《The Legitimate Daughter Princess Consort can Read Minds》


 CH 1

    ¡°Sister, do you feel better today? do you still not remember anything?¡± A delicate voice echoed in the small courtyard of the Gu family, a prominent family of medicine in Daqi Kingdom. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame that you finally came back from the village, and now this has happened. It¡¯s really regrettable.¡±


    Although the girl spoke words of regret, her tone betrayed her gleeful delight.


    ¡°You¡¯re very kind, little sister.¡± Gu Yunru replied blandly, her gaze fixed on the girl¡¯s face, not missing any of her expressions.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped that while others who transmigrated received the original host¡¯s memories, Gu Yunru was clueless when she arrived in this world. She only knew that she had been rescued from a lake where she had apparently thrown herself in. However, as a skilled traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, she had diagnosed that the original host¡¯s body was only suffering from excessive cold and fear, indicating that she had been greatly frightened, not trying to end her life.


    She had spent the past two days lying in bed, claiming to be suffering from excessive fear and memory loss. Fortunately, with her expertise in psychology from her previous life, she had tactfully extracted some information.


    The original host¡¯s name was also Gu Yunru, who was born from the deceased wife of the current head of the Gu family, Gu Yan. Since his father married her stepmother, she had been kept on the family estate and had no idea why she was suddenly brought back to the Gu family in a high-profile manner. However, before nightfall, she fell into the lake.

 CH 2

    Sure enough, after Gu Junyue had cried and complained for a while, two maids were sent from the main courtyard to invite Gu Yunru to see Madam Gu.


    Gu Yunru naturally followed and, upon arriving at the flower hall of the main courtyard, she smiled and greeted Madam Gu before asking in a low voice, ¡°Does Madam need something from me?¡±


    ¡°Yunru, earlier Junyue went to visit you and came back saying that you were possessed by a ghost and scared her. Is there any truth to this?¡± Although Madam Gu wore a fake smile on her face, her words were sharp and straightforward.


    Gu Junyue was trembling on the side, crying, ¡°Mother, older sister really was possessed by a ghost, and she even said she wanted to eat me! Please quickly invite a Taoist priest to perform a ritual!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yunru instantly understood the little girl¡¯s intentions. If she admitted to being possessed, then the Taoist priest that Madam Gu invited would cause her a lot of trouble. But if she denied it, then she would be accused of frightening her younger sister and would likely end up kneeling in the ancestral hall.


    Truly, appearances can be deceiving. Although this little girl was young, she was skilled in palace intrigue, even knowing to make the first accusation.


    ¡°In response to Madam, Yunru was indeed possessed by a ghost.¡± Gu Yunru raised her head and smiled lightly, sweeping a glance at the people around her without changing her expression. ¡°I fell into the lake and passed through the gates of hell. The ox-headed and horse-faced guardians said that my life was not meant to end yet, but I still suffered a lot. As compensation, they opened my Heavenly Eye, and now that it has been successful, I have retired from the task.¡±

 CH 3

    Gu Yunru had only been to her own courtyard once before and didn¡¯t even recognize Xiao Qingzi and Biyun. Could it be that she really had the ability to see things others couldn¡¯t?


    ¡°Madam, this is a good thing. Since they are both in the same courtyard, and have committed to spending their lives together and have children, why not fulfill their wishes?¡± Gu Yunru said with a serious face. ¡°I even saw how I fell into the water from my ¡®heavenly eye.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like what the servants said about me jumping into the lake. It was actually Third Sister who pushed me!¡±


    Gu Yunru had been earnestly advising Madam Gu, but then suddenly turned the tables and pointed at Gu Junyue with a cold and stern expression. ¡°Third Sister also said that His Majesty gave Second Sister to the Marquis of Zhao as a wife, but he behaved badly and was cruel. Madam couldn¡¯t bear to let Second Sister suffer, so she asked me to take her place!¡±


    Madam Gu was completely shocked by this.


    Gu Yunru had only been at the Gu Mansion for three days, and had just returned from falling into the lake, lying in bed for two days. She had specifically ordered that news of the marriage agreement not be leaked!


    Could there really be some sort of ghost or monster at play?


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. I didn¡¯t push her, I just pulled her in a moment of urgency,¡± Gu Junyue said. She had also been shocked by Gu Yunru¡¯s ability and was now panicked as the blame seemed to be shifting to her.

 CH 4

    The abbot did not expect that such a young girl could speak so eloquently. In her hands, she held the Bodhi Mirror inscribed with the Diamond Sutra. If there were any evil spirits present, they would have already vanished.


    ¡°I did not expect that the young lady is also practicing Zen. Please forgive me for my disrespect,¡± the abbot said, impressed by her intelligence and wit. He then asked, ¡°Young lady, your words are insightful, but I wonder if you have opened your heavenly eyes and can perceive fate differently from other beings?¡±


    Gu Yunru used this opportunity to show off her knowledge and recited a Buddhist verse from a previous life: ¡°A thousand rivers, a thousand moons; Ten thousand miles, a clear sky.¡± This poem from the Jia Tai Pu Deng Lu, a collection of Zen Buddhist teachings, means that with a calm and clear mind, the moon will naturally reflect in the river, and the sky will be clear for miles. It emphasizes the importance of a peaceful and focused state of mind in Zen practice.


    Indeed, the abbot was thoroughly impressed by her and somewhat taken aback and embarrassed. ¡°Despite your young age, your mind is broad and your insight keen. You are not possessed by evil spirits, but rather blessed by the gods,¡± he said with a sigh. He then took off a string of Buddhist beads from his hand and handed them to Gu Yunru. ¡°I hope that the young lady will come back often to discuss Buddhist teachings with me.¡±


    On the other side, Madam Gu couldn¡¯t accept this miraculous turn of events. She looked at Gu Yunru in disbelief as she took the beads and put them on her wrist. ¡°Abbot, are you sure she¡¯s not possessed by evil spirits?¡± Madam Gu asked, unable to comprehend how her dull and foolish daughter could be favored by the Buddha and even enlightened by a god.


    ¡°Madam, please be careful with your words. This young lady has a strong Buddhist nature and a clear mind. How could she be possessed by evil spirits? Her heavenly eye was opened by the Bodhisattva as a sign of her great fortune,¡± the abbot replied.


    Madam Gu realized that if the news of Gu Yunru¡¯s miraculous experience were to spread, it would surely cause a sensation. The Empress Dowager, who enjoyed vegetarianism and Buddhist practices, would be particularly interested in this. If she learned of Gu Yunru¡¯s enlightenment, she might even summon her to the palace.


    No, this cannot happen. Gu Yunru must marry King Zhao as soon as possible to secure the safety of Jun Yao.

