The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1298 - 1298 631 second watch

Chapter 1298: 631 second watch Chapter 1298: 631 second watch Following this, Gu Jiao saw the martial arts instructor standing next to the horse with a bruised and swollen face, his right arm in a sling around his neck.

Gu Jiao asked curiously, “What happened?”

The martial arts instructor gave an awkward smile, “After you tamed the horse, I discussed with the Academy and decided to give it to you as a reward.”

The truth was, after Gu Jiao left, the martial arts instructor thought the horse had been tamed, so he tried to ride it, and ended up taking a nasty fall!

The Courtyard Master was also there at that time, nearly kicked by the horse’s hooves. If it hadn’t been for the martial arts instructor shielding him with his body, it would have been the Courtyard Master who ended up with a broken arm.

The Courtyard Master said he never wanted to see that horse again!

The martial arts instructor… The martial arts instructor didn’t dare to see it again either.

Gu Jiao paused, then said, “But my family is poor; I’m afraid we can’t afford to keep this horse.”

The silver they had brought was already not enough, they had to save on everything.

“I’ll pay for the horse’s upkeep!” the martial arts instructor said.

“Please take this horse. It’s lost its honor after being beaten and is infuriated. It’s been bullying the other horses in the stable nonstop, and the Academy can no longer tolerate it!”

In the end, Gu Jiao got a horse for free from the martial arts instructor, plus ten taels of silver every month for fodder.

As evening approached, Madam Nan returned.

Dressed in night-travel clothes, Master Lu had said in the morning that Madam Nan was out on an errand, but the look of her attire suggested it was no small matter.

Madam Nan entered the house and drank several cups of water before catching her breath and saying to Gu Jiaojiao, “Jiaojiao, I’ve reached out to some old connections and contacted a supervisor from the National Master Hall’s kitchen; he’ll be visiting our home soon to discuss with you about going to the National Master Hall.”

So that was the reason.

Gu Jiao looked at Madam Nan and said, “Master, you should change out of your clothes first, I’ll go draw some water for you.”

Madam Nan had been running around for a whole day and night, soaking wet, and indeed felt quite uncomfortable.

Gu Jiao went to the kitchen to draw water for Madam Nan.

After Madam Nan had bathed and changed clothes, the kitchen supervisor from the National Master Hall also arrived.

He was a corpulent middle-aged man with a decent appearance, dressed in a grey robe similar to the one Gu Jiao had seen on the disciples of the National Master Hall, but with different embroidery on the belt and the edges of the robe and sleeves.

“This is Supervisor Liao,” introduced Madam Nan.

Gu Jiao greeted, “Supervisor Liao.”

Madam Nan said to Supervisor Liao with a smile, “This is my foster son, Xiaoliu.”

Madam Nan purposefully portrayed her relationship with Gu Jiao as closer to facilitate the matters at hand.

Supervisor Liao glanced indifferently at Gu Jiao and asked, “Is he the one who wants to enter the National Master Hall? What does he want to do there? He better not get involved in any unsavory activities that would implicate me!”

“How could that be?” Madam Nan said pleasantly, “He’s just curious and wants to broaden his horizons. Supervisor Liao, rest assured. Considering we come from the same sect, you should trust me.”

Turns out, they were from the same sect.

Although it was true they were from the same sect, in fact, Supervisor Liao was just an outer disciple and couldn’t curry favor with Madam Nan.

But as the proverb goes, what goes around comes around. Now that they both had left the sect, he had risen through the ranks in the National Master Hall, while this former core inner disciple had to come begging to him.

For this moment of superiority, Supervisor Liao had already decided he could help her this once.

Supervisor Liao said pretentiously, “Let me make this clear upfront, I’ll only take you for a look around, you are not to steal anything or do anything that would harm the National Master Hall.”

Madam Nan replied with a smile, “Look at what you’re saying. With a master like Supervisor Liao watching, what could my foster son possibly do?”

Who wouldn’t love to wear a high hat?

Supervisor Liao laughed heartily.

Madam Nan fetched two gold bars from the house and handed them to him.

Supervisor Liao raised his eyebrows and without any false modesty, tucked the gold bars into his sleeve.

