"Ahhhhh~"
Lord Gu roared inwardly.
His sister did things that he just couldn't understand.
But all of this was to protect his wife.
Lord Gu is numb.
The coughing sound from just a doorway startled him awake. Without thinking twice, he pushed open the door and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"
Qin Yuan coughed and waved her hand to indicate that she was fine.
Xiao Dong snapped out of his daze and exclaimed, "Why did Senior Sister suddenly choke?"
She then smiled and said, "My brother-in-law is back."
Gu Baozhu then raised her head, put down her chopsticks, and her eyes darted around. "Xiao Dong, you're being quite strange. Why do you call me Third Sister-in-law, and Third Brother, and Third Sister-in-law? When did Third Sister-in-law become Li Langzhong's apprentice? I didn't know that."
Qin Yuan took a sip of tea and paused for a moment: "How could you have learned acupuncture without a master? But I don't plan to make a fuss about it. Xiao Dong treats you like family, so don't let it slip."
Gu Baozhu was overjoyed: "Of course, we're all on the same side, I would never reveal a single word."
Qin Yuan rose to greet Lord Gu and asked, "Husband, would you like to have something to eat here? We didn't expect you to be leaving court at this hour."
Lord Gu nodded in agreement with a blank expression.
Qin Yuan hurriedly instructed someone to go to the small kitchen to prepare the dishes that the Marquis usually liked to eat.
Lord Gu glanced at Gu Baozhu, who was happily eating without looking up, and was very worried about her marriage—from now on, anyone who dared to marry his Baozhu would be a true hero.
What should we do?
His mother doesn't know yet; if she did, the sky would probably fall.
Gu Baozhu gripped the large bone in her hand warily, tilted her greasy little face up, and raised her eyebrows alertly: "Third Brother, why are you just watching me eat? I was invited by Third Sister-in-law, not here to freeload."
"Eat up, eat up. Don't worry, even if you eat and drink like a glutton for the rest of your life, your third brother can still support you."
This sudden generosity puzzled Gu Baozhu, who frowned.
Everyone finished the meal with their own thoughts on their own.
While Qin Yuan was arranging for the small kitchen to pack food boxes and send them to Renhetang, Lord Gu said to Xiao Dong, "The Privy Council has decided today that the army will purchase wound medicine from Renhetang from now on. Your master should be relieved now."
Xiao Dong thanked him happily.
"That's great. Now that your ointment business is doing well, you won't be envious of my powder business anymore."
Lord Gu became interested in his medicinal powder and asked him all the details before letting him go.
Gu Baozhu saw Xiao Dong off, and the two discussed how to further develop and expand their business along the way.
Gu Baozhu said, "I'm going on a long journey. Could you make me some more medicinal powder? Besides ensuring my safety on the road, I can also help you sell it when I arrive."
Xiao Dong readily agreed: "Then I'll do yours first, and we'll put Heng's order on hold for a few days."
Suddenly, Gu Baozhu pulled a silver note from her sleeve and handed it to Xiao Dong: "How about this, I have high hopes for your business. Consider this silver note as our cost of starting a business together. If we make money in the future, you can share some with me, okay?"
Xiao Dong: ……
Does this small business really need the Seventh Miss of the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion to get involved?
Gu Baozhu said, "Third Sister-in-law wants me to learn how to manage my dowry. I understand the principle of not living off one's savings. However, I don't know how to open a shop. Besides collecting pepper with Third Sister-in-law, I don't know what else to do. I think your business is very promising. I'll invest some money in you first. It's a small business. I'll invest fifty taels of silver in you as capital. After deducting the capital from the profits, you can give me a share."
“…Okay then,” Xiao Dong thought for a moment and took it.
At worst, we can just treat the fifty taels of silver as money for Gu Baozhu to buy her own medicinal powder.
Gu Baozhu added, "Since I'm also involved in this business, I'm also entitled to a share of the money Qin Heng took from you for the medicinal powder."
"...That's natural."
Here's the money, a penny or two, all for you.
Xiao Dong didn't take it seriously.
Gu Baozhu laughed and said, "I'll go and urge Qin Heng to give me the money later, and see if he still has the nerve to say it's none of my business."
Xiao Dong understood.
It turns out that when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits; Xiao Dong is that fisherman.
No matter what, there's no reason to return the money that's in his pocket. Xiao Dong encouraged him, "Right, we need to hurry. Once you leave, we'll have to write to urge him."
“Yes,” Gu Baozhu replied as if she had found a kindred spirit, and planned to go out of the mansion later.
Lord Gu followed Qin Yuan back to Wutong Garden, his mind racing with thoughts as he remained silent. Once they were back in the inner room, Qin Yuan finally asked him, "Is there something going on at court?"
Lord Gu wasn't in much interest to say much, only briefly mentioning: "It's nothing major. Today, the court officials impeached the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and the Prince of Jin. To cover for the two families, the Emperor arranged the marriage."
However, the positions of concubines in the Prince of Jin's residence are already full, so the You family's daughter can only enter the residence as a lady-in-waiting. This position was vacated last night because one of the ladies-in-waiting in the Prince of Jin's residence suddenly fell ill and died.
Because the Crown Prince is sickly, the families of the Prince of Jin's wife and concubines are not of high rank. Now that they have suddenly formed a marriage alliance with the Duke of Zhenguo's family, Empress Lin and the Crown Prince must feel very uncomfortable.
Miss You is the eldest daughter of the Duke's mansion, yet she has become the wife of the Prince of Jin's mansion. The princesses and concubines above her are all daughters of minor officials, so the inner quarters of the Prince of Jin's mansion are bound to be in turmoil.
Qin Yuan was naturally happy that the enemy was in trouble. She couldn't help but hum a little tune as she removed her hairpins and ornaments, straightened her hair, changed into her nightgown, and prepared to take a nap. However, she saw Lord Gu sitting blankly on the edge of the bed with his brows furrowed, as if he was filled with worries.
"What's wrong with you today? Tell me what's on your mind."
Lord Gu came to his senses, sighed, and remained silent. He lay on the bed with Qin Yuan like a walking corpse, his body stiff and his eyes blankly staring at the layers of gold patterns on the top of the red gauze curtain.
Qin Yuan's drowsiness was also dispelled, but she didn't dare to urge him, so she could only patiently wait for him to speak.
After a long while, Lord Gu finally said weakly, "Yuan'er, I'm getting old, and because of Baozhu's background, I feel sorry for her and always indulge her. If she were a man, it would be fine, and no one could say anything. But as a woman, she still needs to have some sense of propriety. You must teach her properly."
It turned out that his heartache lay with Gu Baozhu. Qin Yuan hurriedly asked, "But what have people outside been saying?"
Everything else was fine, but when it came to Gu Baozhu's matter, even with her silver tongue that could subdue others, she couldn't find a way to persuade Lord Gu.
Lord Gu said sullenly, "Today, Prince Qi said that the Crown Prince would never dare to make a move on Baozhu again. The person to enter the Eastern Palace was decided yesterday, and the Empress Dowager will issue an imperial decree on her birthday. I think Baozhu is perfectly safe now, and there is no need for her to hide at Baihe Academy."
Qin Yuan glanced at Lord Gu.
Since this person already knows, we must help delay and cover it up.
If we can stall until Gu Baozhu goes to Baihe Academy, then the old lady Gu will be less angry.
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