The Prime Minister’s Darling-Chapter 1550 - 753 The Return of the King! (Second Update)

Others might say that winning or losing is not important, and that one should compete within their capabilities.

But Gu Yan could feel that there was something in her soul that she valued more than her very life.

"Okay," Gu Jiao nodded.

Gu Xiaoshun quietly passed his sister a mechanism box, "This one has been improved; it won’t attack indiscriminately, so you can use it with confidence."

The last one had even shot at Gu Jiao herself. When she tested it in the National Master Hall, she almost turned herself and Ye Qing into sieves.

Gu Jiao took the mechanism box, "You guys go back, I’ll return once I’ve taken care of this."

Gu Xiaoshun, pulling Gu Yan along, left. They had gone quite a distance when he turned to wave at Gu Jiao, "Sis, be careful on your way."

Gu Jiao waved back, "Mhm, I will!"

Only after the two had entered the courtyard did Gu Jiao mount her horse.

This was her first time riding the King of the Black Wind, and it definitely felt different from other horses.

She raised an eyebrow, "Am I riding a horse or a Lamborghini?"

It was just too cool.

Taking into consideration the condition and stamina of the King of the Black Wind, Gu Jiao did not ride too fast. But halfway through, she vaguely felt that someone was following her.

She looked at the shadows on the ground, and lightly touched her chin.

She brought the King of the Black Wind to a halt.

The shadow also stopped.

She went.

The shadow followed.

Her fingertips tapped a few times on the saddle, then she suddenly dismounted and walked towards the shadow.

The horse panicked, burying its head into the grass beside the road!

I am unseen, I am unseen, I am unseen...

Gu Jiao: "???"

...

Little Jingkong wouldn’t go to sleep, he wanted to wait for Jiaojiao to come back.

He was not content with waiting in the Qilin Palace; he ran straight to the entrance of the National Master Hall.

Xiao Hen followed helplessly.

A man and a boy waiting at the entrance of the National Master Hall looked like statues pining for their loved ones, until finally Gu Jiao arrived—

With two horses.

The King of the Black Wind and the Horse King.

At the sight of the Horse King, Little Jingkong’s eyes lit up, "Wow! Little Shiyi! Jiaojiao, you brought Little Shiyi with you!"

The Horse King’s body shuddered, his legs nearly giving in from fright!

Ah, why is this little brat here!

Is it too late to run now!

"Eh?" Little Jingkong was drawn to the King of the Black Wind.

He realized this wasn’t one of the horses from home.

The horses at home weren’t this tall or majestic.

Little Jingkong, looking tiny in front of the King of the Black Wind like a spore before a towering tree, exclaimed with a soulful wonder, "Wow!"

He gawked at the King of the Black Wind, who in turn curiously gazed at him.

After a moment, the horse took a few steps towards him, sniffing the scent on his body.

Just like it once sniffed at the Red-Tasseled Spear in the backyard.

"It really likes you," Gu Jiao said to Little Jingkong. "It doesn’t have a name yet, do you want to name it?"

The Horse King’s morale instantly soared!

He had a little brother now.

Little Jingkong cocked his head and said, "Boss!"

The Horse King’s face immediately fell.

Xiao Hen extended his hand towards Gu Jiao, who quickly dismounted with his help.

Xiao Hen looked deeply at the King of the Black Wind, "This is..."

Gu Jiao affirmed, "Yes, it’s him."

Little Jingkong happily led the two horses into the National Master Hall.

Xiao Hen watched the King of the Black Wind’s retreating figure. "It has been fasting for too long and seems a bit weak. Are you sure it’s okay?" he asked.

Gu Jiao watched the King of the Black Wind walking quietly in the night, and declared confidently, "I believe in him."

...

The next morning, Gu Jiao met Ye Qing in the Qilin Palace.

Ye Qing first greeted Xiao Hen, who had arrived with Gu Jiao, "Your Highness Changsun." Then he turned to Gu Jiao, "The master sent me to escort Young Master Xiao to the preliminary selection. His name has already been registered; here is the token."

Gu Jiao uttered an "oh" and slipped it directly into her pocket.

Ye Qing was momentarily startled.

Gu Jiao rode the King of the Black Wind out of the National Master Hall.

The preliminary selection was to be held at the Han Family’s Black Wind Camp, the same place the National Master had taken Gu Jiao the day before.

There were quite a few participants in the selection, including not only the children of noble families but also many commoners with recommendation letters, most of which came from academies or government offices in Shengdu.

The preliminary selection would eliminate the vast majority of people, but it was unlikely to be the children of the top ten noble families and the Nangong family.

One reason was the backing of these noble families, and the other was that the children sent by these families were indeed extraordinary.

They were the pillars raised by their families with heavy investment and resources. When talent and diligence were equal, why should a hundred years of foundation, generations of accumulation, lose to a decade of hard study in a cold room?

For a commoner child to stand out, ordinary talent wouldn’t suffice; they needed to be one in a million, extraordinarily gifted, and also had to put in unimaginable effort.