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Gu Jiu lifted her tea cup and took a sip.
She asked Shunzi, “Are you sure San Gui said that Xie Xian would marry a sickly person and seize her dowry after she dies?”
Shunzi was a little nervous. He nodded cautiously. “Xiaode is certain. San Gui said these words.”
Gu Ting was indignant. He clenched his fists and pounded the desk. “Xie Xian is too outrageous. No one from Xie jia is a good thing. The marriage hasn’t been set yet but they are already calculating meimei‘s dowry. They even want meimei‘s life! I want to kill Xie Xian!”
“Gege, calm down.”
Gu Jiu was unperturbed, with neither joy nor sorrow on her face.
Su Zheng inwardly sighed. Xiao Jiu biaomei was young and it was rare for her to have this state of mind.
Gu Jiu smiled. If the original owner had not died and had been schemed against and married Xie Xian, with her physical condition and her introverted temperament, it might have been really possible for her to die two years later.
Then, Xie Xian would be able to easily get his hands on her dowry.
But she was not the original owner. How could she fulfil Xie Xian’s wishes?
Xie shi was delusional enough to want to manipulate her marriage and wanted to send her out soon.
If she didn’t return this favour, wouldn’t she be letting herself down?
Whether it was her past life or this life, Gu Jiu had a temperament of not wronging herself.
She could not tolerate being calculated like this.
She looked at Shunzi. “You’ve worked hard. You can withdraw, now.”
“Xiaode asks to be excused.”
When Shunzi went out, Qing Mei handed him a purse filled with copper coins. “My guniang gave you this as a reward.”
Yi?
Shunzi was surprised.
Qing Mei pursed her lips and smiled. “Don’t refuse. Guniang specially told me to thank you properly.”
Shunzi was smiled, embarrassed. “Biao guniang has considered even this, It’s truly amazing.”
Qing Mei laughed. “Your gongzi is busy with his studies, so only you can go around to inquire for news. My young lady had already anticipated this.”
Shunzi smiled, accepting the purse. “I thank young lady for the reward.”
Inside the room.
Gu Ting was angry and anxious. “Meimei, what should we do about this? Whether to kill or maim Xie Xian, tell me quickly.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Gege, don’t worry. This is a trivial matter, it doesn’t need maiming or killing. Resolving it is actually not difficult. Xie Xian dislikes studying but pretends to be studious. After ten days of being cooped up in his room, he must definitely be feeling stifled. Now, if someone is willing to give him a chance, guess what he will do?”
Su Zheng looked thoughtful. “I listened to Shunzi say that when Xie Xian was in Xizhou, he was a regular at the local brothel.”
Gu Jiu laughed knowingly. As expected, looking at Xie Xian’s frivolous look, he  was a restless person.
How could someone who indulged in pleasures of the flesh suddenly practice restraint and abstain for ten or twenty days?
Once there was a chance, if someone misguided him in the dark, they could definitely reveal his ugly side.
Gu Jiu said, “I still need Su biaoge’s help to solve this affair. It’s just that this matter is a little embarrassing. I’m afraid I would have to wrong Su biaoge.”
Su Zheng immediately said, “Biaomei shouldn’t be too formal with me. It’s my responsibility to share biaomei’s difficulties.”
Gu Jiu smiled and saluted him. “Then, many thanks, biaoge. The method is actually simple…”
Gu Jiu explained the means carefully.
Listening to this, Su Zheng couldn’t help but look at Gu Jiu a few more times.
Her method was very good and could solve this problem perfectly.
Gu Ting was excited. “Let’s do as sister says. Su biaoge, are you okay with this?”
Su Zheng nodded. “I have no problem. But we need a lot of silver for this method.”
Gu Ting immediately lost confidence.
A coin stumps a hero. He hadn’t saved up any silver before. What was to be done now?
Gu Jiu pursed her lips and smiled. “Su biaoge needn’t worry about the silver. I have a solution for it. I still need to trouble Shunzi to keep an eye on Xie Xian.”
“Biaomei, relax. Even without your instructions, I would have let Shunzi pay attention to Xie Xian’s movements.”
Gu Ting was worried and curious. “Meimei, how do you plan to settle the matter regarding silver?”
