Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123
Marquis Yun never expected that this matter was actually caused by his own son. He had always thought that his second son and his wife were being filial to him in exile, so he had always turned a blind eye to it at home. He never expected that the truth was like this.
Second Madam Zhao was also terrified. Years ago, during her exile, she had used the opportunity to make her husband's concubine's children disappear. Feeling guilty and fearing her husband's secret would be exposed, she had been dutiful to Marquis Yun and his wife. She never imagined that Zhao Rui would uncover her secret, a crime punishable by death.
The second son of the Zhao family was sentenced to death by hanging. Marquis Yunjian was guilty of negligence and was fined three years' salary. Marquis Yunjian removed the Zhao family from the family register, and Zhao's grandmother was returned to her original family. She was originally born out of wedlock, and the Ning'an Marquis's mansion refused to accept her. It is said that she passed away that same day.
Even the three children of the second son of the Zhao family were all sent to the estate to be raised. This time, no more people were implicated, which can be considered as the emperor showing leniency.
When Fu Jie returned to her parents' home, she was full of high spirits: "My father-in-law used to always favor them, but now he doesn't even mention them anymore. That Guo woman framed me for years, and now she's beheaded, which she deserved."
"Alright, don't think about it so much. Now that she's gone, your sister-in-law is a sensible person and won't compete with you. Your life will be much easier from now on, so I can rest assured." Miaozhen thought her daughter's suffering had finally come to an end.
A couple's relationship is sweetest when they share a common enemy, but they shouldn't dwell on this too long, or the relationship may fade away.
Miaozhen has always been completely open with her daughter, so she told her as well.
Fu Jie'er's smug expression subsided slightly: "You're right. So, is this how you and my father usually act?"
Miao Zhen laughed and said, "Let me ask you, Governor Lu, Minister Huang, and even the current Prince Yu's heir all got in touch with your father through my connections, and even Hongshu did. Have I ever repeatedly mentioned my own contributions?"
Fu Jie'er suddenly realized that her mother seemed to have never said that before, and she said, "That's really true."
“Those who acknowledge your contributions, you don’t need to say anything, they know what’s going on in their hearts. Those who don’t acknowledge them, the more you talk about them, the more annoyed they will become, and then you should cut your losses in time. Also, since I have chosen you as my successor, I didn’t require you to study medicine before because I knew that Second Granny Zhao was around and was afraid that she would do something bad, but now it’s time for you to pick it up again.” Miaozhen said to her daughter.
You should know that Miaozhen was once Fujie'er's teacher, urging her to memorize medical records, pick up needles, and make house calls on her own time and time again. Fujie'er both loved and was somewhat afraid of her mother.
Hearing Miaozhen say this, he quickly agreed.
With her daughter's major concern resolved, she firmly grasped the reins of household management, leading to more frequent interactions between the two families.
When Zhao Rui saw Zheng Ge'er return from the academy, he learned that Zheng Ge'er's current martial arts master had returned to his hometown and had specially recommended an even more powerful one. It should be noted that Zhao Rui was young but had experienced many battles, and Zheng Ge'er would be even more powerful with this addition.
But even though Zheng Ge'er was happy, he still kept pestering Miao Zhen to eat salt and pepper chicken and fried lotus root strips. Miao Zhen's ancestral home was in Huguang, but her family had moved to Suzhou and she thought everything was good, except that the lotus root soup didn't taste right.
This time, someone specially brought water chestnuts and lotus roots from Hubei and Hunan. Miaozhen used half of it to make lotus root and pork rib soup, and used the other half to make fried lotus root strips.
"Mother already instructed them to make it, but you can have a sweet tooth, but you can't eat too much fried food, understand?" Miaozhen said with a smile.
Zheng Ge'er immediately assured him, "Don't worry, I'll only eat one serving. I still want to eat steamed buns."
This child looks a lot like her; he loves eating steamed buns.
When it was time to eat, Xiao Jingshi, Zhao Ge'er, and Zhao Rui talked animatedly, while Xiao Jingtang and Xu Kun chimed in from time to time. Only Zheng Ge'er kept his head down and ate without saying a word.
After finishing his meal, he felt bloated again, so Miaozhen gave him a bowl of digestive tea: "You can't eat like this, it's not good to ruin your stomach."
"I know, but I just miss the food at home." Zheng Ge'er sniffed.
Miaozhen then asked him, "How are you doing at the academy? What's your ranking?"
"I was 23rd at first, 8th in the last monthly exam, and now I'm 5th." Zheng Ge'er was quite proud of himself.
