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After returning to Bishui Alley, Gu Jiao found a vase to take care of the crabapple flower and placed it on her own windowsill.
The crabapple flower didn't have any particular scent, but it carried the lingering touch of his fingertips, and smelling it made her feel a fragrance.
When Xiao Liulang came to the entrance of the east room, he saw Gu Jiao leaning on the windowsill, admiring the crabapple flower that wasn’t as stunning as her. She rested her hands on her cheeks, looking very focused, as if she was examining a rare treasure she had never seen before.
It was just a crabapple flower, yet she liked it so much?
There was also a crabapple tree at home, but its blooming season had already passed.
Xiao Liulang felt a soft spot somewhere deep in his heart being poked again. He lightly tapped his fingertips on the door panel and his voice sounded somewhat husky, "I'm going to Granduncle's house."
Gu Jiao turned her head back, her youthful face bathed in warm twilight, and she curved her lips slightly at him, saying, "Okay, I'll call you for dinner."
"En."
Xiao Liulang mumbled in response and quickly turned around as if something was chasing after him.
Gu Jiao couldn't help but burst into laughter.
She took out a small notebook and wrote earnestly—— "The first time my husband gave me flowers."
After pausing for a moment, she continued writing—— "He said hello before going next door, my husband is so clingy."
Once outside the courtyard, Xiao Liulang felt awkward as if something was amiss. The two households were already connected, so going next door was almost the same as going to his study.
Why did he have to explain to her when he was just going to his study?
She didn't even explain to him whenever she went next door.
Xiao Liulang went to Old Chief's house to help him grade papers from the Imperial Academy.
While the two of them were busy working, Gu Jiao came and knocked on the door.
"JiaoJiao is here?" Old Chief smiled with delight.
"Granduncle." Gu Jiao greeted him and glanced at Xiao Liulang, then said to Old Chief, "I'm taking Little Jing Kong to the orchard."
"Ah... Go ahead." Old Chief was puzzled. There was no need to come over and inform him about such matters. She never did so before.
Gu Jiao smiled and glanced at someone, then confidently walked away with her hands behind her back.
Old Chief's gaze turned to Xiao Liulang.
Xiao Liulang, who was earnestly grading the papers at hand, asked, "What are you looking at me for?"
Something was off.
These two young ones were acting strange!
Old Chief suddenly realized that the little girl wasn't explaining to him, but to Xiao Liulang.
Had their relationship suddenly become this good? Could it be...
No, the gecko cinnabar on her face was still there, so they still hadn't consummated their marriage.
In fact, the elders had discussed this matter privately. In wealthy households, the young ladies would get married at sixteen or seventeen and only start bearing children at eighteen or nineteen, reducing the risks of childbirth.
JiaoJiao was still young, so it would be better to wait a bit before consummating their marriage.
Old Chief looked meaningfully at Xiao Liulang, "You lad..."
Xiao Liulang replied seriously, "No, I won't. I can control myself."
Old Chief: Heh, men's words are as deceiving as ghosts!
The next day, Gu Jiao accompanied Xiao Liulang to Hanlin Academy and then went to the palace.
Gu Jiao went to visit her Grandaunt.
Recently, there was an urgent situation at the border, and Empress Dowager Zhuang and the Emperor were discussing military affairs with the officials in the side hall of the imperial audience hall, so she hadn't returned to the Renshou Palace yet.
"Young Miss Gu, the sun is scorching today. Don't stay outside and get sunburned. Rest in Empress Dowager's bedchamber for the meantime." said Fei Cui to Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao liked this clever little palace maid and nodded at her, "Alright."
Gu Jiao went to Grandaunt's bedchamber, and Fei Cui brought her favorite fruit snacks. Gu Jiao casually took a bite of a cantaloupe and accidentally spilled the juice on herself.
It was sticky and uncomfortable.
"Oh no, it's stained. Let this servant find you a change of clothes." Fei Cui said.
"No need, I brought spare clothes." Gu Jiao replied.
Originally, she was supposed to go to the underground arena today, so she had her mask and male clothing in her back basket.
She changed into the male clothing, let her hair down before tying it up into a high bun.
Fei Cui took her clothes to be washed and dried.
With nothing to do in the bedchamber, Gu Jiao started admiring the treasures in the treasure cabinet. Everything in the Renshou Palace was antique, valuable and priceless. Gu Jiao didn't understand antiques, but that didn't stop her from appreciating the scent of money.
