The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1311 - 1311 639 Second Watch

Chapter 1311: 639 Second Watch Chapter 1311: 639 Second Watch This kiss was long, as if the night itself became entangled.

The surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of kissing could be heard, so embarrassing even the full moon hid behind the clouds.

Xiao Hen’s arms gradually tightened, pulling their bodies close together, the night wind of Shengdu was cool, but his heart burned hot.

He used great restraint to finally let go of her, his right hand gently stroking her head, her lips were dewy and delicately flushed.

His forehead rested against hers, his breath mingling with hers.

The heart that had been empty for many days found comfort at last.

He couldn’t resist seeking out her lips again for a kiss.

Then Gu Jiao also kissed him back.

To respond was the right thing to do, she understood.

Xiao Hen laughed softly, his strong arms holding her tight, and he said in a hoarse voice above her head, “Jiaojiao, if we keep this up, you won’t be able to leave tonight.”

Gu Jiao froze.

But after a short while, she boldly asked him, “When does the city gate close?”

Xiao Hen said, “Today is the hour of Hai.”

Gu Jiao did the math and said, “There’s still a quarter of an hour.” She meant that she could stay another quarter of an hour.

Xiao Hen looked at her steadily and chuckled, “A quarter of an hour won’t do.”

“Hm?” Gu Jiao looked at him oddly.

Xiao Hen suddenly coughed and said, “I mean… a quarter of an hour… you won’t make it in time.”

“Oh.” Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow, glancing at him, and as he thought she hadn’t understood anything, she suddenly questioned with academic spirit, “Is that so?”

Naive boys always time it wrong.

Xiao Hen: “…!!”

…

When Gu Jiao returned to the mansion, the three young boys at home were already asleep, Madam Nangong and Master Lu, as usual, waited for her while doing their own things in the courtyard.

Madam Nangong was concocting poison, while Master Lu vigorously practiced a couple of boxing routines, then went to repair the broken tables and chairs around the house.

Gu Jiao told them about her encounter with Xiao Hen, and they were both astounded.

That person was Liulang? Was it him who had brought little Jingkong to Shengdu?

Remembering little Jingkong’s woeful, aggrieved look as if he had been kidnapped, both of them twitched at the corners of their mouths.

How much did the little guy dislike his brother-in-law? It wasn’t nice to smear his name like that.

Yet, thinking that Liulang had actually taken Gu Jiao’s identity to enter the Canglan Women’s Academy, they both couldn’t help but feel a mix of laughter and tears.

Gu Jiao got Xiao Liulang’s Academy admission paper, and Xiao Liulang got Gu Jiao’s, what a major mix-up was this?

“I actually think it’s a good thing,” said Master Lu, “Aren’t there people from Yan Country after Liulang? They would never guess that Liulang is right under their noses.”

“That makes sense,” Madam Nangong nodded in agreement, “Looking at it this way, it was lucky to have this confusion.”

It was fortunate for Liulang and also for Gu Yan.

If Gu Jiao had entered the inner city, then Gu Yan would have to separate from her. Now, the person who couldn’t bear to be apart from Gu Jiao the most was Gu Yan; he was in a critical condition, always in need of Gu Jiao’s medical treatment.

Remembering something, Madam Nangong asked, “Eh? How come you didn’t recognize Liulang’s handwriting?”

Gu Jiao said, “He changed his penmanship.”

The characters of Zhan Country were different from those of Yan Country. Gu Jiao had only seen Xiao Hen’s Zhan characters and had not seen his Yan characters. Even if it were Yan characters, the ones he used to write in Zhan Country were vastly different from those he wrote after arriving in Yan Country.

Xiao Hen was a very cautious man; he wouldn’t leave any leverage to anyone in such matters.

“What about little Jingkong?” Madam Nangong asked.

Gu Jiao said, “Send him back to the inner city for school.”

Madam Nangong sighed, “Then he’s going to be heartbroken.”

He had barely escaped from the clutches of his bad brother-in-law, only to be sent back. The little guy would cry his eyes out.

Gu Jiao could indulge little Jingkong in many things, but schooling was not up for negotiation.

The next morning, as soon as little Jingkong learned the bad news that he would be sent back to the inner city, he held his bowl, feeling that the food inside no longer tasted good!

With tearful eyes, he asked, “Jiaojiao, am I still your most beloved little man?”

Gu Jiao rubbed his little head, “Even so, you need to go to school.”

Little Jingkong cried pitifully, “Wuwu, little Shiyi will miss me!”

“Who’s little Shiyi?”

Before Gu Jiao could get a clear answer, the horse named Wang, braids and flowers in its mane, strode straight from the backyard, picked up little Jingkong’s bundled bag with its mouth, and placed it outside the door.

——I decree it!

Today, Tianqiong Academy had a holiday, truly a convergence of time, place, and unity, no need to ask for leave.

After breakfast, Gu Jiao, with little Jingkong in tow, boarded the carriage headed for the city.

