Dressed As a Consort in Ancient Times - Chapter 47

That smile reached only the corners of his lips, but his eyes carried a cold glint.  

Gu Yun knew exactly what the Yu Emperor, as a ruler, was thinking—nothing more than distrust, suspecting her of having ulterior motives.  

“Father Emperor, the Second Prince abducted the princess, causing her to be frightened and give birth prematurely,” Gu Yun stated the truth, her gaze turning cold as well. “The princess is my wife. Watching her suffer in labor, powerless to help, I could only think of capturing the culprit as soon as possible…”  

Words spoken from the heart always have a greater impact.  

The Yu Emperor was not an emotionless ruler. Seeing the expression on Gu Yun’s face, he could tell that she truly cared for Jia Ning and Zhaohua.  

Once most of his suspicions had dissipated, he asked once again, “But you have no experience—how do you intend to lead troops out of the capital? Are you not afraid of ending up like General Gao?”  

His tone grew heavier as he continued, “Or worse, losing your life altogether—are you not afraid of that?”  

On the battlefield, such things were common.  

Gu Yun sensed that the Yu Emperor’s wariness toward her had lessened, so she chose to reveal just enough of her past to seem convincing: “When I was in Jin Kingdom, I already knew how to read and write. So after being sent here, I often went to small academies… eavesdropping, studying, practicing calligraphy. I also saved money in secret to buy books and read, so I have some basic knowledge of military strategy.”  

After blending three parts truth with seven parts fabrication, she quietly raised her eyes to observe the Yu Emperor.  

“Enough. Since you want to go, I will allow you to hold an honorary title and accompany the army out of the capital,” the Yu Emperor said. He recalled how Noble Consort Yuan had told him that the person who handled Jia Ning’s captor was Gu Yun. This led him to suspect that he must have some martial skills.  

Though he had no idea where he had learned them.  

But that no longer mattered.  

As long as his heart was truly with Yu Kingdom, and he sincerely cared for Jia Ning, he was willing to give this opportunity.  

Perhaps, through this, he could even test how “genuine” his sincerity really was.  

“However, Zhaohua was only recently born—you must not stay away for too long,” the Yu Emperor added. He assumed that Gu Yun had already discussed this matter with Jia Ning, but he still imposed a deadline. “At most, two months. You must return to the capital. Otherwise, if too much time passes, Zhaohua might not recognize you anymore.”  

Speaking of Xingxing, Gu Yun felt reluctant as well. Since the child’s birth, she had yet to hold her.  

“Yes, I will return as soon as possible.”  

And with that, the matter was settled.  

By the time news reached the Princess’s Residence, Gu Yun had not yet returned.  

At that moment, Jiang Libai was sitting with Chunxi, selecting fabric for little dresses for Xingxing. Upon hearing the news, her grip on the fabric faltered, and it slipped onto the quilt.  

She found it hard to believe and turned to Qin’er. “The Prince Consort is going to lead troops out of the capital?!”  

Such a significant matter! Why had Gu Yun never mentioned it to her?! Why was she leading troops out of the capital?  

“Yes, the Prince Consort is personally going to capture the Second Prince. He will be leaving soon…”  

Jiang Libai could no longer hear the rest of Qin’er’s words. Her mind was filled only with the thought that Gu Yun was leaving her.  

Her heart ached, a deep bitterness welling up inside her. “I understand. You may leave.”  

Once Qin’er had withdrawn, Chunxi noticed that the Seventh Princess was clenching the fabric tightly, and she knew that her mistress must be feeling terrible.  

“Princess,” she tried to offer some comfort, “the Prince Consort is going to capture the Second Prince—perhaps he just wants to avenge you…”

Jiang Libai felt restless and anxious. She shook her head and murmured, interrupting Chunxi, “He probably just wants to leave me.”  

Chunxi didn’t dare to respond to that.  

She glanced at little Xingxing, who was still sound asleep, and decided to divert the Seventh Princess’s attention.  

“Little princesse’s full moon celebration is coming soon. Since the Prince Consort cares so much about her, he probably won’t stay away for too long.”  

