Chapter 22 – A Different Kind of Girl

Gong Che had only noticed Gong Jue’s presence when the bloodstained prince arrived at the inner palace begging for help; at that time, he felt quite jealous of the Ninth Prince’s martial arts. However Gong Che didn’t take his brother’s pleas for help seriously. Finally, when he followed the ragged prince and the crowd to the Cold Palace, he couldn’t help but feel shaken at the sight of the desolate courtyard. Gong Che frowned as he stared at the scattered blood on the ground.

The courtyard gate was left ajar, revealing the dimly lit Cold Palace; its yard was littered with corpses that intermingled with puddles of rain water, creating a hellish scene!

Under the dim lanterns, a girl who sat alone on the bench slightly moved. Her wet hair was dripping in front of her forehead. She raised her jade-white face when her gaze suddenly shot towards him like lightning.

Upon sensing her piercing gaze, Gong Che held his breath; his whole mind seemed to be drawn in to the girl, especially to her cold eyes!

He seemed to sense that the girl noticed him first sight, before resolutely turning to face the Emperor. This scene……caused his heart to palpitate.

How can there be such a girl in this world? She was different from everyone he has ever met—her sword was stained with blood and she boldly declared that it was her right to kill intruders!

As blood splattered, Gong Yi Mo wiped her face without a care, and mockingly smiled!

Under her feet was a body that rested on a puddle of blood mixed with rainwater. The girl was despised by everyone as ruthless and brutal, but when she embraced her younger brother in her arms, the crowd couldn’t help but feel guilt and shame.

She laughed and spoke with the Emperor.

She even proudly asked him for a reward.

It was no wonder that Father Emperor would like her. Such a beautiful, tough, and charismatic girl…….he…also likes her.

This idea only lasted a moment, before Gong Che shook his head to dismiss such thoughts. He recalled that his mother had just cursed the girl as a “bastard child” so he turned to the Empress and gave her a few reassuring words. When the Empress finally calmed down, Gong Che smiled at his mother and went on his way. By that time, the sky had begun to brighten.

Xiao Qiao, who led the way with a lantern, looked back at the thoughtful Crown Prince behind him. He sighed in his heart. The Crowned Prince Gong Che was a good prince. However he was being neglected just because two favored imperial concubines were outshining the Queen. Rivaling Liu Xian Fei’s son wasn’t easy, and now the beloved Concubine Li recently gave birth to a prince, leaving two princes to rival Gong Che for the throne.

“Is there any news from the Taiji Palace?

Upon hearing the Prince’s voice, Xiao Qiao looked up in surprise. He shook his head and said in a hushed tone, “I heard that the princess’ injury was very heavy. I’m afraid there hasn’t been any news for the past couple days.”

That small figure who stood proudly before the emperor was his royal sister. As he thought of the injured girl, he decided to send her a bottle of jade ointment the next time he visits. Hopefully it would help cure her deep scars.

….

Ten days had passed before Gong Yi Mo finally woke up.

She blinked in surprise when she saw the thin Gong Jue standing before her. Even more shocking were his darkened, prominent eyes!

“What were you doing!”

“Sister Gong! You’re awake!”

The boy’s voice sounded hoarse and terrible, and his eyes were bloodshot! He looked even worse than the princess who had been lying in bed for more than ten days! Gong Yi’s hand began to ache from his tight grasp so she glared at him. “You bloody kid, I’m going to starve to death!”

After she spoke, Gong Jue quickly ran to get her a meal. His movements were suddenly so lively and energetic, having no resemblance to his earlier bleak appearance. It was as if he was injected with an endless amount of vigor.

As Gong Yi Mo watched the small figure dash out of the house, she helplessly smiled, but her heart felt warmth.

“It was so hard to fatten him up……now he’s so thin.”

Because the Emperor forbade anyone from visiting, Gong Yi Mo felt very comfortable and rested for the next two days.

At this time, Gong Jue stared at his sister while she ate the meal that he brought. She smiled with content, “Now this is what you call a delicacy! What the h*** were we eating before!”

As Gong Jue glanced at the exquisite dishes, he didn’t think they were that delicious. The best tasting food in his memories was the chicken leg that they shared for the first time. Since then, whatever sister Gong said tasted good was the same for him.

“You should eat more!”

Gong Yi Mo pinched Gong Jue’s cheeks which had lost meat for the past half a month. “Children need to eat more so they can be cute.”

Gong Jue put down his chopsticks and turned to her. “I am not a child.”

Gong Yi Mo rolled her eyes. She then picked up her chopsticks and pointed at him, “Don’t be so slow, you be like this big sister and eat your food quickly!”

Is she trying to raise a pig? Gong Jue couldn’t help but sigh again. For Sister Gong, as long as she can eat and sleep well, she was quite content. And for him, long as he can see her lively smile, it didn’t matter what he ate.

When they finished their meal, Gong Jue left for class, since he had now joined the Imperial College. Because he had no foundation for this Dynasty’s texts, he had to start from the very beginning. Also, Gong Yi Mo was very seriously injured so he had to take lessons from her slowly.

Gong Jue never would have imagined that not long after he left, an unexpected visitor would arrive at the Taiji Palace. Gong Che had received the emperor’s permission to enter. He knew that his father used such measures simply to protect Gong Yi Mo, but such a strict protection can also cause envy. Gong Che shook away these thoughts then took a step inside.

When it comes to Gong Che, Gong Yi Mo harbored complicated feelings. In the past, she had risked her life for his sake, and yet he gave his heart to another woman. In this world, instead of being the adopted sister, she decided to remain as his real sister. As long as she never reveals the secret of her origins, she could remain as Gong Che’s “biological” sister for a lifetime.

The circumstances of their meeting this time was vastly different, and Gong Yi Mo still didn’t know how she should treat him. With contempt?

She didn’t want to rashly make enemies in the palace, especially since this would only further complicate things. Gong Yi Mo didn’t want to make a decision without thinking things through!

After some considerations, Gong Yi Mo reached a conclusion. Who cares what Gong Che and Su Miaolan do together in the future? Now that she has latched on to the future regent’s thigh, the option of hugging onto the future Emperor’s leg** meant nothing to her anymore. After making up her mind, Gong Yi smiled at him sweetly; she never would have thought that she could feel so free and at ease, to the extent that she was crazy enough to think like this.

(**translator’s note: Gong Che was the Emperor in her past life….she’s saying she doesn’t need to rely on his faction anymore to live well)

Now that Gong Yi Mo had matured a little, her inherited snow white skin, along with her bright smile were enough to confuse Gong Che. He felt an unprecedented emotion rise within his heart. It was hard to imagine that this lively girl was that same the demoness who murdered from that night.

Gong Yi Mo’s bright smile was so cute that he couldn’t help but reach out and touch her head. The little girl’s well-behaved appearance was enough to soften his heart. Although she was forced to grow tough in the Cold Palace, she still somehow learned how to be fun with those around her. Such a good girl can really make people like her.

“Is it ok if I address the Crowned Prince as brother?”

Thinking that the boy who just petted her would no longer have a deep relation to her anyways, she didn’t mind asking cutely as a little sister. Gong Che smiled gently, “Of course you can! As one of the emperor’s princes, according to rank, I am your Third Brother.”

Gong Yi Mo held her breath, allowing her cheeks to turn a little red, and continued to act cute. “Good! I have another brother now, and Crowned Prince brother looks really nice. You’re one of the most handsome people I’ve ever seen!”

Gong Yi Mo wasn’t lying at all. Emperor Gong’s harem was only filled with beauties, and among the children, Gong Jue and Gong Che were the most handsome.