Gu Mei didn't sleep well that night.
When I woke up in the morning, there were red bloodshot eyes.
She was still thinking about what Gu Jiu said about the poisoning, and felt a little uneasy.
After breakfast, everyone went to Songhe Hall to pay their respects.
Old Madam Wei hasn't gotten up yet.
The maid said, "The old lady was worried about the eldest young lady, so she didn't go to bed until dawn. Girls, go back and don't wake the old lady."
Gu Mei asked, "Is the old lady in critical condition?"
"Reporting to the young lady, the old lady is in good health, but she is not in good spirits and needs to rest."
Gu Mei nodded and said, "When the old lady wakes up, remember to send someone to notify her."
"I know."
Gu Mei said to everyone, "Sisters, the old lady hasn't woken up yet, let's go to the school first."
"Listen to big sister."
The Marquis's Mansion set up a school and hired a female teacher to teach the girls in the mansion.
Gu Mei said to the girls in the Gu Mansion, "Originally, when you first returned to the capital, the old lady intended to have you sisters come to the academy to study.
Later, considering that it was almost the end of the year and there would be a lot of things to do, the old lady changed her mind and said that it would not be too late to let everyone go to school after the spring.
When Gu Jiu heard about reading, he was eager to do so.
She smiled and said, "Sister Mei, I can't wait to go to class with you. On weekdays in the mansion, I also read books and practice calligraphy every day.
It’s just that without the teacher’s guidance, I’ve been working on my own, and I don’t know whether my understanding of the sutras is correct or not.”
Gu Mei laughed, "I didn't expect Sister Xiaojiu to love reading so much. When Master Luo sees you later, he will definitely like you very much."
Gu Jiu raised his head and smiled, "What kind of person is Master Luo?"
Gu Mei thought for a moment before saying, "Master Luo is a serious person, but not rigid. She is a widow with no children. Her family was once wealthy, but later fell into decline. She is very knowledgeable. Once you meet Master Luo, you will know that what I said is true."
The study that everyone talks about is located in the courtyard, and a separate courtyard is set aside to serve as a school for the girls.
This is our school and also the study in our hearts.
In the classroom, tables, chairs, benches, pens, ink, paper and inkstone have been set up.
Everyone please take your seats.
Soon Mr. Luo arrived.
Gu Jiu looked at Mr. Luo curiously.
She looked to be about thirty-three or thirty-four, thin, with an unhealthy pale complexion and a mouth that drew down at the corners, giving it a serious look.
Master Luo looked at the girls in the Gu Mansion and said, "There are quite a lot of people here today. How about this? I'll check on the progress of the girls' lessons first. Why not start with Miss Zhen?"
Gu Zhen didn't expect to be called upon right after she sat down. She was a little nervous, "Master, I've only read a few books."
Mr. Luo said indifferently, "That's all right. Tell me what books you've read."
Gu Zhen listed several book titles.
Mr. Luo was very straightforward. He took a passage from a book and asked Gu Zhen to recite it.
Gu Zhen recited the poem haltingly and couldn't continue halfway through.
Mrs. Luo's expression was calm, as if she had anticipated this situation. She asked Gu Zhen to explain.
Gu Zhen hadn't read much in the past year, so how could she remember the contents of the book? Naturally, her answer was disappointing.
Master Luo hummed, "Don't be nervous, Miss Zhen. I have a basic understanding of your situation. Next is Miss Gu Jiu. What books have you read?"
Gu Jiu said softly, "I have read a few books, including the Book of Songs, the Book of History, the Book of Rites, the Spring and Autumn Annals, and the Book of Changes."
Mr. Luo's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but look Gu Jiu up and down.
"It's remarkable that you, a girl, can take the initiative to read these books. Do you like reading?"
Gu Jiu nodded, "I usually read for fun."
Master Luo nodded and asked, "Stone can be broken, but its hardness cannot be taken away. Cinnabar can be ground, but its redness cannot be taken away. What does this mean?"
