Chapter 44 (Combined Chapter)
Xiao Jingshi sent someone to bring charcoal, and a lot of it was delivered to the back room. They rested for a while by the incense burner. Because Miaozhen had to go to Renshi's place that night, she didn't dare to sleep soundly. After a while, she called Mi'er in to do her hair and makeup.
Xiao Jingshi watched her do her makeup, observing her only through the mirror. He touched his forehead and was amazed; after the moxibustion treatment, it was as if his meridians had been opened. He couldn't help but think of their passionate encounter last night, her body as soft as cotton, her skin as white as snow, especially her private parts. Thinking of this, his throat tightened.
Miao Zhen had no idea what he was thinking. She got up and went to the inner room, put on a lotus-pink velvet satin gray squirrel cloak. The reason she wore this was because it had a hood, and the night wind would definitely give her a headache. Therefore, she also wore a mink and rabbit hair ornament on her head before going out with Xiao Jingshi.
"Wait a minute, tighten the ties so it won't let in any wind. You just had moxibustion." Miaozhen tiptoed and helped him re-tie the ties of his crane cloak.
Xiao Jingshi pursed his lips. He used to dislike being controlled by others, but now it didn't seem so bad.
Meanwhile, Miaozhen went to the Banana Garden to find Madam Han at the fork in the road. Madam Han was carrying a hand warmer and said with a smile, "I was planning to wait for you to come over together."
"Why make Second Sister-in-law go back to look for it again? It's cheaper for me to come over," Miaozhen said.
Several maids were carrying lanterns in front of her. Madam Han was saying to her, "You've just arrived, so you may not be used to it yet. We often have banquets in our house, and there aren't many rules at Madam's place. Usually, we're just asked to make a show of it."
Miaozhen said, "It's a pity I'm not very good at drinking. Otherwise, I could have entertained more guests."
"Even if you're not used to drinking, you should learn," Mrs. Han kindly suggested.
Miaozhen thought that if she pretended to be good at something she wasn't, it would be even more difficult to manage in the future. It wouldn't be good to keep bringing up her past experiences. So she lied and said, "I do want to practice, but I have a problem. When I drink too much alcohol, I get rashes all over my body. Even though I know some medical principles, I can't cure it."
After she said that, Han couldn't refuse.
Miao Zhen thought to herself, "See, no one can really force you to do something you don't want to do."
As the two were talking, they arrived at a pavilion called Liyin Pavilion in front of the garden. Madam Han led her inside and pointed to the second floor, saying, "This is the opera stage. We usually sit on the opposite side to listen to the opera. We can just walk through here to get the horse."
Miaozhen couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement. She then asked, "Do the eldest and third wives' houses have the same kind of residence as ours?"
Madam Han twitched her lips slightly: "No, the eldest branch of the family lives in a three-courtyard house, which is very well maintained. As for the third branch, they have a large house in the capital, so they usually stay at our house for a while when they come back. Speaking of which, we also have manors in the countryside, but living in the countryside is not cheap."
Miaozhen understood what she meant: the eldest son's family was only moderately well-off, not a wealthy family, while the third son's family was not often at home, only returning occasionally.
Thinking it over, she and Han went upstairs across the street first. Han watched the maids and servants wipe the tables and chairs, counted them, and felt that it was not enough. She asked her maid Cuidie to take the key to the second gate and ask the servants to go to the storeroom to move tables and chairs. She also asked someone to bring lanterns of various sizes, utensils and tea sets. Miaozhen also helped out.
The two of them worked there for about half an hour, and then Han sent someone to invite Ren and the others over.
Miao Zhen, who was standing to the side, said, "Second sister-in-law is really capable. I'm getting dizzy just watching her."
Madam Han smiled and said, "It's precisely because of the trivialities of housework that I'm so eager for more help. It's perfect that you're here. My sixth brother's wife will also be moving in at the end of the month, which will make things much easier for me."
