Chapter 179.2: Father-in-law
Chapter 179.2: Father-in-law
She had been in the capital for quite long already and this was the first time she had seen a nobleman being stingy with the treatment fee. Gu Jiao suddenly felt that the voice of the Fourth Prince calling him uncle earlier was just her imagination.
Marquis Xuanping said, “Why? Too little? Aren’t you a physician? You’re not a bandit, how much money do you actually intend to charge me?”
Gu Jiao succeeded in being criticized publicly for once, and she was speechless.
She reached for the money silently.
A trace of hidden bitterness and secret grudge could be detected from her little expression.
Gu Jiao got off the carriage.
Marquis Xuanping suddenly lifted the curtain and asked, “Is it too little?”
Gu Jiao nodded her head.
Marquis Xuanping raised his eyebrow proudly, “Because you also didn’t do much!”
Gu Jiao：“…”
This little girl stepped on his face which was still hurting, and also nearly broke his old waist.
Marquis Xuanping wouldn’t regard Gu Jiao as his savior because she rescued him from his choking. Since she was a physician, it was simply her duty to heal the wounded and rescue the dying.
She just did her duty as a physician while he paid the treatment fee that a patient should pay.
The goods were delivered and the bill was cleared. No one owed the other anything.
Marquis Xuanping said casually to Chang Jing, “Alright, head to the Imperial Academy. Didn’t something happen to my little nephew? Don’t let him cry himself to death.”
Imperial Academy.
Steward Liu had been waiting outside early, and with him was Eunuch Su under Empress Xiao.
Eunuch Su clung to his horsetail whisk, looking anxious, “Steward Liu, why hasn’t Lord Marquis come yet?”
Steward Liu replied wryly, “Must have been delayed by something.”
When Eunuch Su went to Marquis Xuanping Estate to look for people, Marquis Xuanping wasn’t at home. Steward Liu asked a guard to inform Lord Marquis while he and Eunuch Su came to the Imperial Academy first.
“Aiya.” Eunuch Su felt a little anxious as they waited, “To say this matter is small isn’t right, but to say it’s big is also false. The Empress is mainly worried about the safety of His Seventh Highness. His Seventh Highness has never left the Empress’s side ever since he was born. Suddenly, His Seventh Highness was sent to a place like this, and isn’t even allowed to reveal his identity… I’m afraid Steward Liu didn’t know, His Seventh Highness was bullied on the first day of school.”
In fact, it was just two children accidentally bumping into each other. However, people would always favor their own children and unconsciously distort the facts.
“Such a thing happened?” Steward Liu was surprised.
Eunuch Su sighed, “Right? The Empress accused His Majesty of being hardhearted and beseeched His Majesty to let His Seventh Highness go to school as a prince. However, his Majesty responded that if everyone knew his identity as a prince, what’s the point of his going to the Imperial Academy? It’s not like there are no teachers in the learning hall of the imperial palace!”
Steward Liu was a man with extensive experience. He could tell that Eunuch Su was probably dissatisfied with the late arrival of Marquis Xuanping, but he didn’t have the courage to complain, so he had to harp on about other things.
He simply went along and responded with a word or two.
While waiting for Marquis Xuanping to arrive, Eunuch Su continued to talk anxiously, “Alas, school hasn’t been going well for His Seventh Highness at all. He was bumped by someone at the beginning of school, then contracted pox disease after a few days and didn’t attend class until now. Unexpectedly, as soon as he went back to school, something happened to him again!”
Wasn’t His Seventh Highness the first to get the pox disease though? And even passed it onto the other kids in class?
Steward Liu knew about this.
A prince falling ill was a major matter. Marquis Xuanping also entered the palace to visit His Seventh Highness at that time.
Eunuch Su said, “I… I’d better go and check on the situation first. Please, may Steward Liu continue to wait here for Lord Marquis for me.”
Steward Liu cupped his hands and responded politely, “How dare I refuse Eunuch Su? Eunuch Su can go ahead, and if there is anything else, please feel free to instruct me. When Lord Marquis comes, I’ll tell him that you’ve been waiting for him.”
Thereupon, Eunuch Su entered the Imperial Academy.
His Seventh Highness’s clothes had been changed by two servant girls who were now waiting upon him at the side. They stayed in a classroom of the private elementary school, next to where Xiao Liulang and Little Jing Kong were.
The servant girls tried to appease Qin Chuyu’s mood, but Qin Chuyu would not listen to them and merely kept on crying, even louder than thunder.
Teacher Sun, the newly appointed teacher of the elite class, encountered such a thorny incident as soon as he took office. He was so flustered that he simply didn’t know what to do, so he had someone inform Director Zheng.
Director Zheng was lying in his room, still sulking. Upon hearing the news, he abruptly sat up from the bed.
“My Lord, what’s the matter?” Asked the steward.
Director Zheng suddenly laughed, “His Seventh Highness has had another accident.”
Confused, the steward said, “Then… What is my Lord happy about?”
Director Zheng flashed a pleasantly surprised smile, saying, “His Seventh Highness is the Emperor’s son with the Empress, as well as Marquis Xuanping’s nephew. What do you think will happen if I do Marquis Xuanping and the Empress a favor at this time?”
The steward hesitantly spoke, “I’m afraid Grand Preceptor Zhuang will be unhappy?”
Director Zheng laughed grimly, “What does it matter to me whether he’s happy or not? He can’t even secure the Chief’s position for me. Such a grand preceptor is no more than that in the end! I might as well take this opportunity to join Marquis Xuanping’s side. Who knows, I may end up better then?”
The steward: “This…”
Director Zheng sneered, “What’s more, it’s that kid of Xiao Liulang who stirred up trouble again. Aren’t Grand Preceptor Zhuang and An Junwang trying to protect him? But I’m determined to destroy him! It’s simply killing two birds with one stone as I can join Marquis Xuanping’s side and also vent my hatred!”
Xiao Liulang was a thorn in his side, and that kid of Xiao Liulang was a thorn in His Seventh Highness’s side. It must be God’s arrangement that both he and His Seventh Highness found two related people as eyesores!
“Grand Preceptor Zhuang, since you can’t give it to me, I have no choice but to ask Marquis Xuanping for it!”
True to his words, Director Zheng headed to the Imperial Academy without stopping.
Although he hadn’t been conferred the title of Chief, he was still the highest ranking official of the Imperial Academy before His Majesty could confer the title of Chief on others.
Besides, he had a good reason for doing things this time. He would like to see if Xiao Liulang could still bring up the Imperial Academy’s rules!
Director Zheng was simply mad with excitement that he didn’t even see Steward Liu standing at the gates. Of course, even if he did notice him, he wouldn’t recognize him.
He rushed into the private elementary school and asked at once, “Where are Xiao Liulang and the child?!”
Teacher Sun, who just came from the classroom where Xiao Liulang and Little Jing Kong were, saw him, cupped his hand in salute and said, “They’re in the east classroom.”
Director Zheng wasn’t happy to hear this, “Still in the classroom? Shouldn’t such people be locked up in the detention room immediately? Teacher Sun, I don’t want to criticize you, but this is so irresponsible of you! I transferred you to the private elementary division since I saw that you’re more capable than Teacher Jiang! But you can’t even handle such a little thing properly?”
Teacher Sun’s nature wasn’t bad, but he knew how to protect himself better than Teacher Jiang.
One side was the Di son of the Empress while the other were two poor orphans from a small county. Anyone could tell who was more important.