"I'm applying eye ointment to Grandma Qi. I'm going to sit here for a while. I still need to help my master with acupuncture later."
Xiao Dong was dressed in a sapphire blue silk robe. His face had recently become a little fuller and fairer. His round black eyes were full of energy, and he looked quite imposing.
Gu Shiliu asked, "When are you going to go horseback riding?"
Xiao Dong smiled and said, "You have time to take me with you?"
Gu Shiliu said, “I may not be available, but if you go, I can arrange someone for you. I have that kind of ability. Besides… Kang Ge’er and Fu Ge’er are taking care of the sick at home and are in a bad mood. They often cry secretly. Sixth Master is not good at comforting children. Seventh Miss sometimes plays with them, but sometimes she doesn’t have much patience. If you have time, it would be good to go and find them to ride horses together to relieve your stress.”
Because the Marquis and his wife valued the master and apprentice highly, Gu Shiliu tried to find ways to help Xiao Dong get closer to the young masters in the mansion.
Otherwise, how could he be Lord Gu's most trusted confidant?
Xiao Dong's face immediately showed sympathy. After thinking for a while, he said seriously, "Sixteenth Brother, I will go and talk to them when I have time. These days I have been going out with my master to make house calls and busy making medicine. I have forgotten about my friends. It is my fault."
Seeing his seriousness, Gu Shiliu laughed and said, "What's wrong with that? Everyone has their busy times. There have been many things going on in the manor lately, otherwise Madam would have sent someone to invite you to play long ago."
Xiao Dong hurriedly asked, "Is Madam alright? Is she too busy?"
Gu Shiliu hurriedly said, "You know that Madam is busy with the affairs of the Sixth Madam." After a pause, he added, "Yesterday there was another family reunion banquet, and next up are the Qixi Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, all happening at the same time. I heard that Shen Changle from the Imperial Academy is also extremely busy, and I haven't seen him in a long time."
Xiao Dong asked in surprise, "Are you talking about the Imperial Academy setting up a poetry contest?"
Gu Shiliu nodded quickly.
Xiao Dong patted his head and said seriously, "I overheard a few words from Madam that day, and I didn't expect it to be set up already. I must go and see it. Sister Hongye said that there are not only Sixth Master's poems in there, but also Madam's poems."
Gu Shiliu was quite proud and said, "That's right, the poems that are decided in the competition will be printed and sold. At that time, Shuhaige will be begging us on their knees. Just thinking about it makes me happy, hahaha."
Xiao Dong leaned closer to listen to the story and asked, "How come the Book Sea Pavilion is involved in this?"
An old woman came over and called to Xiao Dong: "Xiao Dong, Doctor Li wants you to come in and administer acupuncture, but you're here gossiping with people."
Xiao Dong responded and then said solemnly, "This is Gu Shiliu from the Marquis's residence. He's the most trusted person by the Marquis's side. He's here to visit the young masters and misses in the manor and to convey some words from the elders. I haven't seen him in a long time and we've only exchanged a few words here. This isn't just idle gossip. You can't say anything carelessly."
Gu Shiliu was initially somewhat unhappy, but upon hearing Xiao Dong's words, his displeasure subsided considerably.
The old woman immediately apologized, saying, "I misspoke. Xiao Dong, hurry up and go give your master acupuncture. I'll help you see Sixteenth Master out."
Xiao Dong clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gu Shiliu and said, "Brother Shiliu, farewell. When I have time, I will go with my master to the other mansion to play with the two young masters."
Gu Shiliu nodded and said, "Go ahead. If you want to ride a horse to find me, just go."
The old woman respected him even more and dared not speak further.
Xiao Dong left in a hurry, and only then did Gu Shiliu walk towards the gate. After watching him walk away, the old woman asked the old servant, "Who is this person? He seems to have quite the air about him."
The old servant said, "He is the most trusted bodyguard of Lord Gu. If the master hadn't moved here, you wouldn't have had the chance to meet him."
The old woman said, "I saw him talking quite animatedly with the boy the doctor brought."
The old servant knew something was up as soon as he heard it and said, "You're being condescending again, aren't you? They're from the Marquis's mansion, so it's not good for them to argue with you. The doctor and his apprentice were recommended by the Marquis's mansion. If the lady is pregnant, I don't know how she'll thank them."
The old woman didn't say it aloud, but she didn't really believe that Dai Shi could still give birth at her age. She just thought it was a joke and secretly told her close relatives about it.
Soon, all the servants in the mansion knew that Lady Dai wanted to have a child.
...
After Qin Yuan finished her business, she returned to Wutong Courtyard with Hongye and Hongmian. Mozhu came out to greet her with a smile and asked, "Madam is back. Would you like to dine at Wutong Courtyard or in the main room?"
Hongye asked, "Didn't the Marquis send anyone over?"
Mo Zhu shook his head.
Hongye muttered, "This is really strange. Could it be that the Marquis encountered some difficult matter and couldn't attend to it?"
Seeing how Gu Shiliu looked that morning, Hongye didn't want to send anyone to the front yard to inquire.
But if we don't ask, we can't arrange the Marquis's lunch.
Is he using it in the front yard? In the main house? Or in Wutong Garden?
Hongye: "?"
Seeing this, Qin Yuan said, "Since the Marquis hasn't sent anyone to say anything, let's go to the main room for a meal. Have the kitchen prepare some of the Marquis's favorite dishes, and we'll cook them fresh when the Marquis returns to Wutong Garden."
Hongmian nodded and said, "Madam has made good arrangements. If the Marquis goes to the main room, he can eat there. If he dine in the front courtyard, he may have to eat with Sixth Master. You can order food from the main kitchen."
She omitted one more thing: there's no need to rush into something unlucky.
If Gu Shiliu found it difficult, it would be even more difficult for others to go.
Hongye pouted unconvinced.
That little brat stole all her words.
Qin Yuan ignored their argument and said, "Which of you go to the main room and send a message to Qiu Ju or Rong Mama, saying that I am going to the main room for a meal."
Hongmian immediately said, "Madam, let me go. I have something I don't understand and want to ask Rong Mama. I won't come back right away. I'll wait in the main room and come back with you."
Qin Yuan nodded and said, "Okay, go ahead."
Qin Yuan rested for a while, and seeing that Gu Jinghui still hadn't sent anyone to deliver a message, she said, "Let's go to the main room. There are children at Mother's place, and they'll get hungry quickly."
Qin Yuan had never acted like this before, when Cheng Ge'er and his sister were alive.
The closeness or distance between people is immediately apparent.
Hongye smiled and said, "Madam is just being affectionate towards her nephew and niece."
Qin Yuan said, "My sixth brother always respects me. Now that my sixth sister-in-law is not in good health, it is only natural for me, as an elder, to think about these things."
Then she asked Hongye to bring out the calming and brain-boosting pills she had prepared in her spare time. She put them in a small jade box and planned to give them to the old lady so that the two children could take them and avoid them worrying too much and harming their health.
“When we were in the Qin family’s residence, we never thought of using jade to store these things. We always used nanmu or bamboo boxes to store them, as long as they could keep out the smell.”
He sighed as he wrapped the red leaves in satin.
Qin Yuan said, "This is nothing. The jade box used for the incense pills sent by the Prince of Qi is exquisitely carved. The peony flowers on it look real, and the stamens are even a bit pinkish-yellow."
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