Miao Zhen was genuinely happy for him: "You're amazing! You must study hard, okay?"
Zheng Ge'er understood this principle perfectly well. He didn't need to ask about the benefits of studying; everyone at the academy knew it better than he did. During the New Year, his father received New Year's gifts from his peers, his mother received various treats from doctors and medical associations, and even his older brother, being the top scholar in the imperial examinations, had many admirers visiting. Only he received nothing.
He didn't want to be someone who just freeloaded; he wanted to improve himself.
However, even as he thought this, he asked Miaozhen, "Mother, where did you put the 'Wosi Tang' that the manager of Julanzhai gave you last time?"
"It's so hot outside, we've already given them all away." Miaozhen knew he still wanted some candy, but she didn't want him to eat too much.
Zhengge lowered his head: "What about lotus seed candy?"
"We're out of lotus seed candy. You just said you were full, what candy do you want now? Be careful your teeth don't rot, then we'll see what you do." Miaozhen poked his forehead.
To be honest, Zheng Ge'er really didn't have a rebellious phase. Even though Miao Zhen said that to him, he didn't rebel because he knew that his mother wouldn't really keep a close watch on him; she just didn't want him to ruin his teeth.
Xiao Jingshi also had things to say to Zheng Ge'er, especially about his essay. He first gave it a thorough critique, then explained how to cleverly solve the problem. Zheng Ge'er took notes, and then returned to his courtyard to frolic. He first checked if the swallows under the eaves had returned, then went inside to look at the weapons manual, thoroughly enjoying himself.
They even ate dinner in their room, with maids serving them the food—it was so enjoyable.
But when he got up early the next morning, he still had to practice martial arts. He wanted to sleep for a while, but he didn't have time to practice at the academy on weekdays, so he needed to practice even more now.
He wielded a silver spear with great skill, and had only just put it away when Miaozhen arrived.
"Mother, what delicious food have you prepared for your son?"
Miaozhen smiled and said, "Your favorite roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) and an egg. Don't eat too much in the morning. I've packed your luggage. Remember to bathe and change your clothes often, or you'll smell bad."
He can only rest for one day every ten days. He came back yesterday at noon and will leave this morning. Zheng Ge'er is very reluctant to leave.
No matter how reluctant he was, he had to go back to the academy after breakfast. Sitting in the carriage, he looked at the new purse tied to his waist. When he opened it, he found a small piece of candy wrapped in oil paper. He immediately put it in his mouth. It was sweet and delicious.
But at the academy, everyone was reading, so Zheng Ge'er suppressed his excitement and tried to fit in.
After Zheng Ge'er left, the house became quiet and deserted. Xiao Xi even advised, "Madam, you are still young and can have another child."
“I’m not having any more children, and I don’t want to. Don’t be fooled by our family’s current success in the political arena; sometimes things can change in an instant. I can’t forget my aunt. When I was little, I always thought she was tactless, but now I realize she was just a child herself. My grandparents are no longer able to support her, and my father and uncles have all started their own families. They all despise her for being a burden, having to raise a child. I don’t have the energy for that now.”
Sometimes the house feels a bit lonely, and Miaozhen might have impulsive thoughts, but she'll just let it go after thinking about it.
Xiao Xi sighed, "You're right." Then she changed the subject, "Now that you mention it, so many years have passed, I wonder how Xiao Tao and the people back home are doing?"
Miaozhen laughed and said, "Yes, sometimes I feel that when life is good, it goes by really fast, but when life is hard, it feels like an eternity."
A funeral was being held in his hometown. Old Xu insisted on going fishing during the day, but his eyesight was failing and he tripped and fell by a big tree by the river. Because the fall was so hard, he went to the funeral that night.
Xu Erpeng and his wife were holding a funeral at home. Relatives did come, but most of them were just bystanders, only showing up for meals. After keeping vigil for two nights, Xu Erpeng was exhausted and started calculating the expenses: "Even so, they still say I'm unwilling to spend money on the funeral. They all brought their families and haven't left since they arrived this morning. They've already eaten five or six of my meals."
Spending hundreds of taels on a grand funeral just to gain a reputation for filial piety? Xu Erpeng was unwilling to do that; it was too foolish. He had done right by his father while he was alive, so why bother with pretense? To put it bluntly, of his parents' three sons, he was the only one who took care of them in their old age.
But Xu Si Niang was not very satisfied, because Xu Er Peng buried his father on the seventh day after his death, and the coffin was made of very ordinary miscellaneous wood painted red. She was complaining to Xu San Shu and Miao Lian: "Second brother is really something. He is an official and has such a large family business, yet he is so reluctant to part with it."