Gu Jiu's clear voice echoed through the classroom, "Stone can be broken, but its hardness remains unchanged. Cinnabar can be ground, but its original color remains unchanged. By extension, it often describes a person with noble character who can withstand all setbacks and trials without losing their resolve."
Mr. Luo smiled with satisfaction, "You have a very good foundation."
Gu Yue secretly curled her lips. It was just reading a few more books, what was the big deal?
Next, Mr. Luo continued to examine the homework of Gu Yue, Gu Shan and others.
Gu Yue, Gu Lin and Gu Jun's grades are all average, but Gu Shan's grades are very good and she also loves reading.
After Mr. Luo inspected everyone's academic performance, he began teaching.
Gu Jiu and Gu Shan had a solid foundation, so they studied with the other girls in the Marquis' Mansion.
Gu Zhen and the others had a weak foundation, so Master Luo asked them to start from the basics. Only after they had a solid foundation could they learn more.
However, Gu Zhen and the others did not like reading.
As soon as I picked up the book, I felt a headache and felt uncomfortable all over.
Unfortunately, this is the school of the Marquis' Mansion, and they are not allowed to act recklessly.
Whether you like studying or not, you have to sit in class.
In contrast, Gu Jiu and Gu Shan enjoy studying.
I attended the class for an hour in one go.
Mr. Luo closed the book and said to everyone, "Everyone, take a break for a quarter of an hour. Then we will continue the class."
Mr. Luo left the classroom and went to the side room to rest.
Gu Zhen first groaned, then complained, "I'm almost exhausted. Sister Mei, do we have to study with you every day from now on?"
Gu Mei nodded, "Sister Zhen, don't you like to study?"
Gu Zhen felt a little guilty and didn't want to say directly that she didn't like reading.
She made an excuse and said, "I'm just not used to it yet."
Gu Mei smiled softly, "Don't worry, Sister Zhen, you'll get used to it after a while."
Gu Yue didn't like studying either. She looked at Gu Mei and said, "Sister Mei, the New Year is coming soon. We don't need to study with you this year."
Gu Mei smiled and said, "If Sister Yue likes it, you can actually read with us every day starting from today."
Gu Yue shook her head repeatedly, "Let's wait until next year."
Studying is like torture, so the later you can start, the better.
Gu Shan asked, "When we return home, can we come here to study every day?"
"Of course. Take the corner door and we'll be there in a moment."
Too.
The Gu Mansion and the Hou Mansion are separated by a wall.
When visiting the Marquis's Mansion, everyone enters through the main gate.
But if you come to study every day, you don't need to go through the main gate every day. You can go directly through the corner gate and arrive in no time.
Gu Mei looked at Gu Jiu and said, "Little Jiu will definitely like to study with us every day."
Gu Jiu nodded, "I am so happy to be able to study with you, Sister Mei."
"Why don't you let Sister Xiaojiu stay in the Marquis' Mansion for a few more days so that she can attend classes with us every day."
Gu Jiu was about to agree when Gu Yue said, "That's not a good idea. Second sister, we can't stay in the mansion for too long. It's almost the New Year, and there's a lot going on at the mansion. We also have to help our aunt with the housekeeping. We can study anytime, but the opportunity to learn how to manage the household isn't something we get every day."
Gu Mei smiled and said, "It's easy. Just postpone the class time. That way, you can learn housekeeping and management while still attending school."
Gu Yue secretly complained, how tiring that must be.
There was really no point in studying. She thought that as long as she could read, write and do accounting, that would be enough.
You're not a man and don't need to take the imperial examination, so why bother reading so many books?
I have to say that Gu Yue’s ideas are very unlike those of the Gu family, but more like those of the Xie family.
Mrs. Xie's wife, Ma, often said that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent.
Mrs. Xie was not so pedantic and still believed that it was better for girls to read more books.
However, Gu Yue didn't know who influenced her, but she thought that reading more was useless.
After the break, Mr. Luo continued his class.
Another hour of classes.
It took a total of two hours, and the day's classes ended here.
After waking up from a nap, Gu Jiu was stunned to see that Gu Mei was not in the room.
