The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 535

Chapter 535: 267 She is my great-aunt! (Third update)

Empress Dowager Zhuang had a chat with the Zhuang family, but she felt tired.

Zhuang Taifu ordered a few children to withdraw, letting Zhuang Mengdie and Zhuang Yuexi return to their respective courtyards to rest. He then asked Prince An to join him in his study room.

"Yes."

Prince An went to Zhuang Taifu’s study.

The study was lit by an oil lamp, the light was not too dim, but it wasn’t too bright, either. The storm outside carried on unabated.

Zhuang Taifu waved his hand, dismissed the servants, leaving only himself and Prince An in the room.

The empress dowager had been found, but Zhuang Taifu discovered that this grandson wasn’t as excited as he had imagined. As a matter of fact, he had been this way since the palace examination.

This led Zhuang Taifu to doubt whether Prince An had lost his confidence after one setback.

Zhuang Taifu earnestly said: "It’s not a big deal if you didn’t do well in one imperial examination. You can still rise to the top in your official career, and you can still defeat him. I must say, you will definitely win!"

Life is very long, and a small victory or defeat doesn’t count at all. What’s important is to look forward and aim high, and never look back.

"The Empress Dowager and the Zhuang family are your support!"

Prince An wasn’t disappointed because of the imperial examination, or at least not entirely. In his view, he lost to Xiao Liulang in the palace examination because the emperor wanted to suppress the Zhuang family, and it was normal for him to lose. But the real pain came from the different way Gu Jiao treated him and Xiao Liulang on the day of the parade.

But he could not express these feelings.

"Grandson understands. If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave." He bowed and prepared to leave.

"About the Empress Dowager..." Zhuang Taifu stopped Prince An, his gaze was meaningful, "You should know what to say and what not to say."

Prince An asked with a dull expression: "What does the grandfather think I should and should not say?"

Zhuang Taifu was displeased with his attitude, his eyes slightly cold: "You’re young, it’s okay for you to be emotional, but don’t go too far."

Prince An sneered in a self-mocking tone: "Was the Empress Dowager really controlled by the emperor? Why would the emperor personally go down to Jiangnan to bring her back?"

Zhuang Taifu said, "Xiao Liulang has joined Xuanping Hou, who is the emperor’s trusted minister. Who knows whether the emperor went to Jiangnan just to deceive us with a blinding trick?"

Prince An sneered: "She cured the empress dowager’s leprosy, and she even saved the empress dowager’s life. Do all these things seem like manipulation to my grandfather?""

Zhuang Taifu said, in a stern voice: "The Empress Dowager didn’t have leprosy and it’s incurable. Besides, it’s not about saving or not saving, but they need the Empress Dowager and can’t let anything happen to her. If any member of our guard had been in the same position they would act in the same way, any one of them would be willing to sacrifice themselves for the Empress Dowager!"

Prince An no longer argued with his grandfather, his eyes lowered: "If my grandfather says so, then it must be."

After that, he bowed and turned to leave.

Zhuang Taifu looked at his retreating back and said, "Remember who you are! Don’t let emotions get in the way!""

"I get it."

A low response echoed in the night.

The rain was heavy, and Gu Jiao’s injuries were severe. She couldn’t return to Bishui Alley, so she rested in the small courtyard of the medical hall for the night.

Dr. Song made a bowl of calming soup. Xiao Liulang fed it to her, and after the medication took effect, she soon fell asleep.

Xuanping Hou stood under the eaves, accompanied by a dejected old Jiujiu. Chang Jing was at the end of the corridor, playing with marbles on the floor.

Xuanping Hou’s hands were tucked in his large sleeves. His brow furrowed unconsciously as he looked at the pouring rain: "So the Empress Dowager fainted on her own in front of Liulang and that wench’s house?"

"That’s what I heard," the old Jiujiu replied listlessly.

Xuanping Hou said: "Do they know that she’s the Empress Dowager?"

The old Jiujiu looked at him icily: "Are you trying to trap me?""

Xuanping Hou kept his expression unchanged: "I’m not."

This old man looked so lost, as if he had just lost his wife, and thought he could get around with tricky questions.

Of course, that wench wouldn’t know that she’s the Empress Dowager, and the real Xiao Liulang wouldn’t know the Empress Dowager either. Only Ahen did, so if the old Jiujiu hesitated or said something like ’how would I know,’ he’d expose himself.

Xuanping Hou had a toothache.

A stubborn old man, such a pain to handle!

But having said that, is that ugly girl really Xiao Liulang’s wife?

The first time she saved him, he gave her a small silver coin. The second time she saved the emperor, he gave her a slightly larger silver coin.

Remembering his miserly acts in front of his daughter-in-law, Xuanping Hou’s toothache worsened.

Damn, he was too rash!

-

Liao Quan went home to inform the family of Gu Jiao’s condition. He told them that Xiao Liulang was looking after her at the medical hall and they didn’t need to worry or make the journey in the rain to see her, it was more important for them to take care of themselves.

These were Xiao Liulang’s exact words.

Yao’s wife was pregnant, Gu Yan had a heart condition, and Xiao Harisen was too young, they all should stay at home. Only Gu Xiaoshun was tough enough, but because of that, he really must stay to take care of the family.

"Why was she injured?" Gu Yan asked.