Chapter 43 The Grand Wedding (Part 2)
The new house is downstairs. There are five main rooms downstairs. The central room is the main hall. At the top is a large red sandalwood table with an incense burner on it. Next to the incense burner is a mother-of-pearl inlaid screen. On either side of the incense table are two tall tables made of jujube root, with a pot of red plum blossoms on them.
In front of the incense table is a rosewood daybed, on which sits a small table, and beneath it are six rosewood chairs arranged in a wing-like pattern.
The room on the far west side contained wardrobes and chests, while the adjacent main room housed a portrait of He Xiangu. The room also contained a display shelf with exquisite utensils, a zither table, a bookcase, and a desk, making it a veritable study.
As for the two rooms on the east side where I lived, there was a partition door between them and the main hall. The easternmost room contained my gilded rosewood canopy bed, with a gauze lamp on one side and clothes racks, wardrobes, and chests at the foot of the bed. There was a table with upturned corners by the window, with an antique bronze vase on it.
Between the two rooms on the east side is a square floor-to-ceiling screen displaying the Three Friends of Winter (pine, bamboo, and plum), with gauze curtains hanging above it. Outside the curtains are a dressing table, an eight-immortal table, an embroidered stool, an incense stand, a chaise lounge, a cabinet, and so on.
She brought three maids with her as part of her dowry: Xiao Xi, Tian Jie, and Mi'er. Xiao Tao was already betrothed and would live in her Fengmen residence. She and her husband would help collect rent and look after the house, treating them only as maids.
Meanwhile, Miaozhen removed all the hairpins and ornaments from her head, and then washed her face with jasmine soap. Mi'er put some sandalwood and alum into the bathtub. After Miaozhen finished washing her face, she came here to bathe and put on a bright red nightgown.
Her clothes were scented with a sweet fragrance, her body was covered in the fragrance of plum blossoms, and her face was adorned with floral dew.
It was February, and the weather was still quite cold. Miaozhen put on a long coat and was about to eat when Xiaoxi said, "Miss, isn't the food cold? How can you eat it?"
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Jingshi walked in, his face flushed like a peach blossom. When Miaozhen saw him, she couldn't bring herself to call him "husband" or "sir," and simply went to greet him.
Xiao Jingshi glanced at Miaozhen and saw that she had shed her makeup and now looked like a lotus emerging from clear water. He had sharp ears and had just heard them say that the food was cold, so he pointed at the food and said, "Should we get a new dish or have someone reheat it?"
"Which one is cheaper?" Miaozhen asked.
"Bring a new table," Xiao Jingshi said.
Upon hearing this, Miaozhen smiled and said, "I thought you would say it would be better to heat it up a bit?"
“The kitchen usually keeps hot dishes and meals warm, and you can just send someone to the kitchen to tell them to bring them over. But if you want to reheat them, you have to take the dishes on our table to the kitchen, start the fire again, heat them up in a pot, and then bring them over, which means going through several rounds of processing,” Xiao Jingshi explained.
Miaozhen suddenly realized: "That makes sense."
Xiao Jingshi smiled and had water brought for a bath. He bathed quickly, but spent a long time choosing clothes. When he came out, he was indeed a sight to behold.
By this time, the kitchen had already delivered the food. Xiao Jingshi had someone bring over a censer, and the two of them ate their meal on the censer, which was indeed very warm.
Both of them are usually quite eloquent, but because they were so unfamiliar with each other, there was a bit of an awkward silence.
Miaozhen originally wanted to talk about the free clinic, but then she realized that many things needed to be considered in the long run. The courtyard was deep and secluded, and she needed to establish herself first before talking about anything else. So she swallowed her words and decided not to reveal her needs at the beginning, as that would expose her weaknesses.
Xiao Jingshi then had someone bring over a small jar of wine, and said, "This is wine I brewed myself, would you like to try some?"
“I don’t know why, but there aren’t many people making wine these days. I’ve never seen the ‘grape wine in a luminous cup’ mentioned in the book. At home, we usually drink jasmine wine or lotus wine. Although I’m not good at drinking, I still want to try a cup,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
When Xiao Jingshi heard her say "grape wine in a luminous cup," he immediately had someone bring out a pair of crystal glasses, poured the wine into the glasses, and drank with her.
Miao Zhen drank one cup, then put down the cup, not intending to refill it. Instead, she looked at him and asked, "May I ask your name?"
The two characters "台甫" are usually used by scholars to greet each other. Xiao Jingshi, unfazed by her question, replied, "贱字宁瑕".