 CH 5

    November 30th, 2022 Author: Yao Qiqi


    The captain of the guards was about to draw his sword when he saw Gu Yunru use her hairpin to stab someone. However, he heard the prince groan and wake up.


    ¡°Your Highness, are you alright? I deserve to die!¡± The Chief Guard hurried forward, half-kneeling to help the man up.


    ¡°Am I having a relapse?¡± The man was now awake, his voice weak and his lips pale.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re awake, Your Highness. Someone, bring His Highness¡¯ wheelchair,¡± the captain of the guards said, avoiding the issue of his relapse.


    The people below quickly brought a beautifully designed, precious material wheelchair and helped the man onto it.


    On the other side, Gu Yunru watched in astonishment. She had just taken his pulse and found that he was perfectly healthy with no pathological problems. Why did he need a wheelchair? Was he just idle?

 CH 6

    ¡°I, my mother passed away and was left to fend for myself on the estate. If I don¡¯t find a way to learn how to survive on my own, won¡¯t I be at the mercy of others? Your Highness, don¡¯t worry about where I acquired my medical skills. Just trust that I can heal your leg,¡± Gu Yunru thought about it for a while and decided to reveal only half of the truth, leaving the other half for him to speculate.


    As the younger brother of the emperor and a renowned war god, Prince Zhao  naturally understood the feeling of struggling to survive. Letting him speculate his own situation wouldn¡¯t it be more fitting than thousands of words? Moreover, since he had been unable to heal his leg all this time, now that she had promised to do so, she believed no one could resist the temptation of being able-bodied.


    Sure enough, after a moment, Prince Zhao  slowly released his grip on her and reached for a token from his person, throwing it to her. He spoke coldly, ¡°Qingfeng, escort her back. Starting tomorrow, come to the Zhao Wang Mansion to treat my leg.¡±


    Gu Yunru knew that her ordeal was over, and since he had promised to let her treat him, the matter of dissolving the engagement might be resolved as well.


    She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, straightened her body, bowed to Prince Zhao, and said slowly, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°My name is Rong Zhen, since we are unmarried couples, you can call me by my name,¡± Rong Zhen responded indifferently, not looking at Gu Yunru again, and then lazily said, ¡°Let¡¯s return to the mansion.¡±


    Qingfeng had been ordered by Rong Zhen to escort Gu Yunru back to the Gu mansion, but Gu Yunru knew that he was not just protecting her, but also trying to find out if she was really who she claimed to be.

 CH 7

    ¡°Second Sister, you must believe me. She has become really weird since she fell into the water. She even exposed the affair between Mother¡¯s maids, Biyun and Xiaoqingzi. Now she has named the newly appointed top scholar and your secret meeting. She hasn¡¯t returned to the capital in over a decade. How did she find out?¡± Gu Junyue saw Gu Junyao¡¯s disdain and couldn¡¯t help but straighten up her expression, recounting what Gu Yunru did yesterday.


    ¡°Such a thing happened? Father despises anything supernatural. Since she has made it difficult for me, I cannot let her be smug!¡± Gu Junyao¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of severity, and then she leaned over and whispered a few words to Gu Junyue¡¯s ear. Gu Junyue nodded repeatedly and even showed a hint of a smile, praising, ¡°Sister, you are so capable. Let¡¯s do it this way. We won¡¯t have trouble bringing her down!¡±


    On the other hand, Gu Yunru returned to her yard, and the wet nurse and Qingxing were both anxious. They had slightly red eyes and said, ¡°Miss, did Madam make things difficult for you? I heard she came back and got very angry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just extremely hungry. Let¡¯s eat quickly,¡± Gu Yunru said as she entered the room.


    The table was already set with food, but the dishes were very meager. There was only a bone soup, which was not very clear in color and had a layer of oil on top. There was also a dish of three treasures stir-fried meat, a dish of cold-dressed bamboo shoots, and a dish of scrambled eggs with chili peppers. Not only were the ingredients not valuable, but the appearance was also not very good.


    As Gu Yunru had transmigrated over, she didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with it. On the contrary, Qingxing was very angry and said, ¡°Miss, those kitchen women are too much! These are the basic dishes for servants! I said that our young lady just recovered from her illness and needed better food, but they said that Madam hadn¡¯t yet assigned our young lady¡¯s status, so these dishes are just for them to eat! Isn¡¯t that infuriating?¡±

 CH 8

    Taoist priest was poised, with an igniting device in his hand to open the sword, making a gesture of incantation, but secretly sprinkling phosphorus powder.


    Before anyone could react, the phosphorus powder ignited along the igniting device on the wooden sword, and it was about to pounce on Gu Yunru. However, she was quick to react and fiercely waved the fan.


    As the amount of phosphorus powder was not much, and the fire was not too big, when Gu Yunru waved the fan, the fire was thrown back at the taoist priest and burned him.


    Gu Yunru then picked up a jar of goods on the table, which others didn¡¯t know what it was, but she could recognize it. It was called rosin powder, an important prop for Daoists to deceive people. As long as they held the rosin powder in their mouths and sprayed it out, it would ignite upon contact with fire, creating a flame that resembled a dragon.


    She held the rosin powder in her mouth, held up an oil lamp, aimed it in the direction of the taoist priest, and with a puff of breath, a flame dragon burst forth and burned him.


    ¡°My goodness! Mom! Gu Yunru is indeed a monster! This taoist can¡¯t handle her!¡± Gu Junyao had never believed in ghosts or monsters before, but she had just secretly discussed with Gu Junyue in the temple, asking her to act as if she had been frightened by ghosts. Then, she had bribed this taoist priest to say that Gu Junyue had indeed been frightened by ghosts, which convinced her mother to call for Gu Yunru.


    She had intended to teach Gu Yunru a lesson by scaring her with fire, but she did not expect her to see through the taoist priest¡¯s trick and overpower him.

 CH 9

    Upon observing the hem of his clothes, it appeared to be stained with a dark brown bloodstain. It was likely vomited by a patient, indicating that their time was running out.


    Lastly, her gaze fell on his shoes. The surface was stained with mud, but there were flower petals on the soles, and they could still be identified as apricot blossoms.


    These past few days had clear weather, but there was a dilapidated road on the east side that had been left unrepaired for years. It had been collecting water, making the road very muddy. When she went to burn incense today, they had passed through the second lane of the east street, where a row of apricot blossoms were planted. Gu Yunru was captivated and had stared at them for a long time. The lane was small and not accessible by carriage or sedan, only by walking.


    Gu Yunru was quick-witted, and immediately looked up at Gu Yan and said, ¡°Father, did you go to the second lane of the east street to see a patient last night? The patient is very ill, and their time is running out.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yan¡¯s serious and resolute expression immediately changed, and he looked at her in astonishment.


