Chapter 55 (combined with another chapter)

That's the good thing about the merchant's home; it's easy to adapt. Who is Huang Jin? He's a favorite of the emperor. His niece, Huang Shi, was betrothed to Lu Bing, who was just promoted to head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, last year. He's the most powerful of the powerful.

If we get on this front, we won't have to worry about where to find a backer in the future.

When Master Xiao heard that Xiao Jingshi wanted to go along, he agreed: "That's good. I don't think my wife is very good at scheming, so we'll have to rely on you. This is not only for you, but also for our Xiao family."

"That depends on whether our son and daughter-in-law can cure her. If she can, then there's no need to say more. If she can't, then our son can try to help her out." Xiao Jingshi felt that this was Miaozhen's business. If she did well, she could become famous and renowned in Suzhou. If she offended someone important, he would have to help his wife. As for relying on his wife to scheme before even starting, he disdained such behavior.

Master Xiao and Xu Erpeng were similar; although they weren't involved in officialdom, they still frequently dealt with government officials. He said, "Among the successful candidates in the imperial examinations, those with connections rise rapidly and have excellent resumes. Those without connections are probably lucky if they can become a prefect in their fifties or sixties. These so-called connections might fall due to factional strife, leading to undeserved disasters and ruined careers. But these powerful eunuchs in the palace are the emperor's favorites. As long as the emperor doesn't fall, they will always be fine."

Master Xiao knew his second son's personality well, so he didn't force him. He simply said to him, "Discuss it with your wife and see what she says."

After Xiao Jingshi returned, he didn't mention it to Miaozhen. However, when Miaozhen saw him return, she said, "I wonder how Miss Huang's illness is. We should bring more trunks and also prepare some gifts. When you visit, you can get to know Commander Huang. Don't underestimate him. I think Eunuch Huang is no ordinary person."

"This is a good thing for you, why would I need to get to know you?" Xiao Jingshi refused.

Miaozhen looked at him and said, "When you're happy, you talk about bestowing titles and privileges upon your wife and children. Does it mean that just because you're well, I'm not? Now that I'm well, you should also enjoy the good fortune."

Unless one chooses to completely abandon officialdom, one should forge one's own path if given the opportunity; one cannot always rely on the third wife.

Having more connections means having more opportunities.

Hearing these words, Xiao Jingshi felt somewhat protected and cared for. He glanced at his wife and said, "You're right."

Miaozhen stepped forward and said, "Don't think it's because of me. You passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty, and you'll be a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) soon. If you don't aim for higher positions, this connection won't be of much use. But if you do aim for higher positions, sometimes all you need is a recommendation. Last time, the doctor from Suzhou who came to the palace to treat patients was a female physician who had only recently entered the profession. She was unknown in the Wu region, but suddenly she entered the palace. It's because she had connections in the court that things were easier to do."

"Sigh, I never thought I'd end up living off a woman, but it's not so bad." Xiao Jingshi looked at his wife and blinked.

Only truly confident people can laugh it off. If a narrow-minded man hears that his wife is ambitious, he will not only be unhappy, but he will probably also block her path forward.

The two burst into laughter. Outside, someone announced that Second Madam had arrived. Miaozhen straightened her clothes and gracefully stepped out.

Han Yueyao was terrified that her situation would end up like Xia Xianjie's, with a concubine taking her place and causing her to have a son first. That's why she finally decided to seek out Miaozhen. She had heard Xia Xianjie complain to her many times that Miaozhen was excellent at treating outsiders, but deliberately didn't cure them to gain fame and suppress them. However, Han Yueyao never believed Miaozhen was that kind of person. This wasn't because she was captivated by Miaozhen's charm, but because she had a simple belief that those from the same household were ultimately closer.

Miaozhen actually still had a good impression of her because of her simple ideas; after all, she was a good sister-in-law.

Therefore, after she stammered out her answer, Miaozhen invited her to the consultation room and asked, "Now I am asking you in the name of a doctor, so you cannot hide anything, otherwise I will not be able to make a diagnosis."

