Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Chapter 113
The wontons tasted so good this morning. Miaozhen had a good sleep, and when she woke up, she realized that her parents-in-law and parents were still there, and she had actually slept until noon. She felt a little embarrassed.
Fortunately, I heard that everyone got up late, and Miaozhen recovered as usual.
Xiao Jingshi had already told Xu Erpeng and Master Xiao Er about Zhao Ge'er's plan to postpone his trip by a month and go directly to Nanjing: "He's young and his temperament is unstable. I need to put some pressure on him."
He then told Xu Jian the details he had uncovered about the chief examiner of the provincial examination. Xu Erpeng couldn't help but say, "It would be better to go to Nanjing as soon as possible. Bookstores there usually sell them. Since that's the case, let's not delay any longer."
Xu Jian had originally thought that Xu Erpeng would let him stay, but he never expected Xu Erpeng to do this.
Little did he know that Xu Erpeng privately told him, "Those taking the imperial examinations are all competitors. Your brother-in-law has already helped us enough. If it weren't for him, how could I have become an official? As for the imperial examinations, we still have to rely on ourselves."
"Huh?" Xu Jian usually just read books at home and was oblivious to what was happening outside, so he didn't think there was any difference.
Seeing his reaction, Xu Erpeng explained, "One must know one's limits. Your brother-in-law has already told us who the examiner is. We'll figure out what to do next ourselves. If we succeed, it's fate; if we fail, it's fortune..."
This time, the youngest son was able to stay under his son-in-law's patronage, while the eldest son still had to rely on his own examinations. He was staying behind because he was afraid that even if his daughter and son-in-law didn't say anything, the Xiao family might have something to say in the future. The sixth master of the Xiao family had been taking the exams for several years and was still only a Xiucai (a lower-level scholar). If his son stayed here for too long and passed the exams, the Xiao family might think that his son-in-law was showing favoritism.
Moreover, there are also children like Miao-ge and Ting-ge who came with them. If the government office can't accommodate them all, they'll have to stay somewhere else. It's fine for a day or two, but if it goes on for too long, people might say that the son-in-law is encroaching on the government office.
Xu Erpeng is someone who dislikes troubling others the most. He finds it very difficult to repay favors he receives, even from relatives.
Just like her daughter, when she helps people treat illnesses, she always focuses on treating illnesses and never uses the treatment to make extra demands. If family members want to use her connections, she lets them make the connections themselves. That's how she keeps things in check.
Xu Jian understood.
Master Xiao has now handed over the business to his eldest son. He is reluctant to leave the official residence and is also worried that his eldest grandson will not be able to go to Nanjing alone, so he wants to stay with Madam Ren. As for Han Yueyao and Miao Ge'er, they will go back with Xu Erpeng. Xu Erpeng is a reliable person.
Since everyone was in charge, Miaozhen and the others made the decision. After discussing it with them, they quickly settled on a plan.
Before parting, everyone was going to Luoyang to see the peonies. Miaozhen said to Renshi, "Xu Wenchang's 'Ode to the Peony' says, 'On the Yuebei Embankment, east of Changshou Street, in Zhangjiayuan, and in Fenyang's residence, when the spring light is gentle, pavilions and terraces are built. The sky is vast and clear, and silk threads float in the breeze. The scenery beckons people and things begin.' We have an official in our government office who happens to be from Luoyang. We've asked his brother to be our guide, and he'll surely be able to arrange everything very well."
"I never imagined that I'd be able to go around like this in my old age," Mrs. Ren said with a smile.
In fact, Ren Shi really enjoyed going out and about. Miao Zhen knew that as people get older, they are afraid of winter, and many elderly people are prone to dying in winter. So, welcoming spring meant that she had lived another year.
Miaozhen smiled and said, "Jingshi has official business to attend to. After we go to see the peonies, we can go to the temple and other places to see the local customs and culture. To be honest, it's not good for me to go out by myself. It's much better for me to have you and Father with me."
Mrs. Ren was very happy to hear this. She had paid for everything from the time the fourth son's wife went to Beijing to the time she went to Henan, and she never complained. She even accompanied them on their trips. She was truly remarkable.
Especially compared to her other two daughters-in-law, she had previously wanted to go to Hangzhou, but Han Yueyao refused and pretended not to hear. Not to mention Lou Qiongyu, she knew that Lou Qiongyu was good at needlework and wanted a headband with a phoenix and peony design, but she refused, saying it was too much trouble.
Whether someone is sincere or not, others can tell.
Xiao Jingtang and his nephew Zheng Ge'er rode horses, while Master Xiao and Xu Erpeng each led their sons and nephews in a carriage. Miaozhen and the others did the same.
Miaozhen felt like she was the leader. While the carriages were being harnessed outside, she gave a final reminder: "If anyone needs to relieve themselves, be sure to do so now, otherwise the carriages won't stop along the way."