Gu Jiu smiled with confidence. “Gege, rest assured, after a few days, I will take you out to expand your horizons and show you how I make money.”
Yi?
Gu Ting widened his eyes which were filled with curiosity.
Gu Jiu said, “I will keep it a suspense for now. Gege isn’t allowed to ask.”
Su Zheng said, “I’m also curious about what method biaomei will use to make money.”
Gu Jiu smiled and replied, “It’s not early in the day, I should return. Gege, remember, on the fifteenth of this month, you will go to the monastery with me, copy Buddhist scriptures and offer sacrifice to mother.”
“I know, I don’t dare forget.”
Gu Jiu took her servants and returned to her yard.
Gu Jiu was very poor. This was the most poverty-stricken she had been in her two lives.
She felt uncomfortable inside. She had never been worried about money in her previous life. In this lifetime, she had barely traversed when she had to worry about silver.
The deity of traversal was truly wayward, not giving her a wealthy identity.
In fact, in Gu Jiu’s mind, there were many ways to make money but they all needed a lot of initial capital.
Moreover, she needed to engage in business in the long term which wasn’t suitable for her circumstances.
Now, she needed to earn money quickly.
Considering this matter for a while, the field she was best at was medicine, so she could sell prescriptions at once.
Who could she sell them to?
Doctor Chen was too honest and straightforward. He wasn’t a suitable candidate.
Then she could sell them to Doctor Xu.
Doctor Xu had treated her illness for half a year and had almost put her to death. She hadn’t found him yet to return this debt to her.
This opportunity was rare so she could settle this debt with Doctor Xu in an upright manner.
Gu Jiu already a complete plan in her mind.
But before implementing this plan, she still needed to complete many tasks.
……
At dawn, Gu Jiu came to Shang Fang.
“Greetings to taitai.”
Xie shi smiled at Gu Jiu. “Er guniang has come, sit down. Are you feeling better?”
It was truly rare that Xie shi spoke to her in such a gentle manner.
Sure enough, because she wanted to ‘marry’ her off to Xie Xian, Xie shi changed her earlier approach and treated her with more patience.
Gu Jiu sat next to her eldest sister, Gu Zhen. “Many thanks for your concern, taitai. I’m very well. With Doctor Chen’s prescription that has helped nurse my body, I’m eating well too.”
Xie shi laughed. “That’s good. It’s good that you’ve nursed your body well. In the future, when we are looking for a groom for you, no one will regard you with disdain.”
Gu Jiu lowered her head, as if feeling embarrassed, but sneering inwardly.
Xie shi was truly impatient to marry her out.
Gu Yue was laughing secretly, as if watching a good show.
Obviously, she knew about Xie shi’s plan to betroth her to Xie Xian.
Gu Jiu was in a good mood today and didn’t want to waste much time dealing with Xie shi.
So she was too lazy to put on an act in front of her. She said directly, “Taitai, my mother’s death anniversary is fast approaching. My brother and I plan to visit the monastery on the fifteenth of this month to copy scriptures and burn incense in front of Buddha for my mother. I ask taitai to permit it.”
Xie shi said conversationally, “Er guniang is filial. Does laoye know of this matter?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “Gege already asked for father’s permission and father also gave his consent.”
Xie shi smiled, her expression indifferent, as if her face was paralysed. “Since laoye has already agreed, how does my opinion matter? Tell the housekeeper and the pozi if you need anything.”
Su shi, that short-lived ghost, was simply a lingering soul. She had been dead for over ten years but she was still being irritating.
Gu Jiu, this sickly person, had definitely mentioned Su shi in front of her deliberately.
Snort!
She wouldn’t let their wishes be fulfilled.
Anyway, Su shi was already dead and Gu Jiu would also marry Xie Xian.
In this fu, no one could challenge her prestige. Whoever dared to provoke her would have Su shi and Gu Jiu’s end.
Gu Jiu said, “Thank you, taitai. I have to return and copy scriptures, so I will take my leave.”
Xie shi said, “En. Er guniang, don’t exhaust yourself.”
“Thank you for your concern, taitai.”
Gu Jiu stood and left shang fang with her servants.
Xie shi’s expression collapsed, as she inwardly cursed, bitch!
The next second, she smiled.
Gu Jiu, this sick seedling, would die very quickly just like Su shi.