Were they returning to the capital?
Gu Jiu put down the book in her hands. She hadn’t expected to return to the capital so soon.
She had always known that Gu daren was planning their return.
She originally thought they would only return next year when Gu daren completed his tenure and returned to the capital for his debriefing. But she hadn’t expected it to happen so much earlier.
Now that they were leaving for the capital, her newly started business and all her plans had to be adjusted in advance.
She needed to hurry and take care of everything before they departed.
“Guniang has grown taller this year, and last year’s winter clothes no longer fit you. Guniang will need new ones from the inside out. The sewing room always prioritises san guniang and si guniang.
“If we rely on them, the winter clothes won’t be ready even by the time we leave for the capital. Starting today, we will set aside our other tasks and focus on making winter clothes for guniang.”
Qing Mei, along with Qing Zhu and Xiao Cui, chatted away.
Worried that Gu Jiu wouldn’t have proper winter clothing once the weather turned cold, they decided to personally make her new clothes.
Qing Zhu said, “I haven’t touched needlework in half a year. I need to practice before I dare start.”
Qing Mei opened the wardrobe, took out some fabric, and said, “Then hurry and practice. We can’t have guniang wearing something poorly sewn and getting laughed at. That would be embarrassing.”
The two of them chattered away as they emptied the wardrobe of fabric.
Qing Mei carried the fabric over to Gu Jiu. “Guniang, which colour do you like?”
Gu Jiu smiled. “They’re all nice.”
Qing Mei thought for a moment. “How about making one from each fabric?”
Qing Zhu added, “We should save the cotton fabric for making undergarments.”
Qing Mei nodded.
The two continued discussing the details of the clothes.
Once they settled on a plan, Qing Mei took out a measuring tape to take Gu Jiu’s measurements.
Gu Jiu stood up to make it easier.
Qing Mei remarked, “Guniang has grown a lot in just half a year.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “That’s good. I should still have a few more years of growth left.”
She hadn’t yet reached the age where she would stop growing. Based on her estimations, she still had another two or three years of height growth ahead.
Qing Mei said, “Nubi will leave extra length in the hems. That way, if guniang grows taller, we can just let them out.”
Gu Jiu nodded. “I’ll leave it to you.”
When it came to needlework and tailoring, Gu Jiu was utterly clueless. She didn’t want to show off her lack of skill by giving unnecessary opinions.
As for colours and styles, Qing Mei and the others had good taste, so there was no need for her to worry.
As long as the designs fit mainstream aesthetics, that was enough.
Gu Jiu had no intention of dressing too uniquely just for the sake of standing out.
Even in modern society, dressing too unconventionally in daily life often drew stares and comments.
Whether at school or work, there were always basic expectations for attire.
Let alone now, living in ancient times—if she tried to dress too differently, Qing Mei and Qing Zhu would probably drag her back inside and make her change before she could even step outside. And she’d have to endure their endless nagging.
Seeing that Qing Mei and Qing Zhu were busy, Gu Jiu said, “I’m going to the Siguo Courtyard to visit gege. You two carry on.”
Qing Mei was worried. “Guniang, take a few more people with you.”
Gu Jiu chuckled. “Don’t worry. We’re inside the manor—what could happen?”
She left with Xiao Cui and two other servant girls.
The news of their return to the capital had already spread throughout the estate. As she walked, she saw that most people wore expressions of joy.
When she arrived at the Siguo Courtyard, she heard her brother, Gu Ting, losing his temper.
It sounded like he was scolding Li Chuan.
Gu Jiu frowned slightly and quickly stepped into the room.
“Why is gege shouting? I could hear you all the way from the courtyard entrance.”
The servant boy, Li Chuan, shrank back, looking like a scolded wife.
Gu Jiu waved at him. “You leave first.”
Li Chuan glanced hesitantly at Gu Ting. Only when Gu Ting nodded did he retreat.
Gu Jiu sat on a round stool by the bed. “Gege, why were you yelling at Li Chuan? Did he do something wrong?”
Gu Ting’s expression remained stern. “He didn’t do anything wrong. I’m angry at myself—I hate how useless my injured leg is. We’re about to return to the capital, and I’ll be dragging this crippled leg with me. What a disgrace.”
Gu Jiu understood immediately.
Ever since Gu Ting was injured, he had been bedridden, and his mood had soured.
Now, hearing that they would return to the capital, he was reminded that he’d have to go back with a crippled leg, subjecting himself to ridicule. All his pent-up frustration and anger had erupted at once.
With no one else to vent to, he naturally took it out on his servant, Li Chuan.
Gu Jiu said, “Gege, lift the blanket. Let me check your injured leg.”
Gu Ting refused. “My leg is covered in medicine every day—it’s filthy. I don’t want your hands to get dirty. Besides, you’re not a doctor.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Gege, if I told you I know medicine, would you believe me?”
Of course not.
Gu Ting chuckled, treating it as a joke.
Gu Jiu smirked. “Gege, if you won’t listen, I’ll just do it myself.”
Saying that, she reached to lift the blanket.
