Doctor Li was a stubborn man; if he said he wouldn't do something, he wouldn't.
After returning home, he had thought it through. This whole affair, even in the dead of winter, had made him break out in a cold sweat. Whoever could secretly poison Zhang Qiaozui was no commoner and definitely not someone he could afford to provoke.
Zhang Qiaozui usually ran her mouth off about everything, so it was likely she'd offended someone with her words and they had taken revenge.
Since that person didn't want Zhang Qiaozui to keep babbling on, why should I be the bad guy and heal her? Hmph! It's better for the villagers to have some peace, and it's not like she would die from it. I'd best not get involved.
That evening, when Gu Qingli and her siblings returned home, they heard Ms. Wu talking about Zhang Qiaozui's mouth.
"Serves her right! She was always badmouthing Sister. Now she'll think twice before running her mouth," Dashuang said, clearly relishing Zhang Qiaozui's misfortune.
Xiaoshuang, on the other hand, furrowed his little brow, lost in thought.
Gu Qingli smiled when she heard this. I haven't even made a move yet, and someone beat me to it.
No matter who it was, getting Zhang Qiaozui to shut her mouth was indeed a good deed.
Ms. Wu also mentioned that ever since Ms. Hua found out Zhang Qiaozui's mouth was too swollen to speak, she had become much more restrained.
Gu Qingli scoffed. So this old shrew had her fears too, huh? I'd thought Ms. Hua was impervious, like she was made of steel.
Twelve days passed just like that. There were only three days left until Gu Qingli's wedding day.
During these twelve days, Gu Qingli had saved 133 taels of silver. She had also bought a set of quilted jackets for her family. Wearing their new clothes, the whole family finally felt warm and looked presentable.
This infuriated Ms. Hua; that was good, gleaming silver!
Whenever she mentioned it, Second Brother Gu would tell her to provide the money for Gu Qingli's dowry. Gu Qingli was raised by him, and as her father, he logically should be the one to receive the betrothal gifts.
Ms. Hua had no choice but to shut up, seething with hidden anger. Second Brother Gu had indeed changed.
Her usual tantrums were useless now; Second Brother Gu would simply walk away, leaving her half-dead with rage.
Ms. Wu and her three children were the happiest of all, watching Second Brother Gu slowly transform.
「One morning」
Gu Qingli and her siblings were digging for medicinal herbs when a man ran up to them, panting heavily. Upon seeing them, he stopped, bending over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath.
Gu Qingli and her siblings looked at him in surprise. This man was Gu Daquan, the Village Chief's third son. According to village hierarchy, the three siblings were to call him Third Uncle.
"Third Uncle, what's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?" Gu Qingli couldn't help but ask.
Once Gu Daquan caught his breath a little, he said anxiously, "S-Second Daughter, quickly, you all must return home! Y-your father… he's had an accident!"
"What?"
The words struck them like a thunderbolt. The three siblings hastily slung their baskets onto their backs, grabbed their hoes, and sprinted down the mountain.
An accident? What kind of accident? Gu Qingli's mind raced as she ran, not even considering whether Dashuang and Xiaoshuang could keep up; she just ran as fast as she could.
Please, don't let it be anything too serious! Second Brother Gu had only just begun to change for the better, and their family was finally seeing a glimmer of hope. Don't let something irreversible happen now!
As they neared the village entrance, they heard Ms. Wu's heart-wrenching cries from a distance. "My dear husband," she sobbed, "you have to hold on! Li'er and the others will be back soon!"
A large crowd had gathered at the entrance to the Gu family home. As soon as Gu Qingli arrived, she tossed her basket to the side of the road and pushed her way through the people.
In the courtyard was an ox-cart. Xiao Yunjing was holding the reins. A man lay on the cart, and Ms. Wu was draped over him, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.
"Second Daughter is back!" someone in the crowd immediately shouted.
All eyes turned towards her.