Jiang Libai wasn’t in the mood anymore. She grabbed several pieces of soft, comfortable fabric and placed them in front of Chunxi. “These will do. Make some dresses for Xingxing, and some hats as well.”  

Chunxi understood and said no more, quietly taking the fabric and withdrawing.  

The window was half-open. The afternoon sunlight streamed in without any breeze, accompanied only by the occasional chirping of birds.  

Jiang Libai walked to the window and looked at the courtyard. The gates stood wide open, but there were only the figures of servants passing by.  

The sky was clear, the sunlight gentle.  

She stood there for a while, and a faint sorrow crept into her brows and eyes. When the familiar figure she was waiting for never appeared, she slowly raised her hand and closed the window.  

She didn’t know whether, after leaving the palace, Gu Yun would return here or head straight to the Jinping Prince’s Manor to prepare for her departure.  

Xingxing had woken up. She seemed well-rested and not yet hungry, lying there with wide eyes, staring at something unknown.  

Jiang Libai walked over to the bed, picked up the small blanket Xingxing had kicked away, and gently covered her again. Then, she took the little hand that was reaching out wildly and softly squeezed it.  

With her daughter by her side, the sorrow from earlier dissipated considerably.  

Her lowered gaze softened, and an unbidden, faint smile curved her lips, adding an extra touch of gentle charm to her expression.  

The moment Gu Yun pushed open the door and stepped inside, she was utterly captivated by the scene before her.  

The Seventh Princess sat casually at the bedside, her smooth, dark hair half-tied, cascading down her back. A few rebellious strands fell against her cheek, accentuating the fair radiance of her skin and the delicate, soft contours of her features. Her shoulders and neck traced an elegant curve, and amidst her natural nobility, there was an unexpected hint of tender warmth.  

It had been a long time since Gu Yun had seen such an expression on the Seventh Princess’s face.  

She dared not disturb her, afraid of shattering this rare moment of joy.  

But Jiang Libai had already heard the movement at the doorway and turned her head to look.  

Her breath caught slightly—Gu Yun had actually come back?  

She had thought Gu Yun would go to the Jinping Prince’s Manor to prepare for her departure…  

Seeing Gu Yun’s tall figure standing at the doorway, saying nothing, simply watching her in silence—  

Jiang Libai’s nose stung with emotion. She quickly turned her face away and spoke softly, “Why are you just standing there? Close the door before the wind comes in and makes Xingxing catch a chill.”  

Hearing this, Gu Yun hurriedly shut the door. She hesitated for a moment before slowly walking toward the bed.  

Her throat was tight, and her voice was low and hoarse. “Princess, I’ll be leaving the capital for a while.”  

Jiang Libai sat by the bed, enveloped in Gu Yun’s presence. The sadness and unease in her heart slowly overflowed.  

“I already know.” At that moment, she felt like she had so much she wanted to say to Gu Yun. But when the words reached her lips, after turning them over and over, she swallowed them all back down.  

In the end, she could only say dryly, “Don’t get hurt.”  

Her voice was very soft, but Gu Yun heard it clearly.  

Was the princess… worried about her?  

Realizing this, Gu Yun’s heart surged with a secret, indescribable joy.  

She reached out, wanting to embrace her. But remembering that the princess had yet to forgive her, she suppressed the inappropriate impulse.  

Jiang Libai noticed the slight movement of her hand—her fingers were long and slender, faint blue veins visible beneath the pale skin. The subtle curve of her knuckles revealed that she was trying hard to restrain something.  

Seeing that the Seventh Princess’s gaze had landed on her hand, Gu Yun simply extended it further and said, “Since she was born, I haven’t held her yet.”

“Can I hold her before I leave?”  

The warm light streamed in through the window, wrapping around Gu Yun. The usually cold and indifferent look in her brows and eyes was now softened by a faint mist, and within the shadows, there was a glimmer of light that was impossible to refuse.  

Jiang Libai bit her lip, then gently picked up the soft little Xingxing and carefully placed her into Gu Yun’s arms.  

