Chapter 1420: Hidden Dangers

Chapter 1420: Chapter 1420: Hidden Dangers

"Ladies, please don’t make a scene. Our Old Madam is still waiting for you." Chunzhi urged, glancing at Gu Jinli to warn her. Be sensible; I’m urging the others, so don’t go.

You’re just a little maid, a slave; what right do you have to urge us?!

Ji Zhenniang was about to explode with anger and yell those words, but was scared off by a look from Gu Jinli.

Seeing her calm down, Gu Jinli smiled at Chunzhi, "Since Old Lady Fan isn’t feeling well, I won’t disturb her."

She then turned to Nanny Tao and asked Chunzhi, "I’ve prepared some visiting gifts. Is it alright for my nanny to deliver them to the Old Madam?"

Chunzhi thought for a moment and said, "Alright."

Ji Zhenniang was about to burst with anger, shouting internally: Ahhh, you wretched maid, what kind of attitude is this? Do you believe I won’t slap you twice?!

But Gu Jinli clearly meant to protect this wretched maid, and she feared if she lost her temper, Gu Jinli might come over and hug her, which would make her collapse from disgust. So she held back.

Gu Jinli quietly instructed Nanny Tao, "Nanny, keep an eye on Ji Zhenniang, don’t let her act recklessly and offend people."

"Alright, I understand," Nanny Tao responded, taking the visiting gifts from Erqing and walking beside Ji Zhenniang, along with Mrs. Kuang and Mrs. Cen, to meet Old Lady Fan with Chunzhi.

On the way, Nanny Tao quietly reminded Ji Zhenniang, "Lady Xie, my mistress says not to speak carelessly. If you dare to say anything offensive to Old Lady Fan, she will kiss you twice."

Kiss her twice!

Ji Zhenniang was so scared her legs went weak, she quickly nodded, trembling, "I...I...I’ll be honest, I won’t get angry and offend people."

Boohoo, that damn Gu Xiaoyu, always bullying her!

After hearing that, Nanny Tao finally felt relieved.

...

Gu Jinli returned to the camp with Erqing, but on the way encountered some ladies who had just visited and were leaving, many of whom looked at her disdainfully, joking, "She’s so ugly and dares to parade around, do you think she has some disease?"

"Haven’t you seen her face? So many ulcers, surely she’s sick, and seriously ill too."

It’s you who are seriously ill!

Erqing was furious; our mistress is protecting herself, not wanting to trouble the master.

Gu Jinli heard the ladies’ words but didn’t care, called out to Erqing, and returned to the camp.

Xiao Ji saw her return, surprised, "Madam, why did you come back so quickly? Weren’t you going to visit Old Lady Fan?"

"It’s enough for Nanny Tao to deliver gifts. I don’t need to go." Gu Jinli said, getting into the carriage.

The carriage had been tidied up, with a low table and a stove on it, warming a pot of meat porridge.

Xiao Ji wasn’t foolish; she knew something was off, so she asked Erqing and upon hearing Erqing’s words, was so angry she nearly exploded, "How can the Fan Family be like this? The Madam’s face..."

She quickly stopped, without saying more, but was still upset. Standing by the carriage, she told Gu Jinli, "Young Master, don’t be sad. It’s their family that lacks manners, we’re not angry."

Sometimes, Xiao Ji still called Gu Jinli Young Master, and Gu Jinli didn’t correct her; instead, she felt that this address was quite endearing.

Gu Jinli smiled, "I’m not sad, you all don’t need to mention this again; after all, your husband’s rank is low, we must be humble."

Arguing with a superior’s mother, she’s not crazy.

Recently Xiao Ji had been educated by Nanny Tao, understanding the lessons of speaking cautiously, how words bring disaster, and how being flashy invites trouble, so she nodded, "Yes, I understand, Mistress."

She added, "Young Master, I’ll fry some vegetarian dishes for you to eat with the porridge."

While passing through Yongtai Prefecture, they bought a lot of things, including some vegetables, which they could cook tonight.

"Okay." Gu Jinli nodded, allowing Xiao Ji to get busy. She felt the cotton quilt on the carriage, her brows furrowed... It was really too cold in the north; the quilt wasn’t warm enough anymore, and it was quite heavy, making marching uncomfortable.

Xiao Ji had already prepared the vegetables and quickly fried them and brought them to Gu Jinli, "Young Master, the food is ready, please eat."

In the winter, the vegetables were mostly cabbage and radishes, but they were fresh. Having eaten flatbread for days, now with fresh radishes and cabbage and meat porridge, Gu Jinli’s appetite was wide open.

She ate a bowl of porridge and most of the vegetables, and after eating a baked flatbread, she finally put down her chopsticks.

Xiao Ji said, "Madam, we’ve been eating flatbread all the way, now we finally have something else to eat, don’t keep gnawing on flatbread."

Gu Jinli said, "Eating porridge makes going to the toilet easy. Now it’s inconvenient, better to go less."

But their toilet conditions were much better than other Military Offices.

She had people prepare several large straw mats; whenever women wanted to use the toilet, they quickly surrounded it with mats, and two women watched over to prevent anyone from taking advantage and ruining reputations.

It’s not that she’s purposely thinking the worst of people, but Ding Ge’s maid was caught by Company Commander Shi’s Chief Commander while using the toilet, seen bare, ruining her reputation.

Ding Ge quickly gave the maid to Company Commander Shi’s Chief Commander as a concubine maid... It’s a strange affair, seemingly like Ding Ge intentionally let the maid do it to know about Company Commander Shi’s side.

Now the relationship between Company Commander Shi and Ding Ge has improved significantly.

Gu Jinli and Qin San Lang were consequently cautious of Company Commander Shi.

No choice, Ding Ge and Company Commander Shi seem to want to ally, Ding Ge is always preparing to swallow soldiers for personal use, they have to defend against it.

Therefore, Gu Jinli noticed the hidden danger of using the toilet.

In this era, the requirements for women are harsh, they cannot afford any blemish on their purity, she doesn’t want the women on her side being plotted against, ruining their lives, so she firmly established this rule.

Whoever doesn’t adhere, if something happens, don’t seek her or Qin San Lang, you’re on your own.

Luckily, her side’s soldier’s family members are sensible, everyone follows this rule.

Because Qin San Lang wants to ally with Xie Cheng, she also explained the risks to Ji Zhenniang, asking her women to follow the practice while relieving themselves.

Ji Zhenniang is a wealthy young lady, and Xie Cheng takes good care of her, relieving herself in another mule cart, with maids to handle it, returning cleanly to her own carriage. She doesn’t know that other women have to relieve themselves in the open.

After a brief shock, she nodded in agreement.

Gu Jinli, like Ji Zhenniang, also uses another cart, no need to go too far, but it’s impossible for everyone to use that mule cart, so she thought up using a mat and accompanying more than two people.

Gu Jinli also asked about finding medicine or new food items, "Has there been any discovery of medicinal materials or food today?"

Xiao Ji shook her head, "No, but Aunt Xiong said, don’t worry, mistress, everyone will keep searching."

Gu Jinli nodded, "Yes, I know. Tell them to pay attention to safety, if a place is too dangerous, even if they see something useful, don’t pick it."

She said this as Xiao Ji and the others cleared the table, took out the map drawn during the day for modification.

Sanqing had always been in the carriage with her, not letting her be alone.

Not long after, Nanny Tao returned and recounted her meeting with Old Lady Fan.