Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The day of departure arrived in the blink of an eye. The entire Gu household bustled with activity early in the morning as everyone started packing.
After breakfast, Gu Chengrui observed the tearful Gu Chenglin. âEnough tears,â he chided gently. âHow old are you? Remember, the residence will be yours to manage in the future.â
âOne crucial piece of adviceâif the First Prince or Second Prince come knocking, maintain a low profile as soon as possible. Otherwise, things could turn ugly for you.â
âThough your concern seems a bit premature, Iâll definitely keep it in mind,â Gu Chenglin replied with a nod.
âHelp me with the luggage,â Gu Chengrui instructed, picking up his suitcase and heading outside.
Seeing this, Gu Chenglin immediately grabbed the luggage and followed suit.
Soon, Zhou Ying and the others joined them.
Outside, a group of guards awaited them, escorting a carriage. After a while, Gu Wanning arrived with the three children, disembarking from the carriage.
âGuoguo, Chenchen, are you really leaving?â The Eldest Prince rushed over to them upon seeing them.
âYep, weâre off to sea! I heard itâs vast and beautiful. Want to come with us?â Chenchen chirped excitedly.
âNonsense! The First Prince has his duties. He canât just abandon them,â Zhou Ying interjected.
âAuntie, are you absolutely certain you canât bring me along?â The First Prince pleaded with Zhou Ying, his eyes filled with hope.
âIâm sorry, but itâs impossible. Your position demands a certain level of responsibility, and a heavy burden awaits you in the future. Now is the time to hone your skills, so playtime will have to wait,â Zhou Ying explained patiently.
âWhat about me? Can I come? Auntie, I promise I can behave!â The Second Prince piped up, eagerly pointing at himself.
âYouâre his brother,â Zhou Ying countered gently. âYou too must dedicate yourself to your training. You and your brother will share this responsibility. Naturally, that means no vacations for you either.â
The Second Princeâs face immediately fell upon hearing this. In contrast, the First Prince couldnât help but feel a flicker of relief at his brotherâs disappointment.
The two brothers then approached Guoguo, Chenchen, and Third Fatty, eager to present the gifts they had prepared.
Meanwhile, Gu Chengrui strolled over to Gu Wanning. âWhy are you here?â he asked, concern etched on his face. âItâs not safe bringing the three children with you.â
âIâm alright for now,â Gu Wanning replied, her eyes tearing up. âSince youâre leaving, I wanted to see you off.â
With a hint of hesitation, she asked, âMust you leave?â
Sensing that the Emperor hadnât shared the whole story, Gu Chengrui just nodded.
âIâll escort you out of the city.â Gu Wanning nodded in response.
âThereâs no need,â Gu Chengrui insisted. âNow that weâre family, thereâs no need for such formalities anymore.â
âButâ¦â Gu Wanning began, trailing off.
âNo buts,â Gu Chengrui cut her off gently. âYou and your children have your own responsibilities. We have plenty of guards for protection, and thereâs nothing to worry about.â
Gu Wanning nodded in agreement. She then retrieved two food boxes and two bags from the carriage. âA small token of my appreciation,â she offered. âPlease accept these. And remember, come back and visit soon.â
âOf course,â Gu Chengrui promised. âYou all must take care as well. Remember, if you need anything, donât hesitate to speak with the Emperor. Additionally, the jade pendant I gave you before has health-boosting properties. Wear it at all times.â
âI understand,â Gu Wanning acknowledged solemnly.
âLetâs go,â Gu Chengrui declared, picking up his luggage and walking past her. He then stowed the luggage in the carriage and helped Zhou Ying and the others settle in before taking his seat.
Just as they were about to set off, Mr. Gu and Second Uncle Gu, accompanied by their families, arrived in a flurry. After exchanging farewells, Mr. Gu and Second Uncle Gu joined the carriages, slowly making their way toward the city gate.