Chapter 87 (combined with another chapter)

Madam Mei personally delivered some of her homemade pickled spring greens, and also made pork rib buns and preserved vegetable buns for her daughter. Miaozhen bit into the bun and saw that there were quail eggs inside. She couldn't help but say, "Mother, you really know how to cook. To be honest, I've been craving this. But my cooking skills are still not good enough. I haven't had many opportunities to cook these past few years. Luckily, I have you here, Mother."

“You spend all day treating patients, where would you find the time to think about food? If you want something to eat, just quietly tell me, and I'll bring it to you.” Seeing her daughter enjoying her meal, Madam Mei was very pleased.

Miaozhen laughed and said, "I'm so old, and I'm still so greedy. People will definitely laugh at me if they find out."

Madam Mei waved her hand, not caring much: "What's the big deal? You're not a young bride who just entered the family anymore. You know how to behave. What will the family say?"

"That's not how it works," Miaozhen said, then recounted how Mrs. Lou had caused a scene in the main room and hit Qin Ying.

Madam Mei gasped in astonishment: "This lady used to be more high-class, how come she's so unbecoming now? Even if Qin Ying and your brother-in-law had nothing going on, you should have caught them in the act."

Miaozhen nodded: "She probably meant well by standing up for her daughter. She thought that Lou Qiongyu had been married into the family for so many years and had already established herself. Sixth Brother is easygoing, and she used to do whatever he said. But my father-in-law came out and told Sixth Brother to take Qin Ying as a concubine. Once the mourning period was over, Qin Ying was allowed to enter the family."

“In that case, your sister-in-law will be pitiful.” Madam Mei had met Qin Ying when she celebrated Old Madam Xiao’s birthday. That girl had fair skin and a beautiful face, and she was quite shrewd and not an ordinary concubine who was easy to deal with.

Moreover, with both her parents deceased, the only person she can cling to is her husband. She'll probably do everything in her power to please him. Although Lou Qiongyu doesn't usually do anything wrong, she's honest but lacks romance. Compared to Qin Ying, it's obvious to anyone with eyes.

Miaozhen sighed: "Yes, but wives and concubines are different in status, so they are still not the same."

We should always try to think positively.

Madam Mei disagreed: "What's the difference? The person a man truly loves is the one he holds dear in his heart. Wives and concubines all depend on a man's mood, and we women ultimately rely on a man's conscience to get by. Look at your father; even when he became wealthy, he never looked down on me."

“Mom, you are much prettier than my dad. Why would my dad dislike you?” Miaozhen thought that her dad had a short neck and was a bit chubby, while her mom, at her age, had fair skin, a slender figure, and a pretty good appearance.

Hearing Miaozhen say this, Madam Mei thought that her daughter was more considerate, so she said, "Don't misunderstand your father. Apart from writing stories, he doesn't have any hobbies. He often stays up late writing stories, which almost kills him. He doesn't have time to think about those things."

Miaozhen stuck out her tongue.

After eating the steamed buns her mother made, Miaozhen dozed off. Seeing this, Mei said, "Don't overwork yourself on weekdays."

"There's no other way. My family is going out to hold a religious ceremony in a few days, so I simply called all the patients over to see them all first," Miaozhen said helplessly.

The mother and daughter then had some private conversations, mainly about arranging Jian Ge'er's marriage, repairing the new house, replacing the furniture, and hiring a famous chef, all of which had to be done by Madam Mei.

Miaozhen also offered a few suggestions, and then Madam Mei said, "I won't bother you anymore, you should rest well."

"You should stew and eat the donkey-hide gelatin and bird's nest that your daughter gave you regularly. Don't always think about leaving them for others, as if you're afraid of eating them yourself," Miaozhen instructed.

Mrs. Mei patted her daughter on the shoulder: "Don't worry."

After Madam Mei left, Miaozhen rested well for a day. The next day, she went to pay her respects to Madam Ren as usual. Now that Han Yueyao was preparing for the wedding ceremony and Lou Qiongyu was slightly unwell, only Miaozhen was by her side.

"Do you have any patients today?" Mrs. Ren asked.

Miaozhen shook her head: "I've finished watching it the other day and plan to rest for a while. I'll accompany you to the Taoist ceremony then." After saying that, she smiled and said: "I plan to take a special bath today. I always feel unsatisfied and cold when I wash in a wooden tub at home, so I prepared a special bathing room early on. There's a boiler in the back and a small pool in the front. It's very warm inside, so I can have a good wash."