Gu Qingli hurriedly rushed forward, helped Ms. Wu up, and asked, "Mother, what happened? Why wasn't he sent to town?"
"Ah! Li'er, your grandparents wouldn't let us send him to the doctor! They insisted on waiting for you three to return. Your father went up the mountain today… he said he was going to catch a rabbit so you three could have something good to eat tonight. Who knew he'd come back like this… His leg is broken, but your grandparents absolutely refuse to give any silver, and they won't let us take him!" Ms. Wu blurted out in one breath, a rare occurrence.
"Mother, please calm down. Father has lost a lot of blood. I'll get a bowl of salt water for him first."
Gu Qingli quickly understood the situation. She saw Second Brother Gu's weak condition; if they didn't act fast, he might not even make it to town.
I need to use the spiritual spring water from my space to stabilize him first.
"Yes, yes, Li'er, hurry!" Ms. Wu seemed to find her pillar of strength as soon as Gu Qingli returned.
Gu Qingli ran to the kitchen, took a bowl, and pressed her fingertip against the bowl's edge. A stream of water with a refreshing fragrance flowed out.
After it was about half full, she added a little water from the large water vat and brought it out.
"Dashuang, Xiaoshuang, gently lift Father's head." She saw that Dashuang and Xiaoshuang had also arrived, their eyes red.
"Let me." Xiao Yunjing had Dashuang and Xiaoshuang hold the ox's lead rope, then came over to help prop Second Brother Gu up a bit.
Second Brother Gu was barely breathing, his face a deathly pale. Gu Qingli supported his chin with one hand and brought the bowl to his lips.
Perhaps the refreshing fragrance of the spiritual spring water stimulated some awareness in him, and coupled with his own will to live, he actually managed to swallow a little.
If he could swallow a little, he could swallow more.
When he had swallowed nearly a large mouthful, Gu Qingli stopped. At this point, Second Brother Gu's breathing had become a little stronger.
He should be fine to transport to town now.
"Dashuang, Xiaoshuang, you two go with Third Brother Xiao and take Father to Doctor Shen in town."
The two nodded.
"Xiao Yunjing, I'll have to trouble you. Please go ahead first; I'll follow shortly," Gu Qingli said, after speaking to Dashuang and Xiaoshuang.
Xiao Yunjing nodded. He glanced up at Master Gu and Ms. Hua, who were standing on higher ground, a cold sneer playing on his lips.
"Dashuang, Xiaoshuang, let's go." With that, the three of them jumped onto the ox-cart and left.
When the onlookers saw Xiao Yunjing finally leave with the ox-cart, they all collectively sighed in relief.
Today, everyone had truly witnessed the cold-heartedness of Master Gu and his wife.
As for First Brother Gu and his wife, they had simply slipped back into their house.
And to think their family boasted of supporting three scholars! Tsk, tsk, tsk… This incident completely shattered everyone's perceptions. A family like this, even if they produced an imperial scholar, wouldn't necessarily be good people.
"Li'er, I'll pack some things for your father and go too," Ms. Wu said, having stopped crying.
"Alright, Mother, please go."
Ms. Wu turned and went to pack.
Only then did Gu Qingli turn to Master Gu and Ms. Hua. She wasn't confrontational, nor was she furious; she knew exactly what kind of people these two old individuals were.
She merely looked at them coldly and asked, "Grandfather, Grandmother, since you were waiting for us to return, I presume you have something to say. Please speak. Oh, by the way, Second Master Gu, the Village Chief, is also here."
"Second Master Gu, I'll have to trouble you."
Gu Chang'an, who had been standing at the front of the crowd, walked over. He glared furiously at Master Gu and his wife. These two are truly despicable! Their own son was so severely injured, yet they refused to pay for his medical treatment, instead just waiting here for the three children to return. If the children had been any later, it would have been too late! Hmph! How could the Gu family have produced such scoundrels!
When Master Gu saw the Village Chief, Gu Chang'an, approach, he came down from the steps and said, "Chang'an, let's talk inside."