Chapter 1934: Chapter 963: Meeting Madam Nan Again (Part 1)
After Gu Jiao paid her respects to the National Master in the Purple Bamboo Forest, she went to the Operating Room to check on Shangguan Yun.
Shangguan Yun had fallen asleep. Xiao Hen said she felt no discomfort, just a bit hungry.
“She can have some porridge when she wakes up,” Gu Jiao said, adding, “I’m going to the Duke Residence, I promised to pick up Jingkong tonight.”
Little Jingkong and Long Yi accompanied Anguo Gong back to the residence.
Xiao Hen raised a hand to smooth her hair at the temples: “I’ll come and pick you up later.”
“Alright,” Gu Jiao agreed, turning to leave the Operating Room.
“Jiaojiao,” Xiao Hen called her softly, “Are you okay?”
Gu Jiao hadn’t mentioned the National Master to Xiao Hen, but since Gu Jiao could guess, naturally, Xiao Hen couldn’t remain unaware.
Her emotions were more reserved than most, but as long as she cared deeply about someone, no matter how subtle the emotion, it couldn’t escape her notice.
Gu Jiao paused at the door, suddenly turned back, walked to him, and leaned her forehead against his firm chest.
Whenever she felt down, she sought comfort in his embrace in this way.
Xiao Hen gently wrapped his arm around her slender waist, using the other hand to soothingly stroke her head.
Actually, even if Xiao Hen didn’t notice, she could manage her own emotions, but he always noticed and timely offered her comfort.
Not a single word told her not to feel sad.
She was human too; she could be sad, could grieve, could allow herself not to be so strong.
Shangguan Yun slept all afternoon and finally woke up, the moment she opened her eyes she saw her son and daughter-in-law snuggled together in affection.
She opened her mouth.
Alright, she was full.
Satiated from the display of love.
Xiao Hen held Gu Jiao, soothing her gently.
Gu Jiao’s forehead remained pressed against his warm and firm chest, her delicate hands pinching and squeezing the belt at his waist—a sign her mood was improving.
“Mother’s awake,” she whispered.
Xiao Hen’s eyes moved slightly, his lashes quivered.
“I’m leaving now,” Gu Jiao said playfully, curling her lips into a smile, then turned to leave the Operating Room, leaving Xiao Hen to face the awkward caught-in-the-act scene by himself.
After leaving the National Master Hall, Gu Jiao mounted Hei Fengqi’s back.
In Zhan Country, she also rode Hei Fengqi, but the feeling was somehow different.
Familiar streets, familiar scents, and the bustling sounds of traffic brought back endless memories.
Tianxiang Academy, polo matches, the selection of Hei Fengqi’s commander… vivid as if they happened yesterday.
Gu Jiao patted Hei Fengqi’s neck, “Boss, to the Duke Residence!”
Hei Fengqi galloped away with Gu Jiao on familiar streets, its aura too strong, easily startling other horses. It avoided crowds as much as possible, trotting through empty alleyways.
Midway, a broken tile suddenly flew toward them, poised to hit Gu Jiao, but Hei Fengqi veered right, nimbly dodging it.
Soon, more tiles and even hidden weapons rained down successively.
Someone was fighting.
“Where do you think you’re going? Today it’s you or me!”
Gu Jiao frowned, recognizing the voice—
“Boss!”
She clenched the reins, her gaze sharp.
Hei Fengqi and she had a battlefield-earned understanding, speeding up, racing forward like lightning.
It was a shabby alley, the wall at the end partially collapsed but still over human height.
Gu Jiao tightened her legs against the horse, her body slightly lifting. Hei Fengqi leapt over the wall.
Gu Jiao didn’t have the Red-Tasseled Spear, but she carried other weapons.
She untied the whip from her waist, swung it with a crack at the two engaged in battle.
The man in black seemed to have the upper hand, thrusting a sword toward the veiled woman on the ground. Suddenly, his sword-wielding wrist was gripped by a powerful force.
Startled, he turned to look.
Hei Fengqi raised its front hoof, stomping down hard on him!
He tried to pull the whip’s owner down from the horse but clearly didn’t have the strength, choosing instead to dodge sideways.
Though it seemed he dodged, Gu Jiao tugged backhanded, flinging his entire body against the solid wall!
“Ah—”
The man in black felt sharp pain in his chest and back simultaneously as he fell to the ground, letting out a miserable scream and spitting a mouthful of blood.
Gu Jiao flipped off her horse, and as he was about to get up, she stepped on his chest, mercilessly pressing him back into the ground!
The man in black felt as if all the bones in his body had shattered, his head hit the ground heavily, almost causing his brain to split.
Gu Jiao ignored his pain and turned to the woman beside her: “Madam Nan, are you alright?”
Indeed, the person being hunted by the man in black was none other than Madam Nan, whom she hadn’t seen for a long time.
Madam Nan was stunned when she heard Gu Jiao’s voice. She looked at Gu Jiao’s face and hesitated for a while.
“It’s me, Madam Nan,” Gu Jiao said.