Their fingertips brushed, and a tingling sensation traveled up Jiang Libai’s spine. She trembled slightly but dared not pull her hand away. Forcing herself to remain composed, she carefully taught Gu Yun how to hold Xingxing more securely.  

“…She’s still very small. You can’t hold her too tightly…”  

Gu Yun listened intently and followed Jiang Libai’s instructions, adjusting her posture to cradle Xingxing properly.  

The tiny infant was like a soft little bundle, carrying a faint milky fragrance. Occasionally, her tiny hands would wave around, accidentally brushing against Gu Yun’s arm.  

A wave of joy surged in Gu Yun’s heart—this was an experience she had never had before.  

She never thought that one day, she would be able to hold her own child with her own hands.  

Jiang Libai rarely saw such an expression on Gu Yun’s face.  

Watching her carefully yet joyfully holding Xingxing, Jiang Libai’s heart trembled slightly. She couldn’t help herself and gently tugged at Gu Yun’s sleeve. “You have to come back soon…”  

Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly realized what she was saying.  

Her expression stiffened, and she quickly let go.  

Gu Yun lifted her head just in time to catch sight of the faint blush spreading across the tip of Jiang Libai’s delicate ear as she turned her face away.  

“Princess, you don’t want me to be gone for too long, do you?”  

Such a straightforward remark made Jiang Libai’s body tense.  

She lowered her gaze, pretending to play with little Xingxing. “What do you mean, I don’t want you to leave for too long? Stop flattering yourself.”  

“I’m just worried that if you take too long to return, Xingxing won’t be close to you anymore.”  

Jiang Libai’s attitude gave Gu Yun a sliver of hope.  

She looked at her seriously and asked, enunciating each word clearly, “Then, does the princess still want to divorce me?”  

All of Gu Yun’s attention was focused on Jiang Libai, so she didn’t notice that Xingxing’s little head was tilting to the side.  

Jiang Libai hurriedly adjusted Xingxing’s position and shot a glare at Gu Yun. “Can you hold her properly? You’re so distracted—what if you drop her?”  

After scolding Gu Yun, she still felt uneasy and directly took Xingxing back into her arms, holding her securely.  

Gu Yun stood there, at a loss. “I’ll be more careful next time.”  

At this moment, the cold and distant atmosphere between them had faded significantly.  

It almost felt like the harmonious way they used to get along.  

*Knock, knock, knock—* Chunxi, not hearing any movement inside, had no choice but to knock on the door.  

“Princess, the Prince Consort should be leaving now.” She knew the princess and the prince consort must have had many things to say to each other, so she had already packed Gu Yun’s belongings.  

Time was running out, yet Gu Yun remained standing where she was, her gaze firmly fixed on Jiang Libai.  

As if waiting for an answer.  

At this moment, Jiang Libai finally looked directly at Gu Yun.  

A thousand words swirled in her heart, but none could fully express what she was feeling at this moment.

She knew what Gu Yun was waiting for.  

Gritting her teeth, she followed her heart and finally relented, saying, “You’re about to leave the capital. How can I divorce you now? We’ll talk about it when you return. If you behave well, I can give you a chance.”  

In an instant, a gentle breeze swept by, and flowers bloomed everywhere.  

The gloom in Gu Yun’s heart was blown away, replaced by a trace of joy.  

“Then, I’m leaving now.” She smiled slightly and took two steps forward. Without waiting for Jiang Libai’s permission, she placed her hands on Jiang Libai’s shoulders and gave her a light embrace.  

Jiang Libai’s face turned red as she struggled. “Don’t smother Xingxing!”  

Only then did Gu Yun let go of her. She reached out and touched little Xingxing’s tiny hand before leaning in to press a gentle kiss on her soft, delicate cheek. “Be good, Xingxing. Wait for Mommy to come home.”  

The faint fragrance of the Seventh Princess lingered on Xingxing’s small body, drifting to Gu Yun’s nose and filling her heart with warmth.  

The princess did not reject her closeness.  