"Hey, what are you saying, Second Sister-in-law? I can't say anything about Sixth Sister-in-law, but I'm the most impatient and worrisome one." Miaozhen quickly waved her hand.
Seeing that she was avoiding her like the plague, Han felt a little relieved.
Soon, all the relatives who were visiting came over. After everyone was seated, fine wine and delicacies were served. Candles were lit opposite them, and they began to sing "Beating the Golden Branch" and "The West Chamber". Miaozhen often went to listen to operas with her mother when she was a child. She couldn't understand anything at first, but later she understood it very well.
Everyone else's attention was on the stage, but Xia Xianjie's mind was elsewhere. She had always been a competitive person at home. She was extremely poor when she was young, but now that she was rich, she had to compare everything with others.
She had heard that Xiao Jingshi had some reservations about the marriage, but after sleeping with him, she realized he was just a spineless coward.
She was clearly just the daughter of a small business owner, but some of her unsuspecting relatives, seeing that she wore different clothes and jewelry every time, even tried to curry favor with her.
Little did they know that today, because Miaozhen was a new bride, the relatives were showing some concern. Even so, they only asked a few questions and didn't inquire further.
Miaozhen was unaware of Xia Xianjie's thoughts. After watching a few plays and seeing the relatives to their rooms, she returned.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Jingshi returned before her, and the bed was already warm. Miaozhen laughed and said, "Every time you come back from outside, you bring a chill with you. I can't wait to get to bed."
The two maids took off her cloak, and Xiao Xi scooped up some hot water. She first removed her hairpins and jewelry to wash her face. Generally, after applying makeup, removing makeup is more important than moisturizing. She first dissolved the makeup with jasmine oil, then washed her face with jasmine soap. After washing her face clean, she did a quick wash and then lifted the curtain to go inside.
Xiao Xi took two maids out. They were both young women and not suitable to serve in the inner room. Besides, Miao Zhen usually didn't need anyone to keep watch at night.
No sooner had she sat down than she saw Xiao Jingshi's hand on her shoulder. Miao Zhen turned around and smiled at him: "What are you doing?"
"What do you think I want to do?" Xiao Jingshi slightly lifted her chin and leaned closer.
If she were uncomfortable, Miaozhen would definitely resist, but last night was truly indescribable, and she couldn't help but let him do as he pleased. Regardless of how the two of them made love, they both felt physically and mentally comfortable.
Meanwhile, Master Xiao was resting at Madam Ren's place today. The two were discussing the bride's homecoming tomorrow when Madam Ren said, "The bride still needs to pay respects at the ancestral hall. It was my fault. I sent her back this morning after she finished paying her respects."
"It's alright, you can take her to the main house tomorrow," said Master Xiao.
Ren glanced at her: "You seemed fine this morning, why do you suddenly look so preoccupied?"
"You don't know, but Xia's father, the eldest son's wife, was sent to prison. Her family sent a letter to the eldest son's family, along with several thousand taels of silver. But as you know, my elder brother is a decent minor official in this area, but he doesn't have connections at the higher levels. His family is quite clever; they came to me for help," said Master Xiao.
Madam Ren, unfamiliar with outside business, simply said, "In that case, the Xia family is also related by marriage. Perhaps the master knows someone, so we can lend a hand."
“That can’t be the case. I have three sons now. My eldest son is not good at studying, but Jingshi and Jingtang both need to study. I don’t lack that little bit of money. Besides, I’m not an official. They found my third brother’s wife, and she agreed.” Master Xiao said.
Madam Ren thought to herself that her family was a merchant family, yet her husband demanded that they adhere to the rules of a scholarly family in every way. Her third brother-in-law considered himself a man of integrity and outwardly did not covet money, but Madam Rao secretly lent money, even taking on lawsuits and doing everything.
The next day, after Miaozhen got up, Xiao Jingshi had his two servants and a personal attendant come over and kowtow to her. Miaozhen rewarded each of them with two qian of silver.
