Chapter 374 Abusing the Scum (First Update)
Gu Jiao played chess with the old beggar for a while and then left. Of course, she didn't forget to take the gold ingots and "work fees" she had earned with her.
However, she did have some conscience, so she left the copper coins and silver coins for the old man.
It was still early, so Gu Jiao went to the Hanlin Academy. She originally planned to wait for Xiao Liulang to finish his shift, but after asking the clerk at the Hanlin Academy, she learned that Xiao Liulang had gone to the countryside again.
However, this time we're not going to a very far place; we'll stay in the capital and be back overnight.
"Thank you." Gu Jiao thanked her politely and turned to leave the Hanlin Academy.
Today, Xiao Jingkong is going to play at Xu Zhouzhou's house. He had already told her this morning that she didn't need to pick him up from the Imperial College. The Xu family would take him back to the clinic in the evening.
Gu Jiao decided to go directly to the clinic.
What Gu Jiao didn't expect was that she would encounter some thugs on her way back to the clinic.
Gu Jiao hummed in confusion. It's still a long way from the New Year, are they already open for business so early?
There were six thugs in total. Judging from their clothes, they looked like bandits and vagrants. However, they were all strong and wielded knives and swords quite well, so they should indeed have some martial arts skills.
Several men covered their faces with cloths and glared at her menacingly.
Gu Jiao thought for a moment and asked, "Robbery?"
Given her current appearance, surely it's not like she's being sexually assaulted? But it's hard to say; some men who haven't had sex in a long time won't care about such things.
well.
Gu Jiao wasn't interested.
Gu Jiao turned and left, too lazy to even hit him.
"stop!"
The leader of the thugs shouted angrily.
The result of Gu Jiao standing still was that several thugs were beaten black and blue, crying for their parents.
Gu Jiao didn't bother reporting it to the authorities. Given their current miserable state, she estimated that it wouldn't be long before the local officials would be alerted, so she didn't need to take any action.
Gu Jiao dusted off her wide sleeves and walked back to the clinic.
She chose to walk not because she was bored, nor because she was worried about the cost of hiring a carriage, but simply because she wanted to observe the shops along the street.
Fortunately, we didn't encounter any more minor troubles on the way back to the clinic.
"Xiao Gu! You're back!"
He is the second-in-command.
The clinic's business improved significantly, and the pharmaceutical factory's orders also increased. In addition to producing their own brand of wound medicine, they also made some pills to replenish qi and blood.
The second boss was so busy he was practically bald, and it was a rare treat to run into Gu Jiao.
"Uncle Hu," Gu Jiao greeted him, "What's the occasion today?"
The second boss smiled mysteriously: "I'll show you something!"
"What?" Gu Jiao asked.
"This!" The second boss pulled out a gleaming gold invitation from his pocket. "I managed to get this with great difficulty. Originally, our Miaoshoutang was newly opened and we weren't qualified to participate in this kind of gathering, but who told me I'm so powerful!"
Gu Jiao still didn't quite understand.
The second boss then explained it to her, and Gu Jiao finally understood. This was actually an exchange meeting organized by the Chamber of Commerce in the capital. Although Miaoshoutang was a medical clinic, it was not a welfare institution of the imperial court and was therefore qualified to join the Chamber of Commerce.
Within the chamber of commerce, one can seek more development opportunities and partners; there are formal and informal members.
The second boss did indeed go to great lengths to obtain the Chamber of Commerce invitation; the date is next month.
He didn't expect to become a formal member of the Chamber of Commerce immediately, after all, Huichuntang had gone for several years before joining the Chamber of Commerce.
"Practice makes perfect. This time, we're mainly going to broaden our horizons. What do you think?" the second landlord asked.
"Okay." Gu Jiao had no objections; she trusted her second boss completely when it came to business matters.
I must say, it feels really good to be trusted.
The second landlord laughed and said, "Then I'll make the arrangements. Remember to keep these days free!"
"Okay." Gu Jiao nodded in agreement.
