The next day.
The weather was fine, sunny, and bright.
The streets were bustling with people, lively with the cries of vendors and the shouts of children playing.
Some courtesans from the Hundred Fragrances Pavilion were already standing by the second-floor railings, waving their handkerchiefs and calling out softly, "Gentlemen, come up..."
In this era of peace and prosperity, even the refugees fleeing hardship on the streets were fewer.
At this moment.
A magnificent carriage stopped outside the Gu family mansion.
The young servant driving the carriage lifted the curtain.
A man in a white robe alighted from the carriage.
After stepping down, he raised his hand, and soon, a slender, jade-like hand was held in his.
"My dear wife, we have arrived at the Gu residence."
As Nangong Mo carefully helped Gu Qianying alight from the carriage.
Lu Zhu, the maid, quickly handed over the prepared cloak.
Nangong Mo took it and personally draped it over Gu Qianying.
The autumn sun was not very strong, and a cool breeze blew.
Nangong Mo was becoming increasingly attentive in caring for his wife.
But Gu Qianying, who was being doted on like a "giant baby," glanced at Nangong Mo and protested, "I'm not cold."
Nangong Mo raised his hand and flicked her nose. He leaned in and whispered.
"Who was it that, since becoming pregnant, has been fond of hugging a warm stove, enjoys hot soup, and whose hands and feet are always cold at night, no matter how much they are warmed? My dear wife, you are a physician yourself; surely you know your own body's condition?"
Gu Qianying: "..."
Her body was fine, and the fetus in her womb was also doing well. She was just a little afraid of the cold. There was no need to exaggerate so much.
But there is a coldness that only a husband can feel you are cold.
Regarding this, she was also speechless.
Nangong Mo supported Gu Qianying as they entered the Gu mansion.
Lu Zhu followed behind.
She didn't actually need to be supported.
But Nangong Mo insisted, saying, "You can choose to be supported or carried, my dear wife."
Gu Qianying was mortified and could only comply.
Since the new emperor ascended the throne, the world had been at peace.
Old General Gu, being advanced in age, had retired to enjoy his twilight years at home.
He spent his days feeding birds, playing with crickets, and watching opera.
"Grandfather, Qianying has come to see you."
Gu Qianying, finding Nangong Mo's support too slow, directly took his hand and dashed into the house.
Old General Gu was overjoyed to see her.
He immediately ordered his servants to prepare some of his granddaughter's favorite pastries and snacks.
Then, he instructed them to prepare a richer meal, as he wanted his granddaughter to dine with him.
With some time before lunch, Gu Qianying asked Nangong Mo to accompany her grandfather first.
She then turned to visit her elder brother, Gu Yefeng.
In two days, she was to depart to rescue Ouyang Qinglin, and she didn't know how long she would be gone.
The journey to Demon Mountain was long and fraught with peril, and she had no idea when she would return.
Therefore, she wanted to visit her grandfather and brother.
There were not many people serving her grandfather, and the room was rather quiet.
In contrast, her brother Gu Yefeng's residence was quite lively.
The table in the room was covered with cut-out "囍" (xi, meaning happiness, often used for weddings) characters.
The decorations in the bedchamber were all festive.
And her brother, Gu Yefeng, was currently trying on his groom's attire.
Beside him, a guard was attending to him.
On the floor, two elderly nannies knelt.
She entered with Lu Zhu, without making a sound.
Her brother, dressed in the wedding robe, looked exceptionally handsome.
Gu Qianying tiptoed over and gently patted Gu Yefeng's shoulder, "Brother!"
Gu Yefeng turned around abruptly.
Upon seeing Gu Qianying, the impatience in his eyes immediately vanished, and a smile spread across his face.
"Sister, you're here. Quickly, help me see if this wedding robe looks good. Your brother hates trouble the most, but these two nannies keep making me try it on.
They even said it was Nan Gong Xuan Ning's order. Sigh, Xuan Ning, that girl, is always fooling around. Isn't this a waste of my time? I still have a lot of matters in the military camp."
Upon seeing his sister, Gu Qianying was full of complaints.
Gu Qianying looked at him like this.
"Pfft!"
She chuckled.