"It's cold outside, the spring chill is biting, I'm too lazy to move," Madam Ren said with a smile.

Miaozhen then invited Ren to come and bathe, and said with a smile, "I will give you a good scrub and massage, and then I will use Yu Rong San to wash and apply to your face. I guarantee you will feel very comfortable."

Ms. Ren was actually somewhat tempted, but still said awkwardly, "I'm so embarrassed."

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's only right that your daughter-in-law should serve you, but unfortunately I'm away all year round and haven't been able to." Miaozhen was quite grateful to Madam Ren. Although this marriage was arranged because of Madam Ren's superstition, she had still allowed her to enter the family. Madam Ren was also very good to Fu'er and Zhao'er, and even gave her jewelry.

Previously, when she had a conflict with Xiao Suxin, Ren Shi did not blame her afterwards. Moreover, because of Liu Shi's matter, she also stood by her side and said a lot of bad things about Liu Shi.

Ren was persuaded by Miaozhen and asked Baozhu to prepare a change of clothes.

Miaozhen then decorated the bathroom nicely. First, she placed a charcoal brazier inside to make the room warm and cozy. Then, she added a waterproof satin curtain outside the bathtub and placed a large bouquet of flowers and two baskets of roses in front of the bathtub.

A chaise lounge was placed outside the curtain, with sweet incense burning.

When Ren came in, it was warm and cozy. Miaozhen put well salt at the bottom of the bath, poured in hot water, and then put flower petals on the surface.

"Madam, please take off your clothes first. Just close your eyes and soak in the water. I'll wash your hair and massage your muscles."

Women in ancient times were quite conservative. Even someone of Ren's age couldn't go to the bathhouse as freely as men. But now, with Miaozhen by her side, she first applied shampoo to Ren's hair, then rinsed it thoroughly with water from the flowers, not to mention applying medicine, massaging her muscles, and giving her a face mask.

Ren slept comfortably several times. After coming out of the bathroom, she swayed her body and said, "Brother Shi's daughter-in-law, I feel like my body and head have become a few pounds lighter. It feels so good. I've been shrugging like this all winter, but I never thought it would feel so good to relax."

“Taking a bath is the most relaxing thing to do.” Miaozhen kept supporting Ren Shi.

Because the legs are too weak after a bath, if Ren Shi falls, it would be a case of good intentions gone wrong. Fortunately, Miao Zhen invited her mother-in-law to have a meal with her, which made Ren Shi feel good for several days. Miao Zhen then secretly gave her a set of expensive jewelry.

Soon the day of the ritual arrived. It had been a year since the old lady passed away. Although Miaozhen and the others had finished their mourning period, their clothes were still mainly simple and elegant.

Those who are too young in the clan, like Zheng Ge'er, don't need to go, but Fu Jie'er and Zhao Ge'er must go. Fu Jie'er and Miao Zhen had just finished bathing yesterday and had a natural fragrance on them even without perfume.

Madam Ren didn't consider herself a biased mother-in-law. Even when dividing the old lady's belongings, she divided them equally, without giving Xiao Jingshi a larger share just because he was an official. But to be fair, of the three daughters-in-law, Madam Xu was indeed the most filial and considerate.

The eldest daughter-in-law, Han, is rather muddle-headed and often looks after her own family. Lou Qiongyu, on the other hand, is incompetent and blames the Xiao family instead, often sulking. Does a mother-in-law have to be mindful of her daughter-in-law's feelings?

With this comparison, her heart became somewhat biased.

Even Xiao Jingshi noticed this: "Mother is treating you quite well now. When I went over yesterday, she said that you are very tired from seeing doctors and asked me to be more understanding of you."

"It's just putting yourself in someone else's shoes," Miaozhen said with a smile.

As they talked, they realized that it had been a year since they returned and that they would soon be out of mourning. They wondered how the people in the capital were doing.

First, Princess Chang'an gave birth to a baby girl, and her relationship with her husband improved. However, whenever she summoned her husband, Granny Meng and others felt it was inappropriate and advised her against it. They even blocked the entrance to the princess's residence, and the husband could only enter by paying money. Even so, when Granny Meng and others were in a bad mood, they might not let the husband in. The couple also hated these unruly servants.

But Granny Meng was sent by the palace, and she took good care of her affairs on a daily basis. Her words were high-sounding and respectable, so they really couldn't find any fault with her.

