The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1136 - 1136 555 Counterattack (second update)

Chapter 1136: 555 Counterattack (second update) Chapter 1136: 555 Counterattack (second update) Gu Jiao noticed that a brazier had been lit in her room; it must have been kindled early as the room was very warm.

She had been staying at the Medical Hall these past few days, and it wouldn’t be any different tonight.

Had he lit the brazier just because she was going to have a few words with him in this room?

Was he worried she might be cold?

Although Gu Jiao’s body wasn’t susceptible to the cold now, she still couldn’t help but smile.

Xiao Hen finished adjusting the wick and turned around, only to be caught off guard by her gazing at him dreamily with her hands propping up her cheeks.

Xiao Hen: “…”

With an utterly composed expression, Xiao Hen sat down opposite Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao looked at him openly, “What did you want to talk about with me?”

Xiao Hen, ignoring her intense gaze, said earnestly, “The matter regarding Mo Qianxue.”

Gu Jiao sounded a sound of realization, “How do you know Mo Qianxue?” She didn’t remember ever introducing Mo Qianxue to him.

Xiao Hen said indifferently, “How could I not take an interest in a patient living in my wife’s room?”

Gu Jiao blinked and propped up her cheeks with both hands, “Are you getting jealous?”

“No,” Xiao Hen flatly denied.

You sleep with me every night!

Gu Jiao curled her lips into a smile, stood up, leaned across the table, and suddenly brought her face close to his.

At this distance, she could see his thick and slightly trembling eyelashes, and hear his breath becoming tense because of her sudden proximity.

Xiao Hen, who always had a thick face in the Yamen, was easily embarrassed in front of those close to him, especially Gu Jiao.

He lowered his eyes to avoid her gaze, but couldn’t escape her enticing presence. She wasn’t really doing anything, yet she had an allure that could easily captivate a man’s heart and mind.

Smack!

Gu Jiao kissed him on the cheek.

Xiao Hen’s body stiffened, and he instinctively looked at Gu Jiao. At such a close distance, he met her fervent eyes.

His heart felt like it had been struck, missing a beat.

“My husband looks so handsome when he’s jealous.”

After speaking, she sat back down with a slight curve to her lips.

Xiao Hen’s cheeks were burning hot, feeling like they were on fire where she had kissed him.

They were nominally husband and wife and had shared even more intimate moments, but for some reason, this sudden light kiss still stirred him almost to the point of losing control.

He nearly forgot what he was talking about just now!

Xiao Hen took a deep breath, forcibly clearing the distractions from his mind, and steadied himself before saying, “Mo Qianxue belongs to the Xianle Inn.”

“Hmm, I know,” Gu Jiao nodded.

Xiao Hen was not surprised by her response. If Mo Qianxue were just an ordinary patient, she wouldn’t have been brought to Gu Jiao’s private courtyard; it was very likely that she had known Mo Qianxue for a while.

Xiao Hen continued, “Her injuries were self-inflicted with the purpose of getting close to you and gaining your trust.”

Gu Jiao touched her chin, “Hmm, that explains it.”

Mo Qianxue’s injuries actually didn’t show many flaws; they were indeed severe enough to nearly be fatal. What was strange was that Mo Qianxue ended up right on the path where Gu Jiao returned from the Xianle Inn.

Gu Jiao had her suspicions but never felt any malice from Mo Qianxue, so she hadn’t dwelled on it.

Thoughtfully, Gu Jiao said, “If Mo Qianxue really wanted to kill me, she would have had plenty of opportunities.”

But she hadn’t acted on them.

“How did you two meet in the past?”

“…On the Avenue?”

She would never admit to having visited a Brothel!

Xiao Hen: “…”

Forget it, it didn’t take much to guess that this girl had been to the Xianle Inn, probably during an investigation into the quiet imperial concubine.

Women aren’t allowed in the Xianle Inn.

Could it be that this girl had been dressed as a man?

Then what about Mo Qianxue’s intentions toward her—

Suddenly, Xiao Hen felt that something was amiss over his head!

Gu Jiao, with her crisis instincts kicking in, blinked and said with particular sincerity, “Husband, you’re very handsome, the handsomest!”

Good, this meant she was feeling guilty.

Xiao Hen silently took note in his heart.

He decided to settle the score with her slowly in the future!

First, he needed to address the current major issue, the young master of the Xianle Inn.

…

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Capital City experienced another snowfall.

The Emperor attended Court, and the matter of rewarding the heroes caused lively debates. Almost no officials objected to the conferring of titles on the brothers Tang Yueshan and Gu Changqing. However, when it came to bestowing a title upon Princess Ning An, there was considerable dissent among the ministers.

The court officials were roughly divided into two factions: one led by the civil official Xu Ci, advocating for a generous reward to Princess Ning An by making her the Protectorate Grand Princess, while the other faction, led by the Minister of the Ministry of War, opposed granting her the title of Grand Princess, especially the title of Protectorate.