Chapter 312: Entering the Palace

Gu Huaizhi’s expression remained unchanged. He didn’t say a word, only reached out to gently pat Gu Jingyun on the head.

Gu Jingyun sniffled and asked in a muffled voice, “When are you sending me off?”

Gu Huaizhi paused for a moment.

“Is it today?”

“Yes.”

Gu Jingyun said nothing.

The atmosphere was heavy, and everyone’s mood was weighed down with sorrow.

After a moment, Gu Jingyun let go of Gu Huaizhi, jumped down, and ran toward Mother Gu. He took her hand and led her into the house, closing the door behind them.

“Jingyun,” Mother Gu said, having heard what he said and understood the choice he had made. She pulled him into her arms. “Mother is in the capital. If you miss us, just come back and visit.”

Gu Jingyun clenched his small fists tightly, desperately holding back his tears. His throat felt stuffed with cotton, so choked up he couldn’t make a sound—it was stifling and swollen with emotion.

“Mother, don’t cry,” he said, using his sleeve to wipe away her tears. He tugged the corners of his mouth into a smile, trying to force one out. But the tears he had held back for so long came out with it. “You’re right. Going back to my birth mother means one more person to love me. From now on, I’ll be a noble little prince, and I’ll bring you into the palace to enjoy a life of comfort.”

Mother Gu wanted to say something, but Gu Jingyun stopped her. “My teacher said: the grace of giving birth is greater than man, and the grace of raising is greater than the heavens. Among all virtues, filial piety comes first. Without my birth mother’s gift of life, I wouldn’t exist in this world. Without your nurturing, I wouldn’t have grown up safely. I have two mothers, and I will devote myself to honoring both of you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be just fine. Big Brother will protect me.” Gu Jingyun had cried so much that his eyes were red and swollen, stinging painfully. “You have to wait for me. Wait for me to bring you and Third Sister into the palace.”

“All right, Mother will wait for you.” Mother Gu forced a smile, her eyes full of tenderness. “I haven’t read much and don’t understand big principles. I just know that whoever treats us well, we repay them ten, a hundred times over. You must remember, a kind mother begets a filial son. If your birth mother doesn’t treat you well, don’t force yourself to endure it.”

Gu Jingyun nodded hard and said in a childlike tone, “I want to eat the noodles you make.”

“I’ll make it for you,” Mother Gu said, wiping away her tears. She opened the door and asked Su Wan, who was standing outside, “Where’s the kitchen?”

“I’ll take you there.” Su Wan glanced at Gu Jingyun, who had his back to the door, pressed her lips together, and then led Mother Gu toward the kitchen.

Gu Huaizhi wanted to go in and say a few things to Gu Jingyun, but Jingyun snapped like a bristling cat, fierce and defensive: “Don’t come in! I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“Uh…” Gu Huaizhi was helpless and turned to glance at Gu Baozhu, who was leaning against the doorframe.

The next moment, a hand yanked Gu Baozhu into the room, and with a loud bang, the door was slammed shut.

Gu Huaizhi stared at the tightly closed door for a while before turning and heading to the study.

Mo Yuan reported everything that had happened at the Gu Residence: “The Empress Dowager’s deathsworn guards were wiped out, but one slipped away and entered the palace to report the news. Cao Guangyi, acting on the Empress Dowager’s orders, searched the Gu Residence under the charge of treason.”

Seated in the grand teacher’s chair, Gu Huaizhi picked up a brush and wrote a letter, then handed it to Mo Yuan. “Take this to Censor Meng—submit a joint memorial accusing Cao Guangyi and the Empress Dowager.”

“Tomorrow’s morning court?”

“Submit it when Jingyun is being sent into the palace, catch them off guard so they’ll be too distracted to interfere,” Gu Huaizhi said as he leaned back, his fingers resting on the armrest. His gaze fell upon the peach tree in the courtyard, its blossoms already faded, replaced by tender, unripe fruit. “Have the items been moved and buried properly?”

“They’ve been buried.”

Gu Huaizhi nodded, gave a few more instructions, then waved Mo Yuan away.

After bathing and freshening up, Gu Huaizhi donned a crown hat edged with golden threads and changed into a crimson official robe embroidered with immortal cranes. A jade belt fastened at his waist, he made his way to the front hall.

