Chapter 1468: 716 mother and child reunion

In a small partition within the Grand Hall, students from the Tianqiong Academy were gathered around a table.

The performance on the stage was about to begin, the maids were setting up the scene, and it was said that today’s main actor was a performer named Chang Jing from Fengcheng in Dayan. He had learned acting from childhood, under the tutelage of Dayan’s number one opera master, Shen Long. Originally performing for the royal family, it was only because Madame Xu of the Tianxiang Pavilion had shown him kindness that he agreed to perform at the Pavilion for two years.

Once the two years were up, Master Chang would leave Shengdu.

Thus, all the guests treasured this fleeting and hard-to-come-by performance.

After hearing Zhong Ding’s description, Gu Xiaoshun was a bit fascinated.

Isn’t that just Gu Chengfeng? When did he come up with so many gimmicks?

Also, you just took Chang Jing’s name and started performing under it, does Chang Jing know?

Aren’t you afraid Chang Jing will beat you into a punching bag?

“The girls from Tianxiang Pavilion are really beautiful,” Yuan Xiao stated, gazing dreamily at the girls passing through the Grand Hall.

Zhao Wei found a folding fan from somewhere and, fanning himself, said elegantly, “They are truly as lovely as fairies.”

Gu Xiaoshun: As lovely as fairies is two words?

Have you two lost your minds?

“They’re okay,” said Gu Xiaoshun.

Both men glared at Gu Xiaoshun in unison: “How dare you insult the fairy-like girls of Tianxiang Pavilion!”

Gu Xiaoshun felt wronged: “I didn’t, I just think they are…”

Just average.

How could they compare to his sister’s beauty?

Not to mention his sister, what about his brother-in-law, Princess Xinyang? Aren’t they prettier than these girls?

Yuan Xiao snorted, “You’re just clueless, kid!”

Zhao Wei completely agreed!

They couldn’t believe there were women more beautiful than the girls from Tianxiang Pavilion in this world, unless such claims were mere rumors, inflated by idle talk.

For example, that number one beauty from the Clangland Women’s Academy who wore a veil every day, who could say what she really looked like?

Does having beautiful eyes make one’s entire appearance beautiful?

Who could guarantee that underneath the veil wasn’t a face full of freckles and buck teeth?

The same thought flickered through both their minds, but at that moment, a figure like a banished fairy flitted through the crowd behind the Grand Hall.

Zhao Wei saw her first.

His whole body instantly stiffened!

He hurriedly tried to get Yuan Xiao’s attention.

But Yuan Xiao was busy ogling a girl who was smiling and waving at him, nearly drooling.

“Stop! What are you doing!” Yuan Xiao said without even looking, batting away his hand.

“Beautiful woman! A beautiful woman!” exclaimed Zhao Wei excitedly.

If Yuan Xiao hadn’t been so mesmerized by the girl from Tianxiang Pavilion, he would have realized that if Zhao Wei, with his ordinarily calm demeanor, was so agitated, it must be that he had encountered a fairy from the ninth heaven.

Zhao Wei couldn’t get Yuan Xiao’s attention and by the time he looked back, the fairy-like figure had disappeared.

“What were you calling me for just now?” The girl had gone and Yuan Xiao had come back to his senses, so he asked Zhao Wei.

Zhao Wei rolled his eyes: “Nothing!”

Serves you right for missing out, you fool!

…

Backyard.

“She didn’t hide the gold here.”

Biting into a spoonful of deliciously cold watermelon, the woman spoke vaguely, “I saw her changing the hiding place.”

Gu Jiao looked at her, then at the special room behind her, where several maids were sprawled on the ground, seemingly knocked out by her.

It was unclear where she had swiped the watermelon from.

It certainly looked refreshing and tasty.

The woman added, “I’ll tell you where the gold is hidden; you dig it up and give me half.”

“I can dig it up myself,” Gu Jiao said.

The woman replied, “She comes to check on her gold every half an hour, and it’s almost time.”

Gu Jiao looked at the little garden she had dug up, deeply pitted and riddled, seriously considering the likelihood that Xun Fengxian wouldn’t notice.

The odds were zero.

“Alright, it’s a deal,” Gu Jiao said.

While eating her watermelon, the woman pointed to a spot: “There, that’s the place.”

Following her direction, Gu Jiao began to dig and soon the dagger hit something solid.

Overjoyed, Gu Jiao dug a few more times and finally unearthed Xun Fengxian’s pot of hidden gold.

Setting down the spoon, the woman reached out one hand: “My share.”

Gu Jiao took an ingot from the pot, broke off a piece, and handed it over: “Here, your share.”

The woman: “…”

…

Meanwhile, Xiao Hen arrived at Tianxiang Pavilion but did not head straight for Gu Chengfeng’s room on the second floor.

He kept in touch with Gu Chengfeng through Xiaojiu and knew which day he would perform. Today was that very day.

He planned to bypass the Grand Hall and go directly backstage.

Halfway there, he realized, while focused on the matter at hand, he had forgotten to put on his mask.

