Chapter 95

Early the next morning, Gu Jiu Ling finished packing and walked out of the Peach Blossom Pavilion.

Today was the opening day of the clinic; she felt inexplicably a little excited, though there was really nothing to prepare—just setting up a few tables in the clinic's backyard to feast with the doctors and medicine boys hired by the clinic, eating a lively meal.

Her reputation in Shang Jing was bad, she usually had no friends, so only the clinic's household shut the doors to celebrate a little.

Gu Jiu Ling had just reached the Wangfu gate when she saw Xiao Yin already standing there, wearing a dark purple brocade robe, a black jade crown on his head, hands behind his back, standing as if waiting for her.

Her thoughts shifted, and she quickened her steps toward him.

"Prince, what is this…?" Gu Jiu Ling lifted her head, smiling at Xiao Yin, "Are you going out?"

Xiao Yin gave a light chuckle, glanced at Gu Jiu Ling's eyes, which were as sly as a little fox's, stretched lazily, and said: "Today is a good day for someone's clinic opening; how could this prince not go to attend?"

Having said that, he walked to the carriage of Rui Wang Fu, bent to get in, but with one hand lifted the carriage curtain, and with the other hand—knuckles distinct—stretched out two fingers to hook at her: "Come on up? Don't waste an auspicious day!"

Gu Jiu Ling pursed her lips and smiled, then sat beside Xiao Yin.

"You're just going empty-handed, Prince?" Gu Jiu Ling looked back and forth at Xiao Yin's side, "Don't you have any congratulatory gift or the like?"

Xiao Yin let out a cold laugh, bent over and swept aside the curtain blocking the opposite seat, revealing a box wrapped in red cloth.

With a snap, the latch opened, the box lid lifted, a burst of golden light shone, dazzling Gu Jiu Ling's eyes.

She focused her gaze and was stunned for a moment—a box full of gold leaves—and then looked incredulously at the man sitting beside her.

Xiao Yin leaned his head against the carriage wall, a smile spreading across his face, even looking rather self-satisfied.

"A congratulatory gift!" Xiao Yin said lightly, "Is this amount enough?"

"Enough! More than enough!" Gu Jiu Ling fawned up to Xiao Yin, "Prince, I have never before seen you possess such a towering presence! You blot out the sky and cover the earth, sun and moon dimmed! Between heaven and earth, only you remain!"

"Gu Jiu Ling! That's about enough!" Xiao Yin felt his scalp go numb hearing that.

Gu Jiu Ling, however, could not hide her curiosity, staring fixedly at Xiao Yin, feeling as if she wanted to bore a hole into him with her gaze,

Xiao Yin felt creepy under her stare, glanced at her and said, "What's the matter now?"

Gu Jiu Ling took a breath, lowered her voice, and said, "Prince, I have never quite understood one matter."

"When you first agreed to marry me, I thought it was for my astronomical dowry; after I entered the Wangfu I found you lived quite frugally, but…"

Gu Jiu Ling glanced at the box full of gold leaves before her: "Prince, you seem not short of money, and you appear to have hidden many good things; did you initially take a liking to my looks?"

Xiao Yin had been lifting the teacup on the small table to drink, but upon being asked this by Gu Jiu Ling, he nearly spat out his tea, and his gaze toward her deepened.

"I say, beloved consort!"

"Adult matters, don't pry…"

"Besides, do you look as good as I, the Prince?"

Gu Jiu Ling was instantly speechless.

The couple chatted and laughed as the carriage stopped before the newly opened clinic on Zhu Que Jie.

Zuo Feichen, clad in a silver robe embroidered with bamboo patterns, led the other physicians of the clinic and more than a dozen medicine slaves, already waiting at the clinic gate.

Li Qiao'er also brought the attendants who usually ran errands for Gu Jiu Ling, standing there with bowed bodies.

The three-story clinic stood imposingly on the street, windows bright and tables clean; various medicinal ingredients were laid out on wooden shelves on the east side of the hall, while the west side was partitioned into individual rooms for the physicians to take pulses.

