Gu Jiao stood firm as a rock, completely unmoved, while the assailant herself rebounded and fell to the ground.
Several gold ingots spilled from her bosom. She hastily grabbed them, shooting Gu Jiao a quick, guilty glance before lowering her head and hiding the ingots behind her. "I-I’m sorry!" she stuttered.
"It’s nothing," Gu Jiao said.
The woman bowed to Gu Jiao and then ran off without looking back.
Stealing in the Imperial Palace?
Given Gu Jiao’s character, she naturally wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters.
Gu Jiao continued on her way.
As she neared the Greeting Room, a panting little eunuch caught up to her. "Is it, is it Young Master Xiao up ahead?" he asked.
Gu Jiao stopped and regarded him indifferently. "I am. Who are you?"
The little eunuch bent over, bracing his hands on his thighs as he panted, "This servant is Little Dengzi. His Majesty... His Majesty has summoned... Eunuch Li and the others have gone... this one... this one has come to take... Young Master Xiao... Please hurry... and follow this servant... Don’t keep His Majesty waiting... otherwise, if His Majesty lays blame... it could spell disaster for Young Master Xiao..."
"Oh," Gu Jiao said amicably, turning around, "then I’ll trouble you to lead the way."
The little eunuch wiped the sweat from his neck with his sleeve. "This, this way please!"
Gu Jiao followed him, stepping forward.
"This isn’t the way I came," Gu Jiao noted.
The little eunuch explained, "The other way would take too long, the corridors wind on forever. This way, we can get to Jinluan Hall in no time!"
Gu Jiao: "Oh."
The little eunuch continued to lead the way, but the obsequious smile on his face gradually hardened into disdain and calculation.
Gu Jiao followed him out of the Central Harmony Hall and onto a lush patch of grass. To the east was a small Flower Room, and to the west was a small Firewood Room for storing tools.
"We’re almost there," said the little eunuch, his smile forced.
"It doesn’t matter if we’re not," Gu Jiao replied.
The little eunuch was taken aback.
He glanced covertly at the Firewood Room.
Gu Jiao hummed, "Aren’t you going to invite me to sit in the Firewood Room?"
The little eunuch was startled once more.
"Didn’t you say he was unarmed?"
"Who knew? Ah, my back..."
Looking down at the three, Gu Jiao asked, "Where’s Nangong Li?"
The trio’s eyes flickered, but they remained silent.
Gu Jiao tilted her head and stepped on the chest of one, breaking a rib. "Don’t make me ask a third time."
Gasping in pain, with veins standing out on his forehead and sweat beading his body, the eunuch strained against the intense agony and said with his last willpower, "What... what are you saying... We don’t understand... This is the Imperial Palace... General Nangong... how could he possibly... come here..."
Gu Jiao said coolly, "If he doesn’t see my death with his own eyes, how could he be at peace?"
Nangong Li had already failed once. She didn’t believe he would dare bet on a second chance.
"Your lives, I actually don’t care about at all." After Gu Jiao’s chilling words, she stomped down, and a cracking sound ensued as the eunuch beneath her foot slumped, unconscious.
The remaining two were utterly terrified.
What on earth was happening?
Did the kid just kill Old Cao?
Where was the frail scholar they had been told about?
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