The Prime Minister's Darling

Chapter 196: 125 Siblings (Second Update)

Gu Changqing was injured. After returning to the Marquis Residence, he didn’t alarm anyone and had a servant call the house doctor to his courtyard.

The doctor was no longer surprised by Gu Changqing’s injuries. The heir appeared to be a man who would fight without regard for his life. Any day he returned without injury would be unusual.

However, after examining the wound, the doctor asked in surprise, “My Lord, who sewed up your wound?”

Gu Changqing asked, “What’s the matter? The medical officer in the military camp stitched it once, and then a doctor on the outside did it again. Is there a problem?”

The doctor assured, “No, it’s very well done. I’ve never seen anyone treat a laceration so effectively. Do you know who the doctor was?”

Hearing the doctor’s comment, Gu Changqing understood. “You can go now. Don’t spread the word about my injury.”

“Understood.”

Having served as a house doctor at the Marquis Residence for a long time, he understood the habits of the heir, who disliked making a big fuss and unsettling the entire residence.

After the doctor left, a servant brought a basin of hot water and a clean set of clothes.

To avoid drawing attention, he had covered the wound with his cloak, which was now slightly stained with blood.

As the servant helped Gu Changqing undress, he muttered, “My Lord, how did you get injured this time? Since you were assigned under General Ran, you’ve been injured more often. Is General Ran particularly scary?”

“Who practices martial arts without getting hurt? General Ran’s strict regimen is a good thing, a blessing for Zhan Country. Don’t ever say such a thing again.”

“Oh,” the servant responded in a mumbling voice, putting the blood-soaked cloak into a laundry basket, and began to undress him. “Is that why you called the doctor? Things were different before when you were in the military camp. After you were treated there, you would never ask the house doctor to check again. If you don’t trust his medical skills, why did you let him treat you?”

Indeed, why did he let her treat him?

Gu Changqing didn’t have an answer.

She didn’t appear to be very old, seemingly about Gu Jinyu’s age. A girl of her age, upon seeing such a grotesque wound, would normally burst into tears. Yet, she calmly stitched his wound.

What’s more, she even killed an assassin.

After the killing, she continued to sew him up like nothing had happened.

He had never met such a strange woman in his twenty years of life.

That tiny body seemed to possess immense strength.

“My Lord, Lady Ling wishes to see you,” a maid reported from outside the door.

The servant looked at him and suggested, “My Lord, you are injured. Should I tell her you are unavailable?”

“No need.” Gu Changqing changed into a clean set of clothes and went to the Flower Hall to meet Lady Ling.

Lady Ling was the half-sister of Ling, who didn’t resemble in appearance. She was more beautiful than Ling, but unfortunately, neither she nor Ling could compare to Yao Family.

Perhaps because Ling had the same bloodlines as Ling and showed some of the desolation that Ling used to have, Gu Changqing treated her with courtesy.

Gu Changqing asked, “It’s quite late, haven’t you retired yet?”

Lady Ling smiled, “As I grow older, I’m not as sleepy as when I was young. I only need to sleep for a few hours each day. You’ve been coming home late and leaving early these days. I have not seen you for a while, so I wanted to check on you.”

Gu Changqing responded, “I apologize for causing you worry.”

Lady Ling said earnestly, “Don’t overwork yourself. You need to take care of your health. All the other matters in the house can wait, but your health can’t endure any problems.”

“I understand,” he replied.

Although he said this, Gu Changqing could not forget the request of the old Marquis before he left. As the eldest son and the elder brother, he had to support the entire Marquis Residence, with the old Madame above him, brothers and sisters below, and the century-old family business. Even if it meant doing so on his knees.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lady Ling made no move to leave.

Gu Changqing asked, “Is there something else, Lady Ling?”

Lady Ling twirled her handkerchief and chuckled awkwardly, “Actually, the lady returned home. I believe you have heard about her situation.”

Gu Changqing looked at Lady Ling. “Are you referring to the matter which involves the children got mixed up?”

Lady Ling stammered in surprise. “You already know?”

Gu Changqing said, “I just found out.”

Lady Ling glanced at the servant standing behind Gu Changqing and understood. She said, “Although Jin Yu is not your father’s biological child, she has been raised in our house for many years and we all have feelings for her. Sending her away break both your father’s and madame’s hearts.”

Gu Changqing had no significant thoughts regarding this matter. He didn’t care, and so he wasn’t calculating.

Lady Ling gently smiled and said, “Jin Yu’s birthday is coming up. Do you want me to help you prepare a gift for her?”

