Brother Cheng laughed, "Haha, of course! Second Sister and Grandpa Wu have been giving me lots of medicinal meals. Brother San Lang, Brother Luo Wu, and Grandpa Qin have also been teaching me martial arts; it’s hard not to be in good health."

"So the young man practices martial arts, no wonder," Doctor Sheng said. "It’s good, keep practicing. Once you reach the age of fifteen, your body will fully recover and be healthier than those born full-term."

Brother Cheng nodded, "Yes, thank you, Doctor Sheng. I will keep practicing."

He plans to travel in the future; his kung fu needs to be strong, as he doesn’t want to be bullied and intends to defeat any evil man who tries to mess with him.

Doctor Sheng laughed, then changed Brother Cheng’s medicine and had Gu Jin’an remove his clothes to change his medicine too.

"The wound is recovering well, not red or festering. In a few days, it will scab." After instructing them on what to watch out for, Doctor Sheng packed his medicine box and left.

Gu Jin’an and his brother stayed at the Ouyang Family until the morning of August 15th before packing their things to go home.

Nobody came to see them during this time, except Zheng Qing, who, not seeing Brother Cheng, asked around.

Master Ouyang came up with the excuse that Gu Jin’an was busy sorting the bank’s accounts with Brother Cheng to dismiss Zheng Qing.

Zheng Qing is honest; although he misses Brother Cheng, he knows Gu Jin’an has been busy with the new bank’s affairs. It’s normal for him to want Brother Cheng to gain experience by sorting through the new bank’s accounts.

Gu Dewang wasn’t so easily fooled, but he spent those three days busy with ice skin mooncake sales, skipping school with the excuse that Gu Dagui was sick and, as the eldest son, he had to stay home to help the family sell mooncakes.

So, he arrogantly went around town and county persuading ladies to buy mooncakes, and Master Ouyang didn’t punish him.

Only because Mrs. Chen said, "My Da Gui is truly sick; he can’t get out of bed. Brother Wang isn’t lying; the child is honest."

With his mother saying so, his father cooperates by pretending to be sick. Master Ouyang thought Gu Dewang was crafty, and avoiding school these days was good to prevent him from finding out about Brother Cheng’s injury and illness, which could lead to gossip about Brother An and Miss Ming.

Since the relationship between the two children wasn’t officially settled yet, Master Ouyang didn’t want anyone else to know.

As for Gu Defa, being a lazy child, even if he notices something amiss, he’s too lazy to mention it.

"This is the Mid-Autumn Festival gift from Brother Qing for you; take it." Master Ouyang visited Brother Cheng for the first time since his injury, handing over the gift from Zheng Qing to him.

Brother Cheng was very pleased and accepted the gift, solemnly bowing to Master Ouyang, "Thank you, Master."

Master Ouyang: "Hmph, why thank me? This gift is from Brother Qing, not from me."

Brother Cheng, being smart, laughed and said, "Thank you, Master, for bringing the gift over; you’ve gone through the trouble, so I naturally should thank you."

"You little rascal, always so crafty." Seeing Brother Cheng being so perceptive, Master Ouyang remarked and pointed at a box Ah Song was holding, "These mooncakes are made by Miss Ming, styled after the Capital’s, with two flavors—one for you and another for your elder sister and second sister."

"Mooncakes made by Third Miss!" Brother Cheng was pleasantly surprised, glancing at his big brother and winking.

Gu Jin’an pretended not to see, bowing to Master Ouyang, "Thank you, Master, thank you, Third Miss."

He heard Third Miss was being punished, spending these three days locked up writing the Ouyang Family’s house rules, without setting foot outside, writing so many words must be tiring, as he was the cause of her troubles.

After pondering it over, he couldn’t help but say to Master Ouyang, "Master, today is Mid-Autumn Festival, a day to spend with family. We students will head home and not disturb you and your family enjoying this time."

He looked at Master Ouyang with eyes full of plea.

Master Ouyang understood, angrily saying, "This ancient festival, old me will naturally spend it with my two granddaughters; hurry home lest your family waits impatiently."

Hmph, seeing the boy care about Miss Ming, he wasn’t angry anymore.

Hearing this, Gu Jin’an was delighted; thus, Third Miss could relax for a day without having to stay indoors writing house rules. "Students will take leave then."

They didn’t linger and left with Brother Cheng.

Upon departing, he glanced back at the Ouyang Family’s backyard. The kapok tree was full of lush leaves, come next spring and summer, it would bloom fiery red flowers. Everything was becoming better.

...

When Gu Jin’an and Brother Cheng arrived home, it was already afternoon; the house was filled with the aroma of meat as festival dishes were being cooked.

Mrs. Chen was scolding in the Gu Family, "That damn tax, it’s making all the wealthy old masters in town and county poor, they don’t even want to buy extra White Jade Mooncakes, just buying some as gifts is all."

Mrs. Chen had renamed the ice skin mooncakes to White Jade Mooncakes, arguing that ’ice skin’ sounded unpleasant and might diminish their status, asking Gu Dexing to come up with an elegant name.

Gu Dewang shuffled through the accounts, nodding, "Mother is right, our mooncake business this year is much worse than last year, we’re short by a whole three hundred eighty-three taels and six hundred forty-two copper coins!"

Last year’s ice skin mooncakes earned over nine hundred taels, split between two families, after paying Tian Xiaohua ten percent commission for her work, they still got a lot.

Gu Jinli gave Gu Dewang a look, saying, "You calculated accurately, even counting two copper coins."

Gu Dewang: "That’s money, how can it not be calculated clearly?"

Mrs. Chen nodded, "Exactly, exactly, money matters can’t be careless, even if a single copper coin is missed, it must be noted, not to mention nearly four hundred taels are missing this time—oh my, four hundred taels! Add a bit more, and it’s almost five hundred taels lost. My heart aches terribly thinking about it."

Mrs. Chen pounded her chest, distressed over the lost silver and extra taxes, starting to curse the Emperor, "That Emperor! What is he taxing for? These taxes made the poor sell their sons and daughters and impoverished the wealthy gentlemen, causing me to lose silver, truly... If he lived nearby, I’d have to go visit and argue with him!"

"Phew, you old hag shut up, what do you amount to? Dare to go argue with the Emperor? Are you trying to ruin our families?" Third Grandma picked up a broom to beat Mrs. Chen, "Close your mouth tightly, don’t say what shouldn’t be said, if you harm us, the old woman won’t spare you!"

Daring to criticize even the Emperor, Mrs. Chen was really causing trouble.

Mrs. Chen grabbed Gu Dewang to block Third Grandma’s broom, smiling, "Dear Aunt, stop hitting, I won’t say it anymore, isn’t that okay? Please stop, if you hurt Brother Wang, you’d feel heartache, he’s your Gu Family’s grandson!"