    Seeing his reaction, Gu Yunru knew that she had guessed correctly, and continued to boast, ¡°Father, what I said is true. I really have opened the heavenly eye, and a god has taught me excellent medical skills. His Royal Highness Zhao came to visit so late. He must be here to seek my treatment for his insomnia.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Yan stared at her with a look of disbelief.


    He had gone to see the patient on the east street alone last night, and no one in the family knew about it. Because the patient was difficult to treat, he didn¡¯t want anyone else to know that he was treating them.


    However, His Royal Highness Zhao had said at the door that he came today to ask Miss Gu of the Gu family to seek treatment for his insomnia. Gu Yan had thought it was referring to Jun Yao, but now it seemed that it was actually referring to his daughter!

 CH 10

    Gu Yunru¡¯s broad-minded approach left Rong Zhen speechless.


    ¡°Can this really cure my illness?¡± Rong Zhen looked at Gu Yunru with a skeptical gaze.


    ¡°Of course, it helps to relax your mind. You need to shift your focus. Don¡¯t just listen to me talk in grandiose terms. You won¡¯t know until you try,¡± Gu Yunru replied earnestly, looking at the guards following behind Rong Zhen and asking loudly, ¡°Which one of you can play horse-hanging? His Highness the Prince said there will be a reward for anyone who can beat him.¡±


    The group looked at each other in confusion, with some already taking a step forward, but upon seeing the inscrutable eyes of His Royal Highness, they retreated in fear.


    Gu Yunru thought for a moment and realized that this group was used to being abused by Rong Zhen and would not dare to challenge him. She patted his shoulder solemnly and pulled him aside, saying, ¡°This won¡¯t work. Everyone is afraid of you.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Rong Zhen replied.


    ¡°I know you are a prince, with high status and power. No one dares to play with you. How about this, I¡¯ll help you dress up and take you to the horse-hanging hall in Qingle Street.¡±


    Rong Zhen looked at her expressionlessly, but his heart was stirred. He had never been to such a common place before thus  lively and joyful scenes were never a part of his life. Could this really cure his illness?


    He looked at Gu Yunru with a skeptical gaze once again, making her feel uncomfortable all over. She shrugged and coughed twice, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t forget our agreement. After all, we both have our own needs.¡±


    ¡°I will go,¡± Rong Zhen said

 CH 11

    Gu Yunru watched with great interest behind Rong Zhen, not daring to look away. Cuihua brought over a tea pot and said in a cute manner, ¡±Big brother, have some tea.¡±


    ¡±Okay, thank you,¡± Rong Zhen replied.


    Just as Gu Yunru thought Rong Zhen was truly enjoying himself in the game of hanging horses, there was suddenly a commotion at the table. Rong Zhen slammed his hand on the table, startling everyone and causing them to back away. Gu Yunru, who had not yet swallowed her tea, quickly stood up and sensed a strong sense of killing intent from Rong Zhen¡¯s sharp and fierce gaze, along with a king-like attitude that looked down upon the world.


    ¡±Are you okay, Ah zhao?¡± Gu Yunru whispered carefully behind him, but just then one of the middle-aged men who had been hanging horses with him rolled up his sleeves and cursed,


    ¡±Can¡¯t you handle losing? If you can¡¯t handle it, don¡¯t come here.¡±


    ¡±Yeah, you¡¯re ruining our fun!¡±


    Although they were a few meters away, their threatening words could still be heard clearly. Gu Yunru knew that once Rong Zhen became angry, there was nothing that could stop him.


    ¡±Misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding¡­Ah zhao!!¡±


    Gu Yunru¡¯s voice was soft and pleasant, hoping to soothe the restless anger in his heart. The closer she got to him, the more she could feel it.

 CH 12

    Li Taiyi was highly respected and accomplished in the imperial medical center. Originally, he was only responsible for serving the emperor, but because the emperor doted on his younger brother, he assigned Li Taiyi to exclusively serve him.


    ¡°Taiyi, how is she?¡± Rong zhen was so anxious about a woman for the first time in his life that he felt restless and uneasy, like ants were eating away at his heart.


    ¡°I have already administered the needle. The girl¡¯s condition has slightly improved, but the poison has already entered her bloodstream. To clear the poison out, it will take some time.¡± Li Taiyi replied.


    ¡°What kind of poison was on the needle?¡±


    Rongzhen should have been the one lying in the bed right now, but due to a twist of fate, it was Gu Yunru!


    Rongzhen was filled with regret and furrowed his brows.


    Li Taiyi humbly replied, ¡°This poison is most likely from the venom of the scorpion, the leader of the five poisons. The girl is experiencing symptoms of fever and chills, and when the rooster crows at sunset, we must use other poisons to attack the poison. I just don¡¯t know if the girl¡¯s body can withstand it.¡±


    Gu Yunru could faintly hear their conversation and couldn¡¯t help feeling miserable. She had just arrived and didn¡¯t expect to¡­ heavens, was she going to die again?


    Then, she saw a blurry light engulfing her, and her body felt an unprecedented tearing pain, as if something was biting her flesh¡­


    It was dawn at the Gu residence.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with Yunru? She didn¡¯t come back all night, and nobody sent word.¡± Madam Gu and Master Gu sat in the main hall, waiting for news from the prince and Gu Yunru, but nothing had been heard from either of them.

 CH 13

    Gu Junyao and her sister originally came to watch the show, but they never expected to be shut outside.


    The two sisters stood at the door, seething with anger.


    ¡°Alright, sister, don¡¯t be angry. Gu Yunru should be fine. If she really died, there would be mourning inside.¡±


    Gu Junyue also hoped to hear news of the funeral, but Gu Yunru must not die at this time.


    ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t think Gu Yunru has any reason to escape from the prince Wang Mansion this time. Let¡¯s spread the news that she is sharing a room with His Highness Zhao Wang, and this marriage will be set in stone.¡±


    ¡°Sister is really clever, and I just thought of that too.¡±


    The two sisters agreed on this dirty trick, showing that they could even think of such things together. They truly were biological sisters.


    The next day, Gu Yunru woke up from a daze and looked around with extremely sore eyes.


    Qingyu walked in with tea, and her eyes were evaluating. She heard that this was the Miss of the Gu family who was about to enter the mansion, and Qingyu was still somewhat envious.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Gu Yunru saw the beautiful and elegant maid, and despite her chilly demeanor, she couldn¡¯t help but ask.

 CH 14

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡±


    Gu Yunru¡¯s hand was interrupted by his stern rebuke before it could touch the red-tassel gun.


    ¡°I won¡¯t touch it, but do you have a hobby of collecting antiques?¡± she said, backing away.