Among a pile of treasures, she was unexpectedly drawn to a square brocade box, perhaps because it looked the least like an antique among all the treasures.
Curiously, she took a look at it. She didn't have the habit of rummaging through other people's things, but she didn't expect the box to easily open with a touch.
The contents of the box quickly caught her attention. It was a pair of brand-new tiger-head shoes, exquisitely beautiful. It seemed that no one had worn them before, but the fabric and pattern didn't seem to be in the latest fashion.
"How strange."
Were they prepared for the baby in Yao Shi's belly?
"Young Miss Gu, once your clothes are dried, they can be worn in the afternoon." Fei Cui walked in. She paused her steps and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something else.
"What's wrong?" Gu Jiao noticed her unusual behavior.
"Ah, it's nothing." She replied, but her gaze involuntarily glanced at the box in front of Gu Jiao. Eventually, under Gu Jiao's puzzled gaze, she gave in and whispered, "We always pay extra attention to this brocade box when cleaning the treasure cabinet. Eunuch Qin said not to touch it, let alone look at it. However, the Empress Dowager cares for Young Miss Gu, so it should be fine for you to take a look."
The box itself wasn't precious; the precious item was the pair of shoes inside.
Gu Jiao asked, "Has this box always been here?"
"Yes, it has been here since this servant entered the Renshou Palace." Fei Cui thought for a moment and added, "This servant entered the Renshou Palace three years ago."
Three years ago, Grandaunt hadn't arrived at their home yet. She didn't know Yao Shi back then and couldn't have anticipated that she would become pregnant.
So these shoes weren't prepared for the child in Yao Shi's belly.
The situation at the border was probably even more urgent than imagined. It was already noon, and Grandaunt hadn't returned yet. Gu Jiao decided to just come back next time.
She went to the underground arena.
She went to see if Ning Wang had come to find her again. She wasn't in a hurry to agree to his proposal, but it didn't hurt to take advantage of him.
Fifty taels for a period of one incense.
Old He was also a shrewd person and saw the potential of this business, so he directly displayed the price—— A chat with Heaven Dominator, fifty taels for a period of one incense stick.
It sounded quite nice.
However, Gu Jiao's fame wasn't particularly big, and fifty taels for a mere conversation seemed exorbitant. With that kind of money, one could already enjoy the services of a top courtesan in a brothel.
Therefore, apart from Ning Wang, probably no one would take the bait.
However, Gu Jiao was mistaken. The capital, being a big fishpond, still had plenty of fat fish.
"A gentleman surnamed Xiao wants to meet you." Old He said.
Gu Jiao wrote. ‘Did you tell him the price?’
"Of course, I did. He frowned and seemed to think it was a bit too much, but didn't say anything in the end. He already paid me the money." Old He explained, handing over a fifty-tael silver banknote to Gu Jiao.
‘Ask for sixty taels next time.’ Gu Jiao pocketed the silver banknote and continued writing. ‘Ten taels are yours.’
She couldn't let Old He be the middleman for nothing.
Old He's eyes sparkled with greed and he nodded vigorously, "Aye! Deal!"
Gu Jiao had already fought five matches and hadn't lost a single one yet. Winning five more matches would allow her to level up.
Today, she had three matches, one of which was against an individual even more formidable than Blade Mountain Traveler. The opponent was a swordsman, and with just one more victory, he would be promoted three levels.
Unfortunately, he encountered Gu Jiao.
But his skills were indeed impressive, forcing Gu Jiao to use her weapon—— the red tasseled spear.
Her red tasseled spear had been tampered with by Little Jing Kong’s disastrous hands. It had a big red flower stuck on the spearhead and the shaft was painted with red flowers all over. It was especially eye-catching.
As soon as this ugly weapon appeared, everyone's eyes were blinded.
It was unclear whether the swordsman was also blinded by its glaring appearance, but he was stunned for a moment. Then Gu Jiao thrust her spear, directly piercing through his belt and throwing him off the stage.
The swordsman sat on the ground, looking bewildered...
What had he been poked by?
After finishing the fight, Gu Jiao went to meet the gentleman surnamed Xiao.
He had a more prominent presence than Ning Wang, as he was seated behind a folding screen and conversed with Gu Jiao from there.
Unfortunately, as soon as he spoke, Gu Jiao recognized his voice.
If it wasn't the Crown Prince of the East Palace, who else could it be?
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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