Chapter 856 Using Backdoors

Everything was proceeding smoothly, and in five days, the first Physicians' Exchange Conference hosted by the Imperial Medical Academy would open at Chongwen Hall.

Li San Niang yawned, carefully rolled up the documents she had brought home and put them away, then picked up the lampstand and went to the table to pour herself a glass of water.

"Third Sister, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Qiu Xiang's voice came from outside the door. Li San Niang stepped forward and opened the door. "I was just about to go to sleep. I had just been reading some documents."

I'm going to sleep now. I'll wash my feet and then go to bed.

After Li San Niang washed her feet and climbed into bed, she fell asleep almost immediately upon touching her pillow. It was already past midnight.

It's so late; by all accounts, everyone should be asleep by now. The only sounds in the houses are the night watchmen striking their clappers.

The Li family home, not far from Li San Niang's house, was also quiet. However, in the darkness of night, some people were actually asleep, while others simply closed their eyes.

Li Ersao turned over with her eyes closed, her mind once again recalling what happened yesterday when she brought Xiao Wulang back to Wujia Village.

That morning, Li Ersao, carrying the four gifts prepared by her mother, took Xiao Wulang, who was not studying at the academy, and hailed a donkey cart to leave the city and return to Wujia Village to visit her parents.

Originally, Li Ersao's marriage into Chang'an was already considered a high-status marriage.

Just look at her inside and out, who in Wujia Village doesn't know that Wu Lan is doing well in the Li family?

Not to mention, in the eyes of outsiders, Li Ersao was also quite capable, having given birth to three sons for Li Erxiong in a row.

Ever since the people of Wujia Village learned that Li Sanniang, the sister-in-law of Li Ersao, had also become an official, they have been even more envious of the Wu family.

So, this time, as soon as Li Ersao got off the donkey cart at the village entrance, she ran into that perceptive woman, who immediately went up to help her carry her things. There was also someone nearby who sent their son to run errands to the Wu family to call for help.

These villagers weren't snobbish or greedy; they just wanted to help others if they were doing well, hoping that if something good happened in the future, they would remember them.

"Lan Niang, why didn't Pharmacist Li come back with us this time?"

The hunched-over old woman, leaning on a wooden cane, asked Li Ersao this question.

Before Li Ersao could reply, the old woman turned around and stroked Xiao Wulang's hair, then praised, "Oh boy, is this Li Wulang? Look at him, he's really handsome."

The old woman's words were indeed true. Kogoro was well-raised from a young age, and by the time he was born, the Li family's circumstances had already improved significantly.

In addition, Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li were not ugly to begin with, and they were also willing to spend money on food for the child, so how could Xiao Wulang not be good-looking?

Especially compared to the children of Wujia Village, Kogoro, with his jet-black hair and rosy complexion, looked so clever and cute that he resembled the attendant of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the painting from that year, making people happy just by looking at him.

"Fifth Aunt, Erlang is busy in the clinic."

Today, I called a car myself to bring Xiao Wu back to see my parents.

It took about fifteen minutes to walk from the village entrance to Li Ersao's house. Along the way, many people came out of their homes and chatted with her.

Seeing that it was almost lunchtime, these people came out of the Wu family's courtyard and headed home.

Kogoro had long since passed away, and was now playing wildly in the fields with his cousin from his maternal uncle's family.

While Li Ersao was having a heart-to-heart talk with her mother inside the house, Wu Dalang's wife, who was also Li Ersao's sister-in-law, called out from the doorway: "Mother, her eldest aunt, Granny Sun is here."

The mother and daughter inside the house exchanged a glance, both somewhat puzzled, but they quickly got up to come out and greet them.

As soon as Li Ersao stepped outside, she saw Granny Sun sitting in the courtyard, drinking a bowl of water. At the same time, she also saw the chicken with its feet tied up next to Granny Sun's feet, and a basket of chickens.

Many thoughts flashed through Li Ersao's mind, but she still greeted them with a warm smile and together with Wu's mother.

"Grandma Sun, you've arrived! Please have a seat."

Turning around, Li Ersao called out to her sister-in-law, "Yanniang, quickly put a plate of the cakes I bought from Xiangguiji in Chang'an out for Grandma Sun to try."

After exchanging pleasantries, Granny Sun sat up straight and looked at Li Ersao with an embarrassed but expectant expression, saying, "Lanniang, I've known you're a good person since I was little."

"You know my wife, Yue Niang. She's been diligent since she was little. In previous years, when Pharmacist Li came to our village to collect medicinal herbs, the ones Yue Niang processed were always top-notch."

As Li Ersao listened to what Granny Wu said, she began to make her own plans.

"Last time I went to town, I heard that the maternity clinic run by the third daughter of the Li family was recruiting apprentices. Is that true?"

Li Ersao nodded in affirmation. At this moment, Li Ersao also knew why Granny Sun had come to her door.

"But what I heard was that if you want to become an apprentice in that maternity ward, you have to pass an exam."

How could a country girl like us possibly outperform those city girls?

Lanniang, my Yueniang is a good woman. We're from the same village, and Yueniang shares your surname, so she has to call you aunt.

"Look, this Li San Niangzi is your sister-in-law. Why don't you talk to her and ask her to let my Yue Niang go in as an apprentice?"

When Granny Sun saw that Li Ersao didn't reply and looked troubled, she understood a little. However, she still flattered Li Ersao: "Lan Niang, you are the sister-in-law and you have given birth to three sons for the Li family. You have carried on the Li family line and expanded its lineage."

"I thought your sister-in-law would definitely listen to you; how could she dare to disrespect you, her sister-in-law?"

These words really struck a nerve with Li Ersao. Not to mention the people in Wujia Village, even Wu's mother didn't know she was in the Li family. Li Sanniang had moved out of the Li family long ago because of her.

Since that incident, Li San Niang did not deny her identity. When she saw her, she would simply call her "Second Sister-in-law" with a stern face.

To be honest, she really doesn't have the dignity to make such a request in front of Li San Niang right now.

Before Li Ersao could speak, Granny Sun stood up and picked up the live chicken on the ground: "Lan Niang, here, take this chicken and all these chicks, you can take them home and eat them."

Before anyone could refuse, Granny Sun turned and left.

Afterwards, Wu's mother said, "Go back and ask her. If Third Sister is willing to agree to this, then we can just consider it as helping the villagers."

If it doesn't work out, I'll just send the chicken and eggs back to Granny Sun later. We're not short of these things to eat."

After hearing Wu's mother's words, Li Ersao felt less upset.

However, Li Ersao still didn't have the nerve to tell Wu's mother about her falling out with Li Sanniang.

“Mother, if it works out, I will ask the peddler to send you a message. If there is no message after ten days, then it doesn’t work out, and you should return the things to Granny Sun.”

Originally determined not to get involved in the matter, Li Ersao returned to the Li family from the Wu family with Xiao Wulang and didn't think of telling anyone about it.

But that night, Li Ersao still couldn't fall asleep, tossing and turning. She thought to herself, "If I can't get this done today, will they all look down on me in the future?"