Chapter 51 Learning Acupuncture
In April, orioles sing and swallows dance.
Aman's floral dew gained widespread fame by being given away for free.
Everyone knows that there's a young lady on Changqing Street who gives away free flower dew when you buy her rouge.
Although it's a small box, it's free, so why not take it? Besides, the floral water is extremely effective. After just three days of using it as a face mask, my skin became much smoother and brighter.
It's a pity that the quantity sent was too small; the small box is only enough for four uses, even if used sparingly.
When it comes to skincare, there's no such thing as a one-time thing or an endless series of attempts. Now that you've seen initial results, why give up halfway?
In the past few days, many women have gone to Changqing Street specifically to find Aman, saying they want to buy her floral dew and are willing to pay any price.
Because they've been making so much flower dew lately, Master He doesn't have many pruned flower branches left to supply her. Seeing that she couldn't politely refuse, Aman could only explain that the process of making flower dew is complicated and they needed to place an order first, with supplies to be delivered in a few days.
Seeing that money was being offered to Aman and they didn't immediately take it, these people felt she was more reliable and placed orders with her one after another.
In this way, in addition to his daily routine of going to the clinic for acupuncture and selling rouge on Changqing Street, Aman had an extra job: searching for fresh flowers everywhere.
The most inexpensive items are naturally the flower petals and branches pruned from various residences.
The branches were damaged, but the flowers were still very fresh. With Master He acting as an intermediary, Aman quickly finalized a deal with several florists to source flowers from.
In addition, Aman also began to think about giving her flower dew a more exquisite outer packaging, since bamboo boxes look very cheap.
Moreover, these boxes are all the same; she wanted to create a memorable box that would instantly remind people of her.
However, there's no rush. Although the flower dew business is doing well now, it's far from being famous. Besides, most of the customers are ordinary people who don't care about such things.
Although she was busy like a spinning top every day, with her feet barely touching the ground, and her already thin face had become even thinner, Aman was still enjoying it.
How could making money feel tiring!
With a stable supplier in hand, Anmum can now focus on making floral water.
When the women found the flower dew effective, they would share it with their friends.
If a friend finds something useful, they might give it to someone who is a benefactor.
The word spread quickly, and although Aman's flower dew wasn't exactly a household name in Yongzhou, it was well-known among women.
Even some ladies from wealthy families who rarely left their homes would privately instruct their servants to buy it, intending to try whether this floral dew was really as good as rumored.
In one month, although Aman didn't make a fortune, he did make a considerable amount of money.
However, Yongzhou City is located right under the emperor's nose, where every inch of land is precious, and shops in good locations are not cheap.
Ah Man wants to open a shop, but he'll probably have to save up some more time.
But now, she finally has the money to upgrade the packaging of her floral water.
"Rouge box?" Aman's request made Fu Yunxiu frown.
“Yes,” Aman nodded vigorously, holding the paper money pen. “I’ve drawn a lot, but I’m not very satisfied with any of them.”
Aman was somewhat frustrated.
Such a trivial matter shouldn't have troubled you, young master.
But she really didn't know how to draw the box.
Seeing Aman's furrowed brows and worried expression, Fu Yunxiu couldn't help but frown as well. "Bring it here so I can take a look."
Aman handed the sketches in her hand to Fu Yunxiu. They were several pages long, each a different template, showing that she had really put a lot of thought into them.
Mantou couldn't resist his curiosity and leaned over to look. After looking at several pages, he finally discovered a common point: "Why do you draw a big pie on every single one of your drawings?"
Pancake?
Aman was furious and roared, "What pancake? That's a full moon!"
Aman glared at him fiercely. Mantou scratched his nose awkwardly and muttered, "I didn't know that was the moon. Who told you to draw it so ugly?"
"Hey, who do you think drew the ugly picture?"
"You, you, I'll tell you your drawing is ugly."
The two were bickering on the side, but Fu Yunxiu carefully examined Aman's drawing.
Actually, what Mantou said doesn't make sense. Although Aman's paintings are a bit messy because they have too much content, they are not ugly in terms of painting skills alone.
“What exactly are you trying to express? None of these sketches seem to have a clear focus,” Fu Yunxiu said.
"I drew this mess because I didn't know what to draw," Aman sighed deeply.
To this day, the only thing she's certain of is that she wants to paint the full moon on it; she hasn't thought of anything else yet.
“In that case, why not just keep this full moon? It’s simple, and it would complement the porcelain perfectly,” Fu Yunxiu suggested.
“But that seems a bit too monotonous,” Aman said. “If you only show a full moon, people who don’t know the story might really think it’s a big pancake.”
