Little Pink Starfish

Another Life Goal for the Princess

“No matter who they are,” Gu Xinglang said, tapping the table with a finger as he looked around at his brothers, “we’ll know once we get into the mountains.”

Li Yuanle nodded. “When I passed Yunyun Mountain on my way to the capital, the road at the foot of the mountain was still bustling with merchants. Everything seemed normal. It looks like the pirates are hiding in the mountains and don’t dare stir up trouble. I doubt they’ve got many people.”

“Even if they do,” one brother said, “between all of us and our guards, we’ve got a decent force. You think we can’t handle a few pirates? What I don’t get is—how did they sneak all the way into the capital’s territory? Are the border troops all blind?”

Li Yuanle turned to Gu Xinglang. “Who gave the Princess this wooden token? And why?”

Gu Xinglang wasn’t sure how to explain that his wife had split half a pig head with a suspected pirate, and in return, that pirate had given her a wooden token and invited her to go to Yunyun Mountain. He believed in his wife—she didn’t lie. But if he said it out loud, there was no way these guys would buy it.

“Can’t say?” one of them asked.

“It’s not really a secret,” Gu Xinglang replied. “She got it by chance. I was planning to discuss it with Big Brother, but since you all are here, there’s no need to trouble him.”

The brothers all nodded. For men used to blood and steel, a mission to sweep some mountain bandits was child’s play.

“Maybe I’m just being paranoid,” Gu Xinglang said, lifting his teacup in a toast. “If there’s nothing in the mountains, then let’s just enjoy ourselves.”

“Cheers!”

The brothers all raised their cups and drank heartily.

Meanwhile, in the side room, Yuxiaoxiao was saying, “Nanny, if it doesn’t rain tomorrow, you should come to Yunyun Mountain with me and Little Gu.”

Nanny Wang’s face darkened. “What are you going to the mountains for again?” Had the Princess finally gone wild enough in the city and was now taking her madness to the countryside?

“They said this time of year the mountain’s full of fat rabbits. FAT RABBITS!” Yuxiaoxiao’s eyes sparkled with longing.

But while she focused on the rabbits, Nanny Wang zeroed in on the phrase “they said.” “Who are ‘they,’ Princess? Today you not only met this ‘Brother Niu,’ now you’ve got a ‘Second Chief’ and another man? Let’s talk about them instead.”

“Uh, I bought a pig head…”

“Forget the pig head. Talk about the men.”

Yuxiaoxiao sighed. This menopause thing… it’s not just tormenting Nanny Wang—it’s tormenting her too. “Why don’t we talk about your menopause instead?” she said. “Having a cheerful outlook is key to staying young. Honestly, whether I meet someone or not isn’t important. What is important is—shouldn’t you be thinking about finding someone…”

“Princess!” Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei both yelled at once. If she said one more word, Nanny Wang would definitely collapse and die right there on the spot.

Nanny Wang stared at the princess she’d raised from infancy and suddenly burst into tears. She had failed the late Empress. Look at what the princess had turned into!

Yuxiaoxiao shut her mouth. She hadn’t even gotten to the point yet, and Nanny Wang was already crying. But she did understand the pain of being single. She’d been a single dog for over a decade too. Silently handing her nanny a handkerchief, Yuxiaoxiao made a solemn vow:
Aside from not becoming a tyrant empress… she would help Nanny Wang find love!

“Your Highness,” came the steward’s voice from outside just as Yuxiaoxiao set her new life goal.

“What is it?” she asked.

Xiao Wei went to open the door.

The steward didn’t enter. He respectfully said from outside, “Princess, the eldest young master asked me to inform you that he and the Marshal are going to the palace to thank His Majesty. They’ll return late.”

“Got it,” Yuxiaoxiao said. “Tell Big Brother I saved some pig—”

“The Princess understands. You may go now,” Nanny Wang cut in, five times faster than Yuxiaoxiao could speak.

The steward jumped a little and shot a glance at the Princess. Is it really okay for a servant to interrupt royalty like that?

Yuxiaoxiao shrugged apologetically at him. Helping Nanny Wang find a husband was now mission-critical.

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Half an hour later, in the imperial palace, Cuiyu hobbled into the Chuqing Hall. After receiving punishment from the Ministry of Justice, she was covered in bruises, with swollen hands and a limp leg. But with Consort Zhao ill, she didn’t dare rest. She gritted her teeth and continued to serve every day.

Consort Zhao lay on her couch. When she heard footsteps, she opened her eyes and looked at Cuiyu with a flicker of hope.

Cuiyu’s face crumpled. In a low voice, she said, “My lady, after His Majesty returned, he’s been playing chess with the State Preceptor in the study. Eunuch Jing says he’s not seeing anyone.”

“So you didn’t see him?” Consort Zhao looked away coldly, eyes fixed on the canopy.

“Eunuch Jing told me to try again in an hour.”

Consort Zhao didn’t reply. If she stayed out of favor much longer, even Jingzhong—who’d once sworn loyalty—would find a new master. Prostitutes were heartless, actors were faithless… and eunuchs weren’t any better.

Cuiyu hesitated, then said, “Your Ladyship, I heard His Majesty has already issued an edict reinstating Gu Chen and the Prince Consort’s two brothers.”

Consort Zhao already knew this from Zhao Qiuming. She sneered, “So that’s her, Yu Linglong’s, ability. And has Gu Chen brought his grandsons to thank His Majesty yet?”

“No, my lady.”

Consort Zhao gently stroked her now flat belly. A stab of pain hit her heart. That wretched Yu Linglong not only cost her favor—but her future children as well. If I’ve fallen into hell, she thought, how can she be allowed to keep standing aboveground?
“Tell Jingzhong,” she ordered, “when the Gu family men arrive to give thanks, ask him to find out where Gu Xingyan is.”

Cuiyu blinked. “Second Young Master Gu isn’t going?”

“Why ask so many questions?” Consort Zhao snapped. “Just tell him. And if he refuses, remind him—just because I haven’t said anything, doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten. Everyone trips eventually. He’d better think carefully.”

“Yes, my lady,” Cuiyu dared not press further. She turned and hobbled away toward the imperial study.