Chapter 217 Jealousy (First Update)
Before her marriage, Princess Rui had many girlfriends, but they all drifted apart after the wedding. Once she became a prince's wife, those people no longer treated her as an ordinary girlfriend.
Miss Gu is so kind.
They wouldn't treat her with any special wariness or distance just because she was a prince's consort.
She didn't really understand how Gu Jiao did it; it seemed that Gu Jiao always seemed calm and collected, and nothing could elicit a strong reaction from her.
You feel comfortable around people like that.
Princess Rui escorted the person back to the clinic, paid the consultation fee, and then left.
In the afternoon, the clinic received another patient who had been treated there before. He had stitches and it was time to remove them.
While Dr. Song and the others were busy, Gu Jiao asked for the address and got into the clinic's carriage to go there.
The patient's abdomen was cut by shards from the exploding stove, requiring more than twenty stitches. The initial healing was good, but he slipped and fell while getting out of bed to use the outhouse, tearing the wound open again.
It's healing well this time.
Gu Jiao removed his stitches.
"What other medications should I take or apply?" the patient asked.
Gu Jiao shook her head: "No need, this is fine, just eat a light diet."
The patient thanked her profusely, saying, "Thank you so much, Miss Gu!"
This patient was a regular craftsman hired by the Ministry of Works, a local from the capital. Once he recovered from his injury, he was able to return to the Ministry of Works.
Gu Jiao thought of Jiang Shi and Xiao Jiang Li, who were homeless in the clinic.
But I didn't think about it for too long.
Gu Jiao boarded the carriage.
As Xiao Sanzi drove the carriage, he suddenly spoke up: "Miss Gu, it's so lively over there!"
Gu Jiao is essentially a rather cold person, yet she also loves being around people, which is a very contradictory trait.
She lifted the curtain and glanced inside, seemingly understanding why it was so lively: "It's Qingfeng Tower."
"Ah, is that Qingfeng Tower?" Xiao Sanzi had heard of it many times, but had never been inside. He was a little excited.
Qingfenglou is one of the most elegant restaurants in the capital, offering everything from food and drink to entertainment, and often hosting some very novel gambling games.
“Let’s go take a look,” Gu Jiao said.
Xiao Sanzi was overjoyed: "Alright!"
The two went to Qingfeng Tower.
The reason for today's unusual liveliness is Xiao Liulang.
It turns out that Qingfeng Tower has opened a new gambling game. This time, instead of betting directly on who comes in first or second place, they are betting directly on who will win the Grand Slam.
That's really exciting.
After tying for first place with Prince An, who has a third candidate in mind for the Grand Triple Crown?
But it's unlikely that two of the three-of-a-kind will appear.
Qingfenglou said that if two are found, they will pay double the amount.
Of course, it's absolutely impossible for two to be produced. This isn't just speculation; someone went to the palace to sound out the emperor, and he said the emperor wouldn't allow two to be produced.
So the question is, who should we bet on?
"Of course it's Prince An! Is there even a question?" said a scholar in his thirties. "Prince An has consistently ranked first in every imperial examination. If he can also achieve the top score in the palace examination, he'll be a six-time winner. That Xiao Liulang comes from a small county town, where the difficulty of the examinations is incomparable to those in the capital. Besides, his performance is inconsistent. I heard he didn't do well in the prefectural examination and didn't even get the minor top three honors. Do you still dare to bet on him?"
Everyone thought it made a lot of sense!
Although he was considered one of the best in his region, what did he amount to in the capital?
Don't be fooled by the fact that he tied for first place with Prince An in the imperial examination; it was just a fluke!
The cabinet ministers must have shown him a lot of sympathy because of his humble origins and the fact that he could produce excellent articles. Otherwise, how could he possibly compete with Prince An?
This is insane!
In the end, the vast majority of people bet on Prince An, while only a very few adventurers gritted their teeth and placed bets on Xiao Liulang.
In order to attract more desperate gamblers, Qingfenglou did not hesitate to hang the Grand Slam list in the most conspicuous position in the lobby.
Prince An's name is listed first on the right, and Xiao Liulang's name is second.
However, the stakes for the two were worlds apart.
Under Prince An's name were piled high with gold ingots, but under Xiao Liulang's name was only a lone silver ingot.
One gold ingot represents one thousand taels.
One silver ingot represents one hundred taels.
Gu Jiao sold the emperor's secondhand calligraphy brush for eight thousand taels last time. She used three thousand taels to fund the clinic and the newly opened pharmaceutical factory, leaving her with five thousand taels.
