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Today was Little Jing Kong's fifth birthday, if he was indeed born on New Year’s Eve.
It was very brave for a five-year-old child to show such consideration.
"Fighting in a war hurts." Gu Jiao said, "There's blood, there are injuries."
Little Jing Kong suddenly looked nervous, "Then... JiaoJiao, are you hurt?"
Gu Jiao was momentarily speechless.
I was just scaring you to make you reconsider fighting in a war, why are you focusing on me?
Gu Jiao felt a warm flow in the bottom of her heart.
It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in her previous life, but had encountered many times since coming to this world.
Gu Jiao gently patted his little head, smiling as she shook her head at his anxious eyes, "I'm not hurt."
"Phew~"
Little Jing Kong let out a long sigh of relief. After that, he patted his own chest and said in a particularly manly way, "I'm not afraid of pain, injuries, or blood!"
He was only afraid of losing JiaoJiao.
He lowered his head, his small fingers intertwining.
Little Jing Kong had grown up in the temple under the care of the abbot and senior monks, who treated him very kindly. However, there were some things that couldn't be filled within those temple walls.
The void in his life was gradually being filled by Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao could never truly grasp how important she was to him.
Gu Jiao bent the corners of her lips and smiled gently, "Jing Kong is truly brave."
Little Jing Kong was elated by the praise, puffing up his little chest proudly, "Of course, I'm the bravest little man in the family!"
Gu Yan scoffed.
What a little show-off.
After cuddling with Gu Jiao for a while and calming his anxious heart, Little Jing Kong happily went to the backyard to practice martial arts on the tree.
With the little trumpet spirit gone, the room became quiet. Gu Yan came and sat by the bed.
Now, there were only three little men left in the room. Little Jing Kong's strength alone could match a whole troop, and the three of them combined couldn't match his rowdiness.
The atmosphere became particularly harmonious for a moment.
Gu Jiao sat at the bedside, watching as Gu Yan held the little bundle in his hands. She said, "Is this... little brother? He's grown so big?"
"Gu Xiaobao, call her big sister!" Gu Yan instructed Gu Xiaobao.
Perhaps hearing his name, Gu Xiaobao's sucking on his fingers paused. He looked at Gu Yan and then at Gu Jiao in front of him.
To Gu Xiaobao, Gu Jiao was undoubtedly a stranger.
But Gu Xiaobao had a good temperament. He didn't cry or fuss normally. When neighbors came to hold or pinch him, he remained composed.
Gu Yan placed Gu Xiaobao in Gu Jiao's arms. He didn't cry and simply stared at Gu Jiao with his big round eyes, his mouth dripping with saliva. He stared at her without blinking.
Gu Xiaobao had chubby cheeks, and the two lumps of flesh on his face were especially adorable, resembling the little lucky doll.
Seeing his silly and cute appearance, Gu Jiao couldn't help but smile.
Gu Xiaobao was three months old and actually somewhat familiar with people. For instance, he liked Yao shi the most, then the wet nurse, after all, they provided him with milk.
When there was no milk, Gu Xiaobao would suck on his own fingers.
However, perhaps because he hadn't seen Gu Jiao before, Gu Xiaobao seemed a bit bewildered and forgot to suck his fingers.
The next moment, he stuffed his most beloved little index finger, which he wouldn’t even give to Gu Yan, into Gu Jiao's mouth.
The three little men didn't monopolize Gu Jiao for too long, all because the little monk practicing in the backyard cleverly shouted, "JiaoJiao is awake!"
Thus, Yao shi, Grannie Fang, Yuya'er, and Old Chief all put down what they were doing and came over.
Gu Jiao got ready and freshened up before heading to the main room.
Yao shi and Old Chief sat at the table, watching her, while Grannie Fang and Yuya'er stood behind Yao shi. Grannie Fang kept wiping her tears incessantly, crying even more fiercely than Yao shi.
"Grannie, young miss is back." Yuya'er whispered.
Grannie Fang choked up, saying, "I know, aren't I happy? I've been hoping and waiting for so long. Finally, the eldest young miss is back! Finally, we can have a good New Year."
When Gu Jiao lay inside the room, Grannie Fang's emotions weren't so stirred up. But when she saw Yao shi holding Gu Jiao's hand with teary eyes, she couldn't hold back her emotions either.
Yao shi, who was trying hard to hold back her tears, touched her daughter's face and said, "You've lost weight."
Her face was also reddened with cold, not as fair and radiant as it used to be when she was in the capital, indicating the hardships she faced in the past three months.
