After being busy all day, Gu Jiu's hands and feet were shaking and he was exhausted.
After having dinner at the Marquis's mansion, he settled the wages of the cook and the servants and told them to come to the mansion early the next morning.
Afterwards, Gu Jiu, Gu Zhen and Gu Shan went through the corner gate and the alley and returned to the Gu Mansion.
The Gu Mansion was in perfect order, and it looked much more pleasing to the eye.
Lying on the soft couch in Zhilan Courtyard, Gu Jiu let out a sigh of satisfaction.
Qingmei brought some boiling water, added a medicine bag, and soaked Gu Jiu's feet.
"Young lady, you didn't even have time to rest for two days after returning from the palace, and you rushed to the Marquis's residence to help without stopping. You are so tired. I can't bear to see you. Otherwise, young lady won't go to the Marquis's residence to help."
Gu Jiu enjoyed soaking his feet, feeling that all the bones and muscles in his body were relaxed from the soles of his feet to the hair.
It feels so comfortable.
After taking a bath like this, you will definitely sleep soundly tonight.
She said to Qingmei, "Thankfully, we've sorted out everything today, so tomorrow we can relax a bit. The funeral for my eldest cousin's wife will take seven days, but we'll be fine after these few days."
"The girl has worked so hard." Qingmei felt very distressed.
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Don't just think it's hard work. This is also an opportunity to gain experience and learn knowledge. When we go to the palace in the future, we will inevitably encounter various situations. It won't hurt to practice more now."
Qingmei said: "Young lady, you are really thinking long-term, but it is too hard."
“If it’s not hard now, it will only get harder in the future.”
Gu Jiu is very open-minded.
Qingzhu came in with a cup of health tea. After hearing what Gu Jiu said, she said, "Young lady is indeed insightful. Unlike the third young lady, who is afraid of hardship and refuses to help in the Marquis' Mansion. Sooner or later, she will regret it."
Speaking of which, Gu Jiu was also surprised.
She originally thought that Gu Yue would go to the Marquis' Mansion to help no matter what, but she didn't expect that when they met in the morning, Gu Yue actually said he couldn't go.
Qingmei's maids all believed that Gu Yue was afraid of hardship, so she refused to go to the Marquis' Mansion.
Gu Jiu nodded, this might be the reason.
Xiao Cui came in from outside, "Miss, Aunt Bai is here again. I tried to drive her away, but she refused to leave. She insisted on seeing you. She even said that if you don't let her see her, she won't leave tonight."
Gu Jiu frowned.
Aunt Bai was standing outside the gate of Zhilan Courtyard with a big belly. What a shame.
She thought for a moment and said, "Please invite Aunt Bai in." She wanted to see what Aunt Bai wanted to talk to her about.
Aunt Bai was invited in.
When Gu Jiu saw it, he was surprised to see how good the food was.
It hasn't been long since we last met, but I feel like you've gained weight again.
The hands and feet are also swollen, but the skin color is good, white and tender.
"Aunt Bai, please take a seat."
You can't let a pregnant woman talk while standing.
Aunt Bai's belly is very big. Although her due date is more than a month away, she looks like she is about to give birth.
Aunt Bai held her waist and sat down on the chair.
The chair was padded with thick cushions and was very comfortable to sit on. Aunt Bai breathed a sigh of relief, "Second Miss, this is a comfortable place."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Auntie, you really know how to tell jokes. How can Zhilan Courtyard compare to your Acacia Courtyard?"
Aunt Bai said, "I'm not kidding. When I say Second Miss, this place is comfortable, it's not just because the furnishings look friendly. The main reason is because you, master and servant, feel so close just by looking at it, which makes people feel comfortable."
"Auntie is really good at talking." Gu Jiu smiled implicitly.
"Auntie came to see me, is there something wrong?"
Gu Jiu asked straight to the point.
Aunt Bai held her waist, her eyes shining as she asked, "Second Miss, what do you think of my belly?"
Gu Jiu was stunned for a moment. What kind of a weird question was this?
She replied solemnly, "Very good."
Aunt Bai shook her head, "Not at all."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows, waiting for the other party to reveal the answer.
