Chapter 746 Jingkong's Background (First Update)

Gu Jiao and Xiao Heng waited on the second floor of the library until the disciples came to close the door, but the Mu family head did not come down.

Xiao Heng said, "They might be up very late. Let's go first and ask Yu He later."

Gu Jiao agreed, "Okay."

The two left the library and returned to the Qilin Hall.

Xiao Jingkong had just woken up and was sitting cross-legged on the bed, lost in thought.

This is because I slept for too long and became dazed.

But the moment Gu Jiao stepped across the threshold, he instantly came to his senses, jumped off the bed, and ran over in his shoes, calling out in a very low voice, "Jiao Jiao!"

No one else can hear this.

Gu Jiao patted his little head: "Did you sleep well this afternoon?"

"Yes!" He nodded.

Children are full of energy. Even after a day and a night of fright and running around, they can usually recover after a full day of sleep.

"Huh? Where's Xiaoxue?" he asked.

Gu Jiao said, "She's with her uncle."

She saw Zhang Dequan carrying the sleeping princess up to the third floor while she was in the library. She should be sleeping next to the king now.

The young princess didn't have the energy to clear her mind, Gu Jiao estimated that she could sleep until tomorrow morning.

"Are you hungry?" Gu Jiao asked.

"Hungry," Xiao Jingkong said.

Xiao Heng walked in, glanced at the little guy, and said, "What do you want to eat? I'll ask the kitchen to make it."

Xiao Jingkong's face darkened instantly.

If you hadn't said anything, Jiaojiao would have made me something to eat!

Looking at his puffed-up face, which resembled a chubby pufferfish, Xiao Heng smiled and said, "By the way, Jiaojiao, could you take a look at Jingkong's teeth?"

"What's wrong? Does your tooth hurt?" Gu Jiao asked.

Little Jingkong quickly covered his mouth and mumbled, "It doesn't hurt!"

Xiao Heng asked, "Why doesn't it hurt anymore? Didn't you just say your tooth hurt a couple of days ago?"

"I...I...I...Where did I get it?" He put his little hands behind his back and looked up at the sky.

Xiao Jingkong did mention having a toothache two days ago, but that was to avoid doing the extra homework his bad brother-in-law had assigned.

Gu Jiao thought that Xiao Jingkong was five and a half years old, which was indeed the age to lose his baby teeth, and it was time to have his oral cavity checked.

"Let me see," Gu Jiao said.

Xiao Jingkong gave his bad brother-in-law a resentful look.

He could refuse everyone in the world, but he couldn't refuse Jiaojiao.

Little Jingkong opened his little mouth helplessly: "Ah—"

Gu Jiao gently turned his small body so that he faced the light from the window, and then took a cotton swab from the small medicine box to check his baby teeth one by one.

"One of my front teeth is loose," Gu Jiao said. "Be careful to brush your teeth properly during this time, don't eat sweets, and don't touch it with your tongue."

Xiao Jingkong was struck dumb!

Brushing your teeth properly is fine, and you don't have to use your tongue to brush them, but not being able to eat candy is really too pitiful!

Xiao Heng walked over and patted his little shoulder in a pretentious manner: "You must have bitten that kid loose, right? This is proof of your act of bravery. You should be proud. Why do you look so dejected?"

That's because of you!

That wicked brother-in-law did it on purpose!

He's out of candy!

Xiao Heng sighed to Gu Jiao, "I just promised to give him candy."

Gu Jiao said sternly, "You are not allowed to give it to me."

Xiao Heng looked at Xiao Jingkong and raised an eyebrow: "Oh."

Xiao Jingkong roared inwardly.

Ahhh!

That awful brother-in-law is awful!

The kitchen prepared white porridge and vegetable and egg noodles, partly to take care of Shangguan Yan's injuries and partly because Xiao Jingkong couldn't eat meat.

They ate in Shangguan Yan's room.

Even though it's not Xiao Jingkong's first time visiting the Qilin Palace, he's always late. Either Shangguan Yan is asleep or he is asleep.

Now it's time for a formal meeting.

Xiao Heng already had a princess as his mother, and now he was going to have a crown princess as his mother as well. Xiao Heng thought that Xiao Jingkong would ask about it, but to his surprise, Xiao Jingkong accepted it very smoothly.

With his hands behind his back, Xiao Jingkong adopted the strolling gait of Grandpa Zhao in Bishui Hutong, speaking in Grandpa Zhao's accent: "I understand, I understand everything! You have a new identity now! You've got it all sorted out!"

Xiao Heng: "..."

You can think of it that way if you want.

Gu Jiao also told Shangguan Yan about Xiao Jingkong's background. He was a little monk adopted by a temple in the countryside of Zhao Kingdom. He had no parents, only an old, frail, and inconvenient master with a white beard.

Gu Jiao helped Shangguan Yan put on protective gear and then helped her sit down at the table.

