Chapter 1933: Chapter 962: Family Reunion (Part 2)
Are this disheveled little dark couple really the suave young master and the supposedly once more mesmerizing young commander?
Xiao Hen said with a lifeless face, "There was a charcoal cart... overturned!"
The two of them first sent the Duke of An back to the residence before entering the palace, and halfway, Little Shiyi knocked over a charcoal cart, covering both of them in a face of ash.
However, it was true that they had both tanned and lost weight.
Wu Sixi escorted them to Fenglin Palace: "His Majesty is in court, and will come soon; the Little Prince and Little Princess are cooling off in the pavilion."
The two went to the pavilion.
The little babies were born on the ninth of February, now almost five months old, growing fair and chubby, with little arms and legs like tiny lotus roots.
And because Long Yi no longer made midnight snacks for Xiao Yang and Little Yiyi no longer grabbed food from Xiao Cong, Xiao Cong gradually caught up with Xiao Yang.
Despite Xiao Cong’s best efforts to be a quiet little handsome boy, he could not resist the innate restlessness of a young child, occasionally moving his little arms and legs.
Especially with the strange telepathy between the twins, often when Xiao Yang made a sound, he couldn’t help but make a little sound too.
The two happened to hear a small "mm ah" from Xiao Cong, and the fatigue of the journey dissipated in this little baby voice.
They thought that after such a long separation, the twins wouldn’t recognize them, but surprisingly it wasn’t the case.
When they appeared clean in front of the twins, the twins cried out with a "wah."
It was then, finally, that they realized they missed their parents.
Gu Jiao turned around and saw Xiao Hen’s eyes were red as well.
Gu Jiao: "..."
...
People’s personalities undergo a series of changes as their identities transform. Since ascending the throne as Empress, Shangguan Yun also unconsciously gained a bit more authority and sharpness of a ruler.
She deeply understood the injustice towards women in this era. Back then, it was due to favorable times, her tyrant of a father suppressing all dissent, her being the sole legitimate daughter of the Empress with pure lineage, and Xuanyuan Family being powerful enough to support her.
But that dissatisfaction was always there, and after she ascended the throne, these issues gradually surfaced.
She couldn’t show even the slightest weakness, otherwise those with ill intentions might seize the opportunity.
Only in front of those she truly trusted and cared about would she put down her guard.
"Ahen!"
She arrived at the door of the Sleeping Palace and immediately saw Xiao Hen teasing the twins, her imperial aura dissipated, replaced by endless gentleness in her eyes.
Xiao Hen turned and smiled slightly at her, "Mother."
Shangguan Yun’s eyes moistened.
Shangguan Qing didn’t know her little brother had entered the palace today; he went out to play, leaving Shangguan Yun and the young couple to have lunch in Fenglin Palace.
It was Shangguan Yun’s first time seeing Gu Jiao without her birthmark, and she was utterly amazed. She had guessed that Gu Jiao would be beautiful without the birthmark, but never expected it would be such otherworldly beauty.
If she goes to the Military Camp looking like this, wouldn’t those young men go crazy?
"Jiaojiao, have some food." Shangguan Yun picked a soft, glutinous piece of Candied Pork Hock for Gu Jiao. "Ahen said you like this."
Gu Jiao tasted it, the sauce made of candied sugar and spices was very thick, paired with some chili, the flavor pervaded the meat. Though it was spicy and strong, it was sweet but not greasy, spicy but not irritating.
Gu Jiao liked it very much.
Thinking of something, Gu Jiao asked her, "By the way, Mother, how is your injury? Does it still hurt?"
Xiao Hen looked over at Shangguan Yun. Gu Jiao was referring to the incident where she had half a nail stuck into her back.
Shangguan Yun shook her head, "It hasn’t hurt for a long time. I’m no different now than before I was injured."
Gu Jiao said, "Then we can go to the National Master Hall in a bit, and I’ll remove the screws for you."
Shangguan Yun pondered, "Will it hurt?"
Gu Jiao replied, "I’ll use anesthetic; it won’t hurt."
