Chapter 135 Acting Cute (Second Update)

Old Madam Gu threw a huge tantrum in the ancestral hall, making everyone in the household aware that Gu Changqing had locked his two younger brothers in the ancestral hall.

Lord Gu was unaware of this matter. He had been preoccupied with trivial matters at the Ministry of Works and had not returned to the Marquis's residence for several days.

"Lord Gu, the Ministry of War is pressing us again," said one of Lord Gu's subordinates.

Lord Gu sat in his chair, staring at the mountain of official documents piled on his desk, feeling utterly overwhelmed: "Always rushing, always rushing! Wasn't it already being cast? It's only been a few days!"

The official suffered an undeserved calamity, being scolded from both sides, and felt extremely bitter: "The Ministry of War said that our progress was too slow, and they couldn't wait two months."

Lord Gu angrily retorted, "We have to wait, whether we can or not! What they want are weapons, and weapons are made of iron, not clay! Do you think it will be that quick?"

The official broke out in a cold sweat: "The Ministry of War says they'll give you a maximum of one month; you must produce that batch of longswords by then..."

"A month? He's dreaming!" Lord Gu wasn't really unwilling to make those swords for the Ministry of War; it was just that their current technology was limited. If they could obtain the latest water-powered pumping technology from Liang, perhaps the amount of iron smelting could be greatly increased.

The official continued, "But the Ministry of War says that even a small blacksmith shop in the countryside can make these weapons, so why can't our Ministry of Works?"

"Could a blacksmith shop in the countryside really make these?" Lord Gu laughed sarcastically. "The Ministry of War is even resorting to spreading rumors for the sake of weapons?"

The official said awkwardly, "No, Lord Gu, I seem to have heard of this matter. A box has appeared among the people that is more effective than the water pump of our court. It has a stronger airflow and a greater firepower. In a day, it can smelt ten times more iron."

"Ten times?" Lord Gu waved his hand. "No, no, no, absolutely impossible." Even Liang Kingdom couldn't do it. The water-powered technology that Liang Kingdom taught Zhao Kingdom was the most basic kind, but it shouldn't be ten times different from theirs.

The official asked, "How about... we send someone to investigate first? I heard it's a place called Qingquan Town in Youzhou."

Lord Gu waved his hand: "Heh, that's even more impossible. I just came from Youzhou! Do you think I wouldn't know about such amazing technology?"

Lord Gu resolutely refused to investigate.

The Ministry of War, however, couldn't wait and immediately sent people over.

In early November, a light snow fell in the capital.

As soon as Xiao Jingkong stepped out the door, he didn't watch where he was going and tripped and fell.

Since coming down the mountain, Xiao Jingkong has rarely fallen, and Gu Jiao almost forgot that he was the famous little wrestling monk.

However, his self-throwing technique remained as skillful as ever. He covered his head, bent his knees, and rolled around in the yard like a small ball.

Gu Jiao had just come out of the kitchen.

Little Jingkong rolled to her feet, then spread out his little hands and feet, looking at Gu Jiao with an adorable expression.

Gu Jiao picked him up and brushed the snowflakes off him: "Why did you fall again?"

Xiao Jingkong was captivated by Gu Jiao's beauty, nestled in her arms: "Because Jiao Jiao is so beautiful, I'm mesmerized by her!"

Gu Jiao: "..."

Has the wrestling monk transformed into a cheesy pickup line monk?

Xiao Jingkong's hair was short, and Gu Jiao was worried that he would be cold, so she bought him a hat. It was a tiger-head hat, with big, round tiger eyes. Xiao Jingkong looked fierce and cute when he wore it.

He usually didn't wear it at the academy, finding it childish.

But in front of Gu Jiao, he not only wore a tiger-head hat, but also a tiger-head vest and tiger-head shoes.

After acting cute, Xiao Jingkong, who had just received a kiss, skipped back to her and her brother-in-law's room.

After finishing his early morning business, he transformed back into Niohuru Jingkong, and went to school with a serious expression!

Gu Yan recovered well after a few days of rest and was able to go back to class.

Gu Jiao prepared the hand warmers, one for her aunt, and one each for Xiao Liulang and his three younger brothers.

Xiao Liulang took Xiao Jingkong to the Imperial Academy, while Gu Jiao sent Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun to school.

As Gu Yan walked out of the alley, he looked around.

