Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 156: Chapter 88: Two Beauties, One Play

“Xiao Cui, what do you think, the relationship between Zhou Mu and me is? That you must serve so thoroughly? Hot water? Hmm? Towels? Hmm? Turning off lights and closing doors? Hmm?” Gu Changsheng asked each question, his face darkening a bit more each time.

“Uh…” A blush spread across Xiao Cui’s face; she was still a maiden and could only work to this extent because she had served as a maid in the Li Mansion.

She hadn’t eaten pork before, but she had seen pigs run, hadn’t she? Could it be that she had served incorrectly?

“Xiao Cui, as my personal maid, shouldn’t you stand by my side through thick and thin?”

“Leaving me alone in a room with a grown man on a dark and windy night, do you want him to sleep with me, or do you want me to sleep with him?”

Xiao Cui: “…”

“Xiao Cui, as for my relationship with Zhou Mu, as of now, there is no relationship.”

“Don’t forget his identity! Yue Xilou accepted the assignment to assassinate me; this matter surely can’t be separated from the Capital City Li Mansion. Until I have enough strength to protect all of you in front of anyone, even if my heart is pleased with him, I can’t marry him.” It was false to say she wasn’t moved, but being moved didn’t mean she would lose her reason and blindly accept.

She didn’t want to face again the bloodbath of that night; she was human too, and she feared losing!

“Mistress, I…” Xiao Cui bowed her head, hesitant to continue.

“With someone like Xiao Chengwen, backed by Prince Liang forcing us to a dangerous place, if we were to face the Imperial Family, what do you think our end would be?” Zhou Mu was undeniably part of the Imperial Family; what they faced was not a gap that could be bridged simply by sentiment.

“The power struggles of the Imperial Family, we are already entangled in it. The trouble he has caused me, I rightfully use his influence.”

Xiao Cui nodded vehemently; right now, whatever the mistress said was correct!

Even if the mistress declared that pigs could climb trees, she would nod without hesitation!

Meanwhile, Han Qiu frowned slightly, remaining silent.

“So, Xiao Cui, to not be crushed so swiftly, you should stop trying so hard to pair me with the evildoer. Right now, the farther we are from each other, the safer it is, understand?” Sleeping with a beautiful man also required the right time, place, and harmony, right? She had barely gotten involved with someone when endless troubles would follow, believe it or not?

“Understood!” Whether she understood or not, nodding and agreeing couldn’t be wrong, and Xiao Cui’s attitude was good.

“It’s best that you understand that, Mistress,” Han Qiu said, relieved, looking at his freshly bandaged wound, summarizing.

“I couldn’t understand before, but you can’t stop your mistress who has a mind open to all possibilities…” Gu Changsheng self-praised with infinite sadness, not wanting them to feel too much pressure.

The two outside the door, hearing the conversation within, had faces that were indecipherable.

“Zhou Mu, it seems your chances aren’t great either.” To borrow another’s power and still be so self-righteous, really!

Zhou Mu’s eyebrows knit slightly, his aura chilling, he didn’t respond.

“A woman like her should be frolicking among common folk. Are you sure the huge, deceitful cage of the Imperial Family is what she wishes for?” Yue Xilou spoke, his voice not too loud or soft, just enough to reach Zhou Mu’s ears.

Zhou Mu had certainly considered this point, but having already fallen for her, how could he let go?

Besides, even if he let go now, she might not be able to stay out of it!

“Zhou Mu, do not treat others in ways that you yourself would find disagreeable. Have you ever asked her if she wants to impose your feelings on her?” Yue Xilou intended to take the attack to the end.

Praising someone else’s indulgence and affection to the skies, isn’t it just as necessary to criticize others?

Clearly, Yue Xilou had indeed touched Zhou Mu’s sore spot.

Keeping her tied to his side, he had never asked her wishes, nor had he given her a chance to refuse. She really despised entering the doors of the Imperial Family, didn’t she?

He had never hated his lineage so much!

“Once you enter the household of a marquis, it is as deep as the sea; much more so the doors of the Imperial Family. Zhou Mu, your household cannot accommodate such a discarded woman; give up hope.” If he gave up hope, then his own chances would be greater.

Zhou Mu gave him a cold glance and turned to pick up the approaching Little Meat Bun.

“Uncle Wood, mom said to change Auntie Qiu’s medicine and then to unwrap my bandage, so I can be like the other kids again.” No longer facing disdainful looks or being ostracized, Little Meat Bun was very happy.

“Yes.” Zhou Mu held Little Meat Bun in his arms, responding faintly while still pondering Yue Xilou’s words.

“Uncle Wood, when I’m better, can you take me to see the shadow puppetry show? Aunt Cui said it’s really fun to watch.” Little Meat Bun’s eyes twinkled with stars as he made his hopeful request.

“Sure, once the warfare in Southern Fujian is resolved, I’ll come back and take you to see the shadow puppetry show,” Zhou Mu replied, coming back to his senses, his lips curling slightly in a promise.

“Uncle Wood, are you going to war again?” Little Meat Bun looked up, his little face brimming with concern, “Mom said that war is very hard, it causes injuries, deaths, and a lot of blood will flow, like the little river at the gate.”

“Yes.” Zhou Mu pinched Little Meat Bun’s cheek, “Without joining the army, one does not know the hardships of campaigning, for when a general achieves success, a myriad of bones dry up.”

