At dinner time, Song Paner again vividly told Gu Yanjin about Gu Yus behavior today.

  "...the words were spoken with such conviction that even the senior and junior sisters-in-law, as well as all the maidservants in the house, were stunned!" Song Paners eyes sparkled with excitement. "Once Sister-in-law recovers from her illness, Ill go ask for a big red envelope to use as medical expenses!"

  Gu Yanwen just smiled.

  He didnt believe Gu Jinzheng could cure Mrs. Song.

  *************

  As for Songs family, just as Gu Jin expected, Madam Song didnt let the maid take the prescription opened by Gu Jin to grab medicine.

  The old doctor named Lai Qingkun, who was specially invited from Xicheng by the Song family, had some reputation in Xicheng. He arrived yesterday and although he didnt immediately cure Mrs. Song, he did alleviate her symptoms for a moment. Now, Lai Qingkun is still at the mansion and today he prescribed another dose of medicine for Mrs. Song.

  Mrs. Song still took the medicine opened by Lai Qingkun.

  At noon, Mrs. Songs stomach didnt hurt much anymore, but she was severely dizzy and saw stars when speaking, so she lay down to rest for a while before feeling better.

  By dusk, stomach aches, but cant have bowel movements, and feels very heavy.

  Mrs. Song groaned and ordered her maid to decoct some medicine for her to drink.

  After taking one dose, it got slightly better.

  The housekeeper, Sun Mama, who was standing beside Mrs. Song, said: "Madam, why not take out the prescription that Miss Bao wrote today and gather the medicine to drink?"

  Mrs. Song sighed weakly and smiled: "Useless! Shes just a child, what does she know? Just humor her, dont take it seriously..."

  "Ke Nu Bi always heard Miss Guniang say that her niece is always at home treating peoples illnesses, and has never made a mistake." Sun Mom said.

  Madam Song laughed: "You dont understand this! Our lady, from a young age, has always been one to exaggerate. If her daughter has achieved something good, shell boast about it ten times more! And besides, even if the maids and servants in our household were mistreated by Jin Jie, would they dare to speak out? They must have secretly found another doctor to take medicine, and when they got better, they attributed the credit to Jin Jie!"

  Mrs. Sun thought for a moment and agreed.

  Gus family is managed by Song Paner, and Song Paner dotes on her daughter. Those maidservants let Gu Jin treat the illness, just to curry favor with the mistress and young lady.

  If its cured, they will naturally boast about it; if its made worse, they will definitely not mention it.

  So Auntie Song said that her sister Jin had never failed in treating an illness.

  Sons mother sighed.

  "I think that Dr. Lai is also no good, why dont we change to another one and take a look?" said Sun Mama, looking at the painful expression on Lady Songs face.

  Madam Song didnt know?

  But where can I go to see a doctor?

  "Never mind, its not like the illness can be cured in a day. Lets just take some more medicine and wait for Master Song to come back before we do anything else." Madam Song gently closed her eyes.

  Mr. Song Yu is on his way back and forth in Suzhou as the salt law path, he has received a letter from his wife that she is seriously ill.

  But in a moment, her peaceful sleeping appearance changed, her eyebrows furrowed tightly, and her stomach started to ache again.

  The third young lady of the Song family, Song Yanfan, came to pay respects to her mother and asked: "Mother, are you feeling a bit better today?"

  "Its alright." Mrs. Song comforted her daughter, forcing a smile despite the stomach pain.

  Since she fell ill, Song Yanfan has also been worried, and he himself has lost a circle of flesh, his small face shrinking down.

  Mrs. Song was heartbroken.

  So she didnt allow her daughter to be by her side all the time, only letting her come and sit with her at dawn and dusk, lest she followed in her sorrow.

  "Did you take your cousins medicine?" Song Yanfan asked her mother. "I heard my cousin say that it was very reasonable and knowledgeable!"

  There was a hint of admiration in her words.

  Song Yanfan was a premature baby, born with congenital deficiency. Her body is fine, but her memory is poor and she cant learn anything. Shes only two months older than Gu Jinzhi, and still hasnt memorized the "Admonitions for Women", so Gu Jinzhis words made Song Yanfan extremely envious.

  "Ive eaten," said Mrs. Song with a smile.

  But my stomach hurts even more.

  Suns mother and the maid served her in the toilet, while Song Yanfan also assisted on the side.

  Half a stick of incense later, Lady Song returned, her face deathly pale, and once again dizzy and disoriented, she collapsed onto the bed.

  Song Yanfen was so scared that she burst into tears and cried out for her mother.

  Mrs. Song reluctantly opened her eyes and had someone send Song Yanfan back.