Gu Changqing said, “You can arrange it like you do every year.”

Although he did not acknowledge Jin Yu as his sister, he wouldn’t deliberately make her feel uncomfortable. He didn’t enjoy bullying little girls.

Lady Ling added, “Yanyan is also in the capital city. Should we prepare birthday gifts for both Yanyan and the other child?”

Gu Yan moved to the villa when he was four or five years old. They hadn’t seen each other in almost ten years, and Gu Changqing could hardly remember what Gu Yan looked like anymore.

He nodded his head, “If it can be delivered, let’s send it together.”

It was all a matter of keeping up appearances after all.

Aunt Ling laughed, “Alright, I will prepare the gift and give it to your father to take over.”

Gu Changqing had no objections, “Aunty can make the decision on such minor matters.”

Aunt Ling gave him a few more reminders to take care of his health before she left.

Gu Changqing was well aware of the severity of his injury. He didn’t expect any relief from the pain for at least a couple of days. Yet, after sleeping for a night, he was surprisingly able to feel much less pain from the wound.

He applied some of Gu Jiao’s golden salve to the wound. Its cooling effect seemed to dissipate the pain even more.

Gu Changqing was amazed.

Where did that girl get her medical skills? It was truly more miraculous than the military’s medical officers.

He had no training for two days, but Gu Changqing still decided to take a walk in the military camp.

When he was passing by the Chuihua Pavilion, he just happened to run into Gu Jinyu accompanying the Yao family for a stroll in the garden.

He saw them, and they saw him. The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

When the Yao family’s mother first married into the Marquis Residence, Gu Changqing was not even ten years old. He was just a naughty child who had just lost his mother and harbored resentment in his heart. He had many times spoken harsh words to the Yao family’s mother.

He even claimed that he would drive the Yao family out of the residence, saying that if he was there, there would be no place for the Yao family, and if the Yao family was there, he wouldn’t be.

He had complained about the Yao family’s wrongdoing in front of his grandparents.

Now that he was older, he wouldn’t act like the ignorant child he once was.

However, he would never call the Yao family ‘mother’.

Never in his life.

The Yao family mother nodded her head at him from a distance, and he responded with a simple hand bow, as they both exchanged distant and courteous greetings.

Supposedly, this awkward encounter should have ended there. However, Gu Jinyu suddenly stepped down from the pavilion, approached Gu Changqing and performed a courteous bow, saying, “Brother, good morning.”

“Good morning.” Gu Changqing replied indifferent.

Unmindful, Gu Jinyu flashed a sweet smile and asked, “Brother, my birthday is in a few days. Will you be coming home that day?”

Without waiting for Gu Changqing to respond, Gu Jinyu added, “Mother said she would also be there. I hope you can come too.”

Faced with those anxious yet hopeful eyes, Gu Changqing didn’t give his usual absolute refusal. “If I have time, I will come.”

A smile spread across Gu Jinyu’s face. “Thank you, big brother!”

Gu Changqing coldly responded, “Don’t thank me just yet, I might not have the time.”

With that, he brushed past Gu Jinyu, leaving without looking back.

But in his heart, Gu Jinyu mused: it seems that not being a child of his mother makes my older brother less angry at me.

Before returning to the capital, she had worried that revealing her identity would make her an outcast, but it did not turn out that way.

Lady Shufei liked her because of her talents, the old lady liked her because Lady Shufei liked her, what did it matter whether she was her father’s real child or not?

Once she becomes the county ruler, coupled with her big brother’s love, who would dare to look down on her in the future?

Right, and there’s Prince An.

Last time she went into the palace, she was focused on solving the problem for the fifth prince, and she forgot all about Prince An.

This coming hairpin banquet would be the perfect opportunity to meet with Prince An!

After the walk, Gu Jinyu found the Marquis and shared her ideas with him.

The Marquis was surprised, “What? Send an invitation to Prince An? It’s not suitable, is it? We are not close to Prince An.”

He didn’t dare to hastily establish a relationship with Prince An just because he had sheltered Prince An and his sister for a few nights.

Let alone the balance of various major forces, even on a personal basis, Prince An is not someone he could fancy.

Grandfather Marquis might have the face, after all, the old Marquis has military merit, but he is not his father.

Gu Jinyu assured with confidence, “Daddy, trust me. Prince An will come.”

Unable to resist the cajoling of his daughter, impulsively, the Marquis sent the invitation to Prince An!