If he had only taken the gold bars, that might have been the end of it, but he happened to catch a glimpse of the horse king in the backyard grazing.

He pointed his finger and said, “That horse, I’ll take it.”

Madam Nan had not gone to the backyard and only now noticed an alluring black steed upon carefully looking.

It bullied other horses in the stable, people in the Academy, but here it was surprisingly well-behaved; even Gu Yan could brush its mane.

So Gu Jiao hadn’t tied it up.

Sensing that someone wanted it, the horse stopped grazing. It walked through the hall with a wild yet graceful gait, approaching Supervisor Liao.

Looking into those bright, intelligent eyes, Supervisor Liao felt a surge of joy, “This horse is spirited!”

The horse king truly was spirited.

And it had an extremely spirited nature.

It sauntered over to Steward Liao, slowly turning around in front of him.

Steward Liao greedily took in its robust physique, a top-notch king of horses indeed!

“Just… just this one! This one—”

Before he could finish, the horse kicked up its hooves and sent Steward Liao flying mercilessly!

Gu Jiao: “…”

Mrs. Nan: “…”

Gu Jiao looked at Steward Liao sprawled outside the door, tongue out in agony, eyes rolled back, and asked dazedly, “Mrs. Nan, do you think I can still make it to the National Master Hall?”

Mrs. Nan was even more dazed: “…Only in your dreams.”

The horse, unaware of the calamity it had just caused, pranced around the courtyard seemingly rather pleased with itself.

Gu Jiao turned around, her face darkening as she looked at it: “Couldn’t you have pretended to go with him and then sneak back here?”

She wanted to have a horse with schemes!

Gu Jiao crossed her arms, glaring fiercely at it.

But as she glared, something started to feel off.

The horse’s eyes began to show a trace of grievance, and then it seemed as if it was about to… cry?!

Gu Jiaojiao’s body shook, her face full of rejection!

You can’t do this!

You’re a king of horses, not a little princess!

Horse: Whimper, whimper, whimper!

Gu Jiao: “…”

…

After being kicked by the horse, Steward Liao’s pride had taken a severe blow. In pain all over and despite Mrs. Nan’s attempts at persuasion, he refused to do her any more favors.

Helplessly, Mrs. Nan could only watch as Steward Liao left.

“The gold bar,” Gu Jiao called out to him.

“What?” Steward Liao frowned at the youngster.

Gu Jiao said, “Since you didn’t take me to the National Master Hall, give the gold bar back.”

Steward Liao: “…”

Steward Liao huffily got into the carriage, infuriated by the day’s events, the slight against him making him seethe!

The coachman asked, “Steward Liao, are we heading back to the National Master Hall?”

Steward Liao replied annoyedly, “If not the National Master Hall, where else would you want to go!”

The coachman hastily said, “I was talking too much.”

The coachman hurriedly drove the carriage back to the National Master Hall.

“Are you trying to jolt me to death by going so fast?”

The coachman slowed down the speed.

“Are you trying to walk till tomorrow by going so slow?”

The coachman sped up again.

“Do you even know how to drive a carriage anymore? Do you?”

Amidst Steward Liao’s grumbling and nitpicking, the carriage finally arrived at the National Master Hall.

With Steward Liao’s status, he wasn’t qualified to use the main entrance, nor could he pass by it in a carriage. He had to disembark from the carriage from afar and walk.

At the main entrance, a humble yet impressive carriage was approaching the main gate of the National Master Hall.

Steward Liao, changing his arrogant and sulky expression, courteously saluted the carriage.

The carriage didn’t stop, smoothly entering the National Master Hall.

The coachman, who was new on the job, did not quite understand what was happening. Even the disciples from the inner hall of the National Master Hall had to get out and walk, so who was it that had such prestige to drive right in through the main gate?

“Steward Liao, who was that?” the coachman asked.

Steward Liao, gazing at the slowly disappearing carriage, said enviously, “Who else could it be? The Chess Sage of the Six Nations, Mr. Meng. The National Master loves to engage in games of skill, and whenever Mr. Meng is in Shengdu, he’s invited monthly to the hall to play chess. Remember to show respect to Mr. Meng should you see him; he’s a prestigious guest of the National Master Hall.”