Han Yueyao nodded quickly, and Miaozhen eliminated them one by one. Although Xiao Jingheng was not faithful either, he stayed in Han Yueyao's room at least ten times a month. Her menstrual cycle was normal, and she was not like Xia Xianjie after having sex.

She had no choice but to ask, "Does your sister-in-law usually have any health problems?"

"It's just a minor ailment. I get very hot and my mouth is always dry after nightfall," Han Yueyao said.

Miaozhen then asked, "Since your mouth and throat are dry, do you have any phlegm when you cough?"

Han Yueyao nodded and added, "Yes. Sometimes when I pee, I feel a burning sensation down there."

Miaozhen then observed that her tongue was red, but the coating was thin and sparse, and her pulse was deep, thready, and rapid. She had already made a general judgment: "Sister-in-law, this is bone-steaming fever at night, which is causing infertility. A woman's uterus and kidneys are connected, and the kidneys are responsible for producing bone marrow, which is transformed from kidney essence. Now, sister-in-law, your kidney meridian is hot, which is why your bone marrow is hot. Under such circumstances, how can you conceive?"

Han Yueyao had seen doctors before, and most of them said she had yin deficiency and excessive fire, but today, Miaozhen's detailed analysis had captivated Han Yueyao, and she couldn't help but believe it to some extent: "That really makes sense."

“I will prescribe you medicine to nourish your kidney yin. The Suwen says that strengthening the water element is to control the fire element. Using water to control fire is just right.” After saying this, Miaozhen prescribed thirty doses of Qinggu Zishen Tang and added, “Sister-in-law, you can go and get the medicine yourself. If your bone steaming fever is cured, you should continue to drink it for two or three months. If you listen to my instructions, there will definitely be no problem.”

Han Yueyao took the prescription, full of hope, and said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I will definitely take the medicine properly."

After thinking for a moment, she told Miaozhen about Xia Xianjie's complaints about her behind her back. Miaozhen was speechless and no longer hid anything: "I told her long ago that she had to abstain from sex for three months while taking my medicine. Did she even follow that rule? She couldn't, and she still said my medicine was useless. How come it's the only one that didn't work for her out of all the patients I've seen?"

Han Yueyao scoffed: "My sister-in-law is so kind-hearted. She has criticized you several times, but you have never said a bad word about her. I have no respect for people like that."

Seeing Han Yueyao speak like that, Miaozhen smiled and said, "Let her say what she wants. Sister-in-law, you should take your medicine secretly and take good care of yourself. Good things will come to you."

Now that her brother has been promoted to the rank of commander, this second sister-in-law is in charge of the whole family. Apart from having children, she has nothing else to worry about. Miaozhen sincerely hopes that she can also get what she wants.

Otherwise, it's not good if only one person in the family takes the lead.

Han Yueyao went back and took some silver to have medicine prepared. Miaozhen, however, waited for her to leave before starting preparations. She was thinking that this unmarried Miss Huang's most serious ailment was digestive problems, such as cirrhosis with ascites or tuberculous peritonitis. Other possibilities included ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, or other abdominal masses. Still others might be amenorrhea...

Therefore, upon returning to her room, she went straight to the study, and now it was Xiao Jingshi who accompanied her.

The couple would study in the study until midnight, occasionally exchanging a few words, and sometimes the silence was so profound you could hear a pin drop, with only the sounds of writing and turning pages.

The next day, Xu Erpeng and the Mei couple had already heard about the matter and came to ask. When Miaozhen confirmed that it was true, she said, "Commander Huang wrote a letter to the prefect of this prefecture, and they came to our house to tell us."

Xu Erpeng looked at his daughter and said with great emotion, "After ten whole years, she's finally showing some promise."

"My daughter thinks so too. If she can be cured now, it will be considered that she has made a connection with the palace and will be able to earn a name for herself in the future," Miaozhen said with a smile.

Xu Erpeng smiled and said, "I'm relieved that my son-in-law can take you there."

