Chapter 111 (The Wedding Procession)
When Master Xiao was young, he was incredibly restless, always on the go and never able to sit still for a moment. Now that he's older, and with the capital city so cold, he's increasingly reluctant to move, sometimes not leaving the house for three to five days at a time. This is the opposite of Xu Erpeng, who in his youth almost never left his desk, spending his days writing stories. Now, however, he always wants to go out and have some fun, saying he can't sleep if he doesn't go out for a day.
Miaozhen, of course, completely respects their lives. She herself is like that; sometimes she can stay in her room for half a month without leaving, and sometimes she goes out hiking or traveling.
However, she misses Xiao Jingshi very much now. In the first few years of their marriage, the couple had never been apart. But now, because of their daughter's marriage, they have been separated for almost half a year each time. She doesn't know how he is doing.
This man appears heroic, but he gets headaches from cold winds, feels unwell from cold wine, and his eyes become swollen and dry from reading too much. Like Zheng Ge'er, he loves meat, but he's very picky about it...
"well……"
Seeing Miaozhen like this, Fu Jie'er, who was sitting to the side, asked in confusion, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Miao Zhen came to her senses and said, "No, it's nothing. The New Year is coming soon, and I'm thinking about how to celebrate it. It should be lively, but I'm also worried that if it's too lively, something might happen."
Right now, safety should be the top priority.
As the mother and daughter were talking, they saw someone outside delivering a visiting card, inviting her to see a doctor. After asking about the cause of the illness, Miaozhen refused, saying, "I see gynecologists and pediatricians, not orthopedic doctors. You need to find a specialist in bone setting."
The visitor stammered, "Doctors categorize things in such detail?"
"Look at what you're saying, everyone has their own area of expertise," Miaozhen said with a smile.
After the man left, Miaozhen and Fujie talked for a while. She told her daughter to go and rest for a bit: "It's almost noon, so go back to your room, have lunch and take a nap."
"And you?" Fu'er asked, noticing her mother's pale face.
Miao Zhen said, "I also plan to just eat a few bites and then take a nap. It's not a big deal."
Only then did Sister Fu leave with peace of mind. After her daughter left, Miaozhen quickly went to lie down on the chaise lounge. Sure enough, a little while later, someone asked her to make a house call. The person who came was a family member of the official in the Ministry of Personnel.
Making house calls in the freezing cold is very cold, but the Ministry of Personnel is the head of the Six Ministries, and its officials are in charge of the promotion and demotion of officials, and they all have a very high opinion of themselves. Back then, Xiao Jingshi was just a principal officer in the Ministry of Personnel, but he was still highly respected when he went out to make house calls.
If it weren't for his later mourning period, he would have continued to serve as an official in local areas after his reinstatement; this was the case for officials in the capital.
The second wife of this official in the Ministry of Personnel was suffering from postpartum illness, so Miaozhen had someone carry a medical kit and asked Zhao Ge'er to accompany her.
Traveling by carriage is not easy. First, the ground is slippery, and second, the wheels get stuck in the snow. You have to get out and have someone push the carriage. But once you get out, it's very cold.
“Why didn’t we just call a doctor nearby? It’s such a hassle,” Miaozhen complained.
Zhao Ge sniffed: "Mother, if someone invites you to come over tomorrow, just pretend to be sick. Last time someone said it was very serious, which made you break your rule of not making house calls. But it turned out to be just a minor bump and bruise. Any doctor specializing in bone injuries would have been fine. It was a complete waste of a doctor. In the end, they even said they would only give you two coins for a minor illness."
“Who says otherwise? Some people even say that since I’m so rich, I should provide free medical care and not charge consultation fees. The easier you are to talk to, the more you get bullied.” Miaozhen could only complain to her son.
Having seen so many patients over the years, I've encountered all sorts of people.
There was another case where Miaozhen went to see a doctor. The woman was on her deathbed, and when the man saw Miaozhen approaching, he tried to force her to stay. That was an even more terrifying situation.
Regardless of what happened before, as long as Xiao Jingshi was around, her personal safety was protected.
After overcoming numerous hardships, they finally arrived at the residence of the official in charge of the Ministry of Personnel. Miaozhen went directly to see the woman who had just given birth. After giving birth, the woman's lochia was flowing down her waist, arms, and legs, and the places where it flowed either formed lumps or were swollen and painful.
"This is bad, it's a condition called phlegm flow."
Then they had someone prepare a bunch of scallions, roast them over a fire, mash them into a cake shape, wrap them in several layers of thick cloth, and then iron them. Everyone had never seen this method of preparation before and was very curious.
