Little Pink Starfish

Taking the Nanny to the Autumn Hunt

No matter how chaotic the night was for everyone else—for example, Grand Preceptor Fenglin, who, despite his calm expression, didn’t sleep a wink after receiving the medicinal herbs from Emperor Xianzhong—Yu Xiaoxiao slept like a baby in the same bed with Gu Xinglang, right through until morning.

The next day, the rain that had poured all night finally stopped. The capital was greeted with another clear and crisp autumn morning.

Gu Xinglang got up early and had his servants carry him to see the old master.

The old master, like Grand Preceptor Fenglin, had not slept all night. His bloodshot eyes stared at Gu Xinglang.

“Grandfather, did something happen again?” Gu Xinglang asked quickly.

The old master waved his hand. If he told this brat that his second brother and the Seventh Prince were missing, the Princess would find out in no time—and that would be a disaster. So he simply said, “Drank too much last night, nothing’s wrong. Why are you here so early?”

Gu Xinglang explained that he and Yu Xiaoxiao were planning to go into Ruyun Mountain.

The old master merely nodded and said, “Take good care of the Princess. Come back early.”

“Yes,” Gu Xinglang responded, then had his two servants carry him out of the study.

“Young Master!” One of the servants walking ahead spotted Gu Xingnuo standing under the corridor and called out to him.

Gu Xingnuo, standing a bit further away from the old master’s study, waved Gu Xinglang over.

“Take me to my brother,” Gu Xinglang ordered.

The servants carried him over and then retreated to wait outside the corridor.

Gu Xingnuo sat on the railing and asked, “What’s with the sudden trip to Ruyun Mountain?”

Gu Xinglang winced at the question. The whole thing was so bizarre—who’d even believe it?

“You can’t tell me?” Gu Xingnuo asked.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Xinglang recounted how Yu Xiaoxiao had been gnawing on pig’s head meat at the entrance of a street, encountered the second-in-command and Ergouzi, gave away half a pig’s head, and ended up being invited into the mountains.

Gu Xingnuo was silent for a long time after hearing his brother’s story.

“I know you don’t believe me,” Gu Xinglang said.

Gu Xingnuo thumped the pillar twice. “Everything the Princess gets involved in is just…” He couldn’t even find the words—normal people just don’t run into things like this.

“Big Brother, Second Brother still hasn’t returned?” Gu Xinglang asked.

Gu Xingnuo glanced back at the courtyard behind him. Now this one remembers to ask about their second brother? Is that guilt creeping back in?

“Where the hell did Second Brother go?” Gu Xinglang asked again.

Gu Xingnuo replied, “Did the Princess ask about the Seventh Prince?”

“Uh, no,” Gu Xinglang shook his head.

“Go on, come home early,” Gu Xingnuo waved him off, not wanting to say anything more. Between him and the old master, the family troubles were already enough to manage.

—

Back at Yu Xiaoxiao’s side, Nanny Wang had decided to join the Princess on the Ruyun Mountain trip. She was determined to personally shadow Her Highness and provide “real-time re-education.”

Xiao Zhuang whispered to Xiao Wei, “Isn’t Nanny just asking for trouble? When the Princess runs, we can’t even keep up—how’s she going to?”

Xiao Wei shot back, “Why do you even care?”

“Nanny, are you riding or taking the carriage?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked from under the corridor.

Nanny Wang twitched at the corner of her mouth. What kind of palace nanny rides a horse? “I’ll take the carriage,” she replied.

“Okay then,” Yu Xiaoxiao immediately said, “You can ride in the same carriage with me and Little Gu.”

Nanny Wang’s mouth twitched again. She didn’t mind—but she wasn’t sure if the Prince Consort would. “Princess,” she said, “a small sedan chair will be fine. I can ride in the one following behind.”

“Huh?” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “Can walking be faster than a horse?”

Xiao Wei sighed. The Princess still couldn’t grasp the main point. He chimed in, “Princess, just get her a separate carriage.”

Yu Xiaoxiao glanced at Nanny Wang’s figure. Was it because she was a bit on the larger side and wouldn’t fit in the same carriage with three people? (Her Highness forever missing the point ==)

At that moment, Gu Xinglang returned from the old master’s courtyard. Seeing Yu Xiaoxiao chatting with Nanny Wang, he wisely didn’t ask what they were talking about and instead said, “Princess, are you ready? I’ve spoken to Grandfather—we can head out now.”

“Let’s go then!” Yu Xiaoxiao announced cheerfully.

With all their gear loaded up, Yu Xiaoxiao and Gu Xinglang rode in one carriage, Nanny Wang in another, and Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei led a group of guards on horseback out of the Gu residence, heading west of the city.

Outside the western gate, Gu Xinglang’s brothers and their own guards had already arrived one after another. They were such a formidable sight that not only did passersby shrink away, even the guards at the city gate were too intimidated to step forward when they saw these young generals walking dogs and carrying falcons.

When Gu Xinglang and Yu Xiaoxiao exited the city and everyone regrouped, General Li barked, “Move out!”

Inside the carriage, Yu Xiaoxiao clung to Gu Xinglang excitedly. “Fat rabbits! So many fat rabbits!”

Gu Xinglang hugged his wife and gently coaxed, “Yes, we’ll go catch rabbits.”

A young general outside laughed and said, “Your Highness, we’re not just hunting rabbits this time.”

“Hm?” Yu Xiaoxiao perked up. “What else is in Ruyun Mountain?”

“Just rabbits,” Gu Xinglang quickly interjected. He knew there were beasts like bears and tigers in the mountain, but he didn’t want his wife running into them. Her martial arts were heaven-defying, sure, but still—it only took one accident.

“Don’t worry, Princess,” another young general said. “With us around, there’s no prey we can’t catch!”

From the carriage behind, Nanny Wang heard every word. To her ears, these people were clearly dragging her Princess into the mountains to go wild! She let out a loud cough—“Ahem!”

The young generals froze. Wait, did Gu Xiaosan seriously bring a woman into the mountains on an autumn hunt… while also hunting pirates from the East Sea?

Gu Xinglang said from inside the carriage, “The Princess’s etiquette nanny is accompanying us on this trip.”

With that one sentence, all the generals quieted down. A palace-appointed etiquette nanny—someone who would be taken care of by the royal family for life. Who dared mess with her?

Merchants and travelers along the road quickly made way, letting Gu Xinglang’s party pass first.

—

At this moment, back at the Gu residence gate, Zuo You heard from Gu Xingnuo that Yu Xiaoxiao and Gu Xinglang had already left the city. His face instantly fell. He had delayed his departure yesterday to pack and was hoping to say goodbye to the Princess today—but now she was already gone.

Gu Xingnuo quietly said to Zuo You, “Marshal Zuo, please be careful once you return to White Tiger.”

Zuo You looked up at the gate plaque, where the words “Zhen Guo Hou Fu” (Marquis of National Defense Residence) had been restored. With low spirits, he said, “Of course. No need for you to worry, Young Master Gu.”