Gu Jiao asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"No." Gu Yan looked up at the sky.

Still saying no? These past few days he's been running to the door every day, peering into the alley. Gu Jiao is his sister, how could she not know what he's thinking?

However, that person has never appeared again since saving Gu Yan.

After sending the two of them into the academy, Gu Jiao went to Chang'an Avenue.

Having been here for so long, she has become very familiar with the surrounding terrain.

She had thought it through. Although they still had a thousand taels of silver, prices in the capital were so high that they couldn't just sit at home and live off their savings.

She bought herbs at the market, prepared some wound medicine herself, and planned to sell it at a nearby clinic.

She had just arrived at the first clinic when she saw a familiar face: "Xiao Liu."

The young man called Xiao Liu turned around in a daze, his eyes lighting up: "Miss Gu? You've come to the capital?"

Gu Jiao nodded: "My husband came to study at the Imperial Academy, so we all moved here."

Xiao Liu quickly bowed and said, "Congratulations, Young Master Xiao! Congratulations, Miss Gu!"

Xiao Liu was the second boss's coachman. He had run many errands for Gu Jiao when he worked at the clinic, and he was also the one who went to fetch the iron tools for quarrying.

"Where is the second boss?" Gu Jiao asked.

Xiao Liu's expression darkened: "The Second Master's situation is not good. I can't explain it in a few words. He's at the tavern over there. I'll take Miss Gu there."

"Okay," Gu Jiao agreed.

On the way to the tavern, Xiao Liu mentioned a few things, mainly that the Second Master had suddenly returned to the capital because Master Hu was dying.

The second master rushed back to the capital without stopping, but still failed to see Master Hu one last time.

The Hu family didn't even wait for the second landlord to return before burying Master Hu.

In fact, the second landlord was only one day late. If he had waited one more day, he could have personally seen his father off. The Hu family didn't even give him that opportunity.

That's not the most hateful thing. The most hateful thing is that the Hu family actually turned the tables and accused the second master of being indifferent to the old man's illness and not even coming to the funeral.

The Zhao Kingdom governs the country with filial piety in mind. Once the label of "unfilial" is attached to the Second Master, his reputation is ruined.

"He was kicked out by the Hu family..." Xiao Liu wiped away tears, unable to help but feel wronged and heartbroken for the second boss.

"I understand." Gu Jiao arrived at the door of the tavern's private room and said to Xiao Liu, "Go and get some hot tea."

"Mmm!" Xiao Liu choked out in response and turned to find some hot tea.

As Gu Jiao entered the room, a pungent smell of alcohol hit her.

After several months of absence, the once spirited second boss looked like a disheveled drunkard, sprawled on the floor with countless empty wine bottles lying around him. He stared blankly at the ceiling, motionless, as if he were dead.

Gu Jiao stepped over the wine bottle, squatted down next to him, opened the small medicine box, and took out two hangover pills: "Here."

The second landlord didn't make a move.

Just then, Xiao Liu brought hot water into the room.

Gu Jiao took the hot water and had Xiao Liu help the second master up, forcing him to take the hangover medicine.

Looking at the disheveled and unkempt Second Master, Xiao Liu choked up and said, "Master, Miss Gu has come to see you."

The second landlord sat on the ground, looking dazed.

Gu Jiao glanced at him and calmly asked, "How did your father die?"

The second boss snapped out of his daze and stared blankly at Gu Jiao. The emotions he hadn't dared to express in front of his family suddenly broke down, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. He hugged his head and cried, his whole body trembling!

Gu Jiao didn't bother him.

Quietly wait for him to finish crying.

Xiao Liu left with red eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, the second landlord finally calmed down.

He wiped away his tears with his sleeve and smiled at Gu Jiao: "Girl, what brings you here?"

"Accompanying my husband to study at the Imperial Academy."

"Ah, Young Master Xiao has passed the imperial examination! Congratulations!"

What's wrong with you?

Perhaps the hangover medicine had worked, or perhaps it was because he had cried it all out, but he felt much better. He smiled nonchalantly and said, "It's nothing. I've been living in a daze for a while. I hope you didn't find it funny."

"Are we going back to the Hu family?" Gu Jiao asked.

The second landlord was taken aback.

After a long pause, he gave a bitter smile: "There's no going back."

Is your father good to you?

The second landlord thought for a long time: "...Things used to be good too."

