TGDS Chapter 86.2

The Good Dad System (Arc 12) Chapter 86.2: (Ancient Times) The People Around My Daughter Have All Been Reborn (8)

Pei Yuzhuo sighed helplessly, “Is there any difference?” She especially missed the light and convenient men’s clothing and the simple updo. Looking at her own elaborate appearance reflected in the bronze mirror as she passed by, she felt a headache coming on.

She did love beauty and had no aversion to pretty clothes, but by now, she had already changed four outfits. Winter clothes were layered and not easy to wear. Different colors and patterns of clothing required different shoes, hairstyles, and jewelry. Changing one outfit took at least fifteen minutes. Then she would go outside, stand there in circles, and let her grandmother examine her…

“I have one!” Xiuyu racked her brains. “The pale yellow outfit makes your skin look fair and suits your age perfectly. It’s very lively. The red embroidered outfit is elegant and noble. No one can look down on you…” She had studied with her mistress, but her skills were not good enough, so she could only say so much.

“Alright, alright, they’re different. Keep changing.” Pei Yuzhu walked helplessly behind the screen to continue her Yuzhu dress-up journey. She wanted to just sit down and choose an outfit, but when she recalled her grandmother’s smiling but treacherous face, she couldn’t help but tremble.

She tried to hypnotize herself, telling herself these clothes were expensive, and expensive clothes are always good… but the hypnosis failed. No matter how she looked at them, she couldn’t offer the insightful critiques her grandmother and Granny Li could muster, pointing out that the waist was too wide or the sleeves were unflattering. In short, as a granddaughter, she should be filial and just consider it a way to entertain her parents.

Finally, she got to the last outfit, and Pei Yuzhuo walked out with light steps. She felt that changing clothes all morning was more tiring than practicing martial arts, and this wasn’t even the complete set! Once she added all the hairpins, hair ornaments, and earrings as her grandmother suggested, she was sure she’d faint from exhaustion!

She went outside, and her grandmother nodded as soon as she entered. Pei Yuzhuo was about to speak when she heard her grandmother’s voice: “Yuzhuo, your father really dotes on you!”

“Yes, Grandmother,” she affirmed, then wondered why her father had suddenly brought this up.

Madam Pei’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “Look,” she said, “he specially had these sent from the border.” She pointed to several red wooden crates stacked on the floor, clearly just delivered.

“Sent by Father?” Her earlier weariness vanished instantly, her smile becoming exceptionally sweet and radiant. The long spear her father had sent last time was said to be a capture from Ningchao, both imposing and beautiful, as was the Ningchao-made carpet. She wondered what he had sent this time. Could it be the goat’s milk tea she had mentioned to her father in her letters? Or perhaps animal pelts he had caught while hunting?

Old Madam Pei couldn’t hear her inner thoughts, but simply smiled and said, “Your father knew you were going to the banquet, so he specially sent over several sets of clothes. He asked a merchant to bring them from Jiangnan. They’re different from the clothes that are fashionable in our capital. Go and try them on and see if they fit.”

Pei Yuzhu was utterly despondent. She could only watch helplessly as Granny Li walked over with a smile and started taking things out of the mahogany box—one set, two sets… five sets. And that wasn’t all. There were also fur collars, lace cloaks, and even a few sets of gold jewelry that were different from the style in the capital.

“Father, you really dote on me! I’m so… so grateful!”

“Yuzhuo, go change quickly, don’t disappoint your father.” Madam Pei adjusted her posture with a pleased smile and continued drinking her tea. Ever since her son agreed to let Yuzhuo practice martial arts, she’d practically wear men’s clothing every day unless she was entertaining guests. It was a rare occasion for her to have a banquet, a chance to properly dress up her granddaughter. She was overjoyed. You see, Yuzhuo was so obedient when she was little, changing outfits as she was asked, unlike now. So she cherished the time and took this opportunity to see her beautiful granddaughter more often.

“Okay.” Pei Yuzhuo and Xiuyu each carried two outfits, followed by Granny Li. Since practicing martial arts, her stance had become increasingly stable, but surprisingly, her legs went weak, and she stumbled, almost falling.

While Pei Naochun was far away in the western city, directing the soldiers and civilians of both the inner and outer city to celebrate the Spring Festival, he inexplicably found himself sneezing repeatedly. He pinched his nose, downed the ginger tea brought by his personal guards, and wondered how he had caught a cold when the temperature hadn’t been low these past few days. He figured his health must be failing, and he needed to be more careful!

