Chapter 300

Gu Rongjin said.

-> Gu Rongjin said.

Pei Di gave him a look, snorted, and walked off.

-> Pei Di glanced at him, snorted, and walked away.

On the way back, the Ninth Prince showed up.

-> On the return journey, the Ninth Lord came.

"May you have a smooth trip, honored guests; I won't see you off far." The Ninth Prince smiled, swept his gaze over the crowd, and added, "I hope we get to meet again."

-> "Esteemed guests, may you have a smooth journey ahead; I won't see you off far." The Ninth Lord smiled, glanced at everyone, and said, "I hope we still have a chance to meet again."

Gu Rongjin politely replied, "Of course, of course."

-> Gu Rongjin politely replied, "Sure, sure."

Pei Di stood at the back of the group, not planning to say goodbye to the Ninth Prince, but his gaze kept returning to him.

-> Pei Di stood at the rear of the procession, not intending to bid farewell to the Ninth Lord, yet his gaze kept fixed on him.

"Young master."

-> "Young Master."

The Ninth Prince shouted at him, and he flinched like a cat caught red‑handed, his whole body tensing before he stepped aside.

-> The Ninth Lord called out to him, and he reacted like a cat caught in the act, his fur standing on end, then he dodged away.

"Safe travels."

-> "Safe travels."

The Ninth Prince repeated it.

-> The Ninth Lord said it again.

As Pei Di stepped onto the carriage, he paused briefly, then turned back and waved goodbye to him.

-> As Pei Di stepped onto the carriage, his movement paused for a moment, but he still turned back and waved goodbye to him.

The Ninth Prince exchanged a few courtesies with Mu Yanzhi and company, then saw them off as they got into the carriage.

-> The Ninth Lord exchanged a few polite words with Mu Yuanzhi and the others, then watched them board the carriage.

Even after they left, Mu Yanzhi never got to see the Qin Prince, and it felt as if the Ninth Prince still called the shots.

-> Until they departed, Mu Yuanzhi still hadn't seen that Prince Qin; it seemed as though everything here was still decided by the Ninth Lord.

He also had a strong premonition that they would meet again in the near future.

-> Moreover, he had a strong premonition that they would meet again soon.

To look after the Pei family, the carriage moved at a crawl, frequently pausing for rest, so the return journey took twice as long as the outward one.

-> To attend to Madame Pei, the carriage traveled very slowly, often stopping to rest, making the return journey take twice as long as the outward trip.

When they finally got back to the Great Zhou, a month had elapsed.

-> By the time they returned to Great Zhou, a month had passed.

Mu Yanzhi healed the Pei family's ailment, the new emperor was overjoyed, and he at once rewarded them with a heap of gold, silver, jewels, and a tablet bearing his own calligraphy that read "Divine Healer with Miraculous Hands."

-> Mu Yuanzhi cured Madame Pei's illness; the new emperor was delighted and immediately bestowed a large amount of gold, silver, and jewels, as well as a tablet personally inscribed by him reading "Divine Doctor".

That very day they arrived in the capital, the new emperor issued an edict making the Pei family empress, meeting no dissent among officials, yet many conservatives still pressed him to expand the harem.

-> On the day they returned to the capital, the new emperor immediately issued an edict appointing Madame Pei as Empress; the court officials had no objections, yet many conservatives insisted that the new emperor should expand the harem.

Of course, the officials headed by Gu Rongjin opposed it, saying the emperor already had many offspring—why need to fill the harem?

-> Naturally, the ministers led by Gu Rongjin opposed this, asking, "The emperor already has many offspring; why need to expand the harem?"

"They already have four sons and two daughters; I truly don't get what those old fogies are grumbling about—do they just resent seeing a loving couple?" Gu Rongjin flies off the handle whenever he brings them up: "As the heir apparent today, I've shut them all up—how satisfying!"

-> "They already have four sons and two daughters; I really don't understand what those old fogies are muttering about—do they just dislike seeing a loving couple?" Gu Rongjin flared up whenever he mentioned them, saying, "As the heir apparent, I've shut them down one by one today—so satisfying!"

Mu Yanzhi smiled while pouring tea for Gu Rongjin: "My husband has worked hard."

-> Mu Yuanzhi smiled as she poured tea for Gu Rongjin, saying, "My husband has worked hard."

"I just can't stand those old fogies' faces; all they do is impeach this official or that, they can't lead troops in battle, nor crack cases or catch thieves—I and Lao Qi argue with them, and they dare not speak up."

