Qin Yuan thought that Gu Baozhu and Madam Gu were very close sisters-in-law, so she asked this question.
Unexpectedly, Gu Baozhu sighed and said, "Not yet. Before, I heard that Sixth Sister-in-law was weak and couldn't take care of her. After I was released from confinement, I went to see her once and chatted a little. Then Granny Zhao said that I was tiring and bothering Sixth Sister-in-law. Later, Sixth Sister-in-law became more seriously ill and was cared for more carefully than a glass doll, so I dared not go anymore."
Gu Baozhu, being carefree and talking nonsense, probably made Madam Gu Liu even more worried, and it's no wonder that she was disliked by Granny Zhao.
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "I didn't go either. I wouldn't know what to say if I went. She fainted a few days ago because of Madam Xu. I saw that she had become skin and bones. She could have lived a few more days if she had taken good care of herself, but the Xu family just wouldn't let it go. I don't know where Xu Zhen went. She caused us to become enemies with the Xu family. Sixth sister-in-law originally meant well by inviting Xu Zhen to stay at the Marquis's mansion to facilitate a good marriage. She even used the excuse of accompanying you to learn embroidery. She put in a lot of effort, but who knew it would cause such a mess. Now the Xu family is relentlessly suing your sixth brother and saying some bad things. Your sixth brother is furious and says he's going to sue the Xu family in return."
Gu Baozhu glanced at Qin Yuan, her lips trembling slightly, and after a long while she said, "Third Sister-in-law, are you saying that Sixth Sister-in-law became ill because of Xu Zhen?"
Qin Yuan took a sip of tea, put a jujube in her mouth, and slowly sucked on it until only the pit remained, which she pressed under her tongue. This was a way to promote saliva production and nourish her energy, and she did this whenever she had free time.
"It's just a shadow, and it's not just about this matter. It's just that the Xu family keeps using Xu Zhen's matter as a pretext to make trouble. After all, they still have some face to save, and everyone has to keep some things to themselves. I can't tell you either, because you're still young and haven't taken charge of the household yet. I'll tell you when you're older."
Gu Baozhu raised her eyebrows and said, "Is Third Sister-in-law covering for Sixth Sister-in-law and her family?"
Qin Yuan: "...I already said I wouldn't say anything more, why are you still bringing this up? If you have nothing else to do, go wander around somewhere else, I have a lot of things to do."
Gu Baozhu didn't feel embarrassed or angry after being chased away. She said repeatedly, "Why did you have to hide it from me, Third Sister-in-law? If you had told me, I wouldn't have let you suffer. I'll tell you something about Xu Zhen."
Unable to resist her pestering, Qin Yuan had no choice but to call Hongye over: "Tell her what the Seventh Miss wants to know. I need to write a few letters and look at the account books right now, which has already delayed me for several days."
Hongye chatted with Gu Baozhu, and the two talked enthusiastically. Qin Yuan sat quietly to the side, carefully writing a few letters. By the time she put down her pen, they had almost finished talking.
Hongye said, "I've told you everything I know. Is there anything else you want to ask, Seventh Miss?"
Seeing Qin Yuan looking over, Gu Baozhu shook her head and said, "That's all."
Qin Yuan said, "I know you love to go out and talk about things in the manor. Your third brother has been the target of your gossip quite a bit. If you know this, just keep it to yourself and don't go out and talk nonsense, making your sixth brother lose face."
Gu Baozhu readily agreed, then said, "Third Sister-in-law, I know Xu Zhen likes to go out and buy things from peddlers. She only buys those cheap trinkets, and she even gave some to me and the maids in my courtyard, but I didn't take them and just left them in a box. Xu Zhen came here to learn Suzhou embroidery, so she has to give some favors to appease people. She doesn't have much money, so she can only bring these novelties. The day before Xu Zhen went to look for that peddler, she was still looking for him. Every time she saw him, she was flattered and happy. The old women all said that she wanted to be the wife of a scholar and had her eye on Third Sister-in-law's cousin. I think she probably likes that peddler even more."
Hongye frowned upon hearing this.
The daughter of a military general speaks frighteningly frankly.
Qin Yuan countered, "A peddler?"
When the Marquis's mansion was built by imperial decree, it occupied half a street. The neighbors were all prominent families, with some smaller families and servants of the Marquis's family living elsewhere. Most of the Gu family members lived on the back street.
How much business can a peddler do wandering around here?
Were they all maids or servants?
Qin Yuan was truly puzzled.
Gu Baozhu blinked and smiled, "Every time my sister-in-law goes out, the area in front of the mansion gate is swept by the servants so that no one else can get close. And since my sister-in-law is always sitting in the carriage, she naturally can't see it. Ever since my third brother came back, perhaps because there are more people in the mansion or something, the area around the mansion gate has become much more lively. There are stalls and vendors, beggars, and peddlers who come and go from time to time. Several times when I went out on horseback, I even saw people singing lotus flower ballads and begging for food. Steward Han even gave them a reward and told them to go beg for food elsewhere."
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "The neighbors around my mother's house are all similar families. Peddlers have come to the streets and alleys before, but not often. Most of the women who can come and go in the inner courtyard are old women and nuns. My family is strict, and these people are mostly not allowed to enter the mansion. However, wealthy families with some spare money often send them in to chat about gossip, sell jewelry patterns, or do hairdressing and embroidery."
Gu Baozhu said, "I've heard Sixth Sister-in-law and Xu Zhen mention this. They often see these people where the Xu family lives. The Marquis's mansion has strict rules and would never allow these people to enter. I'm not saying this to be mean, but the things the peddler sells are better than what the maids in the mansion use. The master can easily give them a couple of things and they'll be treasured. It's just that Xu Zhen is short-sighted and thinks they're something special. At first, we thought they were novel, but after playing with them for a couple of days, we lost interest. Who would really care about them?"
Gu Baozhu has taken this topic way too far; she really has no sense of propriety. Qin Yuan isn't surprised at all how those rumors about Lord Gu got out.
He patiently talked with her for a while, and someone came to report that the head of the Imperial Medical Academy had gone to the Sixth Madam's courtyard to make a diagnosis, and asked if he wanted to go and see her.
Qin Yuan stood up and said to Gu Baozhu, "We were just saying we were going to see your sixth sister-in-law. Now is the perfect time. Are you coming with me, or what?"
Gu Baozhu thought for a moment and said, "I'll go with my third sister-in-law to take a look."
Qin Yuan then took her to the Sixth Madam's courtyard. The head of the courtyard had already taken her pulse and was sitting at the table drinking tea, frowning as he pondered how to write the prescription.
Upon seeing them, the head of the household asked, "Why have you troubled the Lady of the Marquis to come? I wonder what the Sixth Master of the manor is busy with."
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Sixth sister-in-law is quite ill. Now that I'm in charge of the household affairs, I naturally have to keep a close eye on things. I wonder how her illness is?"
The chief physician asked, "I heard that when your household was sealed off, you invited a physician from Renhe Hall to your residence. Why didn't you ask him to treat the Sixth Madam? Instead, you invited me here."
Gu Baozhu, being outspoken, immediately said, "Naturally, my sixth sister-in-law looks down on that doctor and only wants the head of the hospital to examine her. I wonder if there is any hope for my sixth sister-in-law's illness?"
The head of the hospital shook his head with a bitter face and said, "I said before that the Sixth Madam's illness needs to be taken good care of. She should not be easily frightened, excited, angry or afraid. You did not take good care of the patient. It is already difficult enough that she has survived. Now we can only use some medicine to keep her alive. We can only keep her alive for as long as we can."
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