Gu Xiaoshun still dropped them off near the city gate of the inner city, with Gu Jiao holding Xiao Hen’s inner city pass token from the night before, leading little Jingkong by the hand to the city gate.

The pass token was issued by the Canglan Women’s Academy upon enrollment according to the individual’s documents, with Gu Jiao and Jingkong’s names written on it. Gu Jiao was dressed as a woman and wore a veil, and the city guard didn’t notice any flaws.

After entering the city, Gu Jiao hired a carriage: “Come on up.”

Xiao Jingkong was pitifully aggrieved.

Gu Jiao said, “I will visit you often.”

Clutching his small bundle, Xiao Jingkong pouted and said, “I need two kisses before I can get on the carriage.”

Gu Jiao kissed him twice.

Only then did Xiao Jingkong, holding his small bundle, climb into the carriage.

Gu Jiao took Xiao Jingkong to the agreed location — near a tea house by the Cang Lan Women’s Academy.

It was inconvenient for the two to meet in public, so Xiao Jingkong went in by himself.

Xiao Hen had been waiting in a room on the second floor overlooking the street.

After reaching the room, Xiao Jingkong pushed open the window and leaned on the sill to signal to Gu Jiao that he was safe.

Xiao Hen wrapped one arm around him, his gaze already falling inside the carriage.

Gu Jiao was also looking at him.

The two of them gazed at each other from a distance.

The last time they had looked at each other like this was on the day when he paraded through the streets as the top scholar.

It won’t take too long, she thought. Once she cured Gu Yan and dealt with the Nangong Family, they could walk openly along the main streets.

“Miss, where to next?” the coachman asked.

“To the South City Gate,” Gu Jiao said.

“Are you in a hurry, miss?” the coachman asked.

“Yes,” Gu Jiao said.

“Then I’ll take a shortcut.” The coachman cracked his whip, driving the carriage away at a great speed.

Gu Jiao sat in the carriage and closed her eyes to rest.

Halfway through the journey, the carriage suddenly stopped.

“What’s the matter?” Gu Jiao opened her eyes and asked.

The coachman hesitated for a moment before replying, “Miss, I’m afraid we’ll have to take a different route.”

Gu Jiao sensed something amiss. She lifted the curtain and looked out, only to see a crowd had gathered on the street ahead, apparently around some incident; shouts and sounds of beating could be heard from the center of the commotion.

“Let’s change paths,” Gu Jiao said.

This wasn’t Zhan Country, and she couldn’t reveal her identity. It was best to avoid getting involved in such affairs.

“Oh my, they are going to beat someone to death!”

Just as Gu Jiao was about to lower the curtain, a voice from an old woman by the roadside reached her.

An old man nearby asked, “Who is beating someone?”

The old woman replied, “Who else? It’s that young master from the Nangong Family!”

The Nangong Family?

Gu Jiao’s hand paused. She lifted the curtain slightly and looked towards the old woman, asking, “May I know what happened up ahead?”

Upon hearing this, the coachman put down his whip.

The old woman sighed, “Ah, some horse servants drank too much and uttered some disrespectful remarks about General Nangong; Young Master Nangong heard them and had them beaten. He ordered them to be beaten… violently!”

Gu Jiao asked, “Aren’t they afraid of being held accountable if someone is killed?”

The old woman said with a sigh, “They are just a few horse servants; if they die, nobody will care to inquire.”

Gu Jiao then asked, “Old woman, the General Nangong you just mentioned, which general is that?”

The old woman answered, “It’s Lord Nangong Li! He went back to his hometown recently to pay homage to his ancestors. He was ambushed and severely injured on his way and almost didn’t survive when he got back to Shengdu. Those horse servants made some remark about him not being able to manage things, and that’s what provoked Young Master Nangong to such fury.”

It was Nangong Li who had injured Gu Yan, and he was still alive.

A middle-aged man said, “It’s not the first time Young Master Nangong has killed someone. Last time, he even laid his hands on an innocent servant from the household of Minister Luo. And that servant was a freeborn commoner, not a slave.”

Gu Jiao lowered the curtain and asked the coachman, “Where is the Nangong Family residence?”

The coachman replied, “Miss, are you going to the Nangong Residence? The Nangong Family has moved to a new residence near the Imperial Palace; if we go there in this kind of carriage, we will be arrested.”

Gu Jiao paused, then asked, “Is the Nangong Family very powerful?”

“Powerful,” said the coachman, “they’ve gained military power in recent years and are becoming more influential by the day. If — cough.”

The coachman stopped himself in time before finishing his sentence.

What was he about to say?

If Marshal Xuanyuan were still alive, would the Nangong Family dare to act so arrogantly?

In those days, the Xuanyuan Family commanded a mighty army of hundreds of thousands – how impressive was that?

The Nangong Family was nothing but a dog that licked the boots of the Xuanyuan Family.

After the Xuanyuan Family’s failed rebellion, military power was divided among four families: the Nangong, Han, Wang, and Mu families.

Among them, the Nangong Family, having contributed the most during the conflict with the Xuanyuan Family, received the largest share of military power.

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