-> "I just can't stand the faces of those old fogies, who only know how to impeach this official and criticize that one; they can't lead troops in battle, nor solve crimes or catch thieves. I and Old Qi oppose them, and they dare not speak up."

"The emperor and empress are deeply devoted—a wonderful tale—yet they insist on stirring up trouble in others' relationships, claiming the imperial line must not die out; to me, that's just stubborn foolishness."

-> "The emperor and empress are deeply devoted—a fine story—yet they insist on meddling in others' relationships and claim the imperial lineage must not dwindle. In my view, that's just pedantic ignorance."

"You're absolutely right, my dear; you ought to let them have a good scolding in the hall."

-> "Your wife scolded them rightly; you should also be allowed to rebuke them in the hall."

Just then, a servant reported: "Princess, Prince Consort, a woman outside says her name is Xixi; she wants to see you and claims that if you speak with her, you'll understand."

-> At that moment, a servant came to report, "Princess, Prince Consort, a woman outside says her name is Xixi; she wants to see you, and says that once you hear her, you'll understand."

"Xixi?"

-> "Xixi?"

"The daughter of General Ximo?!"

-> "The daughter of Ximo Grand General?!"

Mu Yanzhi realized she hadn't heard anything about Xixi for ages.

-> Mu Yuanzhi indeed hadn't heard any news about Xixi for a long time.

When the allied forces surprise‑attacked Great Zhou's frontiers, Xixi disappeared, and even after General Ximo's defeat and surrender, there was still no trace of her.

-> Earlier, when the allied forces launched a surprise attack on Great Zhou's borders, Xixi had gone missing, and even after Ximo Grand General surrendered, there was still no word of her.

How did she show up in the capital at this time?

-> How did she end up appearing in the capital now?

Mu Yanzhi and Gu Rongjin looked at each other and headed out together.

-> Mu Yuanzhi and Gu Rongjin exchanged a glance, then went outside together.

Upon reaching the gate, they spotted a familiar figure—Xixi, looking exactly as she had before, unchanged in dress and appearance, as if she had just come out of the palace.

-> As soon as they reached the gate, they saw a familiar figure—Xixi, unchanged from before, her attire just as it was, as if she had just stepped out of the palace.

"Princess! Prince Consort!"

-> "Princess! Prince Consort!"

Xixi cheerfully greeted them.

-> Xixi greeted them happily.

Once her identity was confirmed, Mu Yanzhi invited her in to speak.

-> After confirming her identity, Mu Yuanzhi let her come inside first to speak.

A few sneaky figures lurking outside panicked and scrambled to find cover.

-> The few shadowy figures lurking outside hurriedly scrambled to find hiding places.

Mu Yanzhi had already seen them—Pei Shangling, Lady Deng, and Pei Shanghua.

-> Mu Yuanzhi had already spotted them: Pei Shangling, Madame Deng, and Pei Shanghua.

In the two days since their return, these folks have been prowling like stalkers, showing up outside every few days; they dare not knock, which suits Mu Yanzhi just fine—she'd rather they just leave and not cause trouble.

-> Over the past two days since their return, these people have acted like stalkers, hiding outside every few days; they dare not knock on the door, which is fine—Mu Yuanzhi couldn't be bothered with them, as long as they just get lost and stop causing trouble here.

The princess's mansion gate closed once more, and the three of them felt disappointed.

-> The princess's mansion gate was shut again, and the three of them felt disappointed.

"Did you see us just now, Ah Zhi?" Pei Shanghua said sadly.

-> "Just now, did Little Sister Zhi see us?" Pei Shanghua said sadly.

"Perhaps not."

-> Madame Deng: "Perhaps not?"

Not having seen her in days, Zhi'er seemed to have lost weight; hearing she was pregnant—a time when a woman needs proper nutrition—how could she neglect herself?

-> After not seeing each other for days, Zhi'er seems to have grown thinner; he heard she's pregnant, and pregnant women need nutrition—if she isn't taking care of herself, what can be done?

She figured she should send some supplements to her daughter.

-> She thought she ought to send some tonics to her daughter.

Pei Shangling stared at the shut gate and sighed, "Ah Zhi is pregnant now; it's best not to upset her."

-> Pei Shangling sighed at the tightly closed gate, "Ah Zhi is pregnant now; it's best not to upset her."

