The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1128 - 1128 549 Domineering Aunt (Second Update)

Chapter 1128: 549 Domineering Aunt! (Second Update) Chapter 1128: 549 Domineering Aunt! (Second Update) The entire night after that, whenever Gu Chengfeng held Gu Xiaobao, the baby would burrow into his embrace and nurse.

Gu Chengfeng, who had just been mocking his elder brother, finally experienced firsthand what it meant to “not boast excessively, for arrogance invites trouble”!

The Gu brothers returned to the Bishui Alley after having dinner.

Before they left, Gu Changqing taught Xiaojingkong a set of boxing techniques, which Xiaojingkong learned with great interest. He practiced tirelessly alone in the backyard, ignoring calls for him to take a bath.

“Let him play for a while, he isn’t going to school tomorrow anyway,” Gu Jiao said to Yu Yaya.

Yu Yaya replied, “Then I’ll take the hot water to the young master and Xiaoshun’s room first and let Xiaoshun bathe.”

The bathing order in the household was from youngest to oldest, and Gu Xiaobao had already taken his bath.

“Go ahead,” Gu Jiao said.

Yu Yaya took the hot water away.

Gu Jiao went to the kitchen to help the housekeeper clean up, but the housekeeper wouldn’t let her lift a finger: “I’m not so old that I can’t move! Always doing this and that, I won’t sit idle and eat for free!”

This wasn’t an exaggeration. Everyone in the family pulled their weight, even the laziest Gu Yan knew to husk some corn or water the vegetable garden. The housework was divided up almost evenly, leaving the housekeeper not so weary.

Seeing how determined the housekeeper was, Gu Jiao decided not to insist on entering the kitchen. She went back to the east room to tidy up a bit, as she still needed to visit the Medical Hall later. Before leaving, she wanted to alert her family.

She saw everyone else, but Xiao Hen was neither in the study room nor in the west room.

Gu Jiao uttered, “Strange, where did he go?”

Xiao Hen had gone next door.

In fact, Gu Changqing was also there.

After such a big incident at Xianle Inn, Gu Changqing couldn’t possibly be unaware. After Gu Chengfeng got on the carriage to return to the Marquis Residence, Gu Chengfeng lied to him about going to the Military Camp when in reality, he went next door.

“Liao Quan, go outside and keep watch. Make sure no one overhears us,” the Chief Libationer told Liao Quan.

“Yes, my lord.”

Liao Quan vigilantly stood guard at the door.

The three men sat down in the study room.

The Chief Libationer said, “Speak, what has happened?”

Gu Changqing glanced at Xiao Hen and began, “There has been an incident at Xianle Inn. Has the Ministry of Punishment received any news?”

“Yes.” Xiao Hen was a bit more forthcoming with Gu Changqing than he had been with Minister Xing, practically laying everything on the table except for the fact that Mo Qianxue had mistaken him for someone else, including the minor details about the young master of Xianle Inn.

He didn’t mention that it was Mo Qianxue who had informed him about the young master.

Thus, Gu Changqing assumed it was information he had gathered through his own methods in the Ministry of Punishment.

Gu Changqing fell silent, he really hadn’t expected such a shocking revelation: “I thought it was just a rumor… What is the purpose of Xianle Inn?”

After pondering seriously, Xiao Hen said, “The ultimate goal is not clear, but it seems that Jiaojiao has obstructed the young master of Xianle Inn, and they have made a move against her.”

Gu Changqing’s expression suddenly turned ice-cold!

Xiao Hen stated, “However, Xianle Inn miscalculated this time. The people they sent out were unable to act against Jiaojiao, so there’s no need to worry about her for the time being.”

Gu Changqing’s eyes remained frosty, “Is there anything I can help with?”

Xiao Hen said, “Investigate the young master of Xianle Inn’s background, all past encounters, everyone he knows, and everything he has done, the more detailed the better. Moreover, the investigation must be done in secret, without letting anyone find out.”

After pondering for a moment, Gu Changqing said, “I will tell His Majesty that I must leave the Capital City to console the families of Gu Family’s military officers who died in service.”

The Chief Libationer nodded in approval, finding it to be a good reason.

Once Gu Changqing left, the Chief Libationer asked Xiao Hen, “Is there anything else you haven’t said?”

The Chief Libationer knew Xiao Hen too well. Others might not see through Xiao Hen’s emotions, but he couldn’t be easily fooled.

After all, the craftiness Xiao Hen possessed was taught by him.

“Those people might have come.”

“Those people?” The Chief Libationer’s white nonchalant eyebrows furrowed, and he pondered whom Xiao Hen might be referring to as those people.

After a while, his brows knit together, “Are you talking about… people from Yan Country?”

Xiao Hen slowly nodded his head.

He hadn’t gotten in the way of the young master of Xianle Inn. If he were the young master, he would have tried to win him over first and resort to killing only as a last resort.

The ones after his life must be others.

Having risen to his position, there were many who envied him, but only a few dared to target him and had the strength to attract the attention of Xianle Inn.

In the entire Zhan Country, one could say there were almost none.

