The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1594: 769 Take Back Everything (first update)

Chapter 1594: 769 Take Back Everything (first update)

Xiao Hen and Second Master Jing had just returned all the books to the Qilin Palace when Duke An’s conversation with Gu Jiao was nearly at its end.

Second Lady had recently fallen ill today, so Second Master Jing needed to leave early and, pushing his elder brother’s wheelchair, bid farewell to Xiao Hen and Gu Jiao.

In the corridor, Xiao Hen watched the two brothers depart and remarked, “Though they are not born of the same mother, their relationship as brothers is still quite good.”

Second Master Jing wasn’t very astute, and his wife was gentle and virtuous. For Duke An to have such a brother and sister-in-law was indeed fortunate.

Of course, it was also lucky for the young couple to have a magnanimous brother like Duke An.

A united family is, in fact, more precious than any wealth or honor.

Seeing that Gu Jiao remained silent, Xiao Hen stepped into the room only to find Gu Jiao sitting in her wheelchair, quietly staring into the Courtyard, lost in thought.

Xiao Hen took an orange from the fruit tray on the table and sat down on the stool beside her.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked while peeling the orange.

“I am wondering who I actually am,” Gu Jiao replied.

Xiao Hen already knew that Gu Jiao was no longer the former Miss Gu; she came from a very distant place, but she had never had such doubts before.

“Why do you suddenly ask this? Did the National Master say something to you?” he inquired.

She had been slightly off ever since she returned from seeing the National Master and then wanted to speak with Duke An alone.

Combining her question with her earlier demeanor, Xiao Hen speculated that the National Master might have spoken to her about something related to her origins.

Gu Jiao remained silent.

Xiao Hen didn’t press her; he smiled, handed her the peeled orange, and said, “In fact, who you once were doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you are you.”

Gu Jiao looked surprised: “I, am myself?”

“Yes.” Xiao Hen gazed at her earnestly, his gaze laden with gravity and trust, “Names, identities, appearances, shells… they’re all illusory.”

As he spoke, his long, jade-like fingers gently tapped her forehead, “It’s here that is the unique truth.”

Gu Jiao looked at him oddly: “You’re starting to sound like an enlightened monk. If I think carefully, it even has a bit of Zen to it.”

Xiao Hen sighed: “Alas, what can I do when there’s a little Monk in the house? It’s like the saying, ‘One takes on the color of one’s company.'”

Gu Jiao was amused by his comment and nibbled on a segment of the orange.

“Is it tasty?” Xiao Hen asked.

Gu Jiao nodded: “It’s delicious.”

Xiao Hen understood there was something else on her mind.

She wasn’t one to beat around the bush. If she was taking time to measure her words, it must have been something significant.

He showed no impatience, did not hurry her, and didn’t walk away, simply keeping her company in silence.

Just as she had once been by his side when he was struggling to see the light of day again.

The trust and understanding between them had long since needed no words.

After Gu Jiao finished the last segment of the orange, Xiao Hen considerately passed her a clean handkerchief.

She took it and wiped her fingers, then said, “There is one more thing I need to tell you, and it’s actually the main point of what I wanted to discuss.”

In such a solemn situation, most people would subconsciously create some distance.

Xiao Hen, however, did not do so. Instead, he moved his stool closer to her and, looking at her delicate profile, said, “Good, I’m all ears.”

Gu Jiao glanced at him and spoke, “It isn’t good news, you don’t have to listen earnestly.”

Xiao Hen smiled: “I still want to listen.”

Gu Jiao paused, then asked, “Are you fully aware of the crimes the Xuanyuan Family was charged with years ago?”

Xiao Hen nodded: “I saw the Xuanyuan Family’s file in the Book Pavilion. It listed numerous severe accusations—colluding with Dajin, treachery, ceding frontier cities, harming the loyal and good, embezzling disaster relief funds, fabricating a Dragon Robe, starting a rebellion… The ‘sins’ of the Xuanyuan Family are too numerous to record.”

Gu Jiao stated, “What I’m about to tell you has to do with the Xuanyuan Family.”

Xiao Hen looked at her kindly, signaling for her to feel at ease and continue.

Gu Jiao spoke seriously, “I want to exonerate the Xuanyuan Family, I want to bring down the sovereign of Dayan Country.”

This wasn’t a decision she made only after learning about Jing Yinyin’s background; it was a seed that had sprouted in her heart long ago.

She said to Xiao Hen, “You don’t have to join in. The sovereign of Dayan has no intention of harming you. Even if you are exposed, you are still his true eldest grandson, and he will not hurt you, nor will he harm Shangguan Yun again. Your real enemies are only the Crown Prince and those coveting the throne.”

Those people were much easier to deal with than the sovereign, a formidable enemy indeed.

Overthrowing his royal power was something even the once mighty Xuanyuan Family with their millions of soldiers couldn’t achieve.

It was exceedingly difficult for Gu Jiao to confront him.

