Chapter 1753: Chapter 1753: Worship Them

Gu Jinli chuckled: "No blame, no blame, the matter of making anti-parasitic medicine still needs to trouble the Imperial Physicians."

I’m lazy, I don’t want to do this job.

After speaking, she hid behind Qin San Lang.

Qin San Lang knew she was impatient with socializing and wanted him to find a chance for her to slip away, so after saying a few words to Vice Minister Ban, Vice Minister Ban allowed Gu Jinli to leave.

"Then, I shall take my leave first," Gu Jinli eagerly took Erqing and Sanqing and slipped away.

Before returning to her courtyard, she saw a group of people gathered in front of the courtyard gate, tall and short, fat and thin. It included Mrs. Kuang, Ji Zhenniang, and a group of little kids.

Ji Zhenniang was ecstatic to see Gu Jinli and quickly waved, "Gu Xiaoyu, come over quickly, where’s the Emperor’s gold? Bring it so we can pay our respects."

The imperial gift, we must take back two taels to honor it.

Gu Jinli chuckled, slowed her steps, and only after a while reached the courtyard gate.

A bunch of little kids looked up at her expectantly and nervously asked, "Sister-in-law Qin/Aunt Qin/Mrs. Qin, can we see the Lord Emperor’s gold and pay our respects to it?"

"Pay respects to it?" Gu Jinli said with a complicated expression: "They aren’t immortals; even if you pay respects, you won’t get any blessings."

Liu Jin said: "Then touch it, touching it will bring us good fortune, and with good fortune, we’ll be protected from illness!"

Mrs. Kuang also pleaded: "San Lang’s wife, please take out the gold and let them touch it. It carries the Dragon Qi and can ward off calamities and diseases."

Gu Jinli looked at Mrs. Kuang, saw a hint of pleading on her face, and then looked at a small flower grove in the distance, where a group of soldiers’ family members wanted to come up but were too afraid.

All of them had a parent’s heart, so Gu Jinli nodded and agreed: "Alright, I’ll have someone move the gold to the courtyard in front of the study, and Aunt Niu can organize those who want fortune to line up and touch it."

For your peace of mind.

Mrs. Kuang beamed: "San Lang’s wife, I knew you were good; on behalf of everyone, thank you."

She continued: "Don’t worry; Aunt knows your rules. The kids will only touch it; we won’t let anyone slyly steal your gold."

Gu Jinli nodded and smiled: "I’m reassured with Aunt taking care of things."

After all, it’s a life-and-death bond.

Mrs. Kuang laughed heartily and called to the kids: "Come with me to line up, behave, and whoever causes trouble won’t get to touch the Emperor’s gold."

A string of kids nodded in response, particularly loudly saying: "Yes, yes, yes, we know, don’t worry!"

Erqing found it amusing, and after receiving Gu Jinli’s instructions, went inside to carry the imperial gold outside.

Ji Zhenniang looked at the gold, her eyes gleaming, but she didn’t follow; instead, she went to support Gu Jinli, only to be slapped away by Gu Jinli, who said while entering the courtyard, "Don’t think of asking for something senseless, I won’t agree, wise up and back off."

Ji Zhenniang was speechless, her eyes reddening: "Gu Xiaoyu, we’re such good friends, how can you be so heartless?!"

Gu Jinli shivered at her words: "The way you talk, it’s like I’ve abandoned you, shut up, I’m cold."

Ji Zhenniang, still unsatisfied, shamelessly entered the courtyard, pleading timidly: "Gu Xiaoyu, I’m not being unreasonable this time, truly the imperial gold is crucial for my natal family... The Ji family are merchants and often scorned as lowly traders. If we could get two taels of imperial gold to worship at home, the children of scholarly families wouldn’t dare belittle us or mock my brother."

She continued: "Rest assured, I’ll pay you with silver, I won’t let you lose out."

