Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

Gu Hua thought for a moment and whispered to Chi Yu, "Send someone to keep an eye on Jiang Duo and his men. Follow them whenever they see anyone or leave the city. If they secretly meet with people from the enemy country, arrest them on the spot and secretly detain them until Zi... Deputy Qi brings them back and then we will deal with them accordingly."

"Yes!"

Gu Hua watched as Zhao Luoxuan happily continued distributing porridge and steamed buns, while the palace maids and servants were also busy and having a great time, and couldn't help but smile happily.

Did she help Mu Junyan?

Would you consider her a capable woman?

After a busy day, Gu Hua suggested that Zhao Luoxuan have a meal at the orphanage. Aunt Mo was shocked when she heard this and strongly objected, but Zhao Luoxuan excitedly agreed.

She said that as a princess, she needed to understand the people's plight on behalf of her father, the emperor, so that she could hear the needs of her subjects.

These words immediately shut Aunt Mo up.

The orphanage didn't have a special room for the princess to eat, so Gu Hua pulled Zhao Luoxuan to eat in the courtyard, while the other children ate at other tables.

This posed a real challenge for the imperial chefs.

The imperial chef looked at the ingredients that he considered pig feed and was at a loss, almost crying.

Gu Hua decided to let Zhao Luoxuan try cooking in a large pot. Aunt Mo was initially against it, but she couldn't resist Zhao Luoxuan's curiosity, so she had the imperial chef supervise her from the side.

Although she was eating with everyone else, she actually prepared a separate small pot of dishes for the princess and Gu Hua, and even specially prepared a chicken to make chicken bone soup and chicken stew with potatoes.

This is one of the orphanage cooks' specialties.

It was the first time Zhao Luoxuan had dined with a group of commoners. Looking at the three dishes and soup on her table, two of which were meat dishes.

Looking at the children, each with a large bowl of rice and dishes but not a single piece of meat, I felt a little uneasy.

He immediately instructed Aunt Mo to use her silver to buy fifty chickens, fifty ducks, and five pigs for the orphanage.

The children in the orphanage were overjoyed and knelt down to kowtow, praising the princess to the skies.

Zhao Luoxuan blushed with excitement; such praise was much more pleasing to the ear than those who feigned concern for her.

As the day went by, she witnessed the suffering of the people and saw a large group of orphans who had lost their parents in the war. Her initial sense of wonder gradually turned into shock and sorrow, and these complex feelings stayed with her all day.

I also witnessed Gu Hua mingling with the people and soldiers protecting the city. She was just a woman, and a concubine of low status, but she shone brightly.

She envied the admiring looks the people gave Gu Hua.

As the most noble legitimate princess, she often received compliments from others, but she had never felt such expectant eyes before.

It's like Gu Hua is a fairy who can bring them happiness.

This feeling is completely different from the feeling of a princess being adored and revered.

A princess's dignity is very fragile.

Even she and the Crown Prince lived in constant fear in the palace, terrified that their mother would be reprimanded by the Empress Dowager and that Consort Jiang would take away their position as Empress.

Although she was pampered growing up, she was often wronged by Consort Jiang's children, which made her resentful.

But the support Gu Hua received was like a tide, one wave higher than the next, never drying up or receding.

Gu Hua and Zhao Luoxuan returned to the official residence after a busy day, their faces flushed.

Although it's winter, the sun was shining brightly today, and they didn't bother to use umbrellas at all. They were running around busily, and their faces got sunburned.

Aunt Mo was extremely anxious, applying face masks and ointments.

Zhao Luoxuan pulled Gu Hua along, the two girls with thick layers of white cream on their faces, leaning against the soft couch reading books.

Gu Hua specially found several miscellaneous books about southern Xinjiang for Zhao Luoxuan so that she could learn about the history, customs, and people there.

Zhao Luoxuan was also reading this kind of book for the first time, and she found it very interesting and enjoyable.

“Sister Hua, I think it’s much more interesting outside the palace than inside. I was busy all day, but I feel fulfilled. Unlike before when I was in the palace, I had nothing to do all day and could only watch the women in the palace scheming against each other.”

Gu Hua nodded: "Yes, they're just bored and have nothing better to do than worry about trivial matters. You see, ordinary people are busy making a living every day, they don't have time to gossip."

Gu Hua leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "Does the princess know Manager Qiu of Linlang Tower? She owns the place herself and is a model of self-reliance."

Zhao Luoxuan tilted her head and thought for a moment: "I know Linlanglou. I really like their jewelry. The designs are unique, unlike the jewelry in the palace which is just piled up with expensive jewels and has no spirit at all. However, I didn't know that the owner is a woman."

"She is very intelligent and capable. When we return to the capital, the princess can summon her for an audience and hear her insights."