Above the outermost doorway hung a plaque, its gold-powder inscription reading in flourishing, gilded characters: "Southern Qi First People's Hospital."

The plaque was personally penned by the Southern Qi Imperial Preceptor, Wen Yuan Zhuo.

Though the plaque differed from those of other clinics, thanks to Zuo Feichen's affiliation, during these days of trial operation they had already attracted a large number of patients coming for treatment.

Today marks the official opening; after all, it's a clinic, and Gu Jiu Ling does not bother with auspicious opening rites—she prefers fewer patients, for she earns conscientious money.

Therefore she did not loudly promote it outwardly; now seeing the orderly staff before her and the splendid clinic, Gu Jiu Ling felt quite pleased.

She hurriedly dismounted from the carriage, and Xiao Yin also slowly stepped down behind her.

"Princess Consort, are you well?" Zuo Feichen, bearing a clear, handsome, scholarly air like a well-read literatus, stepped forward and saluted Gu Jiu Ling.

"Master Zuo, hello! You've worked hard these past days!"

Gu Jiu Ling had just raised her hand to pat Zuo Feichen's shoulder in encouragement when she suddenly felt a sharp gaze shoot over; she hastily pulled her hand back and instinctively looked toward Xiao Yin following behind.

Xiao Yin's icy gaze enveloped Zuo Feichen, his brows knitting into a flower.

Gu Jiu Ling blinked—this fellow was eating jealousy in a bewildering way.

She quickly coughed to let everyone come in and sit, and also had Jiu Yue take out red packets to distribute.

Not long after, host and guest took their seats; three tables were set up in the courtyard, specifically for the clinic's lower-ranking medicine slaves and drug-preparing masters.

In the flower hall were two tables, occupied by the clinic's physicians.

Gu Jiu Ling, accompanied by Xiao Yin and Zuo Feichen, sat at one table; Li Qiao'er went in and out with Jiu Yue and several maids, helping lay out the dishes.

Zuo Feichen raised his wine to toast Xiao Yin and Gu Jiu Ling; Gu Jiu Ling quickly took and drank it, while Xiao Yin let out a cold snort, reluctantly giving him face by taking a small sip.

Zuo Feichen wasn't annoyed; he smiled and sat down, showing some backbone, not fawning over Prince Rui, eating and drinking as he should, bearing an air of nonchalance that further set him apart from ordinary folk.

"Prince, try this spicy chicken; it's delicious!"

Gu Jiu Ling saw Xiao Yin acting odd and quickly helped him pick up some vegetables.

Xiao Yin finally couldn't hold back, lowering his voice: "Gu Jiu Ling, don't you think the physicians in your clinic are too handsome? Can such pretty faces really cure illness and save lives?"

Gu Jiu Ling, holding her bowl, was stunned by Xiao Yin's words—Zuo Feichen is famed as a divine doctor in Shang Jing!

Seeing the man before her eating jealousy, she couldn't help but chuckle, leaning close to Xiao Yin's ear to whisper softly: "Prince, set your heart at ease!"

"Your princess consort isn't as sought-after as you imagine; besides, she's pregnant—what man would like her? Only you treat her as a treasure! Right, Prince?"

Xiao Yin laughed in anger: "Your boasting is rather shameless! Fine! You're pregnant yet still so greedy for wealth—who would like you, unless that person has something wrong with their eyes…"

"Congratulations, Princess Consort of Rui! Congratulations, Princess Consort of Rui! Have I, the Prince, come late?" Suddenly a light laugh came from outside the flower hall, and then Tuo Ba Yu, accompanied by two Bei Di attendants, carrying a precious gift box, walked in slowly.

Today he was dressed especially finely, in an immaculate white gauze robe; gold thread embroidered the Bei Di royal clan's pattern on the cuffs and collar, his ice-snow handsome face glowing with myriad charms, his purple eyes shimmering, able to see into one's heart.

Handsome to the point of breathlessness!

Xiao Yin's pupils flickered slightly, and he muttered lowly: "I hate those purple eyes the most—why hasn't anyone gouged them out?"