Chapter 181 Father and Son Reunion (First Update)

Xiao Liulang looked at Marquis Xuanping, and Marquis Xuanping also looked at Xiao Liulang.

A look of shock flashed in both of their eyes.

Xiao Liulang hadn't expected him to come back and wait for him here.

Marquis Xuanping had not expected that the person he had specifically come to intercept would be such a young man.

He just had the same feeling as he had at the post station.

The difference this time was that his conviction was stronger; he was certain the other party was hiding nearby.

He deliberately walked away to lower the enemy's guard, and then quietly returned—a common tactic on the battlefield. He knew martial arts, so it wasn't difficult for him to execute.

The difficult part is now.

He looked at that face, his disbelief impossible to hide.

"Lord, you've left too quickly..." The daylily was almost cold when Steward Liu rushed over. "Eh? Where is the Seventh Prince? Isn't he with you?"

He took a different route and missed Su Gonggong and his group.

After he finished speaking, he found that his master, the Marquis, ignored him and stood motionless at the classroom door, looking into the classroom as if he had been frozen in place.

He walked over strangely and looked into the classroom as well.

You won't believe it until you see it!

He widened his eyes and said, "Young Master?"

Zheng Siye had been chasing after Xuanping Hou when Xuanping Hou turned back halfway, moving so fast that Zheng Siye could barely keep up. It was only now that Zheng Siye arrived.

He was a little confused by being called "young master".

What's going on?

Not only did the Marquis of Xuanping himself come, but his son also came? And he even went into their classroom?

Marquis Xuanping looked at Steward Liu with a deep gaze: "What did you call him?"

Manager Liu said, "Young Master!"

"Which young master?" Marquis Xuanping was indeed asking Steward Liu, but his gaze fell back on Xiao Liulang's face.

The surprise he had shown upon seeing her unexpectedly was no longer visible on his face; Xiao Liulang remained calm.

Steward Liu said, "It's the young master I told you about who studies at the Imperial Academy, Yunniang's son."

Xiao Liulang's mother, surnamed Chen, was named Chen Yunniang, but the neighbors all called her Thirteenth Sister.

"Is that so? It's him?" Marquis Xuanping stared intently at Xiao Liulang, his eyes seemingly calm, yet concealing endless undercurrents.

Suddenly, he took out a hand that was tucked in a hand warmer, touched Xiao Liulang's face, and vigorously rubbed his right eye with his thumb, but after rubbing for a long time, nothing came out.

His aura began to turn violent: "Where's your mole? Where did it go? Hmm?"

Manager Liu was completely baffled.

What kind of mole is it?

Has the Marquis met this son?

Before Xiao Liulang was even born, the Marquis left Yunniang and returned to the capital!

Four years ago, in the winter, Xiao Liulang and his brother came to the capital, but unfortunately they didn't get to see the Marquis.

So why did the Marquis react this way?

Xiao Liulang didn't move, letting Marquis Xuanping rub the area under his right eye until it was red and swollen. Finally, his gaze towards Marquis Xuanping gradually turned cold, seemingly mixed with a trace of anger that he didn't know how to vent.

“You’ve mistaken me for someone else,” he said calmly and indifferently. “I’ve never had a mole here.”

Marquis Xuanping lowered his hand and coldly clenched it into a fist.

"Excuse me." Xiao Liulang ignored him and walked past him, leaning on his cane.

Marquis Xuanping looked at his limping figure, and his eyes flashed with another storm!

Xiao Liulang went to the classroom across the street, put the fledgling eagle into Xiao Jingkong's schoolbag, hung it on his arm, and then picked up Xiao Jingkong.

Little Jingkong, still half asleep, struggled to open his eyes. Seeing that it was Xiao Liulang, he rested his head on Xiao Liulang's shoulder and fell asleep peacefully.

It's tough on kids who don't take a nap.

Xiao Liulang carried him in one arm and leaned on his cane with the other, leaving the Imperial Academy's elementary school under the complicated gaze of Marquis Xuanping.

"It's him! It's the two of them!" Zheng Siye wanted to accuse Xiao Liulang and Xiao Jingkong, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he realized that the atmosphere seemed a bit off. Xuanping Hou's aura was too terrifying, as if he was about to kill someone at any moment, so he quickly shut his mouth.

After Xiao Liulang's figure completely disappeared, Marquis Xuanping also left the Imperial Academy.

