The Prime Minister’s Darling

Chapter 22: Feeding Medicine

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The four of them understood the seriousness of the matter. Although they did not agree to it explicitly, they all hid it.

Gu Jiao told Gu Xiaoshun not to come over for the next few days. Although early bacterial leprosy was not as infectious, there was still a certain risk.

Gu Jiao did not go up the mountain to pick mushrooms for a while, instead staying at home to take care of the old lady for a few days.

It was probably because she had taken good care of her that the old lady completely awoke at noon on the third day. She was no longer in a daze, but mentally she seemed a little off.

When Gu Jiao asked her who she was, she widened her eyes at Gu Jiao. When Gu Jiao asked her where she lived, she continued staring at Gu Jiao.

Could it be dementia?

“Do you remember what illness you’re suffering from?” Gu Jiao continued to ask.

The old lady’s eyes were still wide open.

Gu Jiao had no choice.

It seemed that not only did this old lady not remember who she was, but she had also completely forgotten about her illness.

Actually, it was good that she had forgotten. Gu Jiao could keep watch on her and not let her go out, but she could not prevent the villagers from coming. If the old lady accidentally let slip about her leprosy, she, Xiao Liulang, Gu Xiaoshun, and the other close contacts would be in trouble.

As for where to settle her in the future, that was a matter for next time. The most important thing now was to cure her; nobody must find out that she had leprosy.

With this thought in mind, Gu Jiao picked up the medicine jar and went to brew medicine for the old lady.

She had to take the medicine from the medicine box, but she also had to take the Chinese medicine as well. Otherwise, she would not be able to keep the medicine box secret.

When the old lady saw Gu Jiao holding the medicine jar, she turned her face away in disdain.

Gu Jiao vaguely heard a resentful snort. This old lady had quite a temper!

The medicine had to be simmered over a fire for an hour. While waiting for the medicine, Gu Jiao took out the medicine box and checked it.

She had used a lot of medicine recently and had not had the chance to take stock. She had to check how much medicine she had left, and which of them could not be used casually.

However, she was a little dumbfounded after checking.

There was a new bottle of anti-inflammatory medicine that she had originally consumed, and an additional tube of antibacterial ointment. There were also a few other items which she could not remember putting in.

Gu Jiao looked at the motionless small medicine box, rubbed her chin, and fell into deep thought.

At the end of the month, the academy had another exam.

Gu Dashun had entered Heaven-Grade Class A with the accomplishment of placing second in the admission exam. After that, he lived up to everyone’s expectations and performed very well, taking second place again in this exam.

Teacher Chen was very happy, but Gu Dashun did not seem very content.

Teacher Chen thought that he was blaming himself for not being good enough to get first place, so he patiently assured him, “You and Hanzhi are both outstanding talents among the new students. Hanzhi is two years older than you and started his studies earlier, so you don’t have to worry about your current results.”

Of course, Gu Dashun was not worried about this. The student named Xu Hanzhi was only a little more outstanding, simply because he had studied a few more years than him, but he felt that he did not have as much potential as he did and was very confident he could readily surpass him.

Rather, his ambition did not stop there.

He was here to be the dean’s personal disciple, and had hoped that the dean would become his teacher.

Ever since the last time, he had written many other good articles. Teacher Chen had shown them to the dean, but the dean had never asked to see him again. “What’s wrong? Is there anything else?” Teacher Chen noticed that seemed to be hesitating to say something.

Gu Dashun thought for a moment, then mustered his courage and said, “I heard that the dean had set the admission examination questions this time. I wonder if the dean has any plans to take in disciples?”

“There are indeed.” After some thought, Mr. Chen came to a realization. Alas, the dean’s choice isn’t Gu Dashun.

Gu Dashun followed Teacher Chen’s gaze and saw a trace of pity in his eyes. He felt a chill in his heart. “Is it Xu Hanzhi?”

“It’s not him.” Teacher Chen shook his head. “This matter hasn’t been completely settled yet, so don’t ask for now. Even if you can’t be the dean’s disciple, the dean will still find time to personally guide outstanding students in the academy.”

How is that the same? One of them succeeds the dean—not only will he obtain knowledge, he will also obtain the dean’s personal connections.

His casual guidance pales in comparison.

As a descendant of a poor family, he had always dreamed of soaring into the sky. It would have been one thing if he was not outstanding enough, but he had possessed the qualifications to be chosen by the dean.

How could he accept this?

Gu Dashun wanted to ask more, but Teacher Chen refused to say anything else.

At the Impartial Hall.

The dean looked at Xiao Liulang, who was wearing a cold expression on his face, and said gently, “Have you thought about it?”

Xiao Liulang said indifferently, “You’d even want someone who’s third from the bottom?”

In this exam, Xiao Liulang placed third last. And he did not improve by one place; rather, it was because Gu Xiaoshun placed dead last.

The dean cleared his throat and said, “I won’t make things difficult for you. How about this? Go back and think about it for a few days, there’s no need to rush to give me an answer. I’ll be at the academy before the new year. Come back and give me your answer after you’ve thought it through.”

To hear such words from the dean, it could be said that he was being very sincere.

Although the Divine Academy was only an academy in a township, the dean was once the head of the Four Greats in the capital; his reputation and talent were unquestionable. If not for unforeseen events in his family, he would not have left the capital to teach in a backwater town like this.

He had seen so many students come and go, but Xiao Liulang was the first to really give him an urge to take him in as a personal disciple.

“Do you want him that much? Aren’t you afraid that you won’t be able to handle him?”

After Xiao Liulang left, the old man in cloth garments snorted indifferently from behind a screen.

The dean bowed to the screen, then said with a smile, “I’m truly afraid that I won’t be able to subdue him. In that case… how about Master take him in as a disciple?”

It was silent behind the screen. After a while, the old man sighed faintly. “Have you forgotten? I’ve said that I would never take in a disciple again in this life.”

The young marquis was deceased, the Imperial College forever closed, and the teacher’s heart completely dead.

After school, Xiao Liulang and Gu Xiaoshun took Second Uncle Luo’s ox cart back to the village. When they left town, they found that there were several more checkpoints on the road, all searching for lepers. The two of them became even more vigilant.

When Xiao Liulang arrived home, Gu Jiao told him about the old lady’s condition. “…She doesn’t remember anything.”

Xiao Liulang did not think that this was a bad thing, at least not for now. If she doesn’t know, she can’t let it slip.

“Is she making a fuss about going out?” Xiao Liulang asked.

Gu Jiao shook her head. “Not at all, I told her that she has tuberculosis and can’t go out to get some air, that the red blotches on her face are from the cold. Because tuberculosis is contagious, it’s best for her to stay in her room to prevent others from getting sick. From the looks of it, she seems to have taken it to heart and has been quite obedient the entire afternoon.”

Xiao Liulang went to the house to see the old lady. Her condition had improved greatly, and the damage on her skin had faded a lot. If one did not look carefully, one could hardly see the red blotches on her face.

What Gu Jiao did not mention was that after a few more days of treatment, her leprosy would lose its infectiousness.

In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the month. It was also the day Feng Lin and “Doctor Zhang” agreed to treat Xiao Liulang’s leg..