Xiao Jingshi noticed that Miaozhen was very disciplined in her actions and spoke gently and slowly to her servants. After dismissing them, she said to herself, "I heard that one cannot return to one's parents' home after noon, is that true?"
“There is such a rule, but since our two families live close by, it doesn’t matter,” Xiao Jingshi said.
Miaozhen smiled and said, "My father runs a bookstore and also writes books himself, so we can talk about anything under the sun. If you want to read any books, you can tell him, and he will try to get them for you. I think you are all scholars, so you will definitely have a lot to talk about."
Xiao Jingshi couldn't help but ask, "Does your family believe in Buddhism?"
"I don't really believe it. I never let monks or Taoists into my household." Miaozhen roughly knew what he wanted to say, probably because of the matter of Moni helping her with her birth chart, but she didn't change the subject.
Just when Xiao Jingshi thought he was going to ask more questions, he unexpectedly changed the subject: "Wife, you should go to Mother's first, I'll go over later."
Miao Zhen agreed and went to Ren's place again. Ren first took her to the ancestral hall of the eldest son's family to pay respects. The eldest son's family, like the Xu family, lived in affordable housing, which was actually quite good, but it was still inferior to the second son's family.
Miaozhen originally thought she would just go through the motions and then return to her parents' home, but she didn't expect that Madam Chao's preparations were so meticulous that she stayed in the ancestral hall of the main branch for almost an hour before coming out.
Madam Ren said, "You two go home first, have a meal and then come back. We'll invite your in-laws over in a few days."
"Thank you so much for your help, Madam and Second Sister-in-law," Miaozhen said gratefully.
The Xiao family prepared sixteen platters of soup, fruit, pheasants, livestock, fine wine, and cloth, all loaded onto a large cart. Xiao Jingshi rode a horse, while Miaozhen sat in a sedan chair. She lifted the sedan chair and saw that Xiao Jingshi was wearing a large hat and a fine fur coat, revealing a section of bright red fabric, which made him look even more handsome, like a fairy.
Xiao Jingshi thought she had something to say, but saw Miaozhen tilt her head and smile.
The two soon arrived at the Xu family home. The Xu family had their main gate wide open today to welcome their daughter and son-in-law back home. Naturally, there were some formalities. The son-in-law paid respects to his father-in-law and mother-in-law, and Xu Erpeng and Madam Mei had to give him a gift. Xu Erpeng gave 10,001 coins, one in ten thousand, while Madam Mei gave him two gold hairpins symbolizing a long and happy marriage.
After the ceremony, Miaozhen went to the back to talk to Madam Mei. She wondered, "Why don't I see Third Uncle and the others today, since it's a homecoming?"
“Everyone says they’re too busy, they’re all insanely jealous,” Madam Mei shook her head.
So that's what it was about. Miao Zhen laughed and said, "I've never seen anyone like this before."
Madam Mei said, “How could there not be? Not to mention other families, even when your maternal grandfather passed the imperial examination, there were still people who burned down his house and set fire to it. That’s how people are in the world.”
“That’s good, now we can talk in peace. Mother, I miss you, Father, and my brothers so much,” Miaozhen couldn’t help but say.
Seeing that her daughter's eyes were slightly dark, but her face seemed to be glowing, Madam Mei knew what was going on, but still asked, "How has the Xiao family treated you? How are you and your husband?"
"My dowry is quite substantial, and I have trusted confidants. I'm not the eldest daughter-in-law, so it's alright. As for your son-in-law, he's naturally good to me. Even if he doesn't like me, I still have to make him submit to me. In this world, all relationships are either one where the east wind prevails over the west wind, or the west wind prevails over the east wind. You can rest assured." Miaozhen said this because she didn't want Madam Mei to worry.
To put it bluntly, once parents have done everything they can to help, it's time to start solving things yourself.
The first thing to do now is to further improve my medical skills, and the second is to solidify my position.
When Xu Erpeng was entertaining Xiao Jing, the two of them didn't talk about anything else, except for matters of the imperial examination. "When does the son-in-law plan to go to Nanjing?"
