The Prime Minister’s Darling - Chapter 1428

Chapter 1428: 695 first watch Chapter 1428: 695 first watch Tianqiong Academy was on holiday today, and it was while going to the Marketplace to buy vegetables that Gu Jiao heard travelers passing by talk about it. The National Master had returned to Shengdu in the middle of the night, and early in the morning, a long queue of people seeking an audience with the National Master had formed outside National Master Hall.

“So many people want to see the National Master?”

The vegetable vendor asked the merchant drinking soy milk at the stall next door, then turned to Gu Jiao and said, “Ten knife coins.”

Gu Jiao handed over ten knife coins to the vegetable vendor and packed two fresh melons into the small backpack behind her.

The merchant guzzled down half a bowl and only then, with his head sweating profusely, said, “How could they not? The line stretched for three li! Carriages could hardly get through! If I wasn’t in a hurry to leave the city for business, I would have joined the queue myself!”

The last time Gu Jiao went to National Master Hall to inquire about the National Master’s whereabouts, the eldest disciple Ye Qing had told her that the National Master would return early in the month if possible, or at the latest by the end of the month.

It was naturally best not to wait until the end of the month, as Gu Yan’s illness grew more serious the longer it was delayed.

After buying the vegetables, Gu Jiao returned to the Mansion.

“You’re back.” Nangong’s mother looked at the beads of sweat on her forehead and hurriedly took the small backpack from her, saying, “I didn’t expect Shengdu to be so hot this year, you must be feeling stuffy, right?”

She was referring to the issue of Gu Jiao binding her chest.

Gu Jiao had grown too well in these past two years, and to hide her feminine body, she had to wrap it tightly, making Nangong’s mother feel hot on her behalf.

Gu Jiao said, “It’s alright.”

She could endure it.

Nangong’s mother said sympathetically, “You really have it tough. I’ve boiled some mint water, it will be ready soon.”

“Nangong’s mother, I won’t drink it, I have to make a trip to the inner city,” Gu Jiao said. “The National Master is back.”

Nangong’s mother’s eyes lit up, “Really?”

Gu Jiao nodded, “Yes, I just heard the news in the Marketplace, so I want to try my luck and see if I can meet the National Master.”

Nangong’s mother looked at Gu Yan, who was listlessly sunbathing in the corridor, and understood that they could no longer delay his illness, “Is it that the sooner the surgery, the greater the chance of recovery?”

“That’s right,” Gu Jiao said. If they waited too long, the surgery might be of no use.

Nangong’s mother didn’t hold her back any further and had Master Lu prepare a horse carriage for Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao was looking for the Token of the Chess Saint in the room. As she searched the table, she said, “Eh? Where’s the Token? I’m sure I left it here.”

“Here.”

Old Master Meng appeared at the door, holding a brocade pouch with the Token inside.

“Oh,” Gu Jiao walked over and took the brocade pouch, “Oh, you took it.”

Old Master Meng said seemingly casually, “Just, took it for a moment. Are you planning to go into the city alone?”

“Yes,” Gu Jiao said.

Old Master Meng cleared his throat, “Not taking me with you?”

Gu Jiao looked at him with a weird expression, “Why should I take you?”

Old Master Meng then said, “To National Master Hall?”

Gu Jiao seriously said, “The National Master recognizes the Chess Saint. If you go, you’ll give us away.”

The real Chess Saint, Old Master Meng: “…”

Remembering something, Gu Jiao said, “No, that’s not right, you still need to go, or else you won’t be able to enter the city later.”

But Old Master Meng did indeed need to make a trip to the city today, he had to meet someone near National Master Hall, which was en route for Gu Jiao.

Master Lu had the horse carriage ready, and though he had intended to use a different horse, the Horse King ended up beating up both Master Lu and its companion and then came out proudly to pull the carriage!

It didn’t forget to carry Gu Jiao’s first aid kit and her small backpack onto the carriage, offering very attentive service indeed!

After Gu Jiao got on the carriage, Old Master Meng also climbed aboard.

Gu Jiao lowered the curtain and said to Horse King, “Okay, let’s go.”

Horse King opened its big mouth, raised its forehoofs, and sped off with a swoosh!

Caught off guard, Old Master Meng leaned backward and thudded against the carriage wall!

Horse King was running swiftly!

The oncoming wind puffed up and lifted the carriage curtain, which flapped wildly against the walls, making a snapping sound.

Old Master Meng, blown into a state of despair, spread his arms against the carriage wall behind him without any ability to resist. He felt he couldn’t even keep his eyes open, and even the wrinkles on his face seemed to be smoothed out by the wind.

What kind of little crazy horse is this!

The carriage raced swiftly through the streets, overtaking other vehicles with a whoosh as it sped ahead!

By the time it came to stop at the checkpoint before the inner city gate, Mr. Meng had been blown into a lion with its fur on end.

This time, Mr. Meng wasn’t pressed down by Gu Jiao to recite lines of embarrassment because the city guards let them pass directly after seeing the token of the Chess Sage of the Six Nations.

Mr. Meng heaved a long sigh of relief.