As a man, he shouldn't stay in the inner quarters. Just then, Master Xiao invited him over, so he went, leaving Madam Mei alone to rejoice over her daughter.

Meanwhile, Madam Ren also hoped that the couple could leave the child at home, since she would take care of him anyway. Miaozhen was naturally worried. Her mother-in-law often held banquets, which were very noisy. The two wet nurses were usually with her, so they dared not do anything naughty. If they were separated from her, her mother-in-law would be mentally unwell and would have many social interactions. How could she take good care of her?

Therefore, Miaozhen said, "You still have to be busy with Fifth Sister. Besides, we'll be in Nanjing soon. It won't take more than a few days by boat, so don't worry."

Madam Ren waved her hand, "Alright, you're a doctor, you can treat the children." She even gave her a ginseng root, which she had secretly kept for herself when she wasn't feeling well.

Ren Shi did not make things difficult for her daughter-in-law, and Xu Erpeng was also very kind to Xiao Jingshi in private, often sending rare and unique books or books with excellent topics to his son-in-law.

Without further ado, Miaozhen was about to set off. Her family had locked up the main house, leaving only a side room for Fengniang to stay in, hoping she would watch over the house. Fengniang was naturally willing to do so.

She's getting old and doesn't want the long journeys. She's already tired from helping take care of the children, so now she can finally stay here and rest a bit more. As the saying goes, it's good to rest under a big tree; seeing that Miao Zhen is destined for a high-ranking official's wife, she figured she could have her own space by staying with her.

As dawn broke, Xiao Jingshi arranged for a carriage to carry the trunks up first. Then he and Miaozhen took the two children out. It was the first time the couple had gone out alone. Miaozhen saw how meticulous and thoughtful her husband's arrangements were, and when he came aboard the boat, she couldn't help but praise him endlessly.

Xiao Jingshi was embarrassed by the praise: "I didn't do anything? It's not worth you saying this."

It's hard for people to live without their social attributes. Just like the river is not peaceful at all, if Miaozhen were to go alone, she would be worried. But with the support of her family, Miaozhen felt very comfortable and at ease.

The interior of the ship was very comfortable. Not only was the accommodation comfortable, but the food was also delicious and suited her taste perfectly. Miaozhen knew that Xiao Jingshi had arranged this. Unlike others, he wouldn't talk about the good deeds he did, but he was actually a kind-hearted person.

Sometimes, when she gets used to working hard, she often has to be cautious in her actions. When she suddenly feels happy, she prefers to keep it to herself, for fear that if she is too proud for too long, everything will vanish like smoke.

Xiao Jingshi achieved early success and could hardly understand Miaozhen's feelings.

Because she was worried that the two children would feel hot and uncomfortable on the ship, Miaozhen personally looked after them during the day. Whenever they felt unwell, she would help them play with her through a handkerchief.

The two little devils' favorite game was swinging on a swing. But this wasn't the usual kind of swing; instead, Miaozhen and Xiao Jingshi would each hold one end of a bed sheet and swing the child inside. Zhao Ge'er, in particular, would laugh out loud with joy.

The wet nurses complained bitterly. If they got used to this, wouldn't they have to do this every day?

Thankfully, after playing for a while, Miaozhen put the baby down and had the wet nurses take him to change his diaper, which relieved the wet nurses. Miaozhen then looked outside and asked, "Is our boat going faster?"

“Yes, most of our boats are used for transporting goods, so speed is definitely important,” Xiao Jingshi said with a smile.

Based on Miaozhen's observations over the past year since she married into the family, the Xiao family should have a net worth of around 200,000 taels of silver. While they couldn't compare to those wealthy merchants, they were still extremely rich. In addition to their businesses, they also owned land.

Even so, this seemingly wealthy family never squandered money. Their daughters-in-law were truly provided for without worrying about food or clothing; gifts were sent from the family coffers to their parents' home during festivals; and the maids and servants they brought in were also paid for by the family coffers. But if they wanted more, they wouldn't get it; it depended on their own abilities.

