The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1124 - 1124 547 Jealousy (Second Update)

Chapter 1124: 547 Jealousy (Second Update) Chapter 1124: 547 Jealousy (Second Update) Fortunately, Eunuch Qin arrived at that moment.

“Little Dengzi, why are you still standing here? Weren’t you told to go smash walnuts?” Eunuch Qin scolded the young eunuch, then turned to Princess Ning An with a bow, “Princess, has this useless servant offended you?”

Princess Ning An spoke softly, “No, you refer to him as Little Dengzi, right? I quite like him.”

Little Dengzi was surprised and flattered!

Eunuch Qin hurriedly said to Little Dengzi, “Aren’t you going to thank the princess for her favor!”

“Yes! Yes!” Little Dengzi knelt down and kowtowed to Princess Ning An, “Thank you, Princess, for your favor!”

“You may leave,” said Princess Ning An.

“Yes!”

Little Dengzi withdrew.

Eunuch Qin smiled at Princess Ning An, “Your Highness, you’ve come a bit late today. Could it be there is too much work to do at Bixia Hall? If you don’t have enough attendants, this servant can send a few more capable palace maids to you.”

Princess Ning An replied politely, “There’s no need; my mother and I do not require so many attendants.”

Eunuch Qin then said, “Princess, I’ve watched you grow up. If there’s anything you need, please don’t be polite with this old servant.”

Princess Ning An faintly tugged at the corner of her lips.

In the past, Princess Ning An was a lively and cheerful young girl, but ever since returning from the frontier, all her joy seemed to have disappeared, and Eunuch Qin rarely saw her smile.

Even when she did smile, there was an air of helplessness and bitterness.

Eunuch Qin sighed inwardly.

What a sin.

If it wasn’t for the Empress Dowager’s ploy using the son-in-law and the handsome man scheme, Princess Ning An would not have fallen to such a state.

“Eunuch Qin,” Princess Ning An suddenly spoke up.

“Please give your instructions, Princess,” Eunuch Qin said respectfully.

Princess Ning An asked directly, “Have you noticed that Dr. Gu resembles me?”

“Yes! There is indeed a resemblance from behind! There is also a similarity in their aura, and then…” Eunuch Qin chuckled, stopping in mid-sentence.

Princess Ning An finished the unspoken part for him, “Then there’s the scar on my face, which is always covered with Begonia makeup, and she has a birthmark that resembles my Begonia makeup greatly.”

Eunuch Qin laughed dryly, “Ah… yes, that’s the case.”

Actually, Eunuch Qin didn’t think the resemblance was that striking; at first glance, there was just something on the left side of their faces.

Princess Ning An moved on, “How did my mother get to know Dr. Gu?”

Eunuch Qin hurried to keep up, “When the Empress Dowager met Miss Gu, this servant was not by her side but in the palace, I’m afraid you might have to inquire with the Empress Dowager directly about the details of their acquaintance.”

Eunuch Qin was indeed not beside the Empress Dowager at that time, but he had learned the ins and outs of the incident from the Empress Dowager’s account afterwards.

He chose not to tell Princess Ning An because he felt it was not his place to divulge such matters.

Princess Ning An said, “If Dr. Gu were to ask Eunuch Qin how my mother first saw me, would Eunuch Qin also suggest Dr. Gu inquire directly with my mother?”

Eunuch Qin was taken aback.

Princess Ning An smiled faintly, “I’m just joking.”

“Ah.” Eunuch Qin silently broke out in a cold sweat, thinking that her joke was a bit too much.

Princess Ning An said also, “Would Miss Gu disguise herself as me to make my mother happy?”

Eunuch Qin was choked up once more.

He laughed and said, “Princess, you are of noble birth, how could Miss Gu really resemble you so closely? She cannot disguise herself, and even if she tried, it would not be possible!”

Princess Ning An spoke softly, “It seems she has not. I thought that my mother doted on her because she saw in her the shadow of my former self.”

Eunuch Qin: Princess, you shouldn’t share all your heartfelt words with this servant, it puts a lot of pressure on me.

Luckily, during the remainder of the walk, Princess Ning An did not say anything else that Eunuch Qin found difficult to respond to.

Eunuch Qin escorted Princess Ning An to the Sleeping Palace of Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Little Jingkong could not sit still; he had barely sat for a moment in his great-aunt’s palace before he whooshed off and disappeared.

The Sleeping Palace was unusually silent at the moment.

Eunuch Qin pushed open the slightly ajar door, and a young palace maid tiptoed out, bowed to the two, and said softly, “Princess, Eunuch Qin, the Empress Dowager has rested.”

Princess Ning An asked with concern, “So early? Is my mother feeling unwell?”

The palace maid shook her head, “Dr. Gu just took the Empress Dowager’s pulse a moment ago, there is no serious issue, the Empress Dowager is just tired.”

Princess Ning An’s expression lightened and she nodded, “Then let my mother rest well. I will not disturb her now, I will come again tomorrow.”

