Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 131

In his youth, he was just a writer who could grasp the bestseller points and make a living from it, but he was always just a writer. Now, at the age of 56, he has become famous all over the country because of a book called "Xu Nvxia's Detective Stories", which is like a dream.

But he knew that once someone became famous, all the trivial things they had done in the past would be magnified without limit. So he almost never participated in literary gatherings or book clubs. He handed over the business to Manager Li's son, Little Manager Li, and only needed to keep an eye on the overall situation.

Now that his son Xu Jian has passed the provincial examination, he is about to go to the capital to participate in the metropolitan examination. However, Xu Erpeng is not talking to him about studying, but about interpersonal relationships and worldly affairs.

“Your younger brother was originally in the capital, and his whole family lived with your sister. It was fine before, but now that Zhao’er has gotten married, and Zheng’er is about to get married as well, things can’t continue like this. Take two hundred taels with you and let the couple buy their own house,” Xu Erpeng said.

Xu Jian couldn't help but ask, "Father, what if my brother-in-law doesn't continue working at the Dali Temple, and I lose my job too? What will we do then?"

"Can't you stay here too? Can you guarantee you'll pass this time? What if you don't? You'll have to go again next time. Okay, even if you do pass, if you become an official in the capital, won't you need a place to stay?" Xu Erpeng thought to himself, "I'm paying for it, and you're still whining."

Xu Jian hurriedly replied, "Father is right. I will tell my brother when I go to the capital."

"Alright, learn more from your nephew about academic matters, and listen to your brother-in-law's advice. I'm just a scholar, so I can't give you any academic guidance. Go talk to your wife." Xu Erpeng waved his hand.

Xu Jian went back to his room, where Luo was packing his luggage. He naturally went up to her and rubbed against her. Luo laughed and said, "What are you doing, fooling around in broad daylight? I'm busy. The rent from the fields needs to be delivered, and there are things to do at the bookstore. I'm busy with all of that."

"I'm about to go to the capital, and I'm just reluctant to leave you, aren't I?" Xu Jian said, and then told him about how his father had asked him to take money to the capital so that his second brother could buy a house.

After listening, Madam Luo said, "Actually, what Father said is true. Before, when Zhao-ge'er and Zheng-ge'er were not married, it was fine for Second Brother and his family to live there. In fact, it made the place more lively. Now that both of my nephews are about to have their own families, it's not good for Second Brother and his family to still occupy a courtyard."

Ultimately, although the Xu family wasn't exactly wealthy, they were doing quite well, especially since the books sold extremely well this time, bringing them a substantial profit. Luo Shi didn't care about that amount of money.

However, she said, "If that Miao boy from the Xiao family passes the provincial examination, you can all travel to the capital together on the Xiao family's boat. But now, Father doesn't want to trouble the Xiao family, so you can only go with a few of my classmates."

“That Miao-ge is only in his early twenties. How could he possibly pass the provincial examination so easily? Look at me, I passed the county-level examination at seventeen, and I’m thirty this year. I just passed the provincial examination.” Xu Jian even felt that he was relatively young among those who passed the provincial examination.

Luo asked in bewilderment, "Then how come Zhao-ge'er passed the provincial examination at the age of eighteen?"

“Look at Zhao Ge’er when he was studying at the Suzhou Academy. He took the academy exam twice before passing. That shows he’s smart, but there’s no such thing as a genius. You might have talent in the imperial examinations, but more importantly, you need diligence and guidance from renowned teachers. Ordinary people don’t have these opportunities; both are indispensable.” Xu Jian considers himself lucky to have the Chao family’s academy to study at. His father also specially visited renowned teachers in the prefecture for him. At thirty, he has no worries about food and clothing and can simply focus on his studies. Others might not have that opportunity.

Madam Luo was also puzzled: "That sixth wife of the Xiao family is really something. She didn't go to Nanjing or the capital for the sake of this child before, but now that the child is about to take the provincial examination, she's suddenly become an official's wife again?"

Xu Jian shrugged: "I don't know either. This is a family matter. Brother Xiao is a good person, so we won't talk about their affairs behind their backs."

Lady Luo thought it made sense, and following Lady Mei's advice, she prepared some local specialties from her hometown for Xu Jian to take with him when he went to the capital. By the time Xu Jian arrived in the capital, his hands and feet were already freezing.

The Xiao family held a special welcome party for Xu Jian, and Miao Zhen even said with a smile, "We've arranged a study for you. Don't go to the guild hall; it's better to read quietly."

