Chapter 78 (combined with another chapter)

When Cui Ningzheng's body was to be sent back, the Xiao family specially set up a roadside memorial. Zhang Shi, dressed in mourning clothes, cried until her eyes were red. She used to always look down on Cui Ningzheng, but now that he was dead, those who coveted their property made no attempt to hide it. All of this made her feel that people's hearts were unpredictable, and that it would be difficult to escape on her own.

Therefore, a letter arrived, asking Miaozhen to help deliver it to her parents' home. Miaozhen readily agreed and arranged for her family's merchant ship to deliver it.

Even Miao Zhen was busy, because Huang had passed away and she still had to go to her door to apologize.

The Lu family was the most powerful mansion in the capital. She, the wife of a mere sixth-rank official, was seated at the very end of the table without any special treatment. On her way back after mourning the deceased, her sweat-soaked clothes were chilled by the wind.

Miao Zhen had just bathed and changed her clothes when Xiao Suyin arrived unexpectedly. She quickly had someone welcome her in.

Xiao Suyin brought over a lot of water chestnuts and taro, saying, "I used to eat these often when I was in Jiangnan that year. I never expected someone to send some to our master, so I brought some over."

“How could I give you something? I happen to have something to give you too. A few days ago, our merchant ship arrived with a lot of local products. I’ve been busy these past few days and haven’t had a chance to sort them out yet.” Miaozhen sat down and then told me about the several funerals she had attended in the past few days.

Before the second branch of the family produced any Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), they would send money to the third branch every year. Now, although they still send money, the amount is not as large. The second branch of the family has a ready-made reason to say that they should give more money to Xiao Jingshi.

At home, Madam Rao would inevitably scold the second branch of the family for being ungrateful and disloyal, but the third branch of the family was much more frugal than before. Moreover, since there were many people in the third branch, disputes were bound to arise.

I used to eat so much bird's nest, sea cucumber, and abalone that I was sick of it. I also wore 10 to 20 sets of clothes for all four seasons. Now, I've reduced all of that by half.

Xiao Suyin was certainly aware of these things, but she was not in a position to judge the right and wrong of her elders. Moreover, her cousin had become the head of the Ministry of Personnel after returning from Xuanda University. In such an important position, she would naturally have to visit him.

"Don't bother, sister-in-law. You can keep what you have for yourselves," Xiao Suyin said with a smile.

The more she said that, the more Miaozhen had to prepare. She took her to the storeroom and directed the servants to put things away. She picked out two baskets of fresh lotus root, two shad, vinegared silver fish, pickled water shield, dried bayberries, and dried loquats for Xiao Suyin.

Strangely enough, the third wife wasn't as attentive to her as the other woman, but Miaozhen's side really acted like her own family.

Xiao Suyin and Miaozhen walked arm in arm and began to talk about her family: "Nowadays, our family's mistress Zhou is the most favored, and Erxi and the others are left alone in their rooms."

In such a power struggle between wives and concubines, it's always one side dominating the other. Miaozhen could only comfort her by saying, "She's probably just hoping to provoke you into competing with her right now, but I think you now have a son. Even if you and Master Cen aren't close, as long as you're in that house, how can she possibly get past you? She can't even leave the house."

Xiao Suyin felt quite relieved after hearing this: "Sister-in-law is right."

"So, what do you care about her? We should eat and drink as usual. Look at you, you've become so thin you're almost unrecognizable. The more you worry about these things and lose your appetite, the happier she'll be. Who knows how much she'll be eating behind her back." Ever since returning from Xuanda, Miaozhen has felt that health is more important than anything else.

Xiao Suyin agreed.

Xiao Suyin brought up another matter: "Her son is turning one year old, and we have to go there this month. Would you like to come with me, sister-in-law?"

Miaozhen said somewhat awkwardly, "We didn't receive the invitation."

"She must have forgotten. I only found out when I went back to my parents' home," Xiao Suyin said with a smile.

Miaozhen sensed something amiss in these words. Xiao Surong was the youngest daughter of the Xiao family, the most beautiful among her sisters, and she married well. However, since her marriage, she had rarely contacted her family, and probably hadn't even sent Xiao Suyin an invitation.

But Miaozhen didn't care about any of that. She said, "It's alright, I've been busy these days too."

After returning from Miaozhen's place, Xiao Suyin took the local produce to the kitchen and asked them to make steamed shad and lotus root. Then she went to the garrison commander's residence.

