The Prime Minister's Darling

Chapter 372: Chapter 195: Protecting the Shortcoming (Two Updates in One)_3

“Is this emperor that weak?” Gu Jiao asked.

Du Ruohan sighed: “In the past, Empress Dowager Zhuang took control of the government, and the cabinet’s power was all in the hands of her brother, who was also State Tutor Zhuang. The political situation might slightly change this year due to the Empress Dowager’s illness. She went to the imperial villa for recuperation, and the Zhuang family’s power is not as strong as it used to be. However, precisely because of this, all forces must seize this last chance, otherwise, once his Majesty finally takes back the reins, it would be difficult for them to manipulate the Palace Examination.”

Fen Lin and his friends spent a joyous day in Bishui Alley, except for Du Ruohan, who lost terribly, gambling away next month’s allowance.

The old lady was happily counting the money inside the house.

Fen Lin and his friends said their goodbyes.

Before leaving, the three men cast a strange glance at Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang frowned and asked, “What’s wrong?”

The three shook their heads like ripples in the water, “Nothing, nothing at all!”

If Miss Gu wanted them to act ignorant, then they would just pretend they knew nothing.

The three of them left in Lin Chengye’s carriage.

He turned back into the courtyard, only to find Gu Jiao walking out.

“Are you going out this late?” he asked.

Gu Jiao responded with a slight ‘Oh’, “Going to the medical hall.”

Xiao Liulang and his group had a day off, and Master Dong had deliberately given Gu Jiao a day off as well, so she could spend time with her family. Therefore, technically, she didn’t have to go to the medical hall.

Even if she did go, she never went empty-handed. She always took with her a small backpack, carrying her first-aid kit.

Xiao Liulang gave her a deep look.

Xiao Liulang misunderstood Gu Jiao, truly she was going to the medical hall, she went to see how Gu Chenglin was doing. She had already fetched Gu Chenglin’s medicine and given it to Doctor Song, so it was okay not to bring her first-aid kit.

Gu Jiao swore she was not going to bother He Jinghong.

She didn’t even know where He Jinghong lived.

But, it might be her lucky day – as soon as she left the medical hall after checking on Gu Chenglin, she ran into a group of bird-selling peddlers.

“Young Master He! Your parrot has arrived!” A peddler offered a birdcage to a noble young master, taking off the cover and saying, “This is a very valuable bird. The owner initially refused to sell it. It took a great deal of persuasion before she agreed!”

“My cousin just loves raising birds!” said the young noble.

The peddler chuckled, “I’m not just boasting, Young Master He. There is no parrot more intelligent than this one in the entire Capital City. The Duchess will surely love it!”

The noble young man was very pleased, and threw him a bag of money. He instructed his bodyguards to handle the cage carefully and turned into an alleyway.

His surname was He, and his cousin was the Duchess. Gu Jiao could not ignore these obvious clues.

This wasn’t me looking for you, you came to me, right?

Gu Jiao followed him.

Young Master He himself brought over the birdcage, thinking about the happy face his cousin would have when she saw this parrot, a smile spread across his face.

He entered an alley.

Seven to eight bodyguards followed closely behind him.

Just when they were following at a steady pace, suddenly–

Whoosh!

One disappeared!

Whoosh!

Another one disappeared!

Young Master He looked back and vaguely felt something was amiss. However, he couldn’t tell anything was wrong in the narrow alleyway.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

By the time he looked back again, there was only one bodyguard left.

The remaining bodyguard had a look of terror.

Young Master He jumped, “What’s the matter with you?”

The bodyguard fell down with a bang!

Gu Jiao appeared in front of Young Master He.

She was dressed in sleeveless green clothes, her black hair was like ink, tied in a bun at the top of her head with the white jade hairpin given by Xiao Liulang. Her loose hair was like satin, flowing naturally in the cold wind.

Her eyes were cold, showing a hint of disdain.

“He Jinghong?” she said.

Yougn Master He used the birdcage as a shield, “Who are you? How do you know my name?”

Gu Jiao responded bluntly. “I heard you cheated in the college examination.”

His eyes flickered. “What nonsense are you talking about! I didn’t!”

It appears he did.

No need for further discussions then.

Gu Jiao looked him up and down, her gaze landing on his legs.

She was contemplating whether to break his legs, making it impossible for him to crawl to the examination site, or fracture his hands, as revenge for Xiao Liulang’s ordeal during the college exam?

Instead, He Jinghong held the birdcage and ran away without another word!

Gu Jiao didn’t even blink, she leapt into the air, took a step off the wall and crossed over his head, spun around and kicked him, sending him into a somersault in mid-air before landing with a thud on the hard ground.