Madam Nan’s eyes almost popped out: “Jiaojiao? Your face…”
“Oh, the birthmark is gone,” Gu Jiao replied, glancing at the man in black at her feet. She asked, “Madam Nan, who is he?”
Madam Nan supported herself against the wall, standing up, brushed off the dust on her body, and walked to Gu Jiao’s side: “He’s from the Tang Sect.”
With that, she flicked her fingers and shot a poisoned needle, sealing the man’s throat.
Gu Jiao withdrew her foot from the man and asked Madam Nan, “Madam, what’s going on? Earlier, you mentioned staying in Shengdu to handle some private matters. Is it related to the Tang Sect?”
Madam Nan sighed helplessly: “It’s a long story.”
Gu Jiao looked around, “Where is Master Lu?”
Madam Nan said, “He went to kill another disciple of the Tang Sect. We agreed to meet at Liji tea house.”
Gu Jiao knew that tea house; she had taken Xiaojingkong there for some snacks. It was on Biluo Street, about three miles away.
She said, “I’ll accompany Madam Nan to wait for Master Lu there.”
Madam Nan asked, “Will it delay you?”
“No,” Gu Jiao shook her head.
Some things are more urgent than others, and she trusted Xiaojingkong wouldn’t be upset.
The two of them rode Hei Fengwang to Liji tea house and asked for a street-facing room on the second floor.
Gu Jiao pushed open the window and sat by it with Madam Nan.
The view was excellent here; they could see the whole street. If Master Lu arrived nearby, they would spot him at first glance.
Gu Jiao poured a cup of tea for Madam Nan.
“By the way, Jiaojiao, why did you come to Yan Country? And your birthmark, how did it disappear? I heard that you and Ahen got married, and I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your wedding.” Madam Nan had many things she wanted to say; she wasn’t just concerned about Gu Jiao and Xiao Hen’s situation, but also missed Gu Xiaoshun, Gu Yan, and others.
“Actually, it wasn’t a birthmark; it was palace sand.” Gu Jiao briefly explained the drunken mess-up involving the abbot.
After hearing it, Madam Nan was at a loss for words.
Then, Gu Jiao went on to give updates on others. Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun were studying at Qinghe Academy, Gu Chengfeng had become a captain at the Military Camp, and he hadn’t gone back to the Academy, focusing solely on martial arts.
Gu Changqing inherited the Gu Family army, and married Yuan Baolin.
Last July, Xiao Hen passed the assistant exam, and at the end of the year, Yuan, the first assistant, was ill and submitted his resignation. In February, Xiao Hen inherited the position of first assistant.
Her aunt and uncle were very healthy, and her uncle had returned to his original job, often visiting the Imperial Palace.
Gu Xiaobao was two and a half years old, a lazy and smart child.
The Yao Family was also doing well.
“Ahen and Jingkong are also here; Ahen is in the Imperial Palace, Jingkong at the Duke Residence.”
Gu Jiao spoke thoroughly, gently, and patiently.
Seeing everyone was well, Madam Nan felt greatly relieved: “That’s wonderful, truly wonderful!”
“But, Madam Nan, what’s the situation on your side?”
“Sigh,” Madam Nan touched her face through the veil, “it’s all old grievances. When I left Tang Sect back then, my martial arts were abolished, and I owed Tang Sect nothing. Naively, I thought Tang Sect would keep their word and wouldn’t trouble me anymore. Later, I went to Zhan Country and met Master Lu.”
At this point, she paused and smiled slightly: “You might have guessed; Master Lu is actually the Grandmaster Lu of Zhan Country. He was once helped by Feng Lao. When Ahen approached him to accept Xiaoshun and Ayan as disciples, he agreed.”
Gu Jiao indeed had such suspicions about Master Lu’s identity, so she wasn’t surprised by Madam Nan’s words.
Madam Nan recalled, “When I first united with Master Lu, my face was still intact. Unfortunately, during a lake outing, the Zhan Country’s emperor took a fancy to me. I don’t even know what he was thinking, knowing that I was married, yet inviting the two of us to the palace. He hosted a banquet for us in the Imperial Garden. Everyone had a bit to drink during the banquet, and I went to a nearby pavilion to sober up, accidentally bumping into Empress Xiao.”
“And then?” Gu Jiao asked.
Madam Nan picked up her teacup, letting out a bitter smile: “Afterward, we left the banquet, and on our way back, Master Lu and I were ambushed. My face got disfigured during that time. The assailant escaped without a trace, and I haven’t found them all these years.”
Gu Jiao touched her chin: “Ordinary people might think it was Empress Xiao.”
Madam Nan nodded: “Exactly. Initially, Master Lu and I suspected her, but what could we do even if we did? She was the empress of Zhan Country, the younger sister of Marquis Xuanping. We were powerless against her.”
“Master Lu loathed Empress Xiao, as well as the root cause of the tragedy—Zhan Country’s emperor. Had he not lusted after my beauty and invited us to the palace, I wouldn’t have clashed with Empress Xiao. He no longer served the court, remaining incognito.”
“Just after you all went to battle last year, I crossed paths with the one who disfigured me!”