Little Pink Starfish

The Princess Is So Vicious

Yu Xiaoxiao watched Gu Xinglang blink once, then feel around under the covers without making any move to lift his head. She sighed. As she’d expected, someone who was still blaming himself for surviving while all his comrades died wouldn’t be in the mood for romance.

Gu Xinglang whispered, “Let me just hold you.”

“Then hold me,” Yu Xiaoxiao yawned and said, “Even if the sky falls, let’s sleep first and deal with it later.”

“Mhm.” Gu Xinglang murmured his assent and hugged her tightly.

The red candles in the room burned out as dawn began to break. The night passed like that.

The young couple, still wrapped in each other’s arms, was woken up by Granny Wang’s loud voice. She was calling that the old master and Second Young Master were about to depart for Wangxiang Pass. Yu Xiaoxiao immediately jumped out of bed and urged, “Xiao Gu, get up! We have to send Grandpa and Second Brother off!”

In the main hall of the Gu Estate, the old general and Gu Xingyan were both dressed in full military uniform. The old madam, Lady Xu, Gu Xingnuo with his wife and son, and Lady Lin holding Gu Xu were all present.

The old madam looked outside and muttered, “Does Xinglang not know his grandfather and second brother are leaving today?”

Gu Xingyan didn’t mind. “Grandmother, Xinglang was injured yesterday. Even if he doesn’t come, it’s not a big deal.”

The old madam glanced at Gu Xingnuo’s bandaged left arm and said pointedly, “Isn’t his older brother injured too?”

“Grandmother,” Gu Xingnuo spoke up. “Granny Wang already sent word. Xinglang and the princess will be here shortly.”

The old madam frowned deeper. “Delaying the auspicious hour for departure—this is a bad omen!”

Lady Lin interjected, “Grandmother, they’re both still young. Sleeping in a little is nothing.”

Hearing that, the old madam’s dislike for Yu Xiaoxiao only grew. Before they got married, had her little grandson ever been someone who liked to oversleep? A good wife should be virtuous—not cling to her husband all night! Knowing her grandson was injured and unwell, this princess still wore him out overnight? “Send someone again to hurry them up,” the old madam snapped, her tone worsening as she thought of Yu Xiaoxiao. “How long do they expect the whole family to wait?”

“That’s enough,” the old master finally spoke.

The steward, who had been about to leave again, froze in place.

The old madam asked indignantly, “What, now I’m not allowed to say anything?”

“I want peace at home before I leave,” the old general said. “A harmonious family brings prosperity.”

The old madam had more to say, but at that moment, Yu Xiaoxiao’s voice rang out from the entrance: “Grandpa! Second Brother!” The princess ran into the hall and stood before the old general, taking his hand. “Sorry, Grandpa, Xiao Gu and I overslept.”

The old general smiled, patted her hand, and said, “You’re not late.”

Gu Xinglang was then carried in by two attendants, seated in a recliner. He wore a high-collared outer robe today to cover the bruises on his neck.

Gu Xingnuo looked first at his younger brother’s eyes. Seeing them bright and clear, he finally relaxed and turned his gaze to Yu Xiaoxiao.

Yu Xiaoxiao was saying to the old general, “Grandpa, be careful on the road. Once Xiao Gu’s leg is better, we’ll come visit you and Second Brother at the pass. If there’s a battle, we’ll help you fight too.”

Before the old general could respond, Gu Xingyan chuckled. “Sure, sister-in-law. If things are peaceful, I’ll take you hunting beyond the border.”

“Beyond the border?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked eagerly, “Are there fat rabbits?”

Gu Xingyan… Right, his sister-in-law hadn’t forgotten about those fat rabbits.

The old madam suddenly interrupted, “Princess, are you hoping for war at the frontier?”

“Hm?” Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her. “I just said ‘if,’ you know?”

“These are not things to hope for!” the old madam scolded. “People should wish for peace!”

The expressions of the Gu family members turned awkward. Wasn’t the old madam basically calling the princess warmongering and unkind?

“Grandmother,” Gu Xinglang called softly.

The old madam looked at him. She wanted to see how this grandson would defend his princess.

“You—” the old general started, not wanting to rebuke his wife in front of the juniors just as he was about to leave.

Yu Xiaoxiao was the only one who didn’t understand the old madam’s insinuation. She gave a casual “hehe” and said, “Grandma, don’t worry. With me around, there’s no battle we can’t win.”

The old madam glared at her. “I’m not worried.”

“Oh, then that’s even better,” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “Once Xiao Gu’s leg heals, Grandma, you can come with us to Wangxiang Pass. Say, Grandma, do you know martial arts too?”

The old madam’s face turned white. Everyone knew she came from a scholarly family! “The daughters of the Ruan family do not practice martial arts,” she declared.

Even Gu Xingyan couldn’t take it anymore. “Grandmother, what’s wrong with girls learning martial arts?”

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at Gu Xinglang. “The Ruǎn family? But we were talking about Grandma. What’s the Rǔan family got to do with this? I know there’s something called the Hundred Family Surnames, but I’m not too familiar with them. Is there really someone with a surname like ‘Soft’ (Rǔan)? That’s a pretty spineless surname, isn’t it?”

The Gu family: …

Lady Lin thought that compared to Princess Linglong, she wasn’t all that vicious. No wonder Consort Zhao and Prime Minister Zhao had suffered under this woman. The princess obviously knew the old madam’s surname was Ruan. Pretending not to and mocking it as “soft” was just a slap in the face. The Ruan family, known for its scholarly legacy—was now being called spineless. Lady Lin almost worshipped Yu Xiaoxiao in that moment. For people of letters, integrity was everything. This verbal slap might actually kill the old madam with rage!

“You—” the old madam raised a trembling finger at Yu Xiaoxiao.

Yu Xiaoxiao sensed something was off. Thinking back on what she’d said, nothing sounded particularly wrong. She turned to Gu Xinglang and asked, “Is there really someone with the surname ‘Soft’?”

Gu Xinglang knew his wife wasn’t acting. She wasn’t someone who would purposely disrespect elders. Could it be that she really didn’t know?

Second Young Master Gu, ever the carefree one, burst out laughing. “Sister-in-law, you shouldn’t joke like that. Grandmother’s surname is Ruan.”

Yu Xiaoxiao froze. No one had ever told her the old lady’s surname was Ruan. And seriously, how could there be a surname like that in the Hundred Family Surnames? Were people just messing with her lack of education?

The old general gave his wife a look that clearly said, “Do you really think it’s worth it to argue with the princess?”

“I’m sorry,” Yu Xiaoxiao apologized sincerely. “Grandma, Ruan isn’t a bad surname. It sounds soft and gentle—very feminine and graceful. And it’s also…” She paused, searching for more compliments. Could “soft” be related to eternal youth?