Miaozhen was already much older than her two younger brothers, and she was like a mother to them. Xu Jian listened to everything she said.

Xu Jian also told her about things at home: "Dad still goes out for a few walks every day, and then he writes books in his study. Every time he says he'll rest for a few months after finishing a book, he can only rest for a few days before he starts again. Mom wants to go out for a walk, but she can't get him to come. She gets so angry that she keeps saying that Dad doesn't keep his word."

Miaozhen wanted to laugh when she heard this, and said, "I remember when I was little, my mother often attended tea parties and incense pilgrimages, and my father rarely had time to take us out. He often told me that he grew up in the countryside and didn't like to see the scenery at all. Why don't you let my mother go out with Mrs. Ma next door?"

“Sister, Mrs. Ma’s family is much poorer than before,” Xu Jian sighed.

The Ma family used to be much stronger than the Xu family, but over the years, the Xu family has steadily risen while the Ma family has gradually declined. Perhaps one day, the Xu family will also slowly decline, and other families will rise to prominence.

Just like the Zhan and Liu families, even though they started from the same point, they may have developed in different ways.

Miaozhen then asked about the Mei and Luo families and their relatives. Xu Jian answered them one by one: "Actually, I spend all my time studying and don't know much. My grandmother lives in our house and has no worries about food or clothing and is served by others. It's just that my aunt always makes excuses to freeload. But recently she made a fortune. After her father-in-law passed away, he gave them two looms and more than a hundred taels of silver. She doesn't visit us much anymore."

"It's good that she doesn't come over, but it's also a way of making up for it. When I was little, my grandparents were old and she didn't receive much support from them. Now she's finally getting some support," Miaozhen said with a smile.

The siblings chatted and laughed for a few moments, and after the banquet, he was led away by a servant.

Xu Jian also told his younger brother Xu Kun about the things their father had instructed. Xu Kun had now gained some experience, especially at the Dali Temple, where he frequently handled cases. People are different after such experiences, so he immediately said, "I understand, but we should wait until after the New Year to talk about this. I'll have time to think about it."

“Since you can arrange all this, then I won’t worry about it. I’m not as familiar with the capital as you are now.” Xu Jian patted his younger brother on the shoulder. He thought that although his brother was only doing clerical work in the capital, he had been dealing with officials for many years, so it was different for him.

That's true. As long as the brother-in-law is an official in Beijing, the younger brother's future is guaranteed.

As the saying goes, officials come and go, but junior clerks remain; if you do a good job, you won't be bad at all.

Leaving aside how the Xu brothers would be settled, Miaozhen was talking to Han Ruozhen about the New Year's arrangements: "New Year's goods need to be prepared in advance. For example, the firewood we burn on ordinary days will increase several times over during the New Year. We still have charcoal at home, and the estate will mostly send some, but they will only send it during the New Year, so we need to prepare more."

Han Ruozhen wrote everything down, and then saw Miaozhen give her two pieces of clothing: "These were sent back by your eldest sister. One is a mink fur coat with a feather satin outer layer, and the other is a wool vest. I think they suit you very well, so you can take them back and wear them."

"This is from my sister, you should give me this..." Han Ruozhen quickly declined.

Miaozhen smiled and said, "When she brought it over, we all said it suited your skin tone. Don't worry, I have plenty of that too."

Although Han Ruozhen was the daughter of a high-ranking official, she was still a young girl. When she saw pretty clothes, she couldn't help but try them on. Her life was actually better than that of many daughters-in-law. She took charge of the household as soon as she entered the family, didn't have to stand in front of her mother-in-law with proper etiquette, and her husband was studying hard. It was truly a life of luxury.

Even his mother-in-law was very discreet. Although she got along well with Xiao Tingzhi's wife, Madam Lu, she kept the good things for herself and left the household management to herself.

When she last visited her parents' home, her mother told her to be extra filial to her husband's family and not to take advantage of their favor.

After trying on the clothes, Han Ruozhen changed into her everyday clothes. She heard someone come in from outside and say, "Madam, the young lady has sent someone to the main room. According to the people around Madam, the young lady is pregnant again."

Before she knew it, Xuan-ge'er was two years old. It was quite normal for her aunt to be pregnant at this time. She hurried to the storeroom to pick out some tonics and other supplements, waiting for her mother-in-law's instructions to send them over.

After finishing her work, she thought of her third brother, who, even after several years, only had one daughter. Her mother had initially chosen a daughter from the Xiao family because Madam Xiao was a renowned gynecologist with a face like Guanyin, and her daughter was said to be healthy and beautiful, possessing the qualities of a mother who would father a son.

