The Prime Minister's Darling

Gu Jiao looked at him with doubtful eyes, seemingly evaluating the truth of his words.

Marquis Gu’s heart fluttered under her gaze, suddenly reminded of the wolf ordeal, and he hurriedly said, “I didn’t toss it away, I accidentally lost it!”

Lost items can be picked up, but if the owner claims them, they must be returned, otherwise, it would constitute a crime of misappropriation.

The Zhou and Liao families had suffered from not returning the silver coins they found belonging to Young Master Xiaoqin, resulting in them being punished at the Yamen and fined a considerable amount of silver.

Of course, Marquis Gu didn’t know about the blunder of the Gu Family, but he thought he should be able to frighten a young girl: “If you don’t return it to me, you’ll be taken by the county magistrate to get a beating!”

Rural folks might not have heard of the marquis, but they definitely knew about the county magistrate.

The county magistrate is the true local tyrant, feared by every rural individual!

Hearing his words, Gu Jiao didn’t immediately retort.

Marquis Gu felt hopeful!

The next second, however, he heard her ask him, “How can you prove this is your horse?”

Marquis Gu was taken aback.

Indeed, how could he prove it?

To travel incognito, he didn’t ride his precious warhorse, instead choosing a guard’s horse, even deliberately erasing the seal of the Marquis Residence on the saddle.

“The horseshoe! It’s a feature of military warhorses and different from ordinary horseshoes found in the market,” Marquis Gu finally thought of some evidence.

Unfortunately, Gu Jiao said, “I haven’t seen other horseshoes, how do I know you’re not making things up?”

Marquis Gu choked.

This was like a scholar meeting a soldier, he couldn’t argue clearly!

Gu Jiao proposed fairly, “Well then, how about this? You go to the Yamen and report this. If the county magistrate says the horse is yours, then I’ll give it back to you.”

Could the county magistrate with his tiny brain dare to not grant the horse to him? But the question was, would he, the Marquis of Zhaodu, actually go report to a small county Yamen?

What the heck, did the Marquis of Ding’an lack a horse? Was he that poor? Poor to the point of not being able to afford a meal? Or poor to the point of begging on the streets? Arguing over a horse she found on the street with a dumb country girl?

Especially considering it was an ordinary horse of no great value.

Didn’t he have any shame?

Gu Jiao gave him a look and pondered for a moment. “If you really want it, I could sell it to you. It wasn’t easy for me to find and bring it back.”

What part of it was difficult for you? It carried you all the way, didn’t it? You even saved the energy of walking! And the wolf wasn’t carried by you, either!

Marquis Gu was literally half infuriated to death by Gu Jiao.

However, he really couldn’t walk anymore.

He could only hire a carriage when he reached the town, but it was at least 20 to 30 miles from here to the town. He was afraid his legs would break before he could get there.

“Fifty taels,” said Gu Jiao.

Marquis Gu flared up: “How can an old horse be more expensive than a wolf? You’re inflating prices!”

Gu Jiao sternly retorted: “The wolf is not an essential need for you, but the horse is.”

Essential need begets inflated prices!

Marquis Gu was so mad that he felt a pain in his liver!

In the end, Marquis Gu bought back his own horse for fifty taels of silver.

His own horse, where could he go to reason about this?

—

When Marquis Gu returned to the villa, it was already dusk. The afterglow of the sunset fell on the eaves of the villa, casting a dazzling golden glow.

Marquis Gu handed the horse to the guards in the house and dragged his swollen feet towards the living quarters of the family of four.

Just as he arrived at the door, he heard an uproar from inside. He crossed the threshold and saw that almost all the servants in the courtyard were present, hiding behind trees and flower bushes, daring neither to move nor to flee.

Under the gaze of all the servants on a wicker chair in the corridor, his son Gu Yan was unexpectedly lying down.

Standing next to Gu Yan was Gu Jinyu, her small face white with anger.

In Gu Jinyu’s arms was a little white rabbit.

“Why won’t you let me keep a rabbit?” Gu Jinyu asked discontentedly.

Gu Yan lazily hummed, “Just because I said so.”

Gu Jinyu stomped her foot angrily, “Give me a reason at least!”

Gu Yan propped one arm behind his head, leisurely saying, “This is my courtyard. If I say you can’t keep it, you can’t keep it!”

“This courtyard is also mine!” Gu Jinyu retorted, hugging the rabbit even tighter.

Gu Yan hummed faintly, “Your courtyard is in the Capital City!”

Gu Jinyu spent half her time in Capital City, unlike Gu Yan who lived here all year round. Naturally, Gu Yan believed this place to be more his than hers.

The servants dared not intervene nor truly leave in case the sibling quarrel escalated. They wouldn’t be able to take the responsibility.

Marquis Gu roughly understood what was going on. Gu Jinyu had always liked pets since she was a child, but Gu Yan was quite resistant to them. The siblings often quarreled about owning pets.

He had always been puzzled about why they, twins, should have been the closest of people and hence should have had very good affection for each other. However, Gu Yan was bullying Jin Yu even before he could talk.

Gu Yan wouldn’t let Jin Yu breastfeed from Mrs. Yao, crying loudly whenever she did. He also didn’t let Mrs. Yao hug Jin Yu, and even if they were lying in the cot together, he would punch and kick Jin Yu.

At that time, Gu Yan was just a little sukling, and everyone dismissed it, attributing it to be a child’s possessiveness.

As Gu Yan grew up, he stopped bullying Jin Yu in such a way, but he also didn’t get any closer to Jin Yu.

The things that were once perplexing seemed to gradually become clear after learning about Jin Yu’s identity.

Gu Yan and his sister had been in their mother’s womb for ten months. They were indeed the closest people in the world. Therefore, Gu Yan was able to clearly feel that the little girl lying next to him was not his sister after he was born.

He wanted his sister.

Only his sister could make him feel as secure as he had in his mother’s womb, but there was a completely strange baby girl lying next to him.

It was no wonder he always cried so loudly; he was crying for his sister.

Unfortunately, no one understood him.

Until he grew up, he forgot about it himself, but his resentment toward Jin Yu remained deeply ingrained.

Marquis Gu felt this guess was absurd. Yet apart from that, he really couldn’t think of a better explanation.

The quarrel between the siblings continued.

Jinyu pleaded, “The rabbit is not noisy or rowdy. Why won’t you even let me keep this? Can you be reasonable?”

Gu Yan stared at the sky, “No, I won’t.”

Jin Yu bit her lip, “Why?”

Gu Yan raised his brow arrogantly, “Because I feel like it!”

“You…” Jin Yu’s face turned red with anger!