"Alright, go ahead and get busy, oh dear!" The second boss suddenly exclaimed, looking at Gu Jiao's sleeve, "You're injured!"
His shout was so loud that the entire hall heard it, including Eunuch Wei, who had just alighted from his carriage.
"What happened? Who's hurt? Is Miss Gu injured?" Eunuch Wei rushed in anxiously and came to Gu Jiao's side.
Gu Jiao lifted the cuff that the second boss had been watching. There were indeed a few drops of blood on it, but she was not injured. She must have accidentally smeared the blood of those thugs on her clothes while dealing with them.
“It’s not mine,” Gu Jiao said.
"Then what's with this blood?" Eunuch Wei asked worriedly, pointing to her sleeve.
Gu Jiao said "Oh": "I just ran into a few thugs and taught them a lesson."
Not feeling at ease, Eunuch Wei grabbed Gu Jiao's wrist, used his body to block the view of the others, rolled up her sleeves, and carefully inspected them.
Only after confirming that there were no wounds or bruises did Eunuch Wei breathe a long sigh of relief.
He pulled up Gu Jiao's sleeves. He was a eunuch and didn't have many restrictions on the relationship between men and women, but in public, he still didn't want others to see Gu Jiao's arms.
"Eunuch Wei, what brings you here?" Gu Jiao asked.
Eunuch Wei said, "His Majesty sent me here. He was in a bad mood in the palace earlier and didn't pay attention to Miss Gu. Afterwards, His Majesty calmed down and felt bad, so he ordered the imperial kitchen to make some of Miss Gu's favorite snacks."
It was about what happened this morning.
The emperor misunderstood that Consort Jing had pushed Eunuch Wei, and was furious and in a complicated mood. He turned and went into his study.
After being poisoned, Gu Jiao's memories of that person will gradually become negative, but her memories of others will remain unchanged. She will still be the emperor's favored little divine doctor.
Gu Jiao accepted the pastries. Eunuch Wei returned to the palace to report and also told the emperor about Gu Jiao's attack: "...It was a few thugs. Miss Gu was not injured."
This kind of petty thug is most likely just a local ruffian in Beijing, and unlikely to be a mastermind sent by some big shot to assassinate Gu Jiao.
After all, he was too incompetent and couldn't cause Gu Jiao any harm at all.
However, for some reason, a figure suddenly appeared in the emperor's mind that he couldn't shake off.
A terrible thought surged into his mind, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
Reason told him it was impossible, but the more he thought about it, the more the idea grew in his mind.
Finally, as if possessed, he became completely convinced of this conjecture.
He slammed the memorial he was holding onto the table and went to the nunnery with a cold face.
It was evening, and the palaces were beginning their evening meals. The nunnery was also having its dinner time, and wisps of smoke were rising from the chimney of the small kitchen, adding a touch of rustic charm to the pavilions and towers.
As the sun sets, it should be a very heartwarming scene.
But the emperor's heart was cold.
"Your Majesty?" The little nun Huian, who was sweeping the courtyard, saw the emperor and her eyes lit up. She put down her broom and stepped forward to pay her respects.
The emperor didn't even glance at her before heading to Consort Jing's small Buddhist shrine with an icy expression.
Consort Jing was not in the Buddhist hall, but in the meditation room next door.
She knelt on the polished wooden floor, in front of a small table with several bottles and jars and some fresh ingredients on it.
She was holding a pestle and mortar, rummaging through a small jar she was holding in her arms. A white gauze was wrapped around her left thumb, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, showing that she was working very hard.
Granny Cai stayed by her side, assisting her.
Suddenly, a heavy footstep sound came from behind. Granny Cai stopped peeling the taro and glanced at Consort Jing beside her.
Consort Jing lowered her head and mashed taro, seemingly oblivious to the commotion outside.
Granny Cai gently placed the knife and taro on the table, intending to go and see what was going on, but the emperor had already entered the room just as she stood up.
He left his shoes outside the door.
Granny Cai bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty."
