The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 945 - 945 431 Discovery (first update)

Chapter 945: 431 Discovery (first update) Chapter 945: 431 Discovery (first update) The Crown Princess Consort closed her eyes.

Either Xiao Liulang was indeed not Xiao Hen,

or Xiao Hen had yet to recognize Princess Xinyang.

The Crown Princess Consort’s feelings were incredibly complex.

“Crown Princess Consort,” Yujin’s voice interrupted the Crown Princess Consort’s thoughts.

The Crown Princess Consort regained her focus and asked politely, “What’s the matter, Lord Yujin?”

Yujin spoke earnestly, “I implore the Crown Princess Consort to show leniency for Doctor Gu’s sake, in consideration of the Princess. The Princess’s heart ailment couldn’t be cured by medicine, and it was only after meeting Doctor Gu that she finally found some relief.”

Upon hearing this, the Crown Princess Consort’s brows knitted slightly, “Wasn’t the Hundred Flowers Pill effective last time?”

Yujin shook his head, “To be honest, it wasn’t the effect of the Hundred Flowers Pill, but Doctor Gu’s medicine.”

The Crown Princess Consort’s delicate hand clenched.

Yujin continued, “The Crown Princess Consort need not take this to heart. In the Princess’s eyes, you are the person she is closer to. It’s precisely because she sees you as family that she doesn’t treat you as an outsider.”

Who wouldn’t be pleased to hear such words?

The Crown Princess Consort smiled graciously and said, “Don’t worry. I’m not so petty. I won’t tell His Highness the Crown Prince or the Emperor about today’s events. If they ask, I’ll say I injured myself by accident.”

Yujin took the Crown Princess Consort’s hand, “Only the Crown Princess Consort would be so considerate of the Princess.”

Indeed, only she truly cared for Princess Xinyang, no matter whether Xiao Liulang was Xiao Hen or whether Gu Jiao was Princess Xinyang’s daughter-in-law. She was always Princess Xinyang’s closest person.

Meanwhile, after Long Yi took Gu Jiao out of the mansion on Vermilion Bird Avenue, Gu Jiao thought he was going to take her out for a casual stroll. Little did she expect that Long Yi would directly throw her into the Princess Residence.

Gu Jiao had never been to the Princess Residence before, but that did not keep her from recognizing the characters on the plaque.

Gu Jiao looked at Long Yi, who had thrown her into the sleeping chamber of the Princess Residence, with an expressionless face. Really, should I be worried about your future dating prospects? Will you ever pick a decent place?

The Princess Residence was guarded by servants, but Long Yi was so swift that no one noticed someone had entered.

Gu Jiao sat on a chair, watching Long Yi leap onto the beam, and asked word by word, “Can we change the place?”

Long Yi did not respond.

Gu Jiao: Hero, have you decided on the destination and duration of the outing and refuse to consider amendments? Shall we discuss it again?

Gu Jiao thought it over, “How about… you come down, and we go poke a pen in the courtyard?”

“Or could you tell me how long we have to stay here?”

“The Princess won’t be angry for too long, right…?”

Long Yi completely ignored Gu Jiao. She tried to slip out by opening doors and windows, but Long Yi always caught her and brought her back.

In the end, Gu Jiao gave up resisting and slid down on the chair, sprawling herself out like a listless, soulless little salty fish.

However, from this angle, her gaze swept across and landed on a pile of scrolls.

She stood up from the chair, walked over to the Duobao Pavilion, and pulled out a scroll from a large jar.

After untying the ribbon and unrolling it, she found it was actually a portrait of Xiao Liulang… or perhaps it should be said, of Xiao Hen.

It was Xiao Hen at thirteen, dressed in white, his demeanor pure and elegant.

She opened another portrait, also of Xiao Hen at thirteen, wearing the robes of a young ceremonial officer, resplendently beautiful and peerlessly noble.

Whether as a young marquis or a ceremonial officer, his eyes were filled with starlight.

His smile was clean and warm, as if it was the most innocent piece of jade in the world.

Gu Jiao caressed the smiling young man in the portrait, her fingertips tracing the contours of his face. It was really hard to believe that such a smile would forever disappear from his countenance.

The light in his eyes had vanished too.

Gu Jiao rubbed the spot over her heart.

It wasn’t just one portrait, nor was it only of Xiao Hen.

Gu Jiao had also seen that of Princess Xinyang.

The young Princess Xinyang was truly beautiful. She remains beautiful now, but the her of the past was like a delicate flower under the sun, bursting with life and vibrancy. Now she has become a silk flower.

It’s still beautiful, but no longer alive.

Gu Jiao also saw a portrait of the mother and son together. It was of Princess Xinyang in her twenties with five-year-old Little Xiao Hen held in her embrace, her gentleness making even the passage of time seem still.

The relationship between Princess Xinyang and Xiao Hen wasn’t the mess that she had with her parents in a previous life; they once were the closest, most needed, and most reliant upon each other in the world.

“Slacking off again, are you? The moment I stop watching over you, each and every one starts to skive off. If the princess finds out, watch your hides!”

Suddenly, the fierce voice of a nanny came from outside. She walked towards the direction of the Sleeping Palace and arrived at the door, her hands pressing against it.

Just as she was about to push the door open, Long Yi suddenly leaped down from the beam, grabbed Gu Jiao, and took her out through the window with him.

With her face ashen, the captured Gu Jiao, or should I say “little chick,” pleaded, “Could you… could you give a heads up next time?”

Due to the nanny’s interruption, the one-day tour of the Princess Residence ended prematurely. This was for the best; otherwise, Gu Jiao really didn’t know how long Long Yi would have kept pressing her down to hide.

Only, everything happened too quickly, and Gu Jiao didn’t have time to put the scroll back. She was still holding the portrait of the mother and son.

In the Courtyard on Vermilion Bird Avenue, Xiao Liulang slowly came to. He stared at the somewhat unfamiliar canopy above him, momentarily uncertain of where he was. Only after a long look around the room’s furnishing did he recall his location.

He blinked in disbelief.

Memories of the previous day began to resurface in his mind; he seemed to have been taken away by Long Yi, but as to where, he had no idea—he had passed out.

Although he had woken up briefly in the middle of the night, he wasn’t fully coherent. Seeing Gu Jiao beside him, he fell back asleep.

The hand on his forehead that night…

“Young Master, you’re awake?” a maid entered, pushing open the door.

She was a servant brought back from Fengdu Mountain by Princess Xinyang, someone Xiao Liulang had never seen before nor had she seen him.

She was unaware of Xiao Liulang’s identity; she only knew he was a man Long Yi had brought back.

Why Princess Xinyang would tolerate a foreign man sleeping in her own bedchamber, she did not understand, nor did she dare to inquire.

Seeing the unfamiliar maid, a wild guess flashed through Xiao Liulang’s mind. He asked, “Where is this? And where is your master?”

The maid replied, “This is Vermilion Bird Avenue. Are you asking where the princess has gone?”

Xiao Liulang probed, “Princess Xinyang?”

The maid nodded, “Yes.”

It seemed it wasn’t like he had speculated. The Courtyard hadn’t changed its owner.

Xiao Liulang continued, “How long have I slept?”

The maid answered, “Half a day and a night! You came here yesterday evening, and now it’s midday the next day. Young Master, are you hungry? The Kitchen has boiled porridge.”

Xiao Liulang had no appetite at the moment. He paused, then asked, “Where is… the princess?”

The maid pointed outside, “The princess has returned to the Princess Residence.”

Xiao Liulang let out a wry smile.

She really didn’t want to see him.