Her usually stoic brother had finally met the right person in this life.
"Brother, marriage is a major event in life. Of course, the ceremonial attire must be tried on properly. Also, Xuan Ning is pregnant. You and she have been engaged for a long time; you should marry soon. Now that the world is at peace and there are no wars to fight, Brother, why don't you seize this opportunity to welcome the princess into your home?"
Gu Qianying adjusted Gu Yefeng's ceremonial robe, finding it indeed very fitting.
"Could it be that you don't intend to marry until the child is born? Princess Xuan Ning has deigned to marry into our Gu family; it is already a great honor. Brother, if you wait until she comes with a child to force the marriage, won't she lose face?"
Gu Yefeng took off the groom's robe.
Gu Qianying took it from his hands, folded it herself, and turned to hand it to the nannies kneeling on the ground.
"Brother, when it comes to leading troops in battle, you are a general. But you should learn more about how to interact with your spouse. A man should be more proactive."
Gu Qianying lectured him earnestly.
Finally, Gu Yefeng ruffled Gu Qianying's hair and smiled, "I never expected our little sister to have grown up and become so mature. Brother is very pleased."
Meeting Gu Yefeng's smiling gaze.
Gu Qianying's mind suddenly flashed with her brother's fate in her previous life.
Her heart ached as if pricked by needles.
However... fortunately, in this life, she had turned the tide, and her brother and grandfather were now well.
"Young Master, the maid has made some delicious pastries. Please come and try them; they are extremely tasty."
A maidservant in a pink dress walked in, holding pastries and smiling.
She had entered without being summoned, and nannies were still kneeling on the ground.
The guards were also standing nearby.
Yet, she acted as if she were blind, barging in so directly.
Her behavior was bold, and her actions overstepped boundaries.
She even made a move to personally feed Gu Yefeng the pastries.
Gu Yefeng did not open his mouth, only frowning.
Gu Qianying looked at the maidservant and coldly reprimanded, "Presumptuous!"
Only then did the maidservant notice Gu Qianying standing beside them.
Gu Qianying gave Lu Zhu a look.
Lu Zhu understood instantly, stepped forward, and kicked the maidservant.
The maidservant in pink lost her grip on the pastries, and they fell to the ground.
She knelt on the ground in fright.
It was then that Gu Qianying inquired, "Which maidservant is so ill-mannered?"
"Her name is Bilian. She is the daughter of a poor family who sold herself to bury her father. I took pity on her, buried her father for her, and brought her into the mansion to be a maidservant."
"A bed warmer?"
Gu Qianying asked, half-jokingly and half-seriously.
"Sister, what nonsense are you talking about? Your brother is not that kind of person. Your brother has only Xuan Ning in his life."
Gu Yefeng stated his stance very seriously.
Bilian, kneeling on the ground, had tears in her eyes.
When she looked up at Gu Qianying, her eyes were filled with resentment.
"Lu Zhu, give her some silver and send this woman away."
"Yes, Princess Consort."
Lu Zhu complied.
Bilian cried pitifully.
Her wish to become the Young Master's concubine was shattered, and now she was about to be driven out of the mansion.
As she was dragged away by the guards, Bilian cried out loudly to Gu Qianying, turning her head back.
"Ninth Princess Consort, you first married the Ninth Prince, and after the Ninth Prince disappeared, you shamelessly climbed into the bed of the Supreme Emperor (Nan Rong Qi).
Now that the Supreme Emperor has passed away, you have returned to the mansion with the Ninth Prince to continue being the Ninth Princess Consort. Ninth Princess Consort, your methods are so powerful, and you are so shameless, yet you are acting so prim and proper here? You think a maidservant is shameless, but what about you? How are you any better than this servant!"
Bilian's words shocked everyone.
The guards pulling her were also stunned and forgot to drag her away.
Gu Yefeng's gaze turned icy; he wanted to kill Bilian with his sword.
But someone was faster than him.
"Slap!"
Lu Zhu quickly stepped forward and slapped Bilian across the face.
"How dare you!"
The door to the room was not closed, and the wind blew in.
Gu Qianying had noticed the figure standing at the doorway, not yet having stepped inside.
Nangong Mo!