novelraw Chapter 236 is both a life-saving medicine and a killer.
Chapter 236 is both a life-saving medicine and a killer.
Chapter 236 is both a life-saving medicine and a killer.
After simmering for another 15 minutes, Gu Tang scooped out another spoonful, giving half a spoonful each to Gu Ping'an. After drinking it, they felt it was enough and added salt to the pot.
Once the saltiness was right, Gu Ping'an was told to go to the main room and call her father over, then bring the casserole to the main room.
Gu Tang took four sets of bowls and chopsticks and went to the main room first.
Opinions on medicinal cuisine vary; some people love it, while others find it hard to swallow.
Gu Tang belongs to the middle group; she can't say she likes her, nor can she say she dislikes her.
She can eat, but if you ask her to say anything complimentary, forget it; she'd rather not eat at all.
Gu Tang personally served the soup, placing it in front of them one by one. After watching them drink a few sips, she asked expectantly, "How is it? Do you like it?"
Third Uncle looked relaxed, his eyes and brows showing comfort. He savored the food carefully, finding it very much to his liking.
"Yes, I like it, it suits my taste perfectly."
Gu Ping'an nodded in agreement: "What you said is right, sir. I like it and it suits my taste."
Of the three, two gave their evaluations, while the remaining person remained silent.
Gu Tang looked at her father triumphantly, but the smile on her face faltered for a moment.
Gu Lianshan ate without any regard for his image, slurping down the soup from the bowl without even noticing how hot it was.
After drinking the soup, he grabbed large pieces of chicken with both hands and gnawed on them, his mouth dripping with oil.
Gu Tang twitched her lips: "Dad, slow down. Anyone who doesn't know better would think you haven't eaten for three days."
"That's how you eat meat! That's how you make it taste good!" Gu Lianshan said dismissively, continuing to gnaw on the chicken.
"...Don't just focus on eating, give me your feedback. I personally supervised the entire process of making this soup today!"
Gu Tang's meaning was clear: she had worked so hard, so he had to say some nice things to coax her.
Gu Lianshan knew his daughter well enough to know she loved to hear compliments, so he kept nodding and praising, "Delicious! This meat is delicious no matter how it's cooked!"
In Gu Lianshan's mind, anything that's meat is delicious! Much better than those bitter wild vegetables!
Gu Tang was displeased with these words: "You don't even know how to compliment someone! You should say that this soup is very much to your liking!"
Listen to those words, is that a compliment on how well she cooked?
That's a compliment on how delicious the meat is!
Gu Lianshan realized his mistake and quickly corrected himself, saying, "Yes, yes, yes! This soup is just what Father likes!"
That makes sense.
Gu Tang was finally satisfied and picked up the soup bowl to drink a few mouthfuls.
Third Uncle scooped a chicken leg into another bowl, then placed it in front of Gu Tang to coax her: "Don't listen to your father, sometimes his words can be so scathing!"
Gu Tang completely agreed with this and picked up a chicken leg to gnaw on.
The chicken leg wasn't very big, and after finishing it, Gu Tang stopped eating.
Nowadays, we have plenty of oil and meat in our stomachs and can eat meat every day. We get tired of eating just one chicken leg.
My third uncle had read some miscellaneous books and knew some ways to maintain health. Thinking that he would be resting later, he didn't dare to eat too much and only ate until he was about 70-80% full before stopping.
The remaining soup and chicken in the casserole were all given to Gu Lianshan and his son Gu Ping'an.
Both father and son had huge appetites. They first devoured the chicken, and then divided up the broth, leaving not a single bite.
After the meal, Gu Tang didn't bother with the dishes and chopsticks. Her father led Gu Ping'an to clean them up and take them to the kitchen to wash them. After that, they cleaned the kitchen again.
After the father and son came out of the kitchen, Gu Tang greeted his third uncle and went back to the backyard.
Gu Tang was alone in the backyard. After locking the door, she finally relaxed completely.
The stove in her room was still burning, and there was a kettle full of water on the floor; it was obvious that her father had prepared it.
I tested the water temperature with my hand, and the water in the kettle was still hot, just right for washing up.
As Gu Tang poured hot water into the basin and watched the rippling water, she suddenly remembered that Ah Gou should still be in Qingyang County at this time.
She wanted to buy some medicinal herbs, but she didn't want to go to buy them herself, nor did she want to buy them in Beian City.
I wonder if it's possible to contact Ah Gou through a contract...
After a quick wash, Gu Tang took off her shoes and went to bed to warm herself. Then she closed her eyes and tried to contact Agou through the little figure in her mind.
This was Gu Tang's first attempt to contact A Gou through a contract. To be honest, she didn't know what to do, so she just kept fiddling with the purple rope on the little figure and silently chanting A Gou's name.
The moment Gu Tang flicked the purple rope, A Gou, far away in Qingyang County, sensed it.
