Chapter 9

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 9: Title

Gu Hengbo did not sit with Madam Qin and the others. They clearly saw her arrival but didn’t send someone to invite her over. She was actually glad to be away from them.

Gu Ran glanced at Gu Hengbo, who had already taken a seat with Lian Chen. Her eyes chilled slightly. Although she knew that Gu Cheng had always favored Gu Meisheng and that Gu Cheng got along well with the Third Prince, today he had indeed brought the Third Prince to accompany Gu Meisheng. They were born of the same mother, yet it seemed that he was closer to Gu Meisheng than to her. How ridiculous! Especially when he used to care so much for her when Gu Meisheng was just a fool. Gu Ran had lost count of how many times her brother had fought for that fool. What good did Gu Meisheng possess?

Madam Qin naturally saw this and squeezed the silk handkerchief in her hand. “I never expected that Cheng would actually let the Third Prince accompany her.”

Gu Ran smirked nonchalantly. “Mother, it’s just a Third Prince. There’s no need to worry.”

Madam Qin huffed, “I didn’t realize that once she got better, her seductive tricks would come from who knows where.” She couldn’t be naive enough to believe that her son was enchanted by a fool. She hoped she wouldn’t find any evidence against her.

“Mother, the First Prince is looking this way. Put away that strange expression of yours,” Gu Ran suddenly whispered.

Madam Qin was taken aback, and sure enough, she saw the First Prince, Lian Yue, looking toward them. She quickly put on a smile, nodding graciously, and adopted a maternal demeanor.

Gu Ran glanced at Lian Yue, her face turning beet red when she noticed his smiling gaze. Her face flushed even more until he looked away, continuing his conversation with the officials. She let out a light sigh of relief.

Gu Hengbo and Lian Chen continued to chat casually. Soon, a large number of imperial concubines arrived, and it seemed like the Emperor and Empress would follow, along with the little princess.

Before Gu Hengbo could settle in, two important figures entered. From a distance, she could see a magnificent figure in bright yellow, another in stunning red, and what looked like a young child in pink—this must be the little princess. Not paying too much attention, she knelt down. Gu Hengbo huffed inwardly. She had never bowed like this in her life; however, being under the eaves, she had to lower her head.

When the bright yellow figure said "Rise," Gu Hengbo jumped up from the ground. She really hated kneeling; it made her feel insecure. As everyone returned to their seats, the event progressed with some congratulatory speeches. Gu Hengbo felt a bit impatient; the royal family was such a hassle. Did a child of that age really deserve such fuss? She remembered how difficult life was for her at that age when even a bite of cabbage was a luxury. She had even scavenged for scraps; as a child without parents, could anyone expect her to have an easy life?

Recalling the past made Gu Hengbo feel a heavy weight in her heart. Although she had no attachment to that world anymore, it had been her home for over twenty years. Here she was, a soul from another world, feeling completely out of place. Though she had decided to make a good life for herself here, she felt profoundly lonely, with no one decent to talk to. After being used to living without amenities, the fear of facing the future alone was overwhelming. Yan Chufeng was probably back with Gu Ran. Of course, the world would still turn without her. Heaven knew she clearly heard his last words to her.

Sighing deeply, Gu Hengbo glanced around. The pomp of the ceremony seemed to have concluded, and now it looked like someone was about to perform. How ridiculous it felt to please even a little child; this life was unbearable.

She noticed a girl from who knew which family partially hiding behind a pipa, but she couldn’t make sense of the tune. Personally, she thought it was terribly off-key, played as if someone had died. Adults would want to sleep listening to it, and children might want to wet their pants.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Lian Chen looking utterly absorbed. Gu Hengbo curled her lip; what was so enjoyable about this? Back in her day, her piano skills were exceptional, but here, nothing she knew applied, and everything around her felt foreign.

“I say, your outfit is really shabby. What will you do if Father calls you up to perform?” Lian Chen suddenly remarked.

Gu Hengbo was startled. "If neither of us speaks, with so many people in this grand hall, no one will notice us."

Lian Chen gave her a disdainful sidelong glance. "Don’t tell me you can’t do anything."

