Chapter 32 (Combined Chapter)
The baby shower for Ji's son was an exceptionally grand affair, with a constant stream of carriages and people outside and a throng of guests inside. Even though Miaozhen was a meritorious official, she wasn't allowed to sit at the main table during such a lively occasion; she was only slightly better off than the maids, as she didn't have to participate in the chores.
At this moment, Xu Erpeng arrived. He planned to take his daughter back home and also buy her some sachet in Nanjing.
Miaozhen went out to see her father and had no choice but to tell him about the Cheng family's third-day celebration that day. She added, "This child's hands and feet came out first, and I was the one who saved him."
"My daughter is amazing!" Xu Erpeng thought to himself. Such a great contributor, yet she didn't even have a place at this event.
Miaozhen didn't mind: "In that case, it's time for me to retire gracefully. I can't tell Third Madam today, but I'll tell her tomorrow, and then I'll tell the old ladies and madams, and then I'll go back with you."
Xu Erpeng nodded: "In that case, have someone bring out a few boxes first, so that we won't be too conspicuous on the day we leave."
"That's what I was thinking too. I currently have forty bolts of cloth. Let Xiaoxi and Xiaotao wrap this in felt and take it out first." Miaozhen had indeed saved up quite a bit of wealth.
Xu Erpeng immediately ordered someone to hire another vehicle from nearby to haul the cloth away. Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao made several trips before Miao Zhen was finally relieved.
The next day, she first told her third grandmother, "My father has arrived, and Qing is waiting to take me back."
Third Grandma was caught off guard and blamed Miaozhen, saying, "You child, why didn't you tell me yesterday so your father could have a drink before he left?"
“My dad gets uncomfortable in crowded places,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
Third Grandmother supported her shoulder and said, "I agree, but I'm afraid your eldest grandmother won't. Why don't you go and talk to her?"
Miaozhen hurriedly went to Madam Ji's place. She first checked Madam Ji's health, and Madam Ji was very happy: "This time it was truly the Buddha's blessing and the heavens' blessing that brought us peace."
“Who says otherwise?” Miaozhen saw that after Madam Ji recovered, she didn’t mention her at all. Although she had some thoughts in her mind, Madam Ji was so proud that she certainly didn’t want others to say that her child had been born with difficulty, she was still a little disappointed that she didn’t mention it in front of her.
But considering that she had already been rewarded with such valuable jewelry, she didn't want to bring it up again and decided to continue pursuing her goals. So, without any hesitation, she told them, "My father came yesterday and said he was coming to take me home. My third grandmother agreed and asked me to tell you."
Actually, she used rhetoric. Third Madam suggested that Miaozhen should ask Madam Ji for permission before things would be easier, but Miaozhen said that Third Madam had already agreed and that she should just pay her respects politely and leave.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Madam Ji first asked, "Am I alright?"
"Don't worry, my pulse only shows some weakness. You'll be fine once the lochia is expelled," Miaozhen said.
Madam Ji grunted in response before saying, "In that case, you should go back now! I won't say anything more. At your age, you really should settle down as soon as possible."
Miao Zhen should have agreed and respectfully withdrew.
Xiao Xi said, "Miss, I originally thought that the eldest mistress would try her best to keep you here..."
"If I don't mention Third Grandmother, that's fine. But if I do, she definitely won't want to show that she cares about a little doctor like me. Otherwise, people will think she can't live without me. Unless one day I really become a famous doctor, my leaving will just be like 'a leaf falling from a tall tree, or a grain of millet being lost from a granary.'" Miaozhen thought it through very clearly.
If she doesn't leave soon, the Third Madam's next move will come.
Since Madam Ji agreed, Third Grandmother naturally had nothing to say. She was a kind person and gave Miaozhen a bolt of green peony-patterned silk, a bolt of pine, bamboo and plum-colored satin, and also gave her the Qingming Festival gifts in advance: a bolt of burnt cloth, a bolt of white gauze, a bolt of medicinal-spotted cloth, and a bolt of inferior kudzu cloth.
Miaozhen bowed in gratitude again, and several close friends, including Banxia, Chunxian, and Doukou, came to see her off. Banxia was the most reluctant to part with her, and Miaozhen specially left two bottles of medicine for her, saying, "You don't need to use this medicine too often. You should think about going out in the future."
