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Gu Jiu stood up, ready to leave.
“Wait!”
Doctor Xu clenched his teeth. “I will buy the prescription.”
Gu Jiu turned to look at him. “I’m sorry, the price of the prescription has now increased.”
“You
”
Doctor Xu was so angry that his stomach ached.
Gu Jiu asked him, “Do you still want to buy the prescription? Two thousand taels, no bargaining.”
“You, I
”
Gu Jiu reminded kindly, “If you don’t want to buy it, I will leave.”
“Slow down! I will buy it!”
Doctor Xu’s heart was dripping with blood as he looked at Gu Jiu with hate and resentment.
Gu Jiu took out the prescription but didn’t give it to Doctor Xu right away.
She said, “Doctor Xu needn’t look at me like that. It’s extremely cost-effective to spend two thousand taels to buy your life. Does Doctor Xu feel that your life isn’t worth two thousand taels?”
Doctor Xu swallowed the blood that had welled in his throat and said, “Has anyone in the provincial governor’s fu seen Gu xiaojie scheme so adeptly? If Gu furen knew of this matter, I wonder what she would think.”
Gu Jiu smiled, looking at him with eyes filled with profound meaning. “I’ve heard that Doctor Xu and my family’s taitai have a good relationship. Will Doctor Xu tell taitai of today’s matter? Complaining to taitai, will you seek death?”
Doctor Xu pressed down the sudden dread in his heart, lowering his head and saying, “I still want to live for many more years. Gu xiaojie, rest assured, the moment I step out of this room, I will pretend this incident didn’t happen.”
Gu Jiu nodded, smiling. “That’s good.”
Accepting the two thousand taels, Gu Jiu bid goodbye to Doctor Xu.
“Doctor Xu doesn’t need to see me off personally.”
Doctor Xu stood at the door and watched Gu Jiu’s back disappear behind the curtain with complex emotions.
They had all underestimated Gu Jiu. Everyone would pay the price for underestimating her.
He only paid two thousand taels. If he thought about it carefully, this price was already cheap.
Thinking so, Doctor Xu smiled, feeling relieved.
No matter what, he really shouldn’t participate in the private disputes within noble families.
Outside the medicine shop, inside the bullock cart.
Seeing Gu Jiu coming out safe and sound, Qing Mei immediately relaxed, letting out her breath.
“Nubi was nearly scared to death.”
Gu Jiu laughed, saying, “I had already told you that nothing would happen. You are worrying unnecessarily.”
“Since guniang is so fearless, how can nubi not worry? Let’s return to the fu quickly.”
Gu Jiu nodded.
Li Chuan lashed his whip and the bullock cart slowly headed towards the provincial governor’s fu.
Gu Ting and Su Zheng sat inside the cart and both were very excited.
“Meimei, you’re truly formidable.”
Gu Jiu smiled, saying, “It’s nothing. Doctor Xu had a guilty conscience. He wanted to cover up his wrongdoing, so he had to cough up money to keep himself safe.”
Su Zheng’s gaze towards Gu Jiu was profound.
He knew that Xiao Jiu biaomei was witty and intelligent, wouldn’t panic when encountering difficulties, and had the bearing of a member of an prestigious family. But he had still underestimated Xiao Jiu biaomei. He didn’t expect her to have such schemes and strategies.
When Xiao Jiu biaomei proposed that he pretend to be her manservant, he had been very anxious that her plan might fail. Anxious that she would be controlled and led by the nose by Doctor Xu by virtue of her young age.
Unexpectedly, from the beginning till the end, Doctor Xu was controlled by Xiao Jiu biaomei until he was unable to breathe, running along the rhythm determined by her.
This severe and effective method was really exceptional.
Su Zheng sighed ruefully. “Biaomei is truly extraordinary. I am ashamed of being inferior. I need to learn from Xiao Jiu biaomei.”
“Su biaoge, don’t exaggerate. I feel embarrassed.”
Gu Ting laughed. “She is my sister. Of course she is extraordinary.”
That tone, that style of speaking was so unbearably smug.
