Chapter 58

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Chapter 58: Title

"Hi, long time no see!" Gu Hengbo waved at the two, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

Gu Cheng stood still, staring at her, as if he was frozen. Usually, Lian Chen would break this awkwardness first, but just now, he had called her name without thinking, never expecting it would lead to this situation.

Shui Yan kept a blank expression. When Qian Yue had sent her out, she repeatedly advised her to visit Madam Dou and then return quickly, suggesting that they should avoid lingering at the Prime Minister’s residence. She leaned close to Gu Hengbo’s ear and said, "Crown Princess, let’s get in the carriage. Otherwise, the prince will be unhappy if he can’t see you when he returns." They all noticed how the prince had treated the new crown princess these past days, with tenderness and care, but this woman before them seemed ungrateful.

Sure enough, when Gu Hengbo heard her mention Lian Rong repeatedly, anger flared in her heart. What did she mean by being unhappy if she couldn’t see her for a moment? This morning, Qian Yue had done everything to stop her from leaving; she had almost tied her up. Gu Hengbo hadn’t even had the chance to voice her feelings.

"Let’s talk later. You take your people back first; I have something to say to them."

"Crown Princess."

"Are you ignoring my words now?" Gu Hengbo rarely showed her displeasure, and her tone dropped several levels.

Shui Yan had no choice but to leave with her group. Outside the Prime Minister’s residence, the three of them stood in silence, with no one speaking. Gu Hengbo felt a bit restless.

"How long are you two planning to stand there?" Gu Hengbo’s voice raised loudly, on the verge of shouting.

Lian Chen gave a slight smile, bowing slightly, "Lian Chen greets you, Royal Aunt."

Gu Hengbo froze for a moment, took a few steps forward, and opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Gu Cheng watched her from a distance and softly asked, "How have you been lately?"

Gu Hengbo tilted her head back, gazing at the golden hue to the east, "Good."

Another long silence followed. Unable to bear it any longer, Gu Hengbo walked up to them and punched each on the shoulder, "You two, are you finished? If you don’t speak, I really will leave."

Lian Chen chuckled, a bit helpless, "When will your personality change?"

Gu Hengbo sighed, glancing at him, "You still have the mood to joke. After not seeing you two for a few days, you’ve both lost some weight." She turned to look at Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng felt awkward under her gaze, "Why did you come today?"

"My mother is unwell. I couldn’t see her last time, so I hurried over when I had the chance."

Lian Chen noticed the atmosphere shifted as soon as they began to talk, and tried to smooth things over, "Today, I’ll treat you both. Would you mind joining me?"

Gu Hengbo was about to nod when Gu Cheng spoke up, "Meisheng is now the crown princess, that might not be good."

Gu Hengbo laughed awkwardly, "What does being the crown princess matter? Brother, let the past stay in the past. I think we all know in our hearts that I’m not holding onto it. Why should you, a grown man, still care about it?" Perhaps they were both victims of that incident, but what was done was done. She simply hoped Gu Cheng could let it go too.

"Meisheng."

"Okay, regardless of whether I am the crown princess or Gu Meisheng, I am still your sister; that will never change. By the way, I actually have something to discuss with you." Gu Hengbo pulled both of them toward Yipin Tower.

Everything felt like it had returned to the past, as if nothing had changed. She was Gu Meisheng, the Second Miss of the Prime Minister’s residence, Gu Cheng was the Eldest Son of the residence, and Lian Chen lived as his carefree prince.

Perhaps they weren’t even friends, but coming together was still fate.

"Brother, actually, my mother has already told me about your marriage."

Gu Cheng took a sip of his drink and shook his head, "Does Meisheng also think it’s not good to marry a woman from a brothel?"

Seeing his mood was not very good, Gu Hengbo exchanged a glance with Lian Chen, who nodded and took the cup from Gu Cheng’s hand, "Gu Cheng, why don’t you take her to meet Qiao Ru?"

