Traveling through time and space

"You are really outrageous. You are such a grown-up girl, yet you still act like a spoiled child. Prince, remember, no matter how many brothers and sisters you have in the future, Yuanyuan will always be the most honorable legitimate princess of our Qingyang."

"Yes, Father. I will remember your instructions. Would you like me to let my younger sister pay her respects to the Queen Mother today?"

"Forget it. Let's wait until the anniversary of your mother's death. I still have some free time. I want to test her on what she has learned recently. She shouldn't be idle all day."

"Yes, Father, I will take my leave."

"Father, what do you want to ask Yuanyuan? Please don't burn her." Gu Yuanyuan said with a smile, "Take care, Crown Prince." After bowing and seeing him off, Gu Yuanyuan sat down and saw her favorite shrimp dumplings on the table. She picked up the chopsticks beside them and started eating. "Father, why did you call Yuanyuan here? I'm going to be busy for a while, and I'm afraid I won't be able to visit you often."

"What serious business do you have?" The father looked at his daughter teasingly.

"Your Majesty, the princess said a few days ago that she got some rare seeds and wanted to try planting them in Qingyangdu." Eunuch Shen stepped forward.

“It’s been really hectic.”

"Your Majesty is very busy with affairs of state, so it's understandable that he doesn't remember what Yuanyuan said." Gu Yuanyuan explained for her father considerately.

"Hey, stop bragging. Our climate in Qingyang is very changeable, with significant differences between the north and the south."

"Yuanyuan knows. Yuanyuan wants to try. How can you know if it works if you don't try? Only by trying can there be a possibility and opportunity."

"Okay, Father supports you. If you have any difficulties, come directly to me. I also hope that your trial planting will be successful. That will be a great blessing for the people of Qingyang."

"Yes, father, Yuanyuan will take her leave." Thinking of something, Gu Yuanyuan carried Eunuch Shen on her back and took out pine and bamboo fruit from the space with her mind, "Father, this can strengthen your body." Gu Yuanyuan wanted to ask about the He family, but it was not easy to ask. Forget it, she would not ask. When it is time for her to know, she would naturally know. For the next three days, she did not have time to go back to the princess's mansion. Gu Yuanyuan was so busy that her feet were really smoking. She divided all the land of the nameless farm into different areas, and was still investigating the personnel, only those she could trust. Finally, after arranging all these, she returned to the princess's mansion. She was too lazy to say anything. Nanny Shang stopped Dongmei and Butler Chen who wanted to do something. Everyone served the meal and prepared the bath water. Gu Yuanyuan let them serve her. She was also anxious in her heart. How could they take all the things out of the space so openly?

"Little Maozi, take him back. The princess has been too tired these days. Let her rest early today and bring him to meet the princess tomorrow." Gu Yuanyuan, who was taking a bath, heard the voice coming from afar.

Gu Yuanyuan, having recovered somewhat, thought for a moment and said, "Dongmei, go out and tell them that I want to see Shuanzi later." When she came out, she saw him kneeling on the ground. "Shuanzi, are you healed?"

"In reply to the princess, my injuries have healed. I thank you for saving my life." He knelt down and kowtowed.

"Stand up and speak. From today on, you are no longer Shuanzi, your name is Gangzi."

"I thank you, Princess, for the name. Princess, I have something to say." Gangzi looked at Nanny Shang, Dongmei, and the others. Gu Yuanyuan waved her hand, and Nanny Shang and the others left, closing the door from the outside. "I was silenced because I heard something I shouldn't have heard, which angered Concubine An." The man knelt on the ground.

"Why didn't you tell the emperor that day?"

"I dare not. I am afraid that the people in Qin'an Palace will know that I am still alive. Qin'an Palace has spies planted in Yuanfu Palace. I am afraid that if I stay here for too long, people will recognize me. I cannot make a sound."

"Then why are you not afraid now? What did you hear in Qin'an Palace?"

"In reply to the princess, I will work for you from now on and cannot hide away all the time."

"Aren't you afraid that someone will recognize you again?" Gu Yuanyuan asked with interest.

"I'm not afraid. I have a way to avoid being recognized. I've always been embarrassed in Qin'an Palace because I offended Wei Zhongliang a few years ago." Gu Yuanyuan was curious. Who was this Wei Zhongliang? "Princess, Wei Zhongliang is the deputy chief steward of Qin'an Palace."

"Wei Zhongliang is also a beast. Although he became a eunuch, he is still..." The little Maozi blushed and knelt down. "When I was ten years old, I was punished by my master. I was crying behind a rockery. Suddenly, that beast appeared out of nowhere, pressed me down, and tore my clothes off. Then I remembered that I had heard people say that he liked to play with eunuchs. He tore my clothes and lay on top of me."

The little Maozi looked very scary, "Okay, don't say anymore, what happened later?" Gu Yuanyuan knew that Wei Zhong was a perverted beast who abused children.

"Later, Shuanzi knocked him out with a stone, but unfortunately he was not killed." Xiao Maozi said with gritted teeth.

"If he was really killed, you two wouldn't be here. Shuanzi, you tell the story." Gu Yuanyuan sighed. How much the little Maozi must hate that man.

"Later, Wei Zhongliang kept looking for trouble with us. I never expected that one day, the Imperial Household Department would separate us and actually assign me and Wei Zhongliang to the Qin'an Palace together."

"This princess knows you hate him. Listen to what you say," Gu Yuanyuan said, looking at the two people who were trying very hard to suppress the hatred in their hearts. "One day, this princess will let you avenge this."

"I'm sorry, Princess. After I entered Qin'an Palace..." He choked up again.