"How about adding a few more words? But what should we add?" Aman was stumped again. Sure enough, everything is much easier said than done.
Upon hearing this, Fu Yunxiu was immediately put in a difficult position. He stared at the drawing for a long time before slowly saying, "How about we just use the four characters 'Flowers in Full Bloom and the Moon at its Fullest'?"
The word "flower" refers both to the raw materials used in making rouge and perfume, and to a woman with a beautiful face like the moon. The moon, by its very nature, symbolizes a woman's fair skin, noble bearing, and the idea of reunion. It's a very apt interpretation.
Having followed Fu Yunxiu for a long time, Aman had acquired some knowledge and quickly grasped his intentions.
“That’s wonderful! Then let’s use the phrase ‘a perfect union of flowers and a full moon,’” Aman said with a beaming smile, looking at Fu Yunxiu with a fawning expression. “Then, young master, would you be so kind as to bestow upon me a piece of calligraphy?”
Fu Yunxiu was always adept at writing, especially when it came to writing inscriptions for Aman.
After writing four drafts, the two finalized the final version.
Aman redrawn the full moon, and Fu Yunxiu rewrote the four characters in proportionally smaller form.
With her painting the artwork and the young master inscribing the calligraphy, this packaging seems to have transcended its original meaning. Aman is already eager to see the finished product.
Aman sent the artwork to a porcelain shop. The quantity he needed was not large, and the shop promised to ship it within seven days.
Having fulfilled one of his wishes, Ah Man once again turned his attention to the flower dew.
As word spread over this period of time, Aman's business became more and more prosperous. She has begun to prepare to set up a stall on Changqing Street, so that she won't have to run around everywhere without a fixed location, causing many people who heard about her to be unable to find her.
Setting up a stall is not like opening a shop; there are no complicated procedures. You just need to find the city magistrate, choose a location, and pay the fee.
Ah Man had already found a good place, so everything went very smoothly.
The stand for the stall was made by Uncle Zhu; it was sturdy, good quality, and inexpensive, the only downside being that it was too heavy. Fortunately, the Changqing Street area has always been safe, so Aman wasn't worried about the stall being stolen.
After the stall was set up, Aman's business became increasingly prosperous, with a constant stream of customers coming to buy floral dew every day, and orders even extending into the following month.
Ah Man looked at the money gradually increasing in the account and the words "Lin Ji" on the stall, and his mouth almost twisted into a grin.
To her even greater delight, Master Cheng finally agreed to teach her his unique acupuncture skills.
"Really?" Upon hearing this news, Aman was so happy she almost jumped for joy.
In this way, the young master will be able to heal his leg soon.
However, Old Cheng was not so happy; he looked worried.
"Man'er, are you really sure?" Old Cheng asked.
"Yes." Aman nodded vigorously.
"My acupuncture technique is different from ordinary acupuncture techniques. You have to try and understand the length and depth of the needles yourself."
The smile on Aman's face gradually faded.
Old Cheng continued, "In other words, you have to insert the needle into your own leg, and repeatedly."
This is why, even though Aman was already proficient in acupuncture, he still took so long to complete the procedure.
On one hand, it's to give her practice and help her calm down; on the other hand, it's to temper her will. If it was just a passing fancy…
Aman pondered for a moment, then nodded again, his eyes full of determination, "It's okay, Grandpa, I can do it."
She would brave any danger for her young master.
“Teach me, Grandpa.” Aman’s tone was firm, and even Old Cheng, who had seen the coldness of the world, couldn’t help but be moved.
That brat must have been incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful wife.
“Alright, since you’ve made up your mind, then I, your grandpa, will naturally teach you everything I know.”
Although Aman had prepared herself mentally, she still felt uncomfortable and shed tears when the needle was inserted into her leg.
Unlike ordinary silver needles, the acupuncture technique created by Master Cheng uses thicker and longer silver needles. When inserted into the acupoints, a feeling of soreness and distension, accompanied by pain, comes overwhelmingly.
Although Aman was not afraid of pain, she couldn't help but shed tears after the third needle was inserted.
"I didn't expect it to hurt this much." Aman's voice trembled.
"This needle is not for treating illness, but for saving lives." Therefore, it hurts more than a regular needle.
Before Old Master Cheng could say it, the pain would be doubled if the needle were used on a patient like Fu Yunxiu.
Seeing Ah Man's tearful and distressed appearance, Old Cheng felt a pang of pity, but ultimately said nothing.
There's no turning back once the arrow is released; if she wants to heal Fu Yunxiu's leg, she has to persevere through this ordeal.
Right now it's just physical pain, but if the acupuncture doesn't work in the future, then it will be emotional distress.
Winning someone's heart is the hardest part.
