Chapter 44: 44 Documents

The successful operation greatly encouraged the second shopkeeper, and he decided to discuss taking on a new patient with Gu Jiao.

Of course, as the matter was of great importance, he could leave out some irrelevant information for now, such as, if the treatment fails, there will be beheadings…

However, before he could mention who the prospective patient was, Gu Jiao flatly refused.

“Why?” The second shopkeeper was shocked.

Gu Jiao stated without hesitation, “It’s too far away, I don’t do out-patient service. Tell him that if he needs treatment, he should come to Huichun Hall by himself.”

“I…” The second shopkeeper was dumbfounded. The patient was someone who could even invite an Imperial doctor to his residence, how could he possibly stoop to visit a small town’s medical hall?

The second shopkeeper laughed awkwardly, “It’s not far, not far at all. It’s just in a hot spring villa nearby Qingquan Town.”

Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t it far if it’s outside of the town?”

“…” The second shopkeeper was speechless.

The second shopkeeper often thought that Gu Jiao was highly capable and certainly not like a village woman. However, at that moment, her complaint about the twenty-mile-away hot spring villa far away showed that she was indeed a village woman who had never traveled far.

Looking at Gu Jiao somewhat pitifully, the second shopkeeper protested, “We agreed, you would take a case once a month.”

Gu Jiao spread out her hands, “Yes, I agreed to take a case once a month, not to do an out-patient service once a month.”

Second Shopkeeper: “…”

“If Miss Gu said no, then it’s no. At least we managed to save Huichun Hall from danger,” Shopkeeper Wang sighed in relief after learning about Gu Jiao’s refusal.

The second shopkeeper was at a loss, “What do you know? I’ve already sent out the invitation…”

Shopkeeper Wang jumped out of shock, “Landowner! What did you say?”

The second shopkeeper coughed lightly and said, “I thought she could surely cure Young Master Xiao, so… I sent the invitation in advance.”

Everyone in Zhan Country knew that the young master of the Marquis’s Residence was ill. Despite the severe consequences of failing to treat the young master, many doctors still lined up to diagnose him, driven by a heavy reward.

If they sent the invitation now, by the time their turn came, the young master might already be gone.

Shopkeeper Wang was simply at a loss for words about what to say to the second shopkeeper!

Gu Jiao was oblivious to the conversation between the second shopkeeper and Shopkeeper Wang. She went to the grand hall to fetch some medicine, and in order to not let anyone see that she was fetching medicines for treating leprosy, she mixed in several other herbs, which she could use to make some wound-healing medicine at home.

Fen Lin returned to the Academy, while Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang rode Uncle Luo’s bullock cart back to the village.

Although Xiao Liulang’s pain was relieved, he hadn’t regained his strength in his right leg and foot yet. He had to rely on a crutch for the time being.

Walking with Gu Jiao with the help of his crutch, he saw a horse carriage parked outside their house from a distance. The emblem on the carriage seemed quite familiar.

The carriage seemed to have just arrived. The coachman lifted the curtain to help a dignified middle-aged man alight the carriage.

“Excuse me, is this Xiao Liulang’s house?” The middle-aged man politely asked outside the gate.

“That would be me.” Xiao Liulang replied indifferently.

The middle-aged man turned around and upon seeing Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao, he displayed a kind smile, “I am the steward from Tianxiang Academy. My family’s old master and the principal asked me to deliver some items here.”

If the Gu Family was here, they would recognize that he was the man who delivered Gu Xiaoshun’s enrollment documents before.

He took out a letter from the package and handed it to Xiao Liulang, “This is from the principal.” He then handed a brocade box to Gu Jiao, “This is from our old master for Young Master Gu.”

Upon hearing that Gu Xiaoshun also received something, they guessed who the ‘old master’ he was referring to was.

Xiao Liulang took the letter, and Gu Jiao received the brocade box.

Gu Jiao said, “Steward Liu, please come in and have a seat.”

Steward Liu smiled, “Not necessary, I still have things to do, so I’ll be leaving now.”

At this moment, the old woman inside the house called Xiao Liulang, so Xiao Liulang limped in with his crutch.

Steward Liu took out a brocade pouch from his bosom and handed it to Gu Jiao, “This is from our old master for Miss Gu.”

“Why is he giving this to me?” Gu Jiao asked.

Steward Liu just smiled and did not respond, and went up the horse carriage to leave.

Gu Jiao went back to the room to see the gifts from the old man. The gift for Gu Xiaoshun was a very delicate wolf-fur brush, and hers was a piece of warm and smooth mutton-fat jade.

As her body was cold in nature, wearing the warm jade on her body was almost like sticking a miniature heat pad on herself.

Even if Gu Jiao didn’t know anything about jade, she could tell that this was a valuable piece of jade. Its value was definitely not lower than Gu Xiaoshun’s wolf-fur brush.

Gu Jiao rested her chin on her hand and murmured, “Hmm, I thought I managed to hide it…”

So the old man had known it was her all along.

Gu Jiao was very pleased with her New Year’s gift. She quickly went to see what the principal had sent for Xiao Liulang, only to see Xiao Liulang sitting on the chair, with a dark face, looking as if he wanted to tear something up.

“What’s wrong?” Gu Jiao peeked around and asked.

Xiao Liulang wanted to destroy the unwanted evidence, but Gu Jiao had already come up to him and successfully took the document from his hand.

“What’s this? It seems to have the official seal of the Yamen on it.” Gu Jiao pointed to a character on the document that she had just learned and read aloud, “Test. Is there an examination?”

“…Yes, the county examination.”

Damn principal, he had secretly registered him for this month’s county examination without his knowledge!

He didn’t want to take the county examination!!!

“Did you register for it?” Gu Jiao asked.

“The principal did.” Xiao Liulang grinding his teeth replied.

This surprised Gu Jiao, “Did the whole class get enrolled?”

“Probably not.” Xiao Liulang replied.

That made sense. Gu Xiaoshun was not among them.

Xiao Liulang was notorious in class for being a low achiever. From the time he entered school until the winter vacation, he had never managed to escape from being among the last three in all exams. But even with such lousy performance, the exemplary principal did not give up on him. He personally registered him for the county examination. What a great educator he was!

The image of the principal in Gu Jiao’s mind instantly became towering!

“Husband, I think, we should visit the principal and give him some gifts!” Gu Jiao’s eyes sparkled. In her past life, she wanted to bribe her teachers, but no one would do it for her and her grades were too good that she didn’t need to do it anyway.

Seeing Xiao Liulang’s bad grades, shouldn’t they secure a good relationship with the principal as soon as possible?

“No need.” Xiao Liulang refused, and seeing Gu Jiao looking at him in surprise and confusion, he reluctantly turned his head away, “It’s too far.”

Gu Jiao asked, “Where is it?”

Xiao Liulang held back his betraying conscience, “Near the hot spring villa, outside the town.”

Gu Jiao instantly forgot about the event at the medical hall, “Not far, not at all! You just rest at home and recuperate, Xiaoshun and I will go tomorrow!”