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Gu Jiao went to the medical hall first and changed her clothes back before returning to Bishui Alley.
By the time she returned home, Grandaunt had already gone back to the palace. The Emperor was injured after all, and couldn’t take care of the state affairs at present. As the Empress Dowager, she really couldn’t idle around all day.
After playing cards, everyone scattered.
Old Chief also headed to the Imperial Academy to handle today's official business.
The news of the Emperor’s assassination did not spread to the public. The Emperor didn’t mobilize the people from the palace either, but instead let Gu Changqing stay with him to protect him.
Gu Changqing stayed in Bishui Alley with a justifiable reason.
Xiao Liulang and his three younger brothers had yet to come back. Gu Jiao went to see Eunuch Wei next door first, who was seriously injured.
"He took the medicine in the afternoon and fell asleep after a while." Yuya'er reported, "Young miss, this servant didn’t do anything wrong, right? Why isn’t he waking up?"
Gu Jiao checked Eunuch Wei's pulse and said, "You did well. He is just too weak and needs to recuperate for a few days."
Yuya'er was relieved to hear Gu Jiao’s words.
Gu Jiao went to Grandaunt's room next to check the Emperor’s pulse.
The Emperor was also sleeping, and his wound showed no signs of inflammation for the time being, but it still should not be taken lightly.
Gu Changqing had nothing to do in the afternoon, thinking that practicing swordsmanship wouldn’t be good as he was afraid that the loud noise would disturb the Emperor's rest. That was when he saw the corns hanging from the rope, and thought of taking down a few of them to pick off their kernels.
Before, he had seen Grandaunt and Gu Yan picking off the corn kernels like this.
If the people of the military camp saw the cold-faced Yama, who could harvest a million of life with a wave of his hand, sitting on the stone bench in the backyard and picking off corn kernels, their eyes would probably pop out of their sockets..
Gu Jiao went over and sat down beside him, asking about the southwest corner of the imperial palace, "Who lives in the southwest corner of the palace?"
"Why are you suddenly asking this?" The hand Gu Changqing used to pick off corn kernels paused.
"I just found out some information when I went out. The assassin seems to be related to the southwest corner of the palace." Gu Jiao mentioned nothing about going to a brothel to spy.
But Gu Changqing wasn’t stupid. Such a big piece of news was impossible to find outside. The only place where he had yet to investigate was the Heavenly Music House.
Gu Changqing narrowed his eyes as he put down the corn in his hand, the expression on his face becoming serious, "Did you go to Heavenly Music House?"
Gu Jiao said solemnly, "No, I'm a gentleman. I won’t go to such a place!"
Her clothes had been changed back. She didn’t go as long as she didn't admit to it!
Gu Changqing's eyes rested on the small protruding thing on her throat, "You forgot to remove your Adam's apple."
Gu Jiao:“…”
Like being swept by a tornado, her lies collapse too fast!
Gu Changqing felt angry and helpless at the same time. Although he knew how capable she was, Heavenly Music House wasn’t an ordinary rabbit hole after all. It had tight security and was teeming with experts, even though he didn’t know the depth of their skills.
"Don't go to such a dangerous place again." After saying that, Gu Changqing thought she was likely not to heed his words, he paused and said, "Call me if you want to go."
Gu Jiao thought for a moment and nodded.
Gu Changqing added, "How did you get in?"
"I picked up a token of Heavenly Music House." Gu Jiao answered with a straight face.
She could even pick up a token? Gu Changqing wanted to question her, was there really that kind of luck? But when he thought of Empress Dowager Zhuang and the Emperor, he thought that this girl really had this kind of luck.
He didn't doubt anything, but said, "So you heard about the person behind the assassination there?"
"En, that person is related to the southwest corner of the palace. Do you recognize this tassel?" Gu Jiao took out the tassel that Qianxue gave her.
This tassel was a section hanging from a jade pendant. It was exquisitely made. There were many such hand-woven tassels which could be bought in the streets.
The only difference was that this tassel was multi-colored.
Gu Changqing said, "Generally, tassels are red, while tassels belonging to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are bright yellow."
It wasn’t that there were not multicolored tassels, but they were rarely seen.
Gu Changqing had never seen anyone he knew wear this kind of tassel.
Gu Jiao asked, "How about the imperial concubines in the harem, do they wear multi-colored tassels?"
Gu Changqing thought carefully before saying, "I’m not sure."
Multicolored tassels were not a taboo, but they were not very popular either.
"But." Gu Changqing went on, "No imperial concubines live in the southwest corner of the imperial palace. It is a place where bees and flowers are kept, so there is only a bee garden and a flower garden there."
Could it be, that note wasn’t referring to someone who lived in the southwest corner of the palace, but to someone who usually appeared in the southwest corner of the palace?
“JiaoJiao!”
While Gu Jiao was pondering over things, Little Jing Kong came back from the Imperial Academy.
He jumped out of Liu Quan's carriage, ran into the yard, passed the front yard and the main room to the backyard, and plunged into Gu Jiao's arms.
His little head in her arms rubbed against her.
Gu Jiao had been busy recently, so much so that Little Jing Kong wouldn’t see her for a long time after coming home from school.
Of course, Little Jing Kong didn't forget to say hello to Gu Changqing, calling out ‘big brother’ in a crisp voice.
Little Jing Kong's little bald head had grown a bit of hair, and was now a dashing buzz cut head.
Gu Jiao touched his sweating little head.
The weather was so hot that he could hardly wait to remove his uniform.
Gu Jiao simply went to the kitchen to fetch water and give him a bath.
Gu Changqing said, "Let me do it."
Gu Changqing had rich experience in taking care of his younger brothers. He took Little Jing Kong back to the house and gave Little Jing Kong a bath.
Little Jing Kong changed his clothes by himself. After wearing his trousers, he seemed to have discovered a new world. He came up to Gu Jiao valiantly and pointed to his little trouser legs and shoes, uttering, "JiaoJiao, JiaoJiao! I have grown taller!"
His pants were now shorter.
It used to cover up his shoes, but now it was above the vamp.
It wasn’t much difference, just two inches.
But a two-inches increase also meant he became taller!
Gu Jiao nodded, "En, you’ve really grown taller."
"Aiya!" Little Jing Kong was so happy that he began to announce all over the yard that he had grown taller, showing off his shorter trouser legs.
It was just that everyone was out today and hadn't come back yet.
Little Jing Kong had never looked forward to the arrival of his bad brother-in-law, big brother Yan and big brother Xiaoshun like today.
He wanted to show off to the whole world that he had grown taller. He was a tall and happy boy!
However, he waited and waited but no one came back. Xiao Liulang worked overtime at Hanlin Academy, Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun went to Nan Xiang and Master Lu’s place to take their craftsmanship lessons, and even Yao shi, who went to the temple to burn incense, stayed overnight in the temple with Grannie Fang.
Oh, what a bummer!
He wanted to show off but there was no audience!
Little Jing Kong let out a sigh and paced back and forth in the yard with his hands behind his back, at the pace of Uncle Zhao when worrying about the price increase of rice tomorrow!
"Cough..."
Suddenly, there was a low cough coming from Grandaunt's room.
Little Jing Kong's eyes lit up, "Huh? Is Grandaunt back?"
He ran over and pushed the door open, "Grandaunt! Yi? It’s not Grandaunt?"
Clearly seeing the man on the bed, his little head tilted and exclaimed, "Uncle Chu?"
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