Hurriedly, he pulled the mask from his wide sleeve and put it on.

No sooner had he done so than he spotted the Prince of Mingjing coming from the other side of the corridor.

The Lord of Ming Prefecture was also here to watch the opera.

That was Xiao Hen’s first reaction.

Soon, he felt something was not quite right.

The Han Family had just encountered trouble, yet here he was, listening to the opera? It didn’t seem like something so thoughtless of him.

So… he must have had a purpose.

To gather information, or something else?

Since the Lord of Ming Prefecture went backstage, Xiao Hen could no longer go there.

Even though he was dressed as a man today, it wouldn’t be convenient to speak with Gu Chengfeng with the Lord of Ming Prefecture around.

As for keeping an eye on the Lord of Ming Prefecture, there was no need.

Gu Chengfeng was backstage; he would keep watch.

Xiao Hen decided to wait for him in Gu Chengfeng’s private room instead.

After he went upstairs, he sat in the private room for a while. The room was stuffy and hot; he couldn’t open the windows facing the street to avoid being seen by someone from the shops across the street.

So, he had to open the rear window.

Gu Chengfeng’s rear window happened to face the small flower garden in the backyard.

As soon as Xiao Hen pushed it open, he saw that familiar small figure.

Xiao Hen practically went downstairs without a second thought.

Xun Fengxian had buried more than just one jar; Gu Jiao continued to dig.

Since it was all ill-gotten wealth, Gu Jiao dug without any psychological pressure.

She switched to a small shovel for digging tools, which made the work much easier; she didn’t notice Xiao Hen approaching.

This actually reflected one thing, that she trusted Xiao Hen extremely; if the presence approaching her had been anyone who could pose a danger to Gu Jiao, her body would have followed the assassin’s instincts and reacted more swiftly and fiercely than her brain could.

It had been over half a month since Xiao Hen had last seen her.

The last time was the day of the cuju match against the Shaolin warrior monk, who had injured many of Gu Jiao’s companions; Gu Jiao found out that the instigator behind the scenes was the Han heir.

Thus, the two of them, inside and out, trapped the Han heir in a sack.

Afterward, he escorted Gu Jiao to the southern inner city gate.

Since that farewell, it had been until now.

A lot had happened during these days.

She went to the Guan Mountains first to assassinate the Jinyi Guards from the Crown Prince’s household, and she did not return until seven days later, her life in limbo.

After returning to Shengdu, she went to the Imperial Palace to lure and kill Nangong Li.

Then there was Gu Yan’s surgery.

One after another, each incident lightly described in Gu Chengfeng’s notes, but how could he truly feel at ease?

Now seeing her dig up gold with such a carefree attitude, he felt both irritated and amused.

Do you even know what you’ve done? Do you know which powers you’ve offended? And do you realize how you’ve stirred up the situation in Shengdu?

The Nangong and Han families are nearly in a complete mess, and yet here you are, digging for gold.

Gu Jiao was digging with utmost seriousness.

Until a tall shadow fell over her.

Gu Jiao frowned, “You’re blocking my light.”

“Ah, am I?”

A tepid voice sounded above Gu Jiao’s head.

Gu Jiao’s hand trembled, and the shovel in her hand dropped to the ground.

Xiao Hen looked at her threateningly, determined to settle accounts with her today, to teach her a lesson, so that she wouldn’t be so lawless in the future, so thoughtless of her own safety!

Gu Jiao squatted on the ground, holding her shoes with both hands, not turning around, not looking up, and not moving haphazardly.

If I don’t move, you can’t see me.

Xiao Hen: “…”

“Get up,” Xiao Hen said.

I won’t.

I want to grow mushrooms right here.

Gu Jiao didn’t get up.

Xiao Hen directly bent down, picked her up, and Gu Jiao maintained the pose of growing mushrooms in Xiao Hen’s arms, as if he were holding an oversized mushroom.

He set her slender, beautiful legs down, allowing her to stand on the ground. Then he pinned her against a large tree.

Young Master knows how to pin people against a wall, Gu Jiao thought with wide eyes.

She felt the onrushing pheromones, carrying a light fragrance and his slightly warm breath, which was very intoxicating.

Men always seem to instinctively know how to show off.

Xiao Hen propped one hand on the soft side of Gu Jiao’s waist and with the other hand lifted her delicate chin, saying threateningly, “Assassinating the Jinyi Guards of the Crown Prince’s household, huh? Luring and killing Nangong Li, huh?”

The way he uttered those huh’s made Gu Jiao’s ears tingle.

Xiao Hen leaned in closer by an inch, his lips nearly touching hers, “Why don’t you speak?”

Gu Jiao swallowed, blinked, extended her slender index finger, poked his chest, and pointed to the side.

Xiao Hen turned to look only to see a woman holding half a watermelon appearing in the small flower garden at some unknown time.

The woman was standing next to a Peony bush, making the national beauty of the Peony look faded in comparison.

She was simultaneously eating the watermelon and curiously watching the two of them.

As if to say–

Why haven’t you two kissed yet? I’m waiting.