For example, when Xiao Jingshi passed the imperial examination, Ren Shi rewarded her with a headdress made of pure gold. When she treated Huang Qianhu's daughter, Ren Shi gave her ginseng. Also, when she and Lou Qiongyu gave birth to their children, they each received a pair of gold bracelets.

It's clear that wealthy families certainly lived a lavish lifestyle, but it wouldn't be accurate to say they were extravagant and wasteful. Before transmigrating, she read in "Dream of the Red Chamber" that both masters and servants received monthly allowances, but she discovered that apart from prominent families like the Cheng family, the Xiao family didn't have this privilege. The shop assistants and managers received monthly allowances, while servants were generally only provided with food and clothing, mostly receiving small tips.

Those who are mistresses have larger dowries and therefore live a better life. So Miaozhen really doesn't understand why Xia Xianjie is causing so much trouble. To put it bluntly, she's not a concubine; she could easily cultivate her character and take medicine slowly. Why does she have to fight like a rooster everywhere?

Now, Xia Xianjie saw that Miaozhen had been invited by the prefect to Nanjing to treat Huang Eunuch's niece. She was at her wit's end, because Miaozhen had already risen to a higher position. As a businesswoman herself, she was very clear about the so-called value of Miaozhen.

If Xu Miaozhen has gotten involved with Huang Jin, then her status at home will definitely be different from before.

After sighing for a while, Xia Xianjie heard Linglong say, "This servant went to the front just now and saw that the Third Master of Songjiang Prefecture sent someone over to say that their term of office has expired and they are preparing to go to the capital."

"Then we need to hurry up and pack some things to go over there." Xia Xianjie could distinguish between the eldest and youngest princes, the third branch of the family were officials, and Gao Shi was a born noblewoman, not talkative but imposing, which made Xia Xianjie very respectful.

Seeing that Xia Xianjie had been quite obedient these days and had even given generous gifts to the third branch of the family, Madam Chao thought to herself that it seemed her trick had worked.

Some wives, like Sister Xia Xian, become more arrogant the more polite you are to them.

Therefore, she also kept one thing to herself: initially, her son was related to the Ding family and had no interest in an official career, so it was not bad for him to work as a medical instructor in the local government.

But now, the fourth son of the second wife has also passed the imperial examination. Even if he doesn't become a Jinshi, he will probably become an official. He has also married a woman like Xu, who is extremely helpful to her husband. In the future, he will probably have a very prosperous official career.

Therefore, she had already asked the third branch of the family to help her son find connections with the Ministry of Personnel in the capital so that her son could take up his post. If Sister Xia Xian knew what was good for her and changed her old ways, that would be fine. If she didn't know what was good for her and continued to cause trouble, then such a troublemaker would have to stay in Suzhou.

These were all thoughts in Chao's mind, and she told no one.

By this time, Miaozhen and the others had been on their journey for two days. She was on the boat, looking through various medical records and writing on them, feeling quite nervous.

Xiao Jingshi said from the side, "You've treated so many people, what's there to be afraid of?"

"We have to make sure everything goes perfectly." Miaozhen thought that if she could really handle this matter today, and if she could go to the palace in the future, her reputation would be greatly enhanced. That would be better than anything else.

If you don't seize the opportunity when it arises, who knows how many more years you'll have to wait in your life.

However, the journey to Nanjing was clearly not peaceful. This time, they didn't encounter any danger, but rather a torrential rain that caused their boat to run aground. Xiao Jingshi took them to stay at an inn, and both of them were soaked to the bone. Fortunately, the children didn't get wet. She carefully checked the children's pulses and made sure the wet nurses drank medicine to prevent colds before she felt at ease.

"The spring rain won't be heavy. I'll go and tell someone to bring food. You can stay inside. Don't worry, I have experience traveling by boat. Usually, these kinds of heavy rains don't last long, at most a day or two," Xiao Jingshi reassured him.

