her head to avoid Lian Rong’s hand, feeling a bit uneasy. Acting? She sure knew how to put it nicely.

"Are you really angry?" Lian Rong asked.

"No."

"You say no, yet it’s written all over your face."

"Lian Rong."

"Yes?"

"When will you bring my mother into the residence?"

Lian Rong lay down in front of Gu Hengbo, resting her head on her arm. "Tomorrow. I’ll go with you."

"Oh."

"Don’t you really want to know what I said?" Lian Rong gazed into her clear eyes. Wasn’t she at all curious?

Gu Hengbo glanced at her. "Do you really think the prince would stand by me?"

"I refused him."

"……"

(Look at this, little Lian is so pure at this moment.)

On the way to the Prime Minister’s residence, Gu Hengbo asked Lian Rong, "Does my dad know that you’re bringing my mother over?"

"You care a lot about this issue."

"Come on, he’s my dad! If I don’t let him know ahead of time and just show up to bring her, it won’t be the best thing." Gu Hengbo frowned as she spoke.

"You don’t need to worry. Just leave it to me."

However, Gu Hengbo never imagined the seriousness of the situation. When they arrived at the Prime Minister’s residence, Madam Dou was awake but refused to see her no matter what.

Gu Hengbo stood frozen outside the door, feeling as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her. In her past life, she had no parents. Although she occupied someone else’s body in this life, there was a person who selflessly gave her love. This feeling was something she had never experienced before. The word "mother" was both strange and familiar to her. Now, with Madam Dou rejecting her at the door, it caught her off guard.

At first, she had thought about the emperor and empress’s attitudes, considered Gu Yuanqing’s stance, and even pondered over Lian Rong’s feelings, but she had never taken her own mother’s feelings into account.

Lian Rong, watching Gu Hengbo standing in the courtyard, intended to go comfort her. If that didn’t work, she would take a firmer approach—there was always a way. However, Gu Hengbo’s actions stopped her in her tracks. She knelt down in front of Madam Dou’s room and cried out, "Mother, if you do not see Meisheng, Meisheng will kneel here forever."

Gu Yuanqing did not expect Gu Hengbo to act this way suddenly. After all, she was still his daughter. He sighed, "You can’t keep kneeling like this. I’ll go in and speak to your mother. Get up."

Gu Hengbo looked at the door, feeling a strong ache in her nose. "Mother, it’s Meisheng’s fault. I was foolish. Could you please let me in just to see you, Mother?"

Seeing that Gu Hengbo’s forehead was about to hit the ground, Lian Rong stepped forward and pulled her up. "Leave this matter to me. You go back for now."

"I won’t."

"Be obedient. A Che, take the crown princess back to the residence."

Just as Gu Hengbo was about to speak, Lian Rong pressed a pressure point on her and handed her over to Li Che.

Gu Yuanqing appeared troubled. "I appreciate your concern, Prince Rong."

Lian Rong looked at Li Che as he left and said lightly, "I will call you father-in-law from now on, we are family now. Prime Minister Gu, please don’t be too formal."

Gu Yuanqing quickly agreed. Even the emperor showed him some respect, but he wanted none of Lian Rong’s.

Lian Rong didn’t say much more and turned toward Madam Dou’s room.

Upon entering, Lian Rong saw Madam Dou, pale and leaning against her bed, coughing continuously. She didn’t speak, instead walked up to Madam Dou and bowed, saying, "Lian Rong pays respects to my mother-in-law."

Madam Dou, taken aback, looked nervously at the sudden visitor. "Prince… Prince Rong."

Qingfeng was also startled. "Qingfeng pays respects to Prince Rong."

Lian Rong told her to stand up and walked toward Madam Dou. "I’ve just finished dealing with chores in the residence, so I’m only now here to visit. It was a neglect on my part. Please allow me to bow to you, my mother-in-law." Saying that, she genuinely lifted her skirt and was about to kneel.

Madam Dou hurriedly supported her. "Your Highness must not! You are of noble birth, how can you kneel to anyone?"

Lian Rong stood up at her gesture, helping Madam Dou sit up while saying, "Today is different. I am now like Meisheng; I must call you mother."

"This… this isn’t right," Madam Dou was clearly still struggling to accept it.

Lian Rong sat down beside the bed and smiled. "I understand it is difficult for you to accept right now."

"Your Highness, both you and Meisheng are women, and moreover, after what happened recently…" Madam Dou’s eyes turned red again.

Lian Rong quickly reassured her, "My mother-in-law need not worry. As long as I am here, I will absolutely ensure she faces no harm."

Madam Dou looked at her and finally sighed. "After that incident, I became ill and could hardly get out of bed. In my daze, I only heard Qingfeng speak of the matter concerning Meisheng and the prince. At that time, I nearly lost my breath. Now, I still want to ask, what is the relationship between you and Meisheng?"

"We are serious about each other. If not, I wouldn’t dare to offend everyone. I hope you can support us," Lian Rong said with sincerity.

"If Meisheng has caught the prince’s eye, that is her fortune."

Lian Rong smiled. "From now on, we are all family. Just call me A-Rong to avoid feeling distant."

Madam Dou nodded, feeling more at ease. "It is good to speak with you; it relieves my heart. Initially, I… well, let’s not mention those unhappy things."

Lian Rong thought for a moment before responding. "Meisheng wishes for you to move over and live with us. I think that’s perfectly fine, otherwise, she will surely scold me at home."

Madam Dou showed a difficult expression. “This might not be good.”

“Think of it as a way to relax. If you don’t feel comfortable staying there, you can always come back. It would be nice for you to keep Meisheng company; she has nothing to do all alone,” Lian Rong said gently.

Madam Dou couldn’t help but laugh. “After all this talking, it’s really Meisheng’s idea, isn’t it?”

Lian Rong smiled but said nothing.

After chatting for a while, Madam Dou felt less tense than before. After all, they were already married, and the other person was the current emperor’s only sister. Even if she didn’t want to, what could she do? Thankfully, Lian Rong seemed to have a good attitude and always looked after her daughter, so this mother felt a bit more at ease.

However, there was indeed something awkward. She and Lian Rong were only a few years apart in age, but she kept calling her “mother-in-law,” which made her uncomfortable. Although she could stop opposing them, the Prince Rong residence was still completely off-limits.