    On the left was a large shelf not filled with books, but with many old utensils like celadon vases, covered in layers of dust. Gu Yunru made a face and pinched her nose, feeling disgusted.


    At some point, Rong Zhen had gotten off the bed and now stood behind her like a ghost.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, noticing the sudden change in his gaze.


    His eyes were fixed on the oval bottle with dragon carvings on the shelf. The ancient patterns on it were exquisite, but what he did next stunned Gu Yunru.


    He picked up the bottle and smashed it to the ground. The immense anger in his icy gaze seemed as though he was going to devour someone.


    Perhaps it was due to his rage, but Rong Zhen coughed up blood and nearly collapsed.

 CH 15

    Gu Yunru buried the fragments of the bottle in the backyard. Since Rong Zhen didn¡¯t want to see this thing, she would help him clean it up.


    As the wedding date of the couple approached, Rong Zhen seemed to have no changes at all. Gu Yunru couldn¡¯t help feeling a little afraid when she recalled his anger from last time.


    After two days of idleness at home, the nanny from Zhuangzi finally arrived at the Gu mansion.


    ¡°Miss!¡±


    ¡°Nanny!¡±


    Gu Yunru ran to the door to greet the nanny¡¯s arrival. The nanny was rather thin and looked about fifty years old with a few silver hairs by her ears, which made her appear somewhat worn-out.


    Fortunately, Gu yiniang did not play tricks on her and finally brought the nanny over. Gu Yunru looked at the nanny and was extremely happy, but she didn¡¯t want her to notice any flaws.


    ¡°Miss, I heard that you¡¯re going to be the Princess Zhao soon. What a great blessing!¡±


    Gu Yunru helped the nanny into the house and heard her mention Rong Zhen, which made her feel a bit overwhelmed.


    ¡°Nanny, please don¡¯t say that. This is not an easy marriage. They want me to be a scapegoat.¡±


    ¡°What, a scapegoat?¡±


    The nanny was a simple-minded person from the countryside and had no idea of the schemes in this mansion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more later, nanny. You must be tired. I¡¯ll have Qingxiang prepare a room for you and some clothes and accessories. You should go take a look.¡±

 CH 16

    Madam Gu placed her teacup on the table and wore a worried expression.


    ¡°Are you saying that it¡¯s true? This girl wants to escape?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. And the young miss of the Gu family doesn¡¯t seem to recognize me. My sister used to serve her closely at the estate. Although my sister and I look alike, we¡¯re not so similar that she wouldn¡¯t recognize me at all.¡±


    ¡°After this girl woke up, it was like she was a different person. Could it be that she has some sort of special ability? But it¡¯s hard to believe that she wouldn¡¯t even recognize her wet nurse. Unfortunately, Little Su died early. That¡¯s why I called you here. You need to stay by her side and report to me on her every move.¡±


    Little Su was the real wet nurse who had recently died in a riot. When Madam Gu sent someone to the estate to retrieve Little Su, they found out that she had a younger sister who was collecting her body and taking it back to their hometown.


    Madam Gu didn¡¯t waste any time and had Little Su¡¯s younger sister pretend to be Little Su. She wanted to test Gu Yunru, but she never expected that the plan would backfire.


    ¡°You look like her, but don¡¯t reveal any flaws. This girl is very cunning.¡±


    Madam Gu repeated her instructions again and again. If this stupid girl really goes to the royal palace, can she guarantee that the Gu family will obtain wealth and status?


    ¡°Yes, my sister and I grew up together. I can imitate her manners and way of speaking perfectly. The young miss will never suspect anything.¡±

 CH 17

    Gu Yunru had been in a dilemma for quite some time. She felt that she needed to resolve Rong Zhen¡¯s matter before she could leave.


    In the palace of Prince Zhao.


    Doctor Li was taking Rong Zhen¡¯s pulse. His brows furrowed and his expression grew heavy.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Just tell me straight,¡± said Rong Zhen. Having fought on the battlefield for many years, he didn¡¯t believe that such a small amount of poison would stop him.


    ¡°Your Highness, although the remaining toxins in your body won¡¯t endanger your life, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I did it on purpose. I just wanted to see if that girl would ignore me,¡± Rong Zhen interrupted. Doctor Li wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, frightened and thinking that his medical skills were limited. It seemed that Miss Gu from the Gu family was indeed quite capable.


    ¡°Your Highness, Miss Gu from the Gu family is here!¡± Qingfeng stood at the door to report. Rong Zhen¡¯s eyes lit up, but he quickly regained his usual solemn and cold expression.


    ¡°Everyone, leave first.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gu Yunru arrived in the main hall and saw Rong Zhen sitting upright. She smiled with pleasure and walked briskly to his side.


    ¡°I, this commoner, pay my respects to Your Highness.¡±


    Rong Zhen slowly opened his eyes and scrutinized her slightly smug face.

 CH 18

    ¡°How could this be? This is Mother¡¯s wish. As her daughter, of course, I should accept it with a smile. Qingxin, please take good care of the masters and don¡¯t mistreat them.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After saying this, Gu Yunru walked into the house with an expressionless face.


    The wedding day was approaching, and Madam Gu was afraid that Gu Yunru would suddenly disappear, so she had so many people watching her. She thought everything was going smoothly until she married into the Wang Family, but she didn¡¯t expect a problem to arise on that very night.


    ¡°What happened? How did she get smallpox?!¡±


    Gu Junyao and her sisters followed their mother to the Pavilion Garden, wanting to watch the show.


    Qingxin pulled the bed curtain and bowed to Madam Gu, saying, ¡°Madam, this disease is contagious. You must not get too close. Miss is now running a high fever, coughing incessantly, and her nose won¡¯t stop running. She looks terrible. We have already invited a doctor, but even the doctor doesn¡¯t dare to get close. What should we do? The Prince¡¯s welcoming procession will arrive tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I saw her just fine during the day. How did she suddenly fall ill and get this disease? It¡¯s really bad luck!¡±


    Madam Gu didn¡¯t believe it and took a step forward. Qingxin stretched out her arms to block her, looking scared, ¡°Madam, you must not get close. The way Miss looks might scare you.¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way. Can¡¯t I care for my daughter a little?¡±


    Qingxin lowered her head and had no choice but to step aside.


    The moment Madam Gu approached the bed, she was shocked and almost vomited on the spot. She saw that Gu Yunru¡¯s face was covered in pus-filled blisters, her nose kept running, and her forehead was covered in red spots of varying sizes, which was very frightening.