Aunt Bai sighed softly, stroking her belly with one hand, and said, "Ever since I became pregnant with this child, I haven't left the main gate or the secondary gate. I won't leave the courtyard unless it's absolutely necessary. But even so, I can't guarantee that this child will be born safely."
Gu Jiu said, "Aunt, you are too kind. As long as you are a good person, the child will be born safely."
Aunt Bai looked at Gu Jiu with a complicated expression, "Second Miss, do you really think my child can be born safely?"
Gu Jiu said nothing.
"Or is it that the Second Miss said this just to comfort me?"
Gu Jiu frowned slightly. "What exactly does Auntie want to say? Logically speaking, if Auntie has any ideas or worries, she should go to talk to Master. Master is the head of the family. He will definitely be able to solve your problems for you."
Aunt Bai shook her head. "Why does the Second Miss have to say such things to perfunctorily deal with me? The Master is so busy right now, how can I bother him with these matters? Wouldn't it seem immature?"
Besides, women can’t tell men about their thoughts and speculations; they don’t understand. Instead, they blame me for having wild thoughts and causing trouble for no reason.”
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and said, "To be honest, Auntie, I've been very busy lately."
"I know. It's because the second lady is busy that I came to visit you."
Having said that, Gu Jiu guessed a little about Aunt Bai's purpose, but did not say it out loud.
As expected, Aunt Bai didn't let Gu Jiu speak and revealed her intention herself.
"As soon as I heard that the Second Miss would temporarily take over as the First Madam's housekeeper, I hurried over here. I only wanted to ask the Second Miss a favor."
Gu Jiu remained calm and asked, "What's the matter?"
Aunt Bai looked helpless and frightened, and gently stroked her belly with both hands. "I'd like to trouble Second Miss to help me find two trustworthy midwives in the city."
Gu Jiu stared at her belly and said, "If I remember correctly, your baby won't be born until next month."
Aunt Bai nodded slightly, "I just want to make preparations first. I can't go out by myself, and I don't have a capable maid who can go out and find a midwife for me.
When my wife is around, I don't dare go out casually, for fear that she will misunderstand me.
Fortunately, the Second Young Lady is now acting as the housekeeper. I would like to ask the Second Young Lady to take the trouble to send someone to invite two midwives to the house for me. I will meet them in person and at least feel at ease."
Gu Jiu looked at Aunt Bai with a half-smile, "Aunt, you should understand that if your words were to get out, it would inevitably lead to speculation about whether you were alluding to someone."
Aunt Bai lowered her head slightly and said, "I have absolutely no intention of implying anything against anyone. I just want to be at peace with myself."
Gu Jiu sneered, "Madam will take care of the midwife's affairs. What are you worried about, Aunt? If you really are worried, you should go to the master instead of a junior like me."
Aunt Bai had a miserable expression on her face. "Please be kind, Second Miss. I just want you to ask someone to invite the two midwives to come and meet me. I dare not trouble Second Miss with anything else."
Aunt Bai lowered her posture to the lowest level, almost kneeling on the ground and begging Gu Jiu for help.
Gu Jiu remained silent.
Aunt Bai's face was filled with despair, tears streaming down her face, "I'm not afraid of anything, but I'm afraid that my child won't have the chance to open his eyes and see the world.
When I heard that the eldest lady of the neighboring marquisate had lost her child and herself, I was extremely scared.
I'm afraid that I will follow in the footsteps of the eldest lady of the Marquis's Mansion and end up with two corpses.
It doesn't matter if I die, but the child is innocent. And Lin'er is still so young, what will happen to her if she doesn't have me?"
Gu Jiu said with a stern face, "Please be careful with your words, Aunt Bai. The death of the eldest young lady of the neighboring Marquis's Mansion was an accident."
Aunt Bai nodded repeatedly, "Second Miss, you misunderstood. I didn't suspect anything strange about the eldest young lady's death. I know that the eldest young lady didn't want to live because she lost her child and was completely desperate.
These days I have been thinking that if this child cannot be born safely, I am afraid I will not survive either. I beg the second lady to have pity on this unborn child, after all, the child is innocent.
As soon as she finished speaking, Aunt Bai burst into tears.