"We'll probably set off after the Mid-Autumn Festival," Xiao Jingshi said.
Xu Erpeng said, "Then you'd better be careful. Bring more guards with you. Last time I came back from Nanjing, I encountered a group of thugs and almost lost my life."
Xiao Jingshi smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have some martial arts skills. I originally planned to learn martial arts when I was a child, and I can still hold my own for a few moves. I will also try to bring as many people as possible with me."
Xu Erpeng then took out two more invitations and said, “I know you don’t lack anything, son-in-law. This is an invitation from the Cheng family of Jinling. I’m not interested in an official career, so it’s useless to me. You might as well give it to me. And this one is from Commander Qin of the Jinyiwei of the Southern Garrison. His wife and Zhenzhen have an extremely good relationship. She has treated her several times when she was seriously ill.”
Xu Erpeng was well aware that the Xiao family also had powerful backers. He was doing this to make a statement and show that his family also had influential people behind them.
As expected, Xiao Jingshi said, "Father-in-law, I appreciate your kindness, but how can I do that? I'm afraid that if I don't show my true colors, I'll only embarrass my wife and father-in-law."
Xu Erpeng laughed and said, "You young people should try more things. Besides, I have another concern. The Cheng family relies on the relationship with Chief Minister Xia. The relationships in the court are complicated. If we are not careful, we may get caught up in them."
Xiao Jingshi did not expect that Xu Erpeng was quite knowledgeable and simple-minded, unlike others who would follow him just because they saw wealth and power. Xu Erpeng could have used his money to get an official position through the Cheng family's connections, but he really did not want to.
“If someone has no way to make money and is also vengeful, then it’s fine to attach myself to them. But my business is doing well now, and my status is decent, so there’s no need for me to get involved in this mess. As the saying goes, the capable should take the lead. I think my son-in-law is a good writer and in his prime; he has a lot of potential.”
Xiao Jingshi was proud of himself from a young age, and listening to his father-in-law's words gave him some new ideas. The two of them got along better and better as they talked.
The Xu family served tea and food, and Miaozhen and Madam Mei also sat down at the table. Miaozhen's two younger brothers were also there. Everyone chatted and laughed, and Miaozhen breathed a sigh of relief when she saw this.
After the two finished their meal, they were about to return to the Xiao family. Xu Erpeng said to Madam Mei, "My son-in-law has already agreed to recommend our Jian-ge'er to study at the Chao family school. Instructor Chao is a famous scholar of contemporary literature, so I am relieved."
"I was initially worried that he would be bothered by what happened with Aunt Mo—"
Before Madam Mei could finish speaking, Xu Erpeng interrupted, "Let's not talk about this anymore. If he really didn't like this marriage, he would have broken it up anyway. Why would they get married?"
Mei suddenly realized.
Xu Erpeng added, "Since Miaozhen and the others are unwilling to come to her hometown, we won't go there in the future either. As the saying goes, when you're poor, no one cares even in the bustling city, but when you're rich, even distant relatives come to visit. We should just do our own thing well."
After returning to her parents' home, Miaozhen officially integrated into the Xiao family's life. Upon arriving at the Xiao family, she first went to the Ren family's residence with Xiao Jingshi.
When the two women came in, Madam Ren asked them a few questions, then smiled and looked at Miaozhen, saying, "Thank you for the expense, your parents."
“Madam, you’re too kind. This is only right,” Miaozhen said.
Mrs. Ren couldn't help but nod: "I don't have anything to do here, so you should go back first. You're newly married and need to spend more time together. There's no need for you to keep coming over."
Hearing this, Miaozhen blushed and didn't know what to say. Xiao Jingshi, who was standing to the side, was thinking about the newlyweds' intimacy. He didn't show anything on his face, but he secretly glanced at Miaozhen.