When Xiao Surong was still a young lady, she had a lukewarm relationship with Xiao Suyin. She was only superficially affectionate towards Rao Shi and didn't like her at all. If it weren't for Rao Shi being her legal mother, she wouldn't even bother to receive them.

Now that her husband has gone to Xuanda, it is said that he may be appointed as a commander when he returns. She is worried about this, so she is unwilling to hold a celebration for her son's first birthday. When Xiao Suyin mentioned Miaozhen from the second wife, she said, "If you missed sending one, hurry up and send one. There is no grudge between us, so why bother?"

"Oh, I really forgot." Xiao Surong patted her head.

Xiao Suyin said, "Then just remember to send it."

After finishing all that work, Xiao Suyin finally got home, only to find that her shad had been eaten.

"What? Didn't I tell you to make steamed shad? Why do we only have lotus root?" You should know that shad is plentiful in Suzhou, but it is very rare in the capital. The emperor rewards meritorious officials with this. If it weren't for the Xiao family's ice-cold boat, she wouldn't have received two.

So she prepared one to spoil and put it in a small jar, and the other to steam. But she didn't expect that no one would bring it. Could it be that the servants stole it?

The man said, "It was the old man who asked us to make some food."

Cen Yuan? I'll let it go if I hear it was Cen Yuan who ate it.

The servants who spread the word were always eager to stir up trouble. Today, when they heard that Cen Yuan couldn't eat, they said that there was shad in the kitchen, so Cen Yuan had it cooked and taken to Aunt Zhou's place, since he usually ate with Aunt Zhou. But now that Xiao Suyin asked about it, the servants pushed the blame onto Cen Yuan, adding, "They said Aunt Zhou likes to eat shad."

When a couple has a good relationship, the servants dare not sow discord, since they can tell the truth just by talking to each other. But when a couple has a bad relationship, the servants are eager to stir things up so that they can benefit from both sides.

Xiao Suyin was already dizzy from hunger, and hearing this made her heart ache even more: "This was given to me by my family. They really dare to mess with me."

The maid beside her advised, "Grandma, please bear with it. Master dotes on her. If you make a scene, you'll only anger him."

“There isn’t a single good person in the Cen family.” My mother-in-law and father-in-law went to the capital to visit them in June. She was clearly so filial, but because Cen Yuan favored Aunt Zhou, even that old lady followed suit and loved her daughter-in-law. Instead, her own daughter-in-law was disliked.

She couldn't tell her fourth sister-in-law about these hardships. Last time, Madam Rao said that Cen Yuan favored his concubine over his wife, which made Cen Yuan and her treat each other with the utmost respect. If she were to argue about this, she would be seen as stingy.

Aunt Zhou really didn't know any of this. Even if Cen Yuan did know, he wouldn't think much of it. He and the Xiao family had always been on good terms and he had never taken advantage of them. Was it not allowed to eat a fish?

Miao Zhen was unaware that her gift had caused such a stir. She was adorning the silver fish vinegar on the plate with fresh flowers when Lou Qiongyu saw that she had made two kinds of lotus root starch cakes. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "We usually eat glutinous lotus root, but today you made lotus root starch cakes. It's quite novel."

“I didn’t have time the other day, but now I’m making some proper dishes. Your fourth brother and Sister Fu both love to eat them,” Miaozhen said.

Dinner was eaten together by the five members of their family, while Lou Qiongyu's family of four ate together behind closed doors. Xiao Jingtang is currently a student of Daxing County and will have to wait until the annual examination is over before he can participate in the provincial examination.

However, Xiao Jingtang lost his enthusiasm when the topic of the provincial examination came up. Lou Qiongyu encouraged him, "Look at Fourth Brother. He used to be just like you, not much different. Now he's an official in the Ministry of Personnel. So many people want to come to our house to give gifts, but they can't get in."

"How come I didn't see it?" Xiao Jingtang said.

Lou Qiongyu shook her head: "They've all been sent away by Fourth Sister-in-law. She said she wouldn't accept a penny from anyone, so fewer people are going out now."

Xiao Jingtang said, "This is also to protect our reputation. Our family doesn't lack these few coins."

Lou Qiongyu muttered, "Of course, this is a good idea, but if everyone else accepts it and you don't, then it's inappropriate, and you'll be ostracized."

That's how things are in officialdom. Lou Qiongyu remembered her mother telling a story: in a prefecture, the magistrate was extremely honest and refused to speak up or help people redress wrongful convictions, but in the end, he was exiled.

