67 Mandarin Duck Jade Pendant
◎The low, mellow, and smiling voice sounded almost close to her ear.◎
Madam Shen nodded gently, a gentle smile playing on her lips. She asked, "Miss Chu, have you ever thought about opening a clinic? I see that you are truly kind and talented. Opening a clinic to save lives would be a great way to live up to your talents."
She also had selfish motives in making this suggestion.
Chu Yufu is now the wife of a dignified fourth-rank military commander, and her husband, Pei Yue, is young and promising. If Pei Yue rises higher in the future, even if she becomes the wife of a duke, it will be inconvenient for her to frequently invite an official's wife to their home for consultations. Chu Yufu is a skilled doctor, particularly in gynecology, and she will undoubtedly have someone to rely on in the future. If she could open a clinic, everything would fall into place, making things much easier for both herself and others.
Chu Yufu pursed her lips and thought for a moment before softly replying, "To be honest, Madam, I have indeed entertained the idea of opening a clinic, but I haven't thought it through completely yet, and I still need to consider it."
Nowadays, many people want to interact with her. She is willing to cure diseases and save lives, and is also willing to make friends with these people, but she does not want to run around frequently to various mansions, and she does not want to turn her own house into a "medical clinic" with people coming and going, which would be unbecoming.
Moreover, most of those who came here to visit him were wives of officials. If one was not careful in socializing with Pei Yue, it would be disastrous if someone with ulterior motives accused him of forming a clique for personal gain.
Opening a clinic is indeed a good idea, but it can't be rushed... I have to discuss it with my husband.
The three of them chatted for a while about how to avoid the heat and maintain health in the midsummer, and what kind of cool and refreshing foods should be used. Then Chu Yufu stood up and took her leave, saying that she wanted to go see Master Yan and discuss the follow-up medication with Doctor Xu.
The two ladies agreed with a smile.
Before leaving, Madam Shen beckoned over the maidservant standing outside the pavilion, took the brocade box the maidservant had been carefully holding, opened it herself, and handed it to Chu Yufu: "I haven't presented my congratulations to you on your wedding. This pair of jade pendants depicting mandarin ducks and lotus flowers is presented to you and General Pei as a gift. I wish you a long and happy marriage and a long life together."
In the brocade box, a pair of white jade pendants, about half the size of a palm, lay quietly. The jade was warm and transparent, with mandarin ducks leaning on each other and lotus leaves standing tall. The delicate green silk ribbons underneath made it even more elegant.
Chu Yufu's eyebrows curved, revealing a sweet smile. She took it with both hands and said, "Thank you, Madam, for the generous gift."
After putting away the brocade box, she did not forget her business. She carefully folded the paper that had recorded Madam Shen's symptoms, put it in her arms, and said, "Madam, don't worry. I have written down these symptoms. I will look up the classics when I go back. If I have any clues, I will tell you." Then she bowed to Queen Wu before turning and leaving.
Madam Shen watched the graceful figure walk away before turning back and sighing to Empress Wu, "Sister Yi, I really like this girl. She's intelligent, gentle, and polite, and she has this rare skill of rejuvenation. If she hadn't already been engaged to Pei Yue when we met, I really want to tell my little brother about her."
Empress Wu couldn't help laughing and glanced at her: "What you said is true. I think your little brother is really not as good as the General Pei who was chosen by others."
Mrs. Shen's younger brother was of similar age to Chu Yufu, and had decent character, but he was completely absorbed in having fun and spent all day at the polo field. In the future, he would probably just be able to get a sinecure by relying on his ancestors' influence.
On the other hand, Pei Yue, relying on almost no family influence, fought on the battlefield with his own courage and insight. At a young age, he was already a powerful fourth-rank general with a promising future. Comparing the two, the difference was immediately apparent.
Madam Shen was choked, but she still had a bit of a protective attitude. "Although I have no interest in a career, I have a gentle and sincere personality and will be wholeheartedly devoted to my wife. You've also met Pei Yue. Apart from anything else, just that cold and distant look doesn't make him look like someone who would be considerate."
Queen Wu loved to see her protecting her daughter, so she deliberately joked, "Oh? Maybe he is a piece of ice outside, and he won't feel cold when he closes the door and faces his lovely wife?" She blinked mischievously.
Madam Shen raised her eyebrows. She really couldn't imagine Pei Yue's cold face turning into a pool of spring water.
Seeing her speechless, Empress Wu smiled and waved her round fan, then she put away her joking expression and said seriously, "Regardless of how he treats his wife, judging by his talent and character, his future is limitless."
Madam Shen heard the hidden meaning and asked in a low voice, "...but your majesty is interested in cultivating you?"
Queen Wu nodded slightly and lowered her voice.
"Although the main Turkic forces were defeated in the battle in the northern frontier, remnants still remain. Your Majesty is aware that his age is advancing and his health is declining. He does not want to leave this threat to his descendants. He intends to seize the opportunity while he still has strength to completely pacify the northern frontier, drive the remaining Turkic forces out of the Almer Mountains, and take control of the Huaping area."
"Several pillars of state in the court are already aging, and they need an injection of enterprising new blood like Pei Yue. A while ago, several generals discussed military affairs in the northern frontier. I heard that he had unique insights and insightful analyses, and even the veteran generals nodded in agreement. Your Majesty was very impressed by this."
After hearing this, Madam Shen sighed softly: "Indeed... the future is bright."
-
In the afternoon, the sun was scorching and the sky was blue without a single cloud.