Miaozhen smiled and said, "I know, thanks to you coming with me, I have nothing to worry about."

Xiao Jingshi left somewhat embarrassed.

Although Miaozhen said this, going to Nanjing was her own business, and she had to make some arrangements. She first instructed Xiaoxi, "You brew a pot of ginseng and perilla drink and make sure everyone drinks it. If someone on this ship catches a cold, it can easily spread. We adults are fine, but it will be difficult for the children."

Xiao Xi quickly did as instructed, and she and her husband urged everyone to drink the medicine before they felt at ease.

She first kept the children in her own room to observe them. Fortunately, although the two children were not as big and fat as others when they were born, they were in good health after careful care.

After a while, everyone had lunch. It was raining outside, so Miaozhen had to take the two children for a nap. But when Xiao Jingshi returned, he put the umbrella at the door and wouldn't let Miaozhen get up. He took off his outer robe and said, "Guess who I ran into just now?"

Miaozhen shook her head: "Who is it?"

“My fellow examinee from the provincial examination passed the imperial examination and ranked among the top three in the palace examination. He was selected as the magistrate of Huating County and brought his family with him. You women can chat with him later,” Xiao Jingshi said with a smile.

Miaozhen then said, "Being able to take up a post in Huating must mean you are no ordinary person. Should we prepare some travel expenses for you?"

“Of course I need it, no more, no less, twenty taels of silver and two bolts of satin will do,” Xiao Jingshi said.

Miaozhen immediately opened the chest and prepared the gifts. She knew that social skills were also important, and if Xiao Jingshi were to advance further in the future, she would have to take better care of these things.

Unexpectedly, instead of going to see the wife of Magistrate Zhang, who was a fellow student of Xiao Jingshi, she met Miaoyun. Miaoyun was no longer the girl she remembered. She was dressed in a rich and elegant manner, with a silver hair bun on her head, surrounded by pearls and jade, and wearing a set of Song brocade clothes.

Miaoyun was also stunned. She had heard her husband mention that they had met a scholar named Xiao, who was only in his early twenties and had passed the imperial examination. He was very talented and came from a wealthy family. After passing the examination, he invited all his fellow graduates to a banquet. His uncle, who was an official, was also present. She never expected that the man would be Miaoyun's husband.

When the two met, Miaozhen had to pay her respects first, and she couldn't help but wonder how Miaoyun had suddenly become the county magistrate's wife.

Miaoyun took her hand and led her into the inner room, dismissing everyone else. She smiled and said, "I never thought that we sisters would meet again."

"Big sister, what exactly is going on?" Miaozhen asked, puzzled.

Miao Yun felt extremely guilty, but she knew that Miao Zhen hadn't exposed her back then, so she definitely wasn't the type to watch her make a fool of herself. Besides, unlike her father, she knew what it meant to appear weak. So she said, "When you saw me at the Cheng family last time, I was a female teacher at the Dong family. Later, the Dong family's daughter married and moved to the capital, and I went to work as a female teacher at the home of a prefect. Coincidentally, that family also had the surname Xu. Seeing that I taught well, they adopted me as their goddaughter."

Miaozhen felt something was off. She asked, "Did you become that family's goddaughter before the marriage was arranged?"

Miaoyun smiled slightly, like a jasmine flower after a rain, pure and graceful. "It's a long story. The daughter of Magistrate Xu wasn't very good at studying, but Jinling was a place where scholars gathered. Winning the top prize in many literary competitions was not something that could be achieved overnight. In order to help Miss Xu cheat, I had to go in and out of the homes of high-ranking officials with her, which is how I became her goddaughter. I helped her win the top prize many times, and later Miss Xu got a very good marriage. Magistrate Xu was promoted to prefect because of this. Scholar Zhang was a student of Prefect Xu at the time, and we hit it off immediately."

Miaozhen sensed many inaccuracies in the statement, which was likely a deliberate attempt to conceal the truth, but she only said, "Now that you have become an official's wife, I only wish you a long and happy life together, and that you will be of one heart forever."