“But I still want to be a general, to ride on tall, majestic horses just like Uncle Wood, so imposing, then no one would dare to bully mom!” Little Meat Bun remained troubled by their experiences at the Li Mansion.

“Good, a true man should indeed aspire to this.” Zhou Mu was very pleased.

“Then Uncle Wood, you mustn’t get hurt or bleed, Gu Ze will be worried.” Clinging to Zhou Mu’s shoulder, Little Meat Bun spoke very earnestly.

A single phrase touched his heartstrings, and Zhou Mu’s body stiffened.

For so many years, waging wars in the south and north, everyone was concerned about how much lost territory he could recover, how much territory he could expand, how many military honors he could achieve…

No one ever cared whether he might get hurt or bleed…

“Gu Ze, would you like to be my son?” Zhou Mu’s lips curved slightly, and the cold aura around him instantly melted away.

Little Meat Bun craned his little head and was about to nod.

“No good!”

“No good!”

Two voices spoke at the same time, in unison, and their refusal was very straightforward!

Gu Changsheng, who had just come out, glared at Zhou Mu like guarding against a thief, furious, “Damn, evildoer, you’ve grown up, huh? Taking advantage of my absence, you dare to seduce my son!”

Her treasured pension—oh, she couldn’t let an evildoer lure him away!

“Yeah, put down my apprentice!” Yue Xilou seconded, finding Zhou Mu utterly crafty!

At this moment, Gu Changsheng wasn’t concerned about the master-apprentice relationship; she only thought about retrieving her son, “Son, come down! Did you forget what your mom told you? There are lots of traffickers these days, targeting clueless little kids like you.”

Zhou Mu, relegated to a trafficker, shook his head helplessly and put Little Meat Bun down on the ground.

Little Meat Bun cheerfully scampered to his mom’s side, looking up to explain, “Mom, Uncle Wood is not a trafficker, we know each other very well.”

Traffickers are strangers, but Uncle Wood is already very familiar!

Moreover, being Uncle Wood’s son wouldn’t be too bad!

“Son, it’s easier for acquaintances to make a move, kidnap one with each attempt, you get it?” Gu Changsheng felt the need to strengthen her son’s awareness, the duty of teaching her child was significant and challenging.

“Got it! But Uncle Wood really isn’t a trafficker!”

Gu Changsheng, internally hurt, held her forehead; her son really loved to nitpick, digging into the specifics!

Zhou Mu felt reassured; a child’s eyes are bright!

“Son, do you remember the military tactics I told you about? ‘Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance with the intention of killing Lord Pei’. You are the sword that’s being manipulated, and I, your mother, am that Lord Pei! Kidnap a son, take a mother, a two-for-one deal, this business, no matter how you look at it, is a huge gain. We can’t be deceived.”

“Oh…” Little Meat Bun nodded his head, enlightened, “Mom, I understand now. Just like you said, ‘When direct attack fails, move to the flanks’. When we can’t solve something head-on, we should attack from a more accessible side to prevail. I’m that more accessible side, huh…”

“Exactly!” Gu Changsheng was very satisfied and gave a thumbs up, “You are indeed teachable!”

The few people who overheard the mother and son’s conversation were speechless.

Zhou Mu even more so!

“Girl, well taught!” Yue Xilou was genuinely impressed, casually mentioning military tactics and strategies, this woman always brought him surprises.

“Gu Changsheng, he’s not even four years old yet, what are you teaching him?” Zhou Mu said helplessly, his handsome face dark.

“Thirty-six strategies to guard against kidnapping! Evildoer, remember this, Gu Ze is my son, mine alone. No matter who it is, no one should think about snatching him from me!” If there was any benefit to arriving here, no one should think about competing with her for her son—she would fight to the death!

“Am I kidnapping?” Zhou Mu held his forehead, genuinely not knowing what to do with this woman.

“That’s not kidnapping, that’s abducting! It’s no wonder you’re a general, so cunning! You schemer!” Gu Changsheng gave him a hateful glance; being handsome didn’t give him the right to abduct her son!

“What on earth goes on in your mind, it’s really… is…” Zhou Mu, at a loss for words, genuinely didn’t know how to describe the woman before him.

“What’s in my mind, you certainly don’t know. I’m high-spirited and highly learned; your envy, jealousy, and hatred are futile!” She embraced her precious son, “Son, let’s go, mom will take off the bandage for you.”

Cherish your son, stay away from evildoers!

Zhou Mu shook his head and followed them.

Meanwhile, Xiao Cui was frantically tidying up another room.

The mistress said, guarding against wolves is crucial!

Prince Mu is that wolf! It’s absolutely necessary to squash any possibility of him climbing into bed, right from the bud!

If he can be driven out, so be it; if not, she’d force him into another room! Absolutely no one could be allowed to linger in her bed!

Meanwhile, Zhou Mu, unaware of Gu Changsheng’s plans, was watching her carefully unwrapping the bandage from Little Meat Bun’s neck.

As each piece was unwrapped, everyone held their breath.

“Nervous about what? When have I ever messed up? He’s my own son!”

Upon removing the last piece of white cloth, Little Meat Bun’s neck and chin were revealed.

The lump that had been there was now gone.

Only a faint red scar remained, stretching across his chin and neck, hardly noticeable from a distance.

Who doesn’t have some illness or disaster? Having a few scars is nothing out of the ordinary!