“Fine, fine, you win.” Gu Ting could never win against her.
He lifted a corner of the blanket, revealing his injured leg. “See for yourself.”
Gu Jiu pressed around the wound.
The leg was healing but at a very slow pace.
He had been confined to bed for so long, unable to go anywhere. Even when he got up, he needed Li Chuan’s help.
No wonder he was so frustrated.
For someone who used to go out all the time, being confined indoors was worse than death.
Gu Jiu applied more pressure. “Gege, can you feel this?”
Gu Ting nodded. “Yes.”
Gu Jiu then took the hairpin from her head and pricked his leg twice.
“What about this?”
Gu Ting nodded. “Meimei, what are you doing? Of course, I can feel it when you poke me like that.”
“What kind of feeling? Does it hurt?”
Gu Ting shook his head. “Not really.”
Gu Jiu frowned and pressed harder, enough to leave visible indentations. Normally, anyone would feel pain at this intensity.
“Does it hurt now?”
Gu Ting shook his head. “No.”
Gu Jiu’s frown deepened.
She then used the same force to prick his arm.
“Ow!” Before she could even ask, Gu Ting yelped in pain.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
Gu Ting gritted his teeth. “Meimei, you’re way too rough!”
Hearing that, Gu Jiu’s expression grew even more serious.
It was clear that his injured leg was not healing well and had a weakened sense of pain.
“Li Chuan, bring me the prescription from Doctor Xu.”
Li Chuan fetched the prescription and handed it to her.
Gu Ting was confused. “Meimei, can you even read a prescription?”
Gu Jiu smiled softly. “Gege, I told you—I know medicine.”
Gu Ting gasped. He had thought she was joking.
Curious, he asked, “Meimei, where did you learn medicine?”
Gu Jiu casually replied, “Long illnesses make good doctors.”
Doctor Xu’s prescription was correct, but the medicine was not strong enough. Gu Ting’s leg was not healing well.
She needed to modify the prescription to strengthen its effects.
Gu Jiu fell into deep thought. After a moment, she asked, “Gege, does your leg still hurt?”
Gu Ting shook his head. “If I don’t move, there’s no pain. When I do, it feels sore, numb, and itchy, sometimes with slight pain.”
Gu Jiu furrowed her brows.
His wound was not healing properly, dulling his pain perception. That was not a good sign.
She asked Xiao Cui to prepare ink and paper. Gu Jiu picked up the brush and began writing a prescription.
Gu Ting asked, “Meimei, what are you doing?”
Gu Jiu turned to look at him. “Gege, do you trust me?”
Gu Ting nodded. “Of course.”
Gu Jiu pondered for a moment before saying, “I’ve written a new prescription for gege. Follow it as instructed. If there’s an improvement in a couple of days, I’ll come back to perform acupuncture.”
Gu Ting’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
Could his sister really know medicine?
Gu Jiu didn’t offer much explanation and simply said, “Since gege trusts me, I will do my best to heal your injured leg as soon as possible. However, gege must keep this a secret. I don’t want others to know that I can practice medicine.”
Gu Ting blinked and pinched his arm. Ouch—it hurt. This was real.
He looked at Gu Jiu. “Meimei, do you really know medicine? Can you truly heal my injured leg so I can walk again soon?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “Yes.”
“How did you learn medicine?”
Gu Jiu smiled. “I told you before, prolonged illness makes a good doctor. Have you forgotten? I even had you collect medical books for me. Those books weren’t read in vain.”
Gu Ting clicked his tongue in admiration. “I never thought that just reading a few medical books would make you a doctor. Meimei is incredible.”
Gu Jiu replied, “It’s nothing. Even though I understand some medicine, I’ve never formally treated a patient. Technically, you are my first. Are you afraid?”
Gu Ting grinned. “Of course not. If you want to practice medicine, I’ll gladly cooperate. Do whatever you need to do.”
Gu Jiu felt touched. If it were someone else, they wouldn’t trust her so wholeheartedly.
This kind of trust was truly precious.
Gu Jiu solemnly promised, “I will definitely heal you.”
After writing the prescription, she sent Li Chuan to the storeroom to collect the medicinal ingredients.
The prescription Gu Jiu prepared included both internal medicine and external applications.
Li Chuan soon returned with the herbs.
The maids at the storeroom, knowing that the medicine was for the san shaoye, Gu Ting, didn’t dare be negligent and provided only the highest-quality ingredients.
Gu Jiu assigned Xiao Cui to decoct the medicine.
For the external medicine, Gu Jiu personally worked with Li Chuan to grind the herbs little by little with a mortar and pestle.
They then began making the medicinal paste.
After a whole day’s work, by the time evening fell and Qing Mei arrived, the external ointment was finally ready.
Using a clean wooden spatula, Gu Jiu scraped a bit of the ointment and gently applied it to the wound and the surrounding skin.
Gu Ting was amazed. “Meimei, what kind of medicine is this? It feels cool and refreshing—so much better than Doctor Xu’s ointment.”
Gu Jiu chuckled. “This is my special formula. It helps the wound heal and regenerate new tissue.”
