Lord Gu hesitated.
He was thinking that Zhao's background was mysterious, and if she really got involved with Yelü, it would be difficult to arrange for the two children. Rather than having an ugly fight in the future, it would be better to keep them at a distance now.
Qin Yuan advised, "Mother is better at these social niceties than we are. They have no parents now, and the magistrate hasn't reached a conclusion yet. If the matter is dragged out, people will inevitably gossip, saying things like, 'The father risked his life for the Marquis, but his children have no one to take care of them.' It's heartbreaking. If you ask me, it's better to keep an eye on things and see what Zhao Shi does next, and also to guard against gossip. It's not too late to do anything after the magistrate has reached a conclusion."
Lord Gu said, "Then let's do as you say for now and see what kind of people Mother recommends to keep the two of them in check."
Qin Yuan remained silent.
Children are very good at reading people's expressions and acting accordingly. If Lord Gu spoils them, they will take advantage of his kindness.
Nobody will tolerate it; a little fuss will pass.
But she didn't intend to say that.
The two went to the main room hand in hand. Old Madam Gu had prepared a banquet, and even Madam Gu the Sixth was present. Granny Zhao served them closely, and the two young ladies were also brought along by their wet nurses to join in the fun.
Only Gu Baozhu remains in confinement and cannot come out.
Because of this, the twins (male and female) were not called in before.
Qin Yuan hadn't seen Madam Gu for a long time and asked in surprise, "Sixth Sister-in-law, why have you become so thin?"
Gu Jinghui was also startled, but because she was his sister-in-law, he didn't ask too many questions.
Madam Gu forced a smile and said, "I'm not worried about the child. I also fell ill. Thanks to the Marquis for inviting the imperial physician, I'm taking good care of myself and will be fine in a few days."
His voice was low, and he would pause after speaking a few words, looking like he was struggling a lot.
Her face was so thin it was just skin and bones, her eyes were sunken, and her eyebrows and eyes hung limply. Her smile looked worse than when she wasn't smiling.
Qin Yuan quickly said, "Sixth sister-in-law, just take your time to recover. Don't worry about other things. Right now, your health is the most important thing."
Madam Gu nodded slowly and said, "These days we've been relying on you. Fortunately, you've been holding things together, otherwise the manor would have been in chaos."
Madam Gu smiled and said, "You must say, Yuan'er handled it well, saving our mansion from so much trouble. Apart from that unlucky Physician Liu, no one in the mansion was injured or killed. This is truly a great achievement, rare even in the entire capital."
Feeling upset, Madam Gu smiled and changed the subject, saying, "I haven't been feeling well these days and can't sleep at night. I'm so grateful for the calming pills my mother sent me."
Granny Zhao looked nervously at Old Madam Gu, afraid that she would be exposed. Fortunately, Sixth Master Gu arrived, followed by several concubines and wet nurses holding children. The room became noisy and the topic was changed.
After paying his respects, Master Gu saw that Madam Gu was sitting listlessly, so he said, "You are not feeling well, so you don't have to force yourself to come. Doctor Li knows that you are not well and will not be picky about the etiquette."
Although it was meant to be caring, the tone was rather stiff.
Madam Gu insisted, "Doctor Li risked his life to enter our mansion and cured the smallpox. He is our benefactor. He even saved our two children. How could we not come?"
Sixth Master Gu frowned. "Since that's the case, you can stay here. Don't force yourself if you feel unwell later."
Looking at all the concubines, Madam Gu was filled with joy and vitality, and even Concubine Huang had recovered. However, she herself looked withered and emaciated, and she couldn't help but feel a little sad.
Qin Yuan said, "This can be considered a family banquet. Doctor Li and I have some history, so Sixth Sister-in-law, there's no need to be too polite. If you feel unwell, just lean to one side. If you can't stand it anymore, you can leave the table. You must not make yourself suffer."
Madam Gu nodded and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Third Sister-in-law."
As they were talking, Physician Li arrived with Xiao Dong. After exchanging greetings, everyone sat down in turn.
After several rounds of drinks, seeing that Madam Gu was leaning back in her chair looking rather strained, Doctor Li frowned and said, "Madam Gu, how is your health? Why don't you sit for a while and then go back? You can't eat anything at the banquet, and you definitely can't touch any of the drinks. Your illness requires quiet, and sitting for too long with so many people around you will be too much for you."
Madam Gu forced a smile and said, "I'm only here to thank you for saving my life. I'll leave after a short while."
Doctor Li said solemnly, “We doctors don’t care about these formalities. Saving lives and healing the wounded is our duty. I appreciate Madam Gu’s kindness. I will ask the head physician to come to the mansion tomorrow to examine me and prescribe some medicine for recuperation.”
He had a clear conscience, but Madam Gu had other ideas.
Madam Gu insisted on sitting for a long time, and no matter how Zhao Mama tried to persuade her, it didn't work. Master Gu was already annoyed with her, so he simply ignored her.
Even so, it didn't last even half an hour.
Everyone toasted Doctor Li, and several rounds of toasts had already been made. Doctor Li said, "The two young ladies should go back and rest early. They've only just recovered from their illnesses, so it's best for them to rest and not overexert themselves."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Huang quickly followed Madam Gu in leaving the table.
After returning home, Madam Gu sighed and groaned in her own courtyard. No matter how Zhao Mama tried to coax her, it didn't work. In the end, she took some calming medicine and fell asleep.
After she left, everyone felt much more at ease, especially Sixth Master Gu.
Madam Gu sighed, "I don't know when the sixth son's wife will recover from this illness."
The concubines quickly said, "Sixth Madam is a lucky person, she will get better."
Those who knew the details, including Qin Yuan, remained silent.
Li Langzhong remained completely silent.
After thinking for a moment, Sixth Master Gu said, “Mother, everyone has their own destiny, and it can’t be forced. Xu Shi should take her time to recover. The family is not short of money. When the Imperial Academy is on holiday and her two sons come back, she will be in a better mood when she sees her children, and her illness will heal faster.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Gu couldn't help but frown. She wanted to say something to him, but since there were guests present, she said instead, "Oh, once the manor is opened, we must hold a proper banquet for our relatives and friends to get rid of the bad luck."
Qin Yuan said, "Who would dare disobey Mother's command?"
Rong Momo couldn't help but laugh and say, "Madam is so witty."
Madam Gu smiled and said, "Then I will instruct you to make proper preparations. If there is anything lacking or uncertain, just come and ask me."
Qin Yuan smiled and agreed, then added, "Mother is very knowledgeable. The Marquis and I are unsure about something and want to hear your advice."
"Oh, what is it?"
Madam Gu smiled.
The fact that the third son and his wife discussed things together made her feel gratified.
Gu Jinghui said, "My son and Yuan'er are discussing it. Because of Zhao Shi, it is not appropriate for the two children to live in the mansion. They also have no relatives to rely on. I wonder if Mother can recommend someone to raise them."
Sixth Master Gu interrupted, "Third Brother, have you figured it out? I wonder where you plan to raise them?"
Gu Jinghui looked at Old Madam Gu and said, "I plan to separate the courtyard of the Marquis's residence that faces the street from the main residence and open a separate gate for them, so that they can interact as two separate households. This way, we can be considered separated. However, since we have already made them our adopted sons, we can't just hand them over to someone else. I would appreciate it if Mother would take the time to choose someone suitable."
Madam Gu understood her son's meaning and said, "It's fine to leave it like this for now. Let them recover while we slowly look for their relatives. If you ask me, it would be better to find a distant relative without children to take care of them. They are older and more reliable, so we can rest assured."
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