NOVPUBShen Roujia didn’t give anyone a chance to argue or respond. She pretended to be drunk and, supported by Xiao Fu, left the scene. With both Shen Roujia and Xu Liangeng gone, the guests at the banquet probably lost their appetite for the meal.
Just as Shen Roujia left the Gu family residence and got into the carriage, they rounded a corner, and Xiao Fu exclaimed.
“Crown Princess, look, who is that?”
Shen Roujia sighed and lifted her eyelids, turning to look in the indicated direction. At that moment, the twilight cast a glow on Gu Zhi’s profile, making her appear extraordinarily beautiful.
Gu Zhi was dressed in smart men’s clothing, her high ponytail swaying gently. A light smile played on her lips as she held the reins of her horse, leaning against the wall.
“Jiao Jiao, you’ve had a hard time.”
Shen Roujia was momentarily stunned, then broke into a smile, eagerly getting off the carriage and affectionately throwing herself at Gu Zhi.
“Zhi Zhi…”
Gu Zhi steadily caught Shen Roujia’s petite frame.
“Are you heading straight back to the palace?”
Shen Roujia nodded. “I’m planning to visit my second sister at the book club first, then return to the palace.”
Gu Zhi didn’t ask what had transpired at the Gu family mansion. She acted as if nothing had happened, walking alongside Shen Roujia while leading her horse.
Seeing this, Xiao Fu softly instructed the coachman to follow at a leisurely pace from a distance.
Shen Roujia walked briskly beside Gu Zhi, bouncing like a little rabbit.
“Zhi Zhi, why did you suddenly come to wait for me? How is the new house coming along?”
Gu Zhi’s eyes showed signs of fatigue, looking more worn out than before.
“Just some mundane tasks, but it’s almost done.”
Shen Roujia looked at Gu Zhi with concern. “You seem so tired.”
Gu Zhi sighed. “Recently, many people have been eyeing my father’s position. Several women around my age have been sent to our mansion.”
“They’re easy enough to dismiss, but the worst has happened. My maternal grandfather’s side had a daughter who, despite her age, claimed to have waited for my father for many years without marrying.”
“She even resembles my mother a bit, and my usually stubborn father is wavering.”
Shen Roujia frowned, her mind racing. She remembered Gu Zhi had a malicious aunt who was connected to the Gu family mansion, someone who pretended to be kind while secretly causing trouble for Gu Zhi.
Could this be the aunt she was talking about?
However, the aunt’s behavior was turning from an aunt to a stepmother, a character significantly affecting the plot’s progression.
Realizing this, Shen Roujia hesitated.
“Jiao Jiao, help me think of a solution. This young aunt is my grandfather’s youngest legitimate daughter.”
“My father’s position is still unstable, and our future cannot rely solely on imperial favor.”
Shen Roujia slowly relaxed her tightly pursed lips. “Zhi Zhi, do you want to hear the truth?”
Gu Zhi hesitated and then nodded. “Tell me.”
Shen Roujia gently stroked the horse’s mane. “General Gu has no sons, only you as his daughter. Your hearts are both at the frontier, for the country.”
“Achieving great accomplishments and reclaiming lost territories might take generations, but that passion cannot be extinguished. Since your ambitions lie elsewhere, why let your heart be confined here?”