Standing at the entrance of the front hall, Su Wan caught sight of Gu Huaizhi walking over at a leisurely pace from afar. Sunlight bathed him in its glow—bright and radiant like the sun and moon nestled close, solemn and poised like the wind beneath pine trees. His bearing was refined and noble, bright and upright.

It was the first time she had seen him in official robes, and an unfamiliar feeling surged in her heart.

“What are you thinking about?” Gu Huaizhi stood before her and waved a hand in front of her eyes.

“Nothing,” Su Wan said, her eyes fixed on his official robe. “After breakfast, are you personally escorting Jingyun to the palace?”

“Yes.”

“Shall I go with you?”

“No need,” Gu Huaizhi said in a low voice. “In a little while, take Mother and Third Sister back to the Gu Residence. Someone will come knocking.”

“All right,” Su Wan replied. She was curious herself to see what had become of the Gu Residence.

“That residence can no longer be lived in. If someone offers you a place, just accept it,” Gu Huaizhi instructed.

“All right,” Su Wan replied without asking further and walked in with him. “Let’s have breakfast first, it’ll get cold soon.”

Gu Huaizhi nodded.

The other three members of the Gu family were already seated at the table.

Today was Gu Jingyun’s last breakfast at the Gu household. The meal was lavish, but no one had an appetite.

Only Gu Jingyun was hugging a large bowl, slurping down noodles. His cheeks were puffed out as he drank a few sips of soup and, in just a few bites, finished off a simple bowl of chicken broth noodles with scallions.

As if still not full, he ladled himself another bowl of Su Wan’s mushroom and shredded chicken porridge and paired it with corn and date cake.

Not until his belly was stuffed full and couldn’t take another bite did he wipe his mouth with a handkerchief, then looked at the others, who hadn’t touched their chopsticks. “Aren’t you eating? Everything tastes great. Mother and Sister-in-law haven’t cooked in a long time.”

“We’ll eat, we’ll eat,” Mother Gu said, scooping up a spoonful of porridge. But to her, it tasted like chewing wax.

Su Wan only managed to eat a single piece of pastry before losing her appetite.

Gu Baozhu silently gnawed on a meat bun, her round eyes brimming with tears as she looked pitifully at Gu Jingyun. In her heart, she knew very clearly—they were going to be separated from Second Brother from now on.

They used to bicker and fight all the time, but now that the moment had truly come, she couldn’t bear to part with him.

Second Brother had said that once he got familiar with the place and carved out his own territory, he would bring her into the palace to be his study companion.

Even if she was slow, she still knew that a girl couldn’t be a companion reader for a boy. Those who entered the palace in such a role were all from families of high-ranking officials, while Eldest Brother was only a low-ranked xiucai.

She knew it was a lie, but Gu Baozhu still clung to a sliver of hope, deceiving herself.

Her throat tightened, and she set down the meat bun. Then, pulling out a small scented sachet from her sleeve, she placed it into Gu Jingyun’s hand and whispered, “I made this sachet with the embroidery maid, I want you to have it first.”

Gu Jingyun looked at the tangled threads on the sachet, unable to make out what the embroidery was meant to be, but he tucked it into his chest all the same. “My things, if there’s anything you want, just go pick it out yourself.”

Gu Baozhu shook her head. She didn’t want anything.

Gu Jingyun gave one of her little braids a tug. “No crying, little crybaby.”

Gu Baozhu’s eyes shimmered with tears, and she pouted. “You’re already leaving, and you’re still bullying me.”

Seeing her like this, Gu Jingyun couldn’t help but want to squish her cheeks round and flat. Just as Gu Huaizhi set down his chopsticks, Jingyun reached out with both hands and pinched the soft flesh of her cheeks. “You really do look easy to bully.”

But unlike before, Gu Baozhu didn’t resist or chase after him to fight back. She simply sat there, soft and quiet, letting him tease her.

A sour feeling welled up in Gu Jingyun’s heart. They would still be his family, as if nothing had changed. But in truth, everything had changed. He could never go back to how things were.

The life ahead of him and the eight years behind him were like two sides of a dividing line—one light, one shadow.

Gu Huaizhi put on his mask and brought Gu Jingyun into the palace.