The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1376 - 1376 669 Second Watch

Chapter 1376: 669 Second Watch Chapter 1376: 669 Second Watch It would take several days for the grassland to dry out after heavy rain, so Gu Jiao and the Little Princess agreed to postpone their lesson for three more days. After school, Gu Jiao let Gu Xiaoshun take the Horse King back first while she paid a visit to Tianxiang Pavilion.

Tianxiang Pavilion was formerly a brothel, but due to the girls redeeming themselves or running away, only a handful of aging courtesans remained, resulting in a decline in business. Hence, it was converted into a theater.

But even the theater business was challenging to maintain. They couldn’t hire the right performers and had to rely on a group of old musicians to play and sing, which was hardly enough to attract any wealthy young masters to spend generously.

The main gate had been repaired, but, regrettably, the interior was still bleak and deserted.

Xun Fengxian sat in the Grand Hall, sighing deeply. If things continued like this, her Tianxiang Pavilion would have to shut down for good.

“Madam, that young master has arrived!” Ginkgo whispered into Xun Fengxian’s ear.

“Which young master? Does he have money?” Xun Fengxian asked indifferently.

Ginkgo replied, “The young master from yesterday, the one who broke down the door.”

Upon hearing about the door being broken, Xun Fengxian jerked upright, looking towards the entrance as Gu Jiao strode in.

Xun Fengxian quickly stood up, her heart still racing as she looked at Gu Jiao. “You’re… you’re here for that young brother, aren’t you? He’s upstairs, he’s awakened.”

Gu Chengfeng was indeed tough; despite his severe injuries, after just a day and a night of rest, he had regained consciousness and his fever had subsided.

When Gu Jiao entered the room, he was sitting at the bed’s edge, resisting taking his medicine.

The prescription was provided by Gu Jiao. People from Tianxiang Pavilion fetched the medicine and brewed it for him to drink. Traditional Chinese Medicine irons out the root causes and conditions the body. Gu Jiao instructed them to make sure he drank all of it.

“What, does it taste too bitter?”

Gu Jiao’s voice, calm and unhurried, came from the doorway. Gu Chengfeng was slightly startled before he grabbed the bowl and gulped down the medicine.

The maid was dumbfounded; she had spent half the day persuading him to drink, to no avail. Yet it seemed the young master had a way with him.

She thought it made sense—since the young master was so fierce, he might as well obediently take his medicine to avoid being beaten!

But Gu Chengfeng wasn’t worried about Gu Jiao beating him.

Gu Chengfeng felt so bitter that he nearly stuck out his tongue but restrained himself, leaning against the cushion behind him, he asked nonchalantly, “Why are you here? Don’t you have classes?”

Having visited Bishui Alley, he naturally knew under what pretext Gu Jiao had come to Yan Country.

“School’s over,” Gu Jiao replied, approaching the bedside and opening her first aid kit, “Time for a dressing change.”

“I can do it myself,” Gu Chengfeng stated, avoiding looking at her.

Gu Jiao glanced coolly at him, laid down the first aid kit unhurriedly, then pressed him back down onto the bed to change his dressings inside and out.

Gu Chengfeng, utterly unable to struggle, said nothing.

After the dressing change, Gu Chengfeng looked like an irritated Tong Ziji with flushed complexion.

Gu Jiao started to clear the medical supplies off the table. She didn’t ask Gu Chengfeng his purpose in Yan Country—there were things one must do, just as there were words one didn’t need to say.

However, her silence didn’t mean Gu Chengfeng assumed she wouldn’t ask.

As if to seize the initiative, Gu Chengfeng, sitting on the bed, coughed lightly and said seriously, “I’m not here to see you! I came to find my elder brother! He’s also in Yan Country, and I was worried he might be in danger.”

Gu Jiao replied, “Oh.”

Gu Chengfeng, with no recollection of the nonsense he’d talked while feverish, thought he had covered his tracks flawlessly, “You’re not my sister, anyway.”

Gu Jiao again responded with an unaffected “Oh.”

Gu Chengfeng felt as if his punch had hit cotton. Yet as Zhaodu’s foremost thief, Fei Shuang, he had mastered the skill of not feeling awkward even if others did.

“How is Gu Yan doing?” he asked, seemingly offhand.

Gu Jiao answered, “He’s out of immediate danger. If nothing unexpected happens, the surgery is scheduled for next month.”

Gu Chengfeng knitted his brows, “What do you mean if nothing unexpected happens?”

Gu Jiao stored the last used cotton swab in a porcelain jar, “The operating room is in the National Master Hall. We must wait for the National Master to return before we can use it. He is expected back next month.”

“I see,” Gu Chengfeng nodded.

Subsequently, Gu Chengfeng inquired about the conditions of Xiao Hen and Junior Monk Jingkong, to which Gu Jiao provided answers to each.

Some people claimed indifference with their tongues but missed not a detail in actuality.

