Chapter 63 (Combined Chapter)
When the plaque arrived, Miaozhen was overwhelmed with emotion. She thought to herself that the Emperor was indeed the Emperor, and he knew very well how to win people over. Even a female doctor like her had received such an honor.
"This humble woman, Xu, thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness." Miaozhen bowed again.
Xiao Jingshi, the young eunuch who delivered the plaque, rewarded everyone present. When he returned, he saw his wife circling the plaque. He recalled the day she left the palace, having not eaten all day. On the way, she stopped to buy roast chicken and ate the steamed buns and roast chicken from home, finding herself quite content.
Xiao Jingshi felt a sudden pity for her and just looked at her like that.
Miaozhen saw him leaning against the door watching her, and couldn't help but touch her hair: "Do you think I'm pathetic? But I really like everyone's recognition of me. Now, even the Emperor recognizes me, and I'm very excited and happy."
This kind of professional recognition is more gratifying than how many children you have or what kind of husband you married.
“How can this be called being unambitious? You’re only twenty years old, and you’ve already received a plaque of praise from the Emperor. What more could you ask for?” Xiao Jingshi said.
Miaozhen lingered over the plaque and palace silk she had been awarded, and said, "Only by retreating at the height of one's career can one preserve oneself. Now that my mission in the capital is complete, I will not be going to the palace again."
"Huh?" Xiao Jingshi was somewhat surprised to hear her say that.
Miaozhen smiled and said, "One must know when to advance, but even more importantly, one must know when to retreat. Every woman desires these jewels, ornaments, and colorful silks, and so do I, but the more one desires them, the more one must control one's greed."
She said it, and she really did it.
In contrast to her, another female physician moved into the palace and spent her days flattering the concubines. Miaozhen's place, which had been bustling for a few days, gradually quieted down.
Miaozhen's children will be three years old next month. Looking at them, she feels that time flies by. She has been busy these past few years, and time seems to pass quickly when you are busy.
With Madam Mei around, the children were all very close to her, and the two wet nurses, despite having some ailments, dared not cause any trouble.
Now that she's in charge of the household, she can't be without rules. Fortunately, she had managed the household in the Xiao family before, so she has the time to start managing the mansion.
First, the flower pavilion needs to be renovated by a gardener, and the kitchen needs to be staffed. Everything needs to be organized. All the stables and rice warehouses need to be inspected. The north is drier than the south, which is prone to dampness.
After finishing each task, I draw a line across it to relax.
It is also said that Huang Qiaoying often joked and laughed with the ladies in the palace, and acted superior to the maids and eunuchs, which made everyone in the palace hate her to the core. However, she was never caught doing anything wrong, so she continued to act recklessly in the palace. To the point that she became pregnant and, fearing that she would be discovered, she had an abortion and urinated in a chamber pot. Unexpectedly, she was reported to the authorities.
In a fit of rage, the Jiajing Emperor sent her to the ceremonial room, gave her thirty strokes of the cane, and expelled her. Upon hearing this, Miaozhen couldn't help but marvel at her foresight.
Xiao Jingshi hadn't expected things to turn out this way. He looked at Miaozhen and said, "This doctor Huang is really careless."
“The closer you are to the center, the more likely you are to be feared. Besides, you always rely on luck, so it’s easy to make mistakes. That’s why I said you should just stay home and study hard. If you pass, great; if you don’t, we can go back and live our carefree lives. It’s no big deal,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
Xiao Jingshi thought that if Zhenzhen didn't love him, she would definitely have left. She was just that kind of low-key person who didn't crave vanity and never had any wishful thinking.
Some people only talk the talk, but they never truly walk the walk.
This year, for the children's birthdays, Miaozhen prepared a table full of their favorite dishes and invited the Xiao family's third branch to join in the festivities. Gao, the wife of the Xiao family's third branch, never gossiped, but the other two, the fifth and sixth grandmothers, must have heard some rumors, as they couldn't help but show it on their faces. Even when Miaozhen took the initiative to speak to them, they were indifferent.
Seeing this, Madam Mei also hated Lu Shi'an to the core. After the people from the third branch of the family left, she said to Miaozhen, "Lu Shi'an has really done a lot of harm."
“Lu Shi’an is certainly despicable, but these rabble are no better. I was the one who treated Liu’s irregular periods, and I was also the one who treated Bian’s son when he was unwell. These two are no good people either, having only listened to some rumors.” Miao Zhen snorted coldly.