The little palace maid knelt with a bow, “I bid farewell to the Princess.”

Princess Ning An turned and left Renshou Palace, while on the other side, Gu Jiao finished with the swing and went to the Sleeping Palace to bid farewell to Empress Dowager Zhuang.

As Princess Ning An turned her head back, she saw Gu Jiao enter Empress Dowager Zhuang’s Sleeping Palace as if it were a place without people.

Without notification, nor any obstruction.

Eunuch Qin glanced at Princess Ning An, then at Gu Jiao, who just entered the Sleeping Palace, feeling quite embarrassed for the moment.

He didn’t know how to explain that he absolutely did not treat the two young masters differently, it was the Empress Dowager who didn’t bind Miss Gu with palace rules, Miss Gu here was just like she was in Bishui Alley.

With Miss Gu, Empress Dowager Zhuang was not the power-wielding Empress Dowager of the court, but only the Auntie from Bishui Alley.

Unlike when she first met Ning An, Ning An was a Princess and she was the Empress, and the rules were established from the very beginning.

Princess Ning An murmured, “It seems Mother truly dotes on Doctor Gu a lot.”

Eunuch Qin hurriedly said, “The person the Empress Dowager dotes on most is you, Princess. You abide by the rules, but Doctor Gu grew up in the countryside and doesn’t quite understand some palace regulations. The Empress Dowager is of advanced age and doesn’t like to be too demanding with the young lady.”

Princess Ning An gave a faint smile, “Eunuch Qin, there’s no need to rush to explain, I’m not going to make things difficult for her.”

Eunuch Qin laughed, “Indeed, indeed, you’re a Princess, your magnanimity is great, and you certainly won’t quibble over a young girl.”

Princess Ning An nodded, “Eunuch Qin, please stay your step.”

Eunuch Qin performed a courtesy, “Princess, take care!”

After Princess Ning An vanished into the night, Eunuch Qin returned to his small pond where he raised his turtles.

As for Empress Dowager Zhuang, she had been completely kind to him, even digging a pond just for him to raise his turtles.

In the palace, ah, you can’t trust anyone’s mouth; he shared all his worries only with the turtles in this pond.

He touched the turtle nearest to him and sighed, “Why do I feel like the Princess is somewhat jealous of Miss Gu?”

Left hand, a turtle, “Miss Gu.”

Right hand, a turtle, “Princess Ning An.”

Both were his young masters whom he needed to serve loyally; he had to treat them both equally, without favoring any one side.

He looked at the turtle in his right hand, “You I watched grow up from a child, I even changed your clothes when you wet your pants.”

Then he looked at the turtle in his left hand, “It’s your merit that saved the Empress Dowager’s life; she can live less strenuously because of you, you take care of everything for her.”

Looking again at the turtle in his right hand, “From childhood to adulthood, the Empress Dowager always cherished you the most, never allowing you to suffer the slightest grievance.”

Looking once more at the turtle in his left hand, “Thank you for protecting the Empress Dowager so well, giving her someone to rely on.”

Alas, as a servant of unwavering loyalty, he should be more devoted to Princess Ning An, whom he raised by his own hand.

But why is it that he just can’t help favoring the turtle in his left hand more?

…

“Jiaojiao!” On the way back in the carriage, Little Cleansing Void sat obediently next to Gu Jiao and tugged at her hand.

“Aren’t you tired?” Gu Jiao asked, clasping his small hand in return.

Little Cleansing Void shook his head vehemently.

Gu Jiao hummed thoughtfully, “Strange, you didn’t nap today and yet you’re not sleepy. Were you scared by the little dog?”

“No.” The puppy was indeed pitiful, but Little Cleansing Void was not a child easily frightened. He opened his large, bright eyes with long fluttering lashes and pointed towards the large trees by the roadside, “Jiaojiao, those trees have broken branches, does that hurt them very much?”

Gu Jiao pondered a moment, “It might hurt, yes, but by springtime, their branches will grow back.”

“Then… what about flowers?” Little Cleansing Void asked again, “If the flowers are picked, can they grow back too?”

“Yes.” Gu Jiao nodded.

Little Cleansing Void poked his little head out and wiggled it, “What about my little head? Can it also grow back like the branches?”

Gu Jiaojiao jolted, “That’s not possible!”

“Oh.” Little Cleansing Void promptly sat up straight again. He swung his little legs back and forth, “Then what about legs, Jiaojiao? If there are no legs, can they grow back like the branches?”

Gu Jiao stroked his little head, sadly yet unavoidably blunt, “They can’t grow back.”

Little Cleansing Void hung his head down, “Oh.”

He had only just seen Huangfu Xian and already asked such questions, it was not without reason.

His Cleansing Void was the warmest child in the world.

Gu Jiao ruffled his little head, “Although they can’t grow back, you can still stand up again with the help of external forces.”

Suddenly, a light of hope shone in Little Cleansing Void’s dim eyes, “Really? Can you truly stand up again?”

Gu Jiao’s lips curved slightly, “Yes, as long as he tries hard enough.”

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