Only then did Consort Jing seem to realize that someone had arrived. She calmly raised her head, her eyes gentle, yet also carrying a hint of melancholy.
She merely glanced at the emperor, said nothing more, and then lowered her head to mash the taro.
"You may leave now," the emperor said coldly to Granny Cai.
Granny Cai turned her head and glanced at Consort Jing. Consort Jing did not speak, so Granny Cai lowered her head and said, "Yes, this servant will take her leave."
Granny Cai got up and left the room.
The emperor knew she hadn't gone far and might be listening at the door, but he didn't care too much.
He knelt down before Consort Jing, looking at the face he had longed for day and night, and said with heartache, "Why did you do this, Mother?"
Consort Jing stopped mashing the taro, holding the jar in one hand and the pestle and mortar in the other, her eyes full of confusion: "What did I do?"
The Emperor stared intently at Consort Jing, his hands on his knees slowly clenching: "Mother, stop pretending to be crazy. There are no secrets that stay hidden forever. You know perfectly well what you've done."
"I know perfectly well what I did. Your Majesty is just trying to frame me." Consort Jing said calmly, then angrily threw the pestle and mortar into the jar and placed the jar on the table indifferently.
Her expression showed no sign of guilt, so logically she should have indeed done nothing wrong. However, the emperor's suspicions grew like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, rising a bit on the way there and even more upon seeing her in person.
The Emperor said solemnly, "Very well, Mother Consort wants to hear it, then I will tell you. The little divine physician was attacked today and was almost injured. If it weren't for her quick wit and some skill, she would probably have met a terrible end."
Consort Jing asked in surprise, "So His Majesty believes that I instigated this?"
"Isn't that so?" the emperor retorted through gritted teeth.
"Why did I do this?" Consort Jing asked.
The Emperor sneered, "Why? I should ask my mother why! Is it that anyone I love has to be driven away from me? First it was Empress Dowager Zhuang, and now it's the Little Divine Physician. In my mother's heart, I can't be close to anyone but her!"
Consort Jing suddenly raised her voice: "I never thought of it that way!"
The emperor curled his lips in a mocking smile: "Is that so? Then why did my mother stop me from seeing the Empress?"
"When will I..." Consort Jing stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence.
The Emperor looked at her coldly: "Mother Consort, you remember now, don't you? To be honest, I had forgotten about this matter, but I suddenly remembered it these past few days. Ning'an and I secretly went to the Cold Palace to visit Mother Consort, and Mother Consort punished us by making us kneel in the snow all night. Ning'an fell seriously ill as a result."
Consort Jing closed her eyes briefly and explained with suppressed emotion, "Isn't it because I don't want Consort Liu to have any leverage over me! The Empress doesn't want you to visit her in the Cold Palace either! She doesn't want to implicate you, and so do I. The pain is in my heart when my child is injured. How could I, as a mother, not feel pain when you kneel in the snow?"
The emperor said calmly, "Is that so? I don't recall my mother showing any signs of discomfort."
Consort Jing clenched her fingers.
Granny Cai, standing outside, was so anxious that she felt a tightness in her chest.
She knew the situation at the time. While Consort Jing was punishing His Majesty and Ning An, tears were welling up in her eyes. Anyone could see that she couldn't bear it.
The emperor actually said he didn't remember.
That pill... it must be that pill...
"Whatever Your Majesty says goes." Consort Jing lowered her eyes, her expression and tone filled with hurt.
"Your Majesty!" Granny Cai couldn't help but enter, kneeling down as she said, "The Dowager Consort wouldn't do such a thing! Her Highness is someone who wouldn't even step on an ant! How could she send someone to assassinate Miss Gu!"
A sudden flash of endless mockery appeared in the emperor's eyes: "You can't even bear to step on an ant? Then who was it that had Fuqing, who was right beside me, beaten to death!"
Consort Jing's pupils contracted: "What did you say?"
The emperor said coldly, "I say that my mother had my son, Fuqing, beaten to death!"