There was even a county magistrate who was originally her father's superior, but he was directly dismissed from his post.

It is clear that the most important thing in officialdom is not being an official, but being a good person; one must know how to blend in with the world.

When Xiao Jingtang heard his wife say this, he also spoke the truth: "If I were an official, I would definitely thrive. Fourth Brother is arrogant and unwilling to be restrained. He is really not like a person in officialdom."

Lou Qiongyu quickly seized the opportunity to say, "That's why you have to study hard. Even if you don't become an official or a minister in the future, we won't always have to be subordinate to others."

On the other side, after Zhang Shihua returned to Nanjing, he heard that the war had started in Xuanda. He was very relieved and said to Miaoyun, "It seems that my luck is really good. Xiao Jingshi is going to supervise the army. He doesn't even know how he died."

He was filled with resentment after being dismissed from his post.

Miao Yun thought of Miao Zhen and felt sorry for her, but today he saw the official gazette, which stated that Xiao Jingshi, the former Imperial Inspector of Xuanda, had resigned and was transferred to the Ministry of Personnel as a principal officer.

The Ministry of Personnel is in charge of promoting officials, so it's likely that as long as Xiao Jingshi is in power, he will have difficulty getting promoted.

Zhang Shihua was so angry he nearly fell over backwards, and shouted at home that it was unfair.

Just as he was getting angry, someone came in from outside and said, "Master, Magistrate Feng has passed away."

"Oh? Speaking of which, the Feng family still owes me several hundred taels." Zhang Shihua immediately had an idea.

When Feng Xianghuan returned to his hometown to build a house, he didn't lack timber, but Zhang Shihua insisted on giving him twenty logs. Feng Xianghuan insisted on paying, knowing that owing money would make him vulnerable to being taken advantage of later, so Zhang Shihua demanded about fifty taels of silver. Now that Feng Xianghuan is dead, he's bound to demand several hundred taels of silver.

Miaoyun pleaded, "The Feng family, with its orphans and widows, is also having a hard time. Let it go."

"Don't pretend. In previous years when I was in office, when did you ever refuse the money that those petty officials, wealthy people, and scholars gave you?" Zhang Shihua simply wouldn't listen.

Now that his political career is hopeless, he can't afford to make some money.

Seeing that he had left, Miaoyun thought of her parents again. Since she considered herself to be the eldest daughter of Magistrate Xu, she should not have any further contact with her parents. Otherwise, if someone found out, she would probably be exposed.

She needs to be perfect now so that no one will suspect her.

This was a real hardship for Xu Yiming and Huang Shi. The couple were getting old, and they had used their savings as a dowry for their daughter's wedding. Although Miaoyun later brought back two hundred taels of silver, Huang Shi had fallen ill and spent a lot of money on medical treatment, so they couldn't make ends meet.

The crucial point is that the two of them still don't know where to find Miaoyun.

Xu Yiming sighed: "How about I write to my second and third brothers? Especially my second brother, he must be doing very well now. I bought some travelogues about Suzhou that were being sold on the ship, and they mentioned that my second brother's daughter, our niece Miaozhen, married the censor Xiao and saved more than 500 soldiers at the front line. His Majesty personally bestowed a plaque upon them."

Huang said, "Miaozhen was not as good as our Miaoyun back then. She liked to cross her legs while eating, her hair was always messy, she was lazy, and she didn't do any housework. It was only because her father was capable and had money to raise her that she was able to do so."

"Yes, I have no face to see my parents in Jiangdong. I was better than my second brother back then, but what about now?" Xu Yiming thought for a moment and decided that he might as well go out and find a job tomorrow.

Madam Huang gritted her teeth: "No need. I remember I have two silver hairpins. I'll pawn them tomorrow."

“That was brought back by Miaoyun and given to you.” Xu Yiming shook his head.

Huang said, "Just listen to me."

Miaoyun was unaware that her own parents were short of money, but she never expected that outsiders would ask her for money.

Xu Ling accompanied her father-in-law to Nanjing to take up an official post. She had long remembered the incident of Miao Yun impersonating Xu Miao Zhen. Coincidentally, she encountered Xu Miao Yun at a nunnery.

"Mr. Xu, it's been a long time." Xu Ling looked at her with a forced smile.

Even though Zhang Shihua had been dismissed from his post, Miaoyun was dressed in Nanjing brocade and adorned with pearls and jade. She wasn't actually dressed up in any special way; it was simply her status that made her look so elegant. However, in Xu Ling's eyes, the female tutor who used to work for him suddenly seemed to have become rich and powerful.

