CH 31

Allergy

Translated by atsam

Edited by atsam

The weather was stifling hot and it seemed like it was going to rain. Ever since summer arrived, it hadn’t rained yet. The air was also very dry.

Gu Jiu rubbed her dry cheek. Qing Mei held a bowl of freshly boiled medicinal soup for nursing her body and entered the east room. “Guniang must drink the medicine.”

Gu Jiu was sitting on the couch, holding a book and seeming very absorbed.

She knocked on the tabletop. “Put it on the table.”

Qing Mei placed the bowl on the table, then picked up a circular fan to fan Gu Jiu.

“It may rain today and the roads will become muddy and hard to ride on. Guniang, do you still plan to go to Tianmen Temple tomorrow?”

Gu Jiu nodded, her eyes not moving away from the book. “It doesn’t rain much in Jinzhou and the rain this time will not last long. We will leave for Tianmen Temple at dawn as planned.”

“Nubi understood. I will go pack for the journey at once.”

“Remember to take all the books.”

Qing Mei put the circular fan down and laughed. “Guniang is growing increasingly fond of reading books.”

Gu Jiu smiled lightly. “To read books is to understand reason and sense. The book in my hand is an anecdotal history from laoye’s study. It has taught me many things.”

Qing Mei said, “Nubi doesn’t understand all this. But guniang’s reading posture is very good-looking.”

Gu Jiu looked at her. “You have also learned how to flatter.”

“Nubi isn’t flattering but speaking sincerely.”

Gu Jiu laughed, saying, “Take those pastries on the table and share it with Qing Zhu as reward for your sweet mouth, if you don’t dislike it.”

“Guniang must be joking. There isn’t enough time for nubi and Qing Zhu to like them. How can we dislike them? I don’t know how many little maidservants in the fu envy us. While serving guniang, we can eat dishes of the highest quality often. There is no such treatment anywhere else.”

Gu Jiu said, “It’s good that you don’t dislike it.”

Waiting for the soup to cool down, Gu Jiu drank it sip by sip.

Qing Zhu stood at the door. “Reporting to guniang, Yanzi is requesting to see you. She says that she has an important matter to report.”

Did Jiang Yan coming to see her mean that Xiao Hong’s matter was done?

Gu Jiu put down the medicinal bowl and said, “Call Yanzi in.”

“Yes!”

A moment later, Jiang Yan entered following Qing Zhu.

“Nubi pays respects to guniang.”

Gu Jiu sized Jiang Yan up. Within just a few days, she had become much calmer.

Gu Jiu inwardly approved. “You said you have something important to report. What is it?”

Jiang Yan cautiously said, “Replying to guniang, Xiao Hong jiejie fell ill, developing red rashes all over he face. It looks very frightening. Nubi was anxious, worried that Xiao Hong jiejie’s illness is contagious, so I ask for guniang’s instructions on this matter. Should Xiao Hong jiejie be moved out of the fu?”

“Since you suspect that the illness is contagious, why have you still come to see guniang? Just do as you told us.”

Qing Zhu was anxious hearing that Xiao Hong had rashes on her face. If her illness infected guniang, what was to be done? Guniang was already very weak. If she were infected, the consequences were unthinkable.

Gu Jiu hurriedly said, “The matter of Xiao Hong’s red rashes cannot be ignored. Qing Zhu, you personally go and take a look. If the situation is serious, inform the pozi taking care of the matters regarding personnel and let them take Xiao Hong out of the fu.”

“Nubi will go at once.”

Qing Zhu hurriedly walked out.

Qing Mei asked in a low voice, “Guniang, is Xiao Hong’s illness serious?”

Gu Jiu laughed. She looked at Jiang Yan. She didn’t know how this girl came up with such a method, letting Xiao Hong develop rashes.

She asked Jiang Yan, “Is Xiao Hong’s illness serious?”

Jiang Yan furtively looked at Qing Mei, not speaking.

Gu Jiu said, “Don’t worry about Qing Mei. She is very clear about this matter.”

Jiang Yan exhaled, relaxing. It seemed that Qing Mei jiejie was capable enough to be the most useful person serving the guniang.

“Replying to guniang, Xiao Hong is simply allergic.”

Yi?

Gu Jiu was surprised.

