Chapter 18 Learning and Completing
Time flies like an arrow, and a year and a half passed quickly. Tan Yunxian was too old, and her granddaughter was worried about her, so she personally took her to live with her. Miaozhen then bid farewell to her master and returned home with her parents ahead of schedule.
She only had three or four sets of clothes to change into, but her medical books filled three boxes. Her father, as always, would feel sore all over if he wasn't writing, and would often use a wooden hammer to massage his arms and shoulders.
"I'll get back and apply moxibustion to your Shousanli and Quchi acupoints. I guarantee you'll feel great afterward," Miaozhen said hurriedly.
Xu Erpeng nodded repeatedly, eager for someone to relieve his back pain.
The three boarded the boat. The wind was still quite strong, so Miaozhen quickly helped Mei put on a coat because her mother had just given birth to her younger brother at the end of last year and couldn't afford to catch a cold.
Then Mei said, "You've just turned thirteen. You've finished your studies and learned medicine. From now on, you should stay home and behave well. Speaking of which, your aunt is getting married soon, so you can still make it."
"Mother, will my eldest uncle and aunt come back from Jinling?" Miaozhen still remembered the time when her eldest uncle asked the family to send money.
Madam Mei squeezed her hand: "Originally, your father and your third uncle asked the Huang family to inquire, and later they also wrote to your eldest uncle's friend, but there was no news. Finally, these people came back this year during the Lantern Festival. After they came back, they had nowhere to stay for a while. They stayed at your third uncle's house for a few days. You know your third aunt's character. When you were six years old, she gave you five coins, and she's still arguing about it now. Your grandmother even asked your eldest uncle's family for your aunt's dowry money. They couldn't stand it anymore. Your third uncle and the others said that we have an empty yard and wanted to stay at our house, but thankfully your father disagreed."
"What happened then?" Miaozhen asked.
Madam Mei said, “We sold those two rooms to your third uncle for a total of twenty taels, but over the years he has only paid back half of them. So, your father said in front of the whole family that each family should lend ten taels to your eldest uncle so that they can at least have a place to rest and not always be living under someone else’s roof. As for our family’s ten taels, let your eldest uncle ask your third uncle for them.”
Upon hearing this, Miaozhen was truly grateful that her father was shrewd, turning her third uncle's creditor into her eldest uncle's creditor. However, she then asked, "What happened next?"
“Your third uncle only took out ten taels, saying that the debt to your father had been paid off and that the ten taels could buy two or three houses to live in. However, your eldest uncle and the others took the money and rented two houses near Ranxiang to live in.”
"Why go to such lengths? I remember they had so many nice clothes and jewelry; they could have just pawned a few pieces. The people living in Ran Lane are all sorts of people, a real mixed bag, not a good place."
Xu Erpeng, who had been massaging his back, said, "What can we do? I'm just doing you a favor. It's already difficult enough to get ten taels from your third uncle."
Miaozhen was moved by what she heard, and couldn't help but think that Ru's consultation fee was usually around two or three qian, while famous doctors often charged two or three liang or even five liang. If she were to accept consultation fees, she could only start by accepting one qian.
Whether in ancient or modern times, to live a good life and have aspirations, one must first ensure material well-being. Although my uncle was a tribute student, he lived in such poverty that he could not even settle down.
Therefore, making money is still very important. She is now a seasoned veteran and has the title of being a disciple of Lady Yang, so naturally she will be different from before.
Just then, she yawned, and Madam Mei hugged her and said, "Sleep for a while, and we'll be home when you wake up."
At Xu Dalang's house, he was also sleeping. He had originally gone to stay with a friend, but after more than half a year, he finally found a job through the friend. However, he accidentally let slip that his friend was keeping a mistress, and he quickly lost the job. Huang Shi had no relatives to support her and no connections. To make matters worse, she was planning to buy a shop and do some small business with the gemstone necklace that her daughter had given her. She was even willing to lower herself to become a merchant, but she never expected that the necklace given to her by the commander was a complete fake.