"I do want to go out, but I have no one to rely on—" Banxia sighed.
Miaozhen thought that the Third Madam was truly inhuman, but Banxia had no relatives or friends after leaving. If she were sold again, it would be even worse. Therefore, she said, "If she doesn't intend to promote you, you might as well choose someone else and have them come to beg you. It doesn't matter if they are from the household or outside. That way, she won't be able to stop you. To tell you the truth, the Third Master is ill."
In the end, Miaozhen couldn't bear it and told Banxia.
Banxia asked, "What do you think of Dongxing?"
"Dongxing? The one next to the old man?" Miaozhen asked, somewhat surprised.
Banxia nodded: "Last time Dongxing was made difficult by the eldest madam, and since we are from the same hometown, I sent him some cakes and wine. Over time, we comforted each other a few times."
"I think he's quite clever and handsome. Perfect! I have a new set of clothes that was given to me by Madam Lu. I've never worn them before, so I'm giving them to you as a congratulatory gift. Please don't be offended." After she finished speaking, she had Xiao Xi find them: a silver-red crepe gauze shirt with gold trim, a white autumn silk skirt with scattered threads, and a pair of knee-length trousers in the same color.
If she were to marry a servant in the household, no one would mind whether she had lost her virginity or not; everyone would be understanding. It would be much better to be alone and helpless outside.
With Banxia's matter largely settled, Miaozhen breathed a sigh of relief.
Chunxian called a few servants to carry out about seven or eight trunks and baskets. In addition to the trunks and baskets, there were also bedding, blankets, foot basins and wooden buckets that she had brought herself. Even Banxia called two maids to help her move them.
Miaozhen felt both moved and reluctant to part, yet also felt a sense of liberation from her confinement.
In the homes of Ru and Tan, she was more like a student, only needing to learn medical skills. The Cheng family was her first job after leaving home, from which she gained a lot and also learned to be patient.
"Let's go, Zhenzhen." Xu Erpeng could see that his daughter was filled with mixed emotions, and he himself was no different.
Miaozhen got into the carriage and waved vigorously at Banxia Chunxian and the others standing at the door until they turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Only then did she lower the curtain.
Xu Erpeng had originally planned to stay in Nanjing with his daughter for a couple of days, but seeing how many trunks she had and how valuable the fabrics were, he suddenly thought he should hurry home, otherwise his things might be stolen.
After leaving the Cheng family, the father and daughter arrived at the ferry. They paid a total of eight taels for the boat fare, booked a whole floor, and had their servants stand guard at the door.
Miaozhen breathed a sigh of relief: "Father, why did you bring so many people this time?"
“It’s not that things are still unsafe on the river, but don’t worry. The boatmen are people we know, they’re all locals, and they won’t be colluding with outsiders like some others,” Xu Erpeng said.
Miaozhen opened another box and said to her father, "This is the three hundred taels of silver that I have saved up. Father, you have arranged such a good marriage for me. You must have spent a lot on the dowry. Take it all."
Xu Erpeng didn't refuse: "I originally wanted to buy you a few acres of land, but we can't buy any right now. It's been passed down for generations and it's our family property. In that case, we might as well buy a shop. Then you won't have to worry about your monthly expenses for needles, thread, and cosmetics."
"Father, two or three hundred taels of silver isn't enough to make a decent living. Besides, I'm a skilled doctor, so why worry about not earning back the money? The consultation fee is fine. I think you should take this money." It wasn't that Miaozhen didn't want to open a shop, but with such a small amount of capital, the profit wouldn't be much, and she would have to hire help to look after it. In that case, it would be better not to do it at all.
Upon hearing this, Xu Erpeng suddenly realized, "That makes sense. Now that you're back with so much cloth and jewelry, our family will have less to buy. So, you might as well keep it for now."
As a daughter, Miaozhen couldn't bring up marriage with her father, so she only talked about her experiences in the Cheng family, some thrilling and exciting, some ordinary, and some involving scheming and framing.
Xu Erpeng felt both heartache and relief upon hearing this. When he learned that Miaozhen's name was inscribed on the stone tablet, he said, "I am but a nobody. Otherwise, it would be much better to ask someone to help you make a name for yourself."
