The Prime Minister's Darling

Chapter 320: 174 Winning till hands are soft (Second update)

The candlelight flickered in Gu Changqing’s study.

An undercover guard swiftly entered, bowed to him, and greeted, “Your Highness.”

Gu Changqing’s face was concealed in the shadows, lending him an icy demeanor.

He looked at the undercover guard, “What’s the progress on the investigation I asked for?”

The Undercover guard bowed and replied, “Your Highness, we haven’t found anything.”

Gu Changqing’s eyebrows knitted together, “None? Surely there were at least seven or eight maids and four or five wet nurses in my mother’s chambers back then. How could all of them have disappeared?”

It was indeed peculiar.

Just like the servants who were around during the birth of Yao family’s child, all of them had vanished without a trace.

Back then, the Yao Family household did not have many maids serving during childbirth. Two young maids, one old wet nurse. The old nurse passed away, and the young maids are married and beyond our reach.

Yao family being of low birth, their selection of servants lacked strict scrutiny. But this cannot be the case for the Ling Family, as every member of their staff went through stringent checks, with pasts traceable back to three generations. It’s impossible for all of them to just vanish without a trace.

The undercover guard said, “Those were servants brought over from the old Madam’s maternal home. If we are to properly investigate, we will have to start from her maternal family, the Ling Family.”

But the Ling Family was Gu Changqing’s maternal family. He had always trusted them implicitly.

If he could investigate, he would first have to overcome his internal resistance to suspecting them.

“Investigate,” he ordered.

The undercover guard looked somewhat surprised, “Your Highness?”

Gu Changqing said in a serious tone, “I need the truth.”

The undercover guard looked deeply at his master and bowed in acknowledgment, “… Yes!”

After the undercover guard left, Gu Changqing took out the evidence from back then—a letter Yao had written to Marquis Gu.

The letter said little lady Ling’s illness couldn’t wait, when would Marquis Gu come to marry her? Her background very humble, if they don’t settle the marriage soon, it might lead to uncertainties, and so on so forth.

The implications were that both parties had already engaged in illicit affairs and were taking advantage of little lady Ling’s critical illness, and Yao’s opportunity to care for her.

If someone really did this, what kind of a deeply manipulative and cruel woman would she have to be?

Yet, what if she were not, then who forged this letter and what kind of terrifying existence could they be?

Moreover, there was not only the letter. Someone saw Yao enter Marquis Gu’s study with their own eyes.@@novelbin@@

Was that witness mistaken, or was he following someone’s instructions?

Who has the power to control the servants around Ling?

Gu Changqing’s mind was in chaos. He got up, put the letter back in the box, and walked out of the study room.

Snow was falling outside.

He mounted his horse and headed out of the Marquis Residence, galloping through the snow.

He didn’t consciously think about where he was going, yet his horse stopped in front of a mansion in Bishui Alley.

The large doors of the mansion were open, and lanterns were lit in the passageway and courtyard.

From his angle, he could see several children playing what seemed to be card games fearlessly in the snowy grounds.

Gu Yan’s face was covered in blackened doodles and covered with many stickers.

Little Monk’s face was clean, without any marks.

Another boy aged thirteen or fourteen was present as well.

Though Gu Changqing had visited this place and taken care of Gu Yan for a night, Gu Xiaoshun had chickenpox at the time and was recuperating in his room, so the two had not met.

But this didn’t prevent Gu Changqing from guessing his identity.

Gu Xiaoshun had lost several rounds of the card game, his face also painted with doodles.

The elderly lady held a jar of preserved fruit, eating as she walked over, checking if the three boys were cold by touching their heads, before continuing to munch on her preserves.

As Gu Changqing watched this scene, he felt somewhat confused.

Gu Xiaoshun was the adopted son of Gu Jiao’s foster parents, whilst Little Monk was adopted from a monastery, neither of them had any blood relation to Gu Jiao.

Yet, their status within the household was the same as that of Gu Jiao and Gu Yan.

Could one genuinely treat children who were not their own so well?

“Ah, Brother Yan, you’re cheating again!”

Gu Yan had hidden a card and was caught red-handed by Little Monk.

“I didn’t!” Gu Yan denied with a straight face.

“Then what is this?” Little Monk decisively found the card that Gu Yan had buried in the snow.

Gu Yan was unyielding: “How would I know? I didn’t hide it.”

“It was you! It was you! I saw it!” Little Monk got so fired up, he climbed onto the stool and started stomping his feet.

The two bickered endlessly.

Their pets also started to squabble, causing a riot in the courtyard.

Suddenly, Gu Xiaoshun looked towards the entrance, “Is someone there?”

The argument between the two boys came to a halt, and they both looked towards the entrance in unison.

Gu Changqing had been quietly watching from the side, lost in thought, before he found he was blatantly standing at the entrance.

There was no time to hide now.

Both boys had seen him.

“Wow! Big Brother!” Little Monk instantaneously forgot about the argument, hopped down from the stool, and ran towards Gu Changqing.

Gu Yan also wanted to move, but suddenly remembered something, dropped the cards from his hand, and hastily removed the stickers from his face.

After removing the stickers, he remembered he had turtle scribbles on his face.

Desperately, he put the stickers back on!