She turned to look at Qing Mei. “Qing Mei, do you know about Xiao Hong’s allergy?”

“Nubi hasn’t heard of Xiao Hong having any allergies.”

Qing Mei was acquainted with Xiao Hong for a few years, but she didn’t know that Xiao Hong had an allergy.

Jiang Yan and Xiao Hong had interacted for only half a month and she already knew what Xiao Hong was allergic to; and she could also use this to her advantage.

Fearsome!

Gu Jiu nodded inwardly. Sure enough, she didn’t misread Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan, this girl, was by no means a beauty without brains. She was only disadvantaged in that she was illiterate. Once she became literate, she would become much more difficult to deal with.

Gu Jiu asked curiously, “What is Xiao Hong allergic to?”

Jiang Yan whispered in reply, “Xiao Hong jiejie is allergic to peanuts.”

So that was it.

Gu Jiu looked at her. “How did you know that Xiao Hong was allergic to peanuts?”

Jiang Yan thought for a while, then cautiously said, “These past few days, nubi ate and lived with Xiao Hong jiejie. While eating, I saw her pick out peanuts several times. When nubi asked her, she merely said that she didn’t like eating peanuts. But nubi found her words strange, and found an opportunity to test her. As expected, she was allergic to peanuts.”

“Then you took advantage of her allergy to make her fall ill?”

Jiang Yan nodded. “Yes. Nubi ground peanut into powder and mixed them in the flour used to prepare pastries. Xiao Hong jiejie is gluttonous and so, ate several pieces of them. Immediately, she had an allergic reaction.”

Gu Jiu asked, “Is there any threat to her life?”

Jiang Yan hastily said, “Guniang, rest assured, nubi controlled the amount. There is no threat to Xiao Hong jiejie’s life. But the rashes on her face will take ten days to a fortnight to disappear.”

Gu Jiu nodded.

From outside, she could hear some commotion.

Gu Jiu ordered, “Qing Mei, go and take a look.”

“Yes!”

Qing Mei went out for a while and quickly returned.

“Reporting to guniang, the pozi in charge has come. She had ordered someone to move Xiao Hong out but Xiao Hong grabbed onto her bed frame and wouldn’t let go. The pozi scolded her and several pozi together lifted Xiao Hong and took her out.”

Gu Jiu stood up, walking to the window and looking outside.

The maidservants all rushed out of the room, nervous and helpless, as they watched Xiao Hong being carried out by the pozi.

Everyone was whispering, feeling uneasy and worried about whether the disease was contagious.

Gu Jiu told Qing Mei, “Remember to appease everyone’s emotions. Just because Xiao Hong fell ill doesn’t mean they can ignore their duties. Also, promote a young girl to take over Xiao Hong’s role.”

Qing Mei obeyed. “Nubi will arrange the matters at once.”

Gu Jiu said again, “When Xiao Hong recovers, there is no need to for her to come back. If she tries to find you, do you know how to answer her?”

Qing Mei nodded. “Nubi knows.”

Gu Jiu was relieved, nodding, and she waved her hand letting Qing Mei get back to her work.

Jiang Yan was a little uneasy.

Gu Jiu sat back down on the couch and looked at her calmly. “I heard that you are from the same village as Guo Taohua, that maid from Shang Fang?”

Jiang Yan was taken aback, but nodded honestly. “Nubi and Taohua are from neighbouring villages which are separated only by a river.”

Gu Jiu said casually, “Since you are from the same town, if there is a chance, you should interact more with each other.”

Jiang Yan immediately understood. She bowed, saying, “Nubi understood. Nubi will have more contact with Taohua.”

Gu Jiu nodded, satisfied. “Tomorrow at dawn, I will leave for Tianmen Temple to burn incense for my deceased mother. You will stay in the fu and visit Xiao Hong when you have the time. Tell her to recuperate carefully and not worry about her errands. Did you understand?”

“Nubi understands.”

Gu Jiu pulled out a thin book from a stack of books. “Take this enlightenment book back with you first. When you have time, copy the characters in it. After I return from Tianmen Temple, I will teach you how to read.”

Jiang Yan was overjoyed. “Thank you, guniang. Nubi will definitely complete all the tasks well and will live up to guniang’s trust.”