Furthermore, Cen Yuan was not very happy working as a principal officer in the Ministry of Justice. He had just become familiar with the Ministry of Revenue, but when he handled cases in the Ministry of Justice, he had to familiarize himself with the procedures all over again. The paperwork was exhausting and he was often very tired.

Cen's father encountered a major case while in office and vaguely sensed danger, so he resigned and moved with his wife to their son's house in the capital.

Xiao Suyin now had to serve her parents-in-law, and only after winning a smile from Madam Cen could she return to her room.

Madam Cen said to the people around her, "That Xiao is just putting on a show. Yesterday she said she would cook herself, but I don't like cherry meat at all. I hate sweet and sour food. It's clear that she wasn't really trying."

Because Xiao Suyin and Cen Yuan's relationship was not good, Madam Cen's attitude had changed, and she was very critical of Xiao Suyin. Xiao Suyin sighed and hoped that her family would come back soon. Her third and fourth sisters-in-law had a good relationship with her, and she would have more places to go.

However, Cen Yuan spoke of the Xiao family with some disdain, saying, "Xiao San is one thing, but his father-in-law is a slippery fellow who doesn't offend anyone and has already chosen his official position. Xiao Si, on the other hand, offended the Yan faction. Back then, he had the merit of being the Imperial Inspector, so the Yan faction couldn't do anything about it. Now that he's about to be reinstated, how can they not teach him a lesson?"

However, Cen's father said, "This Xiao Si is a well-known talent in this area, but he is not very tolerant of others."

"Who says otherwise? Let's wait and see." Cen Yuan had already heard about it, but he wouldn't tell Xiao Jingshi. Right now, Xiao Jingshi probably still thought that he had connections in the Ministry of Personnel because he had been a principal officer there. But the Minister was a member of Yan's faction, so how could his subordinates not listen to their superiors?

Sometimes, while your own failures are terrible, your friends' successes are even more heartbreaking.

Thinking about Xiao Jingshi's possible situation, and then considering that he himself was a government official in the capital, he felt much more at ease.

After Xiao Jingtian of the third branch of the family finished his mourning period, he was transferred to the capital to serve as an official. Everyone was very happy to hear this. The eldest and second branches of the family held banquets. Even Liu and Bian, whose husbands were going to study in the capital, had to go with them.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Madam Gao secretly asked Miaozhen, "What are your plans, Fourth Brother?"

“He hasn’t made any plans yet. He said he wants to attend my brother’s wedding first, and then we’ll discuss the details,” Miaozhen said with a smile.

Seeing that the two of them were not keeping their mouths shut, Gao decided not to say anything more and said, "You and Fourth Brother have always been good at making decisions, so I won't say anything more."

"I wish you all the best on your journey to the capital, Third Sister-in-law," Miaozhen said.

The Gao couple set off quickly, and the servants of the Xiao family couldn't help but chatter. One of them said, "Why did Third Master's assignment come down so quickly, but Fourth Master's hasn't come down yet?"

Someone said, "It all comes down to Third Madam. She is the daughter of the Gao family, a family of high-ranking officials for generations. How can Fourth Madam's status compare? No wonder people want to marry a woman from a prominent family; that's the reason."

Miao Zhen had heard these words before, but she knew the reason behind Xiao Jingshi's actions. Last year, Yang Jisheng, an assistant director of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War, was imprisoned for impeaching Yan Song for "five treacherous acts and ten major crimes." Xiao Jingshi had always admired him and felt very sorry for him, which showed how favored the Yan family was now.

The Gao family themselves are all currying favor with Yan Song. Xiao Jingtian may seem successful now, but who knows what the future holds? Xiao Jingshi knows his own temperament. Staying in the capital would force him to choose sides and waver. It would be better to be sent out to a remote area.

Although there were factional struggles in the area, people generally didn't dare to mess with him because of his relationship with the Lu family.

So neither of them sought employment; they simply waited for the Ministry of Personnel to assign them positions. Naturally, they just needed to maintain good relations with Governor Lu in the palace.

Since no connections were used, the transfer order definitely wouldn't be issued so quickly.

Xiao Jingshi had been in the capital for several years, and now that he was at home free from the hustle and bustle, his sleep had improved significantly in just a few months since he returned. He looked much more energetic and spirited than when he first came back.

He only discussed these ideas with Master Xiao, who, while hoping his son would be ambitious, also understood the importance of a long-term official career. Besides, his son was born in the second year of the Jiajing reign and had just turned thirty this year; many people his age probably hadn't even passed the provincial examination.