The Horse King had never been to the National Master Hall, so it still needed directions.

After entering the inner city, Gu Jiao moved to the outside seat of the carriage.

Today’s Shengdu was exceptionally congested, and the carriage had not gone far before it got stuck in traffic.

At a tea house by the street, in the upper-floor room facing the street, a man in his thirties dressed in black sat by the window, looking down at the traffic jammed to a standstill.

One of the carriages caught his attention.

There was nothing novel about the carriage itself; it was the horse that was noteworthy.

While the other horses quietly stood still, this one couldn’t keep still, looking around and chasing butterflies.

“What kind of silly horse is that?” the man murmured. In a moment, his gaze moved from the horse to the coachman above it.

The coachman was a young man in green clothes with a red birthmark on his left cheek.

“Is it him?” the man’s lips slightly curved, “He actually made it into the inner city.”

When Han Crown Prince followed his gaze, he quickly noticed Gu Jiao on the carriage. His brows furrowed, “Xiao Liulang? Master, do you know him?”

The man addressed by Han Crown Prince as master was none other than Qun Xuan, the former senior brother of Nangong Li’s mother.

Qun Xuan watched with an unhurried smile at the young man in green on the carriage who was deeply frustrated by the traffic jam, and I said with a light chuckle, “I told you before, I met my little junior sister from Tang Sect the last time. There’s something else I didn’t mention, there appeared an interesting person by her side.”

“Is it Xiao Liulang?” Han Crown Prince was surprised.

Qun Xuan said with a smile, “I think, I’ve guessed who killed Nangong Li.”

With furrowed brows, Han Crown Prince asked, “You don’t mean to say the murderer is Xiao Liulang, do you?”

Qun Xuan shook the teacup in his hand with a smile, “Apart from him, I can’t think of anyone else.”

Han Crown Prince shook his head, “How could he possibly have killed Nangong Li with his martial arts? Nangong Li lost an arm, but even so, Xiao Liulang is certainly no match for Nangong Li.”

Qun Xuan said, “He defeated several Shaolin warrior monks who were body cultivators last time, and I remember your cuju match prohibited the use of internal energy.”

Han Crown Prince confirmed, “That’s correct.”

Qun Xuan smiled and said, “To defeat Shaolin warrior monks who are body cultivators without using internal energy, how many people in today’s Shengdu do you think can do this? Also, the autopsy result came out, didn’t it? Nangong Li had no internal injuries, he was killed by someone piercing his heart with a tree branch as a spear. As far as I know, only Xuanyuan Family’s spear technique can achieve this.”

Han Crown Prince was startled.

Qun Xuan looked at the young man in the carriage, “When I went to see my little junior sister, I had a fight with this Xiao Liulang, and although he only made one move, I can confirm he used Xuanyuan Family’s spear technique!”

Han Crown Prince’s frown deepened, “There are two doubts here, first, why would he want to kill Nangong Li? Second, how does he know Xuanyuan Family’s spear technique?”

Qun Xuan took a sip of tea, “I don’t know; this young man seems to have many secrets. Didn’t you say the Han Family found out that Nangong Li had secretly visited Zhan Country not long ago? Soon after he came back, several people from Zhan Country arrived in Shengdu, don’t you think there is a connection?”

Han Crown Prince replied, “My uncle suspects that those people from Zhan Country were experts brought by Nangong Li from Zhan Country to deal with our Han Family. However, if it’s true what Master says, that Nangong Li died at the hands of Xiao Liulang, then Xiao Liulang isn’t in cahoots with the Nangong Family.”

Qun Xuan said with a smile, “Relationships between people are not limited to friendship; they can also be adversarial. Perhaps Nangong Li offended someone in Zhan Country.”

After a moment of contemplation, Han Crown Prince spoke with determination, “If Xiao Liulang is really so formidable, then the Han Family might put aside past grievances and consider making use of him.”

With a light tone, Qun Xuan put down the teacup and picked up a Crab Yellow Crisp from a plate, looking at the delicately delicious pastry, “I’m afraid you won’t be able to buy him off.”

Confused, Han Crown Prince asked, “Whatever do you mean, master?”

Qun Xuan gestured with his eyes, “Do you remember when someone put a sack over your head in the street? Look, it was that boy’s doing.”

Han Crown Prince was severely startled, “How could it be… him?”

Qun Xuan explained, “I found half of a Begonia Needle broken off in a wall crack after your incident; it’s a hidden weapon my little junior sister loves to use; it can’t be her who ambushed you. She’s over thirty; her figure is different from that of a young man.”

Recalling the incident, Han Crown Prince said, “Indeed, the one who ambushed me that day… was indeed a young man.”

Qun Xuan remarked thoughtfully, “This boy is really not simple, eh? He knows the Xuanyuan Family’s spear technique and has learned our Tang Sect’s hidden weapons.”

With a complex expression, Han Crown Prince commented, “Having the gall to offend two major families at once is indeed not simple.”

Qun Xuan looked towards the street beginning to clear up; his smile faded away as he spoke seriously, “Offend? No, he simply doesn’t view the great families with any regard.”