 CH 19

Chapter 19: Dreams Come True

 CH 20

Chapter 20: Absurd

 CH 21

    shishiballs7-9 minutes 23.04.2023


    Chapter 21: A Clever Plan


    ¡°Miss, please wait, you dropped your handkerchief.¡±


    Qingxin turned curiously and stood in front of Cheng Shaoyuan, saying, ¡°This young master, didn¡¯t our young lady already give you the handkerchief?¡±


    ¡°Qingxin, show some respect,¡± Gu Yunru interjected.


    ¡°Yes, Miss,¡± Qingxin replied.


    Gu Yunru turned around slowly and looked at Cheng Shaoyuan, who had rushed over. She raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Does the young master have something to say to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious, does the young lady really believe in the so-called blood recognition?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Cheng Shaoyuan¡¯s gaze was full of doubt, and he quickly followed up with another question, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe in blood recognition, why did you use it to test Hu San just now?¡±


    ¡°Why does the young master insist on questioning what happened earlier?¡± Gu Yunru¡¯s tone was full of curiosity, and she had only exerted a bit of effort.


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. The young lady made Hu San reveal the truth with just a few words, which was more effective than giving him thirty blows in public.¡±


    Cheng Shaoyuan admired Gu Yunru and that was why he pursued her and asked her questions.


    Gu Yunru nodded her head and spoke casually, ¡°Actually, Hu San didn¡¯t have much confidence from the beginning. Did you not notice his wandering gaze? Obviously, he was lying. People who are guilty in their hearts will spill the truth when they hear about blood relation. Whether the blood can mix or not is no longer important. Hu San came from the Zhuangzi and hasn¡¯t seen much of the world, nor does he have much knowledge, so he was easily fooled with just a few words.¡±


    ¡°The young lady can even see through people¡¯s hearts, I truly admire you.¡± Cheng Shaoyuan saluted her, making Gu Yunru feel a little flattered. She quickly waved her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter, nothing worth mentioning. We may have the chance to meet again in the future.¡±


    ¡°Take your veil with you when you leave. If Madam Gu finds out that you¡¯ve been here, she¡¯ll definitely hold a grudge.¡±


    Just as Gu Yunru was about to take the veil, she heard him utter this sentence and looked at him with suspicion.


    ¡°You¡­do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Miss Gu from the Gu family. Although I haven¡¯t met you before, I¡¯ve heard Jun Yao mention you. Recently, the young lady of the Gu family returned to the mansion.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. I didn¡¯t mention my identity. How did you guess?¡±


    Gu Yunru muttered curiously, but Cheng Shaoyuan heard it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a guess, but an observation. Only betrothed women would wear a veil when they go out. And your maid has been urging you to return to the mansion, indicating that your family¡¯s traditions are strict. When you mentioned Miss Gu, your maid¡¯s expression became a little strange, indicating that she may know her. I don¡¯t know if what was said at home was correct. I hope the young lady doesn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Gu Yunru couldn¡¯t help but think to herself that this guy was obviously lucky.


    ¡°Ahem, what does it matter if you guessed my identity? It¡¯s my good fortune to meet you today, young master.¡±


    Cheng Shaoyuan really wanted to see what the person under the veil looked like. Her voice was so light and pleasant, like the sound of flowing water, gentle and comfortable, making people linger.


    Qingxin leaned down towards Cheng Shaoyuan, then followed Gu Yunru back.


    Cheng Shaoyuan touched the handkerchief in his hand, which had the character ¡°Ru¡± embroidered on it. He hid the handkerchief in his sleeve and walked home quickly. As soon as he arrived at the main hall, he heard his parents arguing.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, what are you doing again?¡±


    Cheng Shaoyuan walked up to his parents. Madam Cheng walked up to him with a worried look on her face and took his hand, saying, ¡°Shao Yuan, now that you have become the top scholar, your status is naturally different. You cannot associate with girls from ordinary families.¡±


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Cheng Shaoyuan sat there, looking annoyed. Master and Madam Cheng looked at each other helplessly. They were now worried about Cheng Shaoyuan¡¯s marriage, but seeing his indifferent attitude, they were not worried at all.


    ¡°Son, you are not young anymore. You should think carefully about marriage.¡±


    Master Cheng, who was always stern, spoke. As parents, they all wanted their children to find a good home.


    ¡°Dad, I have no achievements now, and I don¡¯t have any thoughts about love affairs. Please don¡¯t worry about me, Mom and Dad.¡±


    Madam Cheng and Master Cheng had only one son, and although Master Cheng was strict, he always indulged his son. However, this matter could not be easily resolved.


    Madam Cheng sat down in front of Cheng Shaoyuan and said earnestly, ¡°Son, do you already have someone in your heart? Tell your mother about her family background and appearance.¡±


    ¡°Mom, there is no one in my heart. Please don¡¯t speculate randomly.¡±


    ¡°How could it be? You¡¯re not really interested in Miss Gu from the Gu family, are you?¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­ Today, I have made it clear to Miss Gu¡¯s that she will no longer bother me in the future,¡± said the son.


    Madam Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. In her mind, the reputation of the Gu family could not be compared to that of the Cheng family. If her son were to marry their daughter, how could he still have a place in the court?


    ¡°Well then, that¡¯s good. I heard that the princess is returning to the capital soon¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did you have to mention that to our son?!¡± Master Cheng glared at his wife, indicating that she shouldn¡¯t be too explicit. He had secretly contacted the princess himself because he knew his son¡¯s temperament, and didn¡¯t dare to inform him.


    ¡°Oh my, you know how I am. I talk too fast. Son, just forget what you heard.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mother. I¡¯m feeling tired. I¡¯m going to rest in my room.¡±


    Cheng Shaoyuan hurried back to his room, where it was much quieter. He took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and sniffed it lightly.


    What did the person under the veil look like? He had imagined countless possibilities and gradually fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the scene, Gu Yunru was preparing to return home when a carriage blocked her way.


    ¡°Hey, who are you people?¡± Qingxin stood in front of Gu Yunruo, looking at the coachman and several strong men.


    ¡°The prince requests your presence. Please get on the carriage, Miss.¡±


    Gu Yunru was dumbfounded. Even in her disguise, she was recognized. Did these people have supernatural vision?


    After hesitating for a moment, she decided to get on the carriage. It was better than returning home and facing the wrath of the matriarch.


    ¡°Your highness, Miss Gu has arrived,¡± Qingfeng bowed before Rongzhen, who didn¡¯t even lift his eyelids but emitted an intimidating aura.


    Gu Yunru followed the butler to the main hall and caught a whiff of the herbal scent around her. It seemed that Rongzhen had listened to her and prepared a medicinal bath.


    ¡°Greetings, your highness. How have you been lately?¡± Gu Yunru looked at Rongzhen sitting in front of her, feeling a bit intimidated. This man was so formidable that even unarmed on a battlefield, enemies wouldn¡¯t dare to come close.


