The Doctor's Three-Time Marriage

Chapter 231: 231. Impregnable

Translator: 549690339

Returning Gu Ling’s bedding to the room from the warehouse and spreading it out, Su Liang was about to go back to her room when she said, “Great God, go to bed early.”

Gu Ling spoke, “Stop.”

Su Liang, as bidden, turned around, “Does Great God have any more orders?”

“I’m owed a few days of stories,” Gu Ling said. Su Liang slapped her forehead, “I completely forgot.”

“Let’s go,” Gu Ling said.

“Where?” Su Liang asked.

“The garden,” Gu Ling replied. His words barely left his lips before he walked to the door and said, “After the story, I’ll come back to sleep.”

With the bright moonlight pouring into the room, Su Liang didn’t feel sleepy either and happily agreed.

The two strolled side by side under the moonlight, with Su Liang continuing the unfinished story to Gu Ling. When they reached an exciting part, she enthusiastically suggested they imitate the characters in the story and have a friendly duel.

So, they fought each other, mimicking the moves of the heroes in the story.

Afterward, Su Liang praised Gu Ling for their likeness, “We both could join an acting troupe as martial artists.”

They walked around the lakeside and Su Liang talked about the part where Wusong meets the night-demon Sun Erniang.

Gu Ling inquired, “What does human flesh taste like?”

Su Liang laughed lightly, “Of course, it tastes like human flesh.”

With a poker face, Gu Ling gave Su Liang a push. She nearly fell into the lake but was pulled back by Gu Ling just in time…

Su Liang: …

“I’ve never eaten human flesh. How would I know what it tastes like? Great God, you wouldn’t happen to be thinking…” Su Liang asked.

Gu Ling shook his head, “Never mind. Continue the story.”

While telling the story and walking around the lake, Su Liang began to yawn after three laps.

After finishing another section, Gu Ling said, “Let’s stop here for today.”

Early the next morning, Su Liang got up to practice her martial arts. When she returned to the courtyard, Gu Ling had heated the water. He started the fire while she cooked breakfast, and everything felt back on track.

Originally, Lin Xueqing was planning to come over early to cook for Su Liang, but she got up late since she was too tired the night before. Xing Yusheng told her that Su Liang could take care of herself, and going over too often would make Su Liang feel uncomfortable.

“Qingqing, Su Liang won’t be shy with us. She’s not a child. If she wants to eat the food you make, she’ll come over. We’re so close now,” said Xing Yusheng.

Lin Xueqing thought about it and agreed, “Then I won’t go today. I’ll just wait and see if Sister Su comes to find me!”

However, on his way back to Marquis Zhong Xin’s mansion to fetch something, Qi Jun informed Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing that Su Liang had gone there to visit Old Marquise Xing and even returned with some fresh lotus root.

Lin Xueqing felt “heartbroken”, “Sister Su really doesn’t need me!”

Xing Yusheng quickly went to coax his little wife, but while coaxing her, he couldn’t help but laugh. He repeatedly said that he was the one who needed Lin Xueqing the most, and let Su Liang go enjoy herself. He wouldn’t care for her anymore, but in the end, Lin Xueqing pinched him quite a bit.

Snow Pear and Lotus Root Juice was not something Su Liang was very interested in, but since she mentioned it the night before, she naturally had to make it.

Following her own understanding, Su Liang found a small stone mill, placed cleaned Snow Pear chunks and lotus root chunks together, and ground them into a paste. The paste was then placed in a pot and cooked over low heat, constantly stirred.

Steam and heat filled the kitchen, the sweet aroma of the paste wafting into the air. Su Liang waved her hand to disperse the heat, and her blurred vision cleared to see the thick paste in the pot. She quickly added hot water to the paste, but the paste solidified into lumps, making it even worse.

After Su Liang washed the pot clean and turned around, she saw Gu Ling sitting next to the stone mill with freshly cut Snow Pear and lotus root chunks ready to go.

