The Prime Minister's Darling

Chapter 113: 95 Monks (Second watch of the night) _2

“Hmm.” He nodded his head with a smile.

His smile was gentle, but it wasn’t the motherly type of gentleness Yao family exhibited. It was the kind that could make one dizzy-headed and blush.

Unfortunately, Gu Jiao was naturally not shy.

Because he looked good, Gu Jiao took a few more glances, but her heart was calm.

Upon hearing his words, Gu Jiao responded: “You’re quite kind…”

She hadn’t finished her sentence when he pulled out a dagger and killed the wild rabbit with one stroke.

Gu Jiao: “…..”

After the monk killed the rabbit, he asked Gu Jiao for some water to wash it, and started grilling it over a fire he built.

Gu Jiao was a bit dumbfounded.

Killing for food, could this be a phony monk?

“Do you want some?” He cut off the most tender piece, skewered it with the dagger and handed it to Gu Jiao. “Sharing is caring.”

Gu Jiao: Isn’t this when you’re supposed to thank me for saving you?

Gu Jiao hadn’t had much for lunch and was a bit hungry. She accepted the rabbit meat and took a bite.

It wasn’t bad, but not particularly good either. It was a bit of a waste of ingredients.

“Ah, I forgot to add salt.” The monk slapped his forehead, pulled a small bamboo tube out of his wide sleeve, removed the lid, and began to sprinkle salt on the rabbit meat.

“It should taste a lot better now.” He cut off another piece and handed it to Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao accepted the meat and after adding the salt, indeed the taste was a lot better. She asked, “Did you save it just to eat it?”

The monk replied assuredly, “What else?”

Gu Jiao’s mouth twitched, she wondered which monk from the temple this could be? How is it that she had never seen him before?

The monk gestured to a trap nearby: “Do you want to eat snake meat? If you want, go and pull it up.”

Gu Jiao asked, “Why don’t you pull it up yourself?”

The monk sighed, “I’m afraid.”

Gu Jiao gazed at him curiously, “If you were scared, why did you kill it?”

“I didn’t kill it.” The monk paused for a moment, correcting her, “It died from biting me.”

Gu Jiao: “…..”

“Why on earth did you bite it?”

“It bit me first!” The monk declared righteously. Pulling up his left pant leg, he revealed a leg swollen like a pig’s trotter.

Gu Jiao was simply dumbfounded.

You got bitten by a snake, and you bit it back? What are you playing at?

The snake must have never imagined that it would be bitten to death by a human one day!

And you’ve been bitten by a snake and you’re still in the mood to eat a roasted rabbit? Do you not know that you are about to die?

The monk, as if sensing Gu Jiao’s thoughts, sighed, “I know.”

Having said that, he fell to the ground with a thud, spat out some black blood, and passed out!

Gu Jiao: “…..”

What on earth kind of monk is this?!

The snake that bit him is a highly toxic silver ringed snake. Luckily, Gu Jiao’s first aid kit contained antivenom for this snake’s bite.

The antivenom, a serum derived from horse blood, contains foreign proteins and can easily cause an allergic reaction.

Time was of the essence, so Gu Jiao had forgone administering an allergy shot, bracing herself as she injected two doses of allergy medication.

When the monk woke up, he was no longer on the grassy lawn. He found himself sitting under a large tree, as rain poured down from the sky.

He glanced at Gu Jiao who was sitting next to him and hoarsely said, “You know we can’t take shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm, right?”

Gu Jiao gave him a casual glance, saying, “A person who can stay calm and roast a rabbit after being bitten by a snake, I thought you’re not afraid of death.”

The monk choked a little, lightly coughing before responding, “I assumed I wouldn’t survive, why not die with a full belly? Speaking of which… did you save me?”

He rolled up his trouser leg to inspect, the wound was dressed and the pain had almost completely vanished, along with the swelling.

“You can even heal snake bites, are you an immortal from beyond this world?” he asked curiously.

Gu Jiao did not reply, she only sat to one side, silently evading the rain.