Zhao Luoxuan's eyes lit up: "Great! After we get back to Beijing, take me to see her. I want her to make jewelry for me personally."

"it is good."

The two girls chatted excitedly about interesting things, and before they knew it, it was getting dark.

Aunt Mo came in and announced, "Princess, it's time for your meal."

Gu Hua hurriedly bowed and took her leave, but Zhao Luoxuan stopped her, saying, "Eat with me. I used to eat alone, which was very boring."

Gu Hua didn't hesitate and stayed to keep her company.

Palace maids filed in and brought ten exquisite dishes.

Zhao Luoxuan picked up a piece of her favorite pearl meatball chicken with her chopsticks, then frowned and said, "Why isn't it as good as the chicken I ate during the day?"

Aunt Mo hurriedly said, "Then let the imperial chef make it again. I'm afraid the seasonings weren't added correctly."

Gu Hua quickly said, "I'll try it."

She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth: "Mmm, delicious."

Zhao Luoxuan tilted her head and looked at her: "Do you think it tastes better than the braised chicken and beans we had during the day?"

Gu Hua smiled and said, "That's braised chicken with potatoes. Potatoes weren't originally a crop of Daliang. But because they're suitable for mass cultivation and have a high yield, they're popular in the southern border regions."

“I know why the princess thinks the chicken tastes better during the day. It’s because the chicken you eat is free-range from the mountains, and the meat is more tender. Moreover, the royal chef washes the chicken many times and adds various marinating and deodorizing processes, which makes the original flavor of the chicken disappear. The cooks in the orphanage simply make the chicken with salt, so it retains its original flavor and tastes better.”

Zhao Luoxuan's eyes widened: "I see."

"The dishes of wealthy families and those in the palace are probably prepared in similar ways, using too many cooking methods. Firstly, they are not fresh enough, and secondly, they lose the original flavor of the ingredients. When I was transporting grain here, I ate roasted or boiled food along the way. After arriving in the southern border region, I ate fresh ingredients and simply cooked food every day. I even found the large pot dishes I ate in the military camp to be particularly delicious."

"You've been to a military camp?" Zhao Luoxuan was extremely surprised.

"Yes. Didn't I say I also participated in the battle of Shicheng County?"

Zhao Luoxuan's eyes sparkled; she adored Gu Hua.

“Princess, I’ve also learned self-defense techniques. Now I can handle most men with a bit of force.”

Zhao Luoxuan gave her a thumbs up: "That's amazing! I want to learn too, will you teach me?"

Aunt Mo quickly stopped her: "Princess, we are already worried sick about what you eat. You want to learn martial arts? That won't do."

"Why not?"

"Those are all vulgar things."

Gu Hua raised an eyebrow: "Aunt Mo, you are mistaken. My mother-in-law, Old Madam Mu, is the number one female general in the Great Liang Dynasty, and all the maids around me know martial arts. Women learn martial arts only to protect themselves, what's wrong with that?"

Aunt Mo looked troubled: "Aunt Hua, you don't know, our princess is born with a weak constitution and is carefully cared for in the palace. Even so, she still gets sick easily. Today, we were worried that the princess would have indigestion and stomach pain from eating those things outside, so how could she possibly practice martial arts?"

Gu Hua laughed: "It's not good for your health to be too carefully pampered. Does the princess have a stomachache today?"

Zhao Luoxuan shook her head vigorously: "No, not at all. I even ate an extra bowl of rice today, didn't I? Aunt Mo, you're still happy."

Aunt Mo was speechless.

"Practicing martial arts can strengthen the body and actually improve health. I used to be in poor health, but look at me now, I'm perfectly fine. You can progress gradually without harming your body."

Zhao Luoxuan couldn't wait any longer and grabbed Gu Hua's hand: "Then how about I learn with you?"

"Okay, you might be up around 5 AM?"

Zhao Luoxuan's eyes widened: "Huh? 5:00 AM? So early?"

Gu Hua deliberately said, "If you can't get up, then forget it."

Zhao Luoxuan hurriedly replied, "I can get up, I must get up. Tomorrow, I'll find you at 5 a.m. (5 a.m.)."

Aunt Mo and the eunuch stared wide-eyed.

Princess Shuhe has completely changed. She used to be lazy and unwilling to get out of bed, and would even get angry and scold people if they tried to wake her up.

Gu Hua smiled, pursing her lips.

She just wanted to get closer to Zhao Luoxuan and make her feel happy and joyful in Juzhou.

Humans are always comparing themselves to others.

The thought of the joy in Juzhou versus the sorrow of a marriage alliance would make anyone choose the former.

As long as the princess's heart is won, the peace delegation will be unable to negotiate.