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Empress Dowager Zhuang"s people a.s.sured Xue Ningxiang that with Empress Dowager Zhuang"s backing, she had nothing to fear. Even if she wanted to marry ten or eight husbands, no one would dare gossip about her.
Xue Ningxiang was considerably frightened by this absurd suggestion. The idea of marrying ten or eight husbands was far from her mind!
However, after this conversation, Xue Ningxiang"s courage had indeed increased quite a bit.
Both Zhou Erzhuang and Dean Li were outstanding men. In ten or twenty years, Xue Ningxiang might consider the spirited young Zhou Erzhuang. But being just two years older than Gu Jiao, she, burdened with her current difficulties, leaned more towards a fatherly figure like Dean Li.
He was mature, considerate, understanding, and well-off.
Moreover, Zhou Erzhuang was Xue Ningxiang"s younger brother-in-law, which created an emotional hurdle for her.
Lastly, and most importantly, she was a mother. Sometimes, a woman"s anchor wasn"t a man but her child.
Gouwa liked Dean Li and innocently recognized him as his father. As a mother, what else could Xue Ningxiang do?
Old Madame Li"s affection for both Xue Ningxiang and Gouwa was also a plus.
Simply put, Xue Ningxiang was tired and sought a man she could rely on to live the rest of her life peacefully.
Empress Dowager Zhuang understood Xue Ningxiang"s choice.
Not everyone could be as strong as Gu Jiao. Gu Jiao was unique.
She never sought security from anyone. Her inner strength was sufficient and powerful.
Of course, this strength came with a price. No one was born strong, but Gu Jiao was carrying a lot on her young shoulders.
Her JiaoJiao had borne it all.
Xue Ningxiang didn"t need to be another JiaoJiao. She just had to live her own life comfortably.
Additionally, Xue Ningxiang wrote a letter to Gu Jiao, which Empress Dowager Zhuang kept in her purse. She handed it over to Gu Jiao.
This time, Xue Ningxiang didn"t hide her joys or sorrows, realizing that since Empress Dowager Zhuang"s people knew everything, hiding things was pointless.
She inquired about Empress Dowager Zhuang in the letter, wondering why the Empress Dowager knew her. Was it because Xiao Liulang, the newly acclaimed top scholar, had been doing exceptionally well in the capital? Or was it because Gu Jiao had established connections with the Marquis Estate, thereby attracting attention from Empress Dowager Zhuang"s side?
Xue Ningxiang didn"t believe she held such significance.
"...Could that old lady with leprosy be Empress Dowager Zhuang? I"m not that fortunate, am I? If that were the case, then didn"t I cook for Empress Dowager Zhuang? Didn’t Empress Dowager Zhuang help me look after my child? That couldn"t be true... My family"s ancestral grave didn"t emit green smoke either…"
Gu Jiao pondered and wrote in reply, "Why not visit your family"s ancestral grave and see again?"
"JiaoJiao! JiaoJiao!"
Little Jing Kong ran over holding a letter.
He had been pasting couplets but remembered he also had a letter.
Children were like that.
"JiaoJiao, this is the second letter Brother Ming"er sent me!"
"Do you want me to read it?" Gu Jiao asked.
Letters were very private, and Gu Jiao wouldn"t casually read Little Jing Kong’s correspondence just because he was a child.
However, if he wanted to share it with her, she would gladly accept.
"Yes! I want JiaoJiao to read it too!" Little Jing Kong nodded.
Gu Jiao opened the letter. It contained greetings between children. In the previous letter, Little Jing Kong mentioned some interesting events at home and at the Imperial Academy, successfully sparking Ming"er"s enthusiasm for learning.
Ming"er told Little Jing Kong that he also started attending cla.s.ses at their Imperial Academy.
It was just that they were martial arts cla.s.ses.
The Imperial Academy in the State of Liang was different from the one in the State of Zhao, as it was divided into martial and academic studies, probably due to the State of Liang"s examination system involving both literature and martial arts.
Reading the letter initially didn"t evoke much reaction from Little Jing Kong. But upon reading it again with Gu Jiao, he suddenly felt envious of his Brother Ming"er.
He also wanted to properly learn martial arts.
