Chapter 13 Failing to Recognize Gold Inlaid with Jade
During the Lunar New Year, the Xu family spent the holiday at Miaozhen's house. They were somewhat surprised to learn that their cousin, Miaolian, was still in school, as their aunt was known to be a very frugal person. Last year, when they went to Miaozhen's house for New Year's Eve dinner, because they ate a little late, Miaozhen, fearing that the candles would be wasted, blew them all out, leaving the family to talk in complete darkness.
But soon Bao herself revealed: "Zhenzhen is not studying anymore, but our Lian'er will still study, after all, she was taught by a proper scholar."
So she wanted to compare herself to her. She mentioned that Bao Shi had previously prevented Miao Lian from studying, complaining that it was a waste of money. Now, however, she thought that their studies with Qiu Niangzi were a waste of time. You can't talk about ice with a summer insect, so Miao Zhen naturally didn't want to pay her any attention.
However, Uncle Xu still discussed the matter of his aunt's dowry with his father: "Second brother, even I have contributed twenty strings of cash, how can you watch your sister have no dowry?"
Xu Erpeng was not one to be trifled with either, and he said bluntly, "There are only two kinds of events in the family: happy occasions and funerals. When my grandfather passed away, I took out thirty taels of silver and didn't ask you for a single coin. I also helped Fourth Sister buy a spinning machine worth fifty or sixty taels of silver. Isn't all of this money for the family? You should only wear a hat that matches your means. If you can't afford the dowry, you can either break off the engagement or not marry at all, it's up to you. Now that you've driven my eldest brother away, you're coming to force us? I just don't understand why you're so vain?"
These words made Miaozhen inwardly applaud her father; when it came to talking, no one in the family could match him.
Sure enough, the remaining few people gave up and left without a fight.
Mei then tried to smooth things over, saying, "Let's eat quickly, the food is getting cold and won't taste good."
Grandma Xu and Grandpa Xu rarely ate such good food, and they both stuffed their cheeks full. Brother Zhang kept eating the pipa prawns, and even Miaolian drank bowl after bowl of sweet soup. They devoured everything in a whirlwind.
Miaozhen wondered how her third uncle, who had earned so much money and was not usually unable to afford meat, could eat like this.
Little did they know that the third branch of the Xu family simply cooked the food, unlike the second branch which hired a maid to do the cooking. Moreover, Madam Mei was a meticulous and capable person; she could even stir-fry cabbage better than other families.
Night fell, and the members of the three families were keeping watch here. Everyone had eaten their fill and were too exhausted to drink tea.
No one brought up the matter of Xu Si Niang's dowry anymore. It was actually resolved so simply. Miao Zhen thought it was really not worth it for her uncle's family to go to Jinling for this matter.
This experience also teaches us that no one can truly force you to do something you don't want to do.
All difficulties are no longer difficult if we face them head-on.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, we returned to the Mei family home. The Mei family lived outside the city. Although the house was thatched, the foundation was made of stone. Inside the walls, there were craggy artificial hills and clusters of plum trees. The thatched house was covered with tiled roofs, and the walls were all snow-white and smooth.
There was a huanghuali wood screen in the place where Mrs. Mei lived, and several maids were standing there. This was Mrs. Mei's stepmother, who was also Aunt Qiao's biological mother. She was sending seven or eight servants out to greet Aunt Qiao.
Aunt Qiao entered with the same swagger as before, surrounded by a retinue of admirers, just as she always had. Even her daughters were showered with attention. In this setting, Madam Mei and Miaozhen watched silently and ate their meals in silence.
However, after the Lantern Festival, Miaozhen and Ru went out to make a medical consultation, and they went to the Qiao family.
When their eyes met, Miaozhen pretended not to recognize Aunt Qiao. Just then, Madam Ru asked, "Mrs. Qiao, what's going on?"
Aunt Qiao originally wanted to ask the old doctor who often treated her to come over, but the old doctor had returned to the countryside, so she asked Ru Shi to come over instead. Unexpectedly, she met her own niece, who was also the daughter of her sister whom she had always looked down upon.
