Chapter 86 (Combined Chapters)
After more than a month, Jian Ge'er's marriