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Eunuch Qin’s appearance and manners were flawless, except that he greeted Gu Jiao first before the Crown Princess, which itself was a slap to the Crown Princess’s face.
The Crown Princess's eyes flashed with subtle waves, but she kept her expression as usual, saying, "Eunuch Qin may dispense with curtseying."
"Young Miss Gu, did you get the honey you wanted?"
"En." Gu Jiao nodded her head, "It’s in the cabin."
Eunuch Qin personally went to take out two jars of honey. When he got back, he said, "Is there anything else Young Miss Gu wants? There are many flowers in the flower garden. Does Young Miss Gu have any flowers she likes?"
Gu Jiao shook her head, "I don't raise flowers."
Eunuch Qin said with a smile, "Alright, then let's head back now, lest we worry the Empress Dowager."
The Crown Princess's eyes could hardly conceal her surprise.
She had known Eunuch Qin for so long but she had never seen him so polite to anyone.
Even in front of Empress Xiao and Imperial Consort Zhuang, he just did his courtesy as per the rules, but his politeness to Gu Jiao seems to be more than just politeness.
There seemed to be a trace of affection and fondness mixed in it.
During the whole process, Eunuch Qin took the Crown Princess as air, only asking questions to Gu Jiao, as if he had endless worries.
The Eunuch Qin he knew wasn’t so talkative.
The Crown Princess knit his brows into a frown.
The two people started walking away.
When Gu Jiao passed by the Crown Princess, Gu Jiao suddenly pointed to the tassel on the ground and said, "Your tassel fell off."
The Crown Princess looked down and said, "It doesn’t belong to this Crown Princess."
Gu Jiao: "Oh."
She couldn’t believe it wasn’t the Crown Princess's either.
The people who appeared in the southwest corner of the palace today had nothing to do with this tassel.
What was going on?
Gu Jiao left with doubts.
The Crown Princess was no less puzzled than Gu Jiao. Looking at her departing back, she felt that something wasn’t right, "Isn't she the wife of the new Zhuangyuan? How can she be so close to Renshou Palace?"
“Crown Princess!” The young palace maid around her suddenly remembered something and said, "Does the Crown Princess remember about the Fifth Prince being pushed into the water jar two days ago? Imperial Concubine Shu wanted to punish that culprit, the result was that the other party was picked up by Empress Dowager, and that person even sat on Empress Dowager's phoenix palanquin."
This incident caused a great uproar in the palace, so much so that even the Crown Princess heard about it even though she was just staying at home.
That person was the first niece of Imperial Concubine Shu, the real daughter of the Marquis Ding'an Estate.
It was said that her medical skills were brilliant and she was regarded as a guest of honor by Empress Dowager Zhuang.
The Crown Princess looked slightly dazed, "Is it her?"
Xiao Liulang married not an ordinary peasant girl, but a real Marquis Estate daughter?
At this moment, there was an inexplicable feeling within the Crown Princess's heart.
The young palace maid muttered, "Then again, is this Marquis Estate daughter crazy? Marquis Ding'an Estate is His Majesty's close subordinate, and Xiao Liulang is also His Majesty's new Zhuangyuan. Her father, brothers and husband are all His Majesty's people, but she insists on interacting with Empress Dowager Zhuang! Is she not afraid of being rejected by her father and brothers, or being abandoned by her husband?"
Right, was she not afraid at all?
How could she... live so fearlessly and carefree?
Gu Jiao returned to Renshou Palace and personally made a crispy honey duck for Grandaunt. It tasted similar to the sugar-coated duck, except it wasn't as sweet and it also had a trace of honey's natural sourness, making the taste even richer.
Empress Dowager Zhuang ate happily without the Emperor, that annoying son, fighting over food with her.
After lunch, Gu Jiao took out the tassel and showed it to Empress Dowager Zhuang, "Grandaunt, have you seen anyone wearing this tassel?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at the tassel and furrowed her brows, "I have never seen such an ugly tassel before!"
It wasn’t ugly though, Gu Jiao thought to herself.
"Wait, I seem to have seen it." Empress Dowager Zhuang looked up at the sky through the window and carefully recalled it, only to wave her hand in the end, "I can't remember."
Great, the clue that she just obtained was cut off just like that.
"Where did you get that tassel anyway?" Empress Dowager Zhuang asked.
"Picked it up." Gu Jiao answered with a straight face, "This tassel may be related to the assassins who ambushed His Majesty."
"Humph." Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted and had a disgusted look on her face, "They can’t even do their job cleanly!"
Gu Jiao:“…”
Gu Jiao went to the bee garden again in the afternoon and still found nothing.
At dusk, she left the palace.
She walked alone in the bustling street wearing her back basket.
Her mind was still thinking about the person behind the assassination at this moment. Suddenly, there were noises of punching and kicking in the alley, and her eyes inadvertently swept in that direction.
She saw a group of five burly men ganging up and beating a thin young man.
The young man's arms kept protecting something, and he wouldn't let go of it despite being beaten black and blue.
Gu Jiao walked over, grabbed one of the burly men with one hand and knocked him down, quick and easy.
Several people saw that they were no match for Gu Jiao and ran away.
Gu Jiao crouched down beside the young man. The young man didn't know what just happened, thinking that there was going to be another round of attacks. He covered his head with one hand and hugged the bundle in his arms with the other.
Gu Jiao reached out her index finger and poked him on the shoulder, "It's me."
Liu Yisheng took away his hand protecting his head and looked at her in surprise.
Gu Jiao sighed, "Why are you being bullied again?"
Liu Yisheng got up from the ground, embarrassed, and said indifferently, "This is nothing new, is it? It's not the first time you've seen it."
There was no one else who could talk about getting beaten up in such a nonchalant manner.
Gu Jiao took a look at the bundle in his arms and said in a low voice, "Have you finally decided to study?"
Liu Yisheng said without a care, "I’m just reading casually."
Gu Jiao: "Oh."
Liu Yisheng:“…”
Liu Yisheng moved his lips and he said, "If there’s nothing, I'll take my leave first."
"Here." Gu Jiao tossed a bottle of jinchuang medicine at him.
Liu Yisheng subconsciously caught it with his hand, froze, and then returned it to her, "I have no money on me."
Gu Jiao said, "I’m giving it to you, free of charge."
Liu Yisheng was still unwilling to accept her medicine for nothing. After thinking, he picked a book from a pile of precious books in his arms and gave it to her, "Medicine fee."
Gu Jiao said, "Jinchuang medicine is not so expensive."
Liu Yisheng responded, "Include the previous ones as well."
This person's pride was simply too strong, always refusing to accept benefits for nothing. But then again, if he wasn’t like this, he might have long gone to the State of Chen to take refuge in his grandparents' home.
"Okay." Gu Jiao accepted his book.
The two then said goodbye to each other.
But before they completely parted, Gu Jiao halted her steps and took the tassel out of her bosom and called out to him, "Have you seen this tassel before?"
"Huh? My tassel... " Liu Yisheng uttered, then bowed his head to get the jade pendant in his bosom.
When he took out his jade pendant and saw an identical tassel hanging on it, he said apologetically, "I made a mistake. It's not mine, mine is still here."
Gu Jiao pointed to his tassel, "Has that tassel always been there?"
Liu Yisheng nodded his head, "Yes, this is what my mother left me and it has been attached to this jade pendant since long ago."
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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