Both Mrs. Ren and Mrs. Mei hurried to the toilet, and Han Yueyao thought for a moment and then went as well.
Luo Shi chimed in from the side, "Sister, are you really not taking Zhao Ge'er with you?"
“He’s been there before. He went to the capital with me and has been away for a long time. His father says he’s become too wild now,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
Luo thought that although her husband seemed hardworking, he was also easily distracted. She secretly wanted her husband to stay with her sister and brother-in-law, but her father-in-law was the one in charge at home. He was a man of his word and not someone to be trifled with. He didn't care about the small things at home, but if they made decisions on their own about important matters, he would show no mercy.
Once they came to their senses, the men who had gone to relieve themselves returned, and everyone boarded the carriage one by one.
Traveling by carriage is usually tiring, but Miaozhen made excellent arrangements. The journey was 300 li in total. They traveled by carriage during the day and rested at inns at night. She would check each person's pulse and even send people to deliver peeled fruit. She personally oversaw who was feeling unwell and what medicine they needed, showing great responsibility.
"After we go to admire the peonies, we'll ask a portrait artist to paint a picture for each of us. Everyone should dress up nicely while we're out and about," Miaozhen told everyone.
Mrs. Ren lamented, "I wanted to wear the purple one, but I ended up wearing the brown one..."
Mei, who was standing to the side, said, "In-law, I do have a purple one. You can wear mine. It's just that I haven't dyed my hair! Zhenzhen, what should we do?"
"It's alright, Mother. After we get to Luoyang, I'll find a pharmacy to get some medicine and I'll help you dye your hair." Madam Mei actually looked quite young, but she had quite a lot of white hair.
If older women are like this, then it's even more true for younger women like Ms. Luo.
Normally, women are confined to their homes, helping their mothers-in-law with household chores, doing needlework, or teaching their children. They rarely dare to express their own thoughts, and it's already a rare treat if they can even go to a temple to burn incense.
It was Miaozhen who came up with the idea of taking photos to commemorate the occasion and leave them with a beautiful memory.
Perhaps many years later, when I am old, I will look at the scroll and know what I was like when I was young.
Two days later, they arrived in Luoyang. It was already evening, and everyone stayed at the inn that had been arranged for them. Miaozhen had a delicious dinner served, and everyone was very excited. This place was once the capital of thirteen dynasties, and countless literati and poets have left behind many well-known poems here. Not only are there peonies, but also the ancient White Horse Temple.
Miaozhen had someone bring her some euphorbia leaves, honey, and eggs, which she then mixed to make hair dye. Luo was very skillful, so she took over and helped Mei dye her hair, while Miaozhen stayed by her side and chatted with her.
"I don't know when we'll meet again after this parting." These days, Madam Mei was eager to go home. She was distracted by the fields and her son's provincial examination, but she also felt reluctant to part with her daughter.
"Look at what you're saying. We've been together these past few days, haven't we? There will always be opportunities. As long as everyone is doing well, it's not a big deal," Miaozhen could only comfort her mother in this way.
Just like her sister Fu, as long as she's doing well, that's better than anything else.
In the blink of an eye, Fu Jie'er had been married into the Yun Jian Marquis's mansion for over a month. She had shed her naiveté as a bride and was gradually adapting to life in the mansion. She had four households of servants with her: one household managed the affairs on the estate, another managed the business of the shops outside, and two more households had come to the mansion to serve her. In addition, she had four maids and two matrons by her side to guard her inside and outside.
Besides the people she brought, she also brought a lot of money. She used to only receive two taels of silver a month at home. Suddenly having so much money, although it wasn't as exaggerated as a poor person suddenly becoming rich, she did have a lot more autonomy.
People at the bottom of society are all the same; they tend to favor the most lenient masters who offer the most rewards. Fu-jie knew that her mother had bribed a head maidservant near Madam Ren, so she was well-informed. Although she couldn't act rashly, she seized opportunities to help and reaped considerable benefits.
Of course, the most important thing is that Zhao Rui is a very good person.
Now that he has returned from the Northern Garrison, Sister Fu came to greet him. Zhao Rui smiled and said, "I told you, the Northern Garrison is different from other government offices. They don't know when they will return each day. Why do you have to wait for me?"
“I couldn’t sleep if you hadn’t come back. Besides, I haven’t been waiting for you in vain. I’m organizing my medical records. I said I was going to carry on my mother’s mantle, but I’m still far from it, so I need to study them carefully.” Sister Fu said with a smile.
Zhao Rui really liked Fu Jie'er. Before, he wished he could work in the yamen from morning till night, but now that he had a wife, he was only thinking about his family.
He came in with his arm around his wife's waist and couldn't help but ask, "What did you do at home today?"