Helpless, he pawned one of his fur coats. Just as he got the money, Huang said she wanted to use it to buy a dowry for her daughter. She kept begging him, so he gave the money to his daughter.
In the last year, Huang gave birth to another child, but unexpectedly, the child died because she did not take good care of herself. In addition, Huang also contracted postpartum complications. The family had to pawn everything they could, and in the end, they had no choice but to return to Suzhou.
"Dad, please eat something. You're going out later." Miaoyun brought over some porridge and a dish of pickles.
Xu Dalang planned to go to Xu Erlang's place again to see if he could work as an accountant in his younger brother's bookstore. That would be better than going out to work for someone else.
Miaoyun was a little scared because her parents had been arguing a lot lately. Back in Jinling, her father had been dismissed from his job, and her marriage was called off. All the past events were like fleeting clouds.
After returning to Suzhou, the second younger sister, Miaozhen, became an apprentice of the famous doctor, Madam Yang. Her second uncle heard that he planned to prepare a large dowry for her. The third younger sister got engaged to the second son of the woodworking workshop. Because she heard that the second younger sister had become an apprentice to learn medicine, she also followed a midwife to learn how to deliver babies.
She, however, seemed to have accomplished nothing.
Thinking of this, she recalled the jeweled necklace that the Lady of the Thousand Household had given her. At the time, her mother and she were overjoyed and even knelt down to kowtow. Little did they know that the jewels were fake and the chain wasn't even made of silver.
Those powerful and influential people were treating them like monkeys. At that time, her mother didn't know this and voluntarily exempted her from tuition fees for half a year.
"Miss Xu, Miss Xu—"
Seeing an old woman enter, Miaoyun stood up and asked, "Old Lin, what's the matter?"
Granny Lin was a widow who had lost her job and relied on her skills to support her family. At this moment, however, she was dressed very simply and asked Huang Shi first, "Where did your mother go?"
"My mother went to the Fang family to have clothes made."
With her uncle around, Huang quickly found a job: embroidering wedding quilts and gowns for the brides of the Fang family.
Upon hearing this, Granny Lin slapped her thigh and said with great regret, "Your mother told me last time that if I wanted to find the embroidery lady, I should just look for her. I actually met her and agreed to help her. But she's not here."
Miaoyun's heart stirred: "Grandma Lin, it's the same if you're looking for me. Although I'm young, I've been doing needlework with my mother for a long time." With that, she took out the embroidery she had made.
When Granny Lin saw it, she realized that the stitches were indeed fine and dense, and the pattern was novel and ingenious, so she agreed to buy it.
Miaoyun breathed a sigh of relief; at least they could finally supplement the family income. Once they had saved enough money, they wouldn't have to live in such a place anymore, having to put up with the opinions of their relatives. They could buy a nice house in Xumen or Changmen.
It is also said that when Miaozhen and her group arrived in Suzhou, the sun was already setting. When they got home, they found a dark figure standing at the door, which startled them.
"Brother, what are you doing here?" Xu Erpeng was exhausted. He had taken the ferry to Wuxi last night, had to say goodbye to the Yang family early this morning, and then took the ferry back during the day. After such a long and tiring journey, he really had no mood to deal with anyone else.
Xu Dalang was simply looking for a way to earn money since he had nothing to do, so he ignored all that and said, "I'd like to ask if you need an accountant here?"
Xu Erpeng said, "Li is in charge of the accounts; he handles everything on weekdays."
He doesn't like to hire acquaintances; he prefers people who are knowledgeable but timid, making them easier to manage. Li has been working for him for two or three years and is much more reliable than the previous employee.
His family's business was just a small workshop, not a large bookstore with hundreds of employees, so there was no need for a dedicated accountant.
