/
Doctor Chen came to the provincial governor’s fu to follow up on Gu Jiu’s condition.
“Guniang’s illness has already improved greatly. It’s just that your body is still weak,  so you need to nurse it carefully.”
Gu Jiu nodded with a smile. “Thank you, Doctor Chen. This time, I was able to save my life thanks to your excellent treatment.”
Doctor Chen said, “Er guniang is too polite. I will write a prescription for guniang to nurse your body. You must insist on taking the medicine every day. In at least six months and at most one or two years, guniang will be healthy and strong like others.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Chen.”
Doctor Chen began to write the prescription. When the prescription was ready, he gave it to Gu Jiu.
“Guniang must take the medicine according to the prescription. If you feel unwell, send someone to inform me.”
Gu Jiu nodded. “Many thanks, Doctor Chen. Qing Mei, send Doctor Chen off on my behalf.”
“Doctor Chen, this way, please.”
Gu Jiu held the prescription and swept a glance over it.
It was indeed a prescription to nourish the body.
Doctor Chen had prescribed medicine accurate to treat the common cold. But with respect to nursing the body, the prescription was a slightly lacking and somewhat flawed.
Gu Jiu sat in front of the desk. Imitating Doctor Chen’s handwriting, she rewrote the prescription to nurse the body.
Schizandra, ginseng, longan fruit pulp…
A well-written gentle and effective medicinal prescription which was good for both improving health and beauty.
At that time, Qing Mei returned after sending off Doctor Chen.
Gu Jiu handed her the prescription she had written. “Get these ingredients according to the prescription.”
“Yes! Nubi will go at once.”
Qing Mei didn’t discover that it was written by Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu’s imitation of Doctor Chen’s handwriting was nine points similar. If there was no careful comparison, there was no trace of imitation at all.
Gu Jiu burnt the prescription written by Doctor Chen.
“Guniang, Li Chuan has come.” Qing Zhu stood at the door and said.
Gu Jiu smiled. “Let Li Chuan come in.”
Soon, Li Chuan entered the room. “Xiaode pays respects to guniang.”
Gu Jiu asked with a smile, “What matter did brother send you over for?”
“Reporting to guniang, san shaoye has bought two new books and invites guniang to take a look.”
Gu Jiu’s heart moved slightly. It seemed that there was some news on Su biaoge’s side.
She said, “Go back and tell my brother that I will go over at once.”
“Xiaode asks to be excused.”
“Qing Mei, help me change clothes. Let the colours be a little plain.”
Gu Jiu changed into a grass-green dress with embroidery on the skirt. She appeared fresh and elegant.
Then, she went to Gu Ting’s courtyard with her maidservants.
Su Zheng had already been waiting in the room.
When Gu Jiu saw him, she greeted him first. “Greetings to Su biaoge.”
“Biaomei is too courteous.”
Gu Jiu chatted with him casually for a bit. “Has Su biaoge become accustomed to living in the fu these days?”
Su Zheng said politely, “Many thanks for your concern, biaomei. I’m doing well. Biaodi found two new books which biaomei might like to read, so I invited biaomei to come over to take a look at them especially.”
Gu Jiu laughed. “Luckily, gege knew my interest and sent someone to invite me.”
She waved her hand and let the servants withdraw.
Meeting today for exchanging poetry and reading books was fake, but exchanging news was true.
Gu Jiu asked straightforwardly. “Did biaoge get any news about the Xie family?”
Su Zheng nodded with a smile. “Biaomei guessed correctly.”
“Su biaoge, speak quickly. When I asked you to tell me, you wanted to wait for sister to arrive to speak.”
Gu Ting was anxious. He was also very curious about the purpose of Xie jia‘s visit to Jinzhou.
Su Zheng lowered his voice and said neither too fast nor too slow. “Yesterday, uncle inspected everyone’s homework. Everything else was normal except that he paid special attention to Xie Xian asking about his achievements and extracurricular activities. Later, I thought about it carefully. The way uncle looked at Xie Xian had deep meaning.”
