NOVEL WEB
Chapter 19
Wasn't it said that Gu Sang's grandmother was just an ordinary old woman?
In just one year, could she cultivate someone to be like this?
"Little Sang, so you know how to ride horses?"
"I didn't know before, I just learned it this year," Gu Sang said indifferently, stopping in her tracks.
"It seems your grandmother has raised you well, then... how was this year for you? Is your grandmother okay?"
"It was alright."
"Little Sang, a year ago you said you wanted to go back to your grandmother's home and for us not to disturb you."
"We didn't dare to look for you either, but no matter what, you are still our biological daughter. Gu Qing doesn't really dislike you, she's just stubborn but deep down she still hopes you can come home."
"Your parents didn't want to be too harsh on you either, but the aristocratic family inevitably has a face to maintain, and you have to learn many etiquettes, upbringings, and arts."
"Now that you've changed a lot, you must have worked hard in secret too. Come home, Little Sang. Don't worry, we'll hire the best etiquette teachers to guide you, to let you transform from the roots."
Gu Qing glanced away, avoiding looking at Gu Sang.
Gu's mother and Gu's father waited expectantly for their child's answer.
Over these past few years living at the Gu Family, her parents had indeed never mistreated her, nor deprived her of food or necessities.
But because she was closer to Gu Qing, who excelled in every aspect, her parents inevitably favored Gu Qing over her.
Gu Sang was very sensitive back then, which made her feel like an excess in this family.
"No need, I prefer my current life! Let's just leave it at that, I'll be going now."
Gu's mother watched the girl's resolute departing figure, opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped herself.
This child is just too sensitive and stubborn.
The Gu Family is after all one of the prestigious families in Jianghai City. As a member of the Gu Family, one's every move and conduct must have the grace of a great aristocratic family, or else it would be embarrassing.
Seeing Gu Sang leaving without turning back, Gu's father said angrily, "Your current life? A life without money or quality, a life where you have to act in short dramas to pay for tuition?"
"I know you resist learning those things, but they are necessities for a young lady of an aristocratic family."
"Since you are of the Gu Family, you must have outstanding talents to present, or else you'll be the one neglected. I can give you some time to consider."
However—
The answer to the three of them was the crisp sound of the door closing.
Gu Qing lowered her head like a deflated ball, feeling vexed and choked up. "I knew it, she doesn't dislike learning those etiquettes, she just dislikes us."
"Especially me..."
"Don't overthink it, your sister just can't adapt to the life of aristocracy," came Gu's father's helpless rebuke from behind.
This door separated Gu Sang from them.
Outside the door was the solitary Gu Sang.
Inside the door was a family of three filled with laughter and joy.
Gu Sang, who had brought takeout food back home, sat calmly at the dining table eating.
She suddenly missed her grandmother a bit.
She missed the food her grandmother made.
She vaguely remembered her grandmother used to bustle in the kitchen while listening to her stories from school.
She also remembered that for her and her grandmother, a simple one-dish one-soup meal was enough.
*Ding!*
"Would you like to connect with an ancient person immediately?"
The system popped up timely, interrupting Gu Sang's reminiscence of the past.
After Gu Sang cleared the dining table, she sat back on the sofa, ready to connect. "System, connect."
Just like last time, the system randomly selected someone who had watched her live broadcast.
Gu Sang saw rows upon rows of medicine cabinets reflected on the huge screen in front of her, along with bustling imperial physicians scurrying about.
Evidently, this connection was with an imperial physician again.
"Your Highness!"
After the system connected with the imperial physician, he called out loudly and knelt, kowtowing to the screen.
The other people at the Imperial Medical Academy were startled by the call of "Your Highness."
They then turned abruptly—
Seeing an empty virtual screen.
Immediately, all the people at the Imperial Medical Academy knelt on the ground, their faces over half a century old flickering with hopeful expressions.
"Your Highness, we have begun researching the prescriptions for illnesses like the Plague and chickenpox that you taught us today, and we believe it won't be long before we can experiment with cures."
"We want to see Your Highness because we want to ask about things from your world."
"We want to know about Western medicine, why that doctor said Chinese medicine has declined? And why is Western medicine so grand?"
"Also, what place is your world? Can we go there to study? We are all very eager to."
Before today!
They had never imagined that there would be a place with such powerful medical equipment and precise instruments, capable of resolving even dreadful illnesses like the Plague.
They had never imagined that Chinese medicine would gradually decline.
That in major hospitals, one could only see rows upon rows of medical equipment assisting doctors, without a single medicinal herb in sight.
Gu Sang smiled and explained, "The world I'm in is the future world two thousand years after yours, a very good world."
"There are no emperors who can control the life and death of commoners, nor rulers who can dominate the world by themselves. It's a world of peace, equality, and coexistence."
"People living here don't need to serve masters, nor worry about being executed at any moment. They have their own jobs and support themselves with their own hands."
The imperial physicians looked utterly astounded.
Not having to worry about execution? Supporting themselves?
No emperor!
How could that be?
This made the imperial physicians recall those predecessors executed by angering the emperor... One misstep and their heads would roll...
"Here, doctors are highly respected."
"Because Western medicine works faster, most people choose Western medicine, and most of the drugs used are antibiotics..."
"Chinese medicine focuses more on nourishing, but some illnesses come on so rapidly that using Chinese medicine is too slow in taking effect..."
"This is a fast-paced era, so the slower-acting Chinese medicine has gradually been abandoned by people, but there are still some who persist in upholding this profession."
Silence.
Everyone at the Imperial Medical Academy said nothing.
Is the effect of Western medicine really much faster than Chinese medicine?
Then, how does one study Western medicine?
Sensing the wavering hearts of the imperial physicians, Gu Sang spoke, "Although Western medicine works faster, there are still some side effects, and moreover, it was impossible to extract Western drugs in ancient times."
"So you should cheer up and strive to bring the profession of Chinese medicine to the pinnacle, to save more people!"
"When the Plague broke out, it killed entire cities of people."
"When smallpox came, it was the mothers who lost their children who suffered."
"In your era, children were a mother's only hope, because they had no identity of their own and could only rely on their husbands and children to survive."
"Back then, you were their hope!"
The imperial physicians seemed to awaken from a dream, a surge of what felt like hot blood swelling in their chests.
Converging into those words.
They were the hope of mothers! The hope against the Plague, the hope of all the people!
At this moment, the imperial physicians suddenly seemed to understand why the rumors said the Consort was different from others - she wasn't really all that different.
It was because—
Her era!
Was different!
Her era!
Was peaceful.
Equal.
Grand!