Perhaps feeling indebted for his life twice over, the monk seemed a bit ashamed. He gave a wry smile, and asked, “May I ask for your name, Miss?”

“Gu.” Gu Jiao stated, she did not look towards him, only watched the ceaseless downpour.

The monk smiled warmly, “I am somewhat experienced in fortune-telling, would you like me to read your palm Miss Gu?”

“No need.” Gu Jiao calmly refused.

A monk as handsome as he is usually irresistible to women, Gu Jiao was the first to deny him.

The monk became intrigued and studied her more closely. As Gu Jiao had a hat on, her full face was not visible, only her delicate chin could be seen.

Just as the monk was about to withdraw his gaze, he noticed a piece of bronze token that Gu Jiao was toying with.

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, he said, “So you’re from the Marquis Xuanping Residence.”

“What?” Gu Jiao turned her face towards him.

The monk’s gaze briefly swept over the birthmark on her left cheek without a flicker of surprise, he simply commented, “The token in your hand.”

Gu Jiao looked at the token, then back at him, “You recognize it?”

With a smile upon his lips, the monk stretched his long legs out lazily, placed an arm behind his head as a pillow and leaned against a tree. Looking out at the relentless rain, he responded, “Indeed, this humble monk recognizes it.”

“Tell me about it.” Gu Jiao said.

The monk glanced at Gu Jiao with amusement, “Oh, you don’t recognize it? How did you acquire this token?”

I found it.” Gu Jiao replied.

He let out a soft sight, his expression became even more playful, his beautiful eyes narrow to crescents revealing a captivating charm, “What luck you have, to find something so precious.”

He went on, withdrawing his gaze from Gu Jiao and continued looking towards the rain, “Marquis Xuanping Residence, a noble house of countless generations, related to the royal family, a powerful force in Capital City, they’ve produced many ministers and even a queen. What specifically would you like to know, Miss Gu?”

Gu Jiao didn’t question how a monk in a faraway temple could know so much about the Capital city, she simply responded, “I’ll hear it all.”

The monk chuckled and said, “So you want to know everything, but there’s too much to cover within three days and nights. Are you interested in learning about the people of the household, or do you want to hear about some interesting events?”

Gu Jiao pondered a moment, “The people.”

“The master or the servants?”

“Either.”

His smile deepened, “It’s your query, why would it be up to me? Anyway, I don’t know much about the servants. Let’s start with Marquis Xuanping. The Marquis title was inherited from the old Marquis. The current Marquis is the eldest son and the legitimate heir, so inheriting the family was quite natural. Nothing much to add there.”

“He has a legitimate sister and a half-brother. His sister is the present Empress, and the brother is a notable general. Ah, I forgot to mention, he’s married to Princess Xinyang. He has a son with her, the boy was quite remarkable, but sadly died young.”

“Is that all the people?” asked Gu Jiao.

“There are a few illegitimate sons, but they’re not worth mentioning.” The monk added with a cautionary grin towards Gu Jiao, “Girl, you indeed picked up that token. But, don’t flaunt it around; you’ll invite a significant amount of trouble. Also, avoid any connections with the Marquis Xuanping Residence; that too, will bring disaster.”

He grew more serious, even changing his honorific for her.

Gu Jiao ignored his warning; she had never been one to leave risk assessment to others.

But this Marquis Xuanping Household sounded quite powerful. How did Xiao Liulang come to have their token? What is his relationship with the Marquis Xuanping Residence?

“And if…” Gu Jiao began, suddenly realizing something and turning her head. The monk who had been chattering to her side had abruptly disappeared.

Even stranger, Gu Jiao had no idea when he had left.

Since her arrival in this different world, this was the first time she had truly met a master.

Gu Jiao looked at the spot where the monk had been sitting. In clear hand-writing was a word: Xiao.

She reflected, “The Marquis Xuanping Residence…surnamed Xiao?”

Xiao Liulang’s last name was also Xiao, was that a mere coincidence?