Chapter 244: A Match Made in Heaven

Doctor Li felt a chill in his heart, realizing that Doctor Liu was doomed.

Xiao Dong withdrew his curious gaze and hurried to the room where they were staying, tossing two bundles onto the bed, calling out, "Master, come quickly and try this outfit, see if it looks good."

Doctor Li wasn’t in the mood, stopping him to ask, "What really happened today?"

Xiao Dong chuckled, "I knew you’d ask, Master. Brother Qi’s mother heard something, asked me to find Gu Shiliu, maybe Doctor Liu had the gatekeeping servant do something taboo."

"Is that all?"

Doctor Li was skeptical.

Xiao Dong nodded frantically, "Of course that’s all. Brother Qi’s mother said I’m still a child and shouldn’t meddle in adult affairs, just to go find Gu Shiliu and that’s it."

Doctor Li frowned, pondering laboriously.

Xiao Dong, seeing no more questions, leapt to the bed to rummage through the bundle.

Doctor Li had many clothes, a large bundle, opened to reveal two sets of garments, from inside to outside, head to toe, all were there.

Xiao Dong said, "Sister Cui Ming asked us to leave later, saying that recently there’s been an outbreak of smallpox, people are on edge, and now the nannies in the sewing room have no tasks at hand, so they can hurry and make a few more clothes for us."

Doctor Li asked, "Just delivering a message, and the Marquis makes such a fuss?"

Xiao Dong admired Marquis Gu above all else, immediately straightened his posture, and said seriously, "Master, Marquis Gu is always clear about gratitude and grievances. To us it seems trivial, but it surely is important to the Marquis. Doctor Liu wanted to harm the Marquis, so the Marquis took his life; Brother Qi’s mother, blind, still cares for her master, so the Marquis is willing to spend a fortune to treat her illness. It’s just different stands, different feelings."

Doctor Li paused and asked, "How did you, such a child, learn these things? Who taught you?"

Xiao Dong was also taken aback, frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "No one really taught me, just followed Master into the Marquis Mansion, saw more people, and understood. Did I say anything wrong?"

As he spoke, his little hands nervously clenched together.

Doctor Li was unsure of his feelings, slowly said, "There’s nothing wrong, just..."

Just what?

Doctor Li was somewhat puzzled.

It seemed he wanted to show Xiao Dong things later, but Xiao Dong had understood early.

Whether good or bad, it was unclear, even he, holding his own beliefs for most of his life, could not claim he’s entirely right.

Over the many years past, there seemed to be many matters that couldn’t be resolved or understood.

All because he was a small person going with the flow.

Yet, even a great person like Marquis Gu was surrounded by threats.

Xiao Dong said, "As long as it’s not wrong, my stand is with Sister and her husband. Her husband is the War God, a great hero, Sister is good to us, if anyone wants to harm him or her, they’re undoubtedly a bad person."

Doctor Li, annoyed, said, "You’re so young, seen so few people, get out of here. Don’t you have good news to tell Brother Qi and his mother? Go, and let them stay awake tonight."

If everyone is sleepless, they might as well be together.

Xiao Dong exclaimed, "I can’t believe I forgot such an important matter, I’ll go, Master, wait for me to come back to try on the clothes."

Even before finishing his words, he had dashed off.

Doctor Li initially wanted to scold him a bit more, telling him not to give away all his heart, but suddenly remembered Brother Qi’s mother had sharp ears, what if she learned and repeated it, better to teach him thoroughly after they leave the mansion.

Soon after, piercing cries sounded from the courtyard, Doctor Li hurried out.

"Stop crying, excessive crying harms the body, this is great news, you should be happy."

The blind nanny stretched out a hand with bulging blue veins towards Doctor Li, as if wanting to grab something, she tried hard to stop crying, sobbing, "Doctor Li, will I be able to see again?"

Doctor Li gestured for Xiao Dong to support her properly, then said, "The Marquis said no matter the cost, your eyes will be treated; there’s hope now, but if you cry and damage the liver channel, it’s uncertain."

The nanny wept and laughed simultaneously, "Before, I didn’t want to live, cried every day uncontrollably, realized too late that my condition was a burden to my poor child. Pity him so young, having to find ways to care for me. For him, I must live well."

Saying so, she tossed away the cane, knelt in the yard to kowtow a few times, muttering, "The master’s great kindness must be repaid even if I am a beast of burden."

Brother Qi, still unable to get out of bed, lay inside weeping and laughing too.

Doctor Li, feeling complicated, led Xiao Dong back inside, filled with both reverence and fear for Marquis Gu.

...

Wutong Garden.

After Doctor Li and Xiao Dong left, the room fell silent.

Only the sounds of tidying up cups and dishes could be heard.

Hong Ye and Cui Ming also retreated, one calling the little maid to pour tea, another asking someone to fetch water for the master to wash hands and face.

Gu Jinghui’s sharp black eyes fixed on Qin Yuan’s snow-white curved neck for a long moment, seeing everyone retreat, he finally said, "Yuan’er, is your proposal ready?"

Qin Yuan didn’t lift her head, her delicate jade hand continued fiddling with the abacus, her voice extremely cold, "Not yet, is the Marquis anxious?"

"How could I not be?"

Gu Jinghui couldn’t help but press his tongue against his lower teeth, chuckled lightly, then forcibly approached, extended a hand, and grasped Qin Yuan’s slender wrist, fingers gently graze her skin, causing a shiver from the rough calluses.

Qin Yuan didn’t lift her head.

She didn’t want to look at him right now.

Gu Jinghui asked again, "Is it that Yuan’er doesn’t know how to write it well?"

After a while, Qin Yuan replied from her throat.

The curtain fluttered for a breath, then promptly returned.

Apparently, the young maids were scared and retreated.

Gu Jinghui slowly caressed Qin Yuan’s scallion-like fingers, whispered, "Just write that Doctor Liu died the day Doctor Li entered the mansion, due to precautions for smallpox, he was cremated to ashes."

Qin Yuan’s body shuddered involuntarily.

"Are you scared?" Gu Jinghui lifted his eyes’ veil, the dense lashes covered the obscurity in his eyes.

Qin Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "Given this, he must have anticipated it, only... if Doctor Liu had been prepared, naturally news of smallpox would be known by others, how to cover such a lie then?"

Gu Jinghui was very satisfied, continued lowering his eyelids, playing with Qin Yuan’s fingers, inserted his own into her fingers’ gaps tight, lightly chuckled, "It’s Yuan’er who understands my intention, your master kept a stern face all night, perhaps the compassionate healer, begrudging my excessive killing. Yet you think of how to cover the lie, we truly are a pair made by heaven."

Qin Yuan glared at him and didn’t speak.

Gu Jinghui said, "Then I kindly ask Yuan’er to labor further, write a secret report, detailing this person’s conspiracy with Yelv Guza. I also have a confession here with his signature and handprint, to submit together when the time comes."