When Gao Yuexing returned home, there were only half a month left until her eldest sister’s auspicious wedding day.
This year felt a bit strange. Both her eldest sister and Prince Xin had moved up their original wedding date. Perhaps there truly weren’t any suitable good days in the coming spring.
As soon as Gao Yuexing returned home, she rushed into her eldest sister’s room to help her handle some trivial matters.
Her youngest brother, who she hadn’t seen in a year, had grown significantly taller, though he still struggled with memorizing his books.
Gao Jing often worried about this, feeling that his youngest son seemed a bit slow-witted.
Having already foreseen the future, Gao Yuexing wasn’t anxious at all. She only occasionally offered comforting words to her father.
After all, this younger brother of hers would pursue a martial path in the future.
Gao Yuexing assisted her mother in preparing for her eldest sister’s wedding. Immediately after that, she had to start working on her own wedding dress.
Her mother would help her with it.
As an adult, Gao Yuexing’s embroidery skills were quite commendable.
As the future Princess of Xiang, her wedding dress would undoubtedly be the most magnificent one in the capital.
Madam Gao kept an eye on her for two days and remarked, “You never liked learning embroidery from me when you were little. Whenever I asked you to make a small item, you’d mess it up so badly, and before I could scold you, you’d escape into the palace… Yet, who would’ve thought your skills have improved so much since then? Have you been secretly practicing?”
Gao Yuexing just smiled and said nothing, focusing on embroidering the pair of mandarin ducks on the shoe uppers.
Madam Gao was genuinely happy for her daughter—not because she was about to become a princess and ascend to an untouchable position, but because she had found a lifelong partner to share her journey with.
Prince Xiang was very reliable.
Both Gao Jing and his wife were very satisfied with him.
As the days grew busier, time seemed to slip away quickly.
Gao Yuexing initially thought her pace was sufficient. However, when her mother’s increasingly urgent reminders echoed in her ears, she calculated on her fingers. Could it really be that she wouldn’t finish in time?
As the New Year approached, her wedding dress had only been selected and laid out on the table, untouched. In an entire half-month, she had only managed to complete a single pair of shoes.
Perhaps she truly was too slow.
On New Year’s Eve, Gao Yuexing received an invitation to a palace banquet. It wasn’t a personal summons from someone in a high position but just a standard peace blessing invitation, which she could choose to accept or decline. Without hesitation, Gao Yuexing refused. It had been many years since she last celebrated the New Year with her family.
Gao Mingdong, once a small potato, had now grown into a little winter melon. Every day, after eating and sleeping well, he would recharge his energy and begin running wild in the garden. Not even the blanket of snow could keep him from staying indoors.
One day, when Gao Yuexing found herself with some free time, she thought this little one was far too energetic and decided to find something to occupy him. She went into the family study and pulled out a copy of The Six Secret Teachings to read aloud to Gao Mingdong.
Though she didn’t understand military strategies, she could read. Taking advantage of the good sunlight outside, she moved a chair to the veranda, sat down after tiring from embroidery, and called Gao Mingdong over to read sections of the book to him.
Gao Mingdong, with his big round head resembling a little winter melon, looked up at her and asked, “What does it mean?”
Gao Yuexing tapped his forehead with the book and said, “You’ll have to figure it out yourself.”
With that, Gao Mingdong walked off, book in hand, looking thoroughly confused. He disappeared for quite some time, leaving the household in rare peace and quiet.
About three days later.
Gao Mingdong came knocking on her door again, holding The Six Secret Teachings in his hands.
Gao Yuexing put down her needlework, opened the door, saw it was him, and brought him inside. She handed him a bowl of custard and asked, “What are you here for?”
Gao Mingdong held the book up with both hands, presenting it solemnly in front of Gao Yuexing, and said in his tender voice, “The lesson Sister assigned me a few days ago—I have gained some insights. Please test me.”
He was treating her like a proper teacher now.
Gao Yuexing felt a bit guilty under his formal salute.
Test him? Test him on what?
If she were to test him, wouldn’t her own ignorance be exposed?
She had just wanted to give the little guy something to do, nothing more.
Feigning seriousness, Gao Yuexing cleared her throat and said, “There’s no need for a test. I’m not your teacher. If you find it interesting, I can read you another section.”
Gao Mingdong’s eyes sparkled as he eagerly said, “Sure!”
Thus, with no idea what she was doing, Gao Yuexing read him another section.
Gao Mingdong happily ran off with the book in his arms.
This routine repeated itself for over a month.
Gao Jing, noticing his youngest son’s unusually quiet behavior and lack of troublemaking, found it odd. Even more surprising, the boy had started reading voluntarily. Gao Jing went to check on him and discovered that he had been treating The Six Secret Teachings like a precious treasure, hiding it away.
After inquiring about the situation and understanding the whole story, Gao Jing could only sigh.
At dinner, Gao Jing asked Gao Yuexing a few questions about what Gao Mingdong had gained from reading the military text.
Baffled, Gao Yuexing replied, “How would I know? I don’t understand it myself. I was just keeping him entertained.”
Gao Jing pondered for a long time before saying, “Since you don’t understand, don’t mislead him. Tomorrow, I’ll find him a proper teacher.”
Their father had always been open-minded and didn’t think having a child skilled in martial arts would disgrace their scholarly family.
So Gao Yuexing went back to embroidering her wedding dress.
A few days later, the family noticed that Gao Mingdong was nowhere to be found. After some inquiries, they learned that their father had sent him to Zheng Qianye’s care.
Their father always gave careful thought to his plans for his children and chose only the best for them.
Gao Yuexing sighed a hundred times over.
A few more days passed, and after the start of spring, it was her birthday.
The days passed slowly. In truth, there was nothing particularly special about her birthday. She rarely mingled in the circle of noble ladies in the capital and knew few people her age. With her marriage already arranged, she had no lingering worries. She shut her doors, stayed in her boudoir, and lived without a single troublesome thought.
Moreover, everyone knew she was busy. Any invitations to flower banquets were accompanied by simple cards, leaving it up to her to decide. No one ever forced her to attend.
Gao Yuexing declined as many invitations as she could.
She did, however, receive quite a number of birthday gifts.
Gao Yuexing personally oversaw the inventory, accompanied by her maidservants. She sorted the gifts: those she could use herself, she set aside; the valuable ones, she stored carefully; and some suitable ones, she reserved for regifting to appropriate acquaintances as part of social exchanges.
As she neared the end of the inventory, a flat little box appeared, labeled as being from the palace.
She had already cataloged the gift from the princess—a delicate ivory fan.
Thus, it was clear who this palace gift was from without needing further explanation.
Gao Yuexing held the small box, returned to her chair, and gently traced the patterns on the surface. It was very light, and she had no idea what it contained. She hesitated for a long time before finally opening it with great care, revealing a land deed inside.
Li Fuxiang had sent her a land deed?
Full of doubt, Gao Yuexing unfolded the deed, reading the address written clearly on it.
Located on the outskirts of the capital, it referred to Haitang (Crabapple) Palace.
Gao Yuexing clapped her hands together, closing the deed with a complicated expression.
—This was the very place where she had met her end in her past life.