“Big Brother! Wishing you wealth and prosperity!” Little Monk made a small gesture with his hands, courteously wishing him a happy Lunar New Year.

The neighbours often greeted them this way when visiting their home, and so he had picked it up in turn.

Gu Changqing’s gaze softened, “What are you guys doing?”

Xiao Jingkong said, “Playing leaf cards!”

Grandma taught us!

The old lady spoke up, “Xiao Jingkong, who is it?”

Xiao Jingkong turned around, “It’s big brother!”

The old lady knew who it was, hmm’d and said, “Come in and join us for dinner.”

Her voice was not loud, nor was her tone heavy, but it had an aura that made it hard to refuse.

Gu Changqing hesitated for a moment.

He hadn’t thought about paying a visit, so he didn’t bring any gifts, and it didn’t seem quite right to do so during Lunar New Year.

“What are you standing there for? Come in!” said the old lady.

“Yes!” Gu Changqing walked in.

He first paid his respects to the old lady.

Strangely, he was performing a salute fitting of a relationship between a ruler and his minister.

He himself was even taken aback by his subconscious action.

Luckily the old lady and everyone else didn’t notice.

Gu Yan lowered his head, not wanting him to see the marks of cellulite on his face.

Gu Changqing looked at Gu Yan’s timid appearance and couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

When Gu Yan heard his laughter, he instantly went red and defiantly turned his back to him in the snow, giving him a great view of the back of his head!

The old sacrificial wine-taster had taken Xiao Liulang to visit his critically ill old friend, so dinner was cooked by Gu Jiao.

Unlike the lavish delicacies of the Marquis Residence, her food had a nostalgic childhood taste to it.

The atmosphere around the dinner table was also not very serious, everyone was enjoying the meal.

Gu Changqing even began to regret why he hadn’t stayed the previous two times.

After dinner, Xiao Jingkong asked him, “Big brother, do you want to play cards?”

“I, I don’t know how.” Gu Changqing grew up under the stern watch of old Marquis Gu, his upbringing was very strict, play had no place in his life.

In his belief, he should not play. If he does, he would not be a qualified heir.

Xiao Jingkong tilted his head and said, “It’s okay, we can have grandma teach you! Grandma is really good at it!”

All three of them were taught by grandma!

Xiao Jingkong was the smartest one, he picked it up immediately after grandma taught them, often wiping out Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun all together!

Gu Changqing hesitated.

Gu Jiao slightly curled the corners of her mouth, “It’s the Lunar New Year, we can play.”

Gu Yan also nodded in agreement.

In fact, even the doting old Madam Gu had never told him that it was okay, he could play.

It seemed that Gu Changqing was finally going to break the shackles that had been holding him back. He took a deep breath, “Well, okay then.”

Gu Jiao said, “Let’s go play in grandma’s room, it’s warm there. I’ll get some snacks.”

Old lady’s eyes spun round, considering Changqing’s fine clothing and admirable air, one look and you can tell he’s an easy target, and bound to foolishly lose a lot of money at the card table.

The old lady said, “Oh, it’s embarrassing to score points in front of guests, we’ll play for ten copper plates, the smallest stakes!”

Lil’ Tycoon Jingkong had just collected his rent money, he was rolling in cash, absolutely no pressure!

Gu Xiaoshun also had some New Year’s money given by Gu Jiao.

Gu Yan had it the hardest. He didn’t even have enough new year’s money to repay his debt to Xiao Jingkong.

He was working for Xiao Jingkong, earning the hard-earned money, just 10 odd copper plates a day. He was shoveling chicken dung until his hands were sore!

Yet, compared to bearing the humiliation of losing in front of Gu Changqing, he would rather lose all his money.

At worst… he would just owe Xiao Jingkong more money and shovel his chicken dung for a few more days.

Xiao Jingkong: Reminder, your chicken dung job has already been scheduled until next year!

“I really don’t know how to…” Gu Changqing was embarrassed. Old Marquis never let him indulge in frivolous activities. He didn’t even recognize the leaf cards and it took him a long time to figure out which was which, “I hope you guys won’t mind if my game is a bit off.”

But as soon as the game started, he beat Xiao Jingkong!

Xiao Jingkong: “…!!”

They played a few more games. To be honest, Gu Changqing still was unsure about certain rules and he would often wonder, should I play this card or that one? Maybe this one?

Then he played a card and bam, blew everyone away.

He was so dumbfounded by his own victory.

The old lady was the gambling queen of Bishui Alley. Not a single neighbor was ever able to win money from her.

The old lady didn’t believe it, she went ahead and played a game, only to get dominated by Gu Changqing.

The old lady’s face was as dark as coal.

Gu Changqing was embarrassed, “It’s not that… I really didn’t do it on purpose, let’s not play this game anymore, I’ll change a card.”

He switched to a lower card, but he got a straight which was the highest combination!

The remaining was King Bomb, which means he would get double the money.

Old lady: “…”

Are there any immediate heart-saving pills left?

The whole family who knew how to play cards were dominated by Gu Changqing, a novice who could barely understand the rules.

Xiao Jingkong was completely dejected.

He stood there soullessly as the old lady frantically grabbed and ruffled him back and forth!