Chapter 39 Libationer

Perhaps it was because his gaze was so penetrating that, even through the vast sea of ​​people, it still pierced the petty thief's eyes like a knife.

The petty thief almost instinctively sensed the danger, got up and ran!

A petty thief who escaped from Gu Jiao's clutches... well, never before!

Gu Jiao followed him into a side alley.

The petty thief used all his strength, but Gu Jiao behind him was still getting closer and closer. In his panic, he seemed to have chosen a dead end, with no way forward!

The petty thief panicked, and in a fit of rage, he swiftly pulled out the dagger hidden in his sleeve.

"Don't come any closer! Or I'll kill you!" he roared angrily.

Without even lifting her eyelids, Gu Jiao kicked off the wall, using the momentum to leap up, and with lightning speed, kicked the petty thief's dagger with her other foot, sending it flying.

The petty thief glared at her, and the next second, Gu Jiao's hand fell, kicking him in the chest. He didn't even have time to scream before he crashed heavily to the ground.

Gu Jiao walked over indifferently, pushed his body aside with her foot, and picked up the purse that had fallen from his sleeve.

Xiao Liulang was still waiting on the oxcart. Gu Jiao didn't have time to waste with him, nor did she plan to report to the authorities. She was about to leave when, unexpectedly, the petty thief quietly grabbed the dagger on the ground.

However, before he could make a move, Gu Jiao stepped on his wrist, breaking his hand bone instantly.

"Ah—" The petty thief let out another shrill scream. He simply couldn't understand how she did it. She hadn't even turned around. Did she have eyes in the back of her head?

"Grab him!"

Suddenly, several men dressed as guards appeared at the front of the alley. They glanced at Gu Jiao quickly, paid her no attention, and ran straight toward the petty thief.

"Did you find it?"

Just then, a young gentleman arrived, panting heavily.

Perhaps he had run too fast and exhausted himself, because he could no longer run and leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

Gu Jiao brushed past him.

He suddenly spoke: "Miss Gu?"

Gu Jiao stopped and looked at him: "Young Master Qin?"

Is the town really that small? How could we run into him while trying to catch a petty thief?

Meanwhile, the group of guards who had subdued the petty thief returned. One of them, holding a scroll, presented it to Young Master Qin and said, "Young Master, we've found it!"

"So fast? Aren't habitual thieves hard to catch?" Young Master Qin took the scroll.

The guard glanced at Gu Jiao and said, "It was this young lady who caught him."

After the previous incident, Young Master Qin's impression of Gu Jiao had changed. Although Gu Jiao had extorted one hundred taels of silver from him, he could accept her greed more than being pestered by her.

"Thank you again this time," said young Master Qin politely.

Gu Jiao glanced at him: "Why do you always get your things stolen?"

Young Master Qin said sheepishly, "It must be that the news leaked out and the enemy has taken notice."

He didn't say what the news was, and Gu Jiao didn't ask.

Gu Jiao only wanted to retrieve her purse; nothing else concerned her. She ignored Mr. Qin and left expressionlessly.

Watching her retreating figure without the slightest hesitation, Mr. Qin frowned in confusion. Was she... really no longer interested in him?

"Young Master," another guard ran over, "I found a handkerchief on the ground. I wonder if it belongs to that young lady from earlier?"

Young Master Qin quickly grabbed his handkerchief and chased after Gu Jiao in the direction she had left.

By the time he caught up with Gu Jiao, she had already bought scallion pancakes and returned to the oxcart.

"Miss Gu! Miss Gu!" Young Master Qin was a pampered scholar. Chasing the petty thief had exhausted him, and he had only managed to get through this trip by sheer willpower.

He leaned on the oxcart, panting heavily, and remained silent for a long time.

Xiao Liulang's gaze turned somewhat cold.

Gu Jiao shrugged, as if to say, "It has nothing to do with me, I don't know him."

"What is it?" Xiao Liulang asked casually.

Young Master Qin was taken aback upon hearing the voice, and looked closely at Xiao Liulang, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his face: "Ah... Young Master Xiao is here too..."