"Absolutely not. Once someone becomes too famous, they'll initially be fawned over and idolized, but in the end, it's the same people who will tear them down. Although I'm pleased, there's really no need for that." Miao Zhen knew some people all too well.
Everyone has flaws, and Miaozhen herself has them too. She's really afraid that she might be set up in a trap.
Xu Erpeng sighed, "That's good, you've really grown up."
As a father, he couldn't stay in his daughter's room for long, so he went out first. Miaozhen then took off her hairpins and lay on the bed. For a moment, she thought of the time at the Cheng family's house when she was dragged out of bed and waited all day in the snow, almost freezing to death. Now, she felt truly at ease.
He turned over and went back to sleep.
As evening fell, the sunset glow shone through the window cracks onto the wall panels, creating a sense of decadence.
Xiao Xi brought in the food and said, "Our master is talking to a young gentleman. The two are very knowledgeable and they seem to be getting along very well."
“My father is very talkative, but he also has to write books, so he can’t talk to people often. It’s good that he can talk on the journey. By the way, I remember we brought some dried fruit and candied fruit, right? Take them to my father so they can have them with their drinks,” Miaozhen said.
Xiao Xi immediately took out a small tray, filled it with a few items, and sent it over.
Xu Erpeng was having dinner with the boy surnamed Qi when he said, "So you're sending someone off to pick up your master? You're only thirteen or fourteen years old, yet you have such audacity. Young man, you really have guts."
The young man surnamed Qi smiled and said, "You flatter me."
Xu Erpeng admired him greatly for his profound understanding and insight despite his young age. When Xiao Xi brought over the tray, he said, "Let your young lady rest well."
The two men found themselves getting along very well as they talked. Xu Erpeng, in particular, was a skilled writer and was well-versed in astronomy and geography. He also deeply hated injustice. So, they talked until late into the night.
When Miao Zhen first left, the Cheng family didn't seem to notice anything, but after two days they all started to feel unwell. As the saying goes, a skilled warrior doesn't achieve great feats. Whenever the seasons changed or after a banquet, she would anticipate her symptoms and prepare a lot of pills to wear. Now, just after the third-day celebration, the First Madam was suffering from indigestion again.
After Miaozhen cured her diarrhea, she maintained this habit for many years, enjoying a varied diet and neglecting her health. Miaozhen would usually prescribe medicine for her when she felt unwell, but today she had diarrhea again.
Cheng Yuan was unaware that Miao Zhen had left, so she hurriedly sent someone to invite her, only to hear from the pharmacy staff that "Miss Xu left the day before yesterday."
"Gone? Where did they go?"
"Her father picked her up and took her home."
Cheng Yuan was stunned, as she had never heard of this before. They had no choice but to call a doctor from outside. As usual, the doctor took her pulse through a screen and curtain. After a lot of trouble, the eldest madam took a dose of medicine, which only barely stopped the bleeding.
The first wife is like this, and there are also collateral branches of the Cheng family, so the old lady doesn't feel very comfortable around her.
Fourth Sister Cheng Shuzheng said to her sister, "You used to speak highly of her, but now that she's gone, you don't even know. I just asked Third Sister-in-law, and I heard that her family has arranged a marriage for her."
Cheng Yuan was well aware that her marriage was actually quite good; she was marrying Cen, a scholar from Wu County, but the couple's relationship was not good.
However, it's strange that in their previous life, only a female doctor surnamed Ru came to their household. How come it's Xu Miaozhen who came in this life? Could it be that she was reborn, so even Xu Miaozhen's fate changed?
After Miaozhen left, Sister Jizhen stayed behind. She was a pulse diagnosis specialist, and although she was somewhat knowledgeable in other specialties, she wasn't an expert. However, the women in the household all had various ailments, so they all came to her, keeping her extremely busy. But she had no choice but to continue working at the Cheng family to earn more money.
As for the Cheng family's affairs, Yu Miaozhen had forgotten about them in a few days. That's just how she is; she takes everything very seriously and gives it her all, but once it's over, she doesn't think about it anymore.
After arriving in Zhenjiang, to avoid thieves, Miaozhen and her companions hid their boat near Luhua Marsh for a long time before leaving. Someone revealed that their family had many trunks and chests, and they tried to rob them. Fortunately, her father brought guards, and the young master surnamed Qi intervened and drove the thieves away.
