In ancient times, the powerful and wealthy seized power step by step.

One hundred coins may seem insignificant, but they can buy twenty catties of grain, enough to save a family's life for several days.

It is now the lean season of summer, with the old grains exhausted and the new grains yet to be harvested. Grain prices have risen sharply, and because Lord Gu is banning private salt, private salt cannot enter the city, causing the price of private salt in Yangzhou to rise to thirty copper coins.

Most ordinary families rarely have spare money, let alone a family like this, with women and children dressed in tattered clothes and no able-bodied men.

Sure enough, upon hearing Zhu Qingyu's question, the boy blushed deeply and frantically searched his pockets for money, managing to gather only a few dozen copper coins. He said anxiously and ashamedly:

"Doctor, this is all I have right now. Can you treat my mother first? She has a high fever and is delirious. Please, I promise I'll make up for it later."

That's how the question was asked, but the boy didn't have much hope, because this was already the third clinic he had come to from home. The first clinic kicked them out as soon as they heard he had no money, and the second clinic didn't even let them in.

Zhu Qingyu looked at the copper coins in his hand, some new and some old, and asked:

"Is it twenty coins? My consultation fee is one hundred coins, but we have other doctors here who charge twenty coins. Do you want to see them?"

Upon hearing this, the boy's hope was rekindled, and tears welled up in his eyes. He quickly counted out twenty copper coins and hurriedly said:

"Yes, yes, I've seen a doctor. Any doctor is fine, as long as there's a doctor available."

Lin Lan received the boy when he arrived, so he was considered her patient. Zhu Qingyu looked at Lin Lan:

"Lin Lan, give this lady a good look."

Lin Lan didn't react immediately and was still a little dazed, but Su Mu reacted faster, helping her pay the consultation fee and urging her on:

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up! The patient is waiting. I'll go get you some water and a towel."

Lin Lan then realized what was happening and panicked for a moment. Seeing Zhu Qingyu nod encouragingly at her, she took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and walked towards the patient.

Although it was Lin Lan who was seeing patients, it was her first time making a house call independently. Worried that Lin Lan might be flustered due to her lack of experience, Zhu Qingyu stood by and watched. This way, if Lin Lan was unsure of the diagnosis or made a mistake, Zhu Qingyu could cover for her.

As Lin Lan was taking her pulse, someone behind her asked:

"Madam Zhu, are you busy?"

Zhu Qingyu turned around and saw that it was Lord Gu, who had been waiting all day. Lord Gu looked travel-worn and had no idea where he had come from.

He was followed by Xiong Kun, and the two of them stood outside the consultation room, watching for an unknown period of time.

Lin Lan is busy at this crucial time, and Lord Gu also has important business to attend to. Besides, it's a mess downstairs, and there's no place for Lord Gu to sit.

The only place where guests could be formally entertained was the suite on the second floor. Although the inner room was for living, there was a partition in the middle, and the outer room of the partition was a small study.

Zhu Qingyu walked out and met Gu Zhao as they headed towards the stairs:

"I have an important patient here and can't leave for the time being. Please come upstairs and have a seat. I'll be right back. Aunt Tian, ​​please serve tea."

Although it was her first time seeing patients, and she was a little flustered when she first took over, Lin Lan quickly got into the swing of things. After observing, listening, questioning, and feeling the pulse, she determined the diagnosis and then went to see Zhu Qingyu.

When Zhu Qingyu was examining the medical records, everyone in the room watched her nervously; the room was so quiet you could drop a pin.

Lin Lan was especially nervous, so much so that she was sweating profusely, just like the patients.

However, her diagnosis was actually very accurate, consistent with the conclusions Zhu Qingyu had just reached. She even considered the family's financial situation and used the cheapest medicine possible, which shows that she was very thorough in her considerations.

Zhu Qingyu looked at her and encouraged her:

"very nice."

Because this was very good, Lin Lan, who had been listless all day, suddenly brightened up and became energetic. She took the medical record and went to instruct the patient on how to get the medicine, how to decoct the medicine, and how to use the medicine.

Seeing that things were almost done, Zhu Qingyu left the consultation room and went upstairs to find Gu Zhao.

Xiong Kun stood guard outside the door. Seeing Zhu Qingyu arrive, he whispered instructions:

"Lord Gu had urgent business in Jinling yesterday, and because he had an appointment with you today, he rushed back from Jinling overnight. He hasn't rested for the past two days and nights. Please keep this brief, so that Lord Gu can get some rest soon."

Zhu Qingyu nodded:

"I understand, thank you for the reminder, Master Xiong."

Zhu Qingyu pushed open the door and entered. The outer study still had tea left, but it was empty. The door to the inner room was open.

Upon arriving at the door, they found Lord Gu lying on his side on the edge of the bed in the inner room, asleep fully clothed.

Xiong Kun said that Gu Zhao hadn't rested for two days and one night, probably because he was too exhausted and couldn't wait any longer, so he came to catch up on sleep first.

Seeing a grown man lying in her bed, Zhu Qingyu did feel somewhat offended, since her relationship with Gu Zhao wasn't close enough for them to share a bed.

But when she thought about how he was making all this trouble to keep his promise to her and to relieve the Zhang family's worries, Zhu Qingyu felt that it would be unreasonable for her to mind.

It's best to be pragmatic. After all, this place is too simple, without even a place for guests to rest. Gu Zhao might mistakenly think that this is a place for guests to rest temporarily, and that her saying that he should wait on the second floor includes the inner room.

Moreover, since he was already exhausted and asleep, there was no rush to wake him up.

Zhu Qingyu hesitated between leaving him alone to sleep and the possibility of him catching a cold if he slept fully clothed, so she decided to at least cover him with a blanket. In the end, she took a thin blanket from the shelf and covered him with it.

Whether it was because Gu Zhao was naturally wary and difficult to approach, Zhu Qingyu had just covered Gu Zhao with a blanket when Gu Zhao suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her onto the bed.

Just as Zhu Qingyu was about to speak, Gu Zhao rolled over and pressed down on her, pinning her hand to the headboard with one hand and covering her mouth with the other to prevent her from making a sound.

In a flash, the person was brought under control, and Gu Zhao, who was asleep, finally opened his eyes.

Looking at Zhu Qingyu, who was pressed tightly beneath him, Gu Zhao, half-asleep, couldn't even tell whether this intimate moment with the beauty suddenly appearing on his bed was reality or a dream.

A dream where one can do whatever one wants without any scruples.