Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In my previous life, I had been mindful of Gu Qinghan’s reputation in every way and arranged for her to live in Cangyue Pavilion, the most remote courtyard in the Marquis Manor.

I thought it was good for her and good for me.

If she stayed farther away, there would be fewer rumors, and the entanglement between her and Xie Yunye would be lighter.

But I had not expected Xie Yunye to be carrying an injury.

That night, he drank too much, and his wound suddenly worsened.

Rain poured down in sheets, thunder and lightning split the sky, and Cangyue Pavilion was far from the main courtyard. By the time the message went there and came back, and by the time the physician arrived, his wound had already festered and rotted. His fever would not break.

Gu Qinghan, soaked from head to toe, rushed into the main courtyard and questioned me in front of a room full of people. “Why did you arrange for me to live so far away? I have been the one caring for the marquis’s injury all along. If you had not deliberately kept me away, how could it have come to this?”

I did not argue.

Because what she said was true.

I had indeed placed her far away, and I had indeed harbored selfish thoughts.

But what was the result?

That very day, Gu Qinghan moved into Xie Yunye’s courtyard and cared for him for five days without even changing out of her clothes.

Wiping his body, changing his clothes, feeding him medicine, dressing his wounds – she did every single thing herself.

I stood outside the door for five days, listening to her gentle voice inside, listening to Xie Yunye grasp her hand in his delirium and call out, Qinghan.

I had made a scene too.

I carried in a bowl of freshly brewed medicine and said I would personally care for my own husband.

Gu Qinghan did not stop me. She merely stepped quietly aside.

But after Xie Yunye woke and saw the medicine bowl in my hands, the first thing he said was, “Rong Yu, why are you so thoughtless? Qinghan has gone days and nights without sleep for the sake of my injury, and you still come here to cause trouble?”

Old Madam had originally disagreed with taking in an orphaned girl as an adopted daughter. After this incident, however, she was the one who proposed holding a recognition banquet.

That day, when I went to pay my respects to my mother-in-law, she held my hand and said, “Rong Yu, that girl saved Yunye’s life, and she has neither father nor mother. I intend to take her in as an adopted daughter and give her a proper status. What do you think?”

The recognition banquet was not grand, but it was dignified enough.

Gu Qinghan changed into new clothes, kowtowed three times to Old Madam, and called her Mother.

Old Madam smiled and gave her a set of ruby head ornaments, then held her hand and spoke with her for a long while.

Xie Yunye was very happy.

He personally acquired a shop in the west of the city and gave it to Gu Qinghan as a medical clinic, so she could practice medicine and heal the sick.

“Qinghan’s medical skills are excellent. She should not be trapped in the inner household.”

When he said this to me, his eyes were full of admiration.

At first, I still held some reservations.

A young woman spending all day dealing with male patients would never sound very proper once word spread.

I secretly had people observe for half a month. The reports said that when Doctor Gu treated patients, she never closed the door, and there was always a medicine boy at her side. Whether the patient was male or female, old or young, she treated them all the same.

Once, a ragged old man was carried into the clinic. His leg was covered in festering sores, and the smell was so foul that even the beggars on the street covered their noses and moved away.

Without a word, Gu Qinghan rolled up her sleeves and crouched down to clean and dress his wound. She worked for a full hour, and when she rose, her legs had gone numb.

I stood in the teahouse across from the clinic and watched for a long time.

It turned out I had judged her too narrowly.

The next day, I prepared a generous gift and personally went to the clinic.

Gu Qinghan was weighing herbs. She seemed surprised to see me.

“Madam Hou?”

I bowed to her.

She was startled and hurried over to help me up.

“Miss Gu, I was narrow-minded before. I thought you harbored other intentions. These past days, after seeing how you treat your patients, I understand that I misunderstood you. I have come to apologize.”

Gu Qinghan froze, and her eyes reddened slightly.

“Madam need not do this. Since childhood, I learned medicine from my father. The first thing he taught me was that in a physician’s eyes, there are only patients. There is no distinction of man or woman, noble or lowly.”

After I returned, I told Xie Yunye about it.

He was reading in the study. Hearing this, he set down his book and pulled me into his arms.

“Rong Yu, I am very glad you can think this way. Qinghan truly devotes herself to saving people. In a physician’s eyes, there is no difference between men and women. I trust her, and I hope you trust me too.”

I nodded.

From then on, every month I took two hundred taels of silver from my private funds and sent it to the clinic, so Gu Qinghan could treat patients who could not afford medicine.

Every time she received the silver, she sent back a detailed account book, each entry written clearly.

After reading it a few times, I stopped checking.

I even personally looked for a match for her.

The nephew of Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of War was upright in character and had not yet married.

I specially arranged a tea gathering so the two could meet.

Gu Qinghan politely declined.

“Madam, I appreciate your kindness. But I once swore that I would not marry in this life. I only wish to carry forward my father’s medical skills and let more poor people afford treatment.”

I did not try to persuade her again.