Chapter 7

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Chapter 7: Title

Before she knew it, Gu Hengbo had been living here for two months. Aside from Gu Cheng occasionally sneaking her out for a stroll, she mostly lounged in a chair in the yard, basking in the sun. Gu Yuanqing wasn’t completely heartless; after the last incident, he had assigned a few maids to her courtyard. It was said they came from the First Lady’s side.

“Second Miss, lying around every day isn’t a good thing. The First Lady instructed me to ensure you learn needlework well. You haven’t copied the required forty passages yet, and the zither the First Lady sent has been sitting there for over half a month!”

“Is the First Lady your mother?” Gu Hengbo asked coolly.

“Uh, no…”

“If not, why do you keep calling her ‘First Lady’? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think your mother had passed away,” Gu Hengbo replied, reclining lazily in her chair.

“You…”

Gu Hengbo smirked slightly and turned to look at the young maid recently assigned to her courtyard. The girl was certainly pretty but lacked charm, at least to Gu Hengbo. “Pei’er, how old are you this year?”

The maid called Pei’er was taken aback by the question. “Sixteen.”

Gu Hengbo turned to regard her with curious interest. “Oh? You’re already past your coming-of-age. So, has your Li Lang made any plans to redeem you from the residence?”

Surprisingly, upon hearing Gu Hengbo’s words, Pei’er’s expression became flustered. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Second Miss.”

Gu Hengbo raised an eyebrow. Not sure what she was talking about? “Why are you panicking? I’m just asking. Oh, by the way, if women don’t take care of themselves well after a miscarriage, it can be hard for them to conceive again in the future.”

Pei’er listened, her face turning pale. She looked at Gu Hengbo lying on the chair, trembling all over. “Second Miss, you can’t slander me like that.”

Gu Hengbo shifted in her seat and found a more comfortable position. She smiled lightly. “What if that unborn child knows you’re so casually denying its existence? Be careful; it might come back to haunt you tonight!”

Pei’er’s legs weakened, and she knelt at Gu Hengbo’s feet, crying as she knocked her head on the ground. “Please spare me, Second Miss! I’m truly helpless. I beg you to let me go!”

Gu Hengbo glanced at her indifferently. “Get up.”

“Unless you spare my life, I won’t get up,” Pei’er continued to kneel and sob.

Threatening her? Gu Hengbo hated threats more than anything in her life. She stood up coldly. “Then stay there,” she said, preparing to leave.

“Please, Second Miss, I beg you!” As Gu Hengbo turned to go, Pei’er clung to her leg.

“Get up.”

“Second Miss!”

“Am I that bad?”

Pei’er stopped crying and looked up at Gu Hengbo, who wore a blank expression.

Gu Hengbo’s face softened slightly. “Get up; I won’t hold it against you.”

Pei’er’s face brightened. She hastily wiped her tears, forgot to brush off the dirt on her clothes, and banged her head against the ground a few times before standing up. “Thank you, Second Miss! I will serve you diligently from now on!”

Gu Hengbo looked at her. “You can skip the ‘diligently’ part. Just don’t cause trouble for me and mother. You think I don’t know why the First Lady arranged for you all to be here?”

“Second Miss, I will only be loyal to you from now on.”

Gu Hengbo chuckled. “No, I can’t accept that. Let’s leave today’s matters behind. I won’t tell anyone and won’t punish you. I’ll give you two days; after that, don’t let me see you again.”

Pei’er stared at Gu Hengbo in shock, trembling as she asked, “Are you letting me go? What about the First Lady?”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll prepare money for you. Remember, the farther you go, the better. If you get caught and brought back, I can’t protect you,” Gu Hengbo said, turning to walk into the house, leaving Pei’er in a daze.