On the other side, Xiao Heng also led Xiao Jingkong into the house.

It's not a bald little monk.

She is an adorable little girl with a cute hairstyle, a round face, delicate yet spirited features, big eyes, and long, thick eyelashes.

Xiao Jingkong approached Shangguan Yan with great gentlemanly manners and politely said, "Greetings, Your Highness, my name is Xiao Jingkong."

Shangguan Yan didn't speak, she just stared at Xiao Jingkong.

She reached out and gently touched Xiao Jingkong's face.

Gu Jiao: What's going on?

Xiao Heng: I don't know.

After exchanging glances, the young couple continued to observe Shangguan Yan's reaction.

Xiao Jingkong was also confused. Why did this pretty auntie touch him right away?

Shangguan Yan opened her mouth and asked softly, "What's your name?"

"Jingkong," Little Jingkong repeated his name.

Shangguan Yan then asked, "How old are you?"

Little Jingkong puffed out his little chest: "Eight years old!"

Xiao Heng's lips twitched. "You've aged three years older again?"

Do you know you look only four years old? Nobody would believe that kind of nonsense.

“Jingkong.” Gu Jiao looked at Xiao Jingkong.

Xiao Jingkong shrugged: "Okay, I'm five and a half years old."

Xiao Heng: Half a year should be counted?

"You..." Shangguan Yan hesitated, then smiled and said, "You're really cute."

Xiao Jingkong said with a smile, "You are very beautiful too!"

The two exchanged pleasantries, and then the family began to eat.

Xiao Jingkong was too small, and there was no special stool for him in the Imperial Preceptor's Hall, so Xiao Heng specially asked someone to bring over a tall chair.

Xiao Jingkong sat opposite Shangguan Yan, while Gu Jiao and Xiao Heng sat opposite each other.

During the meal, Shangguan Yan would glance at Xiao Jingkong from time to time, as if she really liked looking at him.

Xiao Jingkong sensed Shangguan Yan's kindness and was very willing to get close to her.

He also generously shared his vegetarian meatballs with Shangguan Yan.

After dinner, he took Gu Jiao to the yard to catch fireflies.

Xiao Heng and Shangguan Yan stayed in the room and watched the two children play through the window.

Xiao Heng voiced his doubts: "You seem quite interested in Jingkong."

Shangguan Yan sat on the official's hat chair, staring intently at Xiao Jingkong who was laughing so hard he was bent over, and said, "No, it's just that seeing him reminds me of someone."

Xiao Heng paused for a moment, then asked, "Who?"

Shangguan Yan said, "Your maternal uncle."

Xiao Heng said, "I have many maternal uncles."

Xuanyuan Li had a total of six sons.

Shangguan Yan said, "Your little uncle. Your great-aunt was old when she was pregnant with him, and her health was severely compromised. Your little uncle was much smaller than other children when he was born. He didn't walk until he was two years old and didn't speak until he was three. He was weak from a young age and was the only one in the Xuanyuan family who did not learn martial arts."

It is also the least known to the world.

The men of the Xuanyuan family were all highly skilled in martial arts and had made numerous merits. Only Xiao Liu was always weak and stood behind the door, unable to do anything. He would even fall ill if he went out to bask in the sun.

Xiao Liu often joked that he didn't seem like a child of the Xuanyuan family.

He was the most useless member of the entire Xuanyuan family. He hadn't been able to do anything for the Xuanyuan family, and he was truly unworthy of the bloodline of the Xuanyuan family.

Xiao Heng said, "Jingkong is as strong as a young ox."

They can eat, sleep, and cause trouble; they rarely get sick, and even when they do, they recover faster than the average person.

"I caught one! I caught one!" Xiao Jingkong caught a firefly and ran around the yard excitedly.

He didn't watch where he was going, and his joy turned to sorrow as he fell to the ground with a thud.

The sound of him hitting the ground so hard made Shangguan Yan feel pain for him.

But the next second, Xiao Jingkong scrambled to his feet and continued running forward, panting, "Oh no! It flew away again! No way! I have to catch it!"

Shangguan Yan: "..."

Shangguan Yan sighed, "Looking at it this way, it really doesn't seem like it."

If Xiao Liu had fallen like that just now, he could have died on the spot.

Xiao Jingkong was sweating profusely from playing.

Xiao Heng said to Shangguan Yan, "I'll go change Jiao Jiao."

This child has so much energy; if she really gets going, she could wear the whole family out. Besides, Gu Jiao didn't get a good night's rest last night, so Xiao Heng wanted her to get some rest as soon as possible.

"clearance!"

As soon as Xiao Heng arrived in the courtyard, the little princess came running over, lifting her skirt.

Xiao Jingkong's eyes lit up: "Xiao Xue!"

Two little kids met in the yard.