However, the third sister-in-law also consulted her mother-in-law, who, after treating her illness, said that if the child's condition was not due to physical reasons, it was fate. To this day, her brother only has one daughter.

Meanwhile, when Miaozhen heard that Fu'er was pregnant, she indeed asked Han Ruozhen to prepare a few things, and she went to the Marquis of Yunjian's residence herself. Fu'er was already sitting up and was showing signs of pregnancy. She was saying to Miaozhen, "I used to hear Mother say that you have to be careful when you are pregnant, but many noble families only find out when they are about to give birth."

"Why is that?" Miao Zhen was truly puzzled.

Fu Jie'er said, "I'm afraid that if I miscarry, my husband's family will blame me. Do you know? The eldest mistress of the Marquis of Xinyang, with whom I have a good relationship, miscarried after more than eight months of pregnancy. I'm telling you now to avoid causing you too much trouble."

“Yes, don’t force yourself. You are the wife of the heir apparent, and you can’t escape those powers.” After saying that, Miaozhen took her daughter’s pulse again. Seeing that the pregnancy was stable, she was relieved: “Your Marquis’s mansion has a lot of things to do. Since you are open-minded, your mother doesn’t need to worry about you. Look at me now, as soon as your sister-in-law entered the house, I handed over the power of managing the household. I feel much more at ease now.”

When Fu Jie saw her mother wearing a grass-green long gown with a pale yellow embroidered flower jacket and a pearl necklace around her neck, looking beautiful and charming, she was surprised to find that time seemed to have left no trace on her mother. Instead, her mother seemed to have aged like fine wine, looking even more beautiful than her peers.

She stroked the pearl necklace around Miaozhen's neck: "When did you buy this?"

“Your father gave it to me. I already have a lot of jewelry.” Miaozhen also thought that she looked good dressed like this.

Fu Jie'er joked, "Now that you're Lady Xu, Father will love you even more."

Miaozhen poked her daughter's head: "For no reason, even the elders are making fun of you. Your father is still feeling wronged. Some people don't understand and think I'm manipulating your father to judge cases at the Dali Temple. I've explained, but the more I explain, the more people think I'm giving your father face. To be honest, your father is lucky to be truly talented, so he doesn't mind. If he encountered those petty men, they would be extremely jealous."

From the very beginning when she gained attention, Xiao Jingshi never showed a trace of pettiness.

Fu Jie'er had never thought of these things before. She always felt that her mother was not as shrewd as her third aunt, but her mother was really very thoughtful. She couldn't help but say, "Mother, you are so insightful."

"That's true, but one shouldn't be too attached to love. Love is fleeting, and only what you learn yourself truly belongs to you." Miaozhen instantly regained her composure. She knew very well that her daughter was at her happiest right now. Her husband loved her and took care of the household. After giving birth to her eldest son, she was pregnant again. She knew her daughter wouldn't listen to what she was saying, but even if she didn't listen, she still had to offer some advice.

But this is only a matter of offering a few reminders. When children are minors, adults can teach them more principles, but once they are married, adults can only offer a few reminders at most, and they have to figure out everything else on their own.

Little did Fu Jie'er know that her father treated her mother so well, yet her mother still prioritized her own affairs. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that her father liked her mother even more.

She's truly a legendary figure. No wonder everyone thinks she fits the prototype of the female knight-errant, because although she has feelings of love, she can immediately regain her senses, which is very much in line with the character.

At noon, Miaozhen had lunch with her daughter and chatted with Xuan-ge for a while. When she heard that Xiao Jingshi had arrived, Miaozhen said to her daughter, "I'll head back now. If you need anything, just send someone to find me."

When she came out of the Marquis's residence and saw Xiao Jing, she was quite surprised: "Why did you come here in person?"

"I have something to discuss with you," Xiao Jingshi said.

Miaozhen couldn't help but laugh and say, "What is it? Speak."

Xiao Jingshi immediately said, "Do you still remember my classmate Xie Dengzhi?"

"I remember, I was the one who looked after his son back then."

"His daughter-in-law had a difficult childbirth, and his son was already sickly and in poor health. This is probably the only grandchild in the family. He wanted to invite you over, so I came straight here."

Miao Zhen went over without saying a word. She always carried her medicine box with her wherever she went, so she went directly with Xiao Jingshi in a carriage.

Madam Xie had always maintained a good relationship with Miaozhen. Years ago, she also wanted to arrange a marriage for Fujie, but Fujie had many other options at the time, so she politely declined. Later, after Xiao Jingshi returned to the capital to take up his official post, the two sides had more contact.