"After Shuanzi entered the Qin'an Palace, I went to work for Eunuch Shen. That beast no longer dared to bully me, but he kept beating and scolding Shuanzi. I begged Eunuch Shen, and he also went to the chief steward of the Qin'an Palace, but the chief steward couldn't do anything to that beast. He agreed to it very well, but one time, Shuanzi was beaten so badly that he couldn't get out of bed for more than a month."

"Why were you beaten to death by them this time?"

"I accidentally heard the conversation between Concubine An and a man. I got up that day, it should have been the hour of Chou, and suddenly I couldn't sleep. I wanted to take a walk before going back into the house to avoid the guards on duty. Not long after I walked, I heard someone talking. I heard a few words from a distance. It was a man's voice. The man said that he contributed a lot to the Second Prince's current fate. Without his instigation, the Second Prince would not have ended up like this. He asked Concubine An what reward she would give him. Concubine An leaned on his arms and said,..." Shuanzi was hesitant to speak.

"It's okay, just tell the truth." This gossip successfully aroused Gu Yuanyuan's curiosity.

"Empress An said that she would give the Luo family the entire kingdom of Qingyang, but the Crown Prince is still alive and well, and I don't know when it will be the Third Prince's turn."

"The Third Prince is not my father's son?" This was a bolt from the blue. Gu Yuanyuan felt sorry for her father. Such a big hat, and he wore it for so many years? "Did you see who that man was?" Shuanzi shook his head in distress. "Were you caught?"

"I was frightened at the time and retreated carefully, wanting to quietly return to my room, but I ran into Wei Zhongliang, who was leading the night watch. I insisted that I just couldn't sleep and came out for a walk, but Wei Zhongliang still had me beaten."

"Alright, you both have to remember this grudge. Gangzi, you both have to forget everything we said today. I see you're quite agile person. Right now, this princess has something she needs you to do."

"Princess, please allow me to do this. I am willing to go through fire and water for you."

"It's not that serious, it just requires you to show up in public. Do you have any way to change yourself so that people won't recognize you?" Gu Yuanyuan was very curious.

"Princess, rest assured. I do have a plan. Please tell me what I want you to do."

"Everyone in this princess's mansion is familiar. Once you leave this door, everyone will know you are from the princess's mansion, but you are a stranger. This princess wants you to go out and get some information. No matter which way it comes from, this princess wants to know. Of course, it is too difficult for you to do this alone. You can also recruit soldiers, but you can't use people in the mansion. Your only master is this princess. Qiangzi, can you do it?"

"Princess, I am willing to follow Qiangzi and do this together."

"No, as soon as you leave the house, everyone will know that you are my lover. To avoid attracting attention, you can go to Qiangzi the next day. Qiangzi, remember, no matter what the news is, I want to know it, from the big things in the court to the small things in the ministers' backyards, I want to know it all."

"Princess, I can do it," Qiangzi promised, patting his chest.

"Qiangzi, are you sure you are willing to do things for this princess? Never lie to or betray me?"

"I am willing to do this for the rest of my life,"

"Well, this princess trusts you, little Maozi. You can rent a small courtyard in your own name, not too far from the mansion, and let him live there. Remember not to let anyone know about your relationship with the princess's mansion. One more thing, don't forget to change the courtyard every six months. Qiangzi, this princess hopes that you can be her eyes outside the mansion."

"I thank the princess for her high hopes, but I will definitely not meet her expectations."

"Madam Shang, go get one thousand taels of silver for Xiao Maozi."

"Princess, renting a yard doesn't cost that much money."

"Little Maozi, pick a better courtyard for Qiangzi to live in. The remaining silver is for his living expenses. He works for this princess, so he can't be treated unfairly."

"I would like to thank the princess on behalf of Qiangzi."

"Okay, you guys go down and rest too." After they left, Gu Yuanyuan went into the inner room and collapsed on the bed.

"Princess, tomorrow is the old lady of the Fang family's birthday. The princess of the Sixth Commandery has also sent an invitation, saying that she wants to speak with you."

"The Fang family is really a fight to the death. They really think this princess is a fool. They really think this princess is easy to bully. Madam Shang, the princess will go there tomorrow, and you guys should go down and rest." Gu Yuanyuan thought that since someone was making a fool of herself, she might as well cooperate with them. A smile makes you ten years younger.

"Princess, how are you going to dress today?" Dongmei asked as she was about to change clothes.

"Be more extravagant. This princess wants to see who dares to bully her." Gu Yuanyuan looked at herself in the mirror. Something was bound to happen today. "Madame Shang, when you go out today, follow the rules of a legitimate princess."

"It's the princess. The legitimate princess is traveling with four eunuchs, four palace maids, two maids, and four guards."

"Okay, let's follow the instructions. Remember, find only those who can fight. If a fight breaks out, this princess won't suffer any loss."

"Don't worry, Princess. I can fight alone."

"Girl, we're not going to start a fight. Remember, no matter what happens, you guys are not allowed to leave this princess even a step."

"Don't worry, Princess. I know everything." Gu Yuanyuan arrived at the door of Fang's mansion in formal attire. "General Fang has passed away, and this mansion is really a bit desolate."

"Yes, I hope the descendants of the Fang family can keep this plaque."

"Your humble servant respectfully welcomes the legitimate princess." Gu Yuanyuan had just gotten off the car when someone came forward to greet her. The woman was less than fifty years old and was dressed very seductively.

"Princess, this is Madam Fang." Nanny Shang introduced her quietly.

"Mrs. Fang, please stand up," Gu Yuanyuan gestured slightly, and someone helped her up. "Everyone, please stand up."

"Princess, please come in." Madam Fang, who was leading the group, made an inviting gesture. "Princess, the sun is shining brightly today. I will take you for a walk."