Gu Cheng chuckled bitterly, "What difference does it make to meet? I love my sister; they won’t agree. Now I’m trying hard to move on, and just when I find someone who understands me, they want to stop me. They pushed me to take the exam, and if that incident hadn’t happened, they still wouldn’t let me go."

Gu Hengbo couldn’t help but hold his hand, "Brother, as long as that girl is fine, I will definitely support you."

Lian Chen looked at her, serious and composed, and found it amusing, "What does the royal aunt’s support mean? Are you going to marry that girl for him?"

Gu Hengbo shot him a glance and said, "If you want to be cool, go be cool somewhere else." If it hadn’t been for the lack of help back then, she wouldn’t have turned to Lian Rong, which had led to her current predicament. When she faced difficulties, that guy had long disappeared, and now he was out here making snarky comments.

Gu Hengbo squinted as she looked at the place that ancient men dreamed about. To be honest, she didn’t want to go in. It wasn’t that she looked down on women from a brothel; in her heart, she thought this was a place for men. If women were going to flirt, they should flirt with men.

"Brother, can you let that girl come out? I don’t really like being in this place," Gu Hengbo tugged at Gu Cheng’s sleeve.

Lian Chen raised an eyebrow in dissatisfaction. "You don’t even have this much courage?"

Gu Hengbo made a face, looking at the men’s clothing she was wearing. "I’m a woman; going in there might cause some trouble. How about you guys go in, and I’ll head back?"

"Royal Aunt~"

Gu Hengbo instinctively covered Lian Chen’s mouth. "What are you shouting for? We’re on the street!"

Lian Chen gave her a look that said ‘Are you going or not?’ Gu Hengbo gritted her teeth and thought, "Let’s just go for it. They aren’t here to flirt; I’m here to see my future sister-in-law. I’m very innocent…"

What’s going on?

"This must be your first time here, right? You’re really handsome! Sisters, come take a look! We have a charming young man here!" A slender woman twirled her waist and pulled Gu Hengbo inside.

It was different from what she imagined; there wasn’t an overwhelming smell of makeup. The girls looked decent, their makeup was appropriate, but they were too enthusiastic.

When Gu Cheng pulled Gu Hengbo out, her clothes were all disheveled, and Lian Chen leaned against the railing, grinning like he was enjoying a joke. Gu Hengbo was angrier. "Brother, are those girls idiots? I look this much like a woman and this sexy, yet they kept throwing themselves at me?"

(Hello? Doesn’t that make you less intelligent?)

Gu Hengbo thought Gu Cheng would be interested in a girl who was probably a courtesan or at least a top-ranking girl. To her surprise, she was just a junior maidservant who had recently been promoted and hadn’t officially started serving customers yet.

But the moment Gu Hengbo saw the little maid, she was stunned. Wasn’t this Gu Cheng still remembering his sister? Did she really have to look this much alike, especially those eyes?

"Brother, are you sure this is okay?"

Gu Cheng understood what she wanted to say and felt a bit shy. "It’s true it was because she looks like you, but now, um, she’s really a good person." (The crowd: At least she’s more ladylike than you.)

Gu Hengbo looked at the girl, and the girl looked back at her. After scanning her with bright eyes, she bowed politely and said, "This little girl, Qiao Ru, has met Princess Rong."

Oh? "Um, since there are no outsiders, no need for formalities," Gu Hengbo stepped forward to help her up. The little girl really looked good, a classic beauty, matching well with Gu Cheng, though her eyes did resemble Gu Meisheng’s, which felt a bit off.

After chatting for a few minutes, Lian Chen dragged Gu Hengbo out, saying it was to give the young couple more time together.

Once outside, Lian Chen let go of her hand. "About Gu Cheng, can you think of a way?"

Gu Hengbo leaned over the railing to look down. "How can I help? Don’t make me reach out to your royal uncle because how am I supposed to bring that up? Besides, if my father and mother truly disagree, there’s nothing I can do. We outsiders can’t interfere with family matters." She was just stating the truth.