It was a task almost surely doomed to failure, and Gu Jiao could face her own death, but she didn’t want to drag Xiao Hen into it.

“Haven’t we always been doing this?” Xiao Hen held her hand and looked deep into her slightly surprised eyes, “Sending the little Monk back home isn’t just your wish alone.”

“Fiercely protecting the one you love is not your exclusive right.”

“Is it only permissible for you to go through fire and water for me, and not for me to do the same for you?”

He said at last, his gaze intense, as if his heart had been hurt by her, “We are husband and wife, are you really contemplating… leaving me behind alone?”

Gu Jiao was not responsive to toughness but was completely defenseless against these puppy-dog eyes.

She sat dazed in the wheelchair, even forgetting what she was supposed to say next.

Xiao Hen let out a sorrowful sigh, “Do you lack confidence in me, or do you lack faith in our relationship?”

Gu Jiao: “Ah, this… ”

Debating was not Gu Jiao’s strong suit, fighting was.

Even with ten mouths, she couldn’t out-argue Xiao Hen.

Gu Jiao fiddled with her fingers, “But he is your grandfather.”

Xiao Hen said, “The grandfather who slaughtered my grandmother’s entire clan.”

That was… true, too.

Gu Jiao asked, “Are you really not going to regret this?”

“I won’t,” Xiao Hen said, looking at her and gently pinching her fingertips, “So now, can I join you, my commanding officer?”

What was this flirty tone? Why did a serious conversation take such a strange turn at the end?

Gu Jiao toyed with her fingers, her eyes rolling, “I have to think it over carefully and review whether you qualify as an ally.”

“And me too.”

Shangguan Yun walked in, leaning on a walking stick.

Xiao Hen was just about to employ his beauty trap when he was startled by Shangguan Yun’s sudden entrance, leaping right off his stool!

“Mother! When did you come in? How come you didn’t make any sound?”

“You didn’t notice or react, and here I thought you knew I was here,” Shangguan Yun muttered under her breath. She came before the two and looking down at Gu Jiao said, “I want to join as well.”

Gu Jiao looked at her, “Are you sure?”

Shangguan Yun looked at the blue sky outside the window: “I couldn’t be more certain. Fifteen years ago, I didn’t have the courage I do now. Having lost the Xuanyuan Family, the position of the Empress Mother, and that of the Princess, I was like a bird stripped of its feathers, no longer possessing the will to soar. I wholeheartedly hoped that my two children could simply survive, but after meeting you, I realized how wrong I was, terribly wrong.”

“It’s not enough for a person to just survive, they have to live openly and honorably, without the need to hide or assume someone else’s identity.”

“I have failed before, but I hope it’s not too late for me to repent.”

Even if she had to cast aside all her pride and ruin her haughty spirit, she was determined to accomplish what she had lacked the courage to do fifteen years prior.

“Girl, you’re very impressive,” Shangguan Yun told Gu Jiao.

“I know that,” Gu Jiao said.

Shangguan Yun’s mouth twitched.

I thought I was narcissistic enough, but this girl is even more so… In such a moving moment, with such poignant words, my tears were about to fall, yet this girl forced them back.

Is this how my uncles felt back then?

What goes around comes around; no one is spared by the heavens.

Shangguan Yun glanced at the two, “Do you have any plans? I suggest you start with military power, fifty thousand Hei Fengqi is far from enough.”

Gu Jiao told her, “The fifty thousand Hei Fengqi are just the beginning. I’ll reclaim all the military power of the Xuanyuan family.”

Though Shangguan Yun leaned on a walking stick, the royal dignity she carried was not to be underestimated.

She nodded with assertive authority, “Very well, I look forward to it. Then, plan your plans, and I’ll deploy mine.”

Xiao Hen asked, “What do you plan to do, mother?”

Shangguan Yun gripped her walking stick tightly, her gaze chilling, “Take back the position of Princess!”

…

At night, after dinner in Shangguan Yun’s room, little Jing Kong lingered affectionately in Gu Jiao’s arms for a while before going out to the courtyard to find Little Shiyi to play with.

Ya He brought the soup medicine she had stewed for Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao looked at the soup medicine, deep in thought.

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Hen asked.

Gu Jiao furrowed her brows, “I suddenly have a question.”

Xiao Hen voiced his puzzlement, “What question?”

Gu Jiao said, “The National Master Hall provides medical treatment for all participants in the selection, and Han Wuye was so seriously injured, why wasn’t he sent to the National Master Hall?”

“He was taken straight back by the Han family… Was his injury that serious?” Xiao Hen was unaware of this. The Han family had not disclosed Han Wuye’s condition to the public, and he had assumed Han Wuye only suffered minor injuries.

Gu Jiao recalled, “I inflicted his wounds with my own hands, and he didn’t even have the strength to stand up at the time. With such severe injuries, wouldn’t it be safer to seek treatment at the National Master Hall?”

Xiao Hen frowned, “If that’s the case, then there is something strange about this situation.”

Gu Jiao stroked her chin, “There must be a secret about Han Ci!”