like pearl and jade

42

“Father, Mother.” Gu Ru Jiu walked into the main courtyard and bowed to her parents. Then she bent her knees slightly towards her eldest brother, her second brother and her second sister-in-law. Everyone in the family sitting seriously like this made her feel puzzled. Nothing special had happened in the capital recently, so why were they all so serious?

“Jiu Jiu, come here. Sit down to speak.” Gu Chang Ling, under the gaze of his entire family, was emotional. “Next month, you come of age. This father thinks of the year you were born, you were a wrinkly little ball. Fifteen years passed in the blink of an eye.”

Gu Ru Jiu felt her heart warm up. She stood and bowed deeply to Yang shi and Gu Chang Ling. “Thank you, Father, Mother, for raising me.”

“Parents raise their children in hopes of their health and growth. Children thank their parents for raising them. As parents, we thank our children for coming to our lives.” Yang shi‘s eyes turned slightly red. She used a small smile to disguise her emotions. “So in the future, do not say such words. There is no need for thanks between parents and children.”

“Yes.” Gu Ru Jiu nodded with a smile. She walked next to Yang shi, crouched down and looked up at her mother. “Mother, what is it?”

“I am fine. But you are growing up by the day, and are at an age when you can leave the house. This mother cannot bear it.” Yang shi wiped away the water from the corners of her eyes and reached out to touch Gu Ru Jiu’s forehead. “There is something I haven’t told you. I wanted to tell you the day after, but then the news of Prince Cheng came that day. His Majesty was going to mourn for Prince Cheng for seven months, so I could not mention the matter.”

She looked at her daughter’s perplexed expression and knew that the imperial family had not spoken of this matter to her daughter on her trips to the palace. As a result, her unwillingness decreased greatly. Fortunately, the emperor knew the rules and they had not privately confirmed their marriage.

“The imperial family asked Mistress Hu to come propose a marriage to our family.” Yang shi‘s tone was slow. She clearly did not want to mention this matter to Gu Ru Jiu. “His Majesty wants to marry you and make you empress.”

Gu Ru Jiu’s mind was overwhelmed. Her as empress? This was Jin Yang’s intention?

In the last half year, she had not seen Jin Yang many times. At the start of spring this year, the third day of the third month, she had made two pouches for good fortune and longevity to bring into the palace. Because His Majesty had been mourning for Prince Cheng and she was female, she had bid farewell after a few words.

Later, she had seen Jin Yang at Kangquan Place two times. While Jin Yang had seen her onto the carriage each time, she came and left hurriedly. She had never thought that Jin Yang would have such thoughts.

“I hear that this is His Majesty’s intention.” Yang shi saw her disbelief and sighed. “Your father and I thought, if you are unwilling, we will find a reason to refuse this marriage. Other than us, the Hu family, the empress dowager and His Majesty, no one else knows of this.”

“Let me think.” Gu Ru Jiu stood up dazedly and sat down on a chair. The imperial family had spoken, so how could it be refused so easily? Her mother spoke so easily in order to comfort her emotions, but she was not an ignorant child. How could she not know the powerful connections in here?

The other members of her family saw this and could not bear it. Hu shi whispered, “Little Sister-in-law, what do you think of His Majesty?”

“He… treats me very well.” Gu Ru Jiu thought for a moment. “He never abuses his status and is extremely careful and considerate. Brother, you treat me just like he does.”