Chapter 31: The Son-in-Law's Legacy: Renovating the Garden

"Miss, I often hear others speak of such matters. The master fears sullying your ears, so such talk rarely reaches you."

"Sister, do you mean... but why would the Qin family do this? After all, they are blood relatives!"

"You arrived in Bianjing late and do not know that in earlier years, the eldest Miss Qin and the eldest young master of the Qin family did not share the same mother."

"Because the Marquis of Dongchang's mansion had already shown signs of decline in those years, yet the eldest Miss was loved at first sight by the Marquis."

"To save face, the Qin family provided the eldest Miss Qin with a substantial dowry."

Bai Shi said, "No wonder that during gatherings in the capital, there were rumors that some members of the Qin family were seeking brides who required no dowry."

"If your eldest son were to pass away, given the friendship between the Qin family's eldest young master and your husband, I daresay most of the dowry would be returned to the Qin family."

"The current principal wife of the Marquis of Dongchang's mansion was notorious for her stinginess even when she was an unmarried maiden. Now that the Marquis of Dongchang has a daughter of his own, she has already begun preparing a dowry."

Bai Shi's expression turned ugly; she rose hastily and said, "This will not do; I must return home immediately to check."

Sun Shi glanced at Cui Cui Mama Chang, who nodded, understanding that Sun Shi was reminding her to keep an eye on their young miss and prevent her from becoming too agitated.

"Cui Cui Mama Chang, take my card and invite several renowned medical masters from the capital to the Hou Fu."

"Sister, I know your father possesses great abilities; you should go and discuss this with him."

Bai Shi's eyes lit up.

"Indeed, Father is in the capital; look at me, I..."

"You are merely confused because you care too deeply."

"Speaking of my father, he came to see me yesterday and mentioned that a cargo ship from Yang Zhou will arrive in a few days. Hearing how close you and I are, he said that once the ship docks, he would invite your sons and daughters aboard to play."

"Oh? Please convey my thanks."

"Sister, then I shall take my leave."

After leaving the Bai family residence in Bianjing,

Bai Shi dispatched a young servant to the Marquis of Dongchang's family.

When Gu Yankai emerged from the Qin residence, his personal steward approached him and said,

"My Lord, the principal wife says there is an important matter to discuss and requests your presence at Fan Lou."

That afternoon, in a quiet courtyard at Fan Lou,

the medicinal herbs sent by the Qin family were spread out before four physicians from Bianjing.

Bai Shi and Gu Yankai watched from behind a semi-transparent screen.

Lady Ningyuan Marquis Gu Yankai looked grim; he whispered, "What is the meaning of this? Inviting me to Fan Lou! And those were precious tonics just entrusted to me by Young Master Yu's maternal uncle to bring back to the marquisate! What do you mean by opening them directly for the physicians to examine?"

Bai Shi remained silent.

Seeing Bai Shi say nothing, Gu Yankai whispered, "Very well, very well; let us see exactly what you intend to do."

Soon, the expressions of all four physicians began to change.

"Have you gentlemen finished your examination?"

Cui Cui Mama Chang, standing outside and wearing a conical hat, asked.

A younger physician, his face full of confusion, said,

"Greetings, Cui Cui Mama. I wonder from which pharmacy you obtained this prescription? This... this... it actually corresponds perfectly to symptoms of bodily weakness and blood deficiency!"

The other three older physicians, however, remained silent, their faces showing no emotional fluctuation.

One glance told Cui Cui Mama Chang all she needed to know.

"Please speak frankly, gentlemen. These are tonics sent by a concubine to our principal wife; the family is uneasy, so we have invited you to verify them. We will certainly not let your words be wasted."

Saying this, Cui Cui Mama Chang took four pouches from her hand and placed them before the four physicians.

The younger physician looked puzzled and hesitated before saying, "I truly see nothing improper here; I cannot accept this gift."

The other three exchanged glances, understanding the situation; the eldest among them cupped his hands and said,

"Replying to you, Cui Cui Mama, this prescription is well-formulated, balanced and mild, perfectly suited for congenital weakness and blood deficiency; however, one ingredient among the dispensed herbs is incorrect."

The old physician paused, and another continued,

"It must be that an apprentice in some pharmacy lacked sufficient skill and confused Xue Ku Cao with Sheng Xue Cao."

"Hiss!"

The young physician's face suddenly showed realization; he then looked at the other three physicians with admiration.

He cupped his hands toward the other three physicians; the three seniors said nothing, while the young physician stated:

"Replacing Sheng Xue Cao with Xue Ku Cao, when combined with this prescription, will only cause bodily weakness and qi deficiency; after the medicinal properties transform, it will also damage the lungs, causing a chronic dry cough! Over years and months, it will further harm one's ability to bear children! This is something that could kill a person!"

