The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1089 - 1089 526 Groups Pet Jiaojiao (Two Updates)_3

Chapter 1089: 526 Group’s Pet Jiaojiao (Two Updates)_3 Chapter 1089: 526 Group’s Pet Jiaojiao (Two Updates)_3 The monarch had ordered Prince Bo to administer poison, leaving him with only half a life left. How could he compete with Yuan Tang who is at the zenith of his power?

Without any surprises, next time Yuan Tang is dispatched to Zhan Country, he will likely be doing so in the capacity of the crown prince of Chen Country.

After hearing Gu Jiao’s explanation, the chief sacrificial officer sighed deeply, “The Imperial Family has no familial affection, irrespective of which royal family it is, alas. But this Yuan Tang… truly deserves a second look.”

Luckily, he is not an enemy.

Whenever Yuan Tang was mentioned, Gu Jiao remembered the item he had asked her to deliver to Liu Yisheng.

“I will go out for a while,” said Gu Jiao.

“Jiaojiao, where are you going?” Little Jingkong came running in, drenched in sweat.

Gu Jiao couldn’t help but laugh and cry at his flustered appearance, “Weren’t you practicing your martial arts? Have you been eavesdropping on our conversation the whole time?”

“I wasn’t really eavesdropping. You were talking so loudly,” Little Jingkong said guiltily, rubbing his hands.

Well, okay, there was a little bit of eavesdropping.

But it wasn’t intentional, and he didn’t understand anyway.

He was only worried that Jiaojiao might suddenly leave without saying goodbye again.

Upon her return, Gu Jiao naturally had to report her safety to her grandaunt. She planned to deliver the news, then visit Liu Yisheng to give him Yuan Tang’s gift.

“Jiaojiao, can I go with you?” Little Jingkong asked adorably.

“Sure,” Gu Jiao said, ruffling his little mushroom head.

His hair was soft, and it felt nice to touch.

Little Jingkong pushed his head forward, “If Jiaojiao likes it, you can keep doing it.”

Even if it makes me bald, it’s okay.

Xiao Hen came walking over with a cane, saying expressionlessly, “I happen to have a memorial to present to His Majesty. Let’s enter the palace together.”

The chief sacrificial officer’s mouth twitched, presenting a memorial to His Majesty during the Lunar New Year, could this be any more far-fetched?

Unfortunately, only the chief sacrificial officer understood Court politics, the rest of the family did not.

“Why does the bad brother-in-law have to go too?” Little Jingkong suddenly felt a slight sense of grievance.

When the three of them arrived at the carriage, they unexpectedly found three people already seated inside: Gu Yan, Gu Xiaoshun, and three-month-old Gu Xiaobao.

Gu Jiao: “…”

The strange little tails had increased again, huh…

However, in the end, all the little tails were pulled away by the Yao Family. The reason was simple, the carriage wasn’t big enough to accommodate so many people.

It would be unfair to ask any of them to disembark, so the solution was that none would proceed.

Xiao Hen perfectly avoided the fate of being left behind by the Yao Family thanks to the formal excuse of the memorial.

Four little faces looked on expressionlessly as the two boarded the carriage.

However, what no one expected was that before Gu Jiao and Xiao Hen could set off, the grandaunt’s carriage arrived.

The grandaunt hadn’t received the news of Gu Jiao’s return. She was coming to celebrate Xiao Hen and Little Jingkong’s birthday. Since Gu Jiao wasn’t there, the two little ones would surely be very sad. Therefore, she used the excuse of illness to decline all palace banquets.

“It’s grandaunt! Grandaunt is here!”

At the sound of Little Jingkong’s voice, Xiao Hen and Gu Jiao disembarked from the carriage.

Eunuch Qin also got out of the carriage, and as he was lifting the curtain for the Empress Dowager, his hand trembled, and the curtain snapped back into place with a slap across the Empress Dowager’s face!

Empress Dowager: “…!!”

Surname Qin!

You dare to slap your mistress across the face during the Lunar New Year!

You and your bunch of little bastards, do you want to live?!

