Rebirth of a Lost Nation: Princess, Please Respect Yourself

Fengquan was more pragmatic than Songyue and reminded Jiang Lige, "The Crown Prince's coming-of-age ceremony is tomorrow morning. Princess must leave for the capital this afternoon at the latest, otherwise she might not be able to make it in time for the ceremony tomorrow."

How could Jiang Lige not know this?

However, Jiang Lige really didn't want to give up this opportunity.

Jiang Lige thought about it, sighed, and waved his hand.

"Let me think about it first."

With this thought, time was delayed until the afternoon. Probably because Jiang Lige still hadn't returned to the palace, Empress Dowager Jiang couldn't sit still anymore and specially sent someone to pick up Jiang Lige.

The huge number of carriages blocked the way into the temple. The nanny who came to "invite people" was the most capable nanny Kong beside the Queen Mother. Even if Jiang Lige wanted to shirk and delay, there was no room for him to do so.

Nanny Kong came here on orders, but she would not spoil Jiang Lige like Fengquan and Songyue did.

As the sky gradually darkened, Nanny Kong stood in the courtyard and with a few light words she found Jiang Lige's soft spot.

"Princess, it's getting late. You should return to the palace. If you're late, the Empress will definitely use the rules to criticize you, saying that the Empress Dowager isn't strict enough in her discipline."

Jiang Lige was most reluctant to see Empress Dowager Jiang implicated because of his own fault.

Therefore, Jiang Lige had no choice but to nod and said, "Madam Kong, Zhaohua has an old friend in the temple. He should go and say hello before leaving."

"In that case, I will go out and wait."

Jiang Lige agreed obediently, and Nanny Kong naturally would not make things difficult for her. She waved her hand and left with a group of palace maids, leaving the place to Jiang Lige.

When he stepped into the backyard wing again, there were still two maids guarding the door. Seeing Jiang Lige, they first bowed respectfully, but the words they spoke were not polite at all.

"The old lady is ill and cannot see guests. Princess Zhaohua, please go back."

Smelling the smell of fireworks in the air, Jiang Lige didn't even glance at the women, but sneered and ridiculed:

"Before she deceived me, she didn't even put out the incense in the courtyard. Old Madam Gu really didn't treat Zhaohua as an outsider."

A soft sigh was heard from the courtyard, the old voice still steady.

"As the saying goes, leave a way out for future encounters. Princess, why are you forcing me so hard?"

"Does Old Lady Gu really believe that you will be able to meet again in the future if you behave like this?"

The anger that had been suppressed for several days suddenly erupted at this moment. Her tone was no longer as gentle as before, and her beautiful eyes were sharp. She took advantage of the gatekeeper's unpreparedness and kicked the gate open with one kick.

Sure enough, Old Lady Gu was kneeling on a mat with burning incense in front of her.

"After hiding for so many years, haven't you hidden enough, old lady?"

Jiang Lige was so angry that he strode forward with a sullen face and overturned the incense altar on the altar with a cold tone.

"You're not worshipping Buddha, you're worshipping your own inner demons! You treat everything you avoid, fear, and can't face as a wish, worshipping it day and night, hoping that Buddha will grant it to you. Then, you can naturally retreat into your own cowardice!"

After being ruthlessly exposed, Old Lady Gu became furious and stood up, glaring at Jiang Lige hatefully.

"Princess Zhaohua, do you really think that I can't do anything to you just because you have the princess's status as your backing?"

Jiang Lige was not afraid at all and said sarcastically:

"Yes, it's really beyond the rules for a junior to speak like this. If the old lady is displeased, I will accept any beating or scolding she wants. However, I will not say a word less today than I should."

Old Madam Gu originally wanted to drive Jiang Lige out, but when she glanced sideways, she saw that the servant in her yard had already been tied up by the maidservant beside Jiang Lige.

He couldn't help but frown, and there was a hint of irritation in his words.

"Well then, Princess, please finish what you want to say and leave immediately!"

“Before the emperor granted the marriage, I met the prince. At that time, he was not yet the prince, but the eldest son of Prince Zhao’s mansion.

The palace was such a bustling place on New Year's Eve, but he was the only one sitting alone in his seat, with no one caring about him or paying attention to him. Even the dishes in his bowl were leftovers picked out by others.

That night, when Wang called him for the only time, I clearly saw a glimmer of light in his drooping brows, but when he realized that Wang was just making things difficult for him for the sake of the second young master, he sank back into oblivion.

The next time I heard about him was the year he was named the Crown Prince. In order to win the crown prince position for her son, Wang staged a fake robbery that made the Crown Prince hover between life and death for ten whole days, narrowly escaping death.

Everyone knew Wang's scheme, but no one had exposed it. The prince was no fool, he knew it better than anyone else, but he knew even better that he could not defeat Wang.

Because, behind him, there is nothing. No one to support him, no one to care for him, no one…"

Jiang Lige couldn't say any more after saying this. A heart-wrenching pain flashed across his eyes, and was replaced by a mist that covered his bright eyes like glass.

I don’t know if it was because of Jiang Lige’s emotions, but Old Lady Gu also felt heavy-hearted, as if her chest was being pressed by a huge rock, making it difficult to breathe.

"You've never seen him like this, have you?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm laced in her chuckle. "All you remember is that little child branded a 'rebellious son.' For so many years, you and the Gu family turned a blind eye to his suffering, even worse than a stranger. In the name of 'fault,' you've nailed him to the pillar of shame forever."

Old Lady Gu slowly turned sideways, avoiding Jiang Lige's probing gaze, and said in a deep voice: "Everyone must be responsible for their own mistakes, him and me too."

"After all these years, can you say that you have never once suspected that there was something fishy about what happened back then?"

Old Madam Gu did not answer, leaving Jiang Lige with only an old back.

"Even though there were suspicions, no one has ever given him justice or cleared his name. Isn't this enough to atone for the mistakes the prince made in his childhood?"

The smile on the corners of his lips faded a little, but Jiang Lige was no longer as aggressive as before. His tone suddenly softened and there was a hint of peacemaking in his voice.

"The ice is thicker than it was formed in a day. I know it's difficult for the Gu family to let go of their long-standing prejudices and accept the prince, but the prince only has one coming-of-age ceremony in his life! Although the prince doesn't say it, I know he has always wanted to be close to you! Is the old lady really unwilling to give each other a chance?"

"The Crown Prince is of noble status, and the Emperor is in charge of all matters related to the coming-of-age ceremony. There will definitely be many dignitaries and nobles present, so how could an old woman like me who doesn't care about worldly affairs be missing?"

"No matter how noble their status is, they are not the prince's relatives, nor are they the people he longs to see." Jiang Lige lowered his eyes and said sincerely, his voice becoming softer. "Even if I go to see them on behalf of Princess Gu, are you unwilling?"