Starting in Exile: Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Lucky Little Wife

Chapter 201 Mysterious Woman

The royal palace of the Nanzhao Kingdom, bathed in the gentle caress of the spring sun, was brimming with vitality and tranquility. In the imperial garden, flowers bloomed in profusion, their vibrant colors vying for attention. A gentle breeze stirred, causing the petals to sway softly and releasing a captivating fragrance. Gu Liuli, dressed in a magnificent palace gown, her skirt flowing like a cloud, moved gracefully with her steps. A gentle smile graced her face, yet a hint of worry lingered in her eyes. She frequently touched her slightly protruding belly, as if drawing strength from it.

"Your Highness, please walk slowly and watch your step." The palace maid Xiao Tao followed closely behind Gu Liuli, her eyes full of concern.

Gu Liuli nodded slightly and said softly, "Xiao Tao, I'm fine. I just wanted to walk around in this garden a bit more and enjoy the beauty of spring." Even as she said this, she unconsciously stopped walking and looked towards a corner of the garden, the place where she had seen that mysterious woman again.

As evening fell, the setting sun bathed the entire palace in an orange-red glow. Gu Liuli sat by the window of her bedchamber, gazing at the scenery outside, her doubts growing stronger. Just then, Xiao Jingchuan, having finished his official duties, strode in with steady steps.

"Liuli, what's wrong? You seem to have something on your mind." Xiao Jingchuan noticed Gu Liuli's unusual behavior at a glance. He quickly walked to her side and asked with concern.

Gu Liuli turned her head and looked at Xiao Jingchuan, her eyes filled with complicated emotions: "Your Majesty, I saw that woman again in the Imperial Garden today. Just like last time, she flashed by and disappeared without a trace when I chased after her."

Xiao Jingchuan frowned slightly. He took Gu Liuli's hand and said, "Liuli, don't worry, tell me slowly, what exactly happened?"

Gu Liuli took a deep breath and slowly said, "This afternoon, I was taking a walk in the Imperial Garden as usual. When I got to the peach trees, I suddenly felt a familiar presence. I looked up and saw her standing there, dressed in simple clothes, looking out of place with her surroundings. Her face was exactly the same as mine. I even wondered if I was dreaming."

Xiao Jingchuan's expression turned serious. He gently patted Gu Liuli's hand and comforted her, "Liuli, don't be afraid. No matter who she is, I will protect you and the child."

Gu Liuli nodded slightly and continued, "I wanted to run over and ask her what was going on, but she seemed to sense my intention and turned to run away. I chased after her, but she disappeared into the flower bushes like a gust of wind. Xiao Tao said she didn't see anything, but I really saw it clearly."

Xiao Jingchuan pondered for a moment and said, "It seems this woman is no ordinary person; she appears to be deliberately avoiding us. I will send more people to search the palace thoroughly and make sure we find her."

A hint of worry flashed in Gu Liuli's eyes: "Your Majesty, I always feel that she is related to my origins. Over the years, I have been filled with doubts about my origins. Could her appearance be the key to unraveling this mystery?"

Xiao Jingchuan gently embraced Gu Liuli: "No matter what her relationship is with your background, I will face it with you. The most important thing for you now is to take care of yourself and the child. Leave everything else to me."

Gu Liuli leaned against Xiao Jingchuan's chest, her heart gradually calming down. She knew that no matter what happened, Xiao Jingchuan would always be her strongest support.

However, this matter plunged Gu Liuli into deep distress. She often tossed and turned at night, unable to fall asleep. The face of that mysterious woman kept appearing in her mind, filling her with questions.

One day, Gu Liuli was resting in her palace when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. She got up and went to the window, looking out to see a group of guards running towards the garden.

"Xiao Tao, what happened?" Gu Liuli turned to ask Xiao Tao.

Xiao Tao also looked puzzled, and she quickly ran out to inquire about the news. A short while later, she hurriedly ran back, her face showing a hint of nervousness: "Your Majesty, I heard that traces of that mysterious woman have been found in the Imperial Garden, and His Majesty has already led the guards there."

Gu Liuli's heart suddenly raced. Ignoring her pregnancy, she immediately got up and headed towards the Imperial Garden. Seeing this, Xiao Tao hurriedly followed behind, saying, "Your Highness, please be careful and don't run too fast."

When Gu Liuli arrived at the Imperial Garden, Xiao Jingchuan was leading his guards in a search of the garden. When he saw Gu Liuli, he quickly went over to her and said, "Liuli, why are you here? It's not safe here. You should go back to your palace first."

Gu Liuli shook her head: "Your Majesty, I want to stay. I want to find her myself and ask her everything."

Looking at Gu Liuli's determined eyes, Xiao Jingchuan knew he couldn't persuade her, so he could only nod: "Alright, but you must be careful and stay close to me."

Just then, a guard suddenly shouted, "Your Majesty, there's movement over there!"

The group immediately ran in the direction the guard had pointed. In a dense thicket of flowers, they spotted a figure.

"It's her!" Gu Liuli exclaimed excitedly.

Xiao Jingchuan immediately led his guards to surround her. Seeing that she had nowhere to escape, the woman slowly turned around.

Looking at the woman before her, Gu Liuli felt a surge of complex emotions. Her face was exactly the same as her own, as if they had been carved from the same mold.

"Who exactly are you? Why have you been hiding from me?" Gu Liuli asked in a trembling voice.

The woman's expression changed drastically, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes. Her body instinctively retreated, her steps frantic.

"Wait, don't go!" Gu Liuli was anxious when she saw this. She reached out to grab the woman, but only grasped at empty air.

The woman turned and, like a startled fawn, ran into the depths of the flowerbed. Her figure darted among the blossoms and leaves, as agile as a ghost.

Despite being six months pregnant, Gu Liuli hurriedly chased after him, calling out, "Come back, please, tell me the truth!"

But the woman was incredibly fast, disappearing into the dense flowerbed in the blink of an eye. Gu Liuli chased after her to the spot where she vanished, only to find a chaotic mess of flower branches, petals scattered all over the ground, as if telling the story of the recent chaos.

"Your Highness, please don't chase after her! Take care of yourself!" Xiao Tao caught up breathlessly, looking at Gu Liuli with a worried expression.

Gu Liuli stood there, panting heavily, tears streaming down her face. She gazed at the empty flowerbed, her heart filled with disappointment and confusion.

"Why, why do you have to disappear again?" Gu Liuli murmured to herself, her voice filled with helplessness and confusion.

All around was silent, except for a gentle breeze that rustled the flowers, as if responding to her question but unable to provide an answer.