“What proportions of the two ingredients did your mother use when she made it?” Su Liang asked Gu Ling.

Gu Ling shook his head, “I don’t know.”

Su Liang complained, “All you know is eating.”

Gu Ling picked up a piece of Snow Pear with a fruit fork and put it into his mouth as if to prove: all he did was eat! So what?

Su Liang: … Well, it looks like she’ll have to continue trying since she promised to make it.

“If this attempt fails again, it’ll be because Great God stole a piece of pear.” Su Liang said earnestly.

Gu Ling then ate another piece of raw lotus root, “Alright.”

Su Liang: … She was left speechless.

Su Liang had Gu Ling grind the paste with the stone mill, which he accepted gracefully and evenly.

“It seems Great God quite likes the stone mill. Next time, I’ll teach you how to make soybean milk, and we can even make our own tofu and bean curd to eat,” Su Liang said.

Knowing that last time’s failure was due to not adding water, Su Liang mixed a moderate amount of water into the paste and stirred well before cooking it again.

The faint sweet aroma wafted through the air, and the dish was deemed successful.

Su Liang hadn’t tasted it before, so she served two bowls: one for herself and one for Gu Ling.

Without adding sugar, the sweetness of the Snow Pear was just right.

“Does it taste like the one your mother made?” Su Liang asked Gu Ling.

Gu Ling shook his head slightly, “My mother’s was very sweet.”

“Do you want to add some sugar? Or maybe honey would taste good,” Su Liang

suggested as she put down her bowl and went to make a high-sweet version for Gu Ling.

But Gu Ling shook his head, “I liked sweet when I was a child, but this is just right now.”

“Actually, for lotus root, I really like Sour and Spicy Lotus Root,” Su Liang mentioned casually.

Gu Ling nodded, “Good, we’ll have it tonight. Soy milk, tofu, bean curd, we’ll eat them tomorrow. I can grind the soybeans.”

Su Liang held her forehead, thinking she should be more careful when mentioning new dishes. As soon as she mentioned them, she had to make them for someone who ate as if he was owed.

In the afternoon, Su Liang visited the Gao Family with gifts, intending to see Gao Jiabao.

She didn’t need to buy anything special, as the Su Mansion’s warehouse contained many precious teas, high-quality fabrics, and various antiques and treasures. Some were gifts from the Ning Family, and some were from the Yang Family and Wan Family.

Su Liang took two types of tea, two pieces of brocade, a jade set of chess pieces since she heard Gao Jiabao’s father liked playing chess, and picked out a knife specifically for Gao Jiabao.

Since Gao Jiabao was now safe, the Gao Family was delighted to see Su Liang. They felt she was being too polite bringing so many gifts for them.

Su Liang just laughed and said, “These are all things from my own house. I hope Uncle and Auntie will accept them with face. After all, I’m the head of one of the four major businesses in Qian Country. I’m not short of money.”

Gao Jiabao’s father and mother were both amused by Su Liang. After thanking her for the gifts, they eagerly invited her to see Gao Jiabao.

“If our Bao’er could marry such a wonderful wife, I would laugh in my dreams,” Gao Jiabao’s mother sighed.

Master Gao shook his head, “Bao is not worthy of her.” In traditional beliefs, a suitable marriage required a strong man and a weak woman.

Mrs. Gao sighed, “I know. I wonder how excellent a man needs to be in order to be worthy of General Su.”

“It’s such a pity for Ning Jing, such a good man… Alas, the heavens envy talent!” Master Gao remarked.

Today, Gao Jiabao was able to get out of bed. In the warm afternoon, he lay in the garden, basking in the sun.

Hearing that Su Liang had arrived, he hadn’t had time to get up before he heard her voice, ‘Your garden is quite nice.”