Xiao Jingkong tilted his head and asked, "Why did you come here?"

The young princess sighed, "They were arguing and woke me up, so I came to find you."

Zhang Dequan walked over with a smile, bowed to Xiao Heng, and said, "Your Highness, Changsun." He then turned around and politely bowed to Shangguan Yan behind the window.

"Teacher!" The little princess greeted Gu Jiao, then raised her head to look at Xiao Heng, waiting for him to greet her.

Xiao Heng was both amused and exasperated: "Little Aunt."

The young princess nodded in satisfaction: "Yes! My nephew is good!"

Xiao Jingkong suddenly whispered to her, "Wow! You're so amazing! You're my... aunt, so can you boss him around?"

The young princess looked completely bewildered: "My nephew is so good, why would I need to order him around?"

Because I want to boss him around!

I also want to turn my bad brother-in-law into Xiao Ba, and then I'll go and rub him every day!

Forget it, this plan doesn't seem feasible at the moment.

Little Jingkong asked the little princess, "I'm catching fireflies, do you want to join me?"

The young princess fiddled with her fingers: "Hmm... I can't catch it."

Little Jingkong patted his chest: "It's okay, I'll catch it and give it to you!"

...

Library.

Apart from two assassins from the Imperial Advisor's Palace, the King cleared everyone out, leaving only himself, Old Master Mu, and the Imperial Advisor.

Ye Qing stood guard in the corridor.

No one knows what the king said to Old Master Mu; all that is known is that Old Master Mu was taken away by the officers of the Commandant's Office.

"You may all leave as well," the Grand Preceptor said to the assassins.

The two agreed and turned to leave the study.

The Grand Preceptor looked at the bewildered King and asked, "Is Your Majesty worried that the Commandery will not be able to find evidence that the Mu family instructed Tong Wu?"

While Pang Hai's testimony confirms that Tong Wu was a staff member of the Mu family, it does not necessarily mean that the Mu family was behind this incident. Perhaps Tong Wu was bribed by someone else.

The king sneered, "If Wang Xu can't even get a little evidence, he might as well resign!"

The Grand Preceptor poured the King a cup of tea: "Then why is Your Majesty at a loss? Are you perhaps thinking about how to deal with the Han family?"

The Han family cannot escape the charge of dereliction of duty.

The king remained silent.

The Grand Preceptor said, "In fact, His Majesty has long wanted to take back the Black Wind Cavalry of the Han family and the military power of the Mu family. Forgive my bluntness, but the suffering of the little princess is heartbreaking. However, this matter has come at just the right time."

The king looked at him and said, "It is rare for you to discuss matters of the court with me."

The Grand Preceptor smiled and said, "I didn't want to say it either, but His Majesty is waiting for me to."

The king stood up and paced around the room for a long time. He came to the window and looked at the bright moon in the sky. Suddenly he said, "Twenty-five years ago today was the day you calculated the divination for the Xuanyuan family."

The Grand Preceptor paused in his tea-drinking.

The king recalled, "You said that when the Purple Star appears, the Emperor will be born."

The Grand Preceptor slowly grasped the teacup: "Your Majesty."

The king said, "I've been thinking, I've already killed every single member of the Xuanyuan family, I can rest easy now, but why do I feel uneasy lately? Are the Xuanyuan family really all dead?"

"No," said the Grand Preceptor.

The king frowned.

The Grand Preceptor said calmly, "There are also the deposed Crown Princess and the eldest grandson of the Emperor. They also have the blood of the Xuanyuan family flowing in their veins. If Your Majesty wants to eliminate future troubles, you should kill them all."

The king turned around and looked coldly at the Grand Preceptor: "Their surname is Shangguan!"

The Grand Preceptor calmly met his imposing gaze: "Jing Yinyin also has the surname Jing."

Their gazes lingered on each other for a moment, then the king turned around and continued to look up at the sky: "I don't want to argue with you."

The Imperial Advisor picked up his teacup: "Ye Qing, see the guest out."

Ye Qing pushed open the door and entered.

The only person in the entire Great Yan Dynasty who dared to ask him to leave was the one standing before him.

The king frowned and said, "Tell me another divination for me, and see if it still says 'The Purple Star appears, the Emperor will emerge from Xuanyuan'!"

The Grand Preceptor said, "It can't be calculated."

The king said coldly, "Are you defying the imperial decree?"

The Grand Preceptor said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Revealing heavenly secrets will shorten one's lifespan. I have already lost ten years of my lifespan. If I were to do it again, I fear I would lose my life. Moreover, the same divination cannot be performed twice."

The king turned and left!

"Where is the young princess?" the king asked the eunuch outside the library.

The eunuch said, "Your Majesty, the young princess has gone to the Qilin Palace."

"Why are we going to the Qilin Palace again?" The king frowned and strode towards the Qilin Palace.

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(End of this chapter)