Xiao Liulang: So you only came after me while I was away?!

Young Master Qin handed over the handkerchief in his hand: "Miss Gu, you dropped your handkerchief."

Gu Jiao looked at it and said, "It's not mine."

"Ah..." Young Master Qin was even more embarrassed. He had chased after her all the way, only to find out she wasn't his. How could he feel so ashamed?

In his haste, Young Master Qin leaned forward, and the portrait in his arms fell down, landing right on the oxcart and spreading out at Xiao Liulang's feet.

It was a painting of misty rain in Jiangnan, with mountains, water, and awning boats in the rain. Even though Gu Jiao didn't understand calligraphy and painting, she felt that the painting was rich in brushstrokes and had a profound artistic conception.

This painting was hard-won, and his father instructed him to keep it safe and not let anyone see it.

Suddenly the painting was exposed. Young Master Qin was quite nervous at first, but seeing that Gu Jiao was staring at the painting with great curiosity, he suddenly stopped rushing to put it away.

He said with some pride, "This is a piece of calligraphy by the young Marquis of Zhaodu! It's called 'Spring Mountains in Mist and Rain,' and it was painted when the young Marquis was twelve years old during his travels in Jiangnan. The young Marquis's paintings are priceless, and I had to pay a high price to buy it from an acquaintance!"

Gu Jiao picked up the painting and widened her eyes: "You can paint so well at the age of twelve?"

Her bewildered expression was adorable, and even the red birthmark on her face didn't seem ugly to Xiao Qin.

Young Master Qin said with increasing pride, "This is just a casual sketch he made. It's said that he wasn't satisfied with it and threw it away, but the servants secretly kept it. If you like it... I'll let you take a closer look!"

Gu Jiao: "..."

Xiao Liulang's gaze swept lightly over the painting, and then he said casually, "A fake."

Young Master Qin was stunned for a moment before realizing he was referring to the painting. He immediately jumped up and exclaimed, "You're talking nonsense! This painting of mine is clearly an original, how could it be a fake?"

Xiao Liulang said, "It's a fake."

Young Master Qin raised his voice: "Where did you see that it's a fake?"

Xiao Liulang seemed to think even a glance was unnecessary: ​​"Where didn't you see it was a fake?"

That's incredibly arrogant. It's like saying the painting is such a terrible forgery, full of flaws.

Young Master Qin finally lost his temper: "What do you know? Do you, a poor scholar, understand painting? I had it authenticated by a specialist! This is the young marquis's genuine work!"

“He never painted this picture,” Xiao Liulang said calmly.

"How do you know he didn't draw it? Do you know him?"

Upon hearing this, even Young Master Qin himself laughed.

How could a country bumpkin with a limp possibly know the famous Marquis Zhaodu?

There are many marquises in the capital of Zhao, and many sons of these marquises, each of whom is a minor marquis. However, there is only one who can be called the minor marquis of Zhao.

The young Marquis of Zhaodu is the legitimate son of the Marquis of Xuanping, and his birth mother is Princess Xinyang. He is deeply favored by the current emperor.

He entered the Imperial Palace at the age of three, fought fiercely against a group of scholars, and became famous overnight! He entered the Imperial Academy at the age of four, and by the age of five, he had mastered the Imperial Library and was fluent in six languages!

Dean Li of Tianxiang Academy is ranked first among the four great talents in the capital. This is because one must be at least eighteen years old to be included in the list of talented scholars. Dean Li's academic achievements have remained unsurpassed to this day because this young marquis has never taken the imperial examination!

At the age of twelve, he was appointed by His Majesty as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. Envoys from five countries came to congratulate this young Chancellor. He was truly brilliant and outstanding, unparalleled in the capital!

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Despite his unparalleled background and talent, the young marquis died unexpectedly in a fire at the Imperial Academy. It is said that he was burned alive.

He died on New Year's Eve at the young age of fourteen.

In yesterday's Chapter 38, "Success," there was a conversation between the old doctor and Xiao Liulang. You should savor it.

(End of this chapter)