Gao Jiabao forced a pale smile, not caring to be polite with Su Liang, and simply continued lying down, waiting for her to come over. A servant carried a chair over, Su Liang sat down beside him, and not far in front of them, the lake was filled with shimmering waves. Although the area was much smaller compared to the Su Mansion, it still possessed natural elegance.

“Are there fish in the lake?” Su Liang asked. Gao Jiabao nodded, “My grandfather raised them, they’re quite plump.” “Can they be eaten?” Su Liang asked.

Gao Jiabao couldn’t help but grin, “You better not think about it, those fish are my grandfather’s treasures.”

“I was just asking. We have fish at home that can be eaten.” Su Liang calmly said.

With sunlight shining on his face, Gao Jiabao squinted his eyes, the smile on the corner of his lips never leaving, “Actually, for me, this disaster is not entirely bad. At least it made me realize how naive I was before, and that being skilled in martial arts is not necessarily better than having medical skills.”

“That is true. Martial arts can kill people but cannot save them. Killing is not considered an impressive feat, it can be done by anyone, but saving people is not something that everyone is capable of.” Su Liang said.

Gao Jiabao nodded, “Yes. After wandering around Ghost Gate, I suddenly understood a truth, perhaps I have been wrong all along. I didn’t want to learn medicine, but I always wanted to learn martial arts to prove I was a man and not inferior to those who mocked me. But as you said, respect doesn’t need to be obtained through fists, but through more meaningful ways. Before, I always wanted to show off to others, but I fell into a misguided mindset. If Qian Country needs me, I will still be willing to take the lead and never shrink back in fear. But now, with no war, I should not be anticipating for war to happen, but instead, I need to do something genuinely meaningful.”

Su Liang gave a thumbs up, “That’s right. You already possess Martial Arts skills, and the Military Exam already proved that. If you learn medical skills as well, you can potentially become Qian Country’s best military general in both martial arts and medicine.”

Gao Jiabao spoke in a melancholy tone, “With you around, I can only be second best in both.”

“I already resigned from my positions.” Su Liang chuckled.

Gao Jiabao shook his head, “It was just a joke.”

“So was I.” Su Liang nodded.

Gao Jiabao asked about Qiu Ming’s death and the mastermind behind it.

“You just need to know that I won’t let the poisoner go.” Su Liang did not reveal anything explicitly. Secrets are best kept unsaid to avoid any complications. Gao Jiabao had already been through enough trouble, letting him know too much would not benefit him.

Gao Jiabao guessed that the matter must be very difficult, and Su Liang didn’t want to entangle him further. Considering his own family, he refrained from asking more.

The two chatted for a while, and Su Liang got up to leave. Gao Jiabao said that he might need advice on medical skills in the future and hoped that Su Liang would kindly instruct him. Su Liang gladly agreed.

Old Master Gao insisted on sending Su Liang out. Halfway there, he spoke with heartfelt sincerity, “Bao almost lost his life this time, but he has become much more cheerful now. It’s a blessing in disguise. I must thank you. You may not know, but your influence on Bao is significant. Since he met you during the Military Exam, he has changed a lot. He was a prideful person, unwilling to confide in others about his problems, but now he’s much better. He can also understand our concerns and no longer acts stubbornly.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Master Gao. It’s because he has grown, and it’s inseparable from your selfless care. I envy the harmonious atmosphere of your family.” Su Liang’s eyes were sincere.

Old Master Gao laughed heartily, “Then would you like to join our family?” Su Liang coughed lightly, “I’m quite comfortable being alone.”

Old Master Gao smiled and changed the topic, talking about Wan Shan’s condition.

Su Liang listened without saying much. She certainly wouldn’t treat Wan Shan’s illness, unless under the pretense of torturing him. However, it wasn’t necessary now, and he wasn’t worth Su Liang’s wasted effort.

After leaving the Gao house, Su Liang rode home alone.

On the way back, she encountered people from the palace; Duanmu Yi wanted to meet her.

Su Liang immediately turned her horse around and headed to the Imperial

Palace.