"Nothing much, just paying my respects to Madam and then doing some needlework. Oh, by the way, I made you a dress, try it on later," said Sister Fu.
Zhao Rui listened to her advice. After changing into the clothes, he saw that they fit her well and took her hand, saying, "You should also take care of your eyes. Don't worry about this."
"Anyway, I have nothing better to do. Besides, I just got married and don't know anyone yet." Of course, Sister Fu knew who was behind this, but she didn't care too much.
Just like her mother said, this is a period of dormancy; they must strike decisively. Going out to compete with others now, without any certainty, would be a losing proposition. No matter how capable Zhao Rui is, he's mostly out there; she has to support the family on her own.
“You’ll get to know each other better later. After all, you are the Crown Prince’s wife,” Zhao Rui said meaningfully.
Now that Sister Fu is a third-rank noblewoman and the wife of a prince, she will definitely receive invitations from outsiders.
"I understand. Don't worry about me. I'll have someone bring hot water to the bathroom. You should wash up quickly and go to bed early," said Sister Fu.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhao Rui said, "Fu'er, I have something I need your help with."
The Northern Garrison captured an official, but he was extremely cunning and refused to confess. Fortunately, the Embroidered Uniform Guard discovered that his wife was in labor and had been unable to give birth for half a month. The man said that he would confess if his wife was saved.
This man has no ruler or father, and is a tough nut to crack, but he is deeply devoted to his wife.
Upon hearing this, Fu Jie'er remembered her mother's advice to repeatedly review the medical records she had compiled, as they would always come in handy. Now, she could not only save lives but also help her husband, achieving two goals at once.
"Then don't wash now, go now, saving lives is the priority," said Sister Fu.
Zhao Rui immediately went to the house with Fu Jie'er. Fu Jie'er came in and spoke with the midwife, learning that it was due to malposition of the fetus. Fu Jie'er remembered that her mother had given her a prescription that said any malposition of the fetus, fetal restlessness, difficult labor, or other critical conditions could be treated with just one dose of medicine.
"Bring me a pen, I'll write the prescription." Sister Fu wrote down the prescription.
Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong, 1.5 qian each; Fritillaria cirrhosa, 1 qian (without the core); Schizonepeta tenuifolia and Astragalus membranaceus, 0.8 qian each; Magnolia officinalis stir-fried with ginger and Artemisia argyi, 0.7 qian each; Cuscuta chinensis and Paeonia lactiflora, 1.2 qian each; Citrus aurantium and Notopterygium incisum, 0.6 qian each; Glycyrrhiza uralensis, 0.5 qian.
"Take it. Use one and a half cups of well water and three slices of ginger as a medicinal guide."
Many pharmacies don't close at night, just in case some patients come in. The servants at this pharmacy are very fast. After buying the medicine, they quickly brew it. After one dose, the woman gave birth to her baby smoothly.
The midwife praised Fu Jie'er without reservation: "In my entire life, I have only ever seen one person who can use medicine so miraculously, and that person is Xu Miaozhen from Suzhou."
Sister Fu felt proud: "That's my mother."
While other women avoided using their names, her mother became famous throughout the land because she was recorded in the county annals several times and did not avoid using her name.
The midwife breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and said to the woman's family, "You are truly blessed by the Bodhisattva and have encountered a real miracle doctor."
Zhao Rui, who was outside, breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that the baby had been successfully delivered. When Fu Jie came out, he ignored the stares of others and took her hand, saying, "Thank you."
Fu Jie wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief: "I should thank my mother. These recipes are all secret recipes."
"Yes, we should thank my mother-in-law," Zhao Rui said with a smile.
Together, the couple successfully got the criminal to talk and quickly solved a major case. Zhao Rui told Madam Ming about Fu Jie'er's contributions, and Madam Ming valued Fu Jie'er even more.
Miaozhen had already started leading people to tour the peony garden. Her plan was to paint a family portrait of the Xu family, as well as individual portraits. The family portrait took all morning to paint, and by the afternoon, Xu Erpeng couldn't keep going anymore. Master Xiao had also gone to a nearby house for a banquet. The women, however, felt it was a rare opportunity and lined up to have their portraits painted.
"It's alright, we'll ask the painter to paint again tomorrow, even Ting-ge'er and Miao-ge'er," Miao-zhen said quickly, seeing their anxiety.
The young Zhang immediately said, "Sister, I also want to paint among the Yao Huang and Wei Zi peonies."
Miaozhen nodded, of course she agreed.
The painter couldn't move while painting, which was very agonizing for everyone, but everyone loved the finished product. Even Zhang secretly told Miaozhen that she had looked at the painting ten times that night, and Miaozhen couldn't help but laugh.