Gu Ting brightened. “Does that mean I’ll recover soon?”
Gu Jiu shook her head slightly. “There’s an old saying—‘It takes a hundred days to heal bones and tendons.’ Gege, this isn’t just nonsense. Your bone is broken. You must take proper care of it and avoid unnecessary movement. Otherwise, the bone might heal improperly, and you’ll end up with a limp.”
To ensure that Gu Ting wouldn’t be crippled, Gu Jiu planned to perform acupuncture in a few days once everything was ready.
Since Doctor Xu had once been a military doctor, Gu Jiu trusted his skills in treating external injuries. His prescription was also quite appropriate.
However, she had overestimated Doctor Xu—or perhaps underestimated the severity of Gu Ting’s injury.
If treated according to Doctor Xu’s methods, Gu Ting’s leg would indeed heal, but it would take much longer.
Moreover, once it healed, there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t limp, or that he wouldn’t struggle with weakness in his leg, pain on rainy days, or other lingering effects.
There was a high chance that even if he could walk normally, he might not be able to run or jump, and rainy weather might cause him pain.
Gu Jiu asked, “Does gege truly want to join the military?”
At the mention of this, Gu Ting’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Of course! My ambition is to fight on the battlefield, take the enemy general’s head amidst thousands of troops, become a great general, and protect you so no one dares to bully you.”
Gu Jiu was deeply moved. She looked at Gu Ting with seriousness and said, “For the sake of gege’s ambition, I will heal your leg completely. I won’t let anything hold you back when you go to war.”
Gu Ting burst into laughter, but after a moment, he scratched his head. “Meimei, I thought you would oppose me joining the military.”
Gu Jiu said, “It’s dangerous, so before enlisting, you must master your martial skills. No matter what, your life should always be the priority. Also, war isn’t won by brute force alone. It requires strategy. Throughout history, all the greatest generals were not just brave but also wise. You must learn from them.”
Gu Ting frowned. “But reading gives me a headache.”
Gu Jiu chuckled. “I’m not asking you to read poetry, the Four Books, or the Five Classics. I want you to read military strategy and historical records. These books will be extremely helpful for your future as a soldier.”
After a pause, she added, “Gege, history repeats itself. Any war you fight in will have a precedent in history. If you want to join the military, you must study historical texts.”
“I’ve never heard that before.”
Gu Jiu said, “Once you read enough books, you’ll start seeing patterns in history and recognising similarities.”
Gu Ting nodded. “You make it sound so mysterious. Now I have to force myself to study those books.”
Gu Jiu was pleased that he finally took her advice to heart.
By then, the sky was completely dark. Qing Mei urged Gu Jiu, “Guniang, you should head back. The gatekeeper will lock the doors soon.”
Gu Jiu nodded and reminded Gu Ting, “Gege, rest well. I’ll visit you again tomorrow.”
“Meimei, go slowly.”
Li Chuan escorted Gu Jiu to the main gate.
Gu Jiu instructed him, “Take good care of gege. If you encounter any difficulties, tell me immediately. Also, find a way to bring Da Zhuang into the manor tomorrow. I need to speak with him.”
Li Chuan bowed and agreed.
Now that Xie shi was back in power, she was strictly managing the rear-court.
The back gate leading to the alley had been locked with a new padlock and was now completely sealed off.
The old gatekeeper had been reassigned elsewhere.
The new gatekeeper was unfamiliar with Qing Mei, so they couldn’t easily obtain the key.
For now, Gu Jiu had no way to leave the estate.
She had to find a way to handle her affairs outside before returning to the capital.
Since she couldn’t leave, she had to bring Da Zhuang inside.
Using the side gate of the outer courtyard and leveraging Li Chuan’s connections, it was still possible to bring him in.
No matter how powerful Xie shi was, her influence didn’t extend to the outer courtyard.
Before the second gate was locked, Gu Jiu returned to the rear-court, crossed the garden, and arrived at Zhilan Yuan.
“The fabric has already been cut?”
Seeing the once-complete cloth now neatly cut into pieces, Gu Jiu was surprised.
She hadn’t expected Qing Mei and Qing Zhu to have already cut out the clothing patterns in just one day.
She had heard that the most skilful part of tailoring was the cutting process.
Anyone could do simple sewing, but cutting fabric properly was not easy.
Qing Mei said, “Qing Zhu and nubi worked together to cut out all the pieces. We’ll start sewing the clothes tomorrow morning.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Qing Mei, you are truly amazing.”
Qing Mei quickly said, “This is nothing. When Gui mama was here, her cutting skills were impeccable. She didn’t even need a ruler—just one look, and she could measure accurately. She never made a mistake. Nubi’s sewing and cutting skills are just a fraction of what I learned from her.”
Gu Jiu laughed. “Gui mama was incredible, and Qing Mei, you are great too. Now that she’s old and her eyesight isn’t as sharp, these tasks will have to rely on you from now on.”
Qing Mei grinned. “Don’t worry, guniang. Nubi and Qing Zhu will make you the most beautiful clothes.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
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