He will now spend money to bribe the neighbors around the three Ma brothers, so that they can keep an eye on the three Ma brothers' movements every day, and he will pay them one or two taels of silver every month as a reward.
For the neighbors of the three Ma brothers, it was like a windfall – they didn't have to do any labor, they could just stroll around and keep an eye on the three brothers every day, and they could still get one or two taels of silver every month!
Having received the month's wages that Ah Gou had given them in advance, they all went home to keep an eye on their people.
The gates of the county town were already closed, but they couldn't stop Ah Gou, who had planned to travel back to Beian City overnight.
Before he even set off, the contract on his body trembled, sensing that Gu Tang was calling him.
Ah Gou thought something had happened to Gu Tang, so he hurriedly searched the county town, found the horse he had hidden earlier, and rode at full speed towards Bei'an City.
Gu Tang closed her eyes and tried for a long time, but Ah Gou on the other side didn't react at all. In the end, she called Ah Gou's name and fell asleep in a daze, just like counting sheep when she couldn't sleep.
Ah Gou quickly realized that the contract had stopped working. Relying on his ability to see in the dark, he continued on his way without stopping until late at night, when he finally arrived outside Beian City.
After finding a place to hide the horse, Ah Gou leaped across the walls and over the soldiers guarding the city, entering the city directly.
Upon arriving in the city, he went to Gu Tang's courtyard as if he knew the way well, and habitually climbed over the wall to find Gu Tang.
It was late at night when Gu Tang was sleeping soundly. Ah Gou knew this, so he didn't dare to disturb anyone. He just quietly peeked into the room through the small window lattice that was deliberately opened above the window for ventilation.
Gu Tang's bed in her bedroom faces the window, but a screen is placed in front of the bed to block the view.
Ah Gou peered into the room through the window lattice and could only see a screen; he couldn't see the bed behind it.
He listened carefully and heard only the sound of even breathing inside the room.
Ah Gou remembered that breathing sound; it was Gu Tang's. It seems she's alright.
Since he's alright, and they're calling him through the contract, they probably have something they want him to do and are urging him to come back.
Ah Gou originally planned to go back to Lihua Hutong first, and then sneak in to ask questions after dawn.
But then he thought about it and felt uneasy, so he simply sat cross-legged under the window and kept watch.
Ah Gou waited until dawn before daring to try to wake Gu Tang.
Gu Tang went to bed early last night, and she wasn't grumpy when Ah Gou woke her up.
She put on her clothes, opened the door to let Ah Gou in, then shivered and crawled back into bed, asking Ah Gou to come to her bedside to talk.
Ah Gou walked up to her, tucked her in, and asked softly, "The contract was activated last night, is something wrong?"
"You sensed it?" Gu Tang was taken aback. She thought there was no reaction, but it turned out there was!
"I sensed it."
"Since you sensed it, why didn't you respond to me?" Gu Tang glared at him, very dissatisfied.
Ah Gou hurriedly smiled apologetically and said, "It's not that I don't want to respond, it's that I can't. You are the master and I am the servant. Only you can call me through the contract."
Is it only one-way and not two-way?
This is so inconvenient!
Gu Tang: "If I have something to tell you, can I convey it to you through the contract?"
Ah Gou shook his head: "That won't work either. I can only sense your call, I can't sense anything else."
"That's too useless!" This is not the contract that Gu Tang thought it was.
Afraid that she would be angry, Ah Gou quickly coaxed her, "It's alright, I came back as soon as I sensed you calling me, it won't delay anything."
"It's not because of that." Gu Tang told him about how Feng had secretly arranged for him to be sold to Li, and that the reason she summoned him through the contract was to have him buy some medicinal herbs in Qingyang County.
"I want you to buy some strychnos nux-vomica, aconite, Sichuan aconite, and raw aconite from Qingyang County."
Upon hearing the names of the medicinal herbs Gu Tang mentioned, Ah Gou's mind raced, and he instantly recalled the medicinal properties of these four herbs.
Strychnos nux-vomica can relieve pain, disperse nodules, and reduce swelling. However, it should not be consumed in excess. Excessive consumption may cause limb tremors, body aches, or even death.
Aconitum carmichaelii is used to dispel cold, relieve pain, reduce swelling, and eliminate phlegm. However, it should not be consumed in excess, otherwise it may cause numbness in the mouth, tongue, and limbs, leading to paralysis similar to that of a stroke.
Aconitum carmichaelii (Chuanwu) dispels wind and dampness, warms the meridians, and relieves pain. Its contraindications are the same as the previous two: it should not be consumed in excess, otherwise it may cause numbness in the limbs, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or even death.
Raw aconite, which is aconite that has not been processed, is extremely poisonous. This herb is the most toxic of the four.
Excessive consumption can lead to rapid death. Moderate consumption will not cause death, but it will cause the body to be in excruciating pain day and night, and the limbs will tremble uncontrollably.