    Gu Yunru stood in place, but Rongzhen did not respond to her.

 CH 22

    shishiballs7-8 minutes 23.04.2023


    Chapter 22: The Man in Black


    ¡°His highness asked me to come today for the matter of the medicinal bath, right?¡±


    Gu Yunru took a glance at Qingfeng standing not far away, studying his face, hoping to read some clues from his expression. However, Rongzhen today seemed emotionless, even his eyes were dull, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.


    ¡°Regarding the man in black from the other day, I have found some leads.¡±


    Gu Yunru nodded. If Rongzhen didn¡¯t mention it, she would have forgotten about it. After all, the man in black hadn¡¯t shown up in these few days. But as Qingfeng poured the tea, there was something off about his demeanor.


    Some small movements might go unnoticed by others, but Gu Yunru had caught them. Did Qingfeng have some problems?


    She hoped that she was overthinking it. After all, Qingfeng had been following Rongzhen closely since he was a child. If even the people around Rongzhen started having second thoughts, then Qingfeng must have had a hard time.


    ¡°Really? May I know what leads his highness has found?¡±


    Gu Yunru followed up on his words, but the atmosphere in the room was strange. At this point, Qingfeng had already left the room.


    ¡°The man in black has been found. However, by the time we found him, he had already bitten his tongue and killed himself. Do you want to see his body?¡±


    Gu Yunru felt a chill down her spine. Did Rongzhen have some strange tendencies? He actually wanted to show her a dead body. Her face turned pale, and she shook her head, saying, ¡°No need. Since the killer has been found, his highness should be relieved, right?¡±


    ¡°I am indeed relieved, but at the same time, I am not.¡±


    Rongzhen¡¯s words had a double meaning. Gu Yunru was carefully trying to decipher his words when he suddenly walked up to her, wanting to lift her veil.


    ¡°Your Highness, please don¡¯t look at me. I¡¯m afraid my ugly appearance will frighten you and give you nightmares.¡±


    Gu Yunru appeared extremely nervous, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably.


    ¡°I have hired the best beautician from the capital to show you your face. He is the number one beauty expert in Da Qi.¡±


    As soon as the words fell, a man behind the screen stepped forward. His face was clean, and he was dressed in a neat white shirt.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ Your Highness. I can take care of it myself. I¡¯m currently drinking Chinese medicine, it¡¯s just a bit slow.¡±


    Gu Yunru would never let anyone touch her face, and she had to use her face to delay time until he completely forgot about the marriage.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ No, Your Highness, it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    Rong Zhen saw her panic and caution and let the beautician step back.


    ¡°Well then, take good care of your face.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. By the way, how¡¯s your health been lately?¡±


    Gu Yunru quickly changed the subject, looking at his spirited appearance today. His face was much better than the gloomy one from before.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you come to see for yourself?¡±


    Gu Yunru hesitated, her feet feeling like they were shackled, slowly and with great difficulty moving forward, placing her hand on his pulse. The toxins in his body had been cleaned out, and now he just needed help with his psychological problems.


    ¡°Congratulations, Your Highness. Your Highness¡¯s body has fully recovered! By the way, has anyone cleaned Your Highness¡¯s room these past few days?¡±


    ¡°No one dares to clean without my order.¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t do, Your Highness. Your mental state is closely related to your environment. If you want to get rid of your inner demons soon, you should listen to me.¡±


    Rong Zhen gave her a cryptic look, which Gu Yunru assumed was approval. She then ordered some maids and servants to clean his room and move all the weapons to another room.


    The room should have been warm, but it was filled with a chilly and violent atmosphere. Gu Yunru had the room rearranged and made it neat and tidy. When Rong Zhen entered the room, it was already refreshed and filled with the scent of orchids.


    ¡°Whoever touched my things, bring them down and behead them all.¡±


    The maids and servants, who were originally hoping for a reward, were frightened and knelt down when they heard His Highness¡¯s words.


    ¡°Hey, why are you scaring them? They¡¯ve been busy cleaning for you for half a day.¡±


    Gu Yunru tried to defend them, but she noticed that Rong Zhen¡¯s hostility was growing, as if he was going to devour someone.


    ¡°Who allowed you to touch my things?¡±


    Rong Zhen¡¯s question left her speechless.


    ¡°I just wanted to change your room. It¡¯s not good for you to stay in a gloomy environment every day. It¡¯s abnormal if you don¡¯t have any mental problems!¡±


    Gu Yunru retorted boldly to him, but she didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly raise his fist and fiercely smash it next to her. In an instant, the bookshelf shook and collapsed with a loud bang.


    ¡°Get out, get out!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave when I want to. Do you think I¡¯m at your beck and call? No wonder no one dares to get close to you because you mistake their kindness for hostility. You deserve it!¡± Gu Yunru said these words, covered her face, and ran away.


    After hearing these words, Rong Zhen¡¯s anger suddenly rose, but he didn¡¯t vent his anger on his servants.


    Night had fallen, and Rong Zhen sat in the main hall, looking weighed down by his thoughts.


    Qingyu stood at the door, hesitating to come in or go out. Finally, she made up her mind and approached him with a censer in hand.


    ¡°Master, the servants have restored your bedroom to its original state.¡±


    Qingyu knew how terrifying it was when the master was angry, so everyone had restored the bedroom to its original state. But when Rong Zhen heard this, his expression didn¡¯t show any joy, instead he looked at her reproachfully and asked, ¡°Who let you touch anything?¡±


    ¡°I also desliked Miss Gu¡¯s idea, so we put everything back to its original place.¡±


    ¡°Do as what she did.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    With a resentful air, Qingyu retreated to the door. She was about to leave when she saw Qingfeng rush into the main hall, as if he had something important to report. Qingyu¡¯s eyes rolled around and she tiptoed to the door to eavesdrop.


    ¡°News from the Gu Mansion says that Miss Gu has not yet returned.¡±


    ¡°So, where would such a big living person go?¡±


    ¡°The subordinates don¡¯t know either. We sent people to look for her, but there¡¯s been no news.¡±


    With a glance, Rong Zhen¡¯s anger was evident, and Qing Feng stepped back in fear.


    ¡°We¡¯ll intensify the search!¡± Rong Zhen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. This girl really doesn¡¯t make things easy for anyone. It looks like he will have to personally search for her.


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s so dark outside. How did you end up on Qing Le Street?¡±


    Qingxin looked around at the closed shop doors. It was so late; the Madam and Master must be very worried.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t care where I go, nobody treats me well anyway. I¡¯ll just walk around.¡± Gu Yunru wore a hopeless look on her face. She was even kicked out by that guy without any mercy.

 CH 23

    shishiballs7-8 minutes 23.04.2023


    Chapter 23 ¨C The Horse Hanging Inn


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    QingXing was somewhat worried.