Sweeping away all traces of dejection, Gu Yun now radiated with renewed energy. “I’m leaving.”  

No matter how reluctant she was to part with the princess and their daughter, she had to go.  

She walked to the door and pulled it open.  

“Gu Yun.”  

Jiang Libai saw that figure about to step out of the room and, in a moment of urgency, called out to her.  

But when Gu Yun stopped and turned her long, narrow eyes toward her, Jiang Libai suddenly didn’t know what to say.  

Time passed slowly, her heart pounding wildly. She blurted out, “Xingxing… Her title was bestowed by my father, and I gave her her childhood name. For the remaining formal name, you should choose one for her.”  

Her formal name…  

Gu Yun lowered her gaze in thought. After a moment, a name lingered on the tip of her tongue.  

“Xingwan.”  

“Jiang Xingwan.”  

There was no more time. After naming their daughter, Gu Yun strode out the door. Her thin and frail figure slowly disappeared as the door closed behind her.  

Jiang Libai held Xingxing in her arms and murmured softly, “Jiang Xingwan?”  

Why did she take her surname?  

Though she had once joked that Gu Yun had married *her*, it had always been just that—a joke.  

After all, to the outside world, Gu Yun was a man, and logically, Jiang Libai should have been the one marrying *him*.  

But why did Gu Yun choose “Jiang” as Xingxing’s surname?  

This question lingered in Jiang Libai’s mind for only a short while before she found her answer.  

A letter from her mother arrived, revealing the truth—before she had given birth, Gu Yun had already requested and received official recognition as a citizen of Yu Kingdom from her father. Furthermore, she had been granted permission to join the royal family as a consort.  

So now… In the eyes of the world, Gu Yun was a *son-in-law* who had married into *her* family.  

It was precisely because of Gu Yun’s new Yu Kingdom identity that her request to lead troops out of the capital had been reluctantly approved by the emperor.  

However, based on the tone of her mother’s letter, her father still did not fully trust Gu Yun. The people he had sent out were not only tasked with capturing Jiang Shen but also instructed to secretly keep an eye on Gu Yun to see if she harbored any ulterior motives.

This matter gave Jiang Libai a bit of a headache.  

She knew that Gu Yun was not truly a citizen of Jin. She was from the stars… Hmm, a fairy? Anyway, she was not a normal person…  

But she was certain that Gu Yun harbored no ulterior motives.  

However, she couldn’t explain any of this to her mother or father.  

She could only hope that those sent to monitor Gu Yun wouldn’t make things too difficult for her.  

As for… worrying? In truth, she wasn’t too concerned about Gu Yun’s life.  

She thought to herself, Gu Yun was probably a fairy, and she even had some kind of glowing magical abilities. She shouldn’t die so easily… right?  

“Wahhh…”  

Perhaps sensing that her mother had left, little Xingxing pursed her tiny lips and started crying.  

Jiang Libai pushed aside those strange thoughts, sat by the bed, loosened her collar, and comforted little Xingxing while feeding her.  

With food to eat, Xingxing quickly stopped crying and focused on sucking earnestly.  

—

As the sky had yet to darken, the army tasked with pursuing the Second Prince was already waiting outside the city.  

Leading the troops was General Zhang Qi, personally appointed by the Emperor of Yu. There were two deputy commanders—one was Gu Yun, who held no real power and was only there in name, and the other was Vice General Song, stationed at the northwestern border.  

The emperor’s orders were clear: since Jiang Shen was heading toward Yun Kingdom in the northwest, they would attack from both sides. General Zhang would pursue from behind, while Vice General Song would lead five thousand elite soldiers to encircle him. No matter what, they had to capture that scoundrel and bring him back to the capital!  

Time was of the essence. After Gu Yun and Zhang Qi met up, they immediately rode off at full speed, leaving the capital and heading toward the army’s encampment.  

Along the way, Zhang Qi cast several glances at the Seventh Prince Consort, who rode her horse without any noticeable change in expression.  

Thin lips tightly pressed together, her gaze was resolute—she didn’t look like one of those spoiled noble sons who relied on connections and sought empty military achievements.  

