Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 286 A Day in the Life of Princess Gaoyang (1)

Pingyang City.

Governor's Mansion.

December 25th!
On a winter morning, as the eastern sky began to lighten, a gentle breeze stirred, causing a few plum blossoms to fall.

The light snow that had lasted for several days finally stopped, and a thin layer of snow that had not melted all winter was covered again.

This winter is likely to be colder than usual. At least, it's rare for snow to remain unmelted throughout the entire winter.

In the cool morning breeze, Princess Gaoyang yawned and stretched her arms, displaying her graceful figure. Already voluptuous, her white dress was stretched taut by the thick undergarment, making her appear even more voluptuous. Such a posture was quite unbecoming of a young lady from a prominent family. However, this wasn't the Prince Fu's residence or the Fang family home; there weren't so many rules, and no one would be constantly following her, finding fault with her every moment. She could be a little more casual.

Having been in Liaodong for some time now, Princess Gaoyang has gradually adapted to life here and learned how to dress herself up. At least she is no longer like she was at the beginning, wrapped up from head to toe like a rice dumpling, and would accidentally bang her head on the ground, which made Song Yan burst into laughter.

She got up very early.

Aside from the guards on night watch, there were hardly any maids to be seen. Smoke was already rising from the kitchen; with the New Year approaching, the kitchen was busier than usual. There were so many things to prepare, such as the chickens, ducks, rabbits, and roe deer sent by the common people—all of which needed to be cooked to preserve them for longer. The New Year's feast of wealthy families was actually quite different from what others imagined… There were plenty of various kinds of chicken, duck, fish, and meat, as well as many pastries. However, these things weren't freshly killed and prepared on the day of the New Year. For example, roast chicken, braised pork hock, and plum blossom cakes were all prepared several days in advance and simply reheated before being served on the New Year.

Otherwise, it would probably take one or two hours to fill that large table of dishes.

Even maids like Gu Banxia and Kong Chan would occasionally go to the kitchen to help out when they had free time, and would also cook a few dishes that their mistress liked to eat. As a result, no matter when Princess Gaoyang went to the kitchen, she could always find freshly cooked delicacies. Fortunately, she had been working quite hard during this period, keeping herself busy every day. Otherwise, her already chubby figure would probably have gained several more pounds.

Princess Gaoyang pursed her lips and looked around. Song Yan's bedroom was right across the hall. The room was very quiet. She knew that Song Yan had left last night and probably wouldn't be home for a long time.

He informed Luo Tianyi, Luo Tianxuan, and Luo Yuheng, but did not say goodbye to her, feeling somewhat disappointed.

Gao Yang knew she had no right to feel disappointed. To Song Yan, she was just a cousin, a relative, but not a very close one... Most importantly, Gao Yang could sense Song Yan's attitude towards her.

Polite.

Treat each other with respect.

Living under the same roof, politeness can also represent estrangement.

On the one hand, it might be because of her status as a widow. As the saying goes, there are not many widows at her door. This era was not friendly to women. Even if a widow just talks to a man a few more times, there might be all sorts of messy rumors circulating.

On the other hand, it was probably because Song Yan had some doubts about her.

Living in the Fang family made her feel suffocated. She had a husband who was only interested in other women and spent all his time thinking about sending her out to be exchanged... Since their marriage, the two of them had never even shared a bed.

Although they were married, their lives were probably not much different from those in a nunnery.

She also had to face her mother-in-law's difficult behavior, mostly blaming her for not being able to have children. Even the servants in the mansion would whisper among themselves, and whenever Gao Yang heard such comments, she felt wronged.

Is it her responsibility that she can't have children?
She's just a woman. No matter how capable a person is, she can't give birth to a child.

But she also had to consider her husband's feelings, so she could only swallow her bitterness alone.

The mother-in-law even used the excuse of not having children to send her own niece over as a concubine... The sarcastic remarks, the open and covert provocations, and all sorts of underhanded tricks made living in such an environment a form of torture.

Sometimes, Gao Yang even felt that he was truly strong for not being driven crazy.

That's why, when Song Yan reminded her that someone was following her, she came up with a plan. Instead of making a fuss, she jumped into the Yi River that night.

She has disappeared.

A few years later, he would probably die.

The plan was executed very smoothly, but Gao Yang never expected that her husband, Fang Jun, would also die that very night, which suddenly complicated the matter.