Today, the Empress Dowager shall see blood!

“Gu, Miss Gu!” Eunuch Qin was dumbstruck!

Empress Dowager Zhuang swiftly lifted the curtain, her anger at wanting to sacrifice Eunuch Qin’s little tortoises to the heavens extinguished the moment she caught sight of Gu Jiao with a puff!

“Qin Huai.” Her gaze fell on Gu Jiao’s face, calling Eunuch Qin’s name.

“Eh, Your Majesty!” Eunuch Qin came back to his senses.

Empress Dowager Zhuang smacked him on the forehead with a slap!

Eunuch Qin: “?!”

“Does it hurt?” Empress Dowager Zhuang asked.

“The servant, the servant dares not feel pain,” Eunuch Qin said with sincere trepidation.

Empress Dowager Zhuang brushed off her sleeves, letting out a long sigh, “Then it does hurt. Good, this isn’t a dream.”

Eunuch Qin: “…”

“Grand-Aunt.” Gu Jiao walked over.

When Empress Dowager Zhuang came to Bishui Alley, she always dressed as an ordinary old lady, showing no hint of the luxury befitting an empress dowager, her carriage indistinguishable from those of commoners.

It was just that the stools were a bit steep, needing someone to assist.

Eunuch Qin quickly extended his arm.

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at him with disdain.

Eunuch Qin’s gaze flickered, sensibly stepping aside.

Gu Jiao helped Empress Dowager Zhuang down.

Empress Dowager Zhuang didn’t wait to enter the courtyard, appraising Gu Jiao from the entrance.

The changes in Gu Jiao were obvious. She was not a girl raised in seclusion, having braved the wind and rain without sparing herself any hardship. Even so, after her journey to the frontiers, she had nearly become unrecognizable to Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Needless to say, she had lost weight, her complexion had darkened, and her cheeks displayed red blood vessels from the cold, with lips somewhat cracked.

In her most beautiful years as a young girl, she was still beautiful and valiant in the eyes of Empress Dowager Zhuang, and now she possessed a strength that did not yield to the sons of Zhan Country.

Empress Dowager Zhuang had thought of countless rebukes for when Gu Jiao returned, but upon seeing her, she discovered she could not bring herself to utter a single one.

All her emotions were lodged in her throat. She took a deep breath, holding back the moistness in her eyes, and patted Gu Jiao’s hand, “It’s good you’re back, it’s good you’re back…”

Gu Jiao took hold of her grand-aunt’s hand.

Empress Dowager Zhuang said nothing more, only clasping Gu Jiao’s hand tightly.

As Empress Dowager Zhuang was engulfed in her powerful emotions of regaining Gu Jiao, another carriage suddenly approached down the alley.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a figure exuding a majestic dragon’s presence stepped out.

He caught sight of the Empress Dowager at the entrance and was taken aback, “Mother? Weren’t you recuperating in Renshou Palace? How came you sneak over to Bishui Alley?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang choked, giving him a sidelong glance, “You said you were in retreat praying for the military officers; what are you doing in Bishui Alley then?”

“I was…” The Emperor began to say he had sneaked out for a breather, but then he spotted the small figure hidden behind Empress Dowager Zhuang.

He widened his eyes and approached, “Little Divine Doctor? You’re back?”

“Yes, I’m back.”

“You, you’re not hurt, are you?”

“I’m not hurt,” Gu Jiao said.

The Emperor, seeing her energetic and lively, joyfully stated, “That’s great! You’ve safely returned! Mother will no longer ignore me now!”

A muscle twitched in Empress Dowager Zhuang’s face as she darkened, “You think your excuse for sending Jiaojiao to the frontier was unnoticed? Do you really think I merely didn’t want to deal with you!”

The Emperor was utterly oblivious to the disdain coming from his own mother. He was thrilled, firstly because his mother would finally pay him attention, and secondly because the Little Divine Doctor had returned safely.

They had won a victory on the frontier, and the Little Divine Doctor’s contributions were indispensable.

He must reward her well!