Mei kept talking about Lu Shi'an's "Hanshan Ji". Miaozhen went back and told Xiao Jingshi about it that night. As an outsider, Xiao Jingshi could see it clearly: "It's not like that. Why don't they dare to do anything to me because of this nonsense? It's just that they think they are superior to you in every way because they are from official families. Even if they know it's not true, they still believe it."
“But I’ve never shown off in front of them!” Miaozhen shook her head.
Xiao Jingshi laughed and said, "Even if you don't show off, they will know. For example, if someone can't compare to you in anything and can't find fault with you, when they hear some unfounded rumors, even if they know in their hearts that they are false, they would still hope that they are true, because this is the only thing they feel they can find fault with you."
"I see," Miaozhen said, looking at him. "Fortunately, I have my mother, you, and the children by my side. I don't care what those people think of me."
“I think you would have smoothed things over even without us,” Xiao Jingshi said.
Miaozhen smiled and said, "You're right."
Today, she saw that Xiao Jingshi was wearing a light blue nightgown, and he looked much gentler and had a strong sense of being a married man, quite different from his usual arrogant self. So she pressed him down and made love to him.
As for the people from the third branch of the Xiao family who returned home, the third wife was quite drunk. Gao's daughters-in-law escorted her to her room, had someone bring her some hangover soup, and helped the third wife rest before they all went back to their rooms.
Madam Gao herself married late in life and endured much gossip, so what was there for her not to understand today's scene? Her mother beside her said, "Why do Fifth and Seventh Madams seem to have some grudge against Fourth Madam?"
Everyone with eyes can see that.
As she removed her hairpins and jewelry, Madam Gao simply smiled and said, "Don't you think Fourth Sister-in-law is different from the others?"
The mother shook her head: "There's no difference."
“The difference is huge. Madam Xu is a skilled doctor and knows how to conduct herself appropriately. I heard she received three boxes of rewards, which are all imperial treasures. I also heard she has dealings with the Lu family, but she never talks about them. She’s not the kind of person who talks about trivial matters. Just because she’s unconventional, they naturally avoid her.” Madam Gao said, feeling speechless.
“You can’t be like them. We should be on good terms with Madam Xu. If you ever have any health problems, it’s best to go to her.”
Madam Gao nodded slightly: "Yes, it's a pity they can't even understand this. In this world, if you don't follow the crowd, no matter how outstanding you are, there will be people who ostracize you. I think my fourth brother and his wife are not ordinary people. From a pragmatic point of view, I want to befriend her. From my own perspective, my fourth brother's wife is well-educated and of high moral character, so we should also get along more."
**
After entering the twelfth lunar month, it was time to prepare for Laba Festival. Miaozhen had already instructed people to buy five kinds of grains and dried fruits, and to have the kitchen staff cook Laba porridge. Xiao Jingshi also invited several scholars from Suzhou Prefecture to his home to celebrate Laba Festival. He had been cooped up for a long time these days and rarely went out.
Miaozhen also enthusiastically instructed the kitchen staff to cook chicken and slaughter sheep, and prepare wine and drinks so that Xiao Jingshi could enjoy himself to the fullest.
She herself received an invitation from the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cheng family, which turned out to be from Madam Ji? It had been several years since she had last seen Madam Ji. Madam Ji's husband, Cheng Junze, used to work at the Hanlin Academy, but where was he now?
If they hadn't sent her an invitation, that would have been fine, but since they have, she has to go.
After all, Master Cheng is now serving as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, and the Cheng family is now prominent and wealthy thanks to Chief Minister Xia.
A few days later, Xiao Jingshi sent her over. Miaozhen nodded to her and then took the invitation to the door. Unexpectedly, Banxia came out to greet her. Banxia was much plumper than before and looked like a stewardess.
"Oh my god, I never thought we'd meet again." Miaozhen was overjoyed and made no mention of the time she went to Nanjing to deliver her visiting card.
Banxia, just like before, led her through the second gate and said, "After you left, I married Dongxing, who served the eldest master. Now that the eldest mistress is in charge of the household, I am in charge of welcoming and seeing off guests. A few days ago, I heard our third aunt mention you to the eldest mistress when she returned home for her family visit. The eldest mistress said that you came to the capital but didn't come to visit, which was quite distant, so she sent an invitation to you to come over."
