Gu Qianying and Wu Bingbing's conversation had been overheard by Su Yuxi, who had been standing by.
"No matter how powerful a medicine practitioner is, they can never defeat a physician. They know how to use medicine, but if they can't even diagnose what illness a patient has, what's the use of knowing the efficacy of countless herbs?"
Su Yuxi's words were filled with sarcasm. She seemed to believe that only being a physician was the most glorious.
"I've said it before, physicians and medicine practitioners achieve success through each other. If you're so insistent, why don't you compete too?"
Gu Qianying was unapologetic, confident in Wu Bingbing's abilities.
"Hmph, how ridiculous. I would never make such a childish agreement with you. Tomorrow is the final match. I suggest you think about how you're going to deal with it."
Her words were full of confidence, but confidence, while good, could become arrogance.
Gu Qianying smiled.
"You should know how you won today's match. You should be the one who's scared."
She knew Su Yuxi had only acted after seeing her sniff the maid.
This woman indeed possessed some medical skills, but perhaps due to the halo of her family's honor, she was overly confident in her own abilities.
No one had ever refuted her abilities since childhood, but today Gu Qianying had exposed it.
Su Yuxi inwardly admitted that compared to Gu Qianying, she was indeed lacking, but this was only because she had less practical experience.
"You don't need to be proud. You're a self-taught doctor. Naturally, you'd gain experience from treating more patients. But in terms of ability, I'm not inferior to you. If I had also had patients as test subjects all along, then I would have been the sole victor today."
At this point, she still hadn't realized her own shortcomings. Gu Qianying shook her head and walked past her.
As she passed Su Yuxi's ear, her voice was light.
"Even if we grew up together and experienced the same things, you still wouldn't be able to surpass me."
Upon hearing this, Su Yuxi spun around abruptly, but Gu Qianying didn't want to engage in this pointless verbal sparring and left the great hall without looking back.
"Hmph, we'll see," Su Yuxi muttered, rubbing her handkerchief, and resentfully left the place.
After some commotion, it was soon time for dinner.
To celebrate her successful passage through the competition today, Duan Xifeng secretly brought a jar of Nu'er Hong from outside the palace.
"You dare to drink alcohol in the palace?" Gu Qianying looked at the wine jar in front of her and shook her head helplessly.
"What's the big deal? I'm not like those palace maids and eunuchs, nor do I need to see anyone else. What's there to be afraid of?"
He seemed completely unconcerned.
Little Yihao sat beside Gu Qianying.
"Mother, Uncle's drinking habits are getting worse lately. He gets tipsy after just a little. I'll sit next to Mother." He said, gesturing in the air with his small hand.
Seeing that he was being ridiculed by a little brat, Duan Xifeng pulled his stool closer to himself.
"Oh? You say Uncle's drinking habits are bad? Then today I'll show you my true strength." With that, he picked up a large bowl, filled it with wine, and drank it down in one gulp.
"Ew, Uncle, you're going to get me drunk. I don't want to see your strength."
Little Yihao pinched his nose and fanned the air in front of Duan Xifeng.
Watching the two play merrily, Gu Qianying's mood was also lifted.
"Give me some too. It's been a long time since I've relaxed. I'll have a little today and sleep well tonight."
Seeing her voluntarily ask for wine, Duan Xifeng quickly switched to a large bowl.
"It's such a big jar. What's the point of drinking just a little? If we're going to drink, let's drink to our heart's content. If it's not enough, I'll go out and get more."
After drinking just one bowl, she felt like this person was talking nonsense.
Gu Qianying glanced at him and pushed her bowl away. Little Yihao also chimed in.
"Uncle really doesn't know how to cherish a lady. Mother is a girl, how can she drink so much wine? Besides, she's still hungry. I won't drink with you, you drunkard."
This little fellow was quite precocious now. Duan Xifeng couldn't argue with the mother and son, so he waved his hand.
"Alright, I won't urge you to drink anymore. You just drink this small bowl, and I'll enjoy the rest myself."
After saying that, he poured for Gu Qianying's bowl and then filled another bowl for himself.
Their room was filled with laughter and joy.
Halfway through the meal, Little Yihao suddenly took Gu Qianying's hand.
"Mother, we are so happy now. Will the three Su brothers be happy too?"
His question was sudden, but Gu Qianying was not surprised.
From their interactions during this period, she could see that her son was very fond of the three Su brothers.
Although she hadn't had much contact with Su Jie, Su Ming and Su Cheng had both helped her. These two were indeed somewhat pitiable.
Gu Qianying stroked her son's head.
"If you had been unhappy from childhood until now, what would your mindset be?"
Little Yihao looked at his mother, raised his small head, and pondered. As thoughts flooded his mind, he actually frowned.
"Hmm, if I had never been happy, then Yihao wouldn't exist in this world now."
His expression was so serious that Gu Qianying was momentarily lost in thought.
Her son had been very happy since childhood. Although he had experienced hardships, with so many people doting on him, he was still a carefree child.
Yet, even such a child who had not experienced suffering would want to end his life if he had never been happy.
What about the three Su brothers, or even all the men in the Nan Yi Kingdom? How did they endure periods of abuse?
She had been guiding Little Yihao, but now she suddenly felt a sense of pity for all beings. Gu Qianying shook her head.
Perhaps she had drunk a little too much. She should sober up.
"Yes, as you said, if you're unhappy, you won't want to live. Since the three brothers are still alive and well, it proves they have something that brings them joy."
Although his mother's words were a bit hard to understand, and he couldn't figure out how one could be happy while being beaten, Little Yihao still nodded.
"Alas, for a man to be beaten is not terrible in itself, but to be abused by women and not fight back, no matter how strong one's heart, I still find it pathetic," Duan Xifeng said, indifferent to their pity.
He had always believed that those who deserve pity also have something detestable about them.
Little Yihao pouted, put his hands on his hips, and looked at Duan Xifeng.
"Uncle, they are kind-hearted people. You're not allowed to speak about the three brothers like that."
He was also speaking up for Su Cheng and the others. Then he turned to Gu Qianying with a determined look.
"Mother, why don't we ask for the three Su brothers? Tomorrow, after you win the competition, tell the Empress that you want all three of them. The Empress will surely agree."
She hadn't expected her son to have such an idea, but in this country, such an action was merely wishful thinking.