"Precisely because Ah Zhi is pregnant, we should be paying her even more attention," Pei Shanghua said.

-> Pei Shanghua: "But precisely because Ah Zhi's younger sister is pregnant, we should care for her all the more..."

They couldn't even get inside.

-> They couldn't even get through the gate.

"Let's first send Zhi'er extra tonics and herbs, so she knows we care—this way we won't upset her," Lady Deng said.

-> Madame Deng: "Let's first send more tonic herbs to Zhi'er, so she knows we care about her; that way we won't worry her."

"All right, I agree—let's do that," Pei Shangling said. "Mom, let's head back first."

-> "Good, I agree—let's do that!" Pei Shangling said, "Mother, let's head back first."

"Well, when I was carrying you, I was careful; a woman's pregnancy is no joke." Lady Deng, the more she thought about it, felt they should pick proper nourishing medicines for her daughter, and she urged her two sons to hurry along.

-> "Hmm, when I was pregnant with you lot, I was meticulous—this woman's pregnancy must not be taken lightly." Madame Deng, the more she thought, the more she felt they should carefully select nourishing medicines for her daughter, so she called her two sons to hurry along.

Inside the princess's mansion, stacks of tonics and herbs sent by the general's couple and the court officials filled the rooms; as Xixi entered, she saw a servant busy counting them and asked curiously, "Princess, are you pregnant?"

-> Inside the princess's mansion, piles of tonic herbs sent by the Grand General and his wife, as well as by civil and military officials, filled the rooms; when Xixi entered, she saw servants busy tallying them and curiously asked, "Princess, are you pregnant?"

Mu Yanzhi nodded: "It's been about three months."

-> Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "About three months."

"Congratulations!" Xixi took Mu Yanzhi's hand, laughing as she offered her congratulations, just as they had done before at the palace gate.

-> "Congratulations!" Xixi took Mu Yuanzhi's hand, laughing as she offered her congratulations, just as they had done before at the palace gate.

But Mu Yanzhi felt a bit uneasy, likely because she still hadn't figured out what was happening.

-> But Mu Yuanzhi always felt a bit awkward, probably because she hadn't yet figured out what was going on.

The three went to the side chamber; Mu Yanzhi had tea served, then sent the others away before asking, "Xixi, where have you been all this past year or more?"

-> The three of them went to the side hall; Mu Yuanzhi had the servants serve tea, then dismissed the others before asking, "Xixi, where have you been all this past year or so?"

Xixi turned the tea cup in her hands and said, "It's a long story…"

-> Xixi rolled her eyes in the teacup and said, "It's a long story..."

Gu Rongjin fixed his gaze on her and said, "Then make it short: when your father launched his attack you vanished, when he surrendered you didn't appear, and now that peace has returned you're back—where were you hiding all this time?"

-> Gu Rongjin stared at her: "Then make it short—when your father launched his attack, you disappeared; when he surrendered, you didn't show up either; now that peace has returned, you come back—where were you hiding before?"

"Well…" Xixi gave them an embarrassed look and said, "Well, I actually knew ahead of time that my father was going to war; I was scared, so I fled… You know, before battle they often kill hostages as a sacrifice to the flag—it's not unheard of."

-> "Actually..." Xixi glanced at them somewhat embarrassedly, "In fact, I indeed knew beforehand that my father was going to war; I was scared, so I hurriedly fled... You also know that before battle, they often kill hostages to sacrifice to the banner—it's not unheard of."

Mu Yanzhi said, "What you say makes sense; we aren't obliged to demand you tell us beforehand, but since you deliberately hid it, don't blame us for not treating you as a friend."

-> Mu Yuanzhi: "What you say makes sense; we aren't obligated to demand you tell us beforehand, but since you deliberately concealed it, don't blame us for not treating you as a friend."

"Why?!" Xixi exclaimed, slamming her tea cup down, "My father that old bastard killed so many of your troops, you even accepted his surrender, and I did nothing…"

-> "Why?!" Xixi exclaimed, slamming her teacup down, "That old bastard of a father killed so many of your soldiers, and you even accepted his surrender—I did nothing at all..."

She spoke softer and softer.

Gu Rongjin chuckled: "It's simple, because you still won't tell the truth up to now; how can we treat you as a friend? At least your father came with many troops to surrender, and after he surrendered he indeed behaved himself."

Hearing that, Xixi's pupils shrank a little, she glanced at Mu Yuanzhi again, and Mu Yuanzhi's expression was also very solemn.