Miaozhen replied, "It's because I was staying at a relative's house when I first arrived, and later I often had to go to the palace. Also, my husband hasn't passed the imperial examination yet, so it's not appropriate for me to visit him."
"You're getting too formal. Even if we don't meet them, what kind of relationship do we have?" Banxia said with a smile.
Along the way, Banxia also talked a lot about the Cheng family: "Miss Qinfang is engaged and will be getting married soon. However, our young master is a bit thin. I'm afraid that's why the eldest mistress called you here."
Miaozhen understood the situation and took her hand, asking, "How are you now? Do you have any children?"
"I gave birth to a little rascal, he's been driving me crazy." Banxia couldn't stop laughing when she mentioned her child.
After several years apart, they met again. Ji Shi had gone from a young woman in her twenties to a woman in her thirties. Her clothes were no longer as bright as before. She wore a royal blue fur coat with sharp edges and a purple skirt with gold trim. She was momentarily stunned when she saw Miao Zhen.
Miaozhen was no longer the chubby-cheeked little girl she once was, but she was still very young. Perhaps it was because her face was relatively short and her eyes were round and bright that she appeared clever and pretty.
Even the clothes she wore seemed unusual to Ji Shi.
Miaozhen still bowed upon meeting her: "Greetings to Madam. I am late, please forgive me."
Madam Ji had a stool brought over and invited her to sit down: "We used to be so close, but you, you didn't even say a word before you went to the capital."
"At first, I was worried about how I would fare and whether I would be selected, so I didn't dare to come. Now that things have finally come to an end, I came over as soon as I saw your invitation," Miaozhen said with a smile.
Now that Madam Ji is in charge of the household, she knows everything. Miao Zhen's absence might be due to some rumors, but after inquiring about the man Xu Miao Zhen is now married to, she thought that he hasn't really done anything wrong. Isn't he also a scholar? He's just a little wealthier than Lu Shi'an, but not to a great extent.
Besides, she was asking Miaozhen to treat her son's illness, so she was very polite: "You're being too formal. We should keep in touch in the future."
Miao Zhen thought that since their statuses were not equal and they couldn't be said to have frequent interactions, and since Madam Ji had invited her over for medical treatment, she couldn't really take what she said seriously, so she just said a few words of modesty.
When the conversation turned to children, Miaozhen couldn't help but ask, "Do you still remember the scene when your son was born? I wonder how he is now?"
“That’s what we’re talking about. My son was born thanks to you, but recently he’s fallen ill and often has seizures and faints, his jaw clenched so tightly. If it’s convenient for you, come and take a look.” Madam Ji quickly said.
Miaozhen hurriedly said, "In that case, I'll go see the boy first."
The boy looked to be about five or six years old. He was lying on the bed with his eyes closed. Miaozhen quickly went over to check on him and saw that his limbs were cold, his hands and feet were trembling and wriggling, his tongue was white, and his pulse was deep and thready.
She said to Madam Ji, "This sounds like chronic infantile convulsions caused by spleen and kidney yang deficiency. Does the young master rarely go out?"
Madam Ji nodded: "We don't usually let him go out."
After finally giving birth to a child, she was so afraid of him catching a cold that she kept him at home most of the time.
Miaozhen said, "Even if you don't go outside normally, you should still walk around in the courtyard more often, just avoid going out in windy and frosty weather. I'll prescribe some more medicine so that the boy can take his time to recover."
Infantile convulsions are different from epilepsy. This Cheng family boy was already wearing too many clothes in the room. She turned the child's head to one side, kept him in a side-lying position, unbuttoned the child's clothes, and prescribed a modified version of the Guzhen Decoction for warming and tonifying the spleen and stomach, combined with the Zhuhan Dangjing Decoction.
She didn't rush to leave. First, she had someone brew the medicine. After watching the child take it and feel a little better, she said, "I'll prescribe more pills when he's feeling better."
Many doctors aren't bad at medicine; they're just helpless. If there's even a slight problem, someone will come to the doctor, wanting to vent their frustrations on them. Some doctors can only be mediocre.
Others see her prescribing medicine with effortless ease, but in reality, she has practiced it hundreds of times at home.
When Madam Ji offered to pay for the consultation, Miaozhen waved her hand, saying, "You have given me enough rewards in the past, there is no need for this."
“This won’t do,” Madam Ji insisted.
