Chapter 392 Taking the Initiative (Second Update)
"A baby girl?" Gu Jiao thought of Consort Jing's Princess Ning'an, but this time she didn't try to guess whether the child was her great-aunt's, since Princess Ning'an was a few years younger than His Majesty, and the ages didn't match.
This time, it was Eunuch Qin himself who mentioned Princess Ning'an, saying, "The Empress Dowager dotes on Princess Ning'an, and Miss Gu must have heard about it."
"Mm." Gu Jiao nodded.
Eunuch Wei said, "Actually, there is a reason. Princess Ning'an's birthday happens to be the same day as the young master's birthday. The Empress Dowager... the Empress Dowager may feel that her child has returned, and has become Ning'an."
At this point, Eunuch Qin chuckled awkwardly, "This is just my guess. I don't know what the Empress Dowager is really thinking. I only remember that on the night Princess Ning'an was born, the Empress sat in Kunning Palace for a long time."
Thinking of something, Eunuch Qin added, "Speaking of which, the Empress and Consort Jing became close after Princess Ning'an was born. Consort Jing often brought Princess Ning'an to visit the Empress, but what truly made the Empress open her heart to Princess Ning'an was when Princess Ning'an held her hand during her first birthday celebration.
At that moment, how could my aunt not be moved?
The pain in her heart was healed by her one-year-old princess, as if... her child had really returned.
Gu Jiao didn't ask if it was Consort Jing's scheme, because whether she asked or not, what was going to happen had already happened, and the feelings and sincerity that had been given could not be taken back.
"The princess's feelings for the Empress Dowager are genuine." This was also what made Eunuch Qin feel fortunate. Sometimes he even felt that people really do have reincarnation, and that the young master had been reborn in Consort Jing's womb to reunite with the Empress Dowager.
Gu Jiao didn't find it strange. Blood ties are not the only bond in the world. She had parents who abandoned her like trash, and she also met her great-aunt who cherished her.
My aunt's fate is truly heartbreaking. If everything back then was orchestrated by Consort Jing, then this woman deserves to die a thousand deaths.
...
On this day at the end of the month, the Hanlin Academy was on holiday, and Xiao Liulang promised to take his family to Ning Zhiyuan's house.
The old priest looked at Xiao Liulang suspiciously: "You two... went out alone?"
I have a feeling that the two of them are going to do something bad behind their family's back!
At such a young and vigorous age, I'm really worried that this kid won't be able to control himself.
It was a coincidence that Xiao Jingkong didn't have class today, so the old priest decisively put Xiao Jingkong into the carriage.
A completely bewildered Jingkong: "..."
Old Master: The best way to ruin a couple's life is to give them a child!
Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao took Xiao Jingkong to Ning Zhiyuan's house.
Ning Zhiyuan's home was somewhat remote, almost in the outer city. It took half an hour to get there by carriage from Bishui Hutong. Ning Zhiyuan usually rode a horse to get to his post, which also took about half an hour.
Ning Zhiyuan's house is a single-courtyard house, not very large, less than half the size of Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao's house. It has two rooms and a small study partitioned off.
Ning Zhiyuan came from a poor family. It was said that after he achieved the top three honors in the imperial examination, many local gentry in his hometown wanted to befriend him. The methods of doing so were nothing more than giving gifts or sending their daughters.
Ning Zhiyuan was poor but had integrity. He refused gifts and did not take a concubine. He even sent people to bring his wife and children from his hometown.
His parents lived with their eldest son in their hometown, and he sent a sum of money home.
The salaries of the Hanlin Academy alone could not support such a large family. Fortunately, the top three scholars received a reward from the imperial court—five hundred taels for the top scholar, and three hundred taels each for the second and third scholars.
Ning Zhiyuan gave 100 taels of silver to his parents and another 50 taels to pay off the family's debts. After deducting the cost of renting the house, buying a horse, and the travel expenses to bring his wife and children to the capital, there was almost nothing left.
So he is actually quite poor now.
Ning Zhiyuan got married early, in his early thirties. His eldest son is already thirteen, his second son is ten, and he has a daughter who is a year younger than Jingkong.
Ning Zhiyuan's wife, surnamed Wen, is an honest and virtuous wife. She doesn't talk much and is a little shy and introverted, but this may be because she is not very familiar with Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang.
Ning Zhiyuan's two sons attend a private school nearby, and they don't come home for lunch.
There is only a three-year-old girl in the family.
Perhaps because the other person was a girl, Xiao Jingkong was not as mischievous as usual. He was quite well-behaved, not making a fuss or running around, and he also had the demeanor of a little gentleman, always giving way to the little girl.
Wen praised Jingkong for being sensible and intelligent: "He's much better than my two sons."
Gu Jiao hadn't met him, so it was hard to compare, but the little guy had unexpectedly made her look good outside, and he was much more well-behaved than the little gossip who used to run wild all over the yard.
