One thousand two hundred taels of silver for the large shopfront on Zhuque Street, Lu Nianfu knew she had gotten a good deal. But the Fan family wouldn't dare to keep it, and it would take time to sell it for that price again. Thus, when Fan Wei came knocking, she readily handed over the silver notes.
After the transfer was complete, she brought Ji Jin to the Fan residence.
Fan Zizhou was displeased that Jian Shizhao could not be brought to justice. But the two elders were extremely content. If not for encountering Madam Gu, they might not have been able to get Master Fan out of prison safely even after selling the shop. Now, not only was Master Fan safely returned, but the shop had also been successfully sold.
Fan Wei cupped his hands and bowed to Lu Nianfu, "Madam Gu, you are truly our family's great benefactor. I..."
Lu Nianfu quickly supported him, "Master Fan, please, it was just a small effort."
The old lady bowed along, "Madam Gu, to you it was a small effort, but to my Fan family, it is a kindness we will never forget."
Lu Nianfu quickly stepped aside to avoid their bows and initiated a new topic, "Now that the shop has been sold, what are your plans next?"
Fan Wei replied, "We plan to leave the capital and find a renowned physician to treat Zizhou's leg."
"The leg injury has been delayed for a long time, and it's uncertain how long it will take to seek treatment elsewhere. If you don't mind, why don't you let my friend take a look?" She nudged Ji Jin forward, "This is Ji Jin. Don't let his youth fool you; he is already serving in the Imperial Hospital."
"Imperial physician?"
The two elders were utterly shocked, then grinned with delight.
After a brief exchange with them, Ji Jin examined Fan Zizhou's leg. When the carriage had collided, Fan Zizhou had injured his leg, with a particularly severe injury to his kneecap. The moment Ji Jin pressed down, he cried out in pain.
Half an hour later, Ji Jin went to the kitchen to fetch water and wash his hands.
The elders immediately crowded around, "Imperial Physician, how is my grandson's leg? Can it be treated? Will there be any lingering effects after it's healed?"
Ji Jin waved his hand, "It's not a major problem, but if you want to recover completely, Young Master Fan will have to endure some hardship."
Fan Zizhou breathed a sigh of relief.
His leg had been hurting more and more these days, and he truly feared becoming a cripple. Moreover, Jian Shizhao hadn't even given him the chance to see a doctor. He had already prepared himself to be lame, never expecting such a fortunate turn of events where his family managed to secure an Imperial Physician.
His grandmother was right; Madam Gu was truly their guardian angel.
"Imperial Physician, please treat it. As long as my leg can heal, let alone a little hardship, I can endure any amount of suffering."
Ji Jin explained, "Your leg was not treated immediately after the injury, causing the bones inside to misalign and fuse. To recover, the bones will have to be broken and reset; otherwise, you will not heal."
Breaking the bones?
Just hearing it sent waves of pain through the elders, "Imperial Physician, is there no other way? This, this is too painful."
Ji Jin's expression remained impassive, "It will pass if you bear with it. To recover completely, you must endure this pain."
"Grandma, Grandpa, I'm not afraid of pain. Please don't worry. Imperial Physician, when can we start?"
"I will prepare some herbs and come to help you first thing tomorrow morning."
"How can we trouble Imperial Physician Ji? Please just give us the prescription, and we will prepare the medicinal ingredients and wait for you."
Ji Jin nodded, "Then I will write out the prescription for you."
The old lady quickly brought out a pen and ink.
At the Dali Temple, Jian Shijie finally returned to work. Logically, with a new superior, he should pay his respects. However, his attempt to assert dominance had failed, and Gu Yanchen had also caused trouble for his brother. How could he possibly humble himself before Gu Yanchen? Thus, he harbored his resentment and focused solely on his duties.
The officials who had joined his protest, however, could no longer remain calm.
They had followed Jian Shijie hoping for patronage from the Marquis of Qiying. But now that Jian Shijie had already backed down, their previous actions seemed like a joke.
With the Marquis of Qiying behind him, Lord Gu wouldn't dare to do anything to him, but what if Lord Gu decided to make an example of him?
For two consecutive days, a gloomy atmosphere pervaded the Dali Temple. A few impatient officials had already gone to Gu Yanchen to pledge their loyalty. Unfortunately, Gu Yanchen remained unmoving, showing no reaction to their overtures.
This made them even more anxious, fearing that Gu Yanchen might retaliate if he was displeased, even foregoing the Lantern Festival. They gathered behind Jian Shijie's back to discuss countermeasures.
Meanwhile, Gu Yanchen, who was causing them so much worry, was in high spirits. He left work early and picked up Lu Nianfu from the manor, "I've arranged a banquet at Zui Xiang Lou today. After dinner, I'll take you to see the Lantern Festival in the capital."
"A banquet?"
"Yes, after being back for so long, if I don't host a gathering, Ouyang will nag me to death."
"Are you only inviting the Young Master?"
"And Ji Jin too." Gu Yanchen instructed, "They're all our own people. You just need to eat later; don't mind them."
Lu Nianfu: ...
Lu Nianfu was not intimately familiar with Gu Yanchen's two friends, but she was certainly not a stranger. Especially Ji Jin; she had asked him to help treat Fan Zizhou's leg injury just yesterday.
Before nightfall, the lanterns on the streets had already begun to light up.
Gu Yanchen held Lu Nianfu's hand as they strolled leisurely, admiring the lights.
Lu Nianfu felt a little embarrassed and tugged at her small hand, but couldn't break free. Gu Yanchen said seriously, "There are many people on the street. If I don't hold you, how would we find each other if we got separated by the crowd?"
"But there aren't many people on the street right now?"
Everyone was still at home eating dinner.
Gu Yanchen, however, seemed to not hear her, continuing to lead her forward. Lu Nianfu looked at his already reddened ear tips and finally let him have his way.
Oh well, they were married anyway.
Holding hands was perfectly reasonable and legal.
Walking through the streets adorned with lanterns, the couple soon arrived at Zui Xiang Lou. Ouyang Wen and Ji Jin stood side by side at the entrance. Their handsome appearance drew frequent glances from passing women. Seeing them, Ouyang Wen beamed and walked over with a smile, saying considerately, "Quick, go inside. I've already ordered all the dishes for you. Xiao Yan Yan, you just need to pay later."
Lu Nianfu: ...