Zheng Siye looked into the classroom strangely: "Huh? Nobody's here. Who was Xuanping Marquis's men calling 'Young Master' just now?"

Master Sun, who had been waiting in the corridor and had the good fortune to witness the whole thing, said with cold sweat dripping down his back, "Well, it seems to be that student from the Shuaixing Hall."

Zheng Siye scoffed, "You mean Xiao Liulang? Ha, come on, how could he be the young master of the Xuanping Marquis's mansion? The age doesn't match up!"

The only one who matches is the young marquis, but the young marquis is already dead.

"Could it be that he's the illegitimate son of Marquis Xuanping? Hahahahahahaha..." Zheng Siye's smile vanished, and he fainted!

Marquis Xuanping left the Imperial Academy and got into his carriage.

Chang Jing, holding Qin Chuyu who was speechless with fright from being terrified by the wall-climbing feat, asked, "My lord, what should we do with him?"

Marquis Xuanping was in a state of great turmoil: "Send him back to the palace!"

Chang Jing thought for a moment and said, "Oh."

The Marquis didn't say how to send him back, so Chang Jing carried Qin Chuyu and began a new round of leaping and bounding.

Qin Chuyu couldn't even cry anymore!

My uncle's punishment was terrible!

He will never cause trouble again!

After getting into the carriage, Marquis Xuanping remained unable to calm down for a long time. His eyes were cold, and his fingers trembled: "What happened?"

The question was directed to Steward Liu.

Steward Liu lifted the curtain and got into the carriage, saying awkwardly, "What does the Marquis want to know?"

"Is he Yunniang's son?"

"yes."

"Tell me in detail how you found him!"

"...Yes!" Steward Liu recounted his experience of searching for Xiao Liulang in detail, "It all started four years ago."

Xiao Liulang and his elder brother came to the capital to recognize Marquis Xuanping. At first, he did not say who he was, but only said that he was an old friend of Marquis Xuanping and had something to give to Marquis Xuanping.

There were too many people trying to curry favor with him, and Xiao Liulang's clothes were shabby, so he didn't seem like a nobleman. The gatekeeper didn't take him seriously.

Coincidentally, several murders occurred in the capital during that period, and the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review were unable to solve them despite their joint efforts. His Majesty then handed the case over to Marquis Xuanping.

Marquis Xuanping was extremely busy.

Just when he finally solved the case, the young marquis got into trouble again.

In short, by the time Marquis Xuanping received the news, Xiao Liulang had already left the capital.

Marquis Xuanping said in a deep voice, "I know all this, and I'm the one who told you. What I'm asking about is your trip to the county town to find him!"

Manager Liu was only transferred back in the last two years.

Steward Liu said, "I went to the county town first and found out that he was a student of Tianxiang Academy, so I went to the academy to find him, but he didn't admit it. I didn't give up, and then... cough, I thought of some other ways. I used both soft and hard tactics, but this young master is indeed worthy of being the son of a marquis, he's really tough! Of course, it's also true that he is very good at studying. He ranked first in the Youzhou provincial examination and was recommended to the Imperial Academy."

A storm raged in the eyes of Marquis Xuanping: "And what's wrong with his leg?"

Manager Liu said, "I've inquired about this. I heard it happened more than a year ago. He was injured while saving a classmate and has been lame ever since."

Marquis Xuanping: "Is there no cure?"

Manager Liu: "They treated it, but for some reason, it hasn't improved much."

Upon returning to the Marquis's residence, Marquis Xuanping entered his study and retrieved a portrait from a hidden compartment.

The portrait depicts a young boy of thirteen or fourteen, gentle and refined, with an exceptionally handsome appearance and a beauty mark under his right eye.

If he survives and grows up to be eighteen...

The image of Xiao Liulang flashed through Marquis Xuanping's mind.

...

Little Jingkong slept the whole way home, but woke up as soon as he got there, and he was back to being that lively little loudmouth again!

His first action was to go find Xiao Jiu. When he saw that Xiao Jiu was safely in the birdcage, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't be too happy yet," Xiao Liulang said from behind him. "Will you confess on your own initiative, or should I tell Jiaojiao?"

The little air purifier instantly wilted.

In the end, Xiao Jingkong chose to confess. Jiaojiao had said, "Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely!"

As soon as Gu Jiao returned, Xiao Jingkong took the initiative to tell her about how he took the fledgling eagle to the Imperial College to compete with his classmate in bird fighting, and how he ended up scaring his classmate so much that he wet his pants.