  When Song Yanfeng left, Mrs. Song began to moan in agony. She is now worse off than dead.

  The maidservants again busied themselves inviting Lai Qingkun to come and take a look.

  Lai Qingkun was over fifty years old, and when the maidservants went to invite him, he had already gone to sleep. He followed them in a daze, still half asleep. He took Madame Songs pulse and spoke slowly, uttering conventional phrases.

  Its still the same old talk, let Mrs. Song take a few more doses of medicine and try again.

  Mrs. Song knew those medicines treated symptoms but not the root cause.

  When she was in a bad mood, she wasnt so rational. She took out the prescription that Gu Jin had written during the day from under her pillow and showed it to Lai Qingkun, asking if he could take such medicine.

  Lai Qingkun squinted his eyes by the candlelight, then slightly angrily said: "Nonsense! Is treating an illness a childs play? A prescription with only three flavors of medicine, does he think he is Hua Tuo reborn? Cyperus rotundus, Szechwan lovage, and lotus leaf? What kind of messy stuff is this?"

  Is this simple prescription written by some kid just for fun?

  Lai Qing Kun saw Mrs. Song handing it over for him to see, and suddenly ignited his anger: Was this doubting his abilities, intentionally testing him?

  Mrs. Songs eyes dimmed: Indeed, Gu Jinzhi was not skilled in his art.

  Is her illness beyond hope?

  For a moment, Mrs. Song was completely disheartened. She didnt want to die, her eldest son wasnt married yet, and her daughter was simple-minded and foolish; without her, what would the children do?

  She was in such pain that she didnt care anymore and burst into tears in front of the doctor.

  All the maids and servants in the house tried to persuade her.

  Lai Qing Kun was also at a loss.

  After crying for a while, her head started spinning again. After resting quietly for a bit, the maid brought in a bowl of medicine.

  After taking the medicine, it was unclear whether she had cried herself to sleep or if the medicine had taken effect, but Madame Song finally fell asleep. Although her sleep wasnt deep and stable, she did manage to rest her eyes for a while.

  Gus family, Song Paner asked Gu Jin: "The medicine you gave to your aunt, how many days will it take for her to recover?"

  "If you take three doses a day, youll be fine in one day." Gu Jin said, "I just dont know if my aunt took it or not."

  Song Paner also thought that her sister-in-law might not eat it.

  She originally wanted to go see if the illness was better or not, but after hearing Gu Jinzhi say that, she lost interest.

  Two days later, Song Paner sent a woman to ask about her illness and only then did she learn that her sister-in-laws illness had worsened again.

  She felt a pang in her heart and couldnt help but think: Is big sister no longer reliable? Thinking of this, she felt a bit anxious, and the various dissatisfactions she had with big sister before also dissipated, now only worrying about that person.

  Nor did she know if Gu Jings medicine was ineffective or if her sister-in-law hadnt taken it at all.

  No matter what it was, it wasnt good news for Gu Jinzhi.

  Song Paner didnt tell Gu Jinzhi, afraid of hurting her daughters feelings.

  By April 15th, Mr. Song Yu of the Song family finally returned from Suzhou, bringing a famous doctor from Suzhou with him.

  Song Paner heard that Song Yu was back and wanted to return to her mothers home again. She had been close to her elder brother since childhood.

  She also asked if Gu Jin was going.

  Gu Jing was lazy and didnt want to go, so she said: "Recently, my grandfather gave me a lot of homework that I havent finished yet, so I wont be going."

  Song Paner furrowed her brow.

  She had a seamstress teach Gu Jinzhi embroidery last year, but after the new year, Gu Jinzhi made excuses and never went to learn again.

  Embroiderer girl complained to Song Paner several times.

  "Arent you still learning embroidery from Master Cheng?" Song Paner asked, "How has it been lately?"

  "Lets learn again in a few days?" Gu Jinzhi smiled and said, "Recently, my grandfather told me about Confucius..."

  Song Paners face turned stern: "Youre not going to take the imperial examination, whats the point of studying all this? You promised your grandfather that you would study medicine, but first and foremost, you must also learn needlework and embroidery. Not to mention being as good as a seamstress, at least you should be able to show off some decent work. Do you have anything worthy of showing now?"

  Gu Jinzhi gently stroked his forehead.

  Song Paner was out of breath and still wanted to say something, but before she could, her mother came in and said that the carriage was ready.

  She finally let go of Gu Jinzhi.

  Gu Jin returned to her room, originally intending to review "Jin Kui Yao Lue". But she remembered a handkerchief that had been started since last winter, and now only embroidered a plum blossom, so she let the maid bring out her needlework basket.

  She quietly did her needlework, and before she knew it, it was time for dinner, and Mother should have returned from the Songs house.