The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 547

Chapter 547: 271 Jiaojiao of My Sorrow (Two updates combined into one)_3

"Yes." Master Zhuang bowed and said, "After the Empress Dowager fled from Mafeng Mountain, she ended up in a small village in the countryside. She was found by the emperor’s people, who temporarily kept her under house arrest."

Empress Dowager Zhuang impatience queried: "Whom do you mean by ’they’?"

Master Zhuang declared solemnly, "The newly crowned top scholar, Xiao Liulang."

"Xiao, Liulang?" Empress Dowager Zhuang furrowed her brows; she found the name strangely familiar, but couldn’t recall where she had heard it. However, it did seem plausible if she had stayed with his family.

Master Zhuang continued, "Xiao Liulang is one of the emperor’s men. He communicated with the emperor while in the village and brought the Empress Dowager to Capital City under the pretext of appearing for the examination. As a matter of fact, Hengheng had already discovered the whereabouts of the Empress Dowager in county town and even visited her, unfortunately, she did not recognize him at that time and even injured him. Considering the delicacy of the situation, Hengheng didn’t dare to act strongly and returned to the capital to consult with me. I had no choice but to coordinate with my allies and compel the emperor to reopen Guozijian. Now that Xiao Liulang had to come to the capital, he wouldn’t leave the Empress Dowager in the countryside."

However, the actual situation at that time was far from this; it was clear that they were using Xiao Liulang. But when Master Zhuang later reflected on the whole series of events, he perceived Xiao Liulang as having pre-planned everything.

If Master Zhuang was deceiving Empress Dowager Zhuang with lies, she possibly could have detected the inconsistency. However, this is genuinely what he believes.

Empress Dowager Zhuang withdrew her gaze from his face and asked, "With one more person in the family, didn’t anyone suspect anything?"

Master Zhuang explained, "Xiao Liulang was a poor lad from a far-off place and claimed the Empress Dowager as his aunt. As no one from his family came to him, there were no suspicions raised. My Empress Dowager, you suddenly asked about them... did they visit you?"

Zhuang Yuexi had already informed Master Zhuang about the event that happened in the palace yesterday. Of course, she didn’t mention her visit to Gu Jiao, only the unexpected encounter in the Imperial Garden.

Master Zhuang stated, "They drugged the Empress Dowager causing her to lose her memory and took the opportunity to get close to her and capture her heart. Please, Empress Dowager, do not let them blind you."

The recognition that they only wanted to use her left Empress Dowager Zhuang feeling deeply upset.

However, wasn’t it odd?

Shouldn’t she be angry and infuriated? Shouldn’t she issue a decree to annihilate their entire family?

Yet, why was she feeling distressed?

The weather was pleasant, with a clear sky and no clouds.

Lord Gu had not visited Bishui Alley for some time. Today he was on his way to supervise the construction of the residence for the Empress Dowager, and as he passed by the alley, he decided to visit Yao Family.

As he approached the courtyard door he encountered Gu Jiao who was returning, carrying little Jingkong.

Little Jingkong was sleeping, leaning against Gu Jiao’s chest, with tears sparkling on his eyelashes.

Gu Jiao’s expression, however, was colder than ever.

Lord Gu hadn’t seen his disobedient daughter for quite a while, and she seemed to have grown taller, her brows and eyes becoming more similar to Yao Family.

"Where have you been?" he asked her, sounding irritated.

Ignoring him, Gu Jiao continued walking into the courtyard.

Lord Gu gritted his teeth: "I’m talking to you! Can’t you hear?!"

Gu Jiao turned towards him, her gaze icy: "Today, do well not to provoke me."

Her icy stare unsettled Lord Gu, causing him to tremble, dropping the blueprint from his hands.

Gu Jiao didn’t care about his things, but it was lying there in plain sight and she couldn’t ignore it. She stopped in her tracks at the sight.

Lord Gu quickly picked up the blueprint and dusted it down while giving Gu Jiao a glare, "What are you looking at? It’s not the blueprint for your residence!"

Having spoken, he remembered this was a rare opportunity to show off in front of this damned girl, he dusted down the blueprint once more and said to her, "Do you know what this is? It’s the blueprint for the residence that the Empress Dowager commanded the Ministry of Works to construct for Miss Zhuang."

"What’s this?" Gu Jiao asked, pointing to a small dot on the blueprint while holding sleeping Jingkong with the other hand.

Lord Gu raised his eyebrows: "Old well."

"And this?"

"Begonia tree, it has to be large with grass stuffed around the trunk, they say it should be big enough to hold a child." _{freēwebnovel.com}