Chapter 671: Half-Alive

Uncle Tang and Aunt Tang looked at her and smiled, "Here she comes."

They also called out to the family members of the Government Officials who had come to deliver grass, "Everyone, hurry up. Let’s get this done before it gets dark, or we’ll be getting home at midnight."

"Eh," the families of dozens of Government Officials responded, happily pulling carts of Mingya Grass to sell.

After finishing school, Gu Jin’an rushed over to help, and the three siblings, plus dozens of people from the pharmaceutical workshop, were busy until dusk before they could finish collecting all the Mingya Grass.

Gu Jinli rubbed her waist and said, "I’m taking a day off tomorrow, no work for me."

Brother Cheng agreed heartily, "Yeah, I’m not working tomorrow either, collecting grass is so tiring."

Gu Jinli glanced at him, "You’re just a kid, and that’s when you have the most energy. What rest? Tomorrow you go to the pharmaceutical workshop to monitor and help with grass sifting."

After the Mingya Grass is cut into small segments with a grass cutter, it can be ground into powder to make mosquito repellent.

Brother Cheng was stunned; his Second Sister was too good at bullying him, she would rest while making him work.

Gu Jin’an laughed at the sight, not minding the domestic squabble between his little sister and brother, and joined San Qi and the others in cleaning up the tables. After finishing the miscellaneous tasks, the sky was completely dark.

"Good Brother An, Xiao Yu, Brother Cheng, hurry back home," Gu Dashan and Mrs. Cui came with torches to fetch them as they were still not home.

"Eh, we’re going back now." Gu Jin’an responded, leading Gu Jinli and Gu Jincheng towards their parents.

Mrs. Cui held three cloaks, handing one to each of them, "Put these on, it’s cold now that it’s dark."

"Thank you, mother," Gu Jin’an took one, handed another to Gu Jinli, helped Brother Cheng with his little cloak, and then wrapped himself up before going home.

By the time they got home, dinner was ready.

"Today we have fish stew in the iron pot with three kinds of tofu and added pine mushrooms, which are very delicious," Gu Jinxiu brought hot water and a cotton towel for Gu Jin’an and the others to wash their hands before eating.

But today, Gu Jinli didn’t eat much, poking her rice bowl with her chopsticks as if she were poking at Qin San Lang.

Seeing this, Gu Jinxiu asked, "What’s wrong with Xiao Yu? Is today’s fish not tasty?"

"No, it’s delicious," Gu Jinli replied, "I’m just full and not very hungry."

Brother Cheng: "..."

Understood, Second Sister was already full from anger.

The smart little guy, afraid of upsetting his Second Sister and being subjected to her whims, quickly hugged his food bowl and said to Gu Jin’an with a grin, "Big Brother, let’s swap places. I want to sit to your left."

During such times, it was best not to sit next to Second Sister and keep as far away as possible.

Gu Jinli narrowed her eyes, "Gu Jincheng, are you afraid of me?"

Brother Cheng hugged his bowl, hiding behind Gu Jin’an, "It’s not like that. Second Sister is pretty and cute, I like Second Sister the most."

Humph!

Gu Jinli couldn’t be bothered with Brother Cheng and continued poking at her rice.

Gu Jin’an watched Gu Jinli with amusement and brought Brother Cheng back to his seat, "Sit down, eat properly, since when do we change seats halfway through a meal?"

However, after dinner, he still quietly asked Brother Cheng, "What happened to your Second Sister? Who is she angry with?"

Brother Cheng relayed how Lin Leniang had taken Gu Jinli alone to the bamboo forest.

Knowing the Lin Family, Gu Jin’an guessed it was Section Leader Lin’s sister who had her eyes on Qin San Lang and had fearlessly approached Xiao Yu to talk about it openly.

"Tsk tsk, some good drama is coming," Gu Jin’an said with a mentality of relishing the excitement.

Brother Cheng tugged at his sleeve and asked, "What kind of drama?"

Gu Jin’an replied, "You’ll know when Brother San Lang returns."

To be honest, he actually hoped that Xiao Yu would throw more tantrums. She was too composed, composed to the point where she didn’t resemble a young girl. Only when she clashed with Qin San Lang did her emotions show and she acted like a normal young girl.

