The two boys were indeed intelligent, understanding quickly and being very protective of their family. Their support today truly warmed Gu Qingli's heart.
A family should be like this, especially when they are still such young children.
They were much better than Master Gu and Ms. Hua, who had lived their lives completely in vain.
However, today's conflict in town meant they hadn't bought anything. So, tonight, they could only give Ms. Wu and Second Brother Gu sweet potatoes from the Space.
On the way, they greeted villagers they knew who were also returning from the market.
Near the village entrance, they encountered a group of people walking towards them. Ms. Hua was among them. For the past few days, Master Gu had kept her in check, so she hadn't come looking for Gu Qingli.
Seeing Gu Qingli and her siblings returning so early, Ms. Hua craned her neck to peer into Gu Qingli's basket.
She felt restless if she wasn't causing trouble for their family.
Noticing a few packets of medicine, she sneered and brushed past the three siblings.
Three packs of medicine wouldn't cost many copper coins, Ms. Hua thought resentfully. However, considering Ms. Wu has been taking medicine daily, even if one dose isn't expensive, the total cost must be substantial by now. The thought of so much money being spent on that wretched woman is sheer torture!
But then, remembering the ten taels of silver, she clenched her teeth and endured it.
Once that wretched girl is married off, I can deal with Ms. Wu however I please.
The three siblings were her juniors, so they greeted her as "Grandmother." She merely grunted in response, her eyes filled with disdain and disgust as she glanced at them.
After Ms. Hua passed, Dashuang patted his chest. Thank goodness we didn't buy those big steamed buns today, or our secret would have been exposed. Then all the money we've painstakingly earned selling medicinal herbs these past few days would be confiscated by Grandmother, and buying steamed buns in the future would be impossible, let alone buying medicine for Mother.
Gu Qingli, however, was thinking about something else. There's definitely something strange about Ms. Hua's relationship with Second Brother Gu. A mother who not only detests her grandchildren but also shows no affection for her own son. That's highly abnormal. If I knew the reason, I could use it to help Second Brother Gu break away from the main Gu Family.
After returning home, the siblings still went up the mountain. The two boys had witnessed the value of Ginseng today, so there was no stopping them from going.
「Meanwhile」
As soon as Ms. Hua entered the town, she ran into Zhang Qiaozui, who chattered on with a stream of gossip. Hearing her words, Ms. Hua was furious.
After giving some silver to her other son and grandson, she hurried back to settle accounts with Gu Qingli and her siblings.
Today, Ms. Jiang had also brought her eldest daughter-in-law and second son's wife to the town market. Coincidentally, they happened upon Zhang Qiaozui just as she was in full gossip mode, saliva flying.
When Ms. Jiang heard Zhang Qiaozui call her son a "wife-jinx" and wonder why he hadn't "jinxed" the Gu family's second daughter to death yet, she felt nothing. In fact, it would be best if she died, Ms. Jiang thought. To be honest, I really dislike this second daughter. But Zhang Qiaozui's foul mouth really makes me want to tear it off! Spreading rumors everywhere! And that old hag Ms. Hua, she actually joins in slandering her own granddaughter, completely shameless!
Ms. Jiang and her two daughters-in-law pursed their lips and walked away.
Behind them, Xiao Yunjing cast a subtle glance at Zhang Qiaozui and Ms. Hua.
When Gu Qingli returned home that night, she expected Ms. Hua to confront her. However, everything was surprisingly quiet, just like any other day.
It wasn't that Ms. Hua didn't want to cause trouble; Master Gu had yelled at her and stopped her.
Second Brother Gu has been acting very unusually lately, Master Gu thought. If she keeps provoking them, Second Brother will definitely fall out with us completely. I'm old and can't work much anymore. I'm counting on Second Brother to do the labor. Relying on Eldest or Third? That's a pipe dream! Who knows how much more silver we'll have to pour into those two and their sons.
「The next day」
Zhang Qiaozui woke up with a sharp pain in her mouth. She touched it and found it was swollen.
"Husband!" she yelled, pushing Gu Datian, who was sleeping soundly.
Gu Datian opened his eyes and saw Zhang Qiaozui's sausage-like lips. He scrambled out of bed, pointing at her mouth. "What have you been secretly eating? How did your mouth get like this?"
Zhang Qiaozui glared, her eyes wide, and swung a fist at Gu Datian. "You heartless brute! What is there for me to secretly eat? Everything in this house goes into your son's and daughter's mouths! Hurry up and get Doctor Li to look at me!"
Gu Datian, wincing from the blow, quickly got up. His drowsiness vanished, and he hurried out to find Doctor Li.
Doctor Li had just woken up when Gu Datian dragged him away.
After examining Zhang Qiaozui and taking her pulse, Doctor Li shook his head. "I can't identify this poison. I can only prescribe some medicine to reduce the internal heat and dispel the toxins."
Zhang Qiaozui was shocked. Poisoned? What kind of poison? When did I ingest poison? Why am I the only one in the family who's poisoned? And this Doctor Li doesn't even know what's wrong, yet he wants to prescribe medicine? What's he trying to pull? Trying to cheat me out of my money? No way!
Covering her mouth, she pointed at Doctor Li. "Can you even call yourself a doctor? You can't even identify the poison, yet you want to prescribe medicine? Are you trying to cure me or kill me?!"
Doctor Li was stunned, his beard quivering with anger. "Alright, alright, alright! So I'm incompetent! I'll take my leave now. Don't bother calling for me again, because I won't come even if you beg!"
Saying this, Doctor Li snatched up his medicine box and stormed off. He'd been dragged over by Gu Datian before he'd even had a bite of breakfast, only to receive a scolding.
Although I can't neutralize this poison immediately, it can be treated gradually, bit by bit. It'll just make Zhang Qiaozui suffer a little longer, that's all, he thought.
Doctor Li was fuming. That Zhang Qiaozui and her foul mouth! Truly something else! Accusing me of not knowing how to practice medicine and of endangering lives! How dare she question my medical skills! Forget it! If I, Doctor Li, ever treat anyone from their family again, then I'm not Doctor Li!
Gu Datian tugged at Zhang Qiaozui, then hurried forward to stop the furious Doctor Li, saying with an apologetic smile, "Doctor Li, she's just an ignorant woman talking nonsense. Please, prescribe the medicine."
Doctor Li brushed Gu Datian's hand away and shot a look at Zhang Qiaozui. "I wouldn't dare prescribe anything. You'd best find someone more capable. In my opinion, your wife is likely suffering retribution for her loose tongue."
HUMPH! With that, Doctor Li flicked his sleeves and stormed off in a huff.
Even though I don't recognize this particular poison, I'm still a doctor! he fumed internally. I've treated plenty of villagers for bites from snakes, insects, rats, and ants. I've never encountered such a sinister poison before. To poison someone's mouth without endangering their life... it's clearly the work of someone who detests her foul mouth!
Zhang Qiaozui and Gu Datian were left speechless, watching Doctor Li storm off, flicking his sleeves dramatically.
"What are you gawking at? Let's hurry to town!" Zhang Qiaozui urged, her mouth aching even more.
The couple quickly tidied up and hurried to town. They had previously rented a small courtyard in town for their son to focus on his studies, with their daughter, Gu Qinghua, looking after his daily needs.
Upon arriving in town, Gu Qinghua hastily prepared some food for them. Afterwards, they visited two Drugstores, but neither could treat Zhang Qiaozui's condition.
By now, Zhang Qiaozui's mouth was so swollen that she couldn't speak at all.
The couple had no other options. They didn't have the silver to travel to the county seat, so they could only return home and once again seek out Doctor Li for medicine.