Resplendent – Chapter 539

Chapter 539: Both Hands Crippled

“Brother! How terribly you died! Our sister-in-law has always been frail. Upon hearing the tragic news, she fainted at the courtyard gate and hasn’t regained consciousness yet. Now that you’re gone, what will become of your three children? The eldest is only five, and the youngest can’t even crawl yet…”

The onlookers watched him weep so pitifully. People naturally sympathize with the weak. The tide of public opinion quietly shifted back in the young man’s favor. Burying his face in the corpse and wailing, the young man’s lips curled slightly upward, making his sobs sound even more heart-wrenching.

“Big brother! I thought taking Gu Pharmaceutical’s medicine would help you recover quickly, get back to work, and support our family. I never imagined it would kill you! It’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have suggested buying Gu Pharmaceutical’s granules. I’m the one who doomed you! Brother…”

“You keep insisting your brother died from poisoning by Gu Pharmaceutical’s medicine. Tell me, how many bottles of cold medicine did you buy, and how much did it cost?” A crisp female voice rang out, piercing through the hushed murmurs of the crowd with startling clarity.

Bai Ji spotted Gu Ye descending the stairs and bowed respectfully toward her: “Miss Gu…”

“You’re a Gu? What’s your connection to Gu Pharmaceutical? It’s all your fault! Give me back my brother’s life!” The young man suddenly lunged forward, swinging his fist at Gu Ye.

The onlookers gasped in horror, some even closing their eyes. How could a slender, delicate girl withstand the full force of a burly young man’s attack?

The dreaded scene did not unfold. When the villagers opened their eyes, they saw the young man’s raised hand had been seized by the maid beside the girl. He struggled desperately to pull his hand free, his face flushed crimson, yet to no avail.

“How dare you! During the Great Pharmacists Convention, you have the audacity to lay hands on a senior pharmacist! You’d better pray that neither you nor your family ever fall ill!” Jiang Zhongtian, clad in the robes of an eighth-level pharmacist, pushed his way through the crowd. His furious glare fixed on the assailant, his eyes fierce as a beast guarding its prey.

“A senior pharmacist? Could the little girl be a senior pharmacist?” The crowd rippled like a pond disturbed by a pebble.

“And that young man! How could he strike someone without discerning right from wrong? She’s such a delicate young girl. If that punch had landed squarely, it could have caused serious harm.”

“My thoughts exactly! Even if Gu Pharmaceutical’s medicine is faulty, you can’t just attack anyone with the Gu surname!”

“Perhaps he was too grief-stricken. Seeing someone from the Gu family made him act impulsively…”

Jiang Zhongtian nodded to the white-robed figure shielding Gu Ye, then turned to her. “Aunt Master, why aren’t you wearing your pharmacist’s robe when you go out? Wearing it would save you a lot of trouble!”

Gu Ye pinned the newly awarded Level 8 Apothecary Guild badge to her chest, her smile radiant and pure. “I just came out for a stroll. Who knew trouble would find me when I least expected it? This fellow doesn’t look like he is here to investigate his elder brother’s death. He looks like he was waiting specifically for me! If not for my maid’s basic martial arts skills, I’d likely be lying on the ground unable to get up right now. I’m baffled. Did I offend you somehow?”

“My older brother took your Gu Pharmaceutical medicine and lost his life. You tell me—is that a grudge or not?” The young man tried to pull his hand back, but Yue Yuan’s grip was as unyielding as a boulder. 

Sweat quickly beaded on his forehead.

“Oh? So you concluded I’m from Gu Pharmaceutical just because Young Master Bai called me ‘Miss Gu’? Or… did you recognize me all along? Were you waiting for me? Was I the one you intended to beat?” Gu Ye regarded him with a faint, ambiguous smile, speaking calmly and deliberately.

The onlookers turned their eyes toward the young man, their expressions filled with doubt. The girl was right—the Gu surname wasn’t exactly rare. How could he assume she worked for Gu Pharmaceutical based solely on someone else’s address? Besides, even if that were true, how could he blame a young, fragile girl? Could there be… something fishy going on here?

“I… My brother just died. I was overcome with grief and acted impulsively…” The young man gritted his teeth, trying to justify himself.

“Brother, may I ask where you and your brother are from?” Gu Ye suddenly inquired.

The young man snorted coldly. “My family lives in the south district of the capital…”

“Though I’ve only recently arrived in the capital, I know the saying: East is wealthy, West is noble, South is poor, North is lowly. Judging by your attire, you clearly don’t come from a wealthy family. Yet your elder brother suffered only a minor cold, and your family actually splurged on a five-tael-per-bottle cold remedy to treat him. Truly, what deep brotherly affection!” Gu Ye said slowly.

Indeed, five taels of silver was a typical family’s annual expenditure. Many households in the southern part of the city might not even earn five taels in a year. When people can barely afford enough food to eat, who would spend so much on treating a mere cold? 

Ordinary families usually endure minor illnesses, only visiting the doctors for decoctions when the sickness becomes truly severe… There was definitely something fishy going on here.

“Do you know why our Gu Pharmaceutical granules are required to be taken after meals? It is primarily to prevent patients with sensitive stomachs from losing their appetite after taking the medicine. Without eating, how can the body fight off viruses? Recovery naturally slows. It’s not because the medicine contains toxins that harm the body!”

While it’s true that all medicines carry some toxicity, a master pharmacist of Gu Ye’s caliber, trained in later generations, could completely eliminate any side effects from the medicine.

“Also, the vomiting and diarrhea your brother experienced is not poisoning. It sounds more like… food poisoning!” Gu Ye paused before continuing, “Vomiting and diarrhea don’t kill someone instantly. Even a frail person might survive a bout lasting three or four days. You claim your brother took our Gu family medicine, immediately vomited and had diarrhea, and died shortly after. Anyone with basic medical knowledge wouldn’t believe that!”

The young man argued stubbornly, “Who knows what harmful substances your Gu family’s medicine contains? Anyway… anyway, my brother took your medicine, and not long after, he died. All that you’re saying is just to shirk responsibility!”

“Oh? Even if your brother did die from our Gu family’s medicine… then… what exactly do you intend to do?” Gu Ye didn’t want to get entangled further, adopting a strategy of retreating to advance.

“An eye for an eye! You’re the founder of Gu Pharmaceutical—I want you to pay with your life for my brother! Or else, cripple your hands so you can’t harm anyone else!” the youth shouted furiously.

Gu Ye let out a sharp laugh: “I’m just a thirteen-year-old girl, not even wearing a pharmacist’s robe. How did you know I founded Gu Pharmaceuticals? Or… did you already conduct thorough investigations into our business and waited for today to frame me, cripple my hands, or take my life?”