A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

Gu Xiao never said these words outright, but Old Qiao had already seen through his thoughts—it was all for Nie Qianqian.

Old Qiao was a perceptive man, so he immediately nodded and replied, "Okay, I'll teach you."

“Qianqian, you saved my life. I, Old Qiao, am determined to protect this family. You are her husband. If you want to learn martial arts, I am willing to teach you. But let me make this clear: the secret you carry is certainly not simple, and your background is definitely not that of an ordinary scholar. I don’t care what kind of background you have or what secrets you hide in your heart. If one day you do something to betray Nie Qianqian or try to harm this family, don’t blame me for turning my back on you without mercy.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the teacup in front of Old Qiao shattered into powder with a "bang," spilling tea all over the floor, demonstrating his profound inner strength.

Gu Xiao showed no fear whatsoever, remaining calm as he picked up his teacup and drank the remaining tea in one gulp.

"That day will never come."

After saying that, he put down his teacup, turned around, and pushed open the door to leave.

As Gu Xiao walked up the stairs, a sense of helplessness welled up in his heart: In this family, besides Nie Qianqian, the person closest to him should be Old Master Qiao. But at this moment, this person was hardly his; Ming had already treated him as Nie Qianqian's family member, taking care of her in every way and considering her needs in everything.

That's Nie Qianqian's charm.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Downstairs in a private room, Jiang Botao and Nie Qianqian were chatting. Jiang Botao had come to see Nie Qianqian about business matters.

Now, the businesses of Qiyuelou and Yuejige have been steadily on track. After the Lantern Festival, although they are not as crowded with guests and have a surge in revenue as during the New Year, they still have considerable income every day, and Nie Qianqian's wealth has gradually increased.

When they first started their partnership, the two had already clearly defined their roles: Nie Qianqian was in charge of product development and store management, while Jiang Botao was responsible for channel expansion and customer relations.

Since its opening, Yueji Pavilion has been able to earn hundreds of taels of silver every day, even after the peak sales season of the New Year. It is the most profitable business in Jiang Botao's hands.

Nowadays, in Fulin County, almost every noblewoman with a certain status has Yuejige's rouge and face powder on hand. Its reputation has gradually spread beyond the county to surrounding prefectures and counties, and even in the provincial capital, many young ladies have heard of its name and ask others to inquire about and purchase it.

Many of Jiang Botao's former business partners, seeing the booming success of Yueji Pavilion, came to inquire about investing, hoping to capitalize on the momentum and open branches in other prefectures, counties, and even the provincial capital, making more money through expansion. Jiang Botao also wanted to strike while the iron was hot, so he came to share his ideas with Nie Qianqian and discuss them.

Nie Qianqian was somewhat tempted after hearing this, but she didn't readily agree. She wasn't one to act impulsively or rashly. She had already planned to go to the provincial capital soon, and this would be a good opportunity to investigate. So she said:

"No rush. I'm going to the provincial capital in a few days to check out the local market. If Yueji Pavilion wants to truly make a name for itself, it shouldn't be about opening branches all over Fulin County, but rather about opening a reputable and established store in the provincial capital. Only then can its reputation spread far and wide."

After thinking it over, Jiang Botao found it to be very reasonable, and then asked, "Are you going to the provincial capital?"

“Yes, I will be going with Director Zhang to examine a lady,” Nie Qianqian nodded in agreement.

Jiang Botao was a meticulous person. When he saw Gu Xiao leave the city overnight to look for "Doctor Qian", and then he thought of the fact that the "Qian" in Nie Qianqian's name was the same as the "Qian" in Doctor Qian's name, he had already figured out the key point - that mysterious Doctor Qian who had become famous in Fulin County was Nie Qianqian herself.

This time, it wasn't her accompanying Director Zhang to the doctor for treatment; it was clearly Director Zhang accompanying her on a house call.

Although he couldn't understand why Nie Qianqian had such profound medical skills at such a young age, Jiang Botao had long been convinced that she was no ordinary person, but a noble person with great fortune. Similarly, Nie Qianqian also expected that, with Jiang Botao's meticulous mind, he probably already knew her identity.

Jiang Botao's mind raced, and within moments he had an idea. He said, "The prefectural examination is in a few days. My son failed last time, but he has been studying with Gu Xiao lately and has made rapid progress. He is determined to pass the county-level examination this time. I was planning to accompany him to the provincial capital to take the exam anyway. Why don't we all go together?"

In this way, he can watch Jiang Wenxuan prepare for the exam properly, even if it's just last-minute cramming, it will still be effective; if this kid can really pass the exam and become a scholar, then the Jiang family's ancestors will be blessed with good fortune. No matter how much money he earns now, he ultimately wants to pave the way for his child and create a greater family fortune.

Nie Qianqian did not object upon hearing this, and the two hit it off immediately, agreeing to set off for the provincial capital in seven days.

When Jiang Wenxuan heard that the two had made a decision, he was so happy that he almost spun around on the spot.

A few days ago, he heard Gu Xiao say that he was going to accompany Nie Qianqian to the provincial capital. He was worried that he would not see his friend for a long time, but he never expected that they would be able to travel together by chance.

Just then, Gu Xiao pushed the door open and entered. He immediately stepped forward and put his arm around Gu Xiao's shoulder: "Brother Gu! My father said that we'll go to the provincial capital together in a few days! I'll accompany you on the way, so you won't be lonely! Hahaha!"

Gu Xiao sighed helplessly, brushed his hand away with disdain, and said indifferently, "You're so noisy with you around."

Jiang Wenxuan's face fell, hurt, but he felt that Gu Xiao was just being stubborn. Gu Xiao clearly considered him his best friend, and while he said he disliked him, he was actually quite pleased with him.

Undeterred, he tilted his head and leaned closer to Gu Xiao, pressing, "Brother Gu, aren't you happy? Don't deny it! You must be overjoyed to be traveling with me, right? With me taking care of your food, clothing, and lodging, I guarantee you'll have a smooth and happy journey, with plenty of food, drink, and entertainment. Follow me, and you'll be living the high life!"

Gu Xiao glanced at him. "Do you still remember that you went to the provincial capital to take the exam?"

Seeing this, Jiang Botao, who was standing nearby, got so angry that he stood up and was about to twist his ear: "You brat, what are you thinking about all day? The exam is coming up, have you been studying hard? Look at Gu Xiao, and then look at yourself!"

Jiang Wenxuan is already so old. If his ear is twisted in public, wouldn't he lose face? He gesticulated wildly as he backed away, repeatedly blocking Jiang Botao's outstretched hand. The father and son were making a ruckus, and the large, shiny gold hairpins on their heads made everyone dizzy.

Seeing this lively scene, Nie Qianqian couldn't help but laugh out loud.

With a lively and cheerful companion like Jiang Wenxuan traveling with us, the journey will surely be filled with laughter and joy, and will certainly not be boring.