Chapter 11 Execute First, Report Later Execute First, Report Later
Xu Dalang's friend spoke very kindly, saying that he would recommend him for a position in Jinling when one became available. Xu Dalang was full of hope, but Huang Shi disagreed. She believed that her family was in Suzhou, and she had relatives and friends there. Even if she didn't go to work as an embroiderer for the deputy commander's family, she could still make a living in her uncle's silk shop.
She then earnestly advised, "You are often aloof and don't know anything about social etiquette. Why don't you find a place to be a lecturer at a local academy? It wouldn't be so bad, would it? I can't always be the sole breadwinner at home, can I?"
These words stung Xu Dalang's pride: "Yes, you earn money. You're the only one earning money in the family."
"I never said I was that capable. I know you think I'm ugly and that I'm not good enough for you. You just want to dump me and go to Jinling to be your playboy..." Huang was already insecure about her appearance, and now she was afraid that Xu Dalang would really go out and make a name for himself and leave her behind.
Arguments never end well, but luckily Xu Dalang was proud and afraid his younger brother would laugh at him, so he had no choice but to back down.
Although Miaoyun was young, she knew how to cover for her parents and knew that it was not good for them to quarrel. So, while doing needlework at Miaozhen's place, she never mentioned anything else.
Just then, Ma Yulan from next door came over. Miaozhen quickly had someone make tea and brought over persimmon cakes and goose fat spring pancakes, saying, "Sister Ma, please sit down. Let's talk together."
“Sister Zhen, my mother wants you to help Old Mrs. Li with her medical treatment,” Ma Yulan said.
Miaozhen shook her head: "I'm not at the point where I can administer acupuncture and medicine on my own yet. If you ask me about some mild tonic soups, I can tell you the recipes, but not now."
As a doctor, one should of course have a compassionate heart, but Miaozhen felt that she was not ready to treat patients before she had completed her apprenticeship, which was also a way of protecting herself.
After a few words of persuasion, Ma Yulan said, "Alright, I'll talk to my mother."
Seeing her leave, Miaoyun thought it was a pity. If Miaozhen could help that old lady Li with her illness, she might catch the eye of the Li family in the future. Her second uncle's family is doing better and better now, and she might even be able to marry into the family in the future.
She is young, but very mature for her age.
Therefore, she didn't understand: "Zhenzhen, why don't you go and see? That old lady Li has status; it would be a good thing for you."
"I'm still far from good enough," Miaozhen shook her head.
As the two sisters were talking, Xu Si Niang came up in her slippers and immediately noticed the two pairs of silk flowers, the carved comb, and several hair ties on Miao Zhen's dressing table. She looked away and then saw the gold necklace with a gemstone inlaid on it around Miao Yun's neck, and couldn't help but say, "Yun'er, how expensive is your necklace?"
Miaoyun said, "It was given to me by the wife of the commander of the thousand households. I don't know how much it cost."
"Zhenzhen, why don't you ask your parents to buy you one too?" Xu Si Niang was envious and stirred up trouble again.
Miaozhen wasn't fooled at all: "Auntie, why don't you ask your grandparents to buy one for you too? I already have a silver necklace, I don't need any more."
Xu Si Niang pursed her lips, then saw them bowing their heads to do needlework, and went straight to the front hall.
After finishing her needlework, Miaozhen would rest her eyes and take a nap at noon as usual, while Miaoyun went home first.
Two days later, as the rain was about to stop, Miaozhen was reading a medical book when she suddenly saw Xu Si Niang running up to her, acting like a thief, and saying, "Zhenzhen, do you know what I just saw? I saw Miaoyun talking to a man from the Li family."
Before she could finish speaking, Miaoyun came up from downstairs: "I was helping my second aunt deliver the 'Spring Never Ends' to the Ma family when I ran into the eldest son of the Li family. She only praised my second aunt's 'Spring Never Ends', and just those few words, and you started gossiping about me behind my back. I think you stole Zhenzhen's purse, intending to give it to the Li family's son as your own, and when I caught you, you did this..."
"Little Aunt, you stole my things?" Miaozhen didn't expect Aunt Xu to act like this.
Xu Sigu hesitated for a moment, then turned around and saw Miaoyun glaring at her, but she stubbornly refused to admit it.
Miaozhen told Mei about these things, and Mei said, "It's one thing to be short-sighted, but to have impure thoughts as well. The rain will stop soon, and we'll send her back when the sun comes out."
Their own daughter goes to the Ma family every day, but she has never acted like this before. Xu Si Niang's parents have not taught her properly, and she is really making a fool of herself here.
Even Mrs. Ma next door said, "Xu's daughter is a good person, very upright, but her aunts and sisters have no manners."
Fortunately, the next day the sky cleared and Suzhou returned to calm. The eldest son's family still did not buy a house. Huang asked her uncle to rent a house near Xumen. Xu Si Niang was also sent back quickly. She even wore a set of clothes that Mei had given her.
People in the courtyard were sweeping up the rotten leaves and dead branches that had fallen during the rain. These were probably the traces left by the continuous heavy rains of those days. The family's bookstore was open, and the steps were covered with moss. It felt like the ground wasn't dry enough.
Xiao Xi took the clothes out to air them. Miao Zhen had the pillow that Xu Si Niang had slept on thrown away because she had lice on her head, for fear that she would also be infected.
Miaozhen opened the window, and the sunlight shone in, seemingly taking away the darkness and dampness in the corner. As usual, she went to Ru's place to learn medicine.
One of the patients who came today was an elderly woman in her sixties or seventies. She had already gone through menopause, but now she suddenly started menstruating again, with purple blood clots. Ru Shi earnestly said to Miao Zhen, "Normally, after the age of forty-nine, a woman's menstrual flow dries up, and she won't menstruate like a young woman. This situation is because the liver cannot store blood and the spleen cannot control blood, so we must use Anlao Decoction."