Lian Chen frowned and leaned against the railing. "You’re right; we are outsiders. Your father won’t be satisfied until he pushes Gu Cheng to a dead end."

Gu Hengbo smiled. Gu Cheng had his reasons, but she felt even more sympathy for Gu Yuanqing. His son was unreliable, and even his daughter’s marriage was out of his control. He was nearly fifty years old and was still being held in this way by his own children.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way. There will always be a solution. It’s pointless for us to rush. Besides, you seem to be very free?” Gu Hengbo teased him.

Lian Chen waved his hand. "Don’t mention it. Early this morning, after the morning court, my father summoned me and Second Brother, saying there’s trouble in Liangzhou, and one of us has to go to quell the rebellion."

"Liangzhou?"

Lian Chen nodded. "Liangzhou is on the Dongyin border. Over a decade ago, during the wars among various countries, many citizens fled there to escape. It’s quite expansive, and in recent years, several governors have been unable to maintain order. Naturally, my father wants to resolve this once and for all."

"Has a decision been made on who will go?" Gu Hengbo asked.

"We’re both going. Initially, the royal uncle wanted Second Brother to go, but I volunteered," Lianyang had rarely left the palace and felt unfamiliar with anything outside. He couldn’t allow him to go alone.

Gu Hengbo stayed silent. Maybe she was thinking too much; being overly sentimental didn’t seem like a good thing. Perhaps Lian Rong just wanted Lianyang to gain some experience. "Is it very dangerous?" That was what she was most worried about.

"It must be quite tricky; otherwise, Father would not have sent both of us together."

Gu Hengbo nodded. "Did they say when we will leave? I will come to see you off."

Lian Chen smiled. "Are you worried about me or about Second Brother?" Only after he spoke did he realize he had said the wrong thing. He quickly laughed it off. "We just finished discussing today; they haven’t mentioned the exact time yet."

Gu Hengbo didn’t mind; she was indeed worried about Lianyang, but this person in front of her was just an extra.

"Third Young Master, the young lady is waiting for you inside," a little girl in a pink dress suddenly approached Lian Chen.

Gu Hengbo tilted her head and teased Lian Chen, "Oh, you even have a little sweetheart waiting. I won’t disturb you; you go ahead." With that, she planned to head downstairs.

"Hey, Aunty, don’t go!" Lian Chen pulled Gu Hengbo’s arm and led her inside.

Gu Hengbo shot him a sideways glance. "You’re calling me Aunty so smoothly. Let me ask you, if she asks you to call her ‘Aunt,’ what will you call me?" By "she," she naturally meant Lian Rong.

Lian Chen paused. "That’s true. Then I will call you Second Aunt."

Gu Hengbo hit him lightly on the back of his head. "Second Aunt? Why should I be Second? She is the one who’s Second."

"Okay, okay, royal uncle Second, royal uncle is the second most ‘Second,’ are you satisfied?" Lian Chen quickly pleaded for mercy, feeling the sting from Gu Hengbo’s light hit.

Gu Hengbo was certainly satisfied. In a good mood, she followed the little girl into the room. Just by looking at the decorations, she could tell that the owner of this room was a refined person with taste.

Every word and painting, every vase and jar must be worth a lot of money.

"Mingyue, look who I brought!" Lian Chen put away his fan and turned to the woman standing by the window.

Gu Hengbo looked at the beauty and felt her self-esteem drop instantly. She finally believed it; anyone picked at random would look better than her. The woman in front of her had skin as white as snow, eyes like a clear spring, exuding an elegant and noble aura, resembling a young lady from a wealthy family. Gu Hengbo thought, could it be like the books say, that she was sold to a brothel due to her family’s decline?

"And this is?" the girl called Mingyue looked at Gu Hengbo with confusion on her face.