Gu Jiu said, “I have to trouble Su biaoge for the following matters. Here is five hundred taels. Su biaoge must accept it.”
Su Zheng waved his hand, refusing. “It’s too much. Twenty taels is more than sufficient.”
Gu Jiu pursed her lips and smiled, warmth appearing in her eyes. “How can twenty taels be enough? Su biaoge, you still have to go to the capital to study. Renting a place to live, having meals, socialising and learning from famed teachers all cost money. I still feel that five hundred taels is too less. You will use it up in no time.”
Su Zheng immediately said, “How can I take Xiao Jiu biaomei’s money? That’s out of the question.”
Gu Jiu laughed. “Su biaoge, don’t hurry to refuse. Within these five hundred taels, two hundred taels is a form of our gratitude for your timely help. The other three hundred taels is what my brother and I will lend you. In the future, when biaoge earns fame and money, you can return the principal along with the interest all at once.”
“Helping you is a matter of course. How can I ask for a reward for that? That won’t do.”
Su Zheng still refused to accept the money.
Gu Ting was vexed. “Su biaoge, why are you so pedantic? We are cousins. Why are you being so polite?”
“It’s precisely because we are cousins that I cannot accept this money.”
Gu Ting was irritated. “You
”
Gu Jiu stopped Gu Ting. Facing Su Zheng, she said, “My brother and I are aware that Su biaoge is upright with good character. It’s just that, travelling far away from home, biaoge doesn’t have money on you. If we get ridiculed because of this, how can we endure it? Does Su biaoge disdain this money which has come through improper means or would you rather borrow money from strangers rather than us?”
“I absolutely don’t have any such intentions.”
Gu Jiu said, “Since that’s the case, Su biaoge might as well simply accept these five hundred taels. We are cousins and we should help each other out. In the future, my brother and I will depend on you for many matters. Unless Su biaoge doesn’t want to be involved with us anymore, you shouldn’t refuse this money.”
Su Zheng forced a smile. “Xiao Jiu biaomei is truly difficult to deal with. Your words mean that if I don’t accept this money, it would be as if I were committing a heinous crime.”
Gu Jiu blinked, smiling mischievously. “Su biaoge, quickly accept it.”
Su Zheng nodded, receiving the five hundred taels of silver. “Once we return, I will write an IOU for Xiao Jiu biaomei.”
Gu Jiu said, “There’s no hurry. Su biaoge will have to work hard in the next few days to deal with Xie Xian.”
Su Zheng smiled. “It’s no trouble. Since Xie Xian lives next door, interacting with him often will be convenient.”
“I will entrust Su biaoge with everything.”
“Biaomei is too polite.”
Gu Jiu still had 1500 taels left in her hands. Compared to her previous poverty-stricken predicament, this was considered to be a huge sum of money which could take care of a lot of matters.
How could she use these 1500 taels?
Opening a shop to do business?
But Gu Jiu had a concern. For how long would her father be the provincial governor of Jinzhou?
If her father was transferred to another place in another six months to one year, it would be really troublesome to deal with the shop at that time.
Moreover, she didn’t have many trustworthy people by her side who could help her manage the shop. She also needed to hide this from everyone in the fu.
Considering all this, she could only temporarily give up the idea.
The bullock cart stopped at the back door of the provincial governor’s fu.
Gu Jiu had already changed into a maid’s attire.
Bidding her brother and Su biaoge farewell, she followed Qing Mei who led the way into the fu quietly from the back door.
They chose remote and deserted corridors and alleys on purpose to avoid bumping into people.
While passing through the bamboo forest, they suddenly heard someone saying, “Why did biaoge call me here? If someone sees us together, they might gossip.”
“I haven’t seen biaomei for so many days. I have been thinking about you all this time. I couldn’t endure anymore, so I request biaomei to please forgive me.”
These voices was clearly Gu Yue and Xie Xian’s.
Gu Jiu raised her finger to her lips. “Shh!”
volume is 80%volume is gedempt
Qing Mei hurriedly covered her mouth, looking frightened.
How could san guniang meet Xie gongzi in such a remote place?
Were they perhaps doing something shameful?