Since the day of the Gu family's family - recognition banquet when Princess Jing sent someone to deliver a gift, she had never appeared in public again. When they met this time, Gu Liyue was quite delighted. She entered the private room with Princess Jing and then asked, "How have you been, Princess?"
"Thanks to you, I'm much better," Princess Jing said with a smile. "If you hadn't told me to talk to Father, I might still be foolishly thinking that Father didn't care about me at all..."
Gu Liyue nodded and thought for a while before saying, "Those in high positions usually value power, but family affection is also indispensable. You are the emperor's own daughter. Even if you had a quarrel, he would never allow others to bully you."
Princess Jing nodded. "I used to think wrongly. Now everything is fine. Those who bullied me will never appear in front of me again. I'm very happy."
Gu Liyue was a bit puzzled. She always felt that Princess Jing seemed to have something more to say.
But Princess Jing changed the topic. "Have you heard of Jiang Yue?"
Gu Liyue nodded. "I've certainly heard of her. I stayed in the Jiang family for half a year, took care of Jiang Yue's cat for half a year, and also heard a lot of things about her childhood."
"What do you think of her?"
Gu Liyue thought for a while and said, "She's the kind of 'other people's child' that everyone talks about."
Princess Jing found this description quite novel and asked, "What does 'other people's child' mean?"
Gu Liyue pursed her lips and smiled. "I've been in the capital for a year. Before, I followed Mrs. Jiang. Now I go out with my aunt or sister - in - law. The most common thing I hear from other ladies is about their children. Generally speaking, they always like to say that their own children are not good in this or that aspect, while other people's children are so good. Jiang Yue is probably the kind of person that everyone envies and wishes they could have such a daughter."
Princess Jing nodded. "You're right. At that time, my mother often said that I was as naughty as a monkey and never stopped. She always hugged Jiang Yue and said that if only I could be as well - behaved as her."
"But I think Jiang Yue might not have been happy at that time. Otherwise, why did she pick up a rather disobedient and unruly maid outside? And why did she insist on raising a cat even though she knew her mother didn't like cats?"
Princess Jing turned to look at Gu Liyue. She had long known that this girl was extremely meticulous, but she didn't expect that after only staying in the Jiang family for half a year, this girl could think so much.
Gu Liyue touched her nose shyly. "Sorry, I'm just talking casually."
"You're quite right," Princess Jing nodded. "I used to be too dull. Once I cried and said that Father didn't love me. She was very depressed and said that my parents' love for me was genuine, while her father only loved her when she was well - behaved, and her mother only told her to prioritize the overall situation."
Gu Liyue didn't say a word. Duke Jiang was a selfish man. Mrs. Jiang really loved her daughter, but she had too many thoughts and wanted too much, so she ignored her daughter's real needs.
The two were silent for a long time. It was Princess Jing who spoke again. "Actually, I don't really like Jiang Yingyue. I took care of her only because she is kind of Yue'er's younger sister. But in my heart, neither you nor Jiang Yingyue can compare to Yue'er in the slightest. But after getting in touch with you, I found that you are really a bit like Yue'er."
Gu Liyue smiled faintly. "The deceased is gone. Why look for the shadow of the past in others? People should always look ahead and towards the future when they are alive."
Princess Jing sighed. "I used to think that Mrs. Jiang indulged Jiang Yingyue and neglected her upbringing because of Yue'er's death."
Gu Liyue understood that Princess Jing knew all about the Jiang family. She didn't comment and instead asked, "What are your plans for the future, Princess Jing?"
Even a once - married daughter of the emperor doesn't have to worry about getting married. Princess Jing is not even twenty - five years old. She has a great future ahead.
Princess Jing shook her head. "I haven't thought about it. The imperial grandmother felt sorry for me and let me stay in the palace for half a year. The palace is so stuffy, and I don't like the probing of those concubines. I've decided to go back to my princess mansion. I'm not in the mood to think about a husband for now. I'll talk about it later."
She turned to look at Gu Liyue and asked, "But Father has bestowed a marriage on you. Why hasn't your wedding date been set yet?"
Gu Liyue blushed and whispered, "I just got home not long ago. My family can't bear to part with me, so they said they would keep me for a few more years."
Princess Jing laughed. "Actually, you look thinner, but you've become much more generous. It's true that having relatives gives you more confidence."
Having relatives doesn't necessarily mean having more confidence, but now she knows that her relatives really love her.
They watched three operas in the afternoon. Since most of them were old ladies, they felt tired. The old lady of the Qi family stopped the other two operas and arranged for everyone to leave.
The old sisters were very enthusiastic during the gathering. They were afraid that this gathering would be their last in their lives.
Gu Liyue followed her grandmother out of the door. She said goodbye to the old ladies from other mansions and then got into the carriage.
The old lady asked, "Was the opera good today?"
Gu Liyue talked more than before. "I watched the opera about the female general very carefully. It was really wonderful. Grandmother, was our family's ancestor really that brave? There are no female warriors in the Gu family later, but what about that ancestor? Did she get married?"
The old lady smiled. "Do you think our family's marquis title is so stable for no reason? That ancestor was the founding empress. The current royal family are all her descendants."
Gu Liyue was quite surprised. So the female general was the founding empress. It wasn't mentioned in the opera. But the time was too long ago. It's already the eleventh generation.
"I see. That opera really got my blood boiling. I really wish I was born in the Gu family, learned martial arts since childhood, and could go to the battlefield to kill the enemy in the future."
The old lady laughed and tapped Gu Liyue's nose. "That's probably impossible. Not to mention that after the surrender of the northern barbarians thirteen years ago, your grandfather handed over the military power, and our Gu family only takes care of the imperial guards now. Just talking about your father's generation, your two uncles really went to the battlefield when they were young, but your father didn't. He grew up in the capital since childhood. Although he is good at martial arts, he has never had actual combat experience. You are a girl, the treasure of our Gu family. There are so many elder brothers, and now it's a peaceful era. There's no reason for a girl to step forward."
Gu Liyue propped her face and asked, "Has Father... never been out of the capital?"
Maybe he had never been out before. When he went out later, he found how beautiful the vast country was, so he didn't want to stay in this corner of the capital.
"Grandmother, I've always wanted to ask you. Didn't you... ever think about looking for me before? I know you didn't know about my existence, but parents always have descendants. Don't you miss your descendants?"
The old lady's eyes immediately turned red. She reached out and hugged Gu Liyue, looking at her lovingly. She was extremely happy in her heart. Her granddaughter's asking like this meant that she was no longer reserved and really regarded them as her closest relatives.
"It's because..."
Just as she was about to speak, the carriage suddenly shook violently. If Gu Liyue hadn't been quick - eyed and quick - handed to support the old lady, the two of them would have fallen. But Gu Liyue knelt on the ground because of this support, and her hand was also scratched when it touched the carriage wall.
"Gu Liyue, you're so heartless. We of the Liu family raised you, but now that you're back in the Gu family, do you just forget about us?"