Gu Jinli had already entered the courtyard and sat in a chair under the porch, taking the warm water handed by Nanny Tao, saying: "And you still say you’re not being unreasonable? Imperial gifts all have inner palace markings. If I give you the gold and someone from your natal family secretly uses it to do evil, once the Imperial Palace traces the markings back to me through the benevolence records, wouldn’t I get beheaded?"

Ji Zhenniang was dumbfounded: "It’s not that serious, besides, my family wouldn’t do that."

Gu Jinli laughed coldly: "Haha, do I need to spell out how messy your Ji family is?"

Ji Zhenniang turned red in the face and fell silent.

Nanny Tao, understanding the situation, said: "Lady Xie, you’re truly putting my lady in a difficult position; this absolutely won’t work."

Ji Zhenniang pouted for a moment, finally saying: "I didn’t think it through."

Gu Jinli retorted: "With your brain, thinking deeper is indeed hard."

Ji Zhenniang choked, stamping her feet in anger, but didn’t dare to explode, pleading again: "I won’t ask for the gold, but can I at least touch it... I’m trying hard to have a son recently."

Gu Jinli turned to look at Ji Zhenniang’s shy face, her mouth twitching: "They’re just gold bars, do you think they can bless you with a son?"

"Why not? They’re the Emperor’s imperial gold, imbued with Dragon Qi!" Ji Zhenniang argued, her face full of unwavering belief.

Gu Jinli: "..."

Where’s a knife? Let me crack open her skull to see if it’s filled with water or straw?

"Nanny Tao, take her to touch it," Gu Jinli gave up arguing with Ji Zhenniang and let Nanny Tao take her to touch the gold.

After touching it, Ji Zhenniang came out looking excited: "Gu Xiaoyu, thank you."

Thank what?

Gu Jinli rolled her eyes at her, instructing: "Quickly tidy up your family’s purchased house, properties, and lands. We need to set off for Daokou Gully after the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. If we depart and you haven’t handled your affairs, I’ll deduct your Snowdown Quilt dividends."

The court’s mandate for each garrison had not yet arrived, so Xu You gave them plenty of time.

Ji Zhenniang cared for her silver and quickly said: "No, I’ll definitely handle it and not hold you back!"

Fortunately, there’s Xie Cheng to help her.

"Off you go." Gu Jinli waved her hand, sending Ji Zhenniang away.

Ji Zhenniang still felt a bit wronged, thinking Gu Jinli didn’t value her.

However, Gu Jinli had already been quite good to her.

...

Qin San Lang was very busy today; he didn’t return at noon and came back to the courtyard near dusk to tell Gu Jinli: "Xiao Yu, tonight I need to go to the government office for a welcoming banquet."

Gu Jinli nodded: "Alright, drink less, don’t get drunk."

Qin San Lang nodded and asked: "Are you hungry? Shall we have dinner now?"

Gu Jinli said with surprise: "Aren’t you going to the welcoming banquet?"

Qin San Lang embraced her, saying: "I want to have dinner with Xiao Yu, and an empty stomach gets drunk easily, so I’ll eat a bit to fill up."

He had learned that she only had a pancake and a bowl of porridge for lunch since he didn’t come back to accompany her, which probably affected her appetite. Therefore, he wanted to eat dinner with her so she’d eat more.

However, Gu Jinli was just thinking that food was precious now; eating less would save more grain!

"Alright, I’ll serve the meal now. We’re having sweet and sour ribs tonight, very appetite-stimulating," Gu Jinli happily asked Nanny Tao to set the table.

Qin San Lang’s smile deepened, Xiao Yu really did enjoy eating with him.

The sweet and sour ribs were appetizing, and Gu Jinli ate quite a lot.

Qin San Lang, seeing her eat well, finally felt at ease and went to the banquet.

Tonight’s welcoming banquet was rather plain, with no beauties accompanying and neither wine nor meat.

Because Vice Minister Ban said: "Tomorrow is the day to honor the fallen soldiers. It’s inappropriate for us to have a lavish feast tonight; we’ll go vegetarian and use water instead of wine, fulfilling Magistrate Hao’s hosting intentions."

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