If it were before, Miaozhen would definitely have explained, but now her head hurts a lot after being exposed to cold wind, and it's good enough that she can barely manage to treat it. She shook her head and continued to use the scallion poultice method, which is for treating external swelling. She also prescribed Ginseng and Angelica Decoction to dissipate blood stasis and swelling.
"Could you come to visit me every day? Ideally, once in the morning and once in the evening," said the nanny beside the new mother.
Miaozhen said, "You should follow my prescription first. If there are any problems along the way, we'll talk about it. To be honest, it's snowing heavily outside, and my carriage can't move. I walked all the way here. I've been so busy that I haven't even had a cup of hot tea yet. I'm afraid I'll fall ill when I get back today."
The servants around the new mother were embarrassed when they heard this. Miaozhen handed them the prescription before taking her leave.
The official in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, who was outside, heard this and couldn't help but think, "No wonder people say that famous scholars are often eccentric, and famous doctors are no exception. Anyone with ability is always eccentric."
The consultation fee was only five taels of silver, which Miaozhen thought was a lot. She went back to rest, and when she got up again, she was indeed dizzy and lightheaded. This was an era without antibiotics, where even a minor cold could be fatal.
She knew she had caught a cold, so she prescribed some medicine and took it. Fortunately, she sweated it out after two days and felt better.
New Year's Eve arrived quickly, and Miaozhen had already informed the gatekeeper that she would not be seeing patients during the holiday and should turn away anyone who came. She had gone through all the steps required for her daughter's wedding, and the hairdresser and the person in charge of ceremonies were all prepared, as well as the wedding clothes, veil, servants to carry the dowry, and the bedding and quilts to be delivered to the bride's home...
These things may seem small, but if one link in the chain goes wrong, it can easily cause panic.
During this time, Zhao Ge'er and Zheng Ge'er still need to study. Zhao Ge'er is preparing to return to Nanjing for the imperial examination next August, so he still needs to prepare and can't waste all his time on trivial matters. Zheng Ge'er is also preparing to take the exam in two years, so he can't let his mind wander.
She had to shoulder almost all of these responsibilities alone, and Xiao Jingheng found it all quite boring, wishing Miaozhen could find him some amusement. Miaozhen, however, didn't know what kind of amusement to find.
At times like these, she misses Xiao Jingshi terribly.
Little did Xiao Jingshi know that he was also thinking about Miaozhen. Especially now that it was the New Year, there were maids and servants to serve him at home, and there was always food and dishes when he came back, but he still felt cold and lonely.
"Never mind, I have Zhenzhen with me at home during the New Year, and I wish I could hibernate all winter. It's no fun at home now..." He turned around and asked his servant to prepare some clothes, then went straight to an ancient temple to paint plum blossoms.
Miao Zhen didn't know that Xiao Jingshi went to paint plum blossoms, but she knew that he was simply upset because he had too many things to do.
People can maintain a high level of stress for ten days or half a month without any problem, but it can be very tiring if it lasts for half a year.
But now is not the time to complain. After recovering from her illness, she put aside those negative emotions and still managed everything in an orderly manner, finally getting through the year peacefully.
The eighth day of the first lunar month was the birthday of her younger brother Xu Jian, and the fifteenth day of the first lunar month was her birthday. Miaozhen led the women to walk around the neighborhood to ward off illness, which was a happy day. The men went to a restaurant to drink and look at the Aoshan Mountain.
When they returned from their journey to cure their illnesses, they said that the Marquis of Yunjian's residence had sent a palace lantern to Fu Jie'er. It was a pair of ivory palace lanterns carved with cloud and crane patterns and shaped like begonias. Whether they were beautiful or not was another matter, but they were indeed very valuable.
Today, the family specially invited storytellers and acrobats over. The men and women were separated by a screen. Zhao Ge'er and his eldest uncle were taking the provincial examination together this year, and the two of them were having a lively discussion.
Miaozhen discovered that although her younger brother was ten years older than Zhaoge'er, Zhaoge'er's knowledge seemed to have reached a higher level. Although she had not specifically studied the Four Books and Five Classics, she could tell whether he was good or bad.
However, Zhao Ge'er's sudden rise to prominence was not only due to his own talent and diligence, but also because Xiao Jingshi spent a lot of money to hire that Yang Bangyan, which was very effective.
The money was definitely not wasted.
Over there, Madam Gao also came over with her sisters-in-law and children. As soon as Madam Liu came in, her eyes darted around. Her daughter was not yet engaged, so any occasion with many people became an opportunity for her to choose a son-in-law.