Aman persevered and finished the five needles, but was trembling all over and had no strength left. Despite it being May, cold sweat poured out of her body in waves, making her look utterly pitiful.
Seeing her like this, Old Master Cheng knew she wouldn't be able to go home tonight. If she did go back, given Fu Yunxiu's intelligence, he would definitely notice something.
That brat is incredibly stubborn and protective of his own. If he knew that Aman was suffering because of him, he would definitely stop her from studying medicine.
After finding a female physician to cleanse Aman's body, Old Master Cheng also arranged for a young apprentice to go to Wutong Garden to say that several female patients had come to the clinic and were quite seriously ill, requiring female physicians to accompany them. Since there weren't enough people, Aman was asked to fill in for two days.
Fu Yunxiu knew that Aman had been frequently visiting De'an Hall these past few days to make flower dew, and given Aman's enthusiasm, he had no suspicions.
Upon learning that Aman wouldn't be coming back tonight, he went to Aman's room and found some clothes for her to change into.
"Didn't he say anything?" Old Cheng asked.
“No,” the young apprentice shook his head, “but Young Master Fu did seem hesitant to speak, probably because he wanted to say something but was too embarrassed to.”
Old Cheng probably understood, looking through the window at Aman sleeping soundly inside, and then glancing at the clothes in his hand.
You little brat, at least you have some conscience.
I slept without any dreams.
The next day, Aman woke up early.
Living in an unfamiliar place, Aman didn't sleep very well that night. The soreness in her legs had subsided, and Aman stretched, deciding to get up and go home.
She sat up and noticed a clean set of clothes on the bedside table, which looked like her own.
Remembering that Master Cheng sent someone to Wutong Garden yesterday to deliver a message, Aman guessed that the young master probably knew he wouldn't be going home that night and sent someone to deliver it.
Aman picked up the clothes, a smile spreading across her face. This strengthened her resolve to go back and see what was happening.
Mr. Cheng said that this teaching session will be completed in four days. Yesterday was the first day, so three more days are needed.
If he doesn't return in three days, the young master will become suspicious.
Aman got dressed and went out; the entire clinic was still quiet. Aman went out through the back door, and on her way to the market, she bought a lot of food.
Although the leg that had received the acupuncture was not as painful as yesterday, it still felt quite sore and swollen after walking for a while. But Aman could still bear this discomfort.
When they knocked on the door, Mantou was also surprised to see Aman.
"Why are you back?" Mantou lowered his voice, afraid that the young master would hear. "How did it go? Was everything alright?"
Earlier, Aman mentioned that she was going to start learning Master Cheng's unique acupuncture techniques and might not be able to go home for several days. So Mantou was aware of this.
"Yes, everything went smoothly." Aman nodded and walked into the courtyard.
This was the first time Aman had spent the night away from home. Looking at the familiar courtyard, Aman was filled with longing.
"Is the young master up yet?" Aman asked.
Just as Mantou was about to speak, the door to the east room opened, and Fu Yunxiu pushed his wheelchair out. When he saw Aman, his clear black and white eyes scrutinized her, as if trying to prove something.
"Young Master." Aman ran up to him and stopped.
Since the New Year, Fu Yunxiu's health has deteriorated, and his complexion has become paler. No matter how much Aman tries to nourish him, he can't get his complexion rosy.
Old Master Cheng said that this was because the poison in his body had begun to spread, and one day it would spread to his internal organs, and even a great immortal would not be able to save him.
Even so, in Aman's eyes, the young master was extremely handsome.
Aman smiled and waved the paper bag in her hand, saying, "I bought breakfast, young master, would you like to try some?"
Seeing that Aman was safe and sound, Fu Yunxiu was relieved and nodded, "Okay."
After the young apprentice left yesterday, he felt increasingly uneasy. Although Aman had helped out at the clinic before, he wasn't qualified to care for patients, especially critically ill ones.
He was suspicious, worried that something might have happened to Aman. But curfew had arrived, and he couldn't leave the house. He had planned to visit the doctor today, but unexpectedly, Aman returned on her own.
Fu Yunxiu didn't say this, so Aman naturally didn't know either.
The three went to the dining room. Aman went to the kitchen to get bowls and chopsticks. She opened the paper bag and was about to take out the buns inside when Fu Yunxiu suddenly spoke up, "Your leg... what happened?"
He noticed that Aman's walking posture was a little unnatural as soon as she entered the room, but he never asked her about it.
Upon hearing this, Aman paused in his actions, and alarm bells rang in his mind.
I thought I had hidden it well enough, but I didn't expect that the young master would still find out?
Aman gave an awkward smile. "Yesterday, I was dragged by Grandpa Cheng to help out. I walked up and down the stairs, and my feet hurt."
