The Prime Minister's Darling

Upon seeing Gu Jiao entering the room, the old lady quickly shoved the syrup egg towards Gu Yan, declaring righteously, “I’ve said before that I won’t eat! But you keep insisting on feeding me!”

Gu Yan, “…”

Who was the one who took half of his syrup egg?

The syrup egg was made by Xue Ningxiang. The old lady didn’t show her face and instead urged Gu Yan to ask for it. Xue Ningxiang was completely unable to resist Gu Yan’s charms and without a second word, she cooked a large bowl. Little Monk and Gu Xiaoshun each got a small bowl too.

Gu Xiaoshun ate quickly and had already returned to his room to work on his wood carvings. Little Monk was still practicing his skills on a tree trunk and had not started eating yet.

Gu Jiao decisively confiscated the old lady’s syrup egg.

The old lady, who had already eaten a bowl and a half, wiped her mouth and returned to her room.

As long as I eat quickly enough, Jiaojiao can’t catch me!

Gu Jiao gave the three gifts sent by the man to her three younger brothers. As soon as the items were laid out, without her asking, the three accurately found the items they liked.

Little Monk picked up the shiny Huarong Road, enthralled!

Gu Yan chose a jade thumb ring made from thousand-year-old cold jade, which was of a better quality than the previous one.

Gu Xiaoshun got a dagger that could cut through iron like mud. The dagger was smaller than ordinary ones, convenient to carry and could serve as an excellent carving knife.

All three were very happy!

Xue Ningxiang was helping Gu Jiao tidy up the backyard.

Xue Ningxiang often came over to help. In return, Gu Jiao would help Xue Ningxiang with farming, and the old lady would occasionally help look after Xue Ningxiang’s child.

Primarily because Doggy was a boy of few words, give him a piece of preserved fruit and he could lick it all morning. The old lady found it particularly peaceful and naturally felt Doggy was easy to take care of.

As for Little Monk –

“Great-aunt! You’re sneaking candies again! Jiaojiao! Great-aunt is sneaking candies again! She’s already eaten five today!”

Little Monk, having finished his practice and catching the old lady red-handed, declared, “Great-aunt is so naughty! We told her not to eat, but she still sneaks them!”

The old lady trembled slightly, pesky little monk…

Xue Ningxiang came over today because she had something to discuss with Gu Jiao.

“Madam Jiao, Uncle Doggy sent another letter home, could you read it to me?” Xue Ningxiang handed a folded envelope to Gu Jiao.

Ever since Gu Jiao learned to read under Xiao Liulang’s tutelage, Xue Ningxiang completely stopped asking Xiao Liulang to read the letters.

Gu Jiao opened the letter and took a look, “Hmm?”

“What is it?” Xue Ningxiang asked.

Gu Jiao replied, “Oh, the handwriting in this letter is different, it looks like Uncle Doggy wrote it himself.”

Xue Ningxiang’s eyes lit up: “Really? Uncle Doggy can write too?”

Seeing her prideful face, Gu Jiao didn’t have the heart to tell her why she could tell Uncle Doggy wrote it himself, because the writing was just too ugly! Worse than her own writing with a brush. The wording is very immature, at a grade-school level, but at least the intent is clear.

The letter said that Uncle Doggy had been promoted and was now a personal soldier under a vice general. Although just a small soldier, being able to serve the vice general was an immense honor.

However, this meant that the previously planned visit to his hometown this year had to be cancelled as he would now be following the vice general back to the capital to report on his duties.

“Since the vice general is only taking one hundred personal soldiers and he’s one of them, it’s a great opportunity,” Gu Jiao said.

However, her words did not comfort Xue Ningxiang, whose expression darkened, “After Doggy’s father passed away, my mother talked most about Uncle Doggy, hoping every day and night that he would come back for a visit. When she heard he might pass through our village this year, she was over the moon. Her chronic leg pain even improved a bit. Now that he’s not coming back, how am I supposed to explain to my mother?”

Xue Ningxiang was only two years older than Gu Jiao. In her past life, she would still have been an innocent high school student, but now, she was already a sister-in-law, a mother and a daughter-in-law.

Gu Jiao didn’t know how to comfort her and continued reading, “Uncle Doggy also sent you 20 taels of silver, stating that your birthday is coming soon and he wants you to use the money to make two sets of jewelry.”

Xue Ningxiang worriedly said, “Why did he send so much? Is he not eating properly? He sent all his silver home!”

Gu Jiao knew how to comfort her on this, “Don’t worry, he won’t go hungry in the military camp. He just didn’t have anywhere to spend his money, that’s why he sent it all back.”

Xue Ningxiang felt somewhat relieved.

Gu Jiao continued reading, “Uncle Doggy said he doesn’t want you to farm anymore. The silver he gave you is enough for you and your mother-in-law and Doggy to spend. You can rent out the land cheaply for villagers to farm.”