"I would rather be a person with a minor flaw than a perfect person who is unattainable. One cannot befriend someone without quirks, for they lack deep feelings; one cannot befriend someone without flaws, for they lack true spirit," Miaozhen said.
These words struck a chord with Xiao Jingshi. He preferred to be a person with some flaws rather than someone who was pretentious. Therefore, he quickly picked up a piece of food for Miaozhen.
Miaozhen was both amused and exasperated: "Thank you."
"Do you have a courtesy name?" Xiao Jingshi asked.
Miao Zhen shook her head: "I only have one name, Miao Zhen. The character 'Miao' is from when I was born. I don't know why, but everyone has to have the character 'Miao' in their name. As for 'Zhen,' it means 'embracing simplicity and returning to one's true self.'"
“Miaozhen, Miaozhen…” Xiao Jingshi seemed to be savoring the name. He looked at her eyebrows like willows, her hair like clouds, and her hair like snow shrouded in mist. His heart stirred.
That night, the two consummated their marriage in the nuptial cup, their lovemaking in the bridal chamber as harmonious as fish in water. Miaozhen had never spoken much to Xiao Jing before, treating him like a stranger. Now, being the first time with him, she was afraid of being in pain, so she didn't want him to make her feel comfortable, prioritizing her own feelings above all else.
After the lovemaking subsided, the room was asked for water once, and then the person fell into a deep sleep.
Xiao Xi, accompanied by two maids, went to rest in the side room. All three of them were very happy. The young master and the young lady had consummated their marriage. If their relationship improved in the future and the young lady had a child or two, then she would be firmly established. This was also the task that the master and mistress of the family had entrusted to her.
The candles in the bridal chamber must not be extinguished; the dragon and phoenix candles, each the size of an arm, are burning with melted wax.
She slept soundly through the night, and when she woke up the next day, she heard birds chirping outside. Miaozhen felt a little sore, but it wasn't like the kind of pain she'd experienced in novels where someone had been run over by a car. Luckily, Xiao Jingshi was no longer in the room; he must have just gotten up and gone out. She stretched and called out, and Xiaoxi and the others quickly came in.
The maids naturally wore ambiguous smiles, and Miaozhen said with some embarrassment and annoyance, "Where have those little hussies gone? I've been calling for them for ages."
Xiao Xi said, "It's not that we didn't want to come over, it's just that the young master just told us to let you sleep a little longer, and he went to the study outside to read."
Miaozhen shook her head and changed into a bright red satin jacket given to her by the Cheng family, with a green peony skirt underneath and a bright red velvet silver fox fur cloak over it. Not to mention, she wore a silver-threaded bun, complete with hairpins and rings, and her face was lightly rouged, making her look extremely noble.
Just as she finished tidying up, Xiao Jingshi came in. She smiled and said, "I was wondering where you had been."
“There’s a half-room study outside our Furongwu, where I usually read,” Xiao Jingshi said.
Miaozhen didn't ask any further questions, but she noticed that Xiao Jingshi was also wearing a bright red velvet fur coat, except that his coat was trimmed with black, making them look like they were wearing matching outfits. She couldn't help but say, "I have something to give you."
Xiao Jingshi saw that she had brought out a white jade fish-shaped pendant. The pendant was carved with a carp holding grass in its mouth. The design was simple and elegant, and the carving was exquisite. It was decorated with gold thread. "The use of gold thread is ingenious."
"Right? Although these jade pendants are not as elaborate and gorgeous as others, they are linked together and have a very good meaning. First, I want to wish you success in the imperial examinations in the future. Second, I wish that you and I, as husband and wife, can accumulate good deeds so that our family will have good fortune and our marriage will be harmonious."
Xiao Jingshi suddenly felt that Miaozhen was very eloquent and spoke very sincerely. She was not the kind of person who spoke in a particularly cheesy way that would make people's scalp tingle. She also stopped at the right point. After she finished speaking, she put the box in his hand, and he wore it on his waist.
Miao Zhen thought that although Xiao Jingshi didn't talk much, he could still understand and act on what she said, which was already quite good.
After the two of them got ready, they prepared to visit the parents-in-law. Miaozhen had come in with her head covered by a veil yesterday. When she came out, she saw that there were hibiscus-patterned railings all around, hundreds of bamboo stalks in the front courtyard, and flowers in abundance. Several thrushes were hanging under the eaves. The scene was so beautiful that it felt like she was in a fairyland. She thought that the Xiao family's business probably included more than just tea and herbal medicine shops.
She's no longer a naive young woman. If she were to come in now and immediately start talking about making a name for herself, she'd probably become cannon fodder. It would be better to take things slowly and steadily.