Gu Jiu asked softly, “Did Su biaoge find out why father was looking at Xie Xian differently?”
Su Zheng nodded, saying seriously. “Uncle seems to be looking for a son-in-law.”
Gu Ting was surprised. “Is father planning to betroth Gu Yue to Xie Xian?”
Gu Jiu and Su Zheng were silent, neither of them saying anything.
Gu Ting realised that something was wrong. “Am I wrong? If it’s not Gu Yue, then who else?”
“Brother, don’t worry.” Gu Jiu looked at Su Zheng. “Does Su biaoge have any other news?”
Su Zheng laughed. “Sure enough, I can’t hide anything from biaomei. Shunzi, come in.”
The manservant Shunzi entered. “Paying respects to biao shaoye, biao guniang.”
Su Zheng said, “Shunzi, tell biao guniang about the news you heard.”
“Yes!” Shunzi bowed. “These days, I pulled the manservant beside Xie gongzi, San Gui to drink and gamble and became familiar with him. Yesterday, my gongzi told me to pay attention to Xie jia‘s father and son’s movement, so I pulled San Gui to drink again. After several cups, San Gui was drunk and told me some inside story.”
Gu Jiu asked, “What’s the inside story?”
Shunzi whispered, “San Gui said that Xie jia’s father and son’s visit to Jinzhou this time was first, to give money to Xie shi and second, to marry. He also said that Xie gongzi was going to marry a sickly person. Two years later, when the sickly person died, they would get their hands on her dowry.”
“What?” Gu Ting was hopping mad. “Father isn’t looking to marry Gu Yue but meimei? He knows fully well that Xie shi has malicious intentions. Is father so muddled to betroth sister to Xie Xian? This is out of the question! I have to immediately go and find father and ask him clearly.”
“Biaodi, don’t worry. Listen to what biaomei has to say first.”
Su Zheng stopped him from ruining the matter. Gu Ting turned to look at Gu Jiu, his eyes filled with anxiety and anger. He had the appearance of being deeply worried and sick at heart.
“Meimei, let’s go see father together. We cannot let father betroth you to Xie Xian.”
Gu Jiu smiled. Her brother’s concern for her made her heart feel warm. She said, “Gege, don’t be impatient.”
“How can I not be impatient about this matter? If father really betroths you to Xie Xian, how is that okay?”
Gu Jiu shook her head. “Does brother think that father will listen to us?”
Gu Ting was stunned. Yes, it was impossible for father to listen to them. The the event of marriage was the parents’ command and matchmakers’ words.
If he really went to father and made noise, he would not be able to change father’s decision. Instead, it would probably induce father to decide to betroth his sister to Xie Xian.
But…
Gu Ting was filled with anxiety. “If it’s useless to look for father, then what should we do? Is it useful to beat up Xie Xian?”
Gu Jiu laughed. “Brother, don’t worry. Am I not thinking of a solution right now? Su biaoge, you just said that father was inspecting Xie Xian?”
Su Zheng nodded. “Yes, I think according to uncle’s style, it’s unlikely for him to set this relationship quickly. But if Xie Xian performs well, uncle truly might betroth biaomei to him. I heard that Xie Xian seldom steps out of his room. For the most part, he stays inside to study.”
Gu Ting snorted coldly. “He is certainly pretending to make a good impression on father.”
Gu Jiu asked again, “How is Xie Xian’s knowledge?”
Su Zheng said, “Mediocre!”
The word ‘mediocre’ had already explained everything.
Gu Jiu smiled softly. “So to say, Xie Xian will not be able to pass the imperial examination and take up an official post?”
Su Zheng nodded. “Correct. Does biaomei have a plan?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “I have some thoughts. Xie Xian must not really like studying.”
Su Zheng agreed, saying, “Xie Xian, this person, is not a scholar.”
Hearing this, Gu Ting was furious. “I knew that Xie Xian was pretending to study while hiding in his room.”
Gu Jiu pursed her lips and smiled. “It’s good that he is pretending.”