Proud Feather

Chapter 69 Bewitching
Mr. Gongsun was just a bit of a snob, but Xiao Yu thought about it carefully and replied, "That's a good idea. If I really became a consort, I could gain the emperor's trust and suppress my uncle. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Ah?" Mr. Gongsun, Old Wu, and the servant all opened their mouths wide.

Xiao Yu laughed out loud, and the three of them finally relaxed.

"Sir, this kind of joke is really scary." Mr. Gongsun muttered.

"That was the joke that the master made first," Xiao Yu said. "Others don't know why I'm here, but don't you know?"

Mr. Gongsun sighed, "I'm telling you, the Crown Prince's death is a foregone conclusion. Our most important task is to plan our next steps. There's no point dwelling on the cause of death."

"That's not the case." Old Wu disagreed with him on this point. "The Crown Prince supports the reform of the border army. Who knows if the person who murdered him is motivated by this? If so, the murderer is our enemy, and they might attack us next."

Xiao Yu nodded. "Old Wu is right. Besides, the Crown Prince treats us well. Even that delicate little princess is so angry for her brother. How can we remain indifferent?"

"So you changed your route to the capital for this." Taoist Lingxu said, "Then I forgive you. Come and see your eyes first!"

Mr. Gongsun was delighted: "Master, you are so generous! Wait, are you one of the prince's men?"
-
After resting for two days, Chu Ling finally left the palace.

"Your Highness the Princess is here to welcome you." Gao Mian was slightly excited.

"No need for formalities." Chu Ling put on airs and walked slowly into the Dali Temple.

Gao Mian's mood was completely different from last time. He attentively led the person into the public housing and took the initiative to send the people around him away.

"Princess, I'm honored to be here. What instructions do you have?"

"Don't you want to know what I found out?" Chu Ling gestured to Jiang Shijun, "Show him."

Jiang Shijun responded and handed the case file over: "Please review it, Master Gao."

Gao Mian bowed his head in thanks and unfolded the case file. His expression suddenly changed when he saw it.

Chu Ling supported his chin with one hand, but he was calm and relaxed: "Master Gao, do you regret it?"

Gao Mian was silent for a long while. Of course he regretted it. He had thought that handing over the booklet was like jumping into a trap, but in fact, the thing in the princess's hand was the biggest trap!
Dahuai Temple, Wei family, Jingping Marquis Mansion... clearly point directly to Prince Xin's Mansion!

After a long silence, Gao Mian finally found his voice and pleaded, "Princess, can I pretend that I never entered the palace that day? Consider that you picked up the book yourself."

Chu Ling smiled: "What do you think?"

"I have elderly parents and young children to support, and my whole family is counting on me to support them!" Gao Mian's mentality was a little broken. "My mother is seventy-two years old. She didn't raise her older brothers, and finally had me when she was in her thirties. She raised me with great difficulty, and I dare not let her die young."

"My wife entered the family when she was a teenager. She took care of the household and gave birth to children. She also raised silkworms and wove cloth to earn money for my studies. After twenty years of hardship, she finally found happiness."

"When my children were young, they were raised in the countryside and never even saw their father. It wasn't until I settled down in the capital that I brought them to live with me. We lived a good life there for several years."

Gao Mian felt more and more sad as he spoke: "If something happens to me, what will they do?"

As he spoke, Chu Ling nodded and finally asked, "Are you done?"

Gao Mian had a bad feeling, and his voice softened. "That's all..." "Then it's my turn." Chu Ling knocked on the table. "Although Lord Gao is the only son in the family, he had two older sisters before you. They both married well and were filial to their parents. Your mother is happy with her family affairs and is in good spirits. She's still walking briskly in her seventies."

"Ever since Madam Gao married you, she's been the boss. Your only role in the family is to be a figurehead. She'll take care of everything else, so it's not your turn to have a say."

"Not to mention children. As far as I know, Master Gao passed the imperial examination at a young age, so they were already young masters when they were born. Although they are not as luxurious as those of the aristocratic families, but do they have to endure hardships? Haha!"

Chu Ling pulled the corner of her mouth and looked at him with a smile.

You’re on a pirate ship and you want to escape? No way!

Gao Mian was speechless and could only kneel down and kowtow: "Princess..."

"Alright, Mr. Gao." Chu Ling raised his hand to support him, and patiently persuaded him, "You are also a talented scholar who passed the imperial examination at a young age. Didn't you have any ambitions back then? After so many ups and downs over the years, don't you want to enter the Council of State? Don't you want to go to the Censorate? Zhang Dingyuan and Zhang Ji are not much better than you. Now they are in high positions, don't you envy them? Don't you bite the corner of the quilt when you think about it at night? Now the opportunity is in front of you, if you don't try it, are you still a human being?"

Gao Mian: "..."

"Think about your family. More than a dozen people live in such a small courtyard. Let alone a larger house, you can't even afford to rent one! Your wife, who has worked hard for twenty years, can't afford to hire a few maids even after becoming a lady. Because you can't afford the high dowry, your children's marriages are still delayed. Whenever your lady thinks of you, she scolds you bitterly. Master Gao, are you willing to accept this? Even if you can only be a signboard at home, you have to be a golden signboard, right?"

Gao Mian really wanted to ask, was Her Royal Highness really raised in the palace? Why did she talk like a street charlatan?
After the charlatan princess finished speaking, she leaned back and said calmly: "Of course, the most important thing is, once you're on this pirate ship, there's no way you can get off. Don't dream!"

"..." After a long while, Gao Mian asked, "If something happens to me, could Princess take care of my family?"

Seeing him give in, Chu Ling finally revealed a genuine smile: "Look at what you said, Lord Gao. This dynasty does not kill civil officials. If this fails, the worst that can happen is that you are exiled to Lingnan, and I will hide in my fiefdom and bring your family there. The children will get married and take the imperial examinations. Life will still be the same, won't it?"

So he has to bear all the suffering, right?

However, Gao Mian did have a small tingle in his heart. His master had offended the Central Government, and even his fellow students and disciples had failed to achieve their goals. If he wanted to make a name for himself, he really had to find another way...

"Princess, are you sure?" he asked cautiously. "It's not that I don't trust you, but that... the Crown Prince is not here, so he has to be the one."

Chu Ling sneered and asked, "How old is my father now?"

Gao Mian answered carefully: "Forty-three?"

"How are you feeling?"

Gao Mian thought for a moment and said, "The dragon is in good health."

"My younger brother and nephew are now three or four years old. In another ten years..."

Gao Mian understood. This calculation wasn't bad. The emperor wasn't old, and the crown prince was young and strong, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. Whether it was the little prince or the little grandson, ten years would be just right.

With this in mind, Gao Mian didn't hesitate any longer. He leaned closer and whispered, "Princess, what do you need me to do?"

Chu Ling felt relieved. She took out the booklet and put it back in his hand: "Master Gao, please continue investigating. I'll give you a few targets..."

Gao Mian's breathing quickened when he heard the name she read out.

I am really impressed by myself. I didn’t add even one extra chapter.