Some servants along the way saw Xiao Jingshi and her coming over and addressed her as "Fourth Madam," which made Miaozhen feel a little uncomfortable. She still preferred to be called Miss Xu or Doctor Xu, as it was her own name, while "Fourth Madam" came from someone else.
Walking along the narrow alley and gravel path, crossing a long arched bridge, passing two or three study courtyards, and finally coming from the back, we arrived at the main courtyard.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, several maids and servants came up to greet her and said, "Fourth Grandmother, we've all been waiting for you to come."
At this moment, it's best not to pretend to be eloquent. Miaozhen just smiled shyly and followed them inside. The room of Madam Xiao was indeed lavishly furnished. Today, the men, women, and children of the Xiao family were all gathered together. Master Xiao sat on the east side, Madam Xiao sat on the west side, and the family members, both men and women, stood on the east and west sides respectively.
Miaozhen stood at the foot of the east steps, led by her maid. The matchmaker instructed her to bow four times, and she bowed four times. After bowing, she had to go to her parents-in-law. The maid led her to them. First, her father-in-law presented her with a pair of hibiscus flower inlaid gold hairpins, and Miaozhen bowed four times again. When she reached her mother-in-law, she bowed again. Her mother-in-law presented her with ten taels of silver and a set of bright red silk embroidered with a hundred children.
After the ceremony, all the men, including Xiao Jingshi, left, leaving only the women.
Miao Zhen thought it was no wonder that the relationships between husband and wife in wealthy families were often not good; the daughters-in-law spent more time with their sisters-in-law and mothers-in-law than with their husbands.
Perhaps because it was the end of February for Xiao Jingshi's younger brother's wedding, the relatives who had come for the banquet yesterday hadn't gone home, resulting in a large number of female relatives. Madam Han first led her to pay respects to the elders, starting with the old lady, who was already quite old and had gray hair, followed by her eldest aunt, Madam Chao. While she didn't appear as beautiful as Xiao's second wife, Madam Ren, she had clear features and a natural air of heroism; her daughter-in-law, Madam Xia, had already been met the day before. As for the third wife, Madam Rao, she was tall, with a dignified face and a commanding presence.
The younger generation consists of the eldest son and the second wife, Madam Xiao, who has three sons and two daughters. The eldest daughter is already married and is three years older than Xiao Jingshi, and is twenty-three years old this year. The second daughter is Suyun, who is twelve years old and quite clever.
Standing beside Madam Rao, the third wife, were two girls. The older one, who was of marriageable age, appeared very composed, while the younger one, who was about the same age as Suyun, had an almond-shaped face and peach-like cheeks and was especially beautiful.
Among the other relatives, Miao Zhen recognized some, such as Yao Miaoshan, the daughter of the Yao family, and Wu Da Nainai, the wife of her cousin Wu Zhang. She also greeted the others before sitting down with Han Yueyao.
When Madam Ren saw that Miaozhen was dressed smartly, her bows were smooth and graceful, and her speech was generous and gentle, she was overjoyed and said, "Our family is managed by your eldest sister-in-law. If you need anything or want anything, just tell her."
"Yes." Miaozhen had no intention of competing with Han Yueyao for power. Firstly, Han Yueyao was the eldest sister-in-law, and secondly, as a so-called housekeeper, she was only paid a fixed amount of money. She was busy from morning till night, handling everything from foreign affairs to household chores, leaving no stone unturned and without any reward. Miaozhen didn't have such a strong desire for power; she would rather spend that time reading medical books.
When Han Yueyao saw that Miaozhen had taken off her velvet cloak, she was wearing a feather satin jacket underneath, both of which were made of expensive materials. She also noticed that Miaozhen had a fuller figure than Xia Xianjie. Xia Xianjie was pretty, but she was too slender and thin.
Men look at faces, women look at figures, and when women are in a group, they tend to scrutinize each other.
Suddenly, a banquet was held at home, and Miaozhen hurriedly got up to serve dishes to Madam Ren. This was taught to her by Madam Qiu. Although she was a widow, she had taught her how to serve her parents-in-law and how to socialize.
She first took out a box of melon slices, opened the lid, and inside were some fried abalone and snails that she had picked out. "These are some snacks that your daughter-in-law made at home. Please accept them, Mother-in-law."
Seeing how considerate she was, Madam Ren was very pleased: "Good girl, good daughter-in-law, you don't need to serve me here."