The name Fuqing is so ancient that no one in the palace remembers his existence. He served His Majesty during his youth.
Wei Gonggong only came to the emperor's side after his death.
But... Fuqing was bribed by Consort Liu to frame the emperor several times, and he deserved to die. Moreover, it was not Consort Jing who ordered him to be beaten to death, but the virtuous Empress Zhuang Jinse at the time!
"You all need to see this clearly, this is the consequence of betraying your master for personal gain!"
"Your Highness...Your Highness, please save this servant...This servant knows he was wrong..."
"Mother..."
"Execute them!"
It was Zhuang Jinse who did it, so why is she being blamed?
Consort Jing clenched her fist little by little, so tightly that her knuckles turned slightly white.
Granny Cai choked back tears, "No, Your Majesty! It wasn't the Dowager Consort—"
The Emperor didn't even look at Granny Cai, his gaze fixed intently on Consort Jing: "Fine, I won't acknowledge the matter of the little divine doctor, I won't acknowledge the matter of Fuqing, then surely I can't escape responsibility for Yue Rou's matter!"
Yue Rou, also known as Consort Rou, was a beautiful woman whom the emperor brought back when he was still a prince. After ascending the throne, the emperor made her Consort Rou.
Consort Rou died in childbirth.
The Emperor gritted his teeth and said, "The day before Consort Rou passed away, my mother summoned her to her palace. What did my mother say to Consort Rou that caused her to have a premature birth?"
In all honesty, Consort Jing did not summon Consort Rou at all. It was Consort Rou who came to pay her respects to Consort Jing herself. As for why she had a premature birth, it was because of her own poor health and had nothing to do with Consort Jing!
Consort Jing looked at the Emperor in disbelief, her nails digging into her flesh.
When you get used to someone being kind to you, you forget that kindness actually comes from a medicine. You might even develop a kind of confidence and illusion that even after the medicine wears off, that person will still be kind to you as always.
"Don't touch the little miracle doctor anymore, don't touch anyone around me anymore, and don't exhaust the last bit of motherly affection between us!"
After the emperor finished speaking coldly, he stood up and walked away without looking back.
Consort Jing was so angry that she swept the jar on the table onto the floor!
That was taro paste she had been working on all afternoon, originally intended to make taro pastries for the emperor.
The emperor loved the pastries she made: jujube paste pastry, taro paste pastry, osmanthus cake, and mille-feuille pastry.
"Your Highness..." Granny Cai felt sorry for her. The Empress Dowager had injured her hands while making taro paste.
Looking at her bandaged thumb, Consort Jing murmured, "He didn't even notice that my hand was injured."
The contrast between someone who was once cherished and someone who is now ignored and neglected is enormous.
Granny Cai said with heartache, "Your Highness... I advised you long ago, but it's no use. You might as well do nothing..."
Consort Jing said with a deep look in her eyes, "Zhuang Jinse did nothing back then. I often wonder, why didn't she do something? Didn't she want to make amends? She didn't even know His Majesty was drugged. How could she be so heartless? How could she be so proud? How could she let go so easily!"
After discovering that her son was no longer close to her, Zhuang Jinse did not try to stop him. Like a proud phoenix, she flew away without any regrets!
She left so resolutely, so decisively, as if she had never loved her son at all!
Consort Jing clutched her heart, which felt as if a sharp knife was stabbing it: "...Isn't she sad?"
Granny Cai sighed inwardly: "How could she not be sad? It's just her nature. She would rather be sad to death than beg for mercy from anyone. She was like that to the late emperor and she is like that to Your Majesty."
How many sleepless nights must Zhuang Jinse have spent licking her wounds in the shadows?
She may have felt pain, cried, and been heartbroken, but she would never let anyone see her weakness.
From the moment she turned the late emperor's harem into her own little dumpling, she was no longer the Zhuang Jinse she once was.
Consort Jing returned to her meditation room and took out the imperial edict.
Granny Cai's expression changed drastically: "Your Highness, what are you doing! Please don't act rashly!"
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com