Yao shi felt heartache and asked Gu Jiao about the situation at the border. Gu Jiao only said everything was fine, the war was over, the cities were reclaimed, and the State of Zhao's border was secured. Old Marquis and Princess Ning'an had also been rescued.
She didn't mention how many soldiers had died, the cost paid, or how many civilians were displaced. She hadn't mentioned her numerous near-death experiences either.
Yao shi knew her daughter's nature of sharing joys and concealing worries. She didn't press further, smiled, wiped away her tears, and said, "It's almost the New Year, let's not talk about this anymore. I'm just glad you're back. Is your grandfather and your two brothers okay?"
Gu Changqing marched north on imperial orders, which was known throughout the capital. Although Gu Chengfeng had sneaked out, he had caused Marquis Gu to suffer a punishment. When Marquis Gu investigated, he understood that this lad had gone north to find Old Marquis.
Gu Jiao nodded, "They're all fine."
All three had been injured, but their recoveries were progressing well.
Gu Chengfeng, who was the most beaten, was the first to recover.
Gu Changqing's injuries were also not severe. Now, it was just Old Marquis who needed careful recuperation. After returning to the capital, he would undergo rehabilitation along with Tang Yueshan.
Yao shi looked at Gu Xiaobao, whom Gu Yan was swinging around, and gently said to Gu Jiao, "When your grandfather returns, we should visit the estate."
"Okay."
As his sworn brother, it was necessary to pay him a visit!
Yao shi had a lot of talk with her daughter and only stopped when Gu Xiaobao got hungry. She then went to feed him.
Old Chief also inquired about the border situation. He wasn't as easily fooled as the others at home. He had once been exiled to the border for five years by Zhuang Jinse and knew the hardships of the borderlands.
"Ah, it's been tough on you." Old Chief sighed heavily, "You don't know how much that boy Ah Heng misses you. He's been visiting the palace every two to three days. The officials think he can’t wait to climb the ranks, but actually, it's to gather news about the border."
Xiao Heng had just come out of the study, coincidentally hearing Old Chief's words, and coincidentally caught Gu Jiao looking at him. He wasn't sure whether to advance or retreat.
He cleared his throat and said, "I was concerned about military affairs."
"Oh." Gu Jiao responded.
Old Chief also asked about the remnants of the previous dynasty, "Did Yi Wang and the Imperial Son-in-law really die?"
Gu Jiao nodded.
The Imperial Son-in-law was killed by Gu Changqing, and Yi Wang died of illness.
The remnants of the previous dynasty should be considered completely dismantled by now.
Old Chief inquired further, "What about the State of Chen? How did Yuan Tang escape the capital? Did they really surrender to the Gu Family Army? Their military force surpasses the Gu Family Army, so there's no need to surrender without a fight. Could there be some conspiracy?"
Old Chief's suspicion was understandable considering the bizarre events in the State of Chen. Moreover, Xiao Heng hadn't informed Old Chief that he was the one who released Yuan Tang from the capital.
As for Yuan Tang's relationship with Gu Jiao, Old Chief was even less informed.
"Surrender" was the State of Zhao's claim, but in reality, there was a truce between the two armies, neither side engaging in battle.
The State of Chen's forces outnumbered the Gu Family Army by 40,000, but their morale was lower. Additionally, the State of Chen was deeply embroiled in internal conflicts, and the war losses had drained their treasury. They couldn't afford to continue.
Old Chief pondered, "What's the deal with the Rong Family? Their daughter is the imperial consort, yet they went to help Bo Qinwang?"
Gu Jiao explained, "Because the monarch doesn't intend to make Imperial Consort Rong the Empress."
In the brocade box Yuan Tang had given to Gu Jiao, there was a letter detailing the reasons for the Rong Family's betrayal. It turned out that although the ruler of the State of Chen favored the Rong Family and cared for the imperial consort and her son, it was merely a facade. In secret, he had already issued a decree to make Imperial Concubine Zhang the Empress and install Imperial Concubine Zhang’s son as the Crown Prince.
The Empress had shared this information with the Rong Family, hoping her father and brother could help her come up with a solution, whether by coercion or persuasion, to persuade the ruler to rescind the decree and make her Empress instead.
However, at this time, Bo Qinwang came seeking a marriage alliance for his only son. He sought to marry the first daughter of Rong Yao. Once he became the ruler, Rong Yao's daughter would be the rightful Crown Princess. contemporary romance
In addition, he promised the Rong Family considerable power and territory, which was far more generous compared to what the ruler of the State of Chen offered.
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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