The Grand Secretary’s Pampered Wife - Chapter 168-2

“Lord Marquis!” Chang Jing returned to the Marquis Estate.

“What took you so long? Is it that difficult to save people?” Marquis Xuanping was in the middle of asking Steward Liu to accompany him in playing chess.

Steward Liu was serving food, and he took it upon himself to prepare two servings.

Chang Jing replied, “Saving people wasn’t difficult, but finding out who they are was hard.”

Those people immediately left as soon as they were rescued. Even the yamen failed to take their statements.

But the yamen was the yamen, and Chang Jing was Chang Jing.

A bystander happened to have seen Xiao Liulang before. It was the man selling tea eggs across from Imperial Academy.

“The guy is a student of Imperial Academy.” Chang Jing said.

“Name?” Marquis Xuanping asked.

“I didn’t find out.” Chang Jing shook his head.

The tea egg seller only saw Xiao Liulang, but never talked to Xiao Liulang.

Steward Liu frowned thoughtfully.

Imperial Academy student?

It wasn’t the young master, was it?

No, no, no, that was impossible. Cursing your own father would be ridiculous!

It must be someone else!

……

Gu Jiao spent the next two days at home.

New Year’s Eve was coming. Not only the Imperial Academy and major academies were on vacation, but the shops on the streets were also closing one after another. On the day before New Year’s Eve, all the yamen and major government departments had taken their annual leave as well.

Marquis Gu went to the study office of his immediate superior with joy to get his performance evaluation this year.

“With all those gifts, I should receive an excellent performance, right?” Marquis Gu walked with light footsteps.

As a result, Minister Zhao coldly threw the document in front of him.

He picked it up, opened it and suspected that he had read it wrongly. After reading it carefully again, he wondered, “Lord Zhao, are you mistaken? Did you mistake somebody else’s evaluation results as mine?”

He gave the other party such expensive gifts, as a result, he got a bad evaluation?

If this matter reached the emperor, he would go through a harsh admonishment again!

Minister Zhao had an icy look in his eyes. If it weren’t for the Old Marquis’s sake, he would have carried out the law against this guy on the spot!

He dared to instigate his daughter to beat up his son?

Simply going against the sky!

Marquis Gu was confused, “How did I offend the Lord?”

Minister Zhao: Oh, you haven’t offended me, but your daughter beat up my son to the point he nearly reunited with his ancestors!

Marquis Gu, who had no idea that Gu Jiao had dug him a pit again, only thought the gifts he had sent were not satisfactory enough. He said, “Lord Zhao, let us discuss things slowly!”

“Discuss your fart!” Minister Zhao directly used foul language and kicked Marquis Gu out.

Marquis Gu received the first bad evaluation in his career as an official, and his heart was filled with grievances!

Meanwhile, Marquis Xuanping also suffered his first blow after returning to the capital.

Everyone knew that salt transportation was a fat job, and so was mining.

Marquis Xuanping’s men managed to take over a mine. As a result, just as they were about to start mining it, a complaint was lodged against Marquis Xuanping’s vassal for having improper work conduct, preying on local people and taking advantage of innocent women.

The evidence was so conclusive that the emperor dismissed the dog official immediately.

That official was recommended by Marquis Xuanping, and it happened that the current dynasty had adopted the collective guilt system, wherein if the recommended official did something wrong, the recommender would also receive a punishment.

The question was how to punish Marquis Xuanping?

The Emperor couldn’t just always reprimand him every time.

Hence, the Emperor took back his mining right of the mine and handed it over to someone else.

Marquis Xuanping bared his teeth: What a fucking painful way to cut off my flesh!

At the end of the morning court, Marquis Xuanping stopped the old man in front of him and smiled playfully, “Grand Preceptor Zhuang, is this your doing?”

Grand Preceptor Zhuang turned around, glanced at him coldly and sneered, “If you do something bad, people will inevitably hear about it. Besides, is this official the only one in the world who doesn’t like Marquis Xiao? Marquis Xiao has offended too many people; you might as well return home and reflect on yourself.”

Marquis Xuanping put his hands into the hand warmer pillow he was carrying and said, “You dare do it but not admit it? I really can’t bear to look at you so called erudite scholars. You can roll on bed with women and not admit it happened.”