Miao Zhen personally thanked Xu Erpeng. She was a generous and poised young lady. She said, "May I ask your name, sir? I am skilled in medicine, especially in acupuncture and gynecology. If your future wife or mother falls ill and is difficult to treat, just come to Suzhou to find me."
After saying this, she presented him with two bolts of satin as a reward for his help.
Unexpectedly, the young man said, "I really dare not accept such praise. I am Qi Jiguang."
Qi Jiguang? I can't believe I saw the famous general Qi Jiguang here!
Fortunately, she handled the situation well, and Miaozhen felt that it was all worthwhile. She even gave Qi Jiguang an extra look. Qi Jiguang disembarked at the shore in front of them, and two days later, they arrived in Suzhou.
Not to mention how affectionate Mei was with Miaozhen, even when she was taking a bath, Mei stood outside the bathhouse and talked to her: "Why are there so many trunks and baskets? And so many pieces of cloth. Anyone who didn't know better would think that you two went to rob a silk shop."
Miaozhen, soaking in the bathtub, simply smiled and said, "These were all gifts from people your daughter helped treat. Oh, and I also bought you some Nanjing velvet flowers; they're very pretty."
"You silly child, how much did you spend to buy this?" Actually, Mrs. Mei was overjoyed.
Miaozhen rubbed herself with rose-scented soap, wishing she could wash away all the stuffiness and dampness from the past few days on the ship. She kept talking about the dangers of the return journey, which made Madam Mei say, "It's fine to stay in our Suzhou Prefecture from now on. There's no need to go outside. There are all kinds of people outside, not just thieves."
Although the incident ended without serious harm, Miaozhen was genuinely frightened. "Yes, I never expected there to be so many thieves. I heard they even killed a former official."
When Miaozhen came out after taking a bath and drying her hair, dinner was already laid out at home. She first took out the gifts. For Mei, there were two boxes of Nanjing velvet flowers. For Xu Erpeng, there was a net scarf with a jade buckle. Each of her two younger brothers received two clay whistles and a kite.
The items aren't expensive, but they're all made with care.
Mei picked up a piece of pork knuckle and put it in Miaozhen's bowl: "This is braised. It's been simmering for a long time. The bones are almost falling apart."
"Mmm." Miaozhen buried her head in eating the home-cooked food, not having time to speak at all, because the food was too delicious.
After finishing the braised pork knuckle, there were still Chunbulao buns left, which she ate with relish. Mei also served her chicken soup, saying, "Have some more soup. It has lots of red dates, longan, and ginseng in it, it's very nourishing."
After Miaozhen had filled her stomach, she slowly sipped her soup and then asked about Mrs. Mei: "How is Mrs. Ma next door? Is Sister Ma's illness better?"
"You recovered after your treatment last time, and now you've arranged a marriage with the Wang family of the Patrol Inspectorate. The wedding will be held at the end of this year," Madam Mei said with a smile.
Although the position of the patrol inspector was not high, it was similar to a police station today. Spies, criminals selling smuggled salt, undocumented people without travel permits, and even strangers were all questioned.
Miaozhen said, "In the blink of an eye, it seems that everyone has grown up."
Especially concerned about her marriage, Miaozhen went to the embroidery tower with Mei after dinner to ask her about it. However, she first needed to tidy up the jewelry.
Her most valuable jewelry consisted of the buns and ornaments given to her by the second wife and the eldest wife, totaling more than twenty pieces. Even Madam Mei was astonished when she saw them: "These two sets of buns and ornaments must be worth four or five hundred taels of silver."
"Yes, that's why I didn't dare blink the whole way, just in case someone stole it," Miaozhen said with a smile.
Besides the two sets of hair buns, there was also a jade pendant given to her by Chunxian, which was kept in a long wooden box.
Then there were the gold-embroidered handkerchiefs that Mrs. Qin had given her. She took three and gave them to Madam Mei, saying, "I think this is a good idea. I specially saved these for you."