They sampled the local snacks in Luoyang, visited three peony gardens, and finally went to the White Horse Temple, which had a large number of monks and was very popular. Miaozhen had been feeling a bit overwhelmed these past few days, so she didn't go. However, Xu Erpeng came back and told her privately, "I saw Miaoyun. She's really good at bluffing. She was so unhurried when she saw me."
“Her family is now associated with powerful and influential people. Even if we expose her, she will be fearless.” Miao Zhen thought that Miao Yun was actually very clear-headed. At first, she might have felt sorry for her, but as they gradually gained wealth and status, and Zhang Shihua got away with it several times, they became bolder and bolder.
Furthermore, the only thing revealed is that she is not from a prominent family in eastern Zhejiang. But if Zhang Shihua knew that she was related to his family, he might take advantage of that relationship, which would be even worse.
Xu Erpeng shook his head: "People like that are completely lawless."
“That’s right, but Zhang Shihua is quite shrewd. He knows how to protect each other, and he has good connections with his superiors and the people in the yamen. Who would stand up for the common people? If it were like Jing Shi back when he was the imperial inspector, he would have suppressed Zhang Shihua, but didn’t he get reinstated later?” Miaozhen spread her hands.
Xu Erpeng didn't know what to say.
After their trip to Luoyang, the large group prepared to return home. Miaozhen had prepared a lot of local Henan specialties, such as donkey meat, donkey intestines, Zhongmu watermelon sauce, Yanling oven-baked sesame cakes, Fengyi rice vinegar (used to make Yellow River carp), and Liyang tribute noodles. They took all of these back with them. After seeing the large group off, the government office finally returned to normal.
Master Xiao and his wife lived in the main courtyard of Zhao Ge'er, while Zhao Ge'er moved directly to the place where Fu Jie'er used to live, so that his father could supervise him day and night.
Seeing that her son's face had turned pale, Miaozhen said, "Why don't you rest for half an hour? I'll keep an eye on things here for you."
"It's alright, son needs to finish writing these first. Mother, I used to think I was already quite good, but now that I've heard Father say this, I realize how arrogant I was." Zhao Ge'er strived for perfection, and only went to bed after finishing writing.
Compared to his uncle, he was already very lucky. His uncle also studied at the Chao family school and spent all his time studying, but his knowledge was not as good as his own. Although he had some talent for studying, he was ultimately grateful to his father for choosing Yang Bangyan and spending tens of thousands of taels of silver to hire someone to teach him to read, which transformed him.
The reason why Father didn't keep Uncle was not for any other reason, but because Father felt that Uncle was not yet ready, that is, his knowledge was still insufficient.
If he passes the exam but his uncle doesn't, will his maternal grandfather's family think that his father didn't raise him well?
The closer the relationship between relatives, the more they care about these things.
Seeing that her son had fallen asleep, Miaozhen came out of his room, intending to personally brew some medicinal soup. She thought that the Gastrodia elata and walnut soup was good for the brain and specifically for treating mental overwork. As she was thinking, she bumped into Yuzan, who was beside Madam Ren. Xiaoxi went up to her and teased her a few times.
What did you say to her?
"Fourth Madam, you probably don't know, but Yuzan has become Sixth Master's concubine," Xiao Xi said with a smile.
Xiao Jingtang lived in the official residence outside, right in front of the passageway of the Councilor's Office. Because he brought a servant boy with him, Miaozhen did not arrange for any servants to serve him. Unexpectedly, Ren Shi made arrangements.
Lou Qiongyu won't be coming now. Aunt Qin is far away in Suzhou, and it's not appropriate for her, as an aunt, to make a big fuss about coming. So, Madam Ren gave her head maid to Xiao Jingtang.
“I see. Then later, could you pick out a piece of satin and two hairpins for her?” Miaozhen said.
Xiao Xi should be.
Just as the master and servant were about to go to the kitchen, they heard Steward Sun enter and say, "Fourth Madam, Prefect Zhang has been arrested by the Imperial Inspector for allegedly embezzling funds from the river works. Fourth Master said that Zhang's family members might come looking for him, so he told you to keep a close watch on the house and not to pay any attention to them."
Every year, the imperial court allocates a large sum of silver for the Yellow River project. This money is often embezzled at various levels, from the river management office to the prefects. Zhang Shihua, always one to act only when there's a profit to be made, even though he's been much more restrained, he's still undoubtedly profited from it. Xiao Jingshi had already sent people to keep an eye on him, even placing people in Weihui Prefecture before Zhang Shihua arrived to take up his post. With evidence delivered, the Yan faction was preoccupied with their own problems, and the imperial censor naturally had to play the role of a just judge.
Miao Zhen said with a serious expression, "I definitely will, you can reassure Fourth Master."
Xiao Xi couldn't help but ask, "Zhang Shihua, that corrupt official, starved so many people to death. He should be caught this time, right?"
"Of course," Miaozhen said with certainty.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