Gu Jiu frowned slightly, his eyes filled with disdain and irritation, "Alright, stop crying. Tomorrow I'll have someone invite the midwives to your house so you can meet them. But you should know that when you give birth, the midwives Madam sends for may not be those two. Giving birth is a journey through the gates of hell, and any accident could happen."
Aunt Bai was overjoyed. Wiping her tears, she hurriedly said, "Thank you very much, Second Miss. You are the lifesaver of me and my child. Second Miss, just invite the midwife. I will take care of the rest. I dare not trouble you to interfere."
Gu Jiu stared at Aunt Bai for a while and said, "It's good that you know the seriousness of the matter. It's getting late. You should go back and rest."
"Thank you, second lady, thank you!"
Aunt Bai smiled happily and stood up to leave Zhilan Courtyard.
Gu Jiu asked Xiao Cui to send her off, as he was worried that Aunt Bai might have an accident on the slippery road due to darkness.
Xiao Cui obeyed the order and sent Aunt Bai out.
Gu Jiu slumped on the couch with a frown on his face.
Qingmei said, "I understand the decision you made. After all, it's a life. Seeing Aunt Bai crying so miserably, I can't just ignore it. Anyway, we're just asking two midwives to come to our house, so we don't have to worry about anything else."
Gu Jiu laughed at himself, "Do you think Madam will really take action when Aunt Bai gives birth? Madam has two sons and two daughters, no one can steal her limelight, so it stands to reason that she shouldn't tolerate a bastard."
Qingzhu said, "It's hard to say. Madam has always been very wary of Aunt Bai, but she still managed to get her pregnant.
The key point is that the time when Aunt Bai was pregnant was exactly when the wife was punished and neglected by the master. How could the wife not bear a grudge?
Moreover, it was Madam who got pregnant first, but unfortunately, Madam lost the child, while Aunt Bai was lucky enough to escape the disaster. Madam must have been remembering those things all along."
Gu Jiu laughed sarcastically, "Mrs. Bai is smart enough to come to me. I'm curious, once she sees the midwife, what will she do to ensure the child's safe birth? She can't take the risk of inducing labor early."
Qingmei said, "There's still more than a month until the due date. Aunt Bai wouldn't be so foolish as to push for an early birth just to avoid Madam. If things go wrong, it could end in one death and two lives. What a disaster that would be."
Gu Jiu frowned slightly. Aunt Bai was a very clever woman. She might even dare to take a risk and induce labor early.
In this case, if she called a midwife for Aunt Bai, wouldn't she be an accomplice?
It would be fine if no one was killed.
If someone dies, she will also be held responsible.
Gu Jiu gritted his teeth. He had to be on guard against Aunt Bai, otherwise he would fall into her trap if he was not careful.
If Aunt Bai just met the two midwives, it would be better for everyone.
If Aunt Bai had other intentions, someone must stop her.
Gu Jiu said, "Qingzhu, you and Xiao Cui will stay in the mansion tomorrow and keep an eye on Aunt Bai for me.
If she dares to induce labor early, don't worry, send the midwife out of the house immediately.
If she dares to stop me, I will leave Li Chuan to you. Then let Li Chuan take people to deal with everyone in Xiangsiyuan.
If you can't handle it, then just inform the Third Young Lady and let her teach Aunt Bai a lesson."
With Gu Yue's fighting ability, he could skin Aunt Bai alive if he faced her.
Qingzhu obeyed the order.
Qingmei was worried, "Miss, what do you mean, does Aunt Bai really have the guts to induce labor early?"
Gu Jiu pursed his lips and said, "We have to be on guard against this. It's always better to be prepared. We can't let her take advantage of us."
Qingmei nodded, "How about I stay too?"
Gu Jiu shook his head. "You should come with me to the Marquis' Mansion tomorrow. There's a lot going on there, and I can't leave you alone. Wang Yi should also come with me. She can intimidate those people in the kitchen. With Li Chuan helping Qingzhu and Xiaocui, everything should be fine."
Qingzhu said hurriedly, "Don't worry, young lady. I will keep a close eye on Aunt Bai and will not let her take any medicine."