Although there were some minor mishaps, she still felt that her arrangements were acceptable... but now, looking back, there were many loopholes. It was somewhat unbelievable that a princess who had lived a secluded life for so long could survive from three local ruffians. She had just left the Yi River when she was kidnapped by bandits who were planning to attack Song Yan. Just in time, Song Yan rescued her, and she then stayed by his side, coming to Liaodong together.

One by one, one by one, they all seem too coincidental when put together.

Gao Yang admitted that she did have her own plans, but she genuinely meant no harm to Song Yan. However, even if she told Song Yan these things directly, Song Yan probably wouldn't believe her.

With a smile, Gao Yang stopped thinking about these messy things and headed towards the kitchen. He could smell the rich aroma of braised food from a distance. When he entered the kitchen, he saw that it was filled with smoke and the rich aroma made Gao Yang feel full just by smelling it.

"Miss, what would you like to eat for breakfast?" Yue Niang asked with a smile when she saw Gao Yang.

Yue Niang was a woman rescued by the group from Prince Wugucha of the Haoshi tribe when they first entered Liaodong. Because of her good cooking skills, she was hired as a cook in the governor's mansion. They had met several times over the past few days and had become quite familiar with each other. "There's meat stewing in the pot right now. The governor likes twice-cooked pork, especially braised pork. Her Highness the Princess specifically instructed that extra be prepared. It should be ready in about 15 minutes."

Gao Yang lazily lay on the table, not really caring about the greasy surface. He rested his head on his arm, seemingly not fully awake yet, tilting his head cutely.

"No need, if I keep eating like this, I'll definitely become a big fat person." Gao Yang puffed out his cheeks: "I already weigh 100 pounds..."

At that time, one jin was about 550 grams, and one hundred jin would be about 110 jin in modern society.

"Actually, it's better to have a little more weight on your body." Yue Niang said with a smile, "Women, it's not good to be too thin. It's dangerous when you give birth. If you're a little chubby, you'll have more strength when you give birth and it'll be easier to give birth."

As she spoke, Yue Niang took a large steamed bun out of the steamer.

It was a really big steamed bun.

If a flat-chested woman were to hold him in her arms, he would likely be about the size of Gao Yang.

Looking at the huge bun, Gao Yang felt a pang of guilt, but she still took a bite. Inside was minced meat and some dried vegetables...

Delicious! Although it couldn't compare to the delicacies of the Prince's Mansion or the Fang family, Gao Yang ate to her heart's content. She patted her stomach, got up, and headed towards the gate of the Prefect's Mansion. Now, she was no longer simply eating for free at the Prefect's Mansion; she held an official position.

Of course, this official position wasn't very prestigious, at least not one of the official positions in Ningguo. However, her aunt, Luo Yuheng, saw that she had nothing to do and had been well-read since childhood, so she entrusted her with some miscellaneous tasks. These were mainly disputes between neighbors in Pingyang City, which didn't meet the standards of the law and would only be a waste of time if brought to the government office.

A quick glance at criminal case files reveals that many homicides may have originated from these easily overlooked trivial matters.

When we left the governor's mansion, it was already broad daylight.

The tranquility of the night had ended, and new vitality was just beginning. The city gates were open, and vegetable farmers, vendors, and hunters who came to the market for the New Year were coming in one after another. Some went straight to the restaurants, while others went to the various markets. Although most of them were dressed simply and their bodies were full of the marks of wind and frost, they all gave people a sense of thriving and positive energy.

Occasionally, one can see some young men who look tired, walk hurriedly, or are even disheveled, probably preparing to indulge themselves before the New Year and spend the night in some brothel.

Compared to Dongling, which Gao Yang was familiar with, or Songzhou Prefecture, Pingyang was ultimately more backward. However, prosperity and happiness always come from comparison. Compared to a few months ago, Pingyang was now full of vitality. For most people, as long as they could have enough to eat and wear, they could smile with joy. Looking at the smiles on these people's faces, even Gao Yang's lips couldn't help but curl up.