After inquiring about the process of detoxifying Gao Jiabao, Duanmu Yi had no doubt that Su Liang had accidentally created the antidote as she claimed.

Su Liang did not want to give herself credit, but there were some secrets she could not reveal. If she were to mention to Duanmu Yi that she had a master by her side who knew a poison techniques master, it would only become more confusing.

Afterwards, Su Liang took the initiative to resign her position in the military, stating that she wanted to focus on her Medical Skills and didn’t have enough energy for both.

“Have you thought about this carefully?” Duanmu Yi asked.

su Llang respectru11Y repnea, “Yes, 1 nave tnougnt aDOut tms aeep1Y ana nope for Your Majesty’s approval.”

“That’s fine. However, if you have any ideas about military training and strategy, you must share them with General Lin. I hear that the two of you are like siblings,” Duanmu Yi said.

Su Liang nodded, “This servant obeys Your Majesty’s command.”

“What do you think of the crown prince? Don’t worry about anything, tell me your true thoughts. No matter what you say, I won’t blame you,” Duanmu Yi smiled.

Su Liang paused for a moment, “Your Highness the Crown Prince… this servant believes that he is an extremely intelligent person, knowing what he wants and possessing both morality and ability.”

The word “intelligent” was simple, but in reality, it was difficult to achieve. In Duanmu Yi’s eyes, both Duanmu Cheng and Duanmu Ao were foolish, unable to control their desires and incapable of accomplishing great things.

Comparatively, Duanmu Chen resembled him the most.

Duanmu Yi chuckled, “I didn’t expect you to have such a high evaluation of the crown prince. Since you admire him so much, why don’t you become the crown princess of Qian Country? How about that?”

Su Liang felt a bit stunned, as she hadn’t expected Duanmu Yi to suddenly come up with such an idea. Although it sounded like he was half-joking, as a subject, one could never treat any word from their ruler as a joke.

Su Liang lowered her eyes, “This servant comes from a humble background and is not worthy of the crown prince.”

Duanmu Yi’s eyes narrowed, “Is it that you are not worthy, or that you don’t want to?”

In such a situation, Su Liang had thought about it before, but when it truly happened, it still irritated her. However, she dared not show it, and simply replied solemnly, “In response to Your Majesty, Ning Jing has not yet been laid to rest, and this servant does not wish to consider marriage at the moment.” “Can’t you forget Ning Jing?” Duanmu Yi frowned.

Su Liang sighed deeply, “Yes, this servant cannot deceive Your Majesty.”

Duanmu Yi harrumphed, “Fine. Think about it again before you decide. If you are interested in the position of crown princess, I am still willing to give you an opportunity. You may leave now.”

Su Liang thanked the emperor and withdrew. After leaving the Imperial Study, she silently kicked a stone…

That night, after a long time, Su Liang secretly met with Duanmu Chen again.

Duanmu Chen was somewhat surprised, “Why are you here? Is there something wrong?”

Su Liang’s face was calm, “Don’t you know?”

Duanmu Chen frowned, “What should I know?”

“Today, I went to the palace. His Majesty wants me to become the crown princess. What do you think?” Su Liang spoke with a deep tone.

Duanmu Chen was startled, then raised his right hand to swear, “I assure you, this is not my intention. My father never consulted with me about this. To be honest, I hope you can help me secure the crown prince’s position, ascend the Imperial Throne, and even unite the world, instead of marrying me and bearing my children. There are plenty of women for me to choose from, but only you have the ability to do what I need. I’m not crazy.”

Su Liang’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Alright, I believe you. Time is running short, and there’s no need for more irrelevant words. You know best if I have helped you or not. I don’t want anyone to interfere with my marriage, especially Your Majesty… ”

Duanmu Chen nodded, “I’ll figure out a way. As long as you don’t choose a traitor as your husband someday, I believe our partnership will be unbreakable..”