Chapter 80: Chapter 43: Rascal Picks a Fight
Gu Changsheng had just changed clothes when Uncle Song hurried over.
Having tossed and turned all night, Uncle Song, who had not slept well, appeared before Gu Changsheng with dark circles under his eyes.
“Uncle Song, people burdened with a heavy heart rarely live long. You’ve kept my grandfather’s matters secret from me; no wonder you’ve developed an illness from your pent-up feelings,” Gu Changsheng said, recalling the matters of his grandfather, Gu Chengyi, and he could not help but fiercely glare at Uncle Song.
Uncle Song, terrified, widened his eyes and took two steps back, “Madam, ultimately she has come to know the truth, this Prince Mu…”
As Gu Changsheng took out the silver note from his bosom, he shot another displeased look at Uncle Song and said, “Uncle Song, there’s no need to make such a fuss. I’m not a fool; discovering the truth was only a matter of time. However, you shouldn’t pin your hopes on me concerning thoughts of revenge. You’d better rest from such notions. Your madam doesn’t have the capability, and it’s better to seek temporary peace for now.”
Stuffing all the silver into Uncle Song’s arms, Gu Changsheng continued, “Unless absolutely necessary, I do not wish to have any involvement with the Court. Take this silver and hire someone to fix the roof and, incidentally, find the best craftsman in town to meet me at the medical hall after it closes today.”
“Madam, about you and Prince Mu…” Uncle Song, holding the silver, hesitated to continue; how should he speak of it? His madam, having been abandoned and returned home, had an unclear and indistinct relation with the exalted Prince Mu—how could he utter such things verbally?
“I have absolutely no relationship with Zhou Mu. If there is any relation, it is about him returning the silver, which I robbed him of thoroughly. That’s all there is to it,” Gu Changsheng calmly explained, then sat down at the vanity and let Xiao Cui do her hair.
Speaking of hairstyles, Gu Changsheng could not help but resent the prejudice against abandoned wives in ancient times, which was truly extreme. Given her current status, she could neither wear the hairstyle of a married woman nor dress like an unmarried girl; she could only wear the plain and fitting hairstyle of a widow.
Gu Changsheng felt that dressing as a widow was quite fine, at least it allowed her to curse that Li Mufeng from Li Mansion, hoping he would die in battle on the field and confirming her status as a widow.
Gu Changsheng’s thoughts were unknown to everyone else; everyone just ate their breakfast carefully, occasionally checking Gu Changsheng’s expression.
Even Little Meat Bun was very well-behaved, not speaking much. Regarding the incidents of the past evening and morning, everyone wisely chose to remain silent as if nothing had happened.
Such reactions from everyone made Gu Changsheng feel a bit apprehensive; something didn’t feel quite right…
Having a sudden realization and glancing at Han Qiu, Gu Changsheng mentally hammered her, questioning if it was necessary. Probably, what Han Qiu had witnessed when she barged into the room had spread to everyone, coupled with her desperate act at the water tank “seeking death” in the early hours and Zhou Mu’s abrupt departure. Now, even with a hundred mouths, she feared she might not be able to clear things up!
Well then, being pitied was still better than being questioned in all sorts of ways; she reluctantly accepted it!
At the very least, she had snatched up 180,000 taels of silver, accidentally becoming a wealthy woman—happiness came too easily!
Yuan Bao, the amusingly plump boy, was highly efficient at moving the treasury of Prince Mu’s Mansion, which she quite liked.
After breakfast, having instructed Little Meat Bun to follow Han Mo for some physical training, Gu Changsheng, along with Xiao Cui and Han Qiu, went to the front medical hall.
Uncle Song had gone to find a carpenter. Having never seen so many silver notes in his life, Uncle Song, sincerely anxious, held the silver uneasily for a while, but finally, under Xiao Cui’s explicit guidance, he managed to calm down a bit.
The medical hall was busier today than it had ever been the day before.
People had gotten the news early and were already queuing up at the door of the medical hall. With Butcher Wang’s precedent, none dared to cause any trouble this time.
The doors of the medical hall were wide open, and Gu Changsheng took her place behind the consultation desk. Today, there seemed to be a tough battle to fight.
The city’s doctors conscientiously gathered behind the dispensing counter, all looking exhausted and clearly having not slept well. Whether they had spent the night scrutinizing Gu Changsheng’s prescriptions too much, or they truly feared falling off their beds was unknown.
Gu Changsheng did not know the reason, but she was quite pleased with this phenomenon. It made no sense for her alone to have had a tumultuous night while those spectators enjoyed their undisturbed sleep—that would be utterly unjust.
With life comes aging, sickness, and death; there are a myriad of illnesses. Gu Changsheng wasn’t a Bodhisattva who relieves the suffering of all beings, nor did she have the obsession to save all souls. However, she was a doctor, and as a qualified doctor, she adhered to her professional ethics, diagnosing each patient carefully, prescribing medication, and advising them on precautions.