Master Xiao said nothing, and since Madam Ren and Miaozhen got along very well and were reluctant to part with Zhaoge and Fujie, they naturally didn't mention it either.

Meanwhile, the Xu family was preparing to welcome the new bride. Miaozhen brought her children over early in the morning. Xu Erpeng smiled and said to Miaozhen, "Go play in your mother's room. There are lots of candies there. Share them with them."

"Father, how old am I? Why would I still go out to play?" Miaozhen chuckled.

Xu Erpeng dotes on his daughter, but he just smiled.

Miaozhen led the children into the main room of the Mei family first. The servants had already brought up six or seven kinds of tea, snacks and candies. Fu'er was very attached to her mother and did not feel bored at all when she was with Miaozhen. However, Zheng'er could not stay still. Zhao'er often came to his maternal grandfather's house and was very familiar with it, so he volunteered to take his younger brother out to play.

Seeing the brothers run out, Miaozhen and her daughter Fujie smiled at each other.

Before long, almost all of Xu Si Niang's family, Miao Lian, and others arrived. In addition to them, there were also some of their peers from Suzhou Prefecture, and almost all of Xu Er Peng's classmates came over.

When the cousins ​​met, Miaolian came over and said, "Sister Zhenzhen hasn't changed much, she's even more beautiful now."

"How are you? Did you bring the child?" Miaozhen asked.

Miaolian said, "They're all at home."

When Miaolian and Xu Si Niang first met Miaozhen, they only thought she was good-looking. Now, however, her demeanor is completely different. She speaks slowly and gracefully, and her movements are also leisurely and elegant.

Miaozhen felt that her family hadn't changed much. Xu Si Niang was still as fond of taking advantage of others, constantly trying to get her children to come and get money. Miaolian had some selfish motives, but compared to Miaoyun, she was more down-to-earth.

When relatives meet, their circumstances are completely different. They exchange only a few pleasantries before falling silent. On the contrary, she has a good relationship with Ma Yulan, Wang Xie, and others. After all these years, Ma Yulan is still the same, rushing up to Miaozhen with a boisterous chatter.

"Long time no see." Ma Yulan was still the same as before.

Miaozhen asked her about her current situation, and Ma Yulan smiled and said, "After my father-in-law retired from the patrol office five years ago, my husband was transferred to work in the Wuxi County Household Registration Office, and I went with him."

Those who could pass the imperial examinations were one in ten thousand, and most of them failed. Some chose to become local officials, with some minor power, able to take care of their families, and often have some illicit income, so they lived a decent life. Others chose to go into business.

The Wang family that Ma Yulan married into is a good example. You can tell that her husband treats her well by the fact that her personality hasn't changed.

Everyone chatted and laughed, and time flew by. The Xu family's house wasn't big; they just set up a stage outside. As dusk fell, Jian Ge'er, dressed in his groom's attire and with flowers in his hair, was teased by those around him as he went to fetch his bride.

After the bride entered the house, Miaozhen went to the bridal chamber to see her. She found her to be very beautiful and praised her a few times before leaving with her husband.

On the way, Xiao Jingshi asked Miaozhen, "How is your sister-in-law?"

"As the saying goes, time will tell, and we'll have to wait and see," Miaozhen said with a smile.

Ultimately, Luo lives with her younger brother. Her parents are both capable and decisive people, so they shouldn't have a bad life.

Compared to Jian Ge'er's marriage, Xiao Jingtang's decision to take Qin Ying as his second wife was much more low-key. A small sedan chair, four lanterns, and two maids from the first wife's household escorted her to the neighboring Haitang Pavilion.

Qin Ying brought a maid and six loads of dowry with her, supposedly arranged by the eldest son's family out of respect for the old lady. When the sedan chair arrived at the door, Lou Qiongyu remained unmoved; she hadn't expected Xiao Jingtang to humiliate her like this.

Fangyun, who was beside her, reminded her, "Grandma, if you don't go out, it will be more respectable for Sixth Master to go out and greet people when they come in."

Lou Qiongyu gritted her teeth and went to the door to welcome Qin Ying inside.

Qin Ying lived in two side rooms of Haitang Pavilion. In accordance with the Xiao family's rules, Han Yueyao sent another maid over. These were all done by Han Yueyao according to the family's rules. Xiao Jingheng's concubine Zhang was one of the two maids who served him.