    Gu Yunruo simply lifted her veil and self-deprecatingly said, ¡°Who would dare to approach someone as ugly as me?¡±


    ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t come back last night. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to have some fun.¡±


    Gu Yunruo snapped her fingers and hummed a lively tune.


    CuiHua looked at the two coming in, frowned in confusion, and mistook them for someone looking for someone else.


    ¡°Little cutie, do you already forget me so soon?¡±


    Gu Yunru bent down and pinched her round face.


    ¡°It¡¯s my brother¡¯s voice, but why are you wearing a skirt today?¡±


    CuiHua looked at her puzzled look. The voice was clearly her brother¡¯s, who saved her on the street that day.


    But Qingxin frowned tightly because the Horse Hanging Inn was full of unwashed, smelly men. She tugged at Gu Yunru¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Miss, why do we have to come to this kind of place?¡±


    ¡°QingXing, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Gu Yunruo raised her lips. As long as she came to the Horse Hanging Inn, she could temporarily forget her worries. She asked CuiHua to choose a good spot for them, just to join in the fun.


    ¡°Should I call you brother or sister, CuiHua?¡± CuiHua still didn¡¯t quite understand, Gu Yunruo touched her head fondly and said, ¡°Call me brother in front of outsiders. After all, others can¡¯t tell if I¡¯m a man or a woman now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, brother.¡±


    Cuixia smiled and then ran to the backyard to do some work. Qingxin felt that the people around her were not very friendly, and some men were leering at her, making her skin crawl.


    ¡°Qingxin, follow Cuixia to the backyard and see if there¡¯s anything you can help with.¡±


    ¡°But there are so many people here, Miss¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, worry about yourself.¡±


    Gu Yunru didn¡¯t want her precious maid to be targeted by a group of rough men.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Qingxin gritted her teeth and left the main hall temporarily.


    The hall was filled with smoke, and Gu Yunru waved away the smoke in front of her. She didn¡¯t expect people to start growing tobacco and other plants at this time.


    ¡°Little brother, you look unfamiliar here. Is it your first time in a place like this?¡±


    A big man with a beard approached Gu Yunru, and she smelled a foul odor and couldn¡¯t help pinching her nose and saying, ¡°Do you have body odor? Can you please move your hand away?¡±


    The big man felt embarrassed and turned red. He withdrew his hand and said sulkily, ¡°Little brother, how do you want to play?¡±


    Several men turned their attention to Gu Yunru, and she said without thinking, ¡°According to the rules in my area, I don¡¯t know if you can understand them. We can play ¡®Hu Pai¡¯ or ¡®Hong Zhong,¡¯ there are several ways to play. Which one do you want to learn first?¡±


    Everyone looked at each other and thought it was quite novel, so they followed Gu Yunru¡¯s method.


    Gu Yunru played without thinking about the time, and Qingxin had already fallen asleep in the backyard. Gu Yunru had bad luck today and kept losing one after another, even though she had taught everyone the rules of the game. The final result was a total disaster.


    ¡°Hahaha, little brother, you¡¯re broke, aren¡¯t you? How about taking off that hat of yours and let us see what you look like, or maybe take off your outer clothes. I see the material of your clothes is good, maybe we can exchange it for some money.¡±


    A man with big yellow teeth had long wanted to see what Gu Yunru looked like.


    ¡°No, this round will be considered as me owing you, I will definitely win it back later!¡±


    Gu Yunru took a deep breath. She would never take off her hat, but she realized that she didn¡¯t have any money in her pocket. She hadn¡¯t brought much money out today, and after playing for a few rounds, she owed a lot of people at the table.


    ¡°Little brother, are you any good? Why is your luck so bad today?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We agreed to gamble, and if you lose, you have to pay. You¡¯ve already lost so much. If you can¡¯t bring any more money, then you can pawn the little girl you brought with you to us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if it comes to it, you can take off your clothes and give them to us.¡±


    Everyone burst into laughter, their eyes lewd, and they spoke some vulgar words.


    Gu Yunru irritably touched the cards in her hand and knocked her head hard. Even the cards were against her. What had she done wrong?


    ¡°I¡¯ll play with you.¡±


    Suddenly, a loud voice came from behind her. Gu Yunru turned around and saw that it was Rong Zhen. He was wearing a low-key red python robe today and looked energetic. He must not have slept all night.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with each other?¡±


    Several men looked curiously at Rong Zhen. He was handsome and had a noble temperament. He was probably not an ordinary person like them.


    ¡°Sorry for the trouble. This person is my servant boy.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, you were just a servant boy, no wonder you look so shabby. Now that you¡¯re here, you can play these few rounds for him.¡±


    Gu Yunru was stunned and speechless on the side. When did Rong Zhen become so approachable and kind? And how did he end up in this place?


    ¡°What are you still staring at? Hurry up and teach me the rules.¡± Rong Zhen looked back at Gu Yunru. Gu Yunru nodded and taught him the rules of the red center card game. Unexpectedly, he learned it after listening once and played it skillfully. He won back all the money she owed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to hide your talents so well!¡±


    Gu Yunru looked at him with new admiration. She originally thought he was a cold and distant person, but she didn¡¯t expect him to have such a lively and cheerful side.


    ¡°This kind of game is boring after you learn the rules once. Why don¡¯t we play a bigger game?¡±


    This sentence was addressed to the men in front of Rong Zhen.


    ¡°Okay, what kind of game?¡±


    ¡°Chop off a finger for whoever loses a round, how about that?¡±


    As soon as he said this, Gu Yunru was so angry she almost vomited blood. She quickly pulled him away from the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, can you stop playing such violent and bloody games? You¡¯re receiving treatment right now and need to control these twisted thoughts. Do you understand?¡±


    Suddenly, Rong Zhen raised the corners of his mouth and said, ¡°I was just kidding. Why are you so nervous?¡±


    Gu Yunru looked at him and was completely enchanted by his rare smile. She didn¡¯t expect this guy to have such a handsome smile, like a heart-stealing thief who captured her heart.


    Gu Yunru thought of his inexplicable temper today, and all her fondness for him disappeared. She shook her head and said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve played enough. It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Rong Zhen wanted to ask if she was still angry, but he didn¡¯t know how to say it.


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Curiosity flashed in Gu Yunru¡¯s eyes. Rong Zhen seemed a little off today.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just a little tired.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me how you ended up here. Don¡¯t tell me you were just taking a walk?¡±

 CH 24

    shishiballs7-9 minutes 23.04.2023


    Chapter 24: No one cares


    Rong Zhen did not look into her eyes, but instead tilted his head to one side. This subtle movement did not go unnoticed by Gu Yunru, who clearly did not want to answer her question directly.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t force you. Hurry up and go,¡± Gu Yunru said with a cheerful hum, her gloomy mood suddenly dissipating. She left the Hanging Horse inn and remembered that Qingxin was still in the backyard, so she brought her out.