Mei refused to accept it, but Miaozhen insisted, and she finally took it. Then she said, "Your father has also prepared a lot of furniture for you, such as a huanghuali canopy bed, a Nanjing-style canopy bed, gilded chests, mother-of-pearl inlaid screens, and gold-painted pine, bamboo, and plum blossom screens. There are quite a few. Your father said that your future husband's cousin is engaged to the daughter of a salt merchant, and his brother is engaged to the daughter of the registrar of Wu County. Their status is not low, so your dowry must be quite complete."
"Mother, if that's the case, why would the Xiao family choose a daughter? They haven't even seen her face yet." Miao Zhen was truly puzzled.
Madam Mei said, "Your father knew that Madam Xiao loved Buddhism, so he bribed a nun to act as a go-between and exaggerate your birth chart. Unexpectedly, Madam Xiao actually believed it."
Never having imagined her marriage would come about in this way, Miaozhen said, "This is really not good—"
“At first I thought so too, but then I thought, the Xiao family isn’t stupid. We did ask Mo Guizi to put in a good word for us, but the Zhao and Gong families have also spoken, and even the Tong family is interested. Since they chose our family, it means we’re not bad either. Your father is now a student of the Imperial Academy, we live in the most prosperous part of Suzhou Prefecture, and you are well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics and skilled in medicine. You can earn a fortune on your own, so you don’t need to worry too much. If you were a man, when you were pursuing an official career, why would you need someone to put in a good word for you? Right?” These last words from Madam Mei were also her husband’s advice to her.
Miaozhen was a little confused, but she thought that when she went to the Cheng family, it was the same. Li Yao'e and Yu Zhoujin were both taught by famous doctors and had family secrets. She was the last one to be eliminated.
However, she said, "Isn't this ultimately dishonorable?"
Seeing her daughter's uprightness, Madam Mei snorted coldly, "Does that mean others are any more honorable? Mr. Xiao's cousin once swore that he would not marry until he passed the imperial examination. He was originally engaged to the daughter of Instructor Ding, but after passing the examination, the daughter of Salt Merchant Xia took a liking to him and stole him away. The Xia family knew he was engaged, but they still took him without hesitation."
"Furthermore, back then, the Zhao family of the carriage and horse shop had to ask an elder of the Xiao family to recommend their daughter. It's clear that everyone has their own unique methods. I really don't understand, you were willing to humble yourself and bribe the eldest aunt to become Madam Yang's disciple, so why are you so foolish when it comes to your own marriage?"
After listening, Miaozhen felt that her parents had really worried a lot about her. She said, "Father and Mother have gone to great lengths for their daughter, but I have not appreciated it. It is my fault."
Madam Mei smiled and said, "Xiao Erlang is good at studying and intelligent. If he really passes the imperial examination, you will be a noblewoman. No noblewoman is much different from an ordinary woman. Even in a lawsuit, no one can bully her."
So Father thought so far ahead. Choosing a wealthy family means they won't use your dowry. If your husband is successful, you'll naturally be honored. Even if your husband passes away, as a noblewoman, you can use that status to protect your property.
Of course, if the husband has no official rank, a family with a certain social standing will at least be able to maintain appearances and allow you to bring your dowry back.
This is almost a comprehensive defense, which is the most thoughtful thing a father in feudal society could do for his daughter.
“Mother, I know you and Father are doing this for my own good. I can’t object to this marriage, but I think one can’t rely entirely on a husband in life. You may not know, but Master Cheng has already engraved my name on a stone tablet and listed me as a famous doctor in Southern Zhili. Although I am still young, one day I will bring honor to myself and let Father and Mother share in my glory in the future.” Miaozhen held her mother’s hand firmly.
Madam Mei hugged her daughter and said, "I know that when you were little, some people laughed at you for having a single palmar crease, but women with single palmar creases are the most capable."
"Mother still remembers Third Aunt's joke, but I've long forgotten about it. How can a person's fate be clearly seen by palmistry, face reading, or even the Eight Characters? Even if it's a bad fate, I will make the most of it."
I recalled my third aunt, Bao, saying things like, "A man with a broken palm will be as heavy as a thousand pounds, while a woman with a broken palm will be raised in another family," and that she might bring misfortune to her husband and have an unhappy marriage. These feudal superstitions are not worth mentioning. Because even if she didn't get married, let alone have an unhappy marriage, she would still make a name for herself.
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