"Has the master inside been ill for many days?" Jie Erye slightly furrowed his brow as he looked toward the courtyard, his surprise giving way to a hint of disgust.
Lin Qianqing hurriedly said, "Jie Erge, didn’t you know that your sister-in-law has been sick?"
She’s been sick? What does that have to do with him? He turned his head away in disgust, too lazy even to glance at that courtyard.
"Cuiya said that the Du Family’s Concubine refuses to call for a doctor, fearing they might cause trouble outside. She even locked the door," Qianqing commented.
Gu Youyou looked at Lin Qianqing in astonishment. This girl was truly... Did she intend to stand up for the Miss of the Du Family out of spite?
But that all depended on the attitude of the man. If he wished for your death, no amount of pity would win his compassion; it would only increase his loathing.
To Lin Qianqing’s words, Jie Erye responded with surprise, then anger flared. "What nonsense are you spouting? How could Aqing refuse to call a doctor for that woman? She is Aqing’s elder sister. If it weren’t for her insistence on keeping that woman, she would have already been thrown out by me a long time ago."
Having said this, both Gu Youyou and Lin Qianqing were taken aback.
It turned out that Jie Erye had no idea that the Miss of the Du Family was sick, and he was completely unaware that the two Misses of the Du Family, because of him, had already become as hostile as water and fire, each intent on the other’s demise. How blind must one be to look so confounded?
An idiot wrapped in stupidity, all wasted on a good-looking exterior. This was Gu Youyou’s opinion of Jie Erye.
The corners of Gu Youyou’s mouth twitched, and with downcast eyes, she said evenly, "Erye, I am a doctor from Jisheng Hall, as well as Miss Lin’s elder cousin. I had a brief encounter with the Third Miss before, so I came to disturb your noble residence. Today, by chance, I met Cuiya, who was seeking medical attention outside. As a healer, I could not bear to watch the master of the courtyard fall ill and die in that room, so I took the liberty of diagnosing her sickness.
She has indeed been ill for many days, and her body is extremely debilitated. I have already given her maid the prescription. If you wish for her death, you need not bother. Seeing how destitute they were, I fear they might not afford the medicine I prescribed. If you want her to live, you can simply send someone to Jisheng Hall for the medicine.
As for us climbing over the wall to exit this courtyard, it is indeed because someone locked the door from the outside. Listening to the two old women who locked the door chatting, they did indeed lock it out of fear that the master inside would come out and cause trouble; locking it seemed safer. If you do not believe us, you can go to the main gate and see for yourself. I take my leave."
Gu Youyou made a lengthy statement, her speech calm and steady, articulating the entire situation clearly. They were merely guests of the Third Miss, outsiders to the affair; there was no need to favor any side.
Indeed, they had no reason to wrong anyone or to side with anyone.
Jie Erye finally showed some emotion and looked once more at the departing figures of Gu Youyou and Lin Qianqing, then he moved towards the door to check the lock.
On the dilapidated red lacquered wooden door hung a lock chain as thick as a wrist, and a large brass lock as thick as a fist.
A single brass lock had turned the courtyard inside and outside into two separate worlds.
After getting married, she rarely went out anyway, so being confined to the courtyard made no real difference to her.
The last time she had an argument with Aqing, her father only scolded Aqing and did not reprimand her at all. Aqing cried in his presence for a while, which led him to order her confinement for a month.
All this was because she was the legitimate wife, while Aqing was the concubine. She was the legal heir, while Aqing was born from a lesser lineage. Hence, from childhood, Aqing was always the one punished for any wrongdoing.
He disliked seeing her abuse her status to bully Aqing, so he grew even more disgusted with her, always siding with Aqing. Gradually, protecting Aqing had become a habit.