In the afternoon, the three of them went to the National Master Hall.
Ya He came to meet the three of them. When he saw Gu Jiao, he was stunned and didn’t dare to recognize her. Of course, he had already learned about Gu Jiao’s true identity from his senior brother, and heard that Gu Jiao had regained her appearance, but wasn’t this a bit too much of a recovery?
Isn’t this really an immortal descending from the heavens?
Gu Jiao curved her lips, "Long time no see, Little Master Ya He."
The voice was different too!
When Gu Jiao was disguised as a man, she used a boy’s voice.
Ya He was utterly shocked, fortunately, Ye Qing arrived.
Ye Qing led them to the Secret Room.
Shangguan Yun was in good shape, and all her test results were normal. The surgery to remove her pedicle screws was also very successful.
Shangguan Yun stayed in the Operating Room for observation for two hours, with Xiao Hen by her side.
Gu Jiao came out of the Secret Room and said to Ye Qing, who was guarding the door, "Take me to pay respects to your master."
Ye Qing was stunned.
He opened his mouth, "You..."
Gu Jiao’s gaze swept over the mourning cloth on his arm, "Let’s go."
Ye Qing’s throat moved, emotions roiling in his chest, his throat ached, suddenly overwhelmed with the impulse to cry.
He didn’t ask how Gu Jiao knew, for if she weren’t so clever, she couldn’t possibly be the first Shadow Master.
He took Gu Jiao to the Bamboo Grove.
The small Study Room there was meticulously organized, except for the clay figurines and paintings being handed over to Gu Jiao, everything else remained unchanged; Jing Yinyin’s doodles were also there.
It was as if the person hadn’t disappeared from their side, he still lived in their lives; just turn around, and you could see a certain ethereal National Master standing by the door.
Gu Jiao touched Jing Yinyin’s sketchbook, "Did your master pass away peacefully?"
Ye Qing said sadly, "According to Ya He, very peacefully."
He lied to Gu Jiao; he hadn’t actually seen his master in the end, the person who went to Dark Night Island to find him wasn’t his master, but Ya He holding his master’s letter.
Gu Jiao whispered, "Was it for Xuanyuan Qi?"
Xuanyuan Qi’s life was nearing its end at Ghost Mountain. During the battle of Pu City, he exhausted all his energy.
That he survived and improved day by day might not have been solely due to the miracle of purple grass poison.
Ye Qing choked and nodded, "Master said he owed the Xuanyuan family, giving his life to Xuanyuan Qi... was also a way to atone to the Xuanyuan family..."
It was only later that he understood why his master sent him to the border pass and gave him the purple grass poison; his master had foreseen Xuanyuan Qi’s calamity and understood his nature, knowing he couldn’t neglect Xuanyuan Qi.
Everything was within his master’s plan.
From the day he left the National Master Hall for the border pass, his master was already peacefully waiting for death’s arrival in Shengdu.
Gu Jiao murmured, "No wonder, when I returned from the border pass and saw him, he had aged so much."
He went against nature to change Xuanyuan Qi’s fate, exhausting his own life.
Ye Qing turned away to wipe his tears, calmed his emotions, then said to Gu Jiao, "Master knew you were Jing Yinyin; he told Xuanyuan Li. When Yinyin was young, the Grand Marshal of Xuanyuan always secretly took her home, because of this. Being able to watch over the Shadow Master as she grew was the greatest wish of both he and the Grand Marshal."
In an instant, Gu Jiao understood much: Was it because of this that Xuanyuan Li melted his armor and gave it to Jing Yinyin? And because of this, no matter how weak she was as a child, he persisted in having Jing Yinyin practice martial arts?
Thinking about his master, tears once again involuntarily welled up in Ye Qing’s eyes, "Master said he failed to protect Yinyin well, but they all hoped to protect you."
Reversing fate for Xuanyuan Qi wasn’t only due to guilt towards the Xuanyuan family, but also hoping there would be someone stronger in this world to protect you.
Gu Jiao gently touched the National Master’s portrait on the Study Room’s wall.