Gu Jiu nodded, "That's great."
That night, Gu Jiu didn't sleep well. Fortunately, it was only a short period of insomnia, and he finally slept soundly.
When I wake up in the morning, all my fatigue is gone.
After breakfast, Gu Jiu went to the meeting hall to take care of internal affairs.
She arranged for someone to go out and find a midwife.
There hadn't been a child born in the Gu family for several years, and the midwife they used to know was no longer able to do the job.
Fortunately, there was a familiar midwife in the Marquis' Mansion. Gu Jiu used his connections in the Marquis' Mansion to invite two midwives for Aunt Bai.
When the midwife arrived at the Gu Mansion, Gu Jiu had already set off for the Marquis' Mansion.
Thanks to yesterday’s efforts, Gu Jiu felt much more relaxed today.
The kitchen and pantry were in perfect order, so she didn't need to worry too much.
She then had time to visit Gu Rui with Gu Zhen and Gu Shan.
Gu Rui slept for a day and a night and still hasn't woken up.
Gu Mei was a little worried and whispered, "Sister Xiaojiu, can you check for Big Brother? Is it okay for him to sleep like this?"
"What did the imperial physician say?"
"The imperial physician said it was normal. He said that Big Brother was exhausted and physically tired. He is recovering now, so we don't need to worry."
Gu Jiu nodded, walked into the bedroom, and took Gu Rui's pulse with a handkerchief.
The imperial physician's diagnosis was basically correct. Gu Rui was physically and mentally exhausted and really needed a deep sleep to allow his exhausted body to recover.
After Gu Jiu finished taking Gu Mei's pulse, he whispered to her, "Don't worry, Sister Mei, my cousin is fine. He's just too tired and needs to rest."
Gu Mei let out a long sigh, "Thank you, Sister Xiaojiu. I feel relieved with your words."
Gu Jiu laughed when he heard this. "Sister Mei didn't believe what the imperial physician said, but she believed me. My medical skills are not as good as the imperial physician's."
Gu Mei waved her hand and said, "In my eyes, Sister Xiaojiu is three points better than the imperial physician. You just lack experience. Others are better than the imperial physician."
"Thank you, Sister Mei, for trusting me so much. I'm so grateful."
"I should be the one to express my gratitude. Thanks to Xiaojiu's help, my sister-in-law's funeral was able to go smoothly."
Gu Jiu asked, "The Jia family didn't come to make trouble today, did they?"
Gu Mei shook her head. "Yesterday, my eldest brother made a rare and harsh statement. The Jia family won't come again before the funeral. Actually, the Jia family didn't really want my eldest brother to be buried with me. Mother said they were trying to take advantage of the situation to blackmail our mansion."
"Blackmail? How do you mean that?" Gu Jiu was curious.
Gu Mei pondered for a moment and said briefly, "The Jia family has had a difficult time in the past two years and has lost a large amount of money.
Because of my sister-in-law's death, they wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to extort some money from our mansion.
In addition, the Jia family wanted to take back the eldest sister-in-law's dowry, after all, the eldest sister-in-law did not leave any children.
At the same time, I was thinking of marrying a girl from the clan to my eldest brother, so that he could be his concubine and the Jia and Gu families could continue the marriage.”
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows, it turned out that everything was driven by interests.
She thought that the Jia family was really sad about Jia's death, but she didn't expect that the Jia family was making a fuss just to get more bargaining chips and more benefits.
Gu Jiu shook his head. Human nature really couldn't be dissected open.
It’s best to watch it from a distance, with a hazy beauty, how wonderful it would be.
Gu Jiu casually asked, "Does my eldest cousin know what the Jia family is planning?"
Gu Mei hesitated for a moment, "I think my eldest brother should know, he just pretends not to know."
After a pause, Gu Mei continued, "Big Brother sees through many things very clearly. He is just used to deceiving himself."
Gu Jiu nodded. The eldest grandson, nurtured by the Marquisate with all its resources, couldn't possibly be a fool.
Perhaps it was due to his personality that Gu Rui subconsciously chose to turn a blind eye to the malice of others.
However, self-deception is not a long-term solution.
Gu Rui has to face reality.
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