The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 759

Chapter 759: 351 Elopement Capture (Third Update)

Xiao Jingkong didn’t return home till it was nearly dark. When he walked in the door, he took a deep breath, packing away his little emotions. He couldn’t let Jiaojiao see how upset he was for Xiaojin.

He poked his own dimple, lifting a smile and entered the house cutely!

Gu Jiao had finished chopping firewood and putting away the medicinal herbs. When she turned around, she saw the little fellow hopping over happily.

"Did you come back?" she asked.

"Yes!" Xiao Jingkong ran over and extended his short little arms, "Jiaojiao, I’ll help you carry it!"

"You can carry this." Gu Jiao scooped a small spoonful of medicinal herbs from the large basket for him.

"Okay!" Xiao Jingkong cheerfully held up the little spoon, and carefully returned to the main room without spilling a single piece of the medicinal herbs.

After dinner, Gu Jiao went to clean up Xiao Jingkong’s stuff.

The little fellow always made a mess and never put things back properly.

Gu Jiao found something missing while cleaning up this time.

Most of Xiao Jingkong’s things were stored in different boxes. Gu Jiao usually didn’t open these boxes on her own, not because they looked worn and ragged, but because she respected the child’s privacy.

However, some things were left out in the open, like the little golden abacus.

"Jingkong." Gu Jiao called.

"Yeah?" Xiao Jingkong, who was lining up little chicks in the main room, walked in and asked with a tilt of his head, "What is it, Jiaojiao?"

"Where is your abacus?" Gu Jiao asked with a puzzled expression.

Xiao Jingkong’s eyes swiveled round: "I left it at the Medical Hall!"

"Really?" Gu Jiao thought for a moment, "but I just cleaned up your small box in the Medical Hall today, and didn’t see your abacus."

Xiao Jingkong blinked and said: "Ah, I forgot earlier, I... lent it to Brother Chu Yu! He said he would return it in a few days!"

Xiao Jingkong seldom lies. He’s trusted, so Gu Jiao did not suspect him.

After leaving the east room, Xiao Jingkong clutched his little chest and took a long breath of relief.

That was close! He was nearly caught by Jiaojiao and it was a good thing that he was very clever!

It had rained at dusk. Gu Yan’s guard returned and reported that the road wasn’t good, so Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun spent the night at Nanxiang and Master Lu’s house. They would go straight to Qinghe Academy from there the next day.

Nanxiang and Master Lu liked Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan very much. Gu Jiao wasn’t worried and had the guard take two sets of clean clothes for them.

On the other hand, the Old Marquis, who was encouraged by Gu Yan and Gu Jiao, felt an unprecedented level of support. His entire life had been about serving the Zhan Country and the Marquis Residence. Except for the life-and-death battles on the battlefield, he never took bold actions in his private life.

He’s spent his life being diligent and upholding his responsibilities. But perhaps it is because he is getting old and doesn’t have much time left, he doesn’t want to leave any regrets in this life.

The longer he lived for others, the longer he had failed her.

In the remaining, not so many years of his life, he no longer wanted to fail her.

Luckily, the troops he had groomed for the Emperor were already well prepared, and Gu Changqing had also grown up, the Marquis residence had a successor, he could finally feel at ease.

"Call the Crown Prince." The Old Marquis ordered.

"Yes." The servant went to Gu Changqing’s court, and brought him over.

Looking at the Old Marquis sitting in the main seat with a noticeably different demeanor, Gu Changqing calmly asked, "It’s so late, what matters does grandfather have to discuss with me?"

The Old Marquis looked at him deeply. This was the grandson he’d raised with his own hands, and he’d poured his entire heart and soul into him, even more than he did for his own son, Gu Chong.

And his grandson did not disappoint, and grew up as expected.

The Old Marquis handed him two uniquely marked tokens. One was the token of the Gu Family army and the other was the token of that secret large army.

"What is grandfather’s intention?" Gu Changqing inquired curiously.

The Old Marquis gazed at him, solemnly explaining, "You’ve grown up, it’s time to shoulder some responsibilities. I may not get to see the day when the Gu family’s army returns in full force, but I hope you can."

"Why won’t you see it?" Gu Changqing placidly asked.

The Old Marquis hesitated, gripping the corner of the table, saying, "I have my arrangements, you don’t need to ask."

A cold, cynical smile slipped onto Gu Changqing’s face, he scoffed, "Grandfather always has his arrangements, just like that incident in the past!"

With that, he didn’t wait for the Old Marquis to ask which specific incident it was, and turned to leave.

He took the tokens.

As a member of the Gu family, whether it was his right or his burden, he would shoulder it without sparing any effort.

The Old Marquis sighed helplessly as he watched his grandson’s determined departure.

After that, he requested the servants to call Gu Chengfeng and Gu Chenglin.

They were his grandchildren, whom he cherished as well. But he hadn’t given them the same preferential treatment as Gu Changqing, or the same gentleness as Gu Yan.

This is probably the misery of not outshining on either front. They weren’t as capable as Gu Changqing nor as delicate as Gu Yan, so naturally, they received less attention.

Yet when it came to the day of parting, the reluctance in the Old Marquis’s heart arose.

He glanced at the two of them, fully intending to say some sentimental words between grandsons and a grandfather. But when he saw Gu Chenglin’s newly sprouted bald head, his mouth twitched and he couldn’t bring himself to say anything!

He also gave each of them a token, along with some family assets. The assets were to be sent to Gu Changqing for safekeeping till the day they set up their own homesteads and transferred to them.

He had also set aside something for Gu Yan, which had been sent to the guard and would be given to Gu Yan when the time was right.

Gu Jiao was married. A married daughter is like splashed water. He didn’t leave any token to her, but considering she devoted herself to Gu Yan, he still allocated a sum of silver to her.