When Zhang Qi first heard that the deputy general accompanying them was none other than the virtually nonexistent Seventh Princess’ Consort, he was confused and frustrated. But this was the emperor’s decision—he had no choice but to obey.  

So, he redirected his pent-up frustration toward this Seventh Prince Consort.  

At first, he assumed he was just another pampered noble looking to gain some military credit for appearances. But after riding for such a long time, he hadn’t uttered a single complaint about exhaustion.  

Zhang Qi’s impression of him improved slightly—but only slightly.  

In his mind, Gu Yun was still a delicate noble who couldn’t lift heavy objects, couldn’t endure hardships, and survived purely on connections while maintaining a need for dignity.  

His face remained expressionless as he flicked his whip, urging his horse to move even faster.  

Gu Yun merely sensed a slight shift in Zhang Qi’s mood. She had no idea what he was thinking, but it didn’t matter—her priority was to follow him properly.  

Seeing his figure grow distant, Gu Yun also raised her whip and sped up to keep pace.  

Zhang Qi caught sight of him from the corner of his eye and was momentarily surprised.  

He hadn’t expected this kid to be able to keep up…  

He casually withdrew his gaze and paid him no further attention.  

By evening, they had reached the army encampment and joined forces with the main troops.  

Zhang Qi selected one thousand cavalrymen and immediately led them in a rapid advance toward the northwest.  

The ten thousand troops initially sent out under General Gao had not returned to the capital. They were temporarily under the command of Vice General Chen, awaiting Zhang Qi’s arrival to take full command.  

For now, Zhang Qi did not deploy too many soldiers—his priority was speed. They ate while on the move, rested only three to four hours at night, and then continued marching.  

Three days later, Zhang Qi arrived at Vice General Chen’s position with one thousand cavalrymen.  

After completing the necessary handovers, Zhang Qi took the intelligence reports gathered by the scouts and studied them carefully in the main tent.  

The northwestern region of Yu was mountainous, and there were only a few routes leading to Yun Kingdom. Most of them required crossing rugged mountain ranges.  

A topographic map of the northwest lay spread out before him, marked with several routes that General Gao had previously identified.  

“This route is the roughest and most dangerous, so General Gao believes the Second Prince wouldn’t take it…”  

Vice General Chen pointed at the map, concisely explaining General Gao’s reasoning to Zhang Qi.  

After examining all the possible routes, Zhang Qi made his decision.  

He ordered three thousand soldiers to advance along the most treacherous path, while another five thousand would maneuver through a winding valley to encircle the enemy.  

According to the scouts, Jiang Shen’s remaining forces were now hiding in the mountains ahead.

Zhang Qi believed this mission was nearly certain to succeed, estimating that the Second Prince would be captured by the day after tomorrow.  

In another tent, Gu Yun had nothing to do. After casually glancing around, she lifted her foot and walked out.  

She had come here to personally capture that useless fool, Jiang Shen.  

Not to sightsee and enjoy the scenery.  

Following the main road, she arrived outside the command tent and instructed the soldier standing guard to go inside and announce her presence.  

Once permission was granted, Gu Yun lifted the tent flap, lowered her head, and stepped inside.  

“What business does the Seventh Prince Consort have with this general?” Zhang Qi didn’t even lift his head, his tone indifferent.  

Gu Yun paid no mind to his attitude and cupped her hands in greeting. “I have only one purpose in accompanying the army—to personally capture the Second Prince.”  

“I would like to know General Zhang’s next plan. When will I set out?”  

Hearing this, Zhang Qi, who had been studying the topographic map, frowned and looked up.  

“The battlefield is ruthless. The Seventh Prince Consort is of noble status—it’s best for you to remain in the camp.”  

Seeing that Gu Yun seemed determined, he lowered his voice and added, “If the Seventh Prince Consort seeks military merit, simply staying in the camp is enough. There’s no need to endure hardship on the front lines.”  

He only wanted to quickly dismiss this freeloader who lived off connections, so he decided to make things clear.

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