There were scorching heat waves outside, and even the air seemed to be distorted by the baking. When I squinted my eyes, the scenery in the distance seemed to be shaking slightly.
In Chu Yufu's bedroom, there was a huge blue and white porcelain jar filled with long ice cubes. A trace of cool air dissipated, dispelling some of the summer heat.
She changed into a light, thin, lavender silk dress that reached her chest, and lazily leaned on the low couch by the window, flipping through the account book in her hand. The densely packed numbers made her dizzy and drowsy.
Under the corridor, several maids were crowded in a corner where there was a draft, doing needlework and chatting in low voices.
In addition to the four maids brought by Chu Yufu as a dowry, Anle Garden now has two new maids. One is from the Pei family, named Man'er, and the other is Zhong Zhiyao, both of them are about sixteen or seventeen years old.
The first two days had been filled with reservations, but after a few days of getting to know each other better, the conversation started to flow. Someone curiously asked Zhong Zhiyao why she hadn't changed her name like the other new maids after entering the mansion. Had she ever worked in another mansion before?
Chu Yufu was so confused by the numbers in the account book that she simply closed it and leaned her head against the cold window frame, listening to the chatter outside to relieve her fatigue. Then she heard the girl named Zhong Zhiyao answer cheerfully:
"Mother Yu said I'm old and wouldn't be used to changing my name, so she didn't let me change it. She also said if the master feels comfortable calling me by the other two characters, then we can just keep calling me Zhiyao. The main thing is that I've been called this name for over ten years. If I suddenly change it, even if I hear someone calling me by my new name, I'm afraid I won't be able to realize they're calling me!"
Chu Yufu listened from inside the window and couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips. This girl is really honest.
Then Zhong Zhiyao continued, "My family used to be quite well-off. My father owned a moderately sized tea shop in the next county, and I never worked anywhere else. At most, I helped with the bookkeeping there. Later, my father passed away, and our family money was stolen. That's why I came to the capital to find work."
Her voice gradually lowered and took on a hint of bitterness.
"Robbed? Who robbed it? Didn't you report it to the police?" It was Yun Xing's voice.
Zhong Zhiyao sighed and whispered, "I reported it to the authorities, but it was no use. As soon as my father left, the elders in the clan said that women couldn't run the family business. They took away the tea shop and the few acres of paddy fields we owned. They only gave us three mothers ten taels of silver, saying they would 'manage it for us' and return it to us when my brother grew up."
She paused, her voice even softer. "But who would have thought that just two years later, my brother and I would also have an accident and die. When my mother went to ask for my father's land and shop back, they refused to acknowledge it. They said my mother was from another family and that I was a girl who would have to get married sooner or later and was like spilled water. So the tea shop, paddy fields, and old house were all taken away by my cousin."
"We went to the government office to file a complaint, but the county magistrate said that the laws of Dayan clearly state that childlessness means the extinction of the family lineage, and that my father's property should be inherited by the nearest male heir in the family, which means my cousin. In the end, they only awarded us thirty taels of silver and sent us off. I really had no choice, and I didn't want to just marry anyone to make a living, so I asked someone to act as a guarantor and hired me into the mansion as a maid. If there's anything I don't do carefully, I hope my sisters will bear with me and give me more advice..."
As she listened, Chu Yufu had unconsciously moved from leaning back to sitting upright. Her index finger unconsciously tapped the low table, the nail knocking against the red wood, making a very subtle "tap, tap" sound.
Hearing these words, a chill ran down her spine. She had never known that the laws of Dayan were so harsh on widows! Without children, she wouldn't even be able to keep the inheritance left by her husband, leaving her vulnerable to exploitation. If anything happened to Pei Yue in the future, she couldn't count on the Chu family to support her.
After all, you still have to rely on yourself.
She couldn't help but think of Madam Shen's suggestion that morning at Duke Xin's residence. Perhaps it was time to put the idea of opening a clinic on the agenda.
After dinner, Pei Yue did not go to the study, but leaned on the low couch in the bedroom to read a book. Chu Yufu came forward to take a look. It was a military book with quite obscure language. She could not understand it so she did not disturb him.
Thinking of the pair of jade pendants given by Madam Shen that morning, she felt a little moved and called Lan Zhu to fetch the brocade box. She picked up one of them and bent over to tie it to Pei Yue's belt.
Her fingertips deftly circled the silk ribbon, and just as she was about to tie a knot, she glanced inadvertently and found that a dark shadow had appeared beside her. She was so scared that she let out a short scream and almost threw the jade pendant away!
Turning back to check, she found that Pei Yue had stood behind her silently at some point.
She held her slightly heaving chest, patted his arm gently, and complained softly, "You scared me to death. How come you walk so silently... This is a wedding gift from Mrs. Shen this morning, a pair of jade pendants with mandarin ducks and lotus flowers. I thought they were elegant, so I thought of giving one to you."
The corners of the man's lips curved up, and he suddenly leaned forward, stretched out his arms from her side, wrapped his hands around her hand holding the jade pendant, and took a closer look.
This posture almost covered her entire body in his arms. The faint scent of pine mixed with the hot breath came to her, and the man's strong chest pressed against her back.
A low, mellow, and smiling voice practically clung to her ear: "The jade pendant is indeed excellent. It's just that Madam has worn it by mistake..." He paused, his fingertips stroking the bird feather pattern nestled beside the lotus leaf on the jade pendant. "This one is engraved with 'Dang', so it should belong to Madam."
The warm breath brushed past Chu Yufu's ears like a small feather, and her face flushed instantly: "I... I'll just switch over!"
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