After leaving the Ren family's place, the couple returned to their room. Once inside, Miaozhen wondered if she could do a free clinic next month, as it wasn't appropriate to speak up now that they had just entered. However, she did introduce her medicine to Xiao Jingshi: "This is my Huarui Shisan (Flower Stamen Stone Powder), which treats all kinds of wounds from metal blades and arrows, as well as injuries from falls, cat and dog bites. Last time, a centurion's wife asked me to make it, and I kept some for myself."
Xiao Jingshi took it and looked at it, then laughed and asked, "How did you learn to process medicinal herbs?"
Nowadays, doctor visits and pharmacies are generally separate.
“At first, I read books. Didn’t it have something to do with Lei Gong’s Treatise on Processing and Medicating Herbs from the Northern and Southern Dynasties? I just skimmed through it. Later, after I went to the Cheng family, they had a pharmacy, so I often went there. I would read the book, ask questions, and that’s how I learned it, right?” Miaozhen said with a smile.
People with a foundation can generally learn very quickly if they are diligent.
Xiao Jingshi couldn't help but nod: "You really are diligent."
"If you are prepared, you will succeed; if you are not prepared, you will fail. How could I do this job if I hadn't made sufficient preparations?" Miaozhen said with a smile.
However, Miaozhen couldn't keep talking about herself, so she asked Xiao Jingshi, "What about you? What are you good at?"
Xiao Jingshi raised an eyebrow: "It's hard to say in a short time."
"What do you mean by 'can't say'? Do you mean you're a jack-of-all-trades who knows everything, or do you not understand yourself?" Miao Zhen tilted her head and looked him up and down.
Xiao Jingshi, still young at heart, said: "I'm not good at everything, but I'm good at most things."
Miaozhen said, "Then let's explore each other slowly, that's what makes it interesting."
Xiao Jingshi thought Miaozhen wanted him to demonstrate on the spot. When he was a child, whenever guests came, his father loved to show off his sons' talents. At that time, he felt like a monkey.
He was somewhat taken aback by her words.
She then mentioned that Xiao Jingshi had gone out for a while and had brought her a young servant boy of about fifteen or sixteen who was literate and could read, named Ping'an. Miaozhen learned that the servants of the Xiao family did not receive a monthly salary; they relied entirely on the master's rewards during festivals. Even the masters themselves were treated the same way. They had no worries about food and clothing, but if they wanted to buy anything, they had to have their own savings.
After Ping An was brought in, Madam Han also found out. Since Sister Xia Xian was with her, she said, "He's only been here for less than three days, and the fourth brother has already been coaxed into buying people to come in."
"Look at what you're saying, maybe they're short-handed." Madam Han knew about Xia Xian's family situation. She had heard that Xia's backer had fallen, and her father's nephews had secretly taken a lot of money with them. It was quite pitiful.
But no matter how pitiful she is, Xia Xian's dowry is quite large, so it's not my place to feel sorry for her.
There are very few things in this world that can be perfect, and Xia Xianjie herself was no exception. Her father originally thought that he would become richer and richer, so he was generous in giving her so many things as a dowry. Unexpectedly, when he was in the middle of his excitement, he was implicated by the people above him and lost all his money. She hurriedly sold her four acres of prime land, which was considered to be fulfilling her filial duty.
The three thousand taels of silver given to her third aunt were all money she had earned from selling land; she just hoped her father would be alright when he came out.
It is also said that because Mrs. Yao was at odds with Yao Miaoshan, and Miaozhen had become a goddaughter of the Yao family, with the two families visiting each other frequently, Miaozhen naturally became a thorn in Yao Miaoshan's side. She thought that if it weren't for Miaozhen's meddling, that little monkey would have been gone, and everything would have been hers, but that little thing was alive.
That little thing was born to her father in his middle age, and he doted on her like a prince. Even if she had some things, they were just extras.
As the saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand." Which emperor or general didn't rise to power through bloodshed? Emperor Taizong of Tang killed his brothers, but who said anything? He simply won.