…

On the day of the banquet, carriages arrived one after another. Those families with more refined tastes and corresponding social standing had adorned their carriages with all sorts of extravagant decorations—hanging jade, gold and silver threads—spending lavishly to ensure others knew of their wealth and high status. Those who were more understated used the simplest carriages.

Madam Pei had received special permission to enter the palace by sedan chair, but being in good health, she disembarked and led her granddaughter along. Her granddaughter hadn’t been to the palace in the two years since she started practicing martial arts, for various reasons. The year before last, Madam Pei was ill, and her granddaughter stayed with her. Last year, hearing of the war on the border, they couldn’t rest easy and reported to the palace, thus avoiding entry. This year, Madam Pei intended to bring her granddaughter out to broaden her horizons and perhaps make some friends among her peers—a very good idea indeed.

In truth, Madam Pei had always felt a deep regret. If the second daughter of Prime Minister Gu had been born into a family of lower status, she might have supported her granddaughter’s relationship with her. But since she was born into the Prime Minister’s family, this friendship was destined to end prematurely. She couldn’t bear to interfere, and the girl stopped visiting, presumably because the astute Prime Minister Gu had noticed something and promptly ended the relationship.

She noticed that Gu’s second daughter hadn’t visited for several days, and she was unusually anxious, afraid that her granddaughter was upset. She even took her to the temple twice, but her granddaughter refused to confide in her…

Pei Yuzhu, who was sitting upright to the side, had no idea what her grandmother was thinking. She dared not lower her head or move around. Her head was covered with jewels and jade, which were very heavy. Although she had practiced martial arts, she was only stronger in her hands and feet. Her head was not as strong. Although these things looked quite nice when they were on, she felt uncomfortable after taking a few steps. She had to move with light steps and be extra careful.

As for Gu Yuniang, whom her grandmother kept mentioning, that’s another story. When she finally decided to be honest with her father, she mentioned Gu Yuniang’s unsettling gaze and strange attitude in her letter. Her father replied that he would handle it and gently told her that if she didn’t like it, she didn’t have to force herself. Not long after, Gu Yuniang stopped coming. She sent several letters, asking to meet her at a temple outside the city, but Pei Yuzhu simply refused each time, continuing to learn martial arts with Wang Bu’er and the others.

“When we arrive, you can go play with your cousin,” the old lady Pei carefully straightened her granddaughter’s collar. As a titled lady and someone with a reputation before the Emperor and Empress, she stood with the wives of several princes, while the unmarried women were grouped together. She didn’t know many people, but she knew her daughter-in-law had a daughter named Lin Shuniang, who had become quite famous in the past two years, writing several poems that were said to be no less talented than those of the top scholar.

“Okay.” Pei Yuzhuo immediately agreed. She didn’t say much, so as not to worry her grandmother. Gu Yuniang hadn’t lied to her about this matter. For some reason, Lin Shuniang had a lot of grudges against her. Every time she saw her, she would secretly watch her from behind, her gaze seemingly poisonous and very sinister. Pei Yuzhuo, who was very perceptive after practicing martial arts, found it hard to ignore these things. But what was even stranger was that the other party didn’t do anything.

She had mentioned this matter to her father once. Her father only said that once she was with her cousin, she had to be careful. If anything happened, as long as she was in the right, she didn’t need to give her face. Remembering this, she became more vigilant.

Soon, they arrived at the Imperial Garden. Pei Yuzhuo separated from her grandmother and quickly found Lin Shuniang. They sat down and prepared to wait for the banquet to begin. She exchanged a few pleasantries with her cousin. It was clear that neither of them liked the other, but in this kind of occasion, it was always difficult to immediately tear off their mask.

Gu Yuniang was pulled tightly by her sister and sat down. She had been looking around for a while and finally found Pei Yuzhuo. Sure enough, she was sitting with Lin Shuniang. Gu Yuniang cursed inwardly. No matter how capable Pei Yuzhuo would become in the future, she was only an eight or nine-year-old child now. She couldn’t even tell who was good and who was bad. She had specifically instructed her not to sit with Lin Shuniang.

Gu Yuniang raised her chin and sneered inwardly. Lin Shuniang probably thought she was so great. Gu Yuniang had already figured it out. She must have the same fate as Gu Yuniang. Otherwise, how could she casually recite the poems that came from the mouth of the top scholar in the imperial examination in her previous life and even get the reputation of a talented woman? With her vulgar appearance in her previous life, who would believe that she could write poetry? She didn’t even know how to choose what to use. Unlike Gu Yuniang, who was so careful.