But in Lou Qiongyu's view, even her elder sister-in-law has betrayed her now, not to mention Miaozhen, who never utters a word in her defense.

It was also said that although Qin Ying was very low-key after marrying into the family, she was very satisfied. On her wedding night, she kept confessing her feelings to Xiao Jingtang, saying that she had no such intentions.

She was now Xiao Jingtang's legitimate concubine. Seeing her alluring beauty in the candlelight, Xiao Jingtang, not being a virtuous man, became intimate with her.

The water delivery in the side room was quite lively. Lou Qiongyu shed half a tub of tears, and vaguely regretted that she should have not provoked Sister Xia Xian in the first place.

Some people are like that; once they've been retaliated against, it's as if their spine has been broken.

Miaozhen was still the same as always. She usually helped people with medical treatment, raised her children, and cultivated her own hobbies. She lived a very peaceful life. After her younger brother and sister-in-law Luo returned home after three days, it was Zhengge'er's birthday. He was still young, and it was just a casual birthday celebration, so Miaozhen only invited her family members over.

So, Madam Mei brought her new bride to visit, and Madam Luo even made a set of clothes for Zheng Ge'er herself, saying that they were made on the spot.

"These stitches are rarely seen nowadays; they are truly fine and even," Miaozhen exclaimed to Luo Shi, admiring the garment.

Madam Luo breathed a slight sigh of relief. She had heard of her aunt before; she was a renowned physician in Suzhou Prefecture, had even served in the palace, and was currently a sixth-rank concubine. If her aunt had denied her performance, the Xu family might have some reservations about her.

Fortunately, her aunt was very satisfied with her, and Mrs. Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

In reality, it was also out of empathy. Miaozhen herself had sisters-in-law, so of course she didn't want to make things difficult for her. She even picked out two bolts of fine satin and some perfumes and fans for her to play with.

However, Madam Luo did not relax because of this. Although Miaozhen was very friendly to her, she could tell that the Xiao family had strict rules. In particular, the maids stood with their eyes down and did their work very properly, holding their breath and not daring to do anything rash. Obviously, this was because the master behaved properly.

Soon, Madam Mei inquired about Xiao Jingshi's reinstatement: "We don't know much about these things, but we don't know if there's anything our son-in-law can do to help us? Even a small favor would be appreciated."

“He can handle these matters himself. Now that Steward Sun has taken Ping An to the capital, we will go together as a family no matter where we go.” This is where Miao Zhen’s composure lies. Since we are going together as a family, wherever we go will be our home.

Ms. Mei felt somewhat relieved after hearing this.

After Fu-jie accompanied Luo-shi to stroll in the garden, Mei-shi asked Miao-zhen, "What do you think of your sister-in-law?"

"I think she's great, very beautiful."

Mei smiled and then said, "Although Luo is born out of wedlock, her stepmother is kind and has no children of her own, so she raised her. And Luo is able to distinguish right from wrong, even though she is a bit competitive. But this is a good thing for our family. In short, she is better than the Liao family's daughter."

"The Liao family? What's going on with the Liao family now?" Miaozhen didn't understand.

Madam Mei said, "That was your father's classmate from the prefectural school. He opened a private school and taught a few elementary school students. He bought some books from our family, and your younger brother personally delivered them. When he saw the Liao family's daughter, he was quite attracted to her because she was beautiful, charming, and well-educated. But your father inquired about her privately and found out that she had someone she liked, so he quickly arranged for someone even prettier."

So that's how it happened. Miaozhen couldn't help but ask, "Did the Liao family's daughter marry the man she loved?"

"No, if it could have been arranged, it would have been arranged long ago. The man's family was poor, and the Liao family was unwilling to marry off their daughter. In the end, they married Miss Liao to the youngest son of Scholar Gong." Madam Mei was still grateful when she mentioned it.

If the two sides get together, they will become an unhappy couple. Madam Mei even told her husband that she was afraid their son would blame them for breaking up the couple. But her husband said, "They only met once. Madam Luo is prettier, has a better family background, and is more capable and has a better temperament. Men are very realistic and know how to choose. They can abandon their wives who have shared their hardships, let alone our son. He is not a romantic saint or someone who is deeply in love. In the end, they will all be like that."

At the time, Madam Mei was still somewhat uneasy, but now that Madam Luo has entered the family and her son is indeed very affectionate, she is completely different from her previous state of not being able to eat or drink.

Miaozhen chuckled upon hearing this; her father was truly a remarkable person.