Gu Jiao didn't immediately blame him, but instead asked him why he did it.

Xiao Jingkong was very sad: "Because they always laugh at me for being small, for not growing up, and for being a baby."

He may not be as tall as them, but the birds he keeps must be the biggest!

He often walks his chickens in the alley, and now he also walks his dogs and young eagles. He has seen many old men walking their birds, and none of their thrushes, magpies, or mynas are as big as his little Jiu!

It turns out it was for bird fighting, not to scare people intentionally.

"But why would he take off his pants?" Xiao Jingkong asked, puzzled.

Following the perplexing behavior of adults, another perplexing behavior of children has been added to Xiao Jingkong's knowledge blind spots.

Gu Jiao almost choked.

This... even a one-and-a-half-year-old puppy would know it, but Xiao Jingkong grew up in the mountains and no one has ever encountered such a down-to-earth word.

Gu Jiao ultimately didn't explain the related term to him, but instead patted his head and asked, "How are the grades of those people who laugh at you? Do they always get top marks?"

Little Jingkong pouted and said proudly, "No way! They're always wrong! Only I'm always right!"

Gu Jiao said softly, "Isn't that right? They can make mistakes when doing math problems, so they can't always be right when they say things. They're wrong to say you won't grow tall. You're still young now, but as you grow up, you'll definitely grow taller than them!"

Xiao Jingkong thought about it seriously and was successfully persuaded by Gu Jiao.

He's so good at studying, there's no reason why he won't grow tall!

Xiao Jingkong has regained her confidence in life and is now full of fighting spirit again!

Gu Jiao then asked, "Then, did you make any mistakes yourself?"

"Yes," Xiao Jingkong said honestly. "I shouldn't have taken Xiao Jiu to the Imperial College. I won't do it again."

Gu Jiao nodded with satisfaction: "Go ahead."

"Hmm!" Xiao Jingkong turned and walked away with the eaglet in his arms. As soon as he entered the hallway, he poked his little head out again, "But why did he take his pants off?"

Gu Jiao: "..."

The old chief priest went out, and Gu Jiao cooked dinner.

Xiao Liulang came in as usual to add firewood for her, but Gu Jiao vaguely sensed that something was wrong with him.

Gu Jiao made his favorite crispy pork, but he ate half a bowl less rice than usual.

After dinner, he checked Xiao Jingkong's homework as usual. Xiao Jingkong then checked his two older brothers' homework. He went back to his room to study, but he didn't open his book for a long time.

Gu Jiao knocked on the door: "It's me."

The door was ajar.

Xiao Liulang paused, turned a book that was lying upside down on the table right-side up, and said to the door, "Come in."

Gu Jiao pushed open the door and came in carrying a bowl of lotus seed soup, placing it on his table: "I just made it, try it while it's hot."

Xiao Liulang looked at her small hands, which shouldn't have had to endure so much hardship, and sighed, "Why did you make food again?"

“You didn’t eat much for dinner,” Gu Jiao said.

Xiao Liulang lowered his eyes.

Gu Jiao sat down in the chair opposite him.

The dim candlelight fell on his handsome, jade-like face, his long eyelashes casting trembling shadows on either side of his nose.

Gu Jiao rested her chin on her hands and looked at him: "Aren't you going to eat?"

Xiao Liulang had no appetite, but he still picked up a spoon and took a bite.

It's very sweet.

Even my heart doesn't feel so bitter anymore.

Xiao Liulang slowly finished his bowl of lotus seed soup and looked up at her.

She was looking at him too.

Open and aboveboard.

She wasn't embarrassed at all when he caught her; her eyes sparkled like stars.

Xiao Liulang's heart seemed to be slowly filled with something, and his unpleasant emotions were forcefully pushed out.

He was the first to look away, cleared his throat, and said, "I'll go wash the dishes."

"No need, I'll do it!" Gu Jiao stood up and took the bowl before he could. "You prepare well for the imperial examination. I want to be a candidate for the imperial examination!"

"Oh." Xiao Liulang said disappointedly.

Is she just a Gongshi's wife? Above Gongshi are Jinshi, and after Jinshi are Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhualang.

But that title—

Xiao, the arrogant sixth son: "What wife, huh..."

Gu Jiao: "You called me?"

Did he read it aloud? Xiao Liulang stammered in confusion, "No, I..."

Gu Jiao turned around and smiled: "Hey!"

(End of this chapter)