She didn't have the banknotes on her, but she had the money exchange's token.
She walked into the lobby: "I want to place a bet."
Meanwhile, in a side room of Qingfeng Tower, Prince An was also placing a bet.
He did not reveal his identity.
However, he exuded an air of nobility, so the shopkeeper dared not neglect him.
The shopkeeper asked politely, "Young master, are you betting on the Three Scholars Ranking? You can bet on Prince An; he's sure to win."
Prince An had no interest in betting himself. He tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table: "I heard that you have a flower-pinning ranking here."
"Ah...yes, yes, there are!" The shopkeeper was surprised, not expecting the other party to ask about the hairpin flower list.
Recently, due to Gu Jinyu's matter, the Hairpin Flower Ranking has also been affected. Some people questioned Qingfeng Tower for not even checking the background of those on the list, causing them to lose money unnecessarily.
Actually, the results weren't out yet, but everyone thought Gu Jinyu had no chance, and those who had bet on her were kicking themselves.
Zhuang Yuexi is now far ahead of the other competitors on the Hairpin Flower Ranking.
The shopkeeper assumed he was also betting on Zhuang Yuexi.
Prince An took out a thick stack of silver notes and placed them on the table, saying casually, "I'm betting everything on Miss Gu."
The shopkeeper was completely dumbfounded!
Prince An had bet on Gu Jiao, and when he turned around and went downstairs, he saw Gu Jiao holding a pair of cards and betting on the Grand Slam: "Five thousand taels, Xiao Liulang."
Prince An, who had been shot in the heart, was speechless.
After placing her bet on her husband, Gu Jiao saw a string of gleaming gold ingots under his name and left satisfied.
Just as she was about to step onto the carriage, a gentle, clear voice came from behind her: "What a coincidence, Miss Gu."
Gu Jiao turned around and saw that it was Prince An. She asked calmly, "What is it?"
Prince An, thinking of the bet she had just placed, felt a mix of amusement and exasperation: "Miss Gu, do you have so little faith in me?"
Gu Jiao asked in confusion, "What did you say?"
"Place your bets." Prince An pointed to the list of the top three scholars in the main hall.
"Oh." Gu Jiao thought for a moment and said, "If you have confidence in yourself, you can place your bets. I've already placed all my bets."
Prince An: ...That's not what I meant either.
Well, he himself couldn't explain what he meant.
"I'll be going now, goodbye." Gu Jiao turned to get into the carriage.
"Wait a minute," Prince An called out to her.
Gu Jiao turned around and stared at him intently.
Prince An: "Can't I come to you if there's nothing wrong?"
Gu Jiao: "No."
Prince An took a deep breath: "To cure the illness."
Wu Yang, who was not far away, gasped in shock. "My god, what happened to not trusting people? He's already proven wrong so quickly?"
Gu Jiao calmly said, "Come to the clinic."
Prince An smiled gently: "Alright."
The two returned to the clinic in their respective carriages.
When Gu Jiao led Prince An into the clinic, the second owner and Manager Wang, who were checking accounts at the counter, were both stunned.
What's going on?
Who is this strange man?
Did their daughter climb over the wall?
Apart from Gu Changqing, Gu Jiao has never appeared with any man other than Xiao Liulang, but Gu Changqing is her own brother, while this one is clearly not.
Gu Jiao walked ahead, and she probably didn't realize it herself, but the way the other person looked at her was different from how they looked at others; it was a look that only men could understand.
Seemingly noticing their scrutiny, Prince An said politely yet with dignity, "I've come to see a doctor."
The second landlord asked in a daze, "Ah... to see a doctor? Should we see Xiao Gu?"
"Little Gu?" Prince An's lips curled up, his eyes barely concealing his amusement. "Yes, find Little Gu."
The second landlord realized he had spoken out of turn.
He and Xiao Gu have a very close relationship, so he can call him Xiao Gu. Why should a patient like you, who came from who-knows-where, also call him Xiao Gu?
The second boss was not satisfied!
Prince An placed a silver ingot on the counter: "Payment fee."
Second boss: "Please come in!"
Shopkeeper Wang: I despise you!
Prince An followed Gu Jiao into the consultation room.
Gu Jiao noticed his night blindness the first time she met him, but still asked him professionally, "Sit down, are you feeling unwell?"
Princess An sat down: "Eyes."
Gu Jiao looked at him, gesturing for him to continue.
Prince An hesitated for a moment, then finally told the truth: "You won't be able to see at night."
