The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 637 - 637 306 Pampered Grandson Maniac (double update)_4

Chapter 637: 306 Pampered Grandson Maniac (double update)_4 Chapter 637: 306 Pampered Grandson Maniac (double update)_4 However, in the eyes of the emperor, it seemed that Empress Dowager Zhuang had deliberately concealed her identity, gained the sympathy and trust of Gu Jiao and her husband by presenting herself as an innocent elderly woman, and took advantage of Xiao Liulang’s journey to the Capital City for the imperial examination to return there.

“She could stoop so low as to manipulate a candidate for the imperial examination! She could even be brazen enough to scheme against the person who saved her life! She’s nothing more than a treacherous, ruthless woman!”

The emperor could tolerate most things, but he couldn’t tolerate this!

The emperor’s eyes blazed as he exclaimed, “Why … why does everyone in my circle… betray me one after another! The little divine doctor did, and Ning An did too back in the day! What’s wrong with me? How did I lose out to her!”

Eunuchs Wei and He stopped talking.

Both of them understood that the Emperor was reminiscing about Princess Ning An.

Princess Ning An was the daughter of Concubine Jing. The emperor had been raised at the knee of Concubine Jing since childhood, and he was deeply attached to Princess Ning An.

They were childhood sweethearts. In their early years, the Empress Dowager and the children of Concubine Jing had a good relationship, or else she wouldn’t have facilitated the ascension of Concubine Jing’s adopted son to power.

However, after the Emperor ascended to the throne, he was not satisfied with Empress Dowager Zhuang’s regency, and the relationship between the two became increasingly estranged, eventually leading to a complete rupture.

In the rift between the Emperor and Empress Dowager Zhuang, Princess Ning An chose the Empress Dowager. It wasn’t that she had betrayed the Emperor for the Empress Dowager, but her subtle protection of the Empress Dowager made the Emperor feel betrayed.

Princess Ning An even chose to marry far away in the North to save the man she loved, almost causing Empress Dowager Zhuang to die of grief. A distorted sense of pleasure secretly bubbled up within the emperor.

Just as you snatched Ning An from me all those years ago, now you too have experienced loss.

Do you now know the pain I endured back then?

The emperor felt frustrated. Staying in the Imperial Palace made him feel like he was suffocating.

He decided to step out of the palace.

He changed his clothes and took Eunuch Wei with him to the Marquis Xuanping’s residence. He wanted to have a drink with the Marquis Xuanping, only to find out that the Marquis had gone to Ruanyu Pavilion.

Miffed, the emperor sneaked off to find the old Marquis. But the old Marquis was also not at home!

The emperor was confused — he couldn’t help but think everyone was conspiring against him today.

The emperor misunderstood the old marquis. The old marquis didn’t know that the emperor was out of the palace; he had gone to the Martial Arts Academy.

Gu Jiao had also gone to the Martial Arts Academy.

She had recently lost a fight so the old Marquis hurried to the academy to watch Gu Jiao’s match.

Gu Jiao was still facing-off against the young swordsman from the previous match, who was around twenty-seven or eight and was in his prime. In contrast, Gu Jiao hadn’t fully developed her strength and was disadvantaged.

Most importantly, it was all about skill.

Gu Jiao had learned assassination techniques in the organization, but in the Martial Arts Academy, killing was not allowed.

After watching half of the match, the old marquis spotted the issues.

Of the two out of three rounds, Gu Jiao lost the first one.

Old Marquis called Gu Jiao to the backyard, “Brother Gu, try to attack me with the same moves you used against him earlier.”

Having said that, the old marquis immediately started imitating the young swordsman’s moves. They were exactly the same.

Gu Jiao gasped inwardly.

Could the old man really be that skilled? Just one look and he’d learned everything?

Gu Jiao attacked the old marquis, but the result was worse than on the stage.

The old marquis spoke, “Your moves are disjointed, mostly improvised on the spot. Sometimes you use boxing, sometimes palm strikes. Who is your master?”

Gu Jiao quickly wrote on her notebook: I don’t have a master. I learned by aimlessly practicing.

The old marquis was slightly taken aback.

She’s this good even with her aimless practice…

After pondering for a while, the old marquis demonstrated some moves and said, “If you want to use boxing, you can try these few moves. If you want to use palm strikes…”

With his guidance, Gu Jiao won two consecutive rounds when she stepped onto the stage, and clinched the victory of this match.

The old Marquis was very pleased.

This child was extremely talented, not inferior in any manner to Gu Changqing.

Having won the match, Gu Jiao, in her small mask, looked up at the old marquis.

The old Marquis descended the stairs and called her into the weapons arsenal of the Martial Arts Academy, saying, “You’ve never used weapons, and it’s actually a big disadvantage. I thought you just didn’t like to use weapons.”

Now he knew she did not know how to use weapons at all.

Gu Jiao thought, I’m pretty good at shooting, the type that can make a headshot!

The old Marquis looked at the room full of weapons and said, “Pick one for yourself.”

Gu Jiao was not too interested in cold weapons.

The old Marquis thought she just didn’t know how to choose. he looked more closely, and handed her a Red-Tasseled Spear, saying, “Use this.”

Gu Jiao nodded, okay then.

The old Marquis demonstrated a set of spear techniques for her.

Though he had suppressed his aura, Gu Jiao could still feel an overwhelming force.