Chapter 717: 334 Exposure (Two more updates)_2 Chapter 717: 334 Exposure (Two more updates)_2 Gu Jiao and Gu Changqing didn’t know either.
The three of them went out.
Xiao Jingkong hopped off a tall carriage, hopping with rage and stamping his feet!
“Jingkong.” Gu Jiao called out.
Seeing Gu Jiao coming out of his uncle’s mansion, Xiao Jingkong pouted and ran over, throwing himself into Gu Jiao’s arms.
Gu Jiao crouched down, wiped the sweat off the little fellow’s forehead, and touched his collar, which was soaked in sweat.
Xuanping Marquis got off the carriage, raised his eyebrows and glanced at the little fellow, laughing, “I took you to such a high-end restaurant, and you’re still unappreciative.”
“My lord,” Gu Changqing saluted.
“Hmm.” Xuanping Marquis responded indifferently.
Xiao Jingkong was very angry: “You keep saying it! That big restaurant! So much good food, you only ordered me an egg!”
Marquis Xuanping coughed lightly: “That’s an egg braised in abalone juice, very expensive, besides, can a child like you eat so much? Didn’t I take you out on a boat?”
“What kind of broken boat! It even leaks! I was bailing water all the way! Boo hoo hoo!” Xiao Jingkong was sobbing with grievance, “Jiaojiao, my arm hurts.”
Some boats cost twenty copper plates, some cost fifty copper plates, and some canopy boats cost a tael of silver.
Marquis Xuanping rented the cheapest boat. Not only did it not have a canopy, but it also started to leak halfway through the ride.
In the end, it was unclear whether it was the people rowing the boat or the boat rowing the people.
Gu Jiao picked up Xiao Jingkong. The little fellow was nestled in her arms, sobbing with grief.
What a harrowing day!
He would never go out with this stingy Xiao monkey again!
“I’ll take Jingkong in first.” Gu Jiao said, turning around and entering the mansion.
Gu Changqing and the old priest looked at Marquis Xuanping, their faces expressing a lot of words.
We knew you were stingy, but not this stingy!
Marquis Xuanping coughed lightly, humming and hawing, “Why are you two staring at me? I’ve had a hard time too! I haven’t even taken care of Ahen when he was a kid, but I had to look after this little one all day and he won’t even call me master.”
“So, you want to be Jingkong’s master?” The old priest looked up and down at Marquis Xuanping, his eyes lighting up bit by bit, “That’s easy, you help me with something, and I’ll find a way to make Jingkong call you master!”
Marquis Xuanping looked at the old priest with suspicion.
It rained the night before, dissipating some of the heat. When it was barely light outside, the rain stopped, and the fragrance of the flowers filled the imperial palace, mixed with the moist scent of the earth, refreshing one’s spirit.
Empress Xiao got up early.
According to palace rules, she should go to Renshou Palace to pay respect to Empress Dowager Zhuang, but Empress Dowager Zhuang was not an ordinary Empress Dowager. She had to attend the early court, which spared Empress Xiao from observing the rules.
However, just because she didn’t pay respect to Empress Dowager Zhuang, it didn’t mean she didn’t pay respect to Consort Jing.
“Your highness, this hairpin with peacock feathers and jade inlays looks nice.” Said the palace maid fixing Empress Xiao’s hair.
Empress Xiao looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed, “Time makes us old, beauty fades, how useful is a beautiful hairpin? If you’re old, everything you wear is plain.”
The little palace girl quickly replied, “How can Your Majesty be old? You are a peony amongst flowers, fragrant and captivating, and also a pine amongst trees, thriving in frost! You will only become more and more beautiful!”
Empress Xiao smiled faintly, “You have a sweet mouth.” She raised her hand, signaling the palace girl to impressively attach the hairpin.
The little palace maid fixed the peacock hairpin with jade inlays, and selected a few white jade flower beads for her.
“Your Majesty is the Empress, who doesn’t seduce men with charms, so what do fears of the relentless passing of years matter?”
Aunt Liao came in carrying a basin of clear water soaked with flower petals.
Empress Xiao gave a laugh, “What Aunt Liao said makes sense.”
She is the Empress, the wife of his majesty. Unlike those other wives, she and his majesty were granted a marriage, held a ceremony, and had a real marriage.
A man, well, he can spend a little extra effort on other women, but a wife is still a wife in the end.
Empress Xiao soaked her hand in the flower petal water.
Aunt Liao spoke, “Your Majesty, Marquis Xuanping has arrived.”
“Has my brother arrived?” Empress Xiao’s eyes lit up.
Aunt Liao sighed quietly, only in front of Marquis Xuanping did the Empress reveal her former maiden’s demeanor.
“Quickly invite him in!”
Not a quick announcement, but quickly invite him in.
Empress Xiao highly respects this elder brother of hers, and of course, Marquis Xuanping is also very good to his sister.
Empress Xiao met Marquis Xuanping in the Qingyuge Pavilion where she usually received visitors.
Marquis Xuanping saluted, “Subject, pays respect to the Empress.”