When Miaoyun saw Xu Ling, she gave a slight smile and said, "Young Miss."

“Do you know what? When I was in the capital, I met someone at my maternal aunt Madam Qiu’s place. She said she was also named Xu Miaozhen and was also Madam Qiu’s disciple. Isn’t that funny?” Xu Ling crossed his arms and looked at her leisurely.

Miao Yun's brow twitched, then she fell silent again.

"Yes, the real Xu Miaozhen went to the front lines with her husband and was known as a heroine doctor. Some fakes and inferior products, however, use her name to swindle people everywhere. They're really deceitful." Xu Ling scoffed.

Upon hearing this, Miaoyun felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. She thought that Miaozhen had clearly said it was Madam Qiu, so how could she have told Xu Ling as well? Could it be that she had told Xu Ling? And yet she had said in front of her that she wouldn't say it out loud.

What she feared most was that Xu Ling would expose her in front of Zhang Shihua. At least Miao Zhen hadn't said anything to Zhang Shihua. Therefore, she remained silent to see what Xu Ling was going to say.

If it's just a sneak attack, that's fine; but if it's something else, we'll have to make other plans.

Seeing Miaoyun remain silent, Xu Ling couldn't help but say, "Zhang Shihua was my father's student. Back then, he was just a poor scholar who failed the provincial examinations several times. If it weren't for my father's support, I doubt the Grandmaster would have been awarded the title. I just didn't expect that you would benefit from this."

"Do you think Zhang Shihua doesn't know my identity? He married me precisely because he knew he couldn't marry the daughter of the prefect's own son. Miss, you don't need to expose me. Back then, didn't I help you cheat to get this marriage?" Miaoyun looked at her.

Xu Ling felt a moment of panic. Back then, when the Tong family was choosing a wife for their son, they wanted someone who was virtuous and talented, and well-versed in literature and science. It was precisely because Xu Ling was good at poetry that the Tong family valued her and arranged the marriage.

Upon seeing Xu Ling like this, Miao Yun was already absolutely certain. After what happened to her father, Miao Yun had reviewed the situation several times on her own. For example, if her father had been a lecturer at the academy, as long as she remained calm, no one would have noticed.

Xu Ling was stunned by her, and Miao Yun laughed and said, "So even if you go and say something, I'm not afraid. Zhang Shihua has been dismissed from his post and is afraid that I will leave."

"I don't believe it." Xu Ling forced himself to remain calm.

Miaoyun smiled slightly again: "Back then, it was your mother who personally told them that I was her daughter, and she even saw the marriage certificate. Now that you're going to expose it, whose face are you losing?"

But Xu Ling was not one to be trifled with. She said, "Don't talk about me. I am, after all, from the Xu family, but you are not."

Miao Yun thought to herself that she already knew Xu Ling was a rough and impulsive person, and that his current attempt to control her was probably not a long-term solution. What if he suddenly said something outrageous? How would she deal with him then?

Therefore, she said to Xu Ling, "What do you want? To fight to the death?"

Xu Ling's eyes darted around. She definitely didn't want a fight to the death. If Miao Yun was pushed to the brink, she would talk nonsense in front of the Tong family, which wouldn't be good.

“I see that you are doing well now, but my mother and brothers are living under someone else’s roof. If you can take care of them for me, I will be able to grant your request.”

Miaoyun stared at her intently: "How many do you want?"

Xu Ling originally wanted to say one thousand taels, but she hardened her heart and held out one hand.

"Five hundred taels? Good." Miaoyun breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Ling sneered: "Five hundred taels to send away a beggar? Five thousand taels."

Although Miaoyun was in charge of the money, Zhang Shihua would definitely inquire about the larger expenditures. Besides, she wasn't one to be taken advantage of; if Xu Ling got used to taking money from her, she would be controlled by her in the future. So she said seriously, "Now that my husband has been dismissed from his post, would I still be here talking to you if I had five thousand taels? Five hundred taels of silver, if you want it, I'll go back and raise it and give it to you on the first and fifteenth of next month. If you think it's too little, then I won't have a penny. We can just part ways."

Seeing her turn to leave, Xu Ling became anxious: "Fine, fine, five hundred taels it is, you're really getting a good deal."

Miaoyun stopped and turned around. "Then let's meet here again on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month."