“But… Yu Niang, you must be careful what you say and do today.” Sitting to the side, Aunt Gu, with her beautiful features, spoke softly to her sister, very wary, afraid that Yu Niang would cause trouble again.

“Yes,” Gu Yu Niang replied obediently, her head bowed. But she didn’t think that way. Ever since over a year ago, when she found an opportunity, taking advantage of the maids and servants’ inattention, to enter her father’s study and advise him to stop associating with the Crown Prince, her once smooth-sailing life had suddenly taken a turn for the worse.

Gu Yu Niang still remembered being scolded by her father and forced to kneel, feeling utterly wronged. Her father pressed her on why she had said those things, whether she had been misled by someone. She spoke frankly, facing her father who had spent years navigating the officialdom. Even though she had been reborn, Gu Yu Niang still trembled with fear. She fabricated a flimsy excuse, saying she had a dream, a dream about future events, and only mentioned the most important parts.

Although her father didn’t believe her, hearing her speak so earnestly—about the Crown Prince being deposed, the Second Prince ascending the throne, and how he and his eldest son had both been dragged down by the Crown Prince and died—he began to have doubts.

Seizing the opportunity, she racked her brains, recalling the legends she had heard in her previous life. When the Crown Prince’s misdeeds were first exposed, she had already married into another family. Her husband had only recently entered officialdom and had no firsthand information. When he was later divorced and returned home, matters concerning the Crown Prince were taboo in the family; she dared not mention or ask. If her father hadn’t wavered, she would have kept it all to herself. But since her father was interested, she wasn’t about to give up. Gu Yuniang then recounted several infamous incidents, such as the Crown Prince’s cruel killing of palace servants and whipping of eunuchs… If she remembered correctly, these things should have already happened by then.

Then Gu Yuniang looked at her father with a frown and said that he would verify it. In those days, Gu Yuniang was overjoyed. In her opinion, as long as her father could choose the right side, she would have a prime minister father and a promising brother. How could she be like in her previous life, where she encountered a heartless husband and ended up working herself to death?

But before she could even enjoy her happiness for two days, her father returned with a gloomy face. He summoned her to his study and gave her a severe scolding, telling her that everything she had said was completely fabricated. The imperial concubine’s cat was still being kept in the animal park; all the eunuchs around the crown prince were present, and there were no reports of injuries or deaths; even the expenses of the crown prince’s palace were not high at all, but rather very frugal, with no extravagance whatsoever, and no attempt to rival the emperor’s… He believed his daughter and verified everything she mentioned, only to find that it was all false. In the end, he was even invited to the crown prince’s palace. While drinking tea, the crown prince looked at him and asked if this Prime Minister Gu had lost his loyalty. If he did not wish to associate with him, he could go to his second and third brothers.

Would he dare? Could he? Prime Minister Gu immediately knelt down and apologized, saying that he had only heard rumors from outside, and had even given up several of his disciples’ positions to give to the Crown Prince’s direct disciples as companions. Because of Gu Yuniang’s words, he had lost far more than he could ever imagine.

Gu Yuniang naturally wanted to argue further, thinking she had misremembered, but after being slapped by her father, she couldn’t utter a single word. In the end, she was sent back to her room and placed under house arrest. Except for making excuses to worship Buddha, she couldn’t leave the house at all, and seeing Pei Yuzhuo was out of the question! She could only pretend to be obedient and lie low until now, only getting a chance to come out today at the palace banquet.

She had already made up her mind. Since her father was stubborn and inflexible, she had to act on her own. At the palace banquet today, she would definitely find an opportunity to get closer to Pei Yuzhuo. Before Pei Yuzhuo arrived, she had noticed Lin Shuniang giving instructions to her maid, and later Lin Shuniang smiled strangely at Pei Yuzhuo. Gu Yuzhuo guessed that Lin Shuniang was also a reincarnated person, and she knew that Lin Shuniang was most likely trying to harm Pei Yuzhuo. Heh, with her there, Lin Shuniang wouldn’t succeed!

This was also a good opportunity to show her face to Pei Yuzhuo again.

“Cousin, can you come with me to the garden?” Lin Shuniang’s face was pale, and she clutched her chest in a pose. “I’ve been in poor health since I was little. Perhaps because there are too many people, my chest feels a little tight. I want to go somewhere less crowded to catch my breath.”