She got out of bed, washed up, and went to the side room, where she saw Gu Mei doing needlework.
"Sister Mei got up, but she didn't call me."
"I saw you were soundly asleep, so I didn't want to wake you up. Sister Xiaojiu, let's go visit my sister-in-law."
Gu Jiu nodded and agreed, "Okay! That's exactly what I was thinking."
The two of them went hand in hand to the courtyard where the eldest young lady's family lived.
After the maid informed them, the two were invited to the bedroom.
The eldest master Gu Rui is not here.
After resting for one night and one morning, the eldest lady Jia's condition improved a lot.
Although his face was still pale and bloodless, he looked in good spirits.
Unlike last night, when he looked exhausted after the pain.
"Sister-in-law, are you feeling better?"
Gu Mei looked at Jia worriedly.
Jia sat up from the bed and said, "I'm much better now. Thank you, sisters, for visiting me."
Gu Jiu sat down on the round stool beside the bed. "How do you feel now, sister-in-law? Are you still feeling uncomfortable?"
Jia shook her head slightly. "It was all thanks to Sister Xiaojiu last night. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid my child would have died. Don't worry, I've already told the maids not to tell anyone that Sister Xiaojiu knows medicine."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
Gu Mei was anxious, "Sister Xiaojiu, can you please take my sister-in-law's pulse again?"
Gu Jiu looked at Jia and asked for her consent.
Jia nodded slightly and took the initiative to extend her hand, "Excuse me, Sister Xiaojiu."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "It's not a problem."
She stretched out her hand, placed her fingers on Jia's wrist, and had a serious expression on her face.
Gu Mei clutched her handkerchief, feeling nervous and at a loss. She was very worried about Jia's health.
She knew how much the whole family valued the baby in Jia's belly, but Jia's physical condition made them really worried.
If the child cannot be born safely, not only the parents will be disappointed, but the eldest brother will also be very sad.
My sister-in-law would probably feel disgusted and tortured by herself.
All in all, everything is fine as long as the child is born, whether it is a boy or a girl.
If the child hadn't been born, the whole palace would have been filled with gloom and sorrow. Who knows how many people would have gossiped and fabricated lies.
After Gu Jiu finished taking the patient's pulse, his expression was calm, and it was hard to tell whether he was feeling good or bad.
Gu Mei asked nervously, "Sister Xiaojiu, how is my sister-in-law doing?"
Gu Jiu considered it and didn't rush to speak.
The eldest young lady Jia seemed to have guessed something and said, "Little Sister Jiu, just tell me what you want. I can handle any situation."
Gu Jiu sorted out his thoughts before saying, "I'd like to hear what Doctor Hu and the eldest cousin's wife have to say first."
Jia was silent for a moment before she said, "Doctor Hu didn't tell me much. He just told me to rest and take care of the baby. But I feel empty and insecure inside."
Gu Jiu asked again, "Is Doctor Hu's female disciple named Jin Ju still here?"
"She stayed up all night, so I let her go to the side room to rest. Sister Xiaojiu, feel free to tell me what you think. I'm not afraid."
Gu Jiu smiled bitterly. Jia was not afraid, but she was.
If she opened her mouth and Jia got excited and nervous, causing the child to miscarry, she would become the culprit.
After much deliberation, Gu Jiu imitated Doctor Hu and said vaguely, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. The situation is not as serious as you think. Just listen to Doctor Hu and rest assured. Doctor Hu is an expert in gynecology, and his diagnosis will be correct."
Jia was a little worried and asked, "Really? Sister Xiaojiu, I always feel uneasy in my heart. Can you tell me the truth?"
Gu Jiu smiled softly, "I am telling the truth. Sister-in-law, your problem is mainly due to overthinking, which is not good for the fetus.
"Have you ever heard that a fetus can actually sense its mother's emotions while in the womb? If the mother is happy, the child will also be happy and grow stronger. If the mother is depressed, the child will also feel uneasy."
Jia was stunned for a moment, "Really? Then wouldn't I have harmed the child?"