Humans have seven emotions and six desires. Even her father bribed a nun to say that her birth chart was auspicious for her marriage. Miaozhen thought that as long as she didn't hurt anyone, what right did she have to press the issue?

When Miaoyun heard that Miaozhen had given birth to twins, she was very happy. She had someone bring Fujie and Zhaoge to her, and gave each of them a pair of gold ingots. She also said with a smile, "I think the little boy's eyebrows and eyes are very similar to his sister's."

"That's what everyone says," Miaozhen said with a smile.

Miaoyun then asked about her grandparents and Miaozhen's parents. Knowing that they were all well, she couldn't help but say, "That's good. It's good that the whole family is safe and sound together."

Seeing that she already looked like an official's wife and even had an imperial decree, Miaozhen felt a sense of loss. She had worked so hard to study medicine and build connections, but she hadn't even managed to become a female physician in the palace. Now, she was going to treat Eunuch Huang's niece, and she didn't know if it would go smoothly. She was so uneasy about the trip.

With a sigh, she consoled herself, realizing she was still somewhat ungrateful. After all, her husband, Xiao Jingshi, was already a scholar at a young age, entrusted her with ten thousand taels of private property, and she also had twins and considerable medical skills. Even if this attempt failed, with perseverance, she could eventually achieve great things in ten or twenty years. Why envy others?

Thinking this way, Miaozhen felt much more at ease. She and Miaoyun saw Cheng Yi off and then left.

Seeing Miaozhen leave, Miaoyun couldn't help but feel that she hadn't told Miaozhen the whole truth. After leaving the Dong family, she was introduced by a nun to become a female tutor in the Xu Tongpan family. At first, Madam Xu was mediocre, but Miaoyun made up that she was a disciple of Lady Qiu and even used Miaozhen's name.

It turned out that Madam Xu was Lady Qiu's cousin. After corresponding with Lady Qiu, Lady Qiu replied that there was indeed a female disciple named Xu Miaozhen, and said that she was clever, quick-witted and ambitious. Only then did Madam Xu formally accept her.

Because of her beauty and excellent education, she was very popular with the young master and young lady of the Xu family. Because she helped Miss Xu cheat, she often accompanied Miss Xu to social events. Perhaps because she looked very noble, everyone really thought she was the eldest daughter of Magistrate Xu. Magistrate Xu had a good career and was promoted to Prefect.

Zhang Shihua, a scholar from a poor background, longed to find a well-educated and virtuous daughter of an official to enhance the family's image and manage the household business. He met Miaoyun at the home of Prefect Xu, who perfectly matched all his expectations.

As fate would have it, Prefect Xu died suddenly in office. Miss Xu was a good-for-nothing and couldn't do anything about it. In order to show off her status, she kept arranging the funeral and taking care of Madam Xu. Although the Xu family was an official family, civil officials didn't have much money. Miss Xu's dowry couldn't be touched. After handling the funeral, they were already broke.

Just then, Zhang Shihua came to propose marriage. Fearing that she had returned to her hometown, he wanted her to marry while still in mourning. Miaoyun then approached Madam Xu and said that as long as she verbally acknowledged her, Madam Xu could take back all the six hundred taels of betrothal gifts given by the Zhang family.

After hesitating for a long time, Madam Xu agreed for the sake of the money, and she married in Rexiao. From beginning to end, Miaoyun never told him that she was just the daughter of a poor peddler.

Xu Yiming and Huang Shi were completely unaware of their marriage.

Of course, she is doing very well now, because her husband later passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). The Zhang family has prospered, and she receives so many gifts that she can't even count them all. She even sent two hundred taels of silver back to her parents for their own use.

She had survived the toughest times before, and now she saw that even her second sister, whom she had once envied the most, was not so bad off.

But she still hoped that her second sister could live a good life, so that at least she wouldn't be jealous of her and try so hard to expose her. People only stop scheming to deal with others when they are living comfortably.