The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1092 - 1092 527 Huanxi (third watch)_3

Chapter 1092: 527 Huanxi (third watch)_3 Chapter 1092: 527 Huanxi (third watch)_3 Gu Jiao liked Dean Li and, in a muddled state, took him as a father; what more could she, as a mother, do?

Madame Li’s affection for Xue Ningxiang and the child was a plus.

Plainly speaking, Xue Ningxiang was tired and wanted to find a man on whom she could rely, to peacefully spend the rest of her life with.

The Empress Dowager understood Xue Ningxiang’s choice.

Not everyone in the world can be as strong as Gu Jiao, who is truly unique.

She never sought a sense of security from anyone; her heart was strong enough and filled with power.

Of course, this came at a cost. No one is born strong; she just had too many burdens to carry on her tender shoulders.

Jiaojiao bore them all.

Xue Ningxiang didn’t need to become another Jiaojiao; it was fine for her to live her easygoing little life.

Additionally, Xue Ningxiang wrote a letter to Gu Jiao, which the Empress Dowager had been keeping in her purse for playing cards; she gave the letter to Gu Jiao.

This time Xue Ningxiang didn’t only report the good and hide the bad, after all, the Empress Dowager’s people knew everything, so there was no point in hiding.

In her letter, she asked about the Empress Dowager’s conditions, why the Empress Dowager would know her, was it because Xiao Liulang, the new top graduate, was doing too well in the Capital City, or did Gu Jiao recognize her family at the Marquis Residence, and then stirred the people at the Empress Dowager’s side?

Xue Ningxiang pondered that she couldn’t have had such a great influence.

“…Could it be that the old lady with leprosy is the Empress Dowager? I can’t be that lucky, right? Then wouldn’t I have cooked for the Empress Dowager? And she even helped me look after the child? It couldn’t be… My family’s ancestral tomb isn’t emitting blue smoke either…”

After thinking it over, Gu Jiao replied with a note: Why don’t you go check your family’s ancestral tomb?

“Jiaojiao! Jiaojiao!”

It was Xiao Jingkong, running over with a letter in his hand.

He was originally posting couplets, but when he saw Gu Jiao reading a letter, he remembered he had received one too.

Children are like that.

“Jiaojiao, Brother Minmin sent me a second letter!”

“Do you want to show it to me?” asked Gu Jiao.

Letters are very private, and Gu Jiao wouldn’t casually read Xiao Jingkong’s letter just because he was a child.

But if he wanted to share it with her, Gu Jiao would gladly accept.

“Yes! I want to show it to Jiaojiao!” Xiao Jingkong nodded earnestly.

Gu Jiao opened the letter, which contained greetings between children. In the last reply, Xiao Jingkong had mentioned some interesting family and Guozijian incidents, sparking Minmin’s eagerness to learn.

Minmin told Xiao Jingkong that he had also started attending Guozijian.

However, he was taking martial lessons.

The Guozijian in Liang Country is slightly different from that in Zhan Country, with separate streams for civil and military learning, probably because Liang Country’s imperial examination includes not only Wen Ju but also Wuju.

Xiao Jingkong hadn’t felt much upon first reading the letter, but after reviewing it with Gu Jiao, he suddenly felt particularly envious of Brother Minmin.

He also wanted to learn martial arts.

He wanted to protect Jiaojiao.

Along with the second letter was the thank-you gift for the “Zhao Ying” score mentioned in the first letter; the letter was delivered by a flying eagle, which was fast, but the thank-you gift was hauled by a horse-drawn carriage, so it was slower.

The gift was prepared by the Prince Yu and his wife, featuring some specialties of Liang Country and over a dozen toys for children, showing thoughtfulness.

In addition, Princess Yu knew about Xiao Jingkong’s cleverness and his study of various languages, so she selected ten books that were only available in Shang Country, all suitable for Xiao Jingkong’s level.

Xiao Hen had planned for Xiao Jingkong to read a little every day, which greatly improved his understanding of the three Shang Country languages.

To prove his progress, Xiao Jingkong hopped off his chair, scurried back to the room, and brought back his three Shang Country poetry collections: “Jiaojiao, I’ll recite them for you!”

Afterwards, he placed his small hands behind his back and began to recite with a nodding head.

…It was as if Gu Jiao understood.

This was Gu Jiao’s first time traveling far from home; in the past, it had always been Xiao Liulang who went out. Each time he returned, he could feel the changes at home. This time, it was Gu Jiao’s turn to experience these changes.

Gu Xiaobao had grown up, Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun had gotten taller, Xiaoshun had grown out his hair, and had learned many, many poems from Shang Country…

This feeling was somewhat novel.

Dinner was not ready so quickly, but the hot water was prepared first. Yao Family called the children to bathe.

“Hurry up and finish bathing and wash your clothes. You can’t wash clothes on the first day of the new year,” said Yao Family.

“I’ll go bathe first!” Xiaoshun became a well-behaved bathing enthusiast in a flash, completely forgetting how much he had resisted bathing during the three months that Gu Jiao was not around!

“Jiaojiao, go bathe as well,” Yao Family said tenderly to Gu Jiao.

“Okay,” Gu Jiao replied.

The water that had been heated was only enough for two people to bathe; the rest would have to wait for the next round.

“Brother-in-law, thank you. Could you help me bathe?” Xiaoshun came to the door, speaking to Xiao Liulang, who was sticking couplets with utmost politeness.

Xiao Liulang’s mouth twitched. “Heh, that’s not what you said last time. What was it you were going to do if I dared to force you to bathe again?”

Run away from home.

“Cough.” Xiaoshun cleared his little throat, shrugged his shoulders, and said with a helpless expression on his face, “Who doesn’t have a frivolous youth?”

Xiao Liulang: “…”

Xiao Liulang took Xiaoshun to the west room to bathe.

The charcoal fire in the west room was blazing, and it wasn’t cold.

Gu Jiao also went to bathe.

It was only then that she discovered that the family had gotten a new wooden tub, bigger and deeper, allowing her to sit down and soak her entire little body in the water.

Sigh.

It was so comfortable.

Her little toes flexed under the water.

After bouncing them for a while, she suddenly remembered something.

She had come back unscathed; shouldn’t the promise her husband made also be fulfilled?

…

After coming out from the west room, Xiao Liulang saw that Gu Jiao had already finished bathing and washing her hair, sitting warmly in the main room.

Xiao Liulang was slightly taken aback: “That was quick?”

Xiaoshun was still playing in the water in the wooden tub. The water had gotten a bit cold, and he had been going to the kitchen to fetch another tub of hot water for Xiaoshun.

Gu Jiao’s bright, sparkling eyes were fixed on him.

The Empress Dowager had gone to the kitchen to eat Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cakes, and the Emperor had followed her, leaving Gu Jiao alone in the main room.

Even though it was somewhat dark, Gu Jiao’s eyes were so bright they demanded attention.

“Why… are you looking at me like that?” Xiao Liulang asked.

“I wasn’t hurt,” said Gu Jiao.

“Yes, I know,” Xiao Liulang nodded.

After speaking, he realized something, his expression froze, his eyelashes fluttered, and his cheeks started to heat up.

Gu Jiao propped her cheeks with her hands and watched him, the expectant look in her eyes unmistakable.