"Big Brother likes the First Princess!"
Her words caught Gu Zheng off guard, mid-calculation. He had been prepared to watch a show, not be the main act.
"You..." He pointed at Gu Yan, unable to speak. His secret, hidden deep within his heart, had been casually revealed by this little girl.
"Zheng'er, a true man should be bold and forthright! How could you let your sister be the one to tell us something like this!" Madam Gu's expression was a mixture of disappointment and exasperation.
"Now that I think about it, you were the one responsible for escorting this princess back from Nanling. Did your feelings blossom back then?"
"I did not! When I brought her back, she was completely veiled, not even her eyes were visible!" Gu Zheng explained.
"I encountered her later, but I didn't know her identity. I only knew she was a widow!"
"Later, I proposed marriage, but she refused. I thought there was no chance, so I never mentioned it!"
Gu Yan tentatively asked, "Mother, don't you mind if my future daughter-in-law is a divorcee?"
"What's there to mind? Which woman doesn't want to spend her life with one person? But some people just don't meet the right man. In this era, a woman's divorce is like losing half her life. I don't even have time to feel sorry for her, how could I possibly dislike her?"
Hearing her mother's words, Gu Yan felt that her mother was very open-minded.
Recalling her mother's past actions, she had allowed her to disguise herself as a man to travel the jianghu.
She let her and her brother do whatever they liked.
Born into such a family, Gu Yan felt incredibly fortunate.
The next few days, everyone was very busy.
General Gu and Gu Zheng had to go to the Imperial Study to report to the Emperor, while Gu Yan and her mother had to visit the ladies in each palace.
The Emperor's calculations were excellent; the Gu family simply wouldn't have time to develop their influence in the capital.
General Gu, however, still cherished the friendship he had with the Emperor from their younger years, and was wholeheartedly devoted to serving the country.
Three days passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Gu Yan was left alone in the capital as she bid farewell to her family.
The Emperor personally saw them off, giving General Gu plenty of face.
Naturally, the Gu family also needed to be aware of the times.
Not many farewell words were spoken; they had already been said yesterday.
If she could find help in the capital, even if she couldn't see them, she could still ensure her family's safety.
In the future, her family would definitely be safe.
Watching her family depart, Gu Yan deliberately dabbed at non-existent tears with her handkerchief as the Emperor's gaze fell upon her.
As a young maiden, this was her first time leaving her parents. She had to appear sad.
However, she had to endure, not shedding tears in front of her parents to avoid adding to their sorrow.
Seeing Gu Yan's expression, the Emperor softened his expression. She was, after all, still just a child.
"Go back now! I will protect you in the capital. Don't suffer any grievances!"
Gu Yan slowly knelt in obeisance. "Father said before he left that his friendship with Your Majesty is the deepest, and that I needn't worry, but should live well in the capital..."
Hearing this, the Emperor felt a wave of emotion. Indeed, they had been deeply bonded in their youth, but now, as Emperor, he had many more considerations.
Gu Yan returned to the palace, looking sorrowful.
Today, the Gu family had just left, and no one would easily disturb her. She could finally think about how to spend the coming days.
She drifted along like this for several days, still unclear about the situation and hesitant to take any action rashly.
For now, remaining still and observing was the best approach.
A coldness landed on her face. She looked up and saw that it was actually snowing?
The Southern Frontier had spring-like weather all year round, with evergreen plants and trees.
But the capital had distinct seasons. It was snowing at this time of year.
Gu Yan found it quite novel. The Southern Frontier only saw snow every few years.
She reached out and touched a snowflake. It was cold, and as it landed in her hand, it instantly turned to water.
Counting the days, Father and Mother should be arriving at the Southern Frontier soon!
Now that she was staying in the capital, their return journey would likely be much smoother!
"Miss, Consort Li sent someone over, saying she invites you to enjoy the snow and taste plum blossom tea!"
Baizhi came over and stuffed the warm hand warmer into Gu Yan's arms.
"Are we going?" Baizhi asked in a low voice.
"Of course we are! Consort Li is favored in the palace, so we must always give her face!"
"Go tell the person who came that I'll go after changing clothes!"
Gu Yan walked into the room, changed into a moon-white dress, and put on a red cloak. The white fur collar on the cloak was personally hunted by her father.
The Southern Frontier wasn't very cold, so this cloak hadn't been worn much.
The bright red clothes made Gu Yan's small face even more radiant.
"Miss is so beautiful!" Baizhi praised.
"You have a sweet mouth!" Gu Yan tapped her head.
"Let's go! Remember to be careful with your words and actions!" Gu Yan reminded her.
The two of them, accompanied by the eunuch, passed through the halls and finally arrived at their destination.
Gu Yan hadn't really wandered around the palace before. It was surprisingly large, and there was even a plum garden.
Gu Yan performed the greeting, and Consort Li affectionately took her hand.
"I saw you at the palace banquet that day, and I was very pleased. I've been wanting to invite you out for a visit!"
"The plum blossoms are in full bloom, and it's snowing. It's the perfect setting for brewing tea by the fire!"
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. Gu Yan is delighted to see such a scene. Before we even reached the Plum Garden, I could smell the intoxicating fragrance of the plum blossoms."
The Second Princess, Xiao Yundai, chimed in, "Mother said you would definitely enjoy this, so she called for you!"
The Second Prince, Xiao Shiyu, handed Gu Yan a cup of freshly brewed plum blossom tea. "Have a cup to warm yourself up!"
Consort Li smiled, "Yuer is thoughtful, knowing to warm the young lady up first!"
Gu Yan didn't reply. She picked up the teacup, sniffed it, and, confirming that there was no issue, took a sip.
When she was out, she couldn't be too cautious. She needed to make sure she wouldn't be drugged without reason.
"The aroma is intoxicating, what a wonderful tea!" Gu Yan praised.
"Of course it's good tea! This was bestowed upon Second Brother by the Emperor. He only brought it out because he heard you were coming! I'm only tasting it because of you!" Second Princess Xiao Yundai laughed.
Every sentence was filled with praise for the Second Prince. Gu Yan knew their purpose this time; they probably wanted her to fall for the Second Prince!
What a clever scheme!
In the eyes of outsiders, a young girl, just beginning to experience the bloom of romance, would likely quickly succumb if a handsome man showed her such warmth and care!
But Gu Yan was different. She was disguised as a man, traveling the jianghu. What kind of men hadn't she seen!
Gu Yan smiled shyly, "Thank you, Second Prince, it truly is good tea!"
"Good tea for a beautiful woman!" Xiao Shiyu struck a pose he thought was very handsome.
Damn it! Gu Yan couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
But on the surface, she still maintained the appearance of a shy young girl, sipping tea and seemingly enjoying it.
Consort Li chatted with Gu Yan for a long time, appearing to be very concerned about her.
Gu Yan also responded one by one, behaving like a proper young lady from a good family.
Gu Yan watched as Xiao Shiyu gave Xiao Yundai a look.
Xiao Yundai immediately spoke up, "Mother, I heard the plum blossoms in the middle of the Plum Garden are even more beautiful. Can I go and take a look?"