That reason was plausible, but Fu Yunxiu was still somewhat skeptical. He glanced at Aman's feet again and asked, "Really?"
“Of course, just look.” Aman lifted his leg and moved it from side to side. “Grandpa Cheng said that it will probably take a few more days to get things done.”
"Is the injury that serious?" Just then, Mantou came over with tea. Seeing that Aman had aroused the young master's suspicion, he quickly took over the conversation to help cover it up.
"Yes, they say Arima went berserk in the street, trampling on several stalls and injuring people in the process."
This wasn't something Ah Man made up on the spot; it was true. All the injured people were sent to De'an Hall, and aside from her helping to take care of them, everything else was the truth.
“Since Elder Cheng asked you to help, then you can rest assured where you are. I’ll take care of things here, young master,” Mantou said.
“Hmm,” Aman nodded, “It should only take three or four days, not long.”
The back-and-forth between the two made the matter seem increasingly believable. Fu Yunxiu couldn't discern anything, but looking at Aman's slightly tired face, his expression was somber.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Aman didn't say anything more, after all, saying too much would only lead to more mistakes.
Aman picked up a steamed bun and put it in Fu Yunxiu's bowl. Just as she was about to suggest that Fu Yunxiu try it, since it was fresh out of the steamer and still warm, she heard Fu Yunxiu say, "If you are really tired, I will go and tell Old Master Cheng to decline his offer."
Saving lives is certainly a good thing, but Aman is not a doctor after all. Aman can do ordinary caregiving work, and anyone outside can do it too.
Aman had to manage her rouge business and help out at the clinic. Seeing that Aman had become quite thin recently, Fu Yunxiu couldn't bear to see her like this anymore.
“If you’re too shy to speak up, I’ll say it for you,” Fu Yunxiu said.
"No need, no need," Aman hurriedly refused, waving her hands swiftly as if afraid that Fu Yunxiu would actually do something. "I helped out of my own free will. It's actually fine, it's just that I haven't walked that much in a long time, so my feet can't take it. It's alright."
However, she also knew that the young master was worried about her, and she couldn't help but feel a warmth in her heart. Even the slight pain in her legs subsided.
After breakfast, Fu Yunxiu saw Aman off at the door and watched her leave.
After she walked away, Mantou was about to push Fu Yunxiu into the house when he grabbed the wheel.
Mantou tilted his head in confusion, and heard Fu Yunxiu say, "Do you think Aman is hiding something from me?"
At that moment, Mantou's heart was in his throat.
"No, no way, how could that be?" Out of Fu Yunxiu's sight, Mantou's eyes darted around in a panic.
Fortunately, Fu Yunxiu only asked casually and did not delve into it further.
Yesterday's lesson was just a warm-up; the real skill will come later, and of course, the discomfort and pain will be even greater than before.
Having learned from her previous experience, Aman was fully prepared. At first, she could bear it, but the more she went on, the stronger the throbbing, worm-eaten pain became, causing Aman to not only suffer physically but also mentally.
"Aman?" Mantou came to the clinic to see Aman. Seeing Aman's haggard face and legs that were swollen like steamed buns, even this tough man's eyes welled up with tears.
He should be the one to suffer such pain.
"Aman, how about..." Mantou tried to persuade Aman that if it really didn't work out, they should just give up.
If the young master knew how much suffering Aman endured to cure his leg, he would never agree to it, even if it meant death.
"I'm fine, it's just that it looks scary." Aman smiled, but the pale smile looked forced no matter how you looked at it.
"Grandpa Cheng said it will be almost over in two days," Aman said. "By the way, how has the young master been lately?"
"It's just so-so, but the food I cook never tastes good to you, and you don't want to go out. You just stay in the house, staring blankly at your room."
Upon hearing this, Aman smiled.
She was genuinely sincere, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "Then go back and tell the young master that I should be able to return tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Mantou glanced at Aman's legs. "Isn't that a bit too early? Your legs..."
“It’s alright. Grandpa Cheng has already taught me most of the acupuncture techniques. All I need to do is practice more,” Aman said. “Besides, my leg looks terrible right now, but it will be fine after a good night’s sleep.”
This time, Aman wasn't lying. Compared to a few days ago, her legs had indeed adapted much better and would recover after a short rest. However, the numerous needle marks on her legs looked rather frightening.
"Oh, by the way, when you go back later, remember to buy some meat pies when you pass through Sixth Street. Beef ones, the young master likes them."
"At a time like this, you should worry more about yourself!" Mantou said with a hint of exasperation, wiping away her tears with her sleeve. She added, "Then you should rest well. I'll take care of things with the young master."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