Miaozhen could only say, "Let's wait until the boy is better before we talk about it. If it doesn't work, you'll have to ask a pediatric expert to come and see him."
Ji thought to herself that the doctor she had consulted before had prescribed some kind of phlegm-reducing soup, but the more she took it, the worse her illness became. Rather than that, she should trust Miaozhen, who was truly skilled in medicine and never acted arrogantly.
After returning home, Miaozhen rubbed her chest. Seeing her like this, Xiao Jingshi couldn't help but say, "Didn't you say you were going to the Cheng family to see some old friends? Why do you look so preoccupied?"
Miao Zhen smiled and said, "I went to see a doctor for Madam Cheng's son. I couldn't help but think of some things. Before I received this plaque from the Emperor, I wanted to see as many patients as possible. Now that I have this plaque, I feel a lot of pressure. I'm afraid people will say that I am not worthy of my reputation."
"So that's why. Try to think more positively." Xiao Jingshi picked up a book and started reading.
He originally thought he was doing well in his studies. After studying in Beijing for the past few months, he felt that he had reached a higher level. At this time, he was still able to calm down, which was a good sign.
Some people are very prone to becoming restless and agitated when taking exams, which is not a good thing.
By the time of the Lunar New Year, Ji's son had improved considerably, and Miaozhen prescribed Lizhong Pills to regulate his spleen and stomach. Miaozhen not only refused the consultation fee offered by Ji, but also gave the child a longevity lock specially made at a jewelry store.
If she hadn't had the experience from helping Lady Ji give birth, she wouldn't have been so familiar with Consort Ma. Besides, as a doctor, she just wanted the child to get better.
Ji was usually not one to help others, but seeing Miaozhen's genuine gratitude, she sighed and said, "If my son is well, I'm willing to give up ten years of my lifespan."
"Please don't say that. Just like when I treated you back then, I ensured the safety of you and your child. Now, as long as I'm here, I will do my best. If I can't treat you, you can find other doctors. In short, it's best not to avoid seeking medical treatment," Miaozhen said.
Madam Ji wanted to personally see her out, but she stopped her: "It's freezing cold, and you're not feeling well, so please go back. There's no need to see me off."
When Miaozhen was at the Cheng family's house, she didn't run into Lu Shi'an and Cheng Shu. She heard that they were also living in the Cheng family's house, but it was a good thing that she didn't run into them.
This was their first New Year in the capital, and the third branch of the family naturally invited them to come over, saying it would be more lively together. Miaozhen and Xiao Jingshi couldn't refuse, so they went together.
Standing behind Gao was a concubine. Miaozhen was a little dazed. When she was with Xiao Jingshi, there were no concubines or maids in the house. Over time, when she occasionally saw them, she felt that wives and concubines did not have a good life.
No wife in the world wants to share her husband with another woman, but a concubine is also a human being and does not want to be subservient to someone else all the time.
Miao Zhen didn't know what would become of Xiao Jingshi in the future. Perhaps she would also become someone pitied by others. But she wouldn't give in to this; she might truly move on. She was never afraid of change.
After the meal, the children's faces were red from the cold, so Miaozhen covered them with her hats to warm their ears. After returning home, she made a soup to dispel the cold and had the whole family drink it before she felt relieved.
At this time, she had already begun to prepare Xiao Jingshi's examination supplies with Madam Mei. Needless to say, there were writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones. She also consulted Madam Gao, the third wife of Xiao Jingshi, about the oilcloth to protect him from the wind and snow, and the food to prepare.
In short, it's quite busy, but being busy is good; time flies when you're busy.
Otherwise, living in the capital like this, it's difficult to make any progress, and who knows what the future holds?
The feeling of being stuck in the middle is the most unbearable. It's okay to deal with it as it comes, but the most unbearable thing is the unknown. However, she didn't show this emotion to Xiao Jingshi, but Xiao Jingshi was very relaxed, acting carefree and natural, and even enjoying the snow with Miaozhen.
The imperial examinations were usually held on the 9th, 12th, and 15th of the second lunar month. After Miaozhen's birthday on the 15th of the second lunar month, the imperial examinations were getting closer and closer.
Lu Shi'an was also making inquiries in secret. He was now considered a very influential official from Suzhou, so he asked some students to vouch for him and casually inquired about his background. Some people took the initiative to tell him the details.