Gu Hengbo shrugged, looking exactly as he expected.

Lian Chen rubbed his forehead. "If only you were still like before; you wouldn’t need to perform."

"You’re right. If I were still a fool, I wouldn’t be sitting here now."

"True, so let’s keep a low profile."

After a performance ended, the girl retreated with a blush. A girl in red attire stepped forward, holding a soft sword, requesting to perform a sword dance for the little princess.

The Emperor and Empress nodded. As she took her position, music began to play. The red figure moved slightly, and the soft sword danced in her hands as if it had a soul.

Gu Hengbo watched for a moment, then lost interest. Her bored eyes scanned the hall, landing on a tall man in a crescent-patterned robe. He wore a faintly amused expression as he quietly watched the sword dancer, his lips curving into a slight smile. Gu Hengbo’s eyes brightened, and she leaned slightly toward Lian Chen. "Hey, who’s that guy in the light-colored robe sitting in front?"

Lian Chen, initially focused on the girl in red, turned to look where Gu Hengbo pointed and whispered, "That’s my elder brother, Lian Yue. Why?"

Gu Hengbo shook her head and gestured toward the person to Lian Yue’s right. "What about the one on his right?"

Lian Chen understood her curiosity and shifted closer. "Next to my elder brother is my Second Brother, and the kid next to him is the Fourth Prince."

Gu Hengbo nodded. She had heard the Emperor had six children. Counting them confirmed it, though it seemed like a small number. She only knew the First Prince and the Eldest Princess were born of the Empress; the rest were a mystery to her.

Compared to the man in front of her, the First Prince seemed much more composed and steady. On the other hand, the man currently catching her eye exuded a regal air but also had a hint of a spoiled noble. As for the Second Brother, he was modest, polite, and gentle as jade—that described him perfectly. The Fourth Prince, who looked about eleven or twelve, still seemed quite childish. Gu Hengbo stole a glance at the person sitting to the left of the First Prince. Clad in a blue brocade robe, he had a strikingly beautiful appearance. She secretly stuck out her tongue. She had thought the host body’s appearance was quite good-looking, but after seeing this princess, she couldn’t say that anymore.

Come to think of it, since arriving here, she had indeed seen many handsome men and beautiful women. In her previous life, she was twenty-five, but now she felt like an old maiden. With the soul of a twenty-five-year-old in a seventeen-year-old’s body, she thought, heaven was still kind to her.

While she was quietly pleased, her gaze caught a man dressed in a brocade robe adorned with a black qilin totem. Unlike the other princes in the hall, he wore no crown. His long, ink-black hair was tied back with a thin ribbon, and his deep, unfathomable eyes shone brightly. His facial features were soft, almost ethereal, with a gentle smile in his eyes, slightly raised thin lips, and a smooth, pale chin that formed a perfect arc with his neck. Gu Hengbo stared blankly; why did those eyes seem so familiar? She shouldn’t have seen this man before.

Not hearing Gu Hengbo speak for a while, Lian Chen turned to look at her. He found her staring off into space in one direction and followed her gaze to the same man. He couldn’t help but smile.

"Stop looking. That’s my royal uncle."

Gu Hengbo snapped out of it. "Your uncle? The Emperor’s brother? He looks so young!"

Lian Chen nodded. "It seems my uncle really loves Lian Qing. During the Empress and Emperor’s birthdays, she usually doesn’t show her face, but it looks like little Qing has a great reputation."

Gu Hengbo found it a bit puzzling. "What title does your uncle hold?"

"He’s a prince. Why?" Lian Chen didn’t seem to realize how odd Gu Hengbo’s question was.

Gu Hengbo nodded, directing her gaze back to the man. He seemed to sense her gaze, and his elegant fingers holding the wine cup paused slightly as he turned his head in their direction.

Seeing this, Gu Hengbo quickly lowered her head, while Lian Chen lifted his own cup toward her.

The man smiled lightly, raised his cup, and drained it in one gulp.

Lian Chen excitedly tugged at Gu Hengbo’s sleeve. "Hey, my uncle actually toasted me! He must be in a good mood today."