    ¡°Miss, are you okay?¡± Qingxin followed the two of them with a sleepy look. The Clear Music Street had already begun to set up stalls in the early morning, and the steaming buns caught people¡¯s attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Are you guys hungry? Why don¡¯t we eat first?¡± Rong Zhen did not speak, but walked straight towards the bun stall. He had never eaten at a place like this before, so it was a nice change of pace.


    Qingxin finally opened her eyes and was suddenly startled to see the Prince. She couldn¡¯t even close her mouth.


    ¡°Your¡­ Your Highness, what are you doing here?¡± She thought she was still dreaming and shook her head to clear her mind.


    ¡°I came out for a walk. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rong Zhen looked at Qingxin¡¯s reaction with confusion. He hadn¡¯t said anything yet, but she was already making such a big fuss.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Suddenly, Qingxin remembered something and quickly got up from her seat. As a servant, how could she sit and eat with her master? She must have been confused!


    ¡°What are you making a fuss of?¡± Rong Zhen looked at Qingxin¡¯s reaction in confusion. He hadn¡¯t even said anything yet, but she was already making such a big fuss.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so stupid. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± Qingxin wished she could find a hole to crawl into. Gu Yunru grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s forget our identities for now. It¡¯s too tiring. I haven¡¯t slept all night, but at least you¡¯ve had some rest. Sit down and eat.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you not even listening to your mistress¡¯ words anymore?¡±


    This sentence from Rong Zhen was more effective than ten sentences from Gu Yunru.


    Qingxin sat obediently, holding a steaming basket of buns, three bowls of millet porridge, and a dish of pickled vegetables emitting a fragrant aroma.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to have hot porridge to eat, that¡¯s great!¡± Gu Yunru didn¡¯t hesitate to grab a bun and stuff it into her mouth.


    ¡°Is this how the Gu family teaches manners? It¡¯s like she hasn¡¯t eaten in days,¡± Rong Zhen commented while slowly and elegantly eating.


    Gu Yunru felt inferior in front of him, like she had just been released from a slum.


    ¡°Cough, you don¡¯t understand, you have to eat and drink a lot to appreciate the true taste of food. You wouldn¡¯t even be able to taste the flavor of the buns,¡± she said.


    Rong Zhen secretly agreed with her, but his expression remained disdainful.


    After finishing the meal, Gu Yunru belched in satisfaction.


    Rong Zhen was about to take out money, but when he checked his pocket, he found that the silver in his purse had been replaced with stones.


    ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Rong Zhen¡¯s eyes revealed a killing intent. When had he ever been played like this?


    ¡°I think all three of you have finished eating, can we settle the bill now?¡± The stall owner smiled and approached them to settle the bill. Gu Yunru looked embarrassed and glanced at Qing Xing.


    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t look at me, I have nothing on me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ah zhao, do you have nothing either?¡±


    Rong Zhen had some reaction, especially at the moment when Gu Yunru called him Ah zhao. For some reason, he felt very happy.


    ¡°That damn thief, if I find out, I¡¯ll definitely tear him to pieces and throw his body into the wilderness.¡±


    Gu Yunru¡¯s heart trembled as she looked at the smiling booth owner and said, ¡°Boss, you saw it too. Our money was switched with stones. Can we put it on credit first?¡±


    As soon as the boss heard this, his smile disappeared instantly. He furrowed his brows like a caterpillar and put his hands on his waist. ¡°You can¡¯t even pay a few dozen cents, but you dress so well. Are you here for a free meal?¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Who are you accusing of coming for a free meal?¡± Rong Zhen frowned dissatisfiedly, and his momentum startled the boss.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m afraid of you just because you¡¯re tall and mighty. Anyway, you must pay for your meal. Otherwise, I¡¯ll send you to the official¡¯s office.¡±


    Rong Zhen clenched his fist tightly, but Gu Yunru grabbed his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, let me handle it.¡±


    Gu Yunru calmed him down, and now it was already bright outside with many pedestrians on the street.


    ¡°Boss, we don¡¯t look like people who can¡¯t afford this meal. The gentleman¡¯s money was really switched with stones. Otherwise, we would definitely pay you back.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me? Your hat looks valuable, how about you pawn it here?¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t do¡­¡± Gu Yunru insisted on defending the dignity of the hat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    At this moment, a gentle voice came over.


    Gu Yunru turned her head and saw that it was Cheng Shaoyuan.


    ¡°You, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Just passing by, going to the yamen to take care of some business, and happened to see you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really fate. Um, I¡¯ll definitely pay you back the money another day.¡±


    Rong Zhen sat in his chair watching the two of them chatting as if they were getting along well. It seemed like they had met before. This woman was really hateful, actually chatting so flirtatiously with a man other than him!


    Cheng Shaoyuan noticed two icy gazes sweeping towards him and pretended not to notice as he looked back. He happened to meet Rong Zhen¡¯s angry eyes.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    He was about to come forward and say hello, but he walked away without a word.


    Gu Yunru comforted the boss and looked at his disappointed figure leaving, shouting, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you want to keep strolling?¡±


    ¡°Miss Gu, it seems like you have a good relationship with His Highness.¡±


    Cheng Shaoyuan showed a warm smile and looked at Gu Yunru.


    ¡°About him¡­let¡¯s just leave it at that. Thank you for helping me out today. If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t have saved face.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing. I don¡¯t know if Miss is available today. I happen to be going to handle a case and have no leads. I was hoping Miss could take a look.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Gu Yunru hesitated and looked at Rong Zhen¡¯s back. She felt a strange excitement about the case and was eager to get closer to the truth.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you,¡±


    Rongzhen waited at the pancake stand for a long time, but he didn¡¯t see Gu Yunru catching up. His expression became increasingly heavy.


    ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness, your subordinates have searched so hard. Someone just saw Miss Gu¡¯s shadow, it seems she¡¯s eating buns over there!¡±


    Qingfeng told Rongzhen this news, but Rongzhen didn¡¯t react after listening.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother me.¡±


    After Rongzhen finished speaking, he started walking in the opposite direction. He actually wanted to see what the two of them had to say.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Qingfeng followed and unconsciously circled around to the gate of the yamen.


    Gu Yunru was sitting in the room drinking tea. Because of Cheng Shaoyuan¡¯s invitation, the people in the yamen were respectful to her.


    ¡°Young Master, please enjoy.¡±


    Little Si saw his cold and aloof temperament and didn¡¯t speak, thinking that he was a young master and addressed him as such.