Chapter 815 Five Years Later (Part 4) Zhongli Wenlian
Zhongli Wenlian stared blankly at the blurry shadow of the carriage that had already walked out of the street corner. It wasn't until Granny Cui behind her called out "Wife" that Zhongli Wenlian came back to her senses.
Having emerged from her thoughts, Zhongli Wenlian left the window and turned to sit down at the round table inside the room.
Granny Cui stepped forward and poured Zhongli Wenlian a cup of tea, then placed the teacup in front of her. "Is Madam seeing that Physician Li?"
Zhongli Wenlian reached out and looked at the teacup. Upon hearing Granny Cui's question, her previously expressionless face suddenly became lively. Her already gorgeous clothes and makeup made her face even more beautiful.
"Mother's question is obviously to see if the Medical Supervisor Li really is as plain-looking as the rumors say."
“There are few women in the world as beautiful as you, Madam. I think that Doctor Li is just an ordinary woman. At most, she has been an official for a while and has a bit of official air about her that other women don’t have.”
How dare a servant woman who serves the daughters of officials speak so arrogantly?
Granny Cui dared to say that because she had something to rely on.
The Zhongli family is a prominent family in Huizhou, with records dating back to the Qin Dynasty. To this day, the Zhongli family is one of the most prominent families in Fengyang County, Huizhou.
Zhongli Wenlian is the youngest daughter of the eldest branch of the Zhongli family in this generation. The current patriarch of the Zhongli family is Zhongli Wenlian's grandfather.
Although the Zhongli family is not well-known in Chang'an now, quite a few of its members have actually served as officials.
After becoming a widow at a young age, Granny Cui was hired by the Zhongli family to be Zhongli Wenlian's foster mother. For more than 20 of those 30 years, Granny Cui had stayed in Fengyang County, and she had seen quite a few officials.
Later, Zhongli Wenlian married into the Jiangnan East Circuit. Her husband was also the son of an official. Granny Cui went with her and met many prominent officials. She also met women who were granted official ranks because of their husbands or sons.
Therefore, Granny Cui, who is now accompanying Zhongli Wenlian to send her son to study in Chang'an again, has such a high opinion of Li Sanniang's official demeanor.
Zhongli Wenlian raised her hand, took a small sip of tea, and then slowly said to Granny Cui, "Mother has seen many officials and thinks that what happened to Physician Li is nothing."
However, Mother forgot that Medical Supervisor Li was no ordinary female official; she was one who had caught the eye of the Emperor.
Zhongli Wenlian was quite patient with Granny Cui, who had taken care of her since childhood. She took another sip of tea and said, "Mother, I sincerely asked Fourth Sister to give the hairpin made by Master Lu to Doctor Li."
I specifically chose an orchid hairpin because I genuinely felt that the maternity ward that Physician Li built for women was truly worthy of being a gift from me.
When Zhongli Wenlian mentioned the maternity ward built by Li San Niang, the contemptuous expression on Granny Cui's face lessened considerably.
Granny Cui was widowed when she was young and never had a child, but she had lived in Zhongli’s house for more than 20 years and had seen dozens of women giving birth.
Childbirth is like passing through the gates of hell for a woman. In Zhongli's family, there were several wives who died in childbirth and several married women who had left the family.
"...If Ping-jie had had a female doctor like Doctor Li by her side back then, would she have...would she not have..."
Hearing Granny Cui mention her younger sister who died in childbirth at the young age of seventeen, Zhongli Wenlian couldn't help but feel sad.
While heartbroken, Zhongli Wenlian also felt a surge of anger.
"Yang Sanlang is truly heartless and ungrateful. He tricked Pingjie into going to him. He is six years older than Pingjie, yet he showed no consideration for Pingjie's young age and consummated the marriage so early."
When I was at home, I had spoken with my mother and Ping'er and we agreed that even if I got married first, we wouldn't be in a hurry to get pregnant, and we asked her to avoid me!
Yang Sanlang did it on purpose!
He only went to such lengths to deceive Ping-jie because he saw my elder brother get promoted again!
Zhongli Wenlian and Granny Cui scolded Yang Sanlang for a full quarter of an hour before returning to talking about Li Sanniang.
"My lady, I have found out that since the divorce, apart from the rumored connection with Xu Sanlang of the Duke of Ying's mansion, there has been no news of her getting close to any other man."
Dr. Li has only one daughter so far, and judging from this, he must be focused on making achievements and establishing his career.
The message I bought said that Li Yijian was taught by his father from a young age and later became an apprentice of the former head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, Dr. Liang.
Although Physician Li is not very old, he already has three disciples on the surface, though they are not formally master and disciple, they are in fact master and disciple with each other…
Li San Niang, who was being pondered by Zhong Li Wenlian, had already entered the restaurant where she and the people from the maternity ward usually gathered, along with Qiu Xiang and Song Fuling.
Led by the servant to the second floor, upon entering the room, Chen Yanfu, Steward Li, Wu Erniang, Sun Chunlan, and Yu Xuelian all stood up to greet Li Sanniang.
After exchanging greetings, everyone finally sat down properly.
"Don't say anything yet, just enjoy this delicious food."
I'm already a bit late, you must all be starving by now. I'm hungry too, let's fill our stomachs first before we talk.”
Chen Yanfu and the others were already familiar with Li Sanniang. They knew that Li Sanniang was not the kind of person who would mistreat others after she became an official, so they didn't stand on ceremony with her and reached for the dishes on the table.
After feeling that her stomach was mostly satisfied, Li San Niang gradually slowed down the frequency of her eating.
"Before coming here, Qiu Xiang, Fu Ling, and I went to Fu Rong Ji and bought some rouge and face powder. I don't know much about these things, so I mostly listened to what the shopkeeper said. We bought all sorts of things, and they're still sitting in the carriage."
Take it back to the hall, and you can all share it together.
Over the years, you have worked hard for me, so please don't refuse. You know that besides my salary from the court, I also have my own sources of income, so please don't be polite with me about that."
Since Li San Niang had said everything, the other women naturally didn't refuse anything anymore.
After finishing their meal, the group chatted for a few more minutes before leaving the restaurant and heading back to the maternity ward.
On the first and fifteenth of each month, after attending the grand court assembly, if Li San Niang had nothing urgent to attend to, she would come to this restaurant to have a meal with Chen Yanfu and a few others from the maternity ward.
Then in the afternoon, the head of the department would spend an hour or two in the maternity ward, mainly to inspect the various affairs of the maternity ward and resolve the problems that had accumulated over the past half month. If there was enough time, he would also give Chen Yanfu and the others a lesson and teach them some techniques.
The 8th and 22nd of each month are the days when Li Sanniang goes to inspect the midwifery school. But that's not all. On the 26th or 27th of each month, Li Sanniang goes to inspect the drug rehabilitation center next to the camp in the suburbs of Beijing.
Although it is still called a drug rehabilitation center, it has actually become a comprehensive medical clinic under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com