But then Xu Dalang stammered, "I see that shop assistant Li is very busy, and I'm afraid he might be overwhelmed at times. If we add an accountant—"
"I'd like to know, but where would I get the money?" Xu Erpeng understood his meaning and refused outright.
He knew the principle that relatives should not share property, so refusing from the beginning was better than being vague and indecisive, and then disagreeing and becoming enemies.
When Xu Dalang saw that all the servants from the second branch of the family had come over after he entered, and that he was just sitting there like a clown, he left without saying goodbye.
Since the adults' affairs were handled well, Miaozhen didn't want to get involved. She first had the maids and servants take the luggage upstairs and put it away, then she stayed with her parents, waiting for the kitchen to bring the food.
Jian-ge'er and her younger brother Kun-ge'er were already asleep. I heard that Jian-ge'er was already attending a community school nearby, without a tutor at home. Her father said that whether someone has a talent for studying is obvious at a glance, and there's no need for special treatment.
Soon, Yu Xiang prepared several dishes, and everyone was exhausted and hungry, so it was a delicious meal.
After the meal, her father immediately went to his study to write, while her mother accompanied her upstairs in the back. On the way, they only talked privately: "Your father said that you will be of marriageable age in two years, and you will be of marriageable age then. We should be frugal these next few years to prepare a dowry of over a thousand taels so that you can find a good husband in the future."
Miao Zhen blushed: "It's still early."
“It’s getting late. If we wait until we’re older to arrange a marriage, it will be too late. Miaolian is already engaged to the youngest son of the woodworking workshop. Your third uncle and the others are still a bit unhappy, thinking that the other family isn’t good enough,” said Madam Mei.
Miaozhen then said, "If it's not good, why did you agree to it?"
Madam Mei laughed and said, "It's just a casual remark. How many wives are satisfied with their sons-in-law, just like how few mothers-in-law like their daughters-in-law?"
Miaozhen smiled and said, "That's true."
As they spoke, the two arrived at the room. Miaozhen took Mei's pulse and asked, "Have you experienced any discomfort after giving birth?"
Madam Mei simply shook her head. She felt it was inappropriate to discuss such private matters with her daughter, so she said no. Miaozhen said, "Then if you feel unwell, you must tell me."
"Okay." Mrs. Mei was about to help her daughter take off her hair again.
After Miaozhen took off her hair, a servant brought hot water, and she saw Mei out before taking a bath and washing herself.
Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao said, "Miss, why don't you go home?"
“Of course, it’s better to go home.” Miaozhen rested her head on the edge of the bathtub.
After Xu Dalang returned home, Huang Shi had another argument with him, scolding him for being incompetent. Xu Dalang sneered, "If I were incompetent, you would still be an official's wife. You were jealous of Gao Zhiyuan's wife and desperately tried to get me to expose his mistress, saying that you couldn't let Gao's wife be tricked. I exposed her, and now I've lost my job, and my daughter's marriage is gone too."
Hearing this, Madam Huang's face flushed red and then turned pale. She scolded again, "I told you not to go to Jinling, a place of trouble, but you insisted on going. Isn't it because your family is greedy and insatiable—"
“My family is greedy? At least my brother lent me ten taels of silver.” Xu Dalang retorted.
...
Miaoyun pulled the blanket over her head. This place wasn't home; it was noisy all the time. She thought of the house that Granny Lin had taken her to today. The girl there was innocent and naive, and the lady of the house was kind and gentle. She helped make a few embroidered horse-face skirts and eyebrow trims for the blouses. The girl in that house was only six years old and sweetly called her "sister."
However, when the lady mentioned wanting to find a female tutor for her daughter, she inexplicably impersonated her cousin, claiming that she was a female student taught by Madam Qiu for several years.
She had heard from her second aunt that Lady Qiu's fame had greatly increased in the Wu region because of the praise from her brother, Imperial Censor Qiu. When that lady heard that she was taught by Lady Qiu, but that the family had fallen on hard times, she immediately considered making her a female tutor.
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