The inn Zhao Dengfeng opened is called Xianhe Building, which is quite famous in Qiushan Town, and it was easy to ask for directions.
Gu Jiao wore battle armor and rode the imposing Black Wind King, exuding an unparalleled aura of command, except for the birthmark on her left cheek which somewhat marred the picture.
The shop boy, seeing distinguished guests arriving, enthusiastically stepped out to greet them: "Two guests, please come inside!"
Master Hu asked, "Is Zhao Dengfeng here? My lord is looking for him."
Seeing the two dressed in official attire, the shop boy didn’t dare to offend them and said with an awkward smile, "My boss... it’s inconvenient for him to see guests at the moment..."
"Master Zhao... please have another drink with me~"
"Don’t drink with her, if you must drink, drink with me."
From a private room on the second floor came the pretentious invitations to drink from several women, by the sound of it.
The shop boy smiled awkwardly.
Master Hu’s face turned red with anger: "In broad daylight, under the sun, such indecent behavior is absolutely outrageous!"
Swish, the window sash was lifted open.
A half-dressed beauty drunkenly leaned halfway out of the window, her movements were so exaggerated that one might think she was about to fall.
Her fragrant shoulders were half exposed, cheeks flushed, and eyes slightly dazed: "Which despicable man said that... hmm? Is it you... or..."
Her pale fingers pointed from Master Hu to Gu Jiao, then she drunkenly smiled: "Oh, a handsome young general, come, let me drink with you~"
Master Hu couldn’t bear to look anymore.
It would be bearable to look if he were alone, but being with his superior made it extremely embarrassing.
He hurriedly covered his eyes and turned his face away.
Gu Jiao calmly lifted her gaze to the second floor, but she was not looking at the woman.
The woman pouted coquettishly: "Am I not beautiful? Who are you looking at?"
"Who said our Miss Third is not beautiful?"
A teasing voice tinged with drunkenness accompanied the arrival of a burly man behind the beauty, with one arm propping up the window sill and the other wrapping around the woman’s slender waist.
He looked down dreamily at the young man below.
Naturally, he also saw the Black Wind King under the young man.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he faintly smiled: "Oh, which young master of the Han Family is this? I haven’t seen you before."
Master Hu raised his voice angrily: "How dare you! This is the newly appointed Commander Xiao of the Black Wind Battalion! Adopted son of Duke An Guo!"
"Oh." He seemed a bit surprised, "The Black Wind Cavalry has changed hands again, the Han Family really is quite incompetent."
"Zhao Dengfeng." Gu Jiao said calmly, "Are you willing to return to the Black Wind Battalion?"
Zhao Dengfeng chuckled, "Here, I live well and eat well, living freely and happily, why should I return to the Black Wind Battalion? It’s hard and exhausting, and there’s always the chance of going on dangerous missions."
Gu Jiao wasn’t angry, nor was she disappointed, she just looked steadily without blinking.
Her eyes were pure and clear, yet filled with unyielding determination.
Zhao Dengfeng’s eyes felt a sting, he put away his smile and said coldly, "If you came to eat, this meal is on me! But if you have any other intentions, I advise you to leave! I, Zhao Dengfeng, have no desire to ever be involved with the Black Wind Battalion again!"
After saying that, he slammed the window shut!
"Ouch, you almost pinched me!"
The beauty complained from the second floor.
A crowd of onlookers had gathered around, and even the customers upstairs and downstairs cast strange looks at Gu Jiao.
Master Hu lightly coughed and said, "My lord, let’s head back for now."
"Mm." Gu Jiao nodded, "Boss, let’s go."
The Black Wind King turned and headed towards the north city gate.
Master Hu spurred his horse to catch up: "My lord, you did not have much success today."
Being rejected three times in a day, that was quite miserable.
"It doesn’t matter." Gu Jiao said.
Master Hu was stunned.
The young man’s expression was very calm, without frustration, disappointment, or pretended bravado.
Master Hu suddenly realized that the young man’s heart was truly calm like still water.
Despite his young age, his inner strength was remarkable.
Master Hu asked himself, among all the people he had met, those who reached such a level of tranquility were truly rare, especially for someone so young.
Master Hu asked, "My lord, did you anticipate that all three of them would refuse?"
A tall figure descended from the sky, kicking her Red-Tasseled Spear.
She flipped off the horse with her spear, quickly stabilizing herself by thrusting the spear into the ground, preventing a humiliating fall.
She held the Red-Tasseled Spear, coldly staring at the black-robed man across the street.
This alley was very secluded, with no one else around except the two of them and the horse.
The man’s robe billowed, and the summer heat suddenly carried a chilling breeze.
"Hei Fengqi?" The black-robed man glanced at the horse beside Gu Jiao, his thin lips under the mask slightly parting. "You must be Xiao Liulang."
"I am." Gu Jiao looked at him fearlessly. "If I had known you’d recognize me, I would have greeted you at the Tea Shed, Dark Soul."
Indeed, this was the top assassin under Consort Han—Dark Soul.
"So you know me. It seems the National Master has told you quite a bit about me." The black-robed man walked slowly towards Gu Jiao. His steps were slow, but each one carried a terrifying murderous intent. "I didn’t leave the city for you today, but since you delivered yourself to me, I have no choice but to take your life."
Gu Jiao said, "That’s not up to you."
The black-robed man smiled faintly. "You’re young but quite bold."
Gu Jiao replied calmly, "You’re not only ugly but also delusional."
"Sharp-tongued." The black-robed man smiled and suddenly attacked Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao felt a huge internal force pressing down on her body. Before she could break free from this force, the man had already appeared in front of her in the blink of an eye, striking her chest with a palm!
Gu Jiao blocked with the Red-Tasseled Spear, but was still sent flying by the man’s palm strike.
Hei Fengqi ran over to catch her, but the black-robed man gave her no chance to land safely.
He leaped at her, slapping her into the air again with a palm strike, then soared into the air and stomped down hard towards Gu Jiao’s abdomen!
If this kick landed, it would rupture Gu Jiao’s internal organs, causing her to die on the spot!
At the critical moment, a grey-white figure appeared, swiftly passing under his foot, and caught Gu Jiao, landing on one knee on the side of the street.
Without pausing for a fight, the figure carried Gu Jiao onto Hei Fengqi’s back and quickly rode through the alleys towards a crowded area.
Gu Jiao coughed up blood, staining half of Liao Chen’s sleeve.
Liao Chen held her with one hand and tightly gripped the reins with the other, galloping three streets before letting Hei Fengqi stop.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)𝒆bnov(𝒆)l
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Prime Minister's Darling