Inside the room, Madam Wen was talking to Gu Jiao: "...When I heard A Yuan say that the new top scholar had come, I thought that if someone did better than A Yuan, how old would they be? I never expected that Scholar Xiao would be so young and accomplished."
Gu Jiao looked at Xiao Liulang, who was talking with Ning Zhiyuan in the main room, and nodded: "Yes, I think so too."
Wen: ...Although I am telling the truth, aren't you going to be a little modest?
Ning Zhiyuan and Xiao Liulang sat in the main room. Ning Zhiyuan was facing the inner room, while Xiao Liulang was sitting opposite him with his back to the inner room. Gu Jiao could only see Xiao Liulang's back.
Gu Jiao rested her chin on her hands. Hmm, her husband probably didn't even know she was looking at him; he could only see his back.
"Sigh, I heard that things are getting restless on the border of Chen Kingdom again. I wonder if war is about to break out..."
Ning Zhiyuan was speaking when Xiao Liulang suddenly stood up, walked over to Ning Zhiyuan and said, "Let's change seats."
"Huh? What's wrong?" Ning Zhiyuan asked.
Xiao Liulang remained calm, his eyes showing no change: "It's cool here."
Ning Zhiyuan: ...No, that seat was the coolest one, and I specially reserved it for you.
But since he's a guest, let Xiao Liulang sit in this sun-baked spot.
Xiao Liulang sat down where the sunlight streamed in.
The young man, dressed in white, was bathed in light. His face was as beautiful as jade, and his expression was aloof. A few drops of sweat seeped from the back of his fair neck beneath his black hair.
Ning Zhiyuan asked curiously, "Is it really cool?"
Xiao Liulang quietly sipped his tea, his long eyelashes drooping, and said, "Hmm, it's refreshing."
In the afternoon, Ning Zhiyuan's two sons returned from the private school. They resembled Wen Shi more and were more handsome than their father, Ning Zhiyuan.
In terms of personality, the eldest son inherited Ning Zhiyuan's traits and was adept at social interaction; the younger son inherited Wen's traits and was more introverted.
Overall, they are all very good children.
Ning Zhiyuan also asked Xiao Liulang to test the two of them on their studies.
Ning Zhiyuan was a third-ranked scholar in the imperial examinations, and his knowledge was beyond question. He was more than capable of checking his two sons' homework. The reason he asked Xiao Liulang to test them was more of an encouragement.
Gu Jiao could tell that the two young boys looked at Xiao Liulang with a mixture of reverence and trepidation.
As for Gu Jiao's birthmark and Xiao Liulang's disability, no one cared. Gu Jiao had a very pleasant day.
After dinner, the family got up to say goodbye.
Ning Zhiyuan and his wife and children saw the three of them to the door.
Wen's heart had been filled with anxiety, worrying about her husband's career and the hardships of life in the capital. Only when she saw that her husband had made such a good friend did she finally feel at ease.
Little Jingkong and Ning Xiaoya played together for an afternoon. When it was time to say goodbye, Ning Xiaoya was very reluctant to part and hugged Brother Jingkong... no, Uncle Jingkong, and cried loudly.
Xiao Jingkong gently comforted her, "It's okay, you can come to my house to play next time."
Ms. Wen took her daughter in her arms and watched with a smile as the family of three boarded the carriage.
Xiao Jingkong sat between the two.
Gu Jiao patted his short hair and was about to say to him, "So you like little girls, huh? You get along so well with them." But the next second, he lay on Gu Jiao's lap, looking utterly hopeless.
He sighed helplessly, "Sigh, taking care of children is so tiring!"
Gu Jiao: "..."
Xiao Jingkong was probably really tired, because he soon fell asleep on Gu Jiao's lap, drooling in his sleep.
Gu Jiao was worried that this position would make it difficult for him to breathe, so she turned him over and planned to hold him in her arms. Suddenly, a slender, jade-like hand reached out and picked up the chubby little guy.
Xiao Liulang's expression was indifferent, making it impossible to tell whether he liked or disliked him. He let Xiao Jingkong lie comfortably in his arms, his strong arms holding Xiao Jingkong and bearing the jolts of the carriage.
His hand seemed to fall unintentionally to his side, landing on the stool and gently brushing against Gu Jiao's sleeve.
Gu Jiao didn't move.
Xiao Liulang suddenly spoke up: "It's not good for a young lady to get a tan."
"Huh?" Gu Jiao was taken aback.
“It’s very sunny over there,” Xiao Liulang said without looking at him.
His tone was calm, as if he were saying that the weather was nice today.
Gu Jiao looked to her other side.
That's true.
The setting sun shone in, casting large patches of light upon her.
Although Gu Jiao felt that she couldn't get a tan, but... what if she couldn't?
Remembering her husband's words that it's not good for a young lady to get tanned, she decisively moved closer to Xiao Liulang.
They were riding in an old horse-drawn carriage, which was not very spacious to begin with.
With this shift, their shoulders inevitably touched tightly.
Hmph, if you didn't want to be all smug, why didn't you sit over there in the first place!
(End of this chapter)
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