“Marquis Xuanping!” Grand Preceptor Zhuang choked up, his hair standing on end due to the unspeakable obscene language. “This is the imperial palace and the Emperor’s audience hall. Please be careful of your speech!”

Marquis Xuanping gave him an indifferent glance and walked away with a cool smile.

When Marquis Xuanping got into the carriage, he said, “What’s the situation? This Marquis has just come back but he’s already in a rush to make trouble for this Marquis?”

One of his guards responded, “It seems that… It is because of what happened to Director Zheng not long ago. Director Zheng was about to become the Chief of the Imperial Academy, but a rumor about his misbehavior and dishonorable actions in Imperial Academy suddenly came out. There was also an account book showing his bribery a few years ago which circulated widely in the Imperial Academy and finally fell into His Majesty’s hands. Because of this, His Majesty has put aside the conferment of the Imperial Academy’s Chief position for the time being.”

Marquis Xuanping narrowed his eyes, saying, “So he thinks this Marquis was behind it?”

The guard was silent.

“Does this Marquis still need to deal with a small Director of Studies?” Marquis Xuanping took one of his hands out of the hand warmer pillow and grabbed a snack on the table, “Chang Jing, someone dug a pit for this Marquis.”

Outside the carriage, Chang Jing cupped his fist in the other hand and said, “This one will kill them!”

Marquis Xuanping threw the snack back on the plate, “Dull!”

Chang Jing felt wronged.

Marquis Xuanping slowed down his tone and coaxed him like a child, “Why don’t you find out who that person is first? Who’s behind all this?”

“Oh.” Thereupon, Chang Jing quickly went to check it out.

It turned out that the biggest suspect was a student of the Imperial Academy.

Marquis Xuanping wondered, “How come it’s the Imperial Academy again? This Marquis doesn’t have any conflict with the Imperial Academy, does he?”

“Actually…” Steward Liu on the side cleared his throat then said, “There’s something I haven’t told Lord Marquis.”

“What is it?” Marquis Xuanping asked.

Steward Liu: “The young master who doesn’t want to recognize Lord Marquis is also a student of Imperial Academy.”

Marquis Xuanping：“…”

……

Gu Jiao got up early on the day of New Year’s Eve.

The medicine in her medicine chest had excellent efficacy. In just two days, all the bruises and wounds on her body had almost disappeared, and she was able to come out and exercise her muscles and bones already.

This was their first New Year’s Eve in the capital. It was also both Xiao Liulang and Little Jing Kong’s birthday.

She attached great importance to it.

She went to the front yard, chose two thick and strong bamboos and cut them down to make some firecrackers.

There was no gunpowder in this dynasty. The so-called firecracker was actually just bamboos burned in fire, which would produce a crackling sound, creating quite a festive atmosphere.

After making some firecrackers, she started preparing breakfast.

There were still dumplings made by Old Chief last night in the cupboard, with stuffing including minced mutton, cabbage and pork, as well as chives and corn. She cooked a bit more of them, and also prepared Little Jing Kong’s own meal, vegetarian meat with preserved greens.

The whole family began to rise one after another.

Little Jing Kong was the first to come to the kitchen to find Gu Jiao.

“JiaoJiao.” Little Jing Kong hugged her legs, rubbing his little head against her soft belly.

Gu Jiao, who was rubbed by his head, chuckled. She endured the ticklish feeling and said, “Call Grandaunt and Granduncle over to eat some dumplings.”

“En!” Little Jing Kong was a filial child. Without delay, he went next door to invite Old Chief over.

Soon Feng Lin and Lin Chengye also arrived.

Gu Jiao had already agreed with them earlier that they should come to Bishui Alley today to celebrate the New Year together.

It was also Feng Lin and Lin Chengye’s first year in the capital, and they still hadn’t fully adapted themselves here. Fortunately, Gu Jiao invited them over.

As soon as they entered the house, they felt as if they had gone back to their own homes; they felt very comfortable.

Hearing the two men’s voices, Xiao Liulang was about to come out and greet them when Feng Lin whizzed past him and said, “Lady Jiao! I have come——”

Lin Chengye: “Me too, I’ve come as well——”

Xiao Liulang who was ignored by the two men: “…”