Coughing sounds were incessant within the academy.
Not only was the academy surrounded and sealed off from the outside, but those within, their bodies weakened, were confined to their rooms daily. They were fed plain gruel and forced to drink bitter herbal medicine, each one suffering immensely.
Women who were once radiant and full of life had become gaunt, appearing particularly pitiable.
Several were as thin as skin and bones.
They cried out in misery, but their pleas went unanswered by heaven or earth.
This was because they had contracted a plague. If this matter were to implicate others, no one from Shu Yu Ge could bear such responsibility.
However, there was a sole exception among them.
That was Gu Qianying, Duan Xifeng, and Xiao Yi Hao, the three of them.
While the others cried out in torment, battered by the plague day after day, these three were entirely unaffected. In fact, their complexions were excellent, rosy and healthy.
This made the other female students incredibly envious.
Whenever Gu Qianying passed by them, the women, as thin as skin and bones, would prop themselves up at their windowsills, craning their necks to look outside.
Upon seeing the freedom beyond, envy would bloom in their hearts.
They had already disliked Gu Qianying, and now, enduring such hardship, their suspicion towards her grew even stronger.
Thus, they began to speak behind her back.
"This must have been Bai Qing's doing. Bai Qing helped those two inappropriate people last time, and now the three of them are completely fine. If it wasn't them, then who was it?"
"Exactly! Look at the three of them, completely unharmed, and they brazenly appear before us. This is clearly intentional!"
Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoxiao became even more enraged.
She declared furiously,
"I must explain this matter to the tutor. They are so arrogant; are we truly going to let them bully us like this?"
The people present naturally disagreed. They had come here to study, not to be schemed against by Gu Qianying. Recalling the pain in their bodies, their hatred for Gu Qianying intensified.
As they spoke, several individuals, seething with anger, rushed out of their rooms.
Gu Qianying and the other two were scattered in the outer areas.
Shu Yu Ge had extremely strict rules. Women were not allowed to return home and had to reside within Shu Yu Ge.
Unless they were of noble status, they had to share cramped quarters with several others.
Because the three of them had not fallen ill, they were repeatedly ostracized. Every time they entered a room, they were met with curses and accusations. Thus, they were forced to disperse and find places to pass the time, with no other option, unless absolutely necessary.
Just as Gu Qianying was engrossed in her research, leaning over a stone table.
Bai Xiaoxiao, her face pale, arrived with her entourage, their faces contorted with anger.
Bai Ziyun, holding a large wooden bucket, struggled to bring it before Gu Qianying.
The group haughtily lifted their heads. Despite their weakness, they maintained a defiant demeanor.
"It's you, isn't it!"
Bai Xiaoxiao pointed at Gu Qianying, her expression as if she had seen through her.
Gu Qianying, accustomed to their accusations, calmly spread her hands and directly addressed them.
"Miss, it's one thing for you to target me normally! But this is a plague. If you are sick, shouldn't you be keeping your distance from me?"
Gu Qianying, infuriatingly nonchalant, raised her hand and lightly covered her nose and mouth, then leisurely continued,
"Why are some people so inconsiderate? Aren't you afraid of infecting others with your illness?"
Bai Xiaoxiao's teeth gnashed, and she let out a furious cry. Her eyes narrowed, and she glared coldly at Gu Qianying.
"You, you, you, you, this is clearly your fault, and you still have the nerve to dislike me? You're doing this on purpose! Bai Qing, how did I not realize you were so venomous?"
Gu Qianying narrowed her eyes slightly, appraising Bai Xiaoxiao, whose face was flushed red with anger.
She said, "I truly don't know. If you wish to take me to the tutor, you can do so directly. But if the tutor finds out that you left your rooms without permission and didn't focus on recovering, do you think you'll still be able to act so brazenly here?"
Gu Qianying's aura was imposing, yet her tone remained calm, as if she were discussing everyday matters. However, the underlying pressure made Bai Xiaoxiao dare not advance further.
Whispers arose from those behind her.
After all, Bai Yangping had stipulated the rules: those who were ill were not to wander outside carelessly and must rest well.
This was a plague, a matter of utmost importance.
If left unchecked, a single plague could devastate an entire city.
Bai Xiaoxiao hesitated slightly, but Bai Ziyun, unwilling to concede, quickly picked up the slop bucket from the ground and furiously hurled it at Gu Qianying.
"I don't believe you. I will never let this go."
Gu Qianying let out a cold laugh. With a swift sidestep and turn, she moved away from her seat, simultaneously kicking the wooden bucket.
With a swish, the foul-smelling slop from the bucket splashed directly onto Bai Ziyun's head.
Silence fell upon the scene.
Bai Xiaoxiao froze, then, as if driven mad, frantically tore at the clothes on her body.
Gu Qianying stood upright and said coldly,
"Is there anything else you need? If not, I'll be leaving."
The crowd, fearing Gu Qianying, dared not speak further and retreated, clearing a path for her.
Gu Qianying walked through.
Bai Xiaoxiao, restraining her anger, called out from behind, "You wait and see. One day I will find the evidence, and I will make you suffer eternally."
Gu Qianying's red lips curved slightly, her eyes devoid of any ripple.
She said cheerfully, "Then I shall await your evidence. I am eager to know who truly caused this plague."
Bai Xiaoxiao's eyes turned crimson.
"Despicable."
For some reason, facing this woman, she felt an inexplicable sense of suppression.
She had never felt this way, not even when facing Bai Yufeng.
Gu Qianying did not rush back. Instead, she turned and headed towards the kitchen.
She had not been idle these past few days.
The matter of the plague was truly peculiar. Since it was not a natural disaster, it could only be man-made, and this man-made disaster was specifically targeted at her.
If it were a plague, no one would be spared, and the three of them could not remain uninvolved.
Therefore, someone must be behind it.
She had investigated everyone in the academy and finally discovered.
Apart from the three of them, a cook had also not fallen ill.
Gu Qianying had been watching the cook for a long time, waiting for her to slip up.
As fate would have it, as soon as she arrived at the kitchen.
She saw the cook packing her belongings, her face filled with fear, seemingly preparing to flee.
Gu Qianying's eyes flickered. "It seems this person's true colors have finally been revealed."
Without a second thought, she rushed forward and struck the cook's back with a palm, channeling her force.
With a crack, the cook's bones broke, forcing her to hastily kneel before Gu Qianying.
The person was terrified and, before Gu Qianying could even ask, began to kowtow and apologize, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I did this. I did this."