“Here, this is for you,” Gu Chengfeng suddenly took out a wax-sealed oiled paper package and handed it to Gu Jiao.

“What’s this?” Gu Jiao took it.

“Princess Xinyang asked me to give it to you,” Gu Chengfeng said.

Gu Jiao opened it and found it to be a brand new protective charm.

“Why give me another one?” she asked, puzzled.

Gu Chengfeng huffed, “It’s made from medicine. If you wear it for too long, the effects wear off, so you need to replace it regularly.”

Gu Jiao touched the protective charm around her neck, “I haven’t felt any different.”

Gu Chengfeng replied, “What’s the use of waiting to feel it lose its effect before changing it? Wouldn’t it be too late then?”

“That makes sense,” Gu Jiao compliantly replaced her old safety charm with a new one. Without comparison, she hadn’t noticed, but wearing it, she felt a refreshing coolness that penetrated deep into her lungs—the old charm indeed needed replacement.

“Speaking of which…” Gu Chengfeng opened his mouth, hesitating where to start. Had Princess Xinyang not mentioned it, he would remain unaware of the secret this girl carried.

He finally understood why his eldest brother had infiltrated Yan Country. At that time, Gu Yan hadn’t fallen ill yet—it wasn’t for Gu Yan’s treatment that his brother went, but for her.

His brother wanted to cure her, to prevent her from losing control again.

But ordinarily… you really couldn’t tell.

Maybe it’s because he hadn’t seen it, so it was hard for him to imagine.

“Right, the eldest brother came to Yan Country too, have you seen him?”

“No,” Gu Jiao shook her head.

Gu Chengfeng pondered, “The eldest brother came here with the people from the underground martial arts arena. Who knows where they’ll take him. He doesn’t know you and Gu Yan are here; if he did, he would definitely find a way to contact you.”

Gu Jiao thought for a moment and said, “He might not necessarily be in Shengdu.”

Gu Chengfeng agreed, “That’s true.”

His brother had entered Yan Country to seek a cure for this girl. Yan Country was vast with many capable and unique individuals, but the most formidable was the National Master Hall.

His brother would definitely go to the National Master Hall.

However, a master selected from the underground martial arts arena of a lower country might not have the qualifications to enter Shengdu. His brother would have to fight his way up, defeating all the masters in his path, just to get into the martial arts arena of Shengdu.

This was his speculation, if Shengdu had a martial arts arena.

Tianxiang Pavilion was indeed a relatively safe place, so Gu Chengfeng continued to stay and recuperate.

Gu Jiao left Tianxiang Pavilion.

After walking a few steps, she felt someone tailing her—an instinct honed by long-term training, although the follower had not given themselves away.

Without changing her expression, she entered a ready-made clothes shop.

The shop was bustling with business, the proprietress and clerks were extremely busy.

Gu Jiao picked out a set of women’s clothing, left some pieces of silver at the counter, and also chose a veiled hat.

When Gu Jiao emerged from the shop, she had transformed into a lithe and graceful young lady concealed behind a veil.

The surveillance continued, but it was no longer focused on her.

She walked emotionlessly towards the two men eyeing her, accidentally brushing against one of their shoulders as if by coincidence.

“You…” The man became angry but, spotting a delicate and pretty girl, his face turned red and he bowed apologetically, “Miss, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Gu Jiao curved her lips slightly, speaking soothingly, “Could you please make way?”

The girl’s voice was cold and clear, naturally carrying the gentleness of her age, leaving the two men blushing.

The two hastily stepped aside.

The road was already wide, but who would refuse such a politely worded request from a young lady?

After Gu Jiao walked away, the two masters continued to watch the shop for a very long time.

“Why hasn’t he come out yet?” muttered the master who had been bumped.

His companion was puzzled too, “Could he have left already?”

The master said, “Impossible, this shop doesn’t have a back door! We covered the windows too! He didn’t come out!”

The companion asked, “What if he changed his attire?”

The master replied, “Thirteen people entered, five came out: one’s a pregnant woman, two are children, another is an old granny with white hair, and the last one is that small girl from before. Which one do you think he’s disguised as!”

The pregnant woman, children, and granny were obviously a family, and couldn’t be masqueraded as due to their distinct features.

As for that girl, her voice was so pleasant—they were tasked by their young master to tail a boy!

His companion frowned, “Forget it, let’s search inside!”

The two entered the clothing shop, searched every corner, but found no trace of the boy.

His companion looked dumbfounded, “Did he grow wings and fly away?”

The master suddenly felt at his waist, “Ah! My purse!”

In the silent street, Gu Jiao turned right into a quiet alley, removed her veil and outer garment as she walked.

Weighing the purse in her hand, she opened it and her pale fingertips extracted a Token.

“Han Family people?”

She faintly curved her lips, stepped out of the alley, and casually threw the Token into the pond beside her.

She then poured out the gold ingot and pieces of silver from the purse and discarded the purse as well.

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