He wanted to protect JiaoJiao.
Together with the second letter arrived a token of grat.i.tude that Ming"er mentioned in the first letter regarding the music score for "Zhao Ying." The letter was delivered swiftly by a falcon, while the token of grat.i.tude was transported by carriage and horses, hence the delay.
The gift was prepared by Yu Qinw.a.n.g and Qinw.a.n.gfei, consisting of various specialties from the State of Liang, along with a dozen or so children"s toys, which could be considered thoughtful.
Moreover, Yu Qinw.a.n.gfei knew about Little Jing Kong"s intelligence and his study of different languages. She specifically selected ten books exclusive to their country suitable for Little Jing Kong"s level.
Xiao Heng had made a plan for Little Jing Kong to read a little each day, improving his proficiency in the languages of the three upper states.
To demonstrate his progress, Little Jing Kong jumped down from his chair, ran back to his room, and brought over three poetry books from the upper states. "JiaoJiao, let me recite them to you!"
...As if Gu Jiao could understand.
It was the first time that Gu Jiao had been away from home for so long. Usually, it was Xiao Heng who would go out for official business for a period of time, and upon his return, he would feel the changes in the household. This time, it was Gu Jiao experiencing those changes.
Gu Xiaobao had grown up, Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun had grown taller, Little Jing Kong had grown his hair and learned many upper state poems...
It felt somewhat novel.
Dinner wasn"t ready yet, but the hot water was prepared. Yao shi instructed several children to take a bath quickly.
"Hurry up and bathe. We must wash your clothes before the first day of the New Year." Yao shi said.
"I"ll go first!" Little Jing Kong turned into an obedient baby who loved bathing, completely forgetting his resistance to baths during the three months Gu Jiao was away!
"JiaoJiao, you should also go and bathe." Yao shi gently suggested to Gu Jiao.
"Okay." Gu Jiao agreed.
There was only enough hot water for two people to bathe. The rest would have to wait for the next round.
"Brother-in-law, thank you. Can you help me bathe?" Little Jing Kong arrived at the door and politely asked Xiao Heng, who was busy pasting couplets.
Xiao Heng felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "Heh, didn"t you say something different last time? If I dared take you to bathe, what would you do again?"
Run away from home.
"Ahem." Little Jing Kong cleared his throat, spread his hands, and with an expression of helplessness said, "Who doesn"t have a rebellious phase?"
Xiao Heng: "..."
Xiao Heng took Little Jing Kong to the west room for a bath.
The charcoal fire in the west room burned brightly, keeping them warm.
Gu Jiao also went to bathe. She discovered a new wooden tub in the room, deep enough for her entire pet.i.te body to soak in comfortably.
Phew.
This was so relaxing.
Her small toes stretched in the water.
After splashing around for a while, she suddenly remembered something.
She had returned home unscathed. Wasn"t it time for her husband to fulfill his promise?
……
Xiao Heng emerged from the west room and saw Gu Jiao had already finished bathing and washing her hair. She was now sitting comfortably in the main room.
Xiao Heng was slightly taken aback, "So fast?"
Little Jing Kong was still playing in the tub, and the water had cooled. Xiao Heng went to the kitchen to heat more water for Little Jing Kong.
Gu Jiao widened her pair of round, sparkling eyes and looked at him.
Empress Dowager Zhuang went to the kitchen to eat brown sugar rice cakes, and the Emperor followed her there. In the main room, only Gu Jiao remained.
The sky was actually getting dark, but Gu Jiao"s eyes shone brightly, impossible to ignore.
"Why are you... looking at me like that?" Xiao Heng asked.
"I"m not injured." Gu Jiao said.
"Hmm, I know." Xiao Heng nodded.
After speaking, he realized something. He wore a startled expression, his eyelashes trembled, and his cheeks began to heat up.
Gu Jiao propped up her chin with her hands, looking at him with hopeful little eyes.
References
1. — This phrase is used metaphorically to convey a sense of insignificance or lack of attention or success. The idea is that if even something as important as one"s ancestral tomb isn"t getting attention or recognition (symbolized by emitting smoke, which could signify attention or activity), then nothing significant or noticeable is happening in one"s life. Raz P."s Thoughts
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