Gu Hengbo spoke before Lian Chen could. "Oh, I am a friend of Third Young Master. You can call me Hengbo." The earlier Qiao Ru must have informed Gu Cheng, as this girl clearly did not recognize her identity.

Lian Chen didn’t expect Gu Hengbo to do that, but he said nothing and let her be.

This Mingyue was one of the leading performers at Yaoyue Pavilion. Although she performed arts but not the flesh, in a place like this, who really knew what that meant?

After a while, Lian Chen stepped out, and Gu Hengbo noticed that Mingyue kept staring at her. She felt puzzled. Wasn’t Lian Chen a charming young man who could easily attract her? Even if she was dressed in men’s clothing, she felt quite uncomfortable, and there was something captivating about her own guarded appearance.

Gu Hengbo was quite thirsty and drank several cups of water. Lian Chen had just praised the tea, but she couldn’t tell the difference. As Mingyue stood up to pour herself tea, Gu Hengbo politely stood up, unsure if the girl was doing it intentionally or not, but her delicate fingers frequently brushed against Gu Hengbo’s soft hand.

Gu Hengbo felt goosebumps all over from her touches. Once Mingyue finished pouring, she hurriedly pulled her hand back and drank all the water. If she were married to a man, she could easily handle a situation where a woman tried to climb into her arms. However, she was married to a woman and had engaged in something inappropriate. She felt a restless itch in her heart, unable to articulate her feelings. "Ugh, this is annoying. I’m going outside to see why that guy hasn’t returned yet." Ignoring any comments, she rushed out.

As soon as Gu Hengbo wanted to take a breath, she saw a familiar figure appear at the stairs. She almost wanted to blind herself. How did Lian Rong end up here? Just then, she heard Mingyue’s voice from the room she just left, apparently about to come out. Gu Hengbo cursed silently and quickly ran a few steps inside before pushing open the door to another room.

"Um… why did you just arrive? We’ve been waiting for you for so long."

Gu Hengbo’s hand froze on the door as she felt a soft body press against her back. She slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to pry away the hand that was wrapped around her waist. Ultimately, the other person was stronger. Just as she turned around, that person pressed close again, this time face to face, with their head rubbing on her neck. Gu Hengbo was on the verge of losing it. She lifted the person’s chin. "What on earth do you want? You can’t take advantage like this!"

"You’re being so fierce," the girl whined.

Gu Hengbo looked down at the fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl in her arms, who looked like a beautiful girl. She didn’t know who she was waiting for. It seemed she was already getting tipsy. Wasn’t this supposed to help with her affairs when drinking?

"You’re young; don’t learn bad habits like drinking. Let go of me!" Gu Hengbo deliberately raised her voice.

The girl pouted, hugging her tightly and refusing to let go. Gu Hengbo almost cried in frustration. She’d rather go back to staring at Mingyue than deal with this. It was her life on the line!

"Okay, let go, and I’ll buy you good food," Gu Hengbo finally softened her voice and tried to pull the girl’s arms off her.

"No, no, no, I don’t want to!"

"You guys are never done! No, no, no! Stop what you’re doing! I can’t even drink in peace!" A loud shout came from the next room, along with the sound of someone banging on the table.

Gu Hengbo trembled, not speaking, and tried to pull the person in her arms away and run. But the little girl clung to her like a leech, refusing to let go, making some strange noises.

"It’s hot, so hot! Help me take off my clothes, hurry up! I’m going to be yours from now on," the little girl said, leaning her mouth closer to Gu Hengbo’s.

Gu Hengbo shouted in panic, something resembling a ‘help me!’ Before she could react, a hand pressed her right hand down onto something soft. It was small, and when her hand wrapped around it tightly, she instinctively squeezed it, leading to a moaning sound that made her bones feel weak.

Then, the door was kicked open from the outside.

Seeing the fierce-looking person standing in the doorway, Gu Hengbo blinked. When she spotted the red figure behind him, her body went weak uncontrollably.