Chapter 193

Although the cause of today's affair was a complete mess, the result turned out well in the end.

The several heads of the Gu clan were satisfied, and again apologized to Village Chief Lao Qian: "We outsiders have disturbed Flower Pool Ford Village, which is utterly wrong. During this time we also showed much disrespect to the village chief, truly a grave mistake."

"Please, Village Chief Qian, accept our three bows from all of us!"

Lao Qian had just been furious enough to snap, swearing to settle accounts later with these rascals.

But now, upon glancing at Gu Xixi, he changed his mind: "Alright, let bygones be bygones."

"Since you have recognized your mistake, and out of respect for your great-niece Xixi, I will reluctantly accept your three bows; let this matter be considered settled."

"However," he paused, his gaze gathering menace, "you must remember, there will be no next time."

The Gu clan members nodded repeatedly.

The heads, smiling, extended an invitation to Lao Qian: "Speaking of which, this encounter also counts as meeting through conflict; Village Chief, you are an open-hearted, righteous person, and we sincerely admire you."

"After the summer harvest in a month or so, our local Gu clan will hold a clan gathering. The clan will set up a flowing-water banquet: first, to celebrate the harvest and thank the land; second, for clansmen to reunite, a rare occasion, and we also invite Village Chief Qian and his wife to attend the feast."

Lao Qian hesitated: "This..."

"Since it is your clan's affair, for us outsiders to participate would be inappropriate, wouldn't it?"

The head said, "How is it inappropriate? You are an honored guest; as long as you don't look down on us, we also hope you will give us the chance to formally express our apology."

Qian's wife said to Lao Qian, "It's better to settle a feud than to prolong it; husband, you might as well agree."

She glanced at Gu Xixi with a smile, "Anyway, Xixi will definitely be going then."

Lao Qian then nodded and agreed: "Alright, that's settled then!"

It must be said, when the Gu clan's heads calm down, they still have some clever ideas.

From now on, they all pin their hopes on Gu Xixi, possibly visiting Flower Pool Ford Village often.

And Lao Qian is akin to the village's guardian deity; how could we not pay our respects to the pier in advance?

The turmoil has come to an end.

A group of Gu surnames arrived with mighty vigor, laughing and beaming as they departed.

Gu Xixi and the others stood there seeing them off.

He Jinglan exclaimed excitedly, "A clan gathering after the summer harvest? And a flowing-water banquet? Such a lively affair, Xixi, how have I never heard you mention it before?"

Gu Xixi replied, "Because I have never participated in one."

"My father has attended a few times, but he says each time he sits at the end, unable to hear or see clearly, and cannot interject—really boring—so later he would claim he had no time and only go once every two years just to fulfill the obligation."

He Jinglan laughed, "This year will be different; you go yourself, and you will surely sit at the front."

Gu Xixi gazed at her with a smile, "This is all thanks to you."

"Oh, it's nothing," He Jinglan waved her hand, "It's just that we work well together; without me spelling it out, you catch the ladder I lower and pave your own desired path."

Gu Xixi said, "Isn't that because you first understood what path I truly wanted to lay?"

The two exchanged smiles, sharing an unspoken camaraderie of close comrades.

Everyone present except Mu Nan Zhao seemed to be listening to some riddle, half-understanding.

An Qinghe, being straightforward, directly asked, "What path? What ladder? You said cooperation—aside from just now shouting at those people to buy time for Gu Daye to arrive, what else is there?"

He Jinglan and Gu Xixi both let out a light laugh.

He Jinglan teased, "Just what you said—there's nothing else."

An Qinghe can run his business so well, he is certainly clever, but unfortunately he hails from a small Western Regions state and has not been in the Great Enterprise for very long.

He still cannot fully grasp the 'strategic scheming' culture of the Great Enterprise people.

Thus he can sense that Gu Xixi and He Jinglan's conversation holds deeper meaning, yet he cannot fully fathom it.

As everyone walked back, Gu Xixi glanced at Mu Nan Zhao and saw him staring at her, his look seeming extremely displeased.

She averted her gaze without a trace and continued chatting with the others.

Meanwhile she wondered inwardly, "Everything's settled, everyone's happy—why is he alone angry?"

But it doesn't matter; after all, she also has something to say to him privately later.

Gu Xixi's home.

It was already mealtime; Little Flower jumped down several times from the windowsill where it basked in the sun, walked to the middle of the courtyard, and circled around Old Doctor Lao.

Old Doctor Lao stood there like a tree stump; Little Flower was well-behaved, several times lifting its head to look at him without moving, then had to jump back onto the windowsill.

Little Flower wondered inwardly, "Where are the people of this household?"

Usually at this time, Aunt Zhang or Shitou would already have fed it!

People, hurry back!

After experiencing several disappointments from jumping up and down, Little Flower finally twitched its ears and darted out of the courtyard in a flash.

Old Doctor Lao cocked his ear to listen, hearing familiar footsteps, and his expression visibly relaxed.

He put on a stern face and said, "If anyone among you is injured, come to me; I'll take a look."

As Gu Xixi stepped one foot across the threshold, she immediately apologized with a smile, "Everyone's fine, no one's injured—don't believe me? Listen and smell for yourself."

Old Doctor Lao's senses, aside from vision, are all more acute than ordinary people's.

If someone suffered an external injury, he could make a preliminary judgment by listening to footsteps and breathing, or by smelling blood.

Old Doctor Lao unhappily said, "I heard you folks started fighting over there—likely either dead or wounded."

"As a blind old man, I can't go over there; I'd only drag you down, so I can only wait at home."

"Waiting for whoever among you might be carried back, to administer aid promptly, perhaps saving a life."

Aunt Zhang said, "What nonsense about being blind or not, dragging or not dragging— you old coot, you believe whatever others say? 'Dead or injured'—it's not that serious at all!"

Old Doctor Lao still wasn't fully convinced, "Really?"

Upon receiving Aunt Zhang's glance, everyone hurriedly nodded, "True, of course it's true!"

Gu Xixi said, "Exactly, those people were originally stirred up by Gu Daye and Gu Erye; once they learned the truth, they went back."

It's fine now, don't worry, ah.

The old doctor finally calmed down completely.

That's good. From now on, when you put yourselves in danger, at least send me a word so I can help treat injuries and save lives more easily.

Little Flower meowed, reminding everyone that it was time for lunch.

Zhang Shen rushed to the kitchen, He Jinglan quickly said she'd go help, and she also arranged tasks for An Qinghe and little Shitou.

Shitou, you wash the vegetables; Boss An, you start the fire; I'll lend Aunt a hand.

He Jinglan swept everyone away like a gust of wind, and as she left she didn't forget to glance back and give Gu Xixi a look.

The old doctor went back to the rear courtyard to put away his medicine chest.

Only Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao remained in the front courtyard.

I still haven't thanked you.

Why...?

They both spoke at once, then stared at each other, feeling awkward.

Mu Nan Zhao said coldly, 'You go first.'

Gu Xixi didn't demur either, saying, 'An Qinghe said that contract was given to him by Master Liu.'

The contract must be the one in Boss Zhao's possession, right?

Mu Nan Zhao neither confirmed nor denied.

Gu Xixi asked, 'When did you find out about this?'