The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 1128

Chapter 1128: 549 Domineering Aunt! (Second Update)

The entire night after that, whenever Gu Chengfeng held Gu Xiaobao, the baby would burrow into his embrace and nurse.

Gu Chengfeng, who had just been mocking his elder brother, finally experienced firsthand what it meant to "not boast excessively, for arrogance invites trouble"!

The Gu brothers returned to the Bishui Alley after having dinner.

Before they left, Gu Changqing taught Xiaojingkong a set of boxing techniques, which Xiaojingkong learned with great interest. He practiced tirelessly alone in the backyard, ignoring calls for him to take a bath.

"Let him play for a while, he isn’t going to school tomorrow anyway," Gu Jiao said to Yu Yaya.

Yu Yaya replied, "Then I’ll take the hot water to the young master and Xiaoshun’s room first and let Xiaoshun bathe."

The bathing order in the household was from youngest to oldest, and Gu Xiaobao had already taken his bath.

"Go ahead," Gu Jiao said.

Yu Yaya took the hot water away.

Gu Jiao went to the kitchen to help the housekeeper clean up, but the housekeeper wouldn’t let her lift a finger: "I’m not so old that I can’t move! Always doing this and that, I won’t sit idle and eat for free!"

This wasn’t an exaggeration. Everyone in the family pulled their weight, even the laziest Gu Yan knew to husk some corn or water the vegetable garden. The housework was divided up almost evenly, leaving the housekeeper not so weary.

Seeing how determined the housekeeper was, Gu Jiao decided not to insist on entering the kitchen. She went back to the east room to tidy up a bit, as she still needed to visit the Medical Hall later. Before leaving, she wanted to alert her family.

She saw everyone else, but Xiao Hen was neither in the study room nor in the west room.

Gu Jiao uttered, "Strange, where did he go?"

Xiao Hen had gone next door.

In fact, Gu Changqing was also there.

After such a big incident at Xianle Inn, Gu Changqing couldn’t possibly be unaware. After Gu Chengfeng got on the carriage to return to the Marquis Residence, Gu Chengfeng lied to him about going to the Military Camp when in reality, he went next door.

"Liao Quan, go outside and keep watch. Make sure no one overhears us," the Chief Libationer told Liao Quan.

"Yes, my lord."

Liao Quan vigilantly stood guard at the door.

The three men sat down in the study room.

The Chief Libationer said, "Speak, what has happened?"

Gu Changqing glanced at Xiao Hen and began, "There has been an incident at Xianle Inn. Has the Ministry of Punishment received any news?"

"Yes." Xiao Hen was a bit more forthcoming with Gu Changqing than he had been with Minister Xing, practically laying everything on the table except for the fact that Mo Qianxue had mistaken him for someone else, including the minor details about the young master of Xianle Inn.

He didn’t mention that it was Mo Qianxue who had informed him about the young master.

Thus, Gu Changqing assumed it was information he had gathered through his own methods in the Ministry of Punishment.

Gu Changqing fell silent, he really hadn’t expected such a shocking revelation: "I thought it was just a rumor... What is the purpose of Xianle Inn?"

After pondering seriously, Xiao Hen said, "The ultimate goal is not clear, but it seems that Jiaojiao has obstructed the young master of Xianle Inn, and they have made a move against her."

Gu Changqing’s expression suddenly turned ice-cold!

Xiao Hen stated, "However, Xianle Inn miscalculated this time. The people they sent out were unable to act against Jiaojiao, so there’s no need to worry about her for the time being."

Gu Changqing’s eyes remained frosty, "Is there anything I can help with?"

Xiao Hen said, "Investigate the young master of Xianle Inn’s background, all past encounters, everyone he knows, and everything he has done, the more detailed the better. Moreover, the investigation must be done in secret, without letting anyone find out."

After pondering for a moment, Gu Changqing said, "I will tell His Majesty that I must leave the Capital City to console the families of Gu Family’s military officers who died in service."

The Chief Libationer nodded in approval, finding it to be a good reason.

Once Gu Changqing left, the Chief Libationer asked Xiao Hen, "Is there anything else you haven’t said?"

The Chief Libationer knew Xiao Hen too well. Others might not see through Xiao Hen’s emotions, but he couldn’t be easily fooled.

After all, the craftiness Xiao Hen possessed was taught by him.

"Those people might have come."

"Those people?" The Chief Libationer’s white nonchalant eyebrows furrowed, and he pondered whom Xiao Hen might be referring to as those people.

After a while, his brows knit together, "Are you talking about... people from Yan Country?"

Xiao Hen slowly nodded his head.

He hadn’t gotten in the way of the young master of Xianle Inn. If he were the young master, he would have tried to win him over first and resort to killing only as a last resort.

The ones after his life must be others.

While Empress Dowager Zhuang was washing up, Princess Ning An waited quietly in the Sleeping Palace.

Soon, someone from the Internal Affairs Office came with a tray covered by silk cloth, handing it to Eunuch Qin.

Eunuch Qin then brought the tray into Empress Dowager Zhuang’s Sleeping Palace.

"What is this?" Princess Ning An asked softly.

"It’s something sent by the Internal Affairs Office," replied Eunuch Qin.

"Let me see." Princess Ning An removed the silk cloth covering it.

On the tray, shockingly, lay an imperial purple gold Token, engraved with the words "Protect the Country," and next to the Token was a phoenix crown made of purple gold.

"Is this... the Token and phoenix crown of the Princess of Protecting the Country?" Princess Ning An was so astounded by the exquisitely unparalleled items she was at a loss for words.

Not just anyone was entitled to the honor of "Protecting the Country," and it could be said that no princess in the current dynasty was capable of shouldering it.

Yet now, Princess Ning An was about to be bestowed with the title of Princess of Protecting the Country.

How could this not fill Ning An with joy?

The composure she forged on the frontier dissipated in an instant, and with excitement, she reached out her hand, lifting the phoenix crown to place upon her own head, then snatched up the Token from the tray and turned to gaze at herself in the bronze mirror.

However, before she could see her own imposing image, a figure clad in a treasure-blue phoenix robe strode forward with overwhelming aura.

The figure swiftly snatched the phoenix crown from her head!

Everything happened so fast that Princess Ning An had no time to react. Seated in the chair, her body and her hair were both yanked violently, the once meticulous hairstyle now in disarray.

Not a trace of pity resided in Empress Dowager Zhuang’s eyes.

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked down at her imperiously, a formidable aura bursting forth, "These are things Ai Jia prepared for Jiaojiao, who gave you the audacity to touch them?"

Princess Ning An, in a state of dishevelment and disbelief, looked towards the suddenly appearing Empress Dowager Zhuang, unsure whether to be amazed by her appearance or by her words.

Just yesterday everything was still... how could it be today...

The turn of attitude was indeed startlingly abrupt.

Shocked and hurt, Ning An looked towards Empress Dowager Zhuang, "Mother?"

Empress Dowager Zhuang, again snatching the Protecting the Country Token from her hands, said with an indifferent face, "Stop calling Ai Jia ’Mother,’ you, are unworthy!"