The Prime Minister’s Darling

Chapter 189: 122 Adventures in the Empty Sky (First Update)_2

Gu Jiao nodded with a smile: “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

Just a few words later, they arrived at the mansion. Gu Jiao was more than satisfied with it.

As the two were about to enter, a carriage came from the other end of the alley and stopped in front of their house.

The coachman tightened the reins and jumped off the horse, asking the duo, “Excuse me, is this Xiao Jieyuan’s home?”

Xiao Liulang took a look at the emblem on the carriage; his eyes slightly chilled.

Gu Jiao asked: “What happened? Is there something wrong?”

The coachman cordially explained, “It’s like this, our manager heard that Xiao Jieyuan was in the Capital City and had me bring some items over. The winters come early here, so next month we should start burning coal. The carriage is full of top-quality silver coal. There are also some materials and cotton stuffing, all very warm. Should I bring these items directly into your house?”

Gu Jiao glanced at Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang’s expression was as cold as a knife.

Gu Jiao told the coachman, “No need, we have enough silver coal, and we don’t need any cotton-padded bedding. Please take them back to your manager.”

The coachman hesitated, “But Manager Liu said…”

“There are no buts. If we ask you to take them back, you take them back.” Gu Jiao responded indifferently, then she and Xiao Liulang entered the house and closed the gate.

Eventually, the coachman left.

Gu Jiao looked toward Xiao Liulang and said, “We just moved here yesterday. Only the coachman from the Marquis’s Residence and Zhang Bao knew our address. Manager Liu is very well-informed.”

Xiao Liulang responded indifferently, “We don’t need to pay him any mind.”

With that, he turned around and went to organize the books in the study room.

Gu Jiao touched her chin.

Could it be that someone was keeping an eye on them?

Who would dare to stare at her people?

The coachman drove his carriage out of the alley and arrived at another corner where Manager Liu waited.

“How did it go?” Manager Liu asked.

The coachman responded, “The young master didn’t accept it.”

Manager Liu laughed, “This young master is more stubborn than I imagined.”

The coachman asked, “Should I inform the Marquis?”

Manager Liu smiled softly and said, “No need, there’s no need to bother the Marquis with such a trivial matter. Just wait and see; he’ll soon realize how hard it is for scholarly families to make a living in the Capital City. When that day comes, he will obediently return to the mansion.”

As expected, the elderly lady and the others slept until noon. When Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang entered the courtyard, Gu Yan and the other three were listlessly squatting by the well to wash.

There was a public well in the nearby hutong, but there was also a well in the mansion, which saved them the trouble of fetching water from outside.

The rice porridge in the kitchen was ready. Gu Jiao reheated the steamed buns and stir-fried a plate of bamboo shoots with fungus and a plate of green vegetables with bean sprouts, as well as a large portion of chives with chicken eggs.

As Xiaoshun could not eat chicken eggs, Gu Jiao prepared a small pot of tender tofu soup for him separately.

Although Xiaoshun’s food was all vegetarian, the presentation and dishware were more exquisite than the other dishes. Thus, Gu Jiao made it look as if it was unaffordable.

Xiaoshun proudly showed off his dish, although none at the table were actually envious, they all pretended to be.

After eating, Xiaoshun proudly went to wash his own rice bowl.

It was a habit he had developed living in the temple; washing your own bowl.

No one else was idle either. The elderly lady went to husk corn while Gu Yan sat down to assist her. They were the two who were least suited to manual labor and used to being pampered. Yet they still willingly shared the burden of household chores as much as possible.

Xiaoshun went to chop firewood.

Xiao Liulang cleaned the kitchen, and Gu Jiao tidied up the two courtyards.

Her plan was to use one courtyard for growing vegetables and raising chicks and puppies, while the other courtyard would be used for the family’s activities. In the backyard, there was an osmanthus tree, which Xiaoshun could use for his training.

Gu Jiao took a hoe and went to the front courtyard to till the soil.

Xiaoshun came over with the chicks, “Jiaojiao, I’m taking the chicks out for a walk!”

“Good,” Gu Jiao nodded, “Don’t go too far.” frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

“Okay!” Xiaoshun replied.

When Xiaoshun used to take chickens for a walk in the countryside, he would walk from the head to the end of the village. Having come here, he decided to walk from one end of the alley to the other.

Gu Yan’s puppy was rather envious, it also wanted to go out for a walk.

Unfortunately, its master was too lazy and laid down on the rattan chair after husking the corn.

The puppy wagged its tail and happily followed Xiaoshun.

Xiaoshun, with his seven chicks and a puppy, strolled to the end of the alley and was about to turn back, when two beggars nearby fixed their eyes on his puppy.

The puppy was no longer the month-old puppy it had been; it had grown a little fatter. Its round and plump look made it seem particularly tender.