Dressed As a Consort in Ancient Times - Chapter 75 pt. 2

Gu Yun took a long moment to process everything.  

So the food that day had not actually been poisoned?  

No wonder she had taken two bites and felt nothing wrong.  

The Emperor of Yu… What exactly was he planning? Or rather, what did he already know?  

And why was he in such a passive position, having to protect her in secret? Even the officials of the Ministry of Justice were unaware that he had secretly replaced the prison guards…  

How strange.  

Gu Yun did not dwell on it further.  

The most urgent matter now was the peace negotiations at the border.  

She felt that this was something she needed to discuss with the Seventh Princess before making a decision.  

Although, in her heart, she already had an answer.  

“Eunuch Sun, may I have some time to consider?”  

Gu Yun stood up, adopting the posture of seeing off a guest.  

“By tomorrow morning, I will give you my reply.”

Seeing this, Eunuch Sun secretly let out a sigh of relief.  

In truth, both of them already knew what the final answer would be.  

“In that case, I shall not disturb you any further.”  

Eunuch Sun came and went without a sound, leaving the remaining time to the lovers who were about to bid farewell.  

—

Stepping out of the study, a cold wind brushed against her face, sending a chill through her body.  

Gu Yun looked up at the starless night sky, an indescribable melancholy welling up in her heart.  

It felt as though there was no place in this world that was good, no place where she truly belonged.  

If not for the Seventh Princess and Xingxing, she wasn’t sure if she would have attempted to return to the interstellar world…  

Walking back to the bedroom under the moonlight, she saw the glow of candlelight filtering through the paper-covered window.  

Inside, the silhouette of the Seventh Princess appeared thin and delicate, her posture slightly blurred—was she propping her head up, dozing off?  

Gu Yun pressed her lips together.  

At that moment, the trace of melancholy that had risen in her heart seemed to vanish completely.  

In truth, she possessed the entire world.  

The Seventh Princess was the only attachment she had in this world.  

With a creak, the door was pushed open, and Gu Yun stepped inside.  

The girl who had been drowsy just moments ago was now fully awake, struggling to open her hazy eyes and look at her.  

Gu Yun walked over, bent down, and wrapped her arms around her slender waist, lifting her up.  

“Why didn’t you sleep in bed?”  

The woman’s clear, melodious voice echoed beside her ear, flowing into Jiang Libai’s heart like a gentle stream, stirring faint ripples.  

She instinctively wrapped her arms around Gu Yun’s neck and rested her head against her not-so-broad shoulder, her voice soft and sweet like a kitten’s gentle call.  

“I was waiting for you, jiejie…”  

Gu Yun’s lips curved into a smile.  

She lowered her head and kissed the girl’s fair cheek.  

“Even so, you should have put on a coat. The night is cold—you might catch a chill.”  

Reaching the bedside, she carefully undid Jiang Libai’s outer robe and placed her into the soft blankets.  

Then, she extinguished the candle in the room, removed her own outer garments, and lay down beside her.  

The person who was already lying down instinctively moved closer, her small hand tightly grasping Gu Yun’s arm.  

“Gu Yun-jiejie, what did Eunuch Sun say to you just now?”  

Jiang Libai leaned against Gu Yun’s shoulder, her eyes closed as she asked softly.  

In the darkness, Gu Yun couldn’t see the Seventh Princess’s face.  

She turned slightly, raising a hand to gently stroke her soft cheek, and replied in a low voice,  

“Now that Yun and Jin have both mobilized their armies, Yu is unable to resist. His Majesty’s intention is to negotiate peace with Jin…”  

Before she could finish her sentence, Jiang Libai’s eyes opened in the night.  

Her tone became urgent.  

“Father isn’t planning to send you to the border to negotiate with Jin, is he?!”  

As a royal princess, even though she despised the intrigues and schemes of the imperial court, she still had some understanding of what went on in the mind of the one who sat on the throne.  

Achieving peace with the least sacrifice—this was what every ruler would choose to do.  

But she never expected that this time, her father wanted to sacrifice Gu Yun.  

Negotiations?  

How could it be so simple?  

If Gu Yun truly went to the border, she would be nothing more than a hostage used to threaten Jin.  

If Jin cared about this hostage, then all would be well.  

But if Jin didn’t care…  

Jiang Libai’s heart pounded wildly, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over her.  

She knew what choice she and Gu Yun would ultimately make, but she couldn’t protect her.  

She couldn’t stop her from stepping into danger.  

Her vision blurred with tears, and she bit her lip, trying to suppress the sobs rising in her throat.  

Gu Yun heard the girl’s soft whimpering but said nothing.  

She simply pulled her into her arms.  

Neither of them voiced the words, *Can you not go?*  

Because Jiang Libai was not only Gu Yun’s wife—she was also a princess of Yu.  