Gu Jiao then asked, "Besides not being able to see, are you experiencing any other discomfort?"
“No.” Prince An shook his head.
"How long has this been going on?" Gu Jiao asked.
Prince An thought for a moment: "It started to appear in the second year after I went to Chen. The doctor examined me and said that I must have been poisoned, but we have never been able to find out what kind of poison it was."
“This has little to do with poisoning,” Gu Jiao said, then asked about his eyesight.
Prince An said, "If it's too far away, we won't be able to see clearly."
Gu Jiao pointed to the words on the wall: "What about this?"
Prince An shook his head.
And nearsightedness.
Gu Jiao made her own judgment.
Gu Jiao opened the small medicine box and took out a small flashlight that was no bigger than the palm of her hand.
A slit lamp is needed to examine the fundus, but unfortunately, her small medical kit didn't have such a large device, so she could only look with her naked eye.
Gu Jiao is a doctor, and she doesn't discriminate between men and women when treating patients.
She stood up and stood in front of Prince An, bowing slightly: "It might be a little bright in a moment, so please bear with it and don't move."
“Alright,” Prince An replied.
He was much more obedient than Liu Yisheng. He did whatever the doctor told him to do, and he never moved around when he was told not to.
Gu Jiao likes patients who cooperate.
Gu Jiao pried open his eyelids with one hand and examined his eyes with the light blade mode of a small flashlight.
Prince An didn't know what she was holding in her hand; he only felt that it was very bright, and he couldn't see anything else.
The tip of my nose was filled with her sweet fragrance.
"Hmm." After checking his eyes, Gu Jiao put away the small flashlight, sat back in her chair, and asked him about his eating habits before and after going to Chen. She found that he was extra careful in Chen and dared not eat many things, which caused problems with his nutrition.
This type of night blindness is treatable.
Vision may also recover.
Gu Jiao took a bottle of cod liver oil from the small medicine box, repackaged it in a small porcelain bottle, and handed it to him: "Take one capsule once a day."
"Is it really not poisoning?" Prince An asked, taking the small porcelain bottle with a hint of disbelief.
It's no wonder he's so cautious; he was sent to the State of Chen as a hostage at the age of eight, and countless people wished for his death. He's been poisoned more than once or twice.
"It's not poisoning," Gu Jiao confirmed.
Prince An suddenly realized that it wasn't poisoning after all. He had been wondering why they couldn't find the culprit and had even mistakenly killed two hostages.
School ended early at the Imperial College today, and Xiao Jingkong was picked up by Liu Quan again. Tonight, the old chief priest will give Xiao Jingkong some extra foreign language lessons.
Xiao Liulang simply went to the clinic.
When he went in, he vaguely sensed that everyone's gazes towards him were a bit off, especially the second boss and Manager Wang. Their eyes held a mixture of pity and embarrassment, and they didn't dare to meet his eyes.
Having grown accustomed to all kinds of stares since developing a leg ailment, Xiao Liulang paid no attention and walked towards Gu Jiao's courtyard.
The second boss whispered, "Do you think we should tell her that Xiao Gu is in the clinic?"
Shopkeeper Wang: "That's not the point, is it?"
The important thing is that they've been inside for a long time and haven't come out yet.
Is it really that slow for Miss Gu to see a doctor?
Of course, it wouldn't be accurate to say that the two were doing something shady. Gu Jiao has her own courtyard, so if she really wanted to do something, she should have gone to the courtyard.
It's quite rare to treat a patient for so long, especially since the man didn't seem sick at all, and was also very handsome.
Second boss: I know Xiao Gu best. She must have been lusting after him again, just like she was with Xiao Liulang back then!
While Xiao Liulang was unconscious and undergoing examination, Xiao Gu had been lusting after him for a long time in the side room. Humph, don't think he didn't know!
To get to the small courtyard, you need to pass by the clinic.
As Xiao Liulang walked to the door of the consultation room, he saw the door being pulled open from the inside.
It is Prince An.
Xiao Liulang paused.
Just then, the small medicine box was not placed steadily and fell off the table. Gu Jiao reached out to grab the medicine box, and her waist almost hit the table. Prince An took a step forward and reached out to block her soft waist from the sharp corner of the table.
He didn't actually touch her; Gu Jiao dodged it. She wasn't that careless.
From Xiao Liulang's perspective, it looked as if his hand was supporting her waist.
Xiao Liulang's eyes darkened slightly.
Come on, bottoms up with this 82-year-old aged vinegar!
(End of this chapter)
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