Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Newlywed Princess, Newly Sent Concubine

When the old patriarch declared he’d invite a theatrical troupe, Gu Xingyan asked Yu Xiaoxiao, “Your Royal Highness, what kind of plays do you like to watch?”

As a drillmaster in the apocalypse, Yu Xiaoxiao was busy fighting zombies everyday. She hadn’t participated in any recreational activities even when she died, so Gu Xingyan’s questions forced her to exercise her very limited artsy braincells. After turning it back and forth in her head, she suggested, “How about Romeo and Juliet?”

Gu Xingyan blinked and looked towards Old Madam, who’d watched the most shows of them all. “What is she saying?” Does the imperial princess watch different plays than the rest of us?

Old Madam asked Yu Xiaoxiao, “Your Royal Highness, could you repeat that? What would you like to watch?”

Yu Xiaoxiao weighed everyone’s expressions and sensed that she’d shocked them all with her words again. She tacitly replied, “Anything is fine, I watch all kinds of plays.”

Gu Xingyan asked, “What was that roe thing you mentioned just then?”

Yu Xiaoxiao promptly sealed her lips.

Feeling the atmosphere grow awkward, Gu Xingnuo also decided to ease the situation. “Grandmother, how about letting Her Royal Highness return to the bridal chambers? After all, today’s her wedding day.”

Yu Xiaoxiao quickly followed up, “I don’t know where the bridal chambers are. Big brother, how about guiding me there?”

Gu Xingnuo gave a start. This should be the job of her two sister-in-laws, not her brother-in-law.

Gu Chen grinned and said, “Eldest, you go escort Her Royal Highness.”

With the old patriarch’s words, Gu Xingnuo forgot about it and told Yu Xiaoxiao, “Then please come with me, Your Royal Highness.”

While Gu Xingnuo escroted Gu Xiaoxiao to her bridal chambers, Gu Xingyan went out to find the best theatrical troupe in the capital city. Old Madam sighed and asked her daughter-in-law, the Gu brothers’ mother Lady Xu, “What do you think about Her Royal Highness?”

Lady Xu was a reverent Buddhist of the household who practiced vegetarianism. She was akin to a wallflower and didn’t have much presence, so only replied in a small voice, “Daughter-in-law thinks Her Royal Highness is very good.”

“I never expected Her Royal Highness to be a fighter,” Old Madam said.

Gu Chen was unconcerned. “That’s a true daughter-in-law of the Gu Clan.” Their family was full of soldiers, but his daughter and granddaughters-in-law were both from literary families. That made the old patriarch rather regretful. Now that they had someone like Yu Xiaoxiao, he felt that he’d gotten all he wanted. Why should women of a general’s household be so meek and delicate?

Old Madam rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t you forget, Xinglang can’t even ride a horse or fight anymore.” Although her meaning was vauge, the present members of the Gu Clan all understood. What Gu Xinglang needed was a wife who could docilely pass days with him, but Yu Xiaoxiao looked like nothing of the sort. Between husband and wife, it was either the east wind suppressing the west or vice versa. Could Gu Xinglang suppress his spouse?

Gu Chen shook his head. “If it wasn’t for Her Royal Highness today, our Gu Clan would have been done for.”

Old Madam opened and closed her mouth, but couldn’t find words to retort.

“Her Royal Highness has already saved our Gu Clan twice,” Gu Chen added. “Madam, don’t treat Xinglang as your only treasure. Wasn’t the princess a jewel in esteemed empress’s palm? She was willing to go through with the engagement and marry below her station to Xinglang. What else do you want from Her Royal Highness?”

Now Old Madam had even less things to say.

The old patriarch looked at the women from literary families and said, “Her Royal Highness is good, so get along with her. She’s going to be the girl who spends the rest of her life with Xinglang. He’s already lost both legs, so we should be the ones compensating Her Royal Highness.”

Lady Xu quickly led the other two daughters-in-law to rise. “We daughters-in-law understand.”

Old Madam saw that the old patriarch was serious and couldn’t help but feel displeased. “Old man, you make it sound like we’ve been bullying the princess!”

The old patriarch replied, “I don’t ask after the inner courtyards, but I’ve heard my share of things. Just because Her Royal Highness is ignorant of worldly affairs doesn’t mean that momo by her side is easy to deal with. Don’t ask for trouble and embarrass yourselves.”

Old Madam saw that Lady Xu’s expression was faltering at his words and hastened to speak. “You’re getting more and more worked up. Shouldn’t you know what kind of person née Xu is?”

The old patriarch glanced at Gu Xingyan’s wife, Lady Lin, before intoning, “I’m only baring the ugly facts ahead of time.”

Lady Lin lowered her head in response to his stare. She felt rather wronged. Yes, she might be a trifle calculative in her usual life, but did that make her a villain?

Old Madam ended up brokering a compromise. “Enough. Her Royal Highness didn’t pick a play, so the rest of you speak up. What should we watch tonight?”

By now, Gu Xingnuo had delivered Yu Xiaoxiao to the bridal chambers. They could hear a young woman’s voice from within.

“Third young master, this medicine was freshly brewed. This servant will feed you to drink it.”

Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t sense anything amiss, but Wang momo’s gaze sharpened at once. Did every servant sound so sweet and bewitching when feeding her master medicine? Meanwhile, Gu Xingnuo’s expression had sunk. He quickly strode past the wooden-faced Yu Xiaoxiao and coughed deliberately before pushing open the doors.

Qingyu was standing before Gu Xinglang’s bed with a bowl of medicine in hand. When she heard Gu Xingnuo’s cough, she didn’t back away, but simply stood in place and turned with a smile. “Eldest young master, you’ve returned?”

The bridal chambers were spacious and bright. Yu Xiaoxiao looked at the furniture and decoration around the room before mentally giving it kudos. Wang momo was in no mood to enjoy the scenery, but strode straight to Qingyu and said, “Oh! This servant girl has rather charming looks.”

Gu Ningnuo glared at Qingyu and said, “Why aren’t you greeting Her Royal Highness yet?”

As if suddenly frightened, Qingyu knelt on the ground with the medicine in her hands and stammered towards Yu Xiaoxiao, “This servant greets Your Royal Highness.”

Wang momo took one look at Qingyu and thought disaster. Here was a girl who was capable of playing weak and delicate to garner sympathy. All women in the palace knew this skill. The royal son-in-law’s already lost the use of his legs, but he’s still attracting peach blossoms like her?

Yu Xiaoxiao finally noticed Qingyu and examined her from head to toe. “Your looks aren’t bad,” she remarked.

Afraid of a conflict, Gu Xingnuo ordered Qingyu, “You get out, you’re not needed here.”

Qingyu said, “It was Old Madam that ordered this servant to serve third young master medicine.”

“Old Madam told you to come?” Wang momo knitted her brows and looked towards Gu Xingnuo. That can’t be right? Our princess has only been married a day and Old Madam’s already arranging a concubine for the third young master?

Gu Ningnuo didn’t have time to explain before Yu Xiaoxiao approached Qingyu, hauled her upright by the collar, and gestured to her bowl with her chin. “What kind of medicine is this?”

Qingyu looked timidly at Yu Xiaoxiao and said, “Your Royal Highness, this servant doesn’t know. It was prescribed by the doctor.”

Yu Xiaoxiao took the bowl of medicine from Qingyu’s hands and took a sniff. Chinese medicine was nothing if not bitter. “His tendons are shot, so he needs surgery to connect the tissue. What’s the use if he just drinks medicine?” So speaking, Yu Xiaoxiao raised her hand to dump the medicine outside the window.

“Don’t!” Qingyu cried as she grabbed for the bowl.