The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 596 - 596 288 The Empress Dowager Makes a Move (Double

Chapter 596: 288 The Empress Dowager Makes a Move (Double Update) Chapter 596: 288 The Empress Dowager Makes a Move (Double Update) After the folks from the Tang Family left, Gu Chengfeng also departed under the escort of Supreme Eunuch Qin.

Empress Dowager Zhuang took Gu Jiao back to the Renshou Palace.

Gu Jiao, dressed in her little black dress, was all dirty from hiding in the cupboard and escaping.

Empress Dowager Zhuang took Gu Jiao to the bathhouse of Renshou Palace for a clean-up and combing. Despite knowing Gu Jiao’s dislike for strangers, considering the size of the pool and some unfamiliar features, the empress dowager nonetheless arranged for two smart little maids to serve her closely.

This was Gu Jiao’s first time in the palace’s pool, and the novelty delighted her.

The grand hall was enveloped by golden columns resembling coiling dragons that reached up to the ceiling beams, with the bath in the center, shrouded on all sides by veils, hiding and revealing the opulence within.

Four artistic candleholders, each bearing increasing numbers of candles, were placed at the corners outside the veils.

There were no open flames inside the veils. Instead, considerable Night Light Pearls were inlaid into the floor and the pool’s walls.

The pool was awash with freshly picked flower petals, each emitting a rich, fresh fragrance.

Gu Jiao submerged her whole body beneath the flower petals, only leaving her small round head above the water.

A maid kneeling by the pool said to her, “Milady, shall I comb your hair for you?”

“Mm,” Gu Jiao nodded, for once not rejecting a stranger’s touch.

The maid dipped a wooden comb in fragrant oil and loosened the hair coiled atop Gu Jiao’s head.

Her touch was so gentle, as if afraid to break a single strand of Gu Jiao’s hair.

Gu Jiao closed her eyes in enjoyment, she herself never brushed her hair so gently.

Once her hair was glossy and smooth, the maid picked up a bar of soap to wash Gu Jiao. The soap was far from ordinary, it was laced with numerous fragrances, of a kind too precious for commoners.

Feeling too comfortable, Gu Jiao almost dozed off.

After finishing her bath, which took a good half of two hours, she felt hunger pangs. She’d been too busy catching the culprit, and whatever she ate earlier had long been digested.

She entered in a light purple nightgown made of ice silk. It was clearly not the empress dowager’s nightgown, but something suitable for her age.

When Empress Dowager Zhuang saw her walking out from the candlelight, escorted by the maids, she seemed momentarily entranced.

“Granny,” Gu Jiao approached her.

Empress Dowager Zhuang returned to her senses and pointed to a stool beside her. “Sit. Have something to eat.”

As it happened, Gu Jiao was famished.

Seeing the table filled with mouth-watering delicacies, she could barely hold back the drool.

She blinked and sat down. “Granny, how did you know I was hungry?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted. “Hmph, it doesn’t take a genius to guess. With your tiny stomach…”

Gu Jiao smugly smiled and picked up her chopsticks to enjoy a hearty meal.

In the palace, dining has its own strict set of rules. Usually, there are designated people serving, and you eat what and how much they serve. Empress Dowager Zhuang has followed these rules for many years.

But with Gu Jiao here, she dismissed the dining maids.

Of course, Gu Jiao was oblivious to this.

“Have you eaten your fill?” Empress Dowager Zhuang asked Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao put down her chopsticks and let out a small burp. “I’m full.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang then ordered a cup of Hawthorn Flower Tea to aid digestion and calm the mind.

While holding the tea, Gu Jiao asked, “Granny, why did you suddenly leave the palace?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang huffed, “Is there a problem with this dowager taking a stroll around?”

Gu Jiao hummed in reply, “Granny, were you going to play cards?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s eyebrows twitched, “Nonsense! How could this dowager…go out to play cards?”

I had just comeback from playing cards!

Quickly shifting the attention away from herself, she asked, “You have the audacity to ask why this dowager left the palace, but I should be asking you! What the hell were you doing at the Tang Residence in the middle of the night?”

Gu Jiao looked at her granny, then lowered her gaze and twiddled her fingers. “Catching a criminal.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang gasped, “You went to the Marshal Residence to catch a what?”

Gu Jiao explained, “Someone tried to kill Tang Ming and frame Gu Changqing.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang knew Tang Ming. He was the nephew of Tang Yueshan and was quite handsome. As for Gu Changqing…Empress Dowager Zhuang scrunched her eyebrows, the name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite remember.

The segments of Empress Dowager Zhuang’s memory that returned mostly involved Gu Jiao and Xiao Jingkong. Gu Changqing did not visit frequently, so she didn’t quite remember him.

Seeing Empress Dowager Zhuang’s confused expression, Gu Jiao had a think and said, “He was the first-time card player who won a lot of your money.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s face darkened.

The mental image returned.

Despite the complexity of the issue, Empress Dowager Zhuang had heard hints of it. After all, there was considerable unrest at the military camp, how could she not know that Tang Ming’s arm was cut off by one of the lieutenants from the Marshal Residence?

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