But the only people there were members of the Xiao family or the Xu family; there were no other young men. Liu was very disappointed and couldn't muster any enthusiasm for the entire banquet.
On such a fine day, Fu Jie'er only made a brief appearance before returning to her room. Madam Gao was just asking Miao Zhen, "Fourth sister-in-law, when are you planning to hold your wedding ceremony?"
"The red ribbon is ready. We'll tie it on after the dragon raises its head. If we tie it now, people might say we're being too ostentatious," Miaozhen said with a smile.
Madam Gao thought to herself that if others had gotten such a good marriage, they would probably have shown off, but Madam Xu was so low-key, which was really not to be underestimated. She glanced at Madam Liu again and felt that Madam Liu was really unwise.
The fact that her former maidservant is causing trouble might be due to Xu Shi's influence, but so what? Those who achieve great things often endure some hardship. Xu Shi has never treated her poorly, especially in helping her with her health; she has been very attentive. Some things shouldn't be taken too seriously.
Mrs. Ren then asked, "What are the arrangements for then?"
"We'll send the dowry over on the third day of the third lunar month. The servants will all be dressed in brand-new blue cloth clothes and blue handkerchiefs. My second brother and sixth brother will escort the dowry over one after the other. My third sister-in-law will be the one to receive the full blessing, while my second sister-in-law and my two younger siblings-in-law will make the beds. We don't have many acquaintances in the capital, so we've invited people from the Yuhechun Restaurant to prepare the banquet. We've chosen a top-quality banquet with three ounces and eight fen of 'Lion's Immortal Sugar Fighting' (a type of sweet soup), with a tax of one qian and eight fen. They said they'll send over two sets of silk and bamboo music ensembles," Miaozhen said with a smile.
Seeing that she had already made plans, Madam Ren couldn't help but say, "Brother Shi's wife, you've done a great job."
Madam Gao chuckled from the side, "That's very thoughtful. But who did Fourth Sister-in-law invite? Will we be the ones to accompany them?"
Upon hearing Gao ask this, Liu immediately sat up straight. Miaozhen knew that Gao was actually asking on Liu's behalf. She smiled and said, "They've all been Jing Shi's classmates. I wonder if they'll even come..."
"I heard you have a good relationship with Princess Chang'an and the others?" Madam Gao asked again.
Miaozhen quickly waved her hand: "I dare not even think about that."
These nobles are even more snobbish than ordinary people. Prince Yu is not as favored as Prince Jing. She helped Prince Yu's heir to get medical treatment, so she was seen as part of Prince Yu's faction. Even though she had a good relationship with him, she had to protect herself.
After all, after the death of her birth mother, Consort Cao, Princess Chang'an was raised by Consort Lu.
Consort Lu Jing was the birth mother of Prince Jing.
Times change.
Madam Gao did not press the matter further; she was a very sensible person. Madam Liu held back for a long time without saying anything, and on the way back, she said to Madam Gao, "Third sister-in-law, you should pay more attention to your niece's marriage."
"How dare you say that?" Gao thought of the marriage she had kindly arranged for her daughter, and Liu acted as if she were trying to harm her.
Liu shrank back, not daring to say more, after all, she still had to rely on Gao. Gao, however, pointed out a clear path for her: "Don't just listen to your fourth sister-in-law's words that there aren't many guests and come back immediately. If there are many guests, you should help with the socializing. After all, you are the daughter of an official."
"Yes." Liu understood what Gao meant.
Because of her connection to the wife of the Marquis of Yunjian's heir, there will always be people who want to arrange a marriage. This is a fact that Lady Liu likely already knows, even without Lady Gao saying it.
Zhao Rui returned in February. After returning, he first went to the Lu family before going back to pay his respects to his parents. Marquis Yun Jian gave his son a few words of encouragement, while Madam Ming said more: "The Xiao family members have all gone to the capital. The new bride will be entering the family next month. Your courtyard has been repainted and everything is furnished."
"Thank you, Mother." Zhao Rui knelt down and kowtowed.
Madam Ming stepped forward with relief to help him up: "Why are you saying thank you? There's no need for thanks between mother and son."
Zhao Rui chatted with his mother about everyday matters, most of which were complaints about his eldest daughter-in-law's tendency to make excuses, his second daughter-in-law's cunning, and which concubine his father had visited—all the same old stories.
My mother used to be very elegant and composed in everything she did. My parents also treated each other with respect. But everything changed after she was exiled. My mother became extremely insecure, but she also lacked energy.
"Mother, I'll go back to my room to take care of some things." He himself was also preoccupied with his own thoughts, and as someone in an important position, he had a lot to do.
