"Since cousin is awake, I shall go and see her!" Xue Chang'an walked in directly, regardless of whether others agreed.
Seeing Princess Chang'an, everyone hurried out to greet her, leaving Gu Xiaoxiao, who was already lying in bed, unattended.
Xue Chang'an walked in and saw a pale young girl on the bed.
Gu Xiaoxiao knew Princess Chang'an had arrived and couldn't help but try to get up to salute. Xue Chang'an stepped forward and held her shoulders, "You are a patient now, and I will not blame you."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Gu Xiaoxiao said weakly.
"All of you may leave. I have some personal matters to discuss with Miss Gu alone."
With Xue Chang'an saying this, even if Old General Yan wanted to ask Xue Chang'an to leave, it would be impossible.
Because Xue Chang'an's intention was clear: I, a dignified princess, wish to speak with Gu Xiaoxiao. Do you dare to stop me?
Madam Yan glanced worriedly at Old General Yan. Old General Yan could only call everyone out of the room.
As the saying goes, what is destined will happen, and what is not can be avoided.
Fortune and misfortune are but a thought away.
Madam Yan felt some regret. If it weren't for her pity for Xiaoxiao, who lost her father at a young age, and her desire to have Xiaoxiao marry into the General's mansion, these subsequent events would not have occurred.
"General, Xiaoxiao won't say anything she shouldn't, will she?" Madam Yan felt uneasy, unable to articulate the specific reason.
Old General Yan looked at Madam Yan and said, "Don't you trust your own niece?"
Madam Yan was stunned. Did she not trust her? In fact, she didn't. Previously, she had felt that with her presence in the Yan mansion, Gu Xiaoxiao could not make any waves. But now, with the support of Princess Chang'an, what then?
She dared not think further.
Old General Yan snorted, "I never agreed to bring Gu Xiaoxiao to the General's mansion. It was you who insisted that she lost her father in childhood and lived a less comfortable life than you. Now, you have lost confidence in the niece you yourself raised. Zhang Shi, what can I say to you?"
Madam Yan's face turned pale, "General, are you blaming your concubine?"
"I merely hope that you will learn a lesson from this experience."
"What could I do? My sister knelt on the ground begging me to help Xiaoxiao. What could I do?"
Old General Yan said impatiently, "Stop talking. It has already happened, and blaming anyone is pointless. Be vigilant, and if you notice anything amiss with her, do not hesitate to act."
"I understand," Zhang Shi replied.
"Don't just hear it, put it into action," Old General Yan insisted.
Madam Yan sounded a little impatient, "Alright, your concubine understands."
Old General Yan sighed and turned to leave.
"Your… Your Highness…"
Gu Xiaoxiao dared not look directly at Xue Chang'an, but even as she looked elsewhere, she could feel the princess's dignity. She felt a little scared, a little fearful. This was her first time meeting a princess.
She couldn't help but wonder if Princess Changning was also like this.
Suddenly, she felt hesitant. If Princess Changning was like this, what reason did she have to surpass Princess Changning?
What she had said before now felt absurd and laughable.
"You like the young general Yan?" Xue Chang'an spoke directly, revealing the secret in Gu Xiaoxiao's heart for many years.
Gu Xiaoxiao trembled all over and instinctively looked up, meeting a pair of dark, deep eyes that were like a bottomless abyss, ready to swallow her. Fear, dread, and even suffocation overwhelmed her.
She couldn't help but tremble, her whole body shaking, "Your… Your Highness…"
Sensing Gu Xiaoxiao's fear of her, Xue Chang'an smiled, "Don't be afraid. I am not here for anything else today. I only want to ask you, do you wish to become the young Madam Yan?"
Gu Xiaoxiao trembled all over, "Your Highness…"
"You don't want to? Don't be afraid, tell me, perhaps I can help you," Xue Chang'an asked, word by word, with a curve of her lips.
Gu Xiaoxiao froze. Did she not want to? That was a lie. She dreamed of becoming A Zhao's person, but A Zhao had clearly told her he did not like her and liked someone else.
She was unwilling, jealous, even angry. She had heard from her personal maid that A Zhao had fallen for a princess in the palace.
She was not foolish and knew it couldn't be the princess before her, otherwise, why would this princess say she would help her win A Zhao's favor?
"There are conditions, aren't there?" Gu Xiaoxiao looked up at Xue Chang'an and asked word by word.
Xue Chang'an chuckled softly, "Miss Gu is very intelligent."
"What does Your Highness want me to do?" Gu Xiaoxiao asked.
"What I want you to do is very simple: just be with the young General Yan."
Gu Xiaoxiao gave a bitter smile. "But A Zhao brother doesn't like me, and I want to be with him too."
If he doesn't like her, what else can she do?
"Miss Gu, don't you know how to use methods?" Xue Chang'an asked.
Methods? Gu Xiaoxiao was stunned. She looked at Xue Chang'an. Xue Chang'an said, "Do you think that just by telling someone I like you, and I want to be with you, they will automatically like you?"
Gu Xiaoxiao was startled and lowered her gaze, "Otherwise? What can I do? I don't have Your Highness's status, nor Your Highness's power. I can do nothing."
"No, to kill a person, you must first attack their mind. There is much you can do."
Gu Xiaoxiao looked up at Xue Chang'an, her eyes full of confusion, "Your Highness, what you mean is…"
"You think too highly of princesses. You must remember that in any country, royal power is always the most important. The person who possesses royal power is the most formidable, and we are merely dependent on it."
Gu Xiaoxiao was confused. "This commoner is ignorant and does not like the meaning of Your Highness's words. I request Your Highness to clarify."
Xue Chang'an sighed, "It's very simple. Once we princesses have a ruined reputation, what do you think will happen?"
Gu Xiaoxiao was stunned, "Will we be treated the same as commoners?"
"Even more so. Because we represent the royal family, the more we enjoy, the more we must bear. Once our reputation is ruined, the court officials will impeach us."
Gu Xiaoxiao had never considered such a method, as if a window had been opened for her.
"Your Highness, are you asking me to ruin Princess Changning's reputation?"
Xue Chang'an chuckled softly, "I never said that, Miss Gu."
"This commoner understands Your Highness's meaning," Gu Xiaoxiao said.
"Miss Gu, congratulations on getting what you wish for. I await your good news."
Xue Chang'an left.
Gu Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, she saw Madam Yan entering, "Auntie." she called out.
She knew that in the General's mansion, only her aunt could still show her some sincerity.
"Xiaoxiao, what did Princess Chang'an say to you?" Madam Yan asked cautiously.