But Xu Miaozhen thwarted all the plans, and Yao Miaoshan couldn't tolerate it. She was already deeply offended, and now that Miaozhen was marrying into a better family than her own, she couldn't hold back any longer. Knowing that her aunt valued filial piety most, she told the story with a mix of truth and lies.
Upon hearing this, Madam Ren summoned Xiao Jingshi again and relayed the message. During dinner, Xiao Jingshi subtly inquired, "Why didn't I see your third uncle and the others when I went over today?"
"There's a reason for that," Miao Zhen said, surprised by his question. She wondered why he hadn't asked when she first returned, and couldn't help but ask in return, "Why are you suddenly asking this?"
Xiao Jingshi said, "I don't know who said anything to my mother, but she mentioned that people outside said your family doesn't support the elderly, and that you don't give a single penny to relatives who come to borrow money—"
At this moment, Xiao Jingshi was also testing Miaozhen's reaction. Miaozhen thought that those who smeared maggots in front of Ren Shi probably had a grudge. She immediately locked onto Yao Miaoshan. This girl was not a dog that would bite. She quickly organized her words: "You don't know our family situation. There are three brothers in total. My father is the second oldest. My grandparents originally ran a rice shop in Fengqiao. They said that my eldest uncle and father were both scholars, but my third uncle did not study, so the rice shop was inherited by him. My eldest uncle and father wanted my grandparents to support their studies. It was only right that my third uncle did not study. But later, my third uncle participated in the county and prefectural examinations every year. In the end, he just couldn't study well, so he inherited the rice shop."
“My father failed the imperial examinations several times at first, so he worked as a tutor. Later, he made a living by writing. As soon as he earned some money, he didn’t even give it to my mother. He spent fifty taels or so on a spinning machine for my aunt. Later, my great-grandfather passed away, and my grandparents also claimed they had no money. My father borrowed money for them. Later, when my aunt got married and my uncle went out to do business, my father lent out several dozen taels. Later, although my third uncle’s family hired several helpers, they still needed people to cook and take care of the children. My grandparents continued to help them, and my father would send gifts over during festivals.”
“Until something happened, my third uncle’s birthday, my younger brother was bitten by a barking dog. Because that dog was a rather aggressive woman among my relatives, who often bullied the villagers, she even blamed my brother for being naughty. But you saw my brother, such a quiet child, how could he do that? My father wanted to find the dog to have a vet take a look, but the dog said it was already dead and the body was gone. Not only did the relatives not say a word of justice, but they also implied that we were making a mountain out of a molehill. My father’s heart sank.”
"However, because I was afraid that the dog was rabid, I specifically looked up a lot of information about how to be bitten by a rabid dog and how to treat it. My brother escaped unharmed. I remember that the Yao family at Songhe Restaurant had a similar experience. When Mrs. Yao's son heard that he was bitten by a rabid dog released by his stepdaughter, he was afraid of airing his dirty laundry in public, so he could only complain to us. I'll show you the medical records. What do you think of that young man?"
After Miaozhen finished speaking, she found the medical record. Xiao Jingshi saw that the ink was indeed very old and the medical record was very detailed. He had completely trusted Miaozhen and suddenly said, "So that's why my cousin Yao was gossiping to my mother. What a wicked person who accuses others first."
"My dear husband, it's all thanks to our honesty that we were able to clear our names. Otherwise, I would never be able to clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River." Miaozhen couldn't help but rub her forehead, almost bursting into tears, but in her heart she was glad that it really was this person and that she had made the right bet.
Xiao Jingshi stood up: "That dog of hers was a gift from my mother, who was afraid she would be lonely. I never thought she would cause trouble. Wait for me to tell my mother tomorrow to send her away and stop her from harming people everywhere."
Miaozhen wiped away her tears: "Since ancient times, strangers have not interfered with relatives, so I didn't dare to say anything. I'm so grateful that you stood up for me..."
She hadn't expected Xiao Jingshi to be such a bold and decisive person. But whether he was really doing it or just doing it for her sake, he was the one who said what he meant, unlike others who kept their thoughts to themselves.
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