Chapter 222 Warmth (Second Update)
Gu Jiao carried the little rabbit back to the camp.
Sure enough, once you calm down and focus, you can get things done much faster. Physician Lu has finished examining all the wound medicines.
He looked up and saw Gu Jiao carrying a small rabbit, and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Where did this rabbit come from?"
"I found it on the back hill," Gu Jiao said.
"The back mountain?" Physician Lu thought to himself, "Could they have gone there?"
"What's wrong with you?" Gu Jiao felt that Physician Lu was looking at her strangely.
"You didn't go into any caves, did you?" Physician Lu asked cautiously.
"Uh...can't we go in?" Gu Jiao asked strangely.
Physician Lu said, "Of course we can't go in. People will die if we go in!"
Gu Jiao stroked the rabbit and calmly said, "Oh, then I didn't go in."
Physician Lu: "..."
Did you get in or not?
Never mind, she probably didn't go in. Otherwise, with such powerful mechanisms and formations, how could she have come out alive?
Physician Lu settled the final payment for Gu Jiao and told her that if the response to this batch of wound medicine was good, there would be another order for a thousand bottles.
The military camp has a huge demand for wound medicine. As long as Gu Jiao holds onto this order, the pharmaceutical factory can quickly break even.
Gu Jiao thanked them and left the military camp carrying the little rabbit.
When Xiao Sanzi saw the little rabbit in her arms, he became interested: "Miss Gu, where did this little rabbit come from? It's so cute!"
"It's really cute." Gu Jiao nodded. "I'll braise it tonight."
Xiao Sanzi: "..."
Fat Rabbit: "..."
Gu Jiao ultimately failed to get to eat the rabbit meat because Xiao Jiang Li had her eye on the fat rabbit.
The little girl is introverted and doesn't talk much, but she is hardworking and diligent, and everyone at the clinic likes her very much.
"Here you go." Gu Jiao handed the little rabbit to Xiao Jiangli.
"I...I...can I really keep rabbits?" Xiao Jiangli doesn't remember ever keeping anything as a pet before, and she and her brother can't afford it.
"Okay." Gu Jiao nodded, "You'll have to clean up the rabbit poop yourself."
"I will, I will!" Xiao Jiangli nodded vigorously, hugging the chubby little rabbit tightly in her arms.
She loved her first little pet: "Thank you, Sister Gu!"
Gu Jiao handed the remaining payment for the wound medicine to Manager Wang, and then went to the Imperial College to pick up Xiao Liulang and Xiao Jingkong from school.
The first thing to come out was the small clear space.
Little Jingkong, carrying a small schoolbag, walked among a group of seven- or eight-year-old children with a serious face, looking out of place and somewhat comical.
He thought it was his bad brother-in-law coming to pick him up, so he didn't give him a friendly look. But it turned out to be Gu Jiao. In an instant, he turned into a cute little thing and ran towards Gu Jiao.
"Jiaojiao!" He raised his little head and looked at Gu Jiao with an adorable expression.
Gu Jiao looked at him, who was covered in sweat, and asked, "Why are you sweating so much?"
Xiao Jingkong said, "Let's have a race today!"
The Imperial Academy's elementary school is not a place for rote learning; it places great emphasis on the all-round development of children. I heard that when they get older, they will be taught musical instruments and horseback riding and archery. It's definitely a noble incubation class.
Gu Jiao took a handkerchief and wiped Xiao Jingkong's sweat.
Little Jingkong handed over his little head, obediently letting Gu Jiao wipe it.
His short hair has grown a little longer; by winter, he should be able to tie it into a little bun.
"I came in first place, none of them could outrun me!" the little guy said smugly.
Gu Jiao was not surprised by this. He got up to practice his skills before dawn every day, and he was in very good physical condition.
After Gu Jiao finished wiping Xiao Jingkong's sweat, Liu Quan came over.
Liu Quan came to pick up Xiao Jingkong: "...The Imperial Academy has invited a Grand Secretary from the Cabinet to explain the techniques for the palace examination to the candidates next month. Liu Lang said that he might finish class very late."
Xiao Liulang had never attended such classes before.
However, Liu Quan didn't say this.
Liu Quan said, "I'll take you back first, and then we'll go to Qinghe Academy later."
After school, Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun went to Master Lu's place to learn his craft.
Gu Jiao said, "No need, we can walk back. It's not far. Uncle Liu, go pick up Ayan and Xiaoshun."
"Alright," Liu Quan agreed, and he drove the carriage to Qinghe Academy.
Gu Jiao then returned to Bishui Hutong with Xiao Jingkong.
Xiao Liulang returned very late. The whole family was asleep, but an oil lamp was left on in the main room for him.
It's obvious who left it without even guessing.
Xiao Liulang's eyes flickered. Just as he was about to return to his own room, the door to the room opposite opened.
Gu Jiao came out wearing a plain nightgown: "Are you hungry? I saved some food for you, I'll go heat it up."