Saying this, the young physician bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, seniors, for your instruction."

"Young friend, having seen much, you naturally know this; there is no need for such formality."

Hearing such a definitive conclusion from behind the screen, Gu Yankai's expression turned somewhat grim.

"My Lord, you also know that the eldest Miss Qin and the Marquis of Dongchang were not born of the same womb; in the Qin family, physicians had declared the eldest Miss Qin incapable of bearing heirs. If it were not for..."

Bai Shi did not finish the sentence.

If it were not for the fact that you, Gu Yankai, risked your own life on the northern battlefield, effectively threatening the old Marquis and Marchioness of Da Niangzi Ningyuan with your life,

how could the older generation have allowed you, Gu Yankai, to marry this eldest Miss Qin?

Having married such a sickly woman, whether Gu Yankai would have any heirs was uncertain at best.

The entire lineage of Lady Ningyuan Marquis Gu Yankai faced the possibility of extinction!

True, the old Marquis had four or five other sons from different branches, but they were all good-for-nothings.

After the eldest Miss entered the Gu household, how was it that ten years later she bore Gu Gu Tingyu?

Gu Yankai naturally refused to believe that the eldest young master of the Qin family, with whom he was on good terms, could be such a ruthless character.

With a grim expression, after Cui Cui Mama Chang escorted the four men out of the courtyard, Gu Yankai did not wait for Bai Shi; instead, he mingled with the guests at Fan Lou on his own, left immediately, and returned straight to the marquisate.

The four physicians had stayed at Fan Lou only for a short while,

After checking the medicinal herbs, he realized there was already considerable income.

The physicians of Bianjing,

actually knew that sometimes it was not that the methods of harming people were so ingenious, but rather that the masterminds behind the harm could not be easily named.

If you serve as a physician without backing, and stubbornly insist on exposing the schemes of marquises, princes, or clan heads, do you think you would even be able to speak the words, or would they take action to seal your mouth?

If you serve as a servant or slave, even if you have the skill to detect flaws in a prescription, how could you know whether those in power did so intentionally?

Da Niangzi Ningyuan Hou Fu, Ancestral Hall.

The spirit tablet of the late Miss Da Qin still stood in the Gu family's ancestral hall.

Although Miss Da Qin and Gu Yankai had divorced, since she had borne the Gu family a legitimate eldest son, her spirit tablet naturally entered the Gu family's ancestral hall after her death.

Along the way, Gu Yankai's anger gradually dissipated.

Stepping into the ancestral hall and seeing Da Niangzi Da Qin's spirit tablet, Gu Yankai felt as though the bones had been pulled from his body.

He no longer possessed the high spirits and vigor he had shown outside.

Miss Da Qin was the white moonlight in his heart,

the only true love of his life.

He walked before the spirit tablet and gently took Da Niangzi Da Qin's tablet into his hands.

"Qing'er, while you were in the Marquis of Dongchang's mansion, was it truly as you said? Was your frail constitution really something you were born with?"

Aside from matters of military formation, which commanded his full focus and care, Gu Yankai had overlooked many things within this marquis's residence.

After all, if one remained constantly tense even at home, one would go mad.

Thinking carefully now, Gu Yankai indeed realized that Lady Da Qin had never spoken in detail about her life in the Marquis of Dongchang's mansion.

There were no praises, nor were there any complaints.

That first time Gu Yankai met Da Niangzi Da Qin, what had she been like?

Her white clothes seemed somewhat old.

On her head there were no pearl hairpins, only a green silk ribbon.

Holding a book in her hands, the gentleness of her lowered head was just like a lotus flower too shy to bear the cool breeze.

Her appearance differed from those noble ladies of Bianjing who wore gold and jade, bright and dazzling; she was like a weak willow swaying in the wind.

This distinct style of dress, combined with her beautiful countenance, instantly stunned Gu Yankai, capturing his heart.

Yet after their marriage, whenever Da Niangzi Da Qin received jewelry he gifted her, she would always be overjoyed.

She had never shown weariness toward gold, silver, jewels, hairpins, or ornaments.

"Qing'er, did you not actually favor that simple attire back then, but rather simply lacked jewelry and clothing?"

And back then, when Gu Dalang befriended him, was it because he was his brother-in-law, or because Gu Yankai was the future Marquis Gu?

The wooden spirit tablet in his hand naturally could not speak.

"Could it be that Bai Shi sowed discord???"

A momentary doubt arose in Gu Yankai's mind.

He returned the spirit tablet to its place, lit three sticks of incense, and inserted them into the incense burner within the ancestral hall.

Green smoke curled upward.

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(End of Chapter)