The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 546 - 546 271 Jiaojiao of My Sorrow (Two updates combined

Chapter 546: 271 Jiaojiao of My Sorrow (Two updates combined into one)_2 Chapter 546: 271 Jiaojiao of My Sorrow (Two updates combined into one)_2 The Emperor and Empress Dowager had a strained relationship. He was worried that Gu Jiao would be implicated and had therefore been very cautious. However, he had still been discovered by Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Out of caution, he arranged for Eunuch Wei to personally escort her out of the palace.

Once out of the palace, Gu Jiao and Monk Xiaojingkong boarded the carriage to return home.

Xiaojingkong’s spirits were low, “Jiaojiao, does Grandmother not want us anymore?”

Gu Jiao patted his little shaved head.

She was also not sure.

But it seemed like Grandmother really didn’t care about them anymore.

Xiaojingkong climbed onto Gu Jiao’s lap, burying himself in her arms for comfort.

Gu Jiao held him, soothingly stroking his thin back until he, devastated and aggrieved, fell asleep.

The coachman was Xiaosanzi.

Whipping the horses, he got the carriage to start moving. But they had hardly gone a few steps when a familiar voice called them to a halt.

“Wait!”

It was Zhuang Yuexi.

She had caught up to stop Gu Jiao’s carriage, forcing Xiaosanzi to pull the reins and halt the carriage.

Xiaosanzi thought the young woman looked familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen her.

Zhuang Yuexi ignored him, walking up to the carriage window, “Miss Gu, Grandmother had something to tell you through me.”

“Grandmother,” a term she never used in front of the Empress Dowager’s face, yet she said it warmly and affectionately in front of Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao lifted the curtain of the carriage lightly.

Seeing this, Zhuang Yuexi’s lashes fluttered. She coldly said to Gu Jiao, “Grandmother hopes that today’s incident will not happen again. You should not come to the palace to look for her in the future. She is the Empress Dowager now, and all her previous actions were mere measures of expediency. You should not harbor inappropriate thoughts.”

Gu Jiao kept her gaze locked onto Zhuang Yuexi.

Zhuang Yuexi felt a shiver sent down her spine by that direct and piercing stare but she didn’t show it. Composing herself, she retrieved a small pouch from her wide sleeve and threw it at Gu Jiao, “This is yours!”

The pouch was a coin purse, stitched by Gu Jiao herself for her Grandmother. Its needlework wasn’t very pretty, but it was highly durable. Her Grandmother had always kept it on her person.

On the day her Grandmother left, she took nothing from Bishui Alley, only her plain clothes and this little coin purse, which had never left her side.

This was the only tangible memory Gu Jiao had left with her Grandmother.

Now, her Grandmother had returned it.

Gu Jiao smoothed out the folds on the pouch, not saying a word. She quietly lowered the curtain.

Seeing Gu Jiao’s appearance of abandonment, a sense of indescribable delight surged up in Zhuang Yuexi. Those who had threatened her at the alley were receiving their just desserts.

Her brother was hers, as was their Grandmother!

Zhuang Yuexi returned to Renshou Palace.

Empress Dowager Zhuang was organizing her coarse cloth attire. Now that she was the Empress Dowager, such commoner clothes were not fit for display—it was about time they were discarded.

Yet, she didn’t discard them. She had brought the clothes back to the palace and stored them carefully in a box.

Today, she had taken these clothes out and spread them over her large, luxurious bed, rustling the pockets as if looking for something.

A palace maid asked, “Dearest Empress, what are you searching for?”

“Her Majesty is searching…” Empress Dowager Zhuang paused.

Yes, what was she searching for?

Wasn’t it just a feeling of lacking something important?

But what could it be?

Zhuang Yuexi walked into the room with a flicker in her eyes, “Empress Dowager.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang asked, “When you delivered these clothes, did you see anything else?”

The clothes Empress Dowager Zhuang had worn during her stay at the Zhuang mansion had been washed by the Zhuang servants. It was Zhuang Yuexi who personally delivered them.

Zhuang Yuexi lowered her gaze, “No, there were only these clothes.”

That night, Empress Dowager Zhuang slept poorly. As soon as she closed her eyes, she would see the girl’s pitiful eyes. After tossing and turning for most of the night, she finally drifted to sleep. But then, she dreamt about the little monk.

The little monk, with teary eyes, asked her, “Grandmother, why are you becoming the Empress Dowager here? Aren’t you coming back with us?”

Aren’t you coming back with us?

You are our grandmother…

The morning of the next day, through a thick beaded curtain, the courtiers could feel Empress Dowager Zhuang’s intimidating aura, one that promised dire consequences if provoked. All of them were silent, not daring to even breathe aloud.

After the court dispersed, the Empress Dowager called Prince Father Zhuang to one side.

In the corridor outside the side hall, Prince Father Zhuang greeted Empress Dowager Zhuang with a bow, “Empress Dowager.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang began, “Her Majesty has something to ask you.”

Prince Father Zhuang responded, “Please speak, Empress Dowager.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang asked, “Who was with Her Majesty during the year and more that Her Majesty went missing?”

Prince Father Zhuang was surprised, “Why ask about this all of a sudden, Empress Dowager?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang replied, “You only need to answer Her Majesty’s queries, that’s enough.”