"It's not too late to correct it now. The eldest sister-in-law can ask the maids to read some poetry and songs to give the fetus an enlightenment education."
"Can I start education while I'm still in the womb?"
Gu Jiu laughed, "There's no harm in giving it a try. Read more beautiful and uplifting poems. In short, my dear sister-in-law, please listen to Doctor Hu, relax, and take good care of the baby."
Seeing that Gu Jiu didn't seem to be faking it, Jia Shi heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, little sister Jiu."
"You're welcome."
After sitting for a while longer, seeing that Jia was a little tired, Gu Jiu and the others stood up and said goodbye.
After walking out of the courtyard and into the garden, Gu Mei asked, "Sister Xiaojiu, is my sister-in-law really okay?"
Gu Jiu opened his mouth and gave a wry smile.
What can she say?
Could she tell Gu Mei that Jia might have placenta previa and a high probability of premature birth?
Could it be said that because Jia had inflammation when she was pregnant and her body was not well taken care of, this baby should not have been kept?
Gu Jiu couldn't say anything.
How could she casually say what Doctor Hu hadn't said?
Gu Mei was anxious, "Sister Xiaojiu, just tell me what you want to say. Don't worry, I won't tell my sister-in-law."
Gu Jiu said implicitly: "The eldest cousin's wife's condition is indeed not very good, but with Doctor Hu's medical skills, it shouldn't be a big problem."
"Really?" Gu Mei was still worried.
Gu Jiu said, "Sister Mei, you should trust Doctor Hu. I don't really understand gynecology, so my judgment can't be relied upon. Ultimately, Doctor Hu is the professional, so what he says must be correct."
Gu Mei still frowned, unable to calm down.
She tried to ask, "So, sister-in-law can give birth safely this time?"
Gu Jiu nodded and smiled, "If you take good care of it, it will be fine."
Gu Mei breathed a sigh of relief. "It would be best if the baby could be born safely. Sister Xiaojiu, I won't hide it from you. Big brother and big sister have been married for two years, and everyone in the mansion is looking forward to the birth of this child. If anything were to happen, I wouldn't dare to think about the consequences."
Gu Jiu understood.
As the eldest grandson's wife, Jia was a clan member, and not only did she have to shoulder the heavy burden of carrying on the family line, she also had to shoulder the responsibilities of a clan member. The pressure was immense.
However, due to health reasons, she was unable to fulfill the responsibilities of a clan wife. During festivals, greeting clan members, and welcoming and seeing off guests were always done by the eldest lady. She could not help at all.
As for continuing the family line, looking at her current situation, Gu Jiu could only sigh.
From this we can see that when a wealthy family chooses their eldest daughter-in-law, the girl's family background and physical fitness are both important.
Without a good body, I cannot bear the heavy burden of being the eldest daughter-in-law.
Logically speaking, the Marquis' Mansion should also choose a suitable marriage for Gu Rui. It doesn't matter if the woman comes from a high-class family, but at least she should be healthy.
But judging by Jia's condition, her poor health wasn't a one- or two-day thing. She must have been taking medicine year-round to maintain her health even when she was at her mother's house.
Gu Jiu couldn't understand why the Marquis's Mansion would agree to let Gu Rui marry Jia.
The Marquis' Mansion couldn't possibly be unaware of how much trouble the eldest grandson's wife's health condition would bring.
Gu Jiu tried to hint at it indirectly.
Gu Mei told her, "Big brother and sister-in-law were childhood sweethearts. Big brother loved her very much and insisted on marrying her. The whole family couldn't persuade him, so they had to go along with his wishes. But Big brother also paid a price. Because of the marriage, Big brother agreed to our grandfather's arrangement to join the army for training. Originally, Big brother wanted to take the imperial examination."
I see!
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
Gongzi Zhao: Author, it's already 400,000 words, and I haven't even held Xiaojiu's hand. You can do whatever you want.
Author: Why hold hands? I will just let you spend your wedding night with Xiaojiu.
Gongzi Zhao: You said it yourself. If you can't do it, hehe...
Author: ...
Oh, can I take back what I said?
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