Soon, Miaozhen arrived at the Xie family home. Madam Xie came out to greet her and was talking about her daughter-in-law's condition: "What can we do? She's taken the medicine for labor, but the baby just won't come out."

"Could it be that the pubic bone is not opening?" Miao Zhen wondered.

When it comes to professional matters, even Madam Xie wasn't very clear on the details. Miao Zhen strode swiftly to the delivery room, took off her jewelry, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and had the maids hold it. She then put on her apron and came in. After examining the mother, she couldn't help but say, "This is not a case of the pelvis not opening. If the baby's head reaches the birth canal but cannot be delivered, then it is called 'the pelvis not opening.'"

The midwife and Miaozhen knew each other, and she couldn't help but ask, "Doctor Xu, should I put my hand in?"

"No need yet. The baby's head hasn't descended to the cervix, which means the qi is flowing backward. If we rashly dilate the cervix, it could easily lead to malposition of the baby," Miaozhen said to the midwife, then looked at the woman in labor: "Tell me, where do you feel uncomfortable?"

"I'm always stuck there, feeling bloated, unable to go up or down."

"It's okay, I'll figure something out, don't be afraid."

Seeing that the woman was extremely frightened, probably because she had started labor too early and was taking so long to give birth, I first tried to calm her down. The labor-inducing drugs seemed fine, but they weren't effective in inducing labor; that alone wouldn't work.

She prescribed a dose of Qi-relieving powder and instructed the servants to quickly fetch the medicine and decoct it for her. The Xie family servants dared not be careless.

Miaozhen held the new mother's hand and spoke to her softly, praising her needlework skills and asking where her family was to distract her. After the medicine was prepared, she had the new mother take one dose. After taking the medicine, the new mother began to have contractions. Half an hour later, she took another bowl. Finally, an hour later, the child was successfully delivered, and both mother and child were safe.

The Xie family cheered with joy, but Miaozhen wasn't in good spirits. She was exhausted, having spent the entire afternoon working almost non-stop. It was no ordinary workout. Thankfully, the mother was able to give birth smoothly.

"Are you very tired?" Xiao Jingshi asked, noticing that her hair was wet.

"Yes, new mothers are especially afraid, so I have to constantly pay attention to her physical and emotional well-being, and I'm also worried that my medicine might not work, so I have to concentrate." Miaozhen calmed down and recalled the medical log she had written that day, and it seemed that there were no omissions.

After returning home, she took a bath and changed her clothes before coming out. Xiao Jingshi quickly said, "Zhenzhen, come and have dinner."

"Wait a minute, I realized I forgot to write something. I'll finish writing it before I eat. You eat first." Miaozhen quickly sat down at the desk and finished filling in the medical record before she breathed a sigh of relief.

After finishing writing, Xiao Jingshi instructed someone to reheat the clothes. Miaozhen thought her husband was truly virtuous, not only taking care of her clothes but also her food. She rested her chin on her hand and looked at Xiao Jingshi, saying, "You're becoming more and more virtuous."

Xiao Jingshi said with a stern face, "What nonsense are you talking about? How can a man be described as virtuous?"

"That's being considerate of me, don't be angry," Miaozhen said with a smile.

Xiao Jingshi wasn't angry at all. He helped her serve the soup and picked out the bones from the yellow catfish: "There aren't many small bones, so eat without worry. I invited you over today, even though it was your day off."

Miaozhen shook her head.

After the New Year, Zhao Ge'er and Xu Jian participated in the imperial examination together. Zhao Ge'er ranked sixth in the imperial examination, while Xu Jian failed the imperial examination for the first time and immediately returned home. Zhao Ge'er, on the other hand, ranked third in the palace examination.

Is the third-place finisher in the top three the same as the third-place finisher?

Miaozhen was thrilled. She looked at the congratulatory message her family had copied down, which read: "[Xiao Zhaozhi, a native of Wu County, Suzhou Prefecture, Zhili Province, a student of the prefecture, studied the Book of Rites, courtesy name Yuanchu, eldest son, born on the 16th day of the 11th month at the age of 21. His grandfather, Siyu, was posthumously awarded the title of Zhengfeng Dafu; his father, Jingshi, was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; his mother, Xu, was granted the title of Third-Rank Shuren. He is from Chongqing, his younger brother is Zhengzhi, and he married a woman surnamed Han. He ranked first in the provincial examination of Yingtian Prefecture and sixth in the metropolitan examination.]"