Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Firmly Rejecting the Eldest Princess’s Estate

“Esteemed Empress is wise and brilliant,” Wang momo pressed her palms together in prayer with a murmur.

At this moment, Consort Zhao and Jadeite had been dug out from the rubble by Jing Zhong and the rest of the eunuchs. Both of them were covered in blood and dust and were virtually unrecognizable.

Xianzong didn’t dare draw near, but asked from a distance, “How is Consort Zhao doing?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Jing Zhong bent down to test Consort Zhao’s breathing. When he felt her faint breaths, he relaxed and reported, “Your Majesty, esteemed consort is still alive!”

“Imperial physicians,” Xianzong called towards the doctors on standby. “Hurry and check on Consort Zhao’s condition!”

There was a support beam lying on top of Consort Zhao’s body. It wasn’t very thick; moreover, the head and baseboards of the bed had blocked it from utterly crushing the woman and Jadeite, who had fallen below the bed.

“Summon the State Preceptor into the palace,” an eunuch by Xianzong’s side called out. They would need the State Preceptor (国师) in the capacity of a senior monk to think of a solution. They couldn’t very well watch the empress play with lightning everyday.

Meanwhile, Yu Xiaoxiao was standing at the gates of the Defender General’s Estate. She never had any requirements for her houses, so she didn’t feel much while staring at the grand and conspicuous gates. However, Gu Chen and Gu Xingnuo felt a mixture of happiness and sorrow at the empty door that had been stripped of its “Defender General’s Estate” signboard. They were sad because their loyalty to the country had been shredded by the wicked consort, and happy because their entire family was still alive. What didn’t kill you only made you stronger, didn’t it?

The head eunuch who had been decreed by imperial orders to help the Gu Clan move in ran out to greet them at that instant. First, he bowed towards Yu Xiaoxiao. She had no idea what he was doing here, so only nodded back. Then she said to Gu Chen and Gu Ningnuo, “Grandpa, big brother, this is our house, right? Let’s go in.”

When the head eunuch saw the family about to enter, he quickly asked, “Your Royal Highness, what do you think we should write on the signboard above the door?”

“What’s a signboard for?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.

The head eunuch felt that it’d be disrespectable to explain something so elementary to the princess. Your Royal Highness, you don’t even know what a signboard’s for? Are you an idiot?

Wang momo had spent enough months with Yu Xiaoxiao to know that she was ignorant of the world. She pointed at the space above the gates and explained, “It’s a nameplate hung up there.”

The head eunuch said, “His Majesty gave verbal instructions that this could be called the ‘Eldest Princess Estate.’” So speaking, he waited for Princess Linglong to kneel and accept the imperial favor.

The Gu Clan grandfather and grandson, as well as Old Madam, Gu Xingyan, and the rest of the Gu Clan that came to meet them, felt their faces stiffen. The Eldest Princess Estate? Wouldn’t that make Gu Xinglang the one marrying into his wife’s family instead? And the rest of us good-for-nothing who rely on Gu Xinglang’s wife to make a living?

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at the blank space above the gates. She didn’t want to be the fatuous ruler’s daughter a bit. Why was she still “eldest princess” after marrying herself off?

“This is the Gu Clan’s home,” Yu Xiaoxiao told the head eunuch. “Just write ‘Gu House’ on top.”

“Gu House?” the head eunuch was afraid he’d misheard.

Yu Xiaoxiao asked Gu Chen, “Grandpa, is that what it’s called?”

Gu Chen looked at Yu Xiaoxiao’s face and saw no sign of lying. Old Supreme Commander Gu was a frank man who wouldn’t treat his third granddaughter-in-law as an outsider if she didn’t do the same. Thus, he said, “Call it the Gu Estate, then.”

Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t think twice as she told the eunuch, “Call it the Gu Estate. For family matters, you should ask my grandpa.”

The head eunuch could only obey.

“Let’s go,” Gu Chen laughed brightly at Yu Xiaoxiao. “Princess, we’ll talk inside our home.”

“Aye!” Yu Xiaoxiao agreed and followed him in.

Wei momo stood at the foot of the steps with Yu Ziyi in her arms. All of the servants from Clear Rainbow Palace were a little lost. Hadn’t the eldest princess forgotten something?

Gu Xingnuo was a steady type of man. When he saw that Yu Xiaoxiao had forgotten everything to follow the old patriarch in, he turned and walked downstairs to politely greet Wei momo. “Please come in as well.”

Yu Xiaoxiao had already reached Old Madam’s side and called her grandma. “None of you were hurt by the fire, right?”

Like the old patriarch, Old Madam was caught off-guard at being called grandma, but her heart warmed at the name. She smiled at Yu Xiaoxiao and said, “We weren’t hurt, everyone’s alright.”

Yu Xiaoxiao exhaled. “Then that’s good. Otherwise I’d have to find Zhao Qiuming again and there’d be no end of it!”

Old Madam examined Yu Xiaoxiao from head to toe. She was as delicate as a flower and as refined as jade, a pretty girl with a slender frame. It didn’t seem like she knew any martial arts, so she couldn’t resist asking, “Your Royal Highness, you know how to fight?”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “That’s right My imperial mother was afraid I’d be bullied, so she found a high-level expert to teach me martial arts.”

Behind her, Wang momo’s chubby cheeks trembled. This was a yarn she’d spun up to trick old Xianzong in the face of death. She never expected Her Royal Highness to take it as truth. As she looked at the princess in wedding robes walking by Old Madam’s side, Wang momo raised her eyes to the skies. The Gu Clan might have run into misfortune and the royal son-in-law might be a cripple, but they were a good family. Compared to the dog eat dog days at the palace, esteemed empress should be satisfied to see the princess marry below her station to Third Young Master Gu, yes?

Once the entire family had gathered in the main hall, everyone except Gu Chen and Gu Xingnuo stared at the infant dangling from Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand. Gu Chen told the rest, “This is His Seventh Highness. For now, he’ll be raised by Her Royal Highness’s side.”

Old Madam and the other wives had a fright. What was a prim and proper imperial prince doing growing up by a married princess’s side?

Yu Xiaoxiao stuffed Yu Ziyi back into Gu Xingnuo’s arms and said, “I’m afraid he won’t live long in the palace, so I took him out to raise. Grandma, don’t worry, he doesn’t eat much. It’s easy to provide for him.”

The Old Madam almost fell on her behind. How come she dares to say anything she wants?

Gu Xingnuo was already the father of two children, so he was quite adept at holding Yu Ziyi. He told Old Madam, “Grandmother, we can set aside a compound just for His Seventh Highness. It’ll be best if it’s next to Her Royal Highness.”

Yu Xiaoxiao wanted to say no, she never wanted to see this sis-killer brat again, but looking at all the faces in the hall made her realize that none of them were particularly close to the baby. Why should they be expected to raise him? Her head drooped as she silently accepted Gu Xingnuo’s suggestion.

Old Madam hastily called over a steward to clean up a compound for Yu Ziyi and his retinue. By the time Wei momo carried him away, Old Madam told Old Gu, “Her Royal Highness and Xinglang’s bridal chambers have already been settled. His Excellency Ying and the rest sent over their chefs as well. They’re busying themselves in the kitchens right now so the wedding reception tonight won’t be delayed.”

Old Gu said, “Go invite a theatrical troupe too. We’ll go through with the night reception as planned. I want to set up a stage and invite some people to watch a show.” Since Zhao Qiuming had ruined the eldest princess’s wedding with his soldiers, he had to make it up to his granddaughter-in-law. Ostentation and extravagance was a must.