She felt utterly humiliated.
“Our wife was very angry that day, and unexpectedly, she started bleeding in her anger, miscarried, and her lower abdomen is still painful,” said one of the mothers next to Aunt Qiao.
Ru wanted to cultivate Miaozhen, so she said to her, "Take her pulse first, and then tell me how you diagnose the condition?"
Miaozhen didn't call her aunt, but said, "Please hold out your hand, let me take a look first."
Seeing her so calm and composed, Aunt Qiao extended her hand. After taking her pulse, Miao Zhen slowly said, "In my opinion, this is not because the liver fire has not yet subsided, but because the blood is not returning to its proper channels. As the saying goes, the uterine vessels are connected to the kidneys, and the heart and kidneys are connected in the uterus. Previously, this lady's anger damaged her liver, causing qi and blood to become disordered. Qi and blood stagnation can easily block the connection between the heart and kidneys and the uterine vessels, which is why she miscarried. Now, even after the miscarriage, she still has abdominal pain because the connection between the heart and kidneys and the uterine vessels is still blocked. Where there is no flow, there is pain. To restore the flow of qi and blood, guide the blood back to its proper channels, and ensure sufficient liver blood, the illness will be cured."
“Very good, that’s right. But we can’t just guide the blood back to the liver; we also need to calm the liver fire so that the qi and blood in the liver won’t be disordered,” Ru added.
Miaozhen asked, "In that case, Master, how should I prescribe the medicine?"
Ru said, “Five qian of white peony root, which nourishes the blood, softens the liver, and relieves pain; five qian of angelica root, which replenishes qi and invigorates blood; three qian of atractylodes macrocephala, which, needless to say, strengthens the spleen and replenishes qi; one qian of licorice root, which regulates the properties of the medicine; three qian of black scutellaria, which also has astringent and hemostatic effects; as for ophiopogon japonicus and peony bark, they can nourish yin and clear heat…”
Miaozhen listened and wrote it all down, summarizing it on the side. These medicines are all for nourishing blood and softening the liver, soothing the liver and strengthening the spleen. Adding Cyperus rotundus and Curcuma longa to soothe the liver and clear heat makes it a good prescription.
The prescription was given to the servants of Aunt Qiao, and Ru told the Qiao family to decoct the medicine in water and drink it before taking her leave. The Qiao family gave them two coins as a consultation fee and sent them back in a sedan chair.
This is a private matter for the guest; she didn't even tell Mrs. Mei.
Now that I don't have to go to girls' school, I leave early and return late every day at the Tao family's house. Sometimes I spend half a day giving acupuncture to patients and I even go hungry, but no matter what, I have really learned something.
The moment they open their eyes, all they think about is seeing a doctor; they don't care about anything else.
She now not only studies gynecology, but also reads various books and prescriptions, and summarizes her own experiences. It's as if she can do the work of two people all by herself.
All they knew was that her father only gave ten strings of cash, her third uncle gave twenty strings of cash to Xu Si Niang as dowry, and Xu Lao Guan only took out the seventy-five strings of cash that he hadn't used up, barely making up one hundred strings of cash. They included the spinning machine, and in this way, they made up one hundred and fifty strings of cash.
At the beginning of the year, Miaozhen turned eleven. Her family's debts were paid off, and she felt that her father was under less pressure. He used to spend his days writing in his study, but now he could come out and talk to them.
During the Flower Festival, Aunt Qiao invited them to Qiao Garden to admire the flowers. Madam Mei said to her daughter, "You deal with medicinal herbs all day long. Now you should go and smell the fragrance of flowers and relax for a day. Your fatigue will be gone."
“Okay, your daughter will go with you,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
The mother and daughter traveled together by carriage to the Qiao family. In just a month and a half, Aunt Qiao seemed to have recovered her vitality. However, Aunt Mei said to her, "Although you are much better now, you still need to take good care of yourself."
Madam Mei couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with my sister?"
Aunt Qiao thought Madam Mei was being sarcastic, and looked at Miaozhen, saying, "Didn't you tell your mother?"