Zhuang Grand Tutor has no desire to move against him, does he? But Zhuang Grand Tutor simply doesn’t have the audacity to challenge the Empress Dowager Zhuang’s bottom line.

The most Zhuang Grand Tutor could do was to suppress him using a bit of his authority.

Those weaker than Zhuang Grand Tutor were looked down upon by Xianle Inn; those valued by Xianle Inn bore no grudges against him, Xiao Hen.

After much contemplation, only one possibility remained.

The old libationer sighed wearily, “Ah, now I finally understand why Princess Xinyang would rather let you wander among civilians, leaving you uncared for, rather than retrieve you back to Capital City.”

The forces of Shang Country were not something just anyone could withstand.

They concealed themselves so flawlessly, yet their adversaries still sniffed out Xiao Hen’s aura.

The old libationer spoke thoughtfully, “Princess Xinyang isn’t in Capital City these days, you must be extra careful on your own.”

Xiao Hen said, “For the time being, they don’t have the guts to lay hands on me within Capital City.” Otherwise, they would not have created such a grand scheme to lure him out of the city.

There was one thing the old libationer couldn’t figure out, “The powers from Shang Country want to kill you, but they dare not be too blatant. What are they afraid of? Marquis Xuanping? The royal family of Zhan Country?”

After carefully analyzing the sequence of events, the old libationer realized that the group had become increasingly cautious in their actions. Initially, when they assassinated Xiao Hen’s mother, they dared to infiltrate Marquis Xuanping’s residence. Over ten years later, when they attempted to assassinate Xiao Hen, they only dared to act through King Ning’s hand.

As for now, they were even more hesitant to make any rash moves within Capital City.

There had to be some reason for this cautiousness.

Lost in thought, the old libationer mused, “I always felt that your mother was not just a female slave.”

Xiao Hen had let go of this concern long ago. Whose blood ran through his veins was irrelevant; to Jiaojiao and his family, he was only Xiao Hen.

He was not concerned about his situation, and said, “It doesn’t matter who I am. The pressing issue now is to settle the trouble with Xianle Inn.”

The old libationer hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Have you told Zhuang Jinse about the Xianle Inn matter? What’s her stance? Is she leaning towards Jiaojiao or that person?”

The next day, just before dawn, Ning An rose early.

She first visited Huangfu Xian’s room. Huangfu Xian was still sleeping. She looked at the injuries on his cheek and the back of his hand, took out some gold wound medicine from the drawer, and applied a bit to him,

The gold wound medicine seemed not quite the same as the one she had given, but she didn’t pay much attention to it.

Afterwards, she went to Renshou Palace to greet the Empress Dowager Zhuang and joined her for the morning meal.

Empress Dowager Zhuang now had no need for early court sessions, leaving her with quite a bit of leisure time.

While Empress Dowager Zhuang was washing up, Princess Ning An waited quietly in the Sleeping Palace.

Soon, someone from the Internal Affairs Office came with a tray covered by silk cloth, handing it to Eunuch Qin.

Eunuch Qin then brought the tray into Empress Dowager Zhuang’s Sleeping Palace.

“What is this?” Princess Ning An asked softly.

“It’s something sent by the Internal Affairs Office,” replied Eunuch Qin.

“Let me see.” Princess Ning An removed the silk cloth covering it.

On the tray, shockingly, lay an imperial purple gold Token, engraved with the words “Protect the Country,” and next to the Token was a phoenix crown made of purple gold.

“Is this… the Token and phoenix crown of the Princess of Protecting the Country?” Princess Ning An was so astounded by the exquisitely unparalleled items she was at a loss for words.

Not just anyone was entitled to the honor of “Protecting the Country,” and it could be said that no princess in the current dynasty was capable of shouldering it.

Yet now, Princess Ning An was about to be bestowed with the title of Princess of Protecting the Country.

How could this not fill Ning An with joy?

The composure she forged on the frontier dissipated in an instant, and with excitement, she reached out her hand, lifting the phoenix crown to place upon her own head, then snatched up the Token from the tray and turned to gaze at herself in the bronze mirror.

However, before she could see her own imposing image, a figure clad in a treasure-blue phoenix robe strode forward with overwhelming aura.

The figure swiftly snatched the phoenix crown from her head!

Everything happened so fast that Princess Ning An had no time to react. Seated in the chair, her body and her hair were both yanked violently, the once meticulous hairstyle now in disarray.

Not a trace of pity resided in Empress Dowager Zhuang’s eyes.

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked down at her imperiously, a formidable aura bursting forth, “These are things Ai Jia prepared for Jiaojiao, who gave you the audacity to touch them?”

Princess Ning An, in a state of dishevelment and disbelief, looked towards the suddenly appearing Empress Dowager Zhuang, unsure whether to be amazed by her appearance or by her words.

Just yesterday everything was still… how could it be today…

The turn of attitude was indeed startlingly abrupt.

Shocked and hurt, Ning An looked towards Empress Dowager Zhuang, “Mother?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang, again snatching the Protecting the Country Token from her hands, said with an indifferent face, “Stop calling Ai Jia ‘Mother,’ you, are unworthy!”

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