Miao Zhen had just arrived and taken her seat to eat when she saw a feast laid out with all kinds of seafood and land delicacies. She began to eat freely, but Xia Xianjie was struck dumb. Her family had become rich overnight, and her stepmother hadn't taught her any of these things. Instead, she was only made to listen to things like "Admonitions for Women" and "Rules for Women." No wonder her mother-in-law, Madam Chao, was indifferent to her.
After the banquet, Miaozhen gave everyone needlework as a gift, and everyone took a gift home.
After the guests left, Madam Ren kept her behind to talk, saying, "Our family doesn't have many rules. I usually chant scriptures and recite Buddhist prayers, so you don't need to come so often."
"What are you saying, Madam? It is certainly necessary to pay respects to one's parents morning and evening. My mother told me that one should treat one's parents-in-law with the same filial piety as one's own parents." Miaozhen knew that you couldn't take people's polite words seriously, especially when it came to making a good impression at the beginning.
In fact, what her parents told her was that she had to be able to stand up for herself in her husband's family. The so-called "standing up for herself" meant that her parents-in-law had to flatter her, her husband had to fear her, and her servants had to be able to disobey her. Only in this way could she be considered to have a stable position.
But it's definitely not good to start with fighting and killing. Miao Zhen needs to figure out their situation first.
Hearing Miaozhen's words, Madam Ren thought that although the Xu family's social standing was not as high as her own, they were still very polite, which was a good thing. Therefore, she told her about the news at home in detail, such as that Madam Rao had returned to arrange her second daughter's marriage, and that Yao Miaoshan had no mother by her side, so she was letting the child stay for a few more days, and so on.
The two talked for a while before Ren Shi finally let her go, telling her to go to Liuhua Pavilion that evening to entertain her aunts, and so on. Miaozhen agreed.
Yesterday they came with their heads covered, and today they came in a hurry. Now that they are going back, Miaozhen has time to see where they live. It is a coincidence that the three sons of the second wife all live by the water. The second young master and Han Shi live in the Banana Garden on the east side. Through the gate, you can see the rockery and strange rocks inside. The green windows are reflected in the water, and there is a large clump of banana trees, which adds a touch of elegance.
But where did those huge banana trees in their yard come from in February?
Coming from the second wife's courtyard is the fourth wife's courtyard. As for the younger brother's courtyard, following the pebble path in front of their door leads to the Begonia Pavilion.
The main gate of Haitangxuan was tightly closed, but there was a large terrace on the east side. From the terrace, one could glimpse the flower walls and green windows inside. There were about five rooms in front of the main house, with crabapple blossoms and various flowers and plants planted in front. There were also three and a half rooms in the back. She could not see the backyard. The whole place was magnificent and grand.
After returning from outside, there were only Miaozhen and three maids left in the entire Hibiscus Village. Although Miaozhen was a little tired, she had to go upstairs to check on her dowry. Her fabrics filled almost half the room, and there were also other tinware, bronzeware, porcelain, and countless pieces of furniture, bedding, and so on.
Miaozhen picked out a small box of fans and a box of books to take down. These were her most important things. She couldn't afford to waste her martial arts skills and become a young mistress after marrying into the family.
In another side room, she had someone prepare a space to serve as her medicine-making room and consultation room, complete with a grinding trough, grinding roller, pestle and mortar, mortar and pestle, steelyard, medicine knife, earthenware urn, medicine cage, Bian stone, charcoal stove, medicine spoon, medicine basket, gold shovel and silver pot, silver needles, mugwort and moxa sticks, and various kinds of prepared medicines in white porcelain bottles and black porcelain bottles.
She went around to the backyard and looked around. There was a small corridor on the veranda, which was a perfect natural place to dry medicinal herbs.
After finishing her own business, she went into the inner room and changed into an apricot-red silk jacket, a milky-white sheepskin half-shoulder vest with a dark floral pattern and fur trim, and a light green skirt with a flowing plum blossom pattern. She looked like she was in spring.
After finishing these things, she climbed onto the chaise lounge, intending to take a short rest. Unexpectedly, Xiao Jingshi came in at this time. Yesterday, in order to look beautiful, she dressed a little too lightly, drank wine, and rode a horse in the wind. She didn't catch a cold, but her brows were always aching and she couldn't relax. So she planned to come back and sleep for a while.
Unexpectedly, he saw Miaozhen sit up from the couch. Her apricot-red dress paired with emerald green made her look vibrant and fresh. He said, "I caught a chill yesterday, so I wanted to come back and rest for a while. Why aren't you sleeping on the incense burner?"
"I don't know where to get the charcoal, so I can't say for sure. By the way, did you catch a cold? Does your head hurt? Do your eyes hurt?" Miaozhen couldn't help but ask.