Xu Ling nodded. Back then, her mother had given her the entire dowry when she married into the family. Now, in the Tong family, the rules were strict. If she wanted to add a dish or ask for something else, she had to use her own dowry money. She was unable to support her mother. If she could get some money from the fake Miaozhen this time, she would ask someone to take it back to her mother to support her in her old age.

Regardless of what the next month's new and full moon will bring, Miaozhen is currently seeing a difficult patient. This person was introduced by Wei Wan. Wei Wan and Miaozhen have been friends since their youth, and although Miaozhen is now an official's wife, their friendship remains unchanged.

The woman had given birth half a month ago, but suddenly suffered a postpartum hemorrhage, fainted, and experienced blurred vision; her condition was very serious.

The Miao family was also a well-known pearl merchant in the capital. After looking at the pearls, Miaozhen thoughtfully asked the woman, "Do you and your husband have a good relationship?"

The woman blushed.

Miaozhen cursed inwardly, but still made her dismiss the servants first before saying, "Your illness is not caused by the rush of bad blood, but by a lack of restraint in sexual activity. Am I right?"

She said this privately because she was thinking that if the woman was unwilling to speak, she would later instruct the man to do so.

"What's wrong? Maybe the lochia hasn't cleared up completely." Madam Miao would never admit it; it would be too embarrassing. Besides, the doctor was indeed skilled, but she shouldn't ask questions she shouldn't.

But Miaozhen is no longer the evasive doctor she used to be. Now she writes a medical log for every patient she sees. Patients are now hiding things from her to save face, but if something happens to her, people will immediately blame her for being a bad doctor.

Miaozhen said, "But I see that your pulse is weak and your eyes are so weak that you can't even open them. Your heart and kidneys are both injured, which is why your uterus is damaged. If your qi cannot hold your blood, you will suffer a hemorrhage. Remember, you must not have sexual intercourse after this, otherwise, even a god cannot save you."

The woman retorted, "You're such a busybody, doctor."

Miaozhen frowned. "In that case, your family should find someone else who can help."

She had gone to great lengths to cure herself, but if she then disobeyed the doctor's advice and had intercourse during her postpartum period, she couldn't bear the consequences.

Her kindness was directed towards those who respected and trusted doctors, not towards those who concealed their illness and disrespected doctors.

As soon as she mentioned leaving, the Miao family rushed in to stop her and persuade her to stay. The woman lying on the bed then fell silent. However, Miao Zhen insisted on writing an agreement, so after writing the prescription, she read it aloud and had her put her fingerprint on it before giving the prescription to the Miao family.

The head of the Miao family looked at the prescription, which listed ginseng, wine-washed angelica, stir-fried atractylodes macrocephala, prepared rehmannia root, steamed yam, stir-fried yam, raw jujube seed, and prepared aconite.

"Generally, three doses of medicine can stop the bleeding, but after that, you need to take ten more doses to fully recover."

The Miao family quickly took the prescription and went over. Miaozhen said, "Bring the payment over after you're better."

The woman on the bed was writhing in pain, and as soon as Miaozhen stepped out the door, she said, "Isn't he supposed to be a famous doctor? His behavior is so unseemly, even asking for a consultation fee?"

Perhaps she had learned some "bad" things from Xiao Jingshi, because Miaozhen no longer tolerated it and turned around to say, "That's right, I might not ask for other people's consultation fees, but I will definitely take yours. Also, I won't be coming to your house again."

She used to always consider others, but now she earns money through her medical skills. What is there to be humble about? If you don't respect me, don't expect me to respect you either.

Naturally, some people said, "Dr. Xu, you should be more patient. After all, she is a patient. Let her vent her anger."

"From now on, you can go find that pushover to treat her. I have this temper and this mouth, and from now on, I'm not going to put up with anyone." Miao Zhen walked on the stone-paved road of the Miao family's residence, feeling as if her footsteps were about to break through the stone slabs.

When she came out, she saw Xiao Jingshi waiting for her and asked with some surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I have good news for you. I have obtained evidence that General Qiu ordered his men to bribe the Tatars and make them detour through Datong. I have also handed it over to Governor Lu." Xiao Jingshi was very happy.

Miaozhen looked at him and said, "I'm very happy too." After saying that, she also told him about how she had just confronted the unreasonable patient.

Xiao Jingshi was indeed different from ordinary people, and he was indignant: "It should have been done a long time ago. You don't even care about your own life, and you still have the nerve to talk about other doctors."

"Thank you, Jing Shi." Miao Zhen felt so good to have someone support her. If it were someone else, they would definitely give her a long lecture and try to morally blackmail her.