Miaozhen wrote down the prescription for Anlaotang and thought about the difference between metrorrhagia due to intercourse in old age and menstruation recurring in recent years. She used to think that differentiation was too difficult, but now she is slowly starting to understand it.
For certain types that are easily confused, you need to keep a record of them yourself.
Ru then explained several dialectical methods to her, including which prescriptions to use and how to apply them. After finishing, she asked, "Zhenzhen, is the surname of your girls' school teacher Qiu?"
"Yes, does the gentleman recognize her?" Miaozhen asked curiously.
Madam Ru smiled and said, "I heard that her younger brother has been reinstated as the Supervising Censor of Zhejiang, and he is about to bring her back."
Miaozhen only knew that Lady Qiu had become a widow and a nun, and wondered why she didn't return to her parents' home after the nunnery was gone. It turns out that someone has come to pick her up now.
She didn't know when Lady Qiu would leave, so she had to send some things over.
When she got back, she discussed it with her parents. Xu Erpeng gave her an ounce and said, "Your own teacher, so get whatever you need. Don't skimp on it."
"Yes, daughter understands." Miaozhen took the tael and put it into her purse.
Unexpectedly, Madam Qiu said she would teach them until the end of the year before closing the school. Now that's more than four months, there are plenty of days to go.
The female classmates hadn't seen each other for over a month, and they were especially warm to see each other again. A lot had happened to them, such as the youngest, Tong Pan'er, getting engaged. Wang Xie, who was closest to her, joked, "You have good news, but you didn't tell us."
When Miaozhen asked which family it was, Wang Xie whispered in her ear, "It's the second son of the Li family."
This is indeed a good match, and Miaozhen offered her congratulations again. Even Tong Pan'er, who is usually very outgoing, blushed. Everyone then kindly changed the subject.
Lady Qiu's smile changed considerably. She had heard from Madam Ma that Lady Qiu's parents were very proper and old-fashioned, always feeling that once their daughter married, she belonged to another family and naturally didn't want to bring her back. It was only after Lady Qiu's parents passed away that he learned of his sister's whereabouts and proposed to bring her back to the clan. He even wrote an article praising his sister's talent.
Fortunately, Madam Qiu did not become perfunctory just because she was leaving. She continued to do her best to teach them how to write, paint, play the zither, do needlework, and cook, and was even stricter than before.
Although Miaozhen occasionally complained, her growth was undeniable. For example, when the Xu family climbed mountains together on the Double Ninth Festival, she knew to prepare chestnut cake and drink chrysanthemum wine. She even made the chestnut cake herself.
I bought fresh chestnut cake, steamed it until cooked, mashed it into a paste, and sieved it for later use. Then I mixed glutinous rice flour and sugar in the correct proportions, put them together, sprinkled pine nuts and melon seeds on top, and steamed them in a steamer. After steaming, I cut them into small diamond-shaped pieces and put them in a food container.
After finishing, the family of four went to Uncle Fengqiao's house. Uncle Fengqiao was also supposed to do business today, but Aunt Bao was jealous of a female helper in the shop who was good at making flower cakes and forced her to leave, so business plummeted. Uncle Fengqiao also wanted to go out and relax.
When they arrived at Maple Bridge, half an hour later, the eldest son's family finally arrived.
When Huang went to stay at the second house last time, she got along well with Mei. As soon as she arrived, she started talking to her, saying that even the tutor in the deputy commander's family could only work until the end of the year. Mei then said, "Our Zhenzhen also studied until the end of the year before the teacher went home."
After saying that, he recounted the female teacher's background and said with some secret delight, "If we really go out in the future, saying that we are the disciple of the talented Qiu will add to our prestige."
Huang Shi listened and then forgot, but Miao Yun looked at Miao Zhen with envy.
On the other side, Old Mrs. Xu was pulling Xu Erpeng aside to talk: "Your sister is getting older and we don't know anyone. You should worry about your sister."
“Isn’t your third sister-in-law the one who loves matchmaking the most? Why don’t you go to her, but instead come to me?” Xu Erpeng shrugged.
Old Mrs. Xu then asked on behalf of her daughter, "I heard there's some young master named Li around here..."
Upon hearing this, Xu Erpeng understood immediately and chuckled again: "Mother, you really have some wild ideas. The youngest son of the Li family is engaged to the daughter of Tong Jingli, but even so, I heard that the Li family is not very satisfied. Tong Jingli is, after all, an eighth-rank official."
Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Xu hesitated.
But Xu Si Niang's marriage couldn't be delayed indefinitely. She would be fourteen next year. Both Huang and Mei were asked by Old Madam Xu to find suitable matches, but none of them were quite right for her.
In early winter, Huang found a family that owned a weaving business. The man worked in the Suzhou Weaving and Dyeing Bureau and had two sons and two daughters. The man she was looking for was her youngest son.
Xu Si Niang was anxious. She heard that the textile and dyeing bureau was also owned by the government, and that she was marrying the youngest son. Remembering that her parents also favored her third uncle, she agreed.
But then a problem arose: Xu Laoguan suddenly demanded a bride price of 150 guan. The groom's family argued for a long time before finally agreeing, but on one condition: the bride's dowry must also be 150 guan.
Since giving the rice shop to his youngest son, Old Xu has been short of money. He also loves playing cards and is quite vain. Now he can finally ask for the betrothal money openly. As for the dowry, he will let his sons raise the money.
But fearing that his sons would not agree if they knew beforehand, he decided to act first and inform them later, agreeing to the marriage proposal first, keeping the betrothal money, and letting them contribute the dowry.
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