Before his mother passed away, the family of three lived a relatively happy life. However, after his stepmother came into the family, he also gained a stepfather.

So you're blaming your stepmother?

The second landlord wanted to say, "How many good stepmothers are there in the world?" But before he could finish the sentence, he suddenly remembered that Gu Jiao's mother was also a stepmother.

He said, "If my stepmother had been half as kind as Lady Hou, I wouldn't be in this situation."

"But it was no use. No matter how kind she was, her three stepsons still didn't like her."

So you think I was wrong?

"No, none of you are wrong. I won't comment on the Marquis's affairs, but in your case, the one at fault is your father. He was so heartless and ungrateful to you, why are you still saddened by his death?"

Gu Jiao wasn't blaming the second boss; she genuinely didn't understand.

This is not part of her emotional reserves.

She treats those who are good to her well, and she retaliates against those who bully her, even if the other party is her own father.

She looked at the second master with a strange expression.

The second boss knew long ago that she was a girl unlike any other, and that her thoughts were different from theirs. He smiled wryly and patiently explained, "Actually, I can't really explain it either. Maybe... I just remember the good things he did for me in the past."

Gu Jiao still didn't understand.

Perhaps she will never understand.

"You're not going back to the Hu family. What are you planning to do?"

"have no idea."

Gu Jiao thought about it seriously: "Why don't you sell medicine with me?"

Second boss: "..."

It didn't offer any comfort, thank you!

At first, the second boss thought that Gu Jiao really wanted to take him to sell medicine from street to street, but later he realized that Gu Jiao wanted to open a clinic.

The two owners contributed capital, while Gu Jiao contributed her technical expertise, each holding a 50% stake.

If someone else were to persuade the second boss in this way, he would definitely not agree; he lacks both the confidence and the fighting spirit.

Gu Jiao is different.

She possesses a compelling power that inspires confidence.

The second boss gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! Let's do it!"

However, the second master had been expelled from the Hu family and didn't have much money left. Even if he rented the cheapest shop nearby, it would still cost at least three thousand taels.

"I can lend you some," Gu Jiao said, "but there will be interest."

Second boss: Something feels off!

At noon, Xiao Liulang came back for lunch. Gu Jiao told him about the money she needed. There were still a thousand taels left in the house, and she would probably spend about eight hundred taels.

In the study, Xiao Liulang was organizing the books he was going to take to the academy. Upon hearing this, he said without thinking, "I gave you the money so you could use it. You don't need to tell me."

So generous.

Gu Jiao said "Oh," and then asked, "Aren't you going to ask me what it's for?"

"What are you doing?" Xiao Liulang asked.

"Loan sharking!" Gu Jiao said.

Xiao Liulang looked completely bewildered.

"Haha." Gu Jiao was amused by him again. "I was just kidding. I lent it to someone else! You know that person too, the second owner of Huichuntang."

Xiao Liulang said casually, "I heard you even worked as a medicine boy at his house?"

Gu Jiao blinked and asked, "Who told you that?"

Xiao Liulang said, "Mother-in-law."

Gu Jiao: "..."

Ever since he discovered that her box might be a small medicine box, Xiao Liulang had a vague idea of ​​what was going on, but since she didn't say anything, he didn't point it out either.

They all have secrets about each other.

His identity, her background.

Xiao Liulang casually picked up a cup of hot tea from the table and took a sip.

Gu Jiao grunted and pointed to another cup of tea on the table, saying, "This is the one I just drank from; this one is for you."

Xiao Liulang paused for a moment.

Gu Jiao rested her chin on her hand and looked at him: "I drank it and you drank it too. If we round it up, doesn't that mean we indirectly did *that*?"

Xiao Liulang's handsome face flushed red. He put down his teacup and said seriously, "What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't drink from the place you just drank from!"

"Oh." Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow, as if to say, "If you're so capable, then don't blush." ​​"I'm going to cook."

"Hmm." Xiao Liulang's expression was serious.

Gu Jiao glanced at him one last time before turning around to cook.

The clanging and clattering of pots and pans came from the kitchen, and Xiao Liulang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He pressed his slightly unruly chest and stared intently at the teacup.

He slowly picked up the teacup and carefully took a sip.

"Brother-in-law!"

Little Jingkong suddenly jumped in!

Xiao Liulang choked nervously, almost choking to death!

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(End of this chapter)