Uncle Xu also agreed: "His son-in-law is a high-ranking official of the third rank in the capital, so he should be more respectable. As for the relatives, they were only here for a few extra meals, and they are so unhappy. That's really petty of them."
Miaolian couldn't help but say, "But Second Uncle isn't the type to listen to others."
To be honest, everyone felt that after Xu Erpeng's family became successful, they seemed to deliberately avoid contact with their relatives and look down on them.
These words were overheard by Xu's servants, who immediately returned to the study and told Xu Erpeng. Xu Erpeng thought to himself that he didn't want to take advantage of others, nor did he like others taking advantage of him. But he had done quite a lot, and yet he still received complaints. It was really annoying, and he was so angry that he ate an extra bowl of rice at noon.
After the funeral, Old Lady Xu had to be brought over from her hometown. However, this brought a problem: although the bookstore of the second branch of the Xu family was not as prosperous as it had been in its heyday, it was still able to survive. Moreover, Xu Erpeng had purchased a lot of land and had no worries about food and drink. He also had servants at home, so he was actually living a very comfortable life.
Such prosperity reminded Old Mrs. Xu of her suffering children, and she often talked about them. Xu Erpeng had two sets of clothes made for her, but she ignored them. Knowing that she loved to eat pig's head meat, Xu Erpeng had it prepared for her, and she again talked about her daughter and third son suffering.
Xu Erpeng didn't indulge her: "Mother, how about I talk to Third Brother and have you come over? You can't eat here, and you don't like the clothes. You'll probably be more comfortable with Third Brother."
After treating her in this way several times, Old Lady Xu finally dared not speak.
Madam Mei couldn't help but ask, "What if the old lady speaks ill of you in front of the relatives again? What will you do then?"
"Whoever steps forward will take her away. Three meals a day of chicken, duck, fish and meat, a maid and an old woman to serve her, and clothes for all four seasons. I, Xu Erpeng, have never lived such a life. I'm still writing stories every day, and I can't even afford a single copy of an abacus." Xu Erpeng was no ordinary man.
With his statement, "Whoever complains, takes them away," the other relatives of the Xu family couldn't say anything more.
While Xu Erpeng was in mourning, Madam Mei asked her daughter-in-law, Madam Luo, to send a congratulatory gift to the eldest branch of the Xiao family. Madam Luo asked in confusion, "The eldest son is still so young, yet he's getting married so soon."
"It's all because the eldest son of the main branch became a monk, started a family, and took over the family business sooner." Madam Mei was quite understanding.
Just like their own family, it's still just her and her husband who are holding things together. They're both over fifty, and their health is far from what it used to be. Their eldest son is still in school, their daughter-in-law can manage some of the housework, but the elderly couple still have to take care of the fields outside.
Chao was a remarkable woman; she was highly skilled at managing the clan's lands and handling clan affairs. However, she was older than the couple, and perhaps she wanted to pass on the responsibilities to the next generation as soon as possible.
Madam Luo calculated the ages: "The other day we received a letter saying that my nephew was engaged, and the eldest son of the Xiao family is also married. Even the son of the second son is preparing to get married, but I remember that Miao from the sixth son's family is almost twenty years old. Why isn't he engaged yet?"
"Who knows? This child is quite polite. When we went to the capital together before, he and Zhao-ge'er got along quite well," Madam Mei explained.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted for a while, then someone outside announced that the aunt had arrived. Madam Mei said irritably, "Have someone prepare tea."
Luo secretly groaned. The Xu family she married into was actually quite good. Her husband was well-educated and refined, and they also had a very good relative. The Xu family was also a well-off family. It was just that after bringing in this old lady Xu, trouble came knocking on their door, especially this aunt, who often came to visit, causing endless annoyance.
**
It was also said that someone had come to Miaozhen's house; it was Mrs. Zhu. Ever since the Zhu family learned of the engagement between the Xiao and Han families, they had been quiet for quite some time. But the Zhu family was no match for the Han family, so they dared not utter a single word of criticism. Doctor Zhu even sent his wife to personally offer her congratulations.
Miaozhen didn't have much of a problem with Mrs. Zhu, especially in official circles, as long as things didn't fall out, everyone could get along peacefully.
Mrs. Zhu brought her daughter with her, intending to ask Miaozhen to help arrange a marriage: "We don't know anyone here, so we'll have to ask you for help, Madam."