Miaozhen said, "This is the patient's private matter. How could I tell others so casually? Aunt, you are underestimating me."
To be honest, Aunt Qiao was a little afraid of Miaozhen before. This girl would almost never come during the most lively time of the year. No matter what red envelopes you gave her or what banquets you ate, she would only do her own thing. This is what it means to be a person who doesn't ask for help from others and to have things done without asking for help from others.
To put it bluntly, no matter how rich Aunt Qiao is, she won't give them a single penny.
Aunt Qiao had nothing to say. Several other aunts from the Qiao family came out to greet everyone. Miao Zhen also joined her mother in exchanging pleasantries. Aunt Mei then said to her, "I think Zhen Zhen is a bit shy and introverted."
Miao Zhen was clearly just being normal, but she was told she was shy. She knew that this was Aunt Mei speaking ill of her on behalf of Aunt Qiao, so Miao Zhen smiled and said, "Aunt, what are you saying? I can be normal at socializing. This is the first time I've heard someone describe me like that."
Madam Mei also spoke up for her daughter: "Our Zhenzhen is the most polite person. Both the talented Qiu and Madam Ru value her highly. Everyone praises her when they go out."
With her parents backing her up, she naturally has nothing to fear. Besides, she speaks her mind and doesn't just randomly criticize people.
Miao Zhen's personality also has its admirers. They think she is so capable at such a young age. The fifth aunt of the Qiao family thought so too. She took the time to call Miao Zhen over and said that she often had backaches, breast and lower abdomen swelling, and always felt like she couldn't get enough sleep and couldn't get pregnant.
"I had a doctor come to see me, and he said I have kidney deficiency and insufficient qi and blood. I don't know how many kidney-tonifying medicines I've taken, but I haven't gotten better." Fifth Aunt was just hoping to try it out by sheer luck.
After all, there aren't many female doctors.
When Miaozhen took her pulse, she pressed her abdomen and said, "Your problem is not due to insufficient kidney qi, but rather a mass, which means there is a lump. And when I took your pulse just now, I found that your problem is not related to your kidneys, but rather that your Ren and Du meridians are deficient."
"A lump? Miss Xu, no, Doctor Xu, am I not going to die?" Fifth Aunt was startled.
Male doctors usually only take pulses through a curtain, which is an advantage of female doctors—they can press on areas like the abdomen. Hearing this, Miaozhen quickly smiled and said, "No, no, it's not that serious."
Wu Niang breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly begged Miao Zhen, "You must help me get treatment!"
“I’m willing, but my aunt is the mistress of your household, so I’m only writing the prescription. You’re not allowed to say that I wrote it. You should take thirty doses first. If your Ren and Du meridians are unblocked, then take another thirty doses. If you agree, then make a vow.” Miaozhen has also started learning to write prescriptions. For at least the past month or so, she has been writing prescriptions on her own, so she wants to try it now.
After Fifth Aunt swore an oath, Miaozhen finally opened the Shengdai soup.
After returning home, he told Madam Mei about it and then asked Madam Ru to confirm it. Madam Ru said, "You are too cautious. You have been studying for three years. There is absolutely no problem with prescribing this prescription for this illness."
Therefore, Miaozhen continued to worry day and night while leaving early and returning late at the Tao family home. She was worried that the fifth concubine had been drugged and would harm her, and she was also worried that the drug would be ineffective.
Now, Aunt Qiao, who was always favored, asked her maid to go out and get some medicine. She took thirty doses and indeed felt much better. After taking another thirty doses and stopping the medicine, she had sex with Uncle Qiao again, and a month later she became pregnant.
Fifth Concubine Qiao was pregnant, which naturally angered Aunt Qiao. On the surface, she instructed others to take care of her and praised her good fortune, but in her heart, she hated her to death. Fifth Concubine Qiao said to her confidante, "This person is muddleheaded and cannot recognize a gem."
After saying this, he specially sent a maid to give her a five-tael silver ingot, saying that she was pregnant and he had come to thank her.
Miaozhen breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the ingot, and gradually gained confidence in herself.
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