Little Pink Starfish

Princess said she was going to the Zhao residence to eavesdrop.

Because of deceiving the Emperor, the old master left the palace in a cold sweat. Just as he stood at the palace gates, he whispered to Gu Xingnuo, “What’s going on with the second one? Didn’t you send someone to look for him? Why hasn’t he come back yet?”

Eldest Young Master Gu turned his head and curled his lips. His younger brother had been on the run for days, and the old master hadn’t asked about him once. Now that he finally realized something might be wrong, he’s suddenly in a panic—what was he doing earlier?

Seeing Gu Xingnuo silent, the old master got anxious. He raised his hand to smack his eldest grandson on the head and snapped, “You didn’t send anyone to find him?”

Gu Xingnuo quickly caught his grandfather’s raised hand and said, “I did send people. Maybe Xingyan is being too cautious this time, and those I sent haven’t found him yet. Grandfather, let’s talk more about this when we get back, alright?”

The old master looked at the people standing outside the palace gates. Gu Xingnuo wasn’t like Gu Xingyan or Gu Xinglang—this one was going to be the head of the Gu family in the future. He couldn’t scold his eldest grandson in front of so many people, so the old man stomped his foot and got back on his horse.

“Eldest Young Master Gu!” Just as Gu Xingnuo was about to mount his horse, a young eunuch ran out from the palace gates, calling out to him while hurrying over.

Gu Xingnuo stopped and waited for the eunuch, suspicion rising in his heart. Did His Majesty sense something wrong and send someone to summon him back for questioning?

The eunuch quickly reached him, bowed neatly, and whispered, “Eldest Young Master, His Majesty said…”

Hearing “His Majesty said,” Gu Xingnuo immediately started to kneel—no one could accept an imperial decree standing.

The eunuch quickly waved his hand and said, “His Majesty said you don’t need to kneel.”

Gu Xingnuo asked curiously, “What does His Majesty want?”

The eunuch replied, “His Majesty asked you to relay a message to Her Highness the Princess. He is in good health lately and tells her not to worry. Since he hasn’t summoned her, she doesn’t need to come to the palace.”

Gu Xingnuo tried hard not to laugh—His Majesty had already been tormented by the Princess to this point.

At this moment, Yu Xiaoxiao was eating in her room. The old master and Eldest Brother Gu hadn’t returned yet after going to the palace to give thanks. Gu Xinglang was drinking with his military brothers. The Old Madam had no appetite today and went to rest early. Madam Sun and Madam Lin were dining with their own sons in their rooms. So Yu Xiaoxiao was eating with Nanny Wang, while Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei stayed in their own room to eat.

The pig’s head meat had finally been sliced and plated by the Gu household’s master chef, so it no longer looked like the terrifying, unblinking death mask that had scared Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei. Even so, after the dish made the rounds to the main family members, only Gu Xinglang kept a plate—none of the others wanted it.

“Nanny, do Sister-in-law and the others not eat pork?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked in confusion. How could anyone not eat pork?

Nanny Wang struggled against the strong urge not to speak to her princess again and replied, “Princess, how could you even call this pork?”

That left Yu Xiaoxiao even more puzzled. If pig’s head meat wasn’t pork, what was it? “Then what kind of meat is it?” she asked. “It’s not beef, right?”

Nanny Wang replied, “This kind of meat is not fit to be served at the table. Doesn’t the Princess know this?”

Yu Xiaoxiao stared at Nanny Wang for a while. These people were just spoiled by having too much good food. Clearly, the world looked down on pig’s head meat. This kind of face and attitude Nanny Wang had now—it was just like how rich snobs acted in front of poor folks. What a twisted world, Yu Xiaoxiao thought with some malice. Let a zombie outbreak happen one day and see how smug they are then!

Nanny Wang said, “Princess, starting tomorrow, this servant will go over the Nü Shu and Nü Jie with you again.”

Yu Xiaoxiao felt her heart sink. She buried her head and ate quickly, tuning out Nanny Wang’s voice entirely.

Xiao Zhuang bravely spoke to Nanny Wang, “Nanny, aren’t we going to Ruyun Mountain together tomorrow?”

Nanny Wang’s eyes turned sharp like daggers and “whoosh,” they pierced straight into Xiao Zhuang.

Xiao Zhuang immediately lowered his head and dared not speak another word.

Nanny Wang didn’t wait for tomorrow—she began lecturing her princess right there and then.

Xiao Wei ate leisurely, completely unconcerned about Nanny Wang’s threats of etiquette lessons. Never mind that the princess was the master and Nanny Wang a servant—Xiao Wei simply believed that if a lesson really did happen, the one who would go mad in the end would definitely be Nanny Wang.

After finishing her meal and seeing the table cleared, Yu Xiaoxiao said, “I’m going to the Zhao residence tonight to eavesdrop. Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Wei, want to come with me?”

Hearing this, Nanny Wang’s body jolted. So everything she had said earlier had gone in one ear and out the other!

Xiao Wei asked, “Princess, what are we eavesdropping on at the Zhao residence?”

“I saw the two daughters of that traitorous Zhao official today,” Yu Xiaoxiao said.

Nanny Wang knew Zhao Qiuming had twin daughters and scoffed, “They’re just concubine-born illegitimate girls. What’s there to care about, Princess?”

Xiao Zhuang asked, “Princess, did those two ladies offend you?” Thinking of the grudge between Zhao Fei and their princess, he felt he might be on to something.

Yu Xiaoxiao snorted, “They were crushed by a wall. When I saw them, they were unconscious.”

“You’re worried about their injuries?” Nanny Wang knew her princess wasn’t that kind-hearted. Unless… unless the princess planned to go commit arson and murder at the Zhao residence.

Yu Xiaoxiao waved a finger at Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Wei, and Nanny Wang, then whispered, “I’m sure that girl isn’t Zhao the traitor’s daughter!”

Xiao Zhuang said, “That’s impossible. Zhao Xiang would know his own daughter, wouldn’t he?”

“Hmph,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, “That was clearly Er Qiu, but he insisted to my father that it was Zhao Yingqin.”

The three of them looked at each other. It sounded like they’d just heard something huge—Zhao Qiuming deceived the emperor?

“I’m going to expose Er Qiu’s true identity,” Yu Xiaoxiao declared. “Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Wei, let’s go.”

Xiao Zhuang was excited. As one of the people who could bring down Zhao Qiuming, he felt immensely proud.

But Nanny Wang slapped the table.

“You want to come too?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.

Nanny Wang said, “We need to inform the prince consort first.”

Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “He’s entertaining guests.”

Nanny Wang said, “Princess, wait here. I’ll go speak to the prince consort,” and with that, she stood and left.

Yu Xiaoxiao turned to Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei. “Do we have to wait for her?”

Thinking about how Nanny Wang would react if she came back and found them gone, Xiao Zhuang’s heart trembled and he nodded. Nanny Wang might be gentle with the princess, but there was no such courtesy when it came to him and Xiao Wei.

Xiao Wei asked, “Princess, who’s Er Qiu?”

“A beauty,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, thinking about how Er Qiu was Wen Fenglin’s true love. She lit a metaphorical candle in her heart for the ruthless empress. She had lost to Er Qiu—how tragic for her.