These four medicinal herbs can both save lives and kill people.
Ah Gou immediately understood what Gu Tang wanted to do.
"You want to...buy these four medicinal herbs and secretly have them take them?"
Gu Tang nodded: "Li Shi and those kidnappers are dead, so our grudges are over. Right now, there are only the elderly couple Feng and Gu Zhi'er left. Gu Liansheng probably knows about this too, so with him, that makes four people."
These four people not only owe me, but also the original owner of this body. This is a good opportunity to settle those debts together.
“You should have called me back when you encountered the kidnappers yesterday.” A cold glint flashed in Ah Gou’s eyes. “If I had been there, how could I have let you make a move? I would have killed the Feng family and the others.”
"Killing someone is just a matter of beheading them, but that's too lenient on the Feng couple. First, we'll use medicine to make them paralyzed and in pain, spending every day and night in agony, unable to live and unwilling to die."
Knowing Gu Liansheng's personality, he definitely wouldn't take care of the old couple. With no one to care for them, and immersed in suffering day and night, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they'd rather be dead.
"You mean, let them live in misery forever?" If that's the case, Ah Gou thinks it's feasible. "Slowly tormenting someone is indeed more satisfying. This method works!"
He thought that his praise would earn him Gu Tang's approval, but instead he received a glare.
"I'm not a pervert!" Gu Tang rolled her eyes at him, then reached out to pinch him in annoyance. "Do you think I'm like you? I was thinking that Gu Liansheng will be taking the imperial examination after the New Year, so when he's about to leave, I'll send the Feng couple away! Make him observe three years of mourning, and cut off his path to the imperial examination!"
For someone who takes the imperial examinations every year and fails every year, the annual provincial examination is his source of energy and spirit!
If this vital energy were suddenly severed, given Gu Liansheng's personality, he might do something crazy.
"...As long as Gu Liansheng goes crazy, we can take the opportunity to feed him those four kinds of medicinal herbs. Everyone will just think that he has gone mad, lost his mind, and lost his soul. That way, we won't arouse suspicion."
Gu Tang wanted Feng Shi and the others to die, but she didn't want them to die too easily, nor did she want anyone to suspect that there was something wrong with their deaths.
"There's still Gu Zhi'er, what should we do with her?" There are only three now, Ah Gou counted on his fingers, there's still one left.
"Use her as an experiment first." A cold look appeared on Gu Tang's face. "I'm afraid I won't be able to get the dosage of those medicinal herbs right this time. If I accidentally kill her prematurely, wouldn't that be letting them off easy?"
"Why not use Gu Zhier as an experiment beforehand and record her different reactions when she consumes different amounts each day? That way, when it's the Feng couple's turn, we'll have a better understanding."
Ah Gou agreed to the method and volunteered to take on the task, saying, "You just tell me how much to feed her each day, and I'll just make her eat it. I guarantee she won't even notice."
Gu Tang was very satisfied with Ah Gou's helpfulness: "Today is market day, and all the shops on the street are opening early. Go buy the medicine later, but don't buy it from one shop. Buy the four kinds of medicine from four different shops."
"Don't show yourself. Pick an inconspicuous beggar from among the children living with you and have him go buy it."
Ah Gou wrote everything down, assuring her that nothing would go wrong.
"My father doesn't know who's behind the kidnapping, and I don't plan to tell him. When you come to visit the day after tomorrow, please don't let anything slip."
My father just thought I was unlucky and had been targeted by kidnappers; after all, market day was the day kidnappers ran rampant and abducted people.
It was crucial not to let anything slip, so Ah Gou carefully noted it down to ensure there wouldn't be any mistakes the next day.
"Alright, it's almost dawn, you'd better hurry up and leave, or you'll run into my dad again." Gu Tang waved to him, signaling him to leave quickly.
Mentioning the incident where he ran into Gu Lianshan last time, Agou's scalp tightened, and he immediately dared not stay any longer. He told Gu Tang and hurriedly left the house.
After seeing Ah Gou off, Gu Tang yawned, got up, closed the door, and went back to bed to take a nap.
Today, not only Gu Tang was sleeping in, but also Gu Lianshan, who had to get up early to wait for someone at the city gate, as well as Third Uncle and Gu Ping'an, who were both sleeping in an hour late.
Gu Tang woke up later than the grandmother and granddaughter; it was already noon when she got up.
I slept a little longer this time.
There's no way around it; in this winter, the "warm as spring" bedding that the system rewarded us with is so warm that we wish we could wrap ourselves in it day and night!
After leaving the backyard, Gu Tang entered the main hall of the second courtyard, where she only saw her third uncle and Gu Ping'an.
Gu Ping'an was sorting through the cotton wadding she had bought yesterday, while her third uncle was measuring the fabric with a ruler. The two seemed to be planning to sew a quilt.