Brother Cheng frowned slightly, wanting to ask more, but was taken away by his elder brother for a bath.

Not long after bathing and returning to the room, someone knocked on the family’s back door. Gu Jin’an and Gu Jinli went to the back door as they were familiar with it and unsurprisingly received a letter.

It was a response from Master Hu, informing them that she was aware of the situation involving the Xia Family and would replace Master Xia and his wife. Within ten days, Master Xia and his wife would leave Qingfu Town.

Gu Jin’an and Gu Jinli were quite satisfied with this outcome. Compared to Master Xia, Master Hu seemed to be a more reasonable person.

However, Master Xia was unwilling to leave. He also received a letter from Master Hu, but after reading it, he sneered coldly and burned the letter, telling the messenger, "Go back and tell Master Hu to just manage Hu Yun Temple and the medicinal material business; she needn’t bother with Master Xia’s affairs."

The messenger was a man in tall leather boots. Seeing the letter, still with embers, he sneered, "Master Xia indeed has the temperament of a Madman. However, by burning this letter, you will have to bear the consequences."

Master Xia returned with a sneer, "I can bear the consequences. There’s no need for a mere Shadow Guard like you to worry. Leave at once; this Xia residence is not a place for you bloodstained ruffians to linger."

Hearing this, the man under the conical hat’s face darkened. This Xia Gu was indeed arrogant, but as a messenger, he could not assassinate Xia Gu without orders, so he could only leave.

Just after the messenger left, Lady Xia came and asked, "Husband, was it someone from Master Hu’s?"

Master Xia nodded, "Just a recluse who dares to meddle in my affairs. Does she really think that because the former temple master was a relative of the Lu Family, she is too? She is merely an orphan adopted by the last temple master, luckily becoming the temple master. In the end, she’s still a slave."

He then comforted Lady Xia, "Madam need not worry; Lord Fang will speak for us."

Lord Fang was a significant figure in the Lu Family whom Master Xia knew, capable of contacting the head of the Lu Family directly.

Lady Xia felt reassured upon hearing this, but just as she relaxed, the old nanny came in a fluster from outside, "Madam, Young Master Zhan Er is sick again... Yue’er has been tormented to the point of collapse. Old Master Zhan San wishes to borrow a maid from our Xia Family."

The old nanny struggled to continue, finding it utterly shameful. Where else would someone visit another’s house and ask to borrow a maid for sleep?

The face of Lady Xia turned pale, "Why is Young Master Zhan Er sick again? What on earth is wrong with him?"

Master Xia also looked grim and said to his wife, "It’s unclear. The doctor from the prefecture couldn’t find out, only saying that he’s young and fiery with too much internal heat."

However, no matter how hot-tempered one might be, it couldn’t justify such severity. Young Master Zhan Er had fainted three times from exhaustion. What more heat could he have?

Yet, oddly enough, every time Young Master Zhan Er was nurtured back to good health, he would fall ill and couldn’t help but mingle with the maids. Now, he would throw tantrums and cry if he didn’t; his entire body would turn red as if on fire.

But once he mingled with the maids, his body wouldn’t endure, and he’d faint.

"If this keeps up, Xiao’er will die," said Master Xia as he instructed Lady Xia, "Prepare a maid but don’t rush to send her. I’ll go take a look first and ask the doctor if there’s another method to treat him."

If all else fails, they’d send a maid over.

"I understand, husband. Please go and see Xiao’er quickly," Lady Xia urged, sending Master Xia out the door.

Master Xia made a beeline for the guesthouse and went straight to Young Master Zhan Er’s room.

Inside was in total disarray; Young Master Zhan Er was half-dead and being half-held by Old Master Zhan San, yet he was still clamoring for a woman.

The doctor from the prefecture shook his head as he watched, nearly uttering, "Prepare for the worst."

Seeing Young Master Zhan Er’s terrible condition, Master Xia quickly asked, "Doctor, what if we give him a sedative to sleep for a few days, unable to awaken? Could this alleviate his condition?"

The doctor replied, "It is possible, but that kind of sedative is extremely harmful to the body. Considering Young Master Zhan Er’s esteemed status, I fear for any mishaps."