In truth, even in large cities like Songzhou and Dongling, things weren't all glamorous on the surface. Behind the scenes, there was always some darkness. Selling children was not uncommon. The lucky ones might become maids in a respectable household, serving as playmates to young masters. Although they were enslaved, at least they had enough to eat and wear—a decent way out. In these big cities, brothels were prevalent, and pretty girls might end up in them. If they had talent, they could learn to play instruments and sing, becoming renowned courtesans who sold their art but not their bodies. If they were lucky, they might even marry into a household as concubines. However, the vast majority were ultimately unlucky, spending their lives relying on their looks to serve others. When their beauty faded with age, they would be forced into prostitution, entertaining porters and laborers for a few copper coins. These men were mostly crude, and within a few years, they would be worn down beyond recognition…

Compared to these people, the people of Pingyang Prefecture are considered lucky.

At least, Song Yan's policies have ensured that almost everyone here has land to cultivate, and even landlords have reduced rents, so that people don't go hungry all year round. Occasionally, they can set traps in the mountains to catch wild animals or pick mushrooms and other wild plants to sell and supplement their income. Furthermore, several workshops are under construction, which, once completed, will likely solve the livelihood problems of tens of thousands of people, and the practice of selling children will probably no longer occur.

In those days, if an official could prevent the people under his jurisdiction from selling their children, Yu Gaoyang would consider him a very capable official.

A quarrel broke out ahead; it was a wealthy man in a long robe arguing with a hunter.

Gao Yang let out a breath, bringing his thoughts back to the present.

This is the problem she needs to solve.

In Song Yan's words, this should be called a civil mediator?

Shaking his head, Gao Yang stepped forward. Because he was followed by soldiers, the wealthy households and hunters immediately recognized him. In the eyes of these common people, Gao Yang was quite famous. In recent days, he had resolved hundreds and thousands of conflicts.

After a little inquiry, it was learned that the wealthy man had bought a roe deer from a hunter, but after weighing it at home, he found the weight was off and suspected the hunter of shortchanging him, which led to an argument. The two argued fiercely, then both turned their gazes to Gao Yang, clearly wanting him to give them justice.

Looking at the still-bleeding roe deer in the rich man's hand, Gao Yang's forehead creased with annoyance: "This roe deer, was it just killed?"

“Young lady, you have a keen eye. I met you on my way into the city and just hit you on the spot.”

Gao Yang looked at the wealthy man and said, "The weight is wrong. Could it be because this roe deer was dripping blood all the way here?"

The rich man was taken aback. He looked down at the wound on the roe deer's neck, which was dripping blood, and his face turned red. He stammered an apology and hurriedly left. The hunter, on the other hand, was like a victorious general, looking rather arrogant.

To thank Gao Yang for clearing his name, he insisted on giving Gao Yang a field mouse that he had dug up.

Gao Yang roughly understood that field mice were different from ordinary rats; they were edible... and even considered a rare delicacy here. However, he couldn't get over his mental block and ultimately couldn't enjoy them.

Speaking of which, among the gifts that farmers and hunters had sent to the governor's mansion before, there were quite a few field mice... It's strange, though, that even though they were clearly field mice, Song Yan always pointed to their heads and called them duck necks. Gao Yang once stared at a field mouse's head for two hours, but he still couldn't find any similarity between a field mouse's head and a duck neck.

A commotion arose not far away. It was a woman and a peddler selling cured meat. One string of cured meat cost three hundred copper coins, two strings cost five hundred. The woman only wanted to buy one string, but insisted on paying only two hundred and fifty copper coins.

Gao Yang smiled and walked over there.

Before we knew it, it was already dark.

There are fewer and fewer people on the streets.

Gao Yang stretched and yawned. Although she felt thirsty and exhausted after a long day, she also felt inexplicably fulfilled. This was a life she had never experienced before.

Before my eyes, it seems as if I am witnessing all walks of life.

Looking up, I saw the boundless night sky filled with stars.

A slight smile appeared on her tired face. Sometimes she couldn't help but think that it wouldn't be bad if these days continued, at least it was much better than staying in her boudoir and studying needlework.

Speaking of which, I wonder where Song Yan is now.

They should have already passed through customs.

It's much colder beyond the Great Wall than here; I wonder if I can endure it.

This is her cousin's husband, it's not good to be so concerned about him... Gao Yang smiled and headed in a certain direction, which was not the direction of the governor's mansion.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, Gao Yang stopped in front of a house.

This house was essentially ownerless, so Gao Yang bought it.

As night fell, the ordinary houses somehow took on a sinister air.

When Gao Yang pushed open the door, he saw an old woman with a hunched back in the middle of the courtyard.

"Grandma Gui..."

"It's a princess."

"Did those two maids confess anything?"

(End of this chapter)