Madam Ming said awkwardly, "Alright, alright, you can go back now."
The newly painted house had its windows open to let the smell dissipate. Inside, there were carved screens separating clean rooms with vermilion-lacquered beams and pillars, making it look very spacious and luxurious. He called in a servant to bring in hot water.
At this moment, he couldn't help but recall the scene at the Xiao family two years ago, and how he was ordered to bring Madam Xiao to the capital for treatment. Even when faced with a major event, Madam Xiao remained exceptionally calm, clearly a very happy person.
Oh dear, Sister Fu won't be here for another month. I miss her so much.
Compared to Zhao Rui's longing, Fu Jie'er was unwilling to leave home, especially after seeing her mother bring over a small box containing twenty prescriptions.
“I’ve deposited ten thousand taels of silver for you at Shitong Money Exchange. The withdrawal slip is with me. Just send someone over whenever you need the money. Also, here are twenty prescriptions, all for treating pregnancy or postpartum issues in women. These are prescriptions that can’t be bought on the market. If one day—and I’m not saying you’ll definitely fall on hard times—you can sell them, each one will fetch between three and twenty taels.” Miaozhen told him all of this one by one.
"Mother, my dowry is already so much, everyone is envious, I don't need any more." Fu'er lay on the table, just shaking her head.
Miaozhen smiled and said, "These are just to tell you, not for you to take them out and use now. But there's one thing: no matter what, your dowry is a token of your family's love for you, so you should use it to make yourself happier."
Fu Jie'er then accepted the gift and looked at Miao Zhen, saying, "I want to eat an apple shaped like a little rabbit."
"Okay, Mom will peel it for you right away."
Whenever Sister Fu is sick or unwell, Miaozhen would make this. First, she would cut the apple into eight pieces, flatten the edges, then separate most of the peel from the flesh, and cut out rabbit ears.
After cutting them, Fu Jie ate three in one go. Miao Zhen couldn't help but say, "They're so cold, be careful not to freeze your teeth."
Sister Fu smiled broadly.
In early March, the Xiao family sent the dowry over, and Second Madam Zhao and others were waiting at the door. Someone from the clan who was on good terms with Second Madam Zhao said, "It was said before that it was Governor Lu who arranged the marriage, but Governor Lu has passed away. The Xiao family has caused your family so much harm. You, as the sister-in-law, are really very magnanimous."
Everyone sympathized with Granny Zhao, feeling that Zhao Rui was not only blinded by lust but also disregarded the lives of his nephews.
Grandma Zhao feigned helplessness and said weakly, "What else can I do..."
Just then, the dowry arrived. The Xiao family girl's dowry was enough to make many people envious. People carrying the dowry came in an endless stream, starting with a jade bonsai, followed by a row of rosewood and sandalwood furniture, and then the shiny red chests. It took who knows how long to carry them all.
The relatives who had just been sympathizing with Granny Zhao were now marveling at the sheer amount of dowry: "Wow, this dowry is truly enormous! It's unique. It's even more than the dowry given to Minister Hu's daughter before the New Year..."
Grandma Zhao cursed these opportunists under her breath...
After the dowry was delivered, the bride's relatives, led by Madam Gao, who came to make the bed, were all dressed very respectably and spoke very politely. The men of the Xiao family were invited to the outer room for a drink. Xiao Jingheng and Xiao Jingtang were initially a little uneasy, but the heir of the Marquis of Yunjian treated them with great respect, invited them to sit down, and personally drank a few cups of wine with them, appearing very close in conversation.
In particular, when it came to the marriage between Xiao Jingheng's son and a certain commander, they asked in detail. They also heard that Xiao Jingtang was currently a student of the Imperial Academy and was waiting for his post, saying that he was wasting his talents.
The Xiao brothers, Xiao Jingheng and Xiao Jingtang, were very satisfied with their son-in-law and spoke highly of him to Miaozhen when they returned home.
Miaozhen then said to her daughter, "Look, this is what I told you before about how difficult the journey is. It's not the water or the mountains, but the fickleness of human relationships. People's hearts are complicated. Don't try to influence others, but don't get stuck in a rut because of someone's attitude at the moment."
Just like how she and Lou Qiongyu initially had a good relationship, but once the gap between them widened, their relationship was no longer the same. And then there's Liu, who initially harbored ill will towards her, but now, for her own benefit, she has to go to great lengths to please her.
Fu Jie sighed softly, and Miao Zhen held her shoulder and said, "You're getting married tomorrow, so don't look so gloomy. I'll definitely be very busy tomorrow, so I'll wish you a happy marriage in advance today."
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