And right now, the ones suffering were her people.  

She could not selfishly hide Gu Yun away because of personal feelings.  

She could not forbid her from going to the border for negotiations.  

She could not stop her from meeting those in Jin who were, in another way, her own kin.  

The position she was born into came with responsibilities she could not ignore.  

At this moment, Jiang Libai hated her identity more than ever.

If she were just an ordinary person, would she not have to worry about the people at the border and instead be able to pull Gu Yun away from all of this?  

But she wasn’t.  

The person in her arms was crying sorrowfully, and Gu Yun felt just as terrible.  

She couldn’t bear to part with the Seventh Princess, but since she had taken over this body’s place, and now this body needed to go meet the people of Jin, she had no choice but to go.  

Negotiating peace with Jin was one thing, but she also wanted to completely sever ties with Jin on behalf of this body.  

This was something the original owner had always wanted to do after losing all hope.  

“Princess, it’s just a negotiation. I’ll be fine.”  

The night deepened the tenderness between them, and Gu Yun’s voice carried an added warmth and affection.  

“As long as I think of you, I will surely return.”  

Hearing this, Jiang Libai suddenly burst into tears, unable to stop herself from crying.  

After a long while, she wiped the tears from her eyes and sobbed sorrowfully, “Tomorrow is my birthday… Can you… can you stay with me until after my birthday before you leave?”  

“Of course.”  

Under the faint moonlight, Gu Yun reached out, her fingertips gently brushing across the girl’s delicate cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen.  

“This is the first birthday I get to spend with you.”  

And in the future, I will spend your second, third, and countless more birthdays with you…  

In the dim moonlight, Jiang Libai understood the meaning in Gu Yun’s eyes.  

Her heart ached.  

She bit her lip, then wrapped her arms around Gu Yun’s neck and pressed her burning lips against hers.  

Their lips met, fiery with passion.  

All words melted away in the brush of their tongues, and all unease and sorrow were cast aside.  

It seemed that only the touch of a lover could ease their emotions…  

—  

Early the next morning, after Gu Yun and Jiang Libai got up, they sent someone to the palace to deliver Gu Yun’s agreement to the mission.  

As news of the Seventh Prince Consort’s recovery spread, the people of the capital also learned that Gu Yun would be heading to the border to negotiate with Jin.  

Under the gazes of those awaiting news, Gu Yun and Jiang Libai shut the doors of the main courtyard and, without any outside disturbances, celebrated Jiang Libai’s nineteenth birthday.  

Due to various delays, Gu Yun hadn’t finished the ring she had planned to make.  

Fortunately, the plum blossom jade hairpin was ready.  

After placing the hairpin in Jiang Libai’s hair, she kissed her forehead and prepared to depart for the border.  

The border between Yu and Jin was far away, requiring more than half a month on horseback to reach.  

The Emperor of Yu had ordered Gu Yun to leave as soon as possible.  

For this negotiation, Gu Yun was a deputy envoy, accompanied by a lead envoy and five hundred others heading to the border.  

The rest of the party was already waiting on the outskirts of the capital, so Gu Yun boarded the carriage and left the Seventh Princess’s residence.  

The streets still seemed untouched by the war, remaining lively and bustling.  

Gu Yun lifted the curtain of the carriage for a brief glance before withdrawing her gaze.  

Upon reaching the outskirts of the capital, she disembarked and met up with the lead envoy.  

After exchanging a few brief words, the group prepared to set off.  

Gu Yun, maintaining a calm demeanor, walked toward her carriage.  

But just as she was about to board, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.  

She turned her head, just as the carriage driver looked up.  

With the veil no longer concealing the face, Gu Yun could see clearly.  

Seeing the conflicted and uneasy look in the person’s eyes, Gu Yun’s breath hitched.  

“Princess?!”  

Hearing this, Jiang Libai, dressed in a carriage boy’s outfit, hurriedly lowered the brim of her hat, not daring to look at Gu Yun again.  

Gu Yun’s brow twitched as she stepped forward, blocking the inquisitive gazes of the others.  

“What are you doing here?!”  

Since she had already been discovered, Jiang Libai simply stopped hiding.  

She lifted her chin slightly, feigning composure.  

“I’m going to the border with you!”  

Gu Yun felt an instant headache.  

The border was a harsh and bitter land, and the Seventh Princess had been pampered since childhood—how could she endure the harsh winds and scorching sun?  

Moreover, this negotiation was riddled with unknown dangers.  

How could she let the Seventh Princess take such a risk?!  

But Jiang Libai’s determination was unwavering.  

Seeing Gu Yun furrow her brows deeply, she reached out her small hand, tugged on her sleeve, and gently shook it.  

“Let me go with you, okay?”  

“I won’t go anywhere else. I’ll always stay by your side. Okay?”