Someone said, "The great scholar Xiao has hardly been out lately? I guess he's feeling uncertain about his future."
Some people who were on good terms with Xiao Jingshi said, "His uncle is an official, and his family is very strict. Letting him stay at home is for his own good."
Lu Shi'an felt somewhat relieved. A person who is ashamed to show their face will definitely be affected in their mood. Although the imperial examination tests knowledge, one's mindset is very important; if someone has a bad mindset, even the best knowledge can become superficial.
That's wonderful, that's wonderful.
On the other side, Cen Yuan naturally knew about the "Hanshan Chronicle". He couldn't help but shake his head: "Lu Shi'an is, after all, the son-in-law of Vice Minister Cheng and a Hanlin scholar. Xiao Jingshi is unlucky to have offended him. However, the Xu family is really something, trying to have their cake and eat it too. They're bound to capsize."
“How can you blame her?” Xiao Suyin, who had a good relationship with Miaozhen, retorted.
Cen Yuan shook his head, thinking to himself that when his father was still a scholar, he had some dealings with Xu Erpeng. Fortunately, he didn't betroth his daughter to him, otherwise he would be the one with a headache now.
On the other hand, if Madam Xu hadn't come to the palace for medical treatment, solely for the sake of fame, Lu Shi'an wouldn't have brought up this matter if she hadn't come.
A woman who only cares about her own fame and the limelight, but completely disregards her husband, is unlikely to have much affection for him as a wife.
But Xiao Jingshi seemed to be bewitched by her, following her lead in everything.
How shameful it is for a grown man to be so disgraceful!
Xiao Jingshi was unaware of Cen Yuan's inner turmoil. He was currently reading two books while eating, and Miaozhen didn't disturb him, letting him eat slowly.
Time flies, and soon it was time for the imperial examination. Early in the morning, she checked Xiao Jingshi's clothes and basket, but still felt uneasy and wanted to check them again. Xiao Jingshi stopped her: "Go back to sleep. Taking another nap is better than anything else."
They were two different kinds of people. Miao Zhen was overly cautious, while Xiao Jing Shi was carefree and strode forward, waving his hand.
Miaozhen couldn't help but laugh: "This person is very mischievous."
Xiao Jingshi remained calm after finishing the exam. Although he didn't go to a restaurant for drinks, he wrote a lot of calligraphy at home and also helped Miaozhen paint a portrait.
His brushstrokes were light and graceful, as if divinely inspired, as if Miaozhen herself were looking in a mirror.
"Even if it doesn't work out, my calligraphy and painting are good and can be sold for money, and you can travel around practicing medicine. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Xiao Jingshi saw that Miaozhen was too nervous and eased the atmosphere.
Miaozhen smiled slightly.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Jingshi couldn't help but say, "I see you don't seem nervous at all when facing people from the palace, so why am I so nervous?"
Miao Zhen thought that perhaps she was very clear about her own strength, but not about Xiao Jingshi's. She didn't want to explain too clearly, so she stammered a few words. Seeing her like this, Xiao Jingshi pinched her nose and said, "You're so cute, I want to bite you."
“You always say you want to bite me, are you a dog?” Miaozhen touched her nose.
Soon it was time for the results to be announced, and Madam Gao came over. She told Miaozhen that Xia Xian's son was almost 100 days old, but Miaozhen had no interest in listening to her. She kept biting her lower lip and paying attention to what was happening outside.
Just as she took a sip of tea, she heard footsteps outside. Miaozhen quickly got up, and the person who came in said, "Third Madam, our son-in-law Cen has passed the exam."
Gao immediately ordered someone to give a reward, and then asked, "How many people?"
"The 280th person." The person who came was beaming with joy.
It turned out to be Cen Yuan. Miao Zhen even got up to prepare a congratulatory gift and send it over. She then sat down again, feeling that every second was torture and that she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.
She rubbed her forehead and waited. After a while, she heard Ping An come in and say, "Fourth Grandmother, the messenger has arrived with good news."
"Good news! Lord Xiao Jingshi of Wu County, Southern Zhili, has achieved the highest rank of 100th candidate in the imperial examination of the Dingwei year. He has been summoned to the Emperor in the Golden Palace!"
I won! I finally won!
Miaozhen immediately felt triumphant, as if her suffering had finally come to an end!
-----------------------
Author's note: The story of Huang Qiaoying is based on the story of Peng Yifu during the Wanli era.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