"I'm not hungry," Xiao Liulang said. "I've already eaten."
I was about to go in, but after a pause, I couldn't help asking her, "It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"
"I'll wait for you," Gu Jiao said.
The sudden bluntness made Xiao Liulang feel as if something had squeezed his heart again.
Xiao Liulang glanced at her thin body, which was only wearing a nightgown, composed himself, and said, "It's chilly outside, you should go back to your room and sleep. I'm going to sleep in a bit too."
"Are you still angry with me?" Gu Jiao asked, tilting her head.
“No,” he said. “I’m not angry.”
Gu Jiao said "oh" but didn't go back inside. Instead, she stood at the door looking at her with innocent eyes.
Even though he knew she was bluffing, Xiao Liulang's heart suddenly softened. He surrendered, opened his mouth, and whispered, "I seem to be a little hungry."
Gu Jiao smiled and said, "I'll go heat up your food."
Xiao Liulang looked at her thin nightgown, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Put on some clothes."
"Mm!" Gu Jiao went back into the house to put on a coat and went to the kitchen to heat up the food. It had been served separately for him before the meal and placed aside. There was corn and pork bone soup, white flour steamed buns, braised pork ribs, and several cold dishes.
Gu Jiao also boiled a few pieces of green vegetables.
Xiao Liulang sat down to eat.
Gu Jiao sat opposite him, her hands supporting her chin and her elbows resting on the table.
Look at him.
It's really beautiful.
This wasn't the first time Xiao Liulang had been looked at by her, and this girl's gaze was truly... more open than his, the one being looked at.
The room was very quiet.
Since the family has grown, he has rarely eaten alone with her like this, as if he has suddenly returned to the past.
After Xiao Liulang finished eating, his stomach felt warm, and his body felt warm too.
The two cleared away the dishes and went back to their respective rooms.
Just before entering the house, Gu Jiao turned back and asked him again, "Are you really not angry?"
Xiao Liulang took a deep breath and stubbornly replied, "No."
Gu Jiao is very trusting; she believed him when he said he didn't have her.
Gu Jiao grunted and said, "I was originally planning to make it up to you, but since you're not angry, then forget it."
Xiao Liulang: Wait, how are you planning to make it up to me? I inexplicably feel like I've missed something...
"See you tomorrow." Gu Jiao went inside.
Xiao Liulang: "..."
The workload at the Imperial Academy has indeed increased recently. At first, Xiao Liulang didn't skip classes, but later it became impossible for him to skip classes even if he wanted to.
The emperor attached great importance to this palace examination and sent many cabinet ministers to impart knowledge to the candidates.
Although the palace examination doesn't eliminate people and everyone who gets in is a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), who would want to be a Jinshi on the supplementary list? Everyone is aiming for the Jinshi on the main list.
As the imperial examination drew near, the atmosphere at the Imperial Academy became tense once again.
Meanwhile, at the clinic, the last critically ill patient with the red ribbon was discharged, leaving only Jiang Shi receiving treatment at Miaoshoutang.
His condition is serious; I estimate he has two or three more months of treatment left.
Gu Jiao went to give Jiang Shi an IV drip, and just as she finished, she heard an unusual commotion outside the clinic.
Gu Jiao thought it was a medical dispute, but when she went downstairs to take a look, she found that it wasn't.
"Why are there so many people?" Gu Jiao asked, looking at the huge crowd at the entrance.
The second landlord sent his third son to inquire.
Xiao Sanzi quickly returned: "Ah, I heard that the Crown Princess is giving a lecture at the girls' school. Even non-students can go in and listen. All these people have come because of her reputation, hoping to attend the Crown Princess's class!"
It turns out that the Crown Princess was confined to her quarters by the Emperor because of the suspension bridge accident. Now that the confinement order has been lifted, in order to save face for the royal family and to build up the royal family's reputation among the people, this incident occurred.
The hype surrounding the suspension bridge incident has died down, but recently there have been rumors circulating that it was actually the Crown Princess's family members who used her name to block the bridge and offer incense, and that it had nothing to do with the Crown Princess.
The Crown Princess was implicated because of her maternal family.
Public opinion quickly turned divided, with some feeling sorry for the Crown Princess and others believing the rumors were unreliable.
Regardless, the Crown Princess came out to give a lecture.
Most people were still unwilling to miss this opportunity to meet the Crown Princess.
After all, they might only see each other once in their lives.
The Crown Princess's classroom was packed.
She teaches chess.
The Crown Princess was not the only one sent to teach at the girls' school; Princess Rui, Du Qianqian, was also among them.
Du Qianqian's musical skills are among the top three in Zhao Kingdom, but under the intense spotlight of the Crown Princess, almost no one noticed that she was also there.
Her classroom was empty, with only two students.
One is Li Wanwan, who genuinely loves learning the piano, and the other is Du Xiaoyun, whom she forcibly forced into the classroom.
Jiaojiao: Should I go and support my best friend?
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(End of this chapter)
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