She was never one to interfere in others’ matters. But now that this issue had landed on her lap, she couldn’t turn a blind eye. It was just a coincidence that she observed Pei’er and that young servant together and overheard their conversation. Otherwise, how could she have easily dismissed her? Today, Pei’er felt she had a grip on her secret, so she was loyal. But tomorrow, if she found a chance, Pei’er might turn on her. Such a person was not someone she could keep around.

Back in her room, Gu Hengbo poured herself a glass of water and gulped it down. She stared blankly at the gilded invitation on the table. In three days, it would be the little princess’s birthday, and the emperor would host a banquet for the officials and their families at Taihe Hall. The list included her, Gu Meisheng.

Gu Hengbo held the invitation and laughed coldly. They wanted to see her make a fool of herself, didn’t they? Clearly, her family had legitimate children like Gu Ran and Gu Cheng, yet they insisted on sending her, the illegitimate child, especially as Madam Qin had personally recommended her.

“Meisheng!” Madam Dou walked in with a big smile.

Gu Hengbo put down the invitation and smiled slightly. “Mother, where have you been all day? Meisheng couldn’t find you.”

Madam Dou grabbed Gu Hengbo’s hand and examined her closely, nodding in approval. “I wasn’t dreaming. My Meisheng has truly recovered!”

Gu Hengbo furrowed her brow. “Meisheng has been better for almost two months; how come you just realized it?”

Madam Dou shook her head and pulled her to sit by the bed. “Meisheng, you know, in three days it’s the princess’s birthday. Our family is on the list.”

Gu Hengbo shook her head. “Is mother on it?”

Madam Dou paused, then awkwardly smiled. “I’m from the second branch; I’m not qualified to attend.”

Seeing Madam Dou’s disappointment, Gu Hengbo felt a pang in her heart and slightly regretted her question. “Mother, the second branch isn’t as pitiful as you think. Why should they look down on us? They’re just a bunch of bullies relying on their power.”

“Meisheng…”

Gu Hengbo held back her tears. She squeezed Madam Dou’s hand tightly. “Mother, I will definitely take you away from here in the future.”

Madam Dou’s eyes turned red, too. “Silly child, this is our home. Where else can we go?”

“Don’t worry, Mother. When Meisheng saves enough money, we can start our own business. You can go wherever you want.”

“That’s not something to say lightly. Women shouldn’t be showing their faces in business.” Madam Dou dismissed her words, thinking she was just being foolish.

Gu Hengbo became impatient. “Who says you can’t live without a man? Mother, your thinking is wrong. From now on, Meisheng will be your support.”

Madam Dou patted her hand. “Alright, stop saying silly things. In three days, you might need to perform in the main hall. You just recovered from your illness and still can’t do much. Let’s take these three days for you to rest and regain your strength.”

Gu Hengbo sighed helplessly. “There are only three days left. It won’t help. Don’t worry, Meisheng is just a minor part; they won’t remember me.” It was just the little princess’s birthday—there was nothing extraordinary about it, so why make such a big fuss?

Madam Dou couldn’t persuade her and reminded her a few more times before leaving.

Gu Hengbo glanced at the invitation on the table and sighed. It seemed she had to take some measures. The Prime Minister’s residence wasn’t poor, but she was broke. The last bit of silver she had, she generously gave to Pei’er, who was about to elope with her lover. Sigh, being a good person is hard, especially in ancient times.

In Madam Qin’s courtyard at the Prime Minister’s residence,

Gu Ran’s face was cold. “Mother, I can go with brother. Why do you still want that worthless girl to go?”

Madam Qin glared at Gu Ran. “What do you know? Gu Meisheng may not be foolish anymore, but she just recovered. What can a clueless person do? In the end, it will still be you, the legitimate child, who shines.”

Gu Ran’s expression softened. “So, you have other plans, Mother.”

Madam Qin snorted coldly. “She’s an illegitimate child and will be stuck in an inconspicuous corner. You don’t need to worry about her; just focus on yourself. Remember, after the performance, pretend to have a headache. I will find a way for you to get close to the First Prince.”