Xiao Jingshi pointed to his eyebrows: "This area can't be relaxed."
"So, your eyes are swollen and painful, and you have a headache. Will your vision also become blurry?" Miaozhen asked again.
Xiao Jingshi pressed his brow: "That's true."
Miaozhen laughed and said, "You scholars overuse your eyes, and they get like this when the wind blows. If you don't mind, I can give you some moxibustion on a few acupoints."
Seeing that Miaozhen said so, Xiao Jingshi had to give her face, after all, they were newlyweds. Miaozhen had him lie down on the chaise longue, and then took the moxa sticks from the table. She first pointed to his eyebrows and said, "This is called Zanzhu Xue, which belongs to the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang. The area between your eyebrows is Yintang Xue, and the area at the corner of your eye is Sizhukong Xue. I will perform moxibustion with you from Yintang to Sizhu Xue, which can improve the stuffiness in your forehead."
Her technique was very skillful. She quickly lit the moxa sticks and then covered his eyelids with her hands, performing moxibustion back and forth. Xiao Jingshi felt as if the warmth penetrated into his hair, and his entire forehead felt much more relaxed.
Miaozhen first moves the moxa stick back and forth for about ten minutes (about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea), then she applies moxibustion to the Taiyangxue point. At this time, she uses the sparrow-pecking moxibustion method, moving the moxa stick up and down.
Moxibustion on the Taiyang acupoint is used to relieve headaches and eye fatigue.
Finally, she explained the three acupoints around the eyes: Tongziliao, Chengqi, and Qingming. She continued, "Tongziliao is a commonly used acupoint on the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder meridian, governed by kidney water. 'Liao' means 'orifice.' The name of the acupoint indicates that cold and dampness from the outer part of the body gathers here and then descends to the ground, so fire is used to expel the cold. Chengqi belongs to the Foot Yangming Stomach meridian and can treat red, swollen, and painful eyes with poor vision. Qingming belongs to the Foot Taiyang Bladder meridian, and its effects are similar to Chengqi. I'll apply moxibustion to these three acupoints for you; it will relieve dry and tired eyes."
After she finished speaking, she focused intently on applying the moxibustion. When it was almost done, she took it off and patted him, saying, "Okay, you can open your eyes now."
Xiao Jingshi opened his eyes and felt that his brows and eyes were particularly bright. He saw Miaozhen packing things up beside him, so he quickly followed suit and asked, "Do you explain things so clearly to every patient?"
Upon hearing this, Miaozhen sighed slightly: "It's because some people are prejudiced against us female doctors these days. They always think we're just those old women doctors who randomly stick needles in. So, I have to appear more knowledgeable than others."
Xiao Jingshi was a frank person: "My aunt was originally killed by the old doctor who used acupuncture, so I didn't like these things at first. But when I saw you treat the Wu and Chen families last time, and you were no worse than those imperial doctors, I knew that you were definitely not like them. Today, seeing you help me with moxibustion, I feel even more ashamed."
She hadn't expected that Xiao Jingshi had also been prejudiced against her. She smiled and said, "You don't know me, so naturally you judge me based on your experience. I only decided to study medicine because my mother almost had to be pricked with needles when she gave birth to my younger brother."
After this experience, the two became much closer. Xiao Jingshi then said, "If you don't know anything about your family, just tell me. For example, if you need charcoal, just send someone to find me."
"Then thank you very much. There's one more thing. I'm planning to use a room in the side room as a pharmacy. I can prepare the medicine myself, make moxa sticks, and stew the herbs, which will be cheaper. But I'll pay for the herbs and charcoal myself, so people won't gossip." Miaozhen brought up her idea at the right time.
Xiao Jingshi laughed and said, "As the saying goes, a woman follows her husband wherever he goes. You can keep your private money for now. I have two servants, so I'll assign Langyue to you. Just have them do whatever you need."
“No, that won’t do. Your people are meant to work for you. How can I take away what belongs to someone else?” Miaozhen shook her head.
She has to cover her own medical expenses, instead of using other people's people to do her own thing. That would be taking advantage of others to do her own thing. When the relationship is good, these things don't matter, but when the relationship is bad, wouldn't she just have to let things go?
Seeing her like this, Xiao Jingshi knew she was a strong-willed person, so he couldn't help but say, "Then I'll buy you a servant to do your bidding. Don't say you'll pay for it anymore. Don't you even use your own husband's money?"
Miao Zhen smiled gently. She thought that her husband's straightforward nature was quite good, much better than a cold and stoic man who kept everything bottled up inside.
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