“No problem, as long as it’s a suitable candidate, I’ll definitely help. But don’t blame me if it doesn’t work out,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
Mrs. Zhu was hoping Miaozhen could help her find a husband, but after waiting for half a month without any news, she realized that the other party was just giving her a perfunctory answer. However, since her family had just arrived in the capital to take up official posts, and there were many high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital, her family was insignificant. Mrs. Zhu was so anxious and upset that she even developed blisters on her lips.
Just then, someone came to propose marriage to the niece. It was none other than the son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. Although he was uneducated and incompetent, he was a devoted man who fell in love with Miss Zhu at first sight and urged his parents to come and propose marriage.
Doctor Zhu was pleased to hear this, as he and his wife had raised their niece. If the superior liked her, it would also benefit his future, so he naturally allowed it. However, Madam Zhu was so angry that she fell ill.
Miaozhen sent someone to deliver Mid-Autumn Festival gifts, and was quite surprised to hear that Madam Zhu was ill. "How could she be ill? Let's see her first. If it's something serious, I'll go and check on her then."
Xiao Xi agreed, and then said, "Madam, several patients brought mooncakes over today, and we really have too many mooncakes at home."
"Not much, but you can take two boxes with you when you go. You've been so busy by my side all these years," Miaozhen said with a smile.
The Zhu family didn't celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival properly either. Although Miss Zhu was jealous of her cousin's good fortune, she comforted her mother when she saw her mother's reaction: "Mother, I heard that the son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice is actually the most useless person."
Mrs. Zhu objected: "No matter how good-for-nothing he is, he is still the son of a third-rank official. You are clearly more educated and of a much higher social standing than her. Why did she get such good luck?"
Just like with Miss Han, whom Xiao Zhaozhi chose, Madam Zhu didn't feel uncomfortable at all, because Han Ruozhen was the eldest daughter of the prime minister, and the Han family was a prestigious one. Miss Han was indeed better than her own daughter. But her niece's appearance was comparable to her daughter's, and she even had a pointed chin and a somewhat bitter face, unlike her own daughter who was so elegant. She had no parents, yet she was able to marry into such a family. How could she swallow this insult?
Judging from her husband's words, it seems he wants to give a portion of his daughter's dowry to his niece so that her wedding will be more impressive.
Why should I?
“Mother, she has such luck, and I may have it someday too. Don’t let her upset you. Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, so we should celebrate it properly, lest people say we lack class,” said Miss Zhu.
Seeing her daughter's ambition, Mrs. Zhu said, "Don't worry, I will find you a better marriage than her. I suspect that little hussy often makes up stories about going to the temple to light eternal lamps for her parents, just to seduce people."
With her daughter's comfort, Mrs. Zhu regained her spirits. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, she took the whole family to offer incense. Unfortunately, during this trip, the second daughter of the Zhu family accidentally fell into the lake and died.
Mrs. Zhu was imprisoned, and even Miss Zhu was forbidden from leaving the house. Because the case involved a relative of a Ministry of Justice official, it was transferred to the Court of Judicial Review for trial. Upon returning, Xiao Jingshi told Miaozhen about it: "You've had contact with the Zhu family. How did Mrs. Zhu treat her niece?"
“Back then, she only brought her daughter to meet me when she socialized. I also visited the Zhu family. Although her niece's clothes and appearance weren't as good as her daughter's, they were still quite nice. But since she was living under someone else's roof, she couldn't compare to a real young lady,” Miaozhen said.
Mrs. Zhu wears her heart on her sleeve. She was unhappy when she heard about her niece's marriage, but immediately changed her expression when she saw someone she liked. This shows that she is at least a person who doesn't hide her feelings.
After listening, Xiao Jingshi sighed: "According to what you said, she might have pushed her niece into the lake simply and violently because she felt wronged. But I have interrogated her and the servants who went to the temple with her at the time, and they can all testify that although Madam Zhu complained about her niece, she did not instruct anyone to do so."
"It's really strange. How could Miss Zhu, a young girl who has just arrived in the capital, possibly have made enemies with others?" Miaozhen found it very strange.
As the two were talking, an official from the Dali Temple came over and said, "Madam Zhu was rescued from her suicide attempt in prison, but her life is hanging by a thread."
Xiao Jingshi glanced at Miaozhen: "My lady, I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to come and help treat her."
"Xiao Tingwei, I'll grab my medicine kit and head over right away." Miaozhen didn't want to waste a moment.
Xiao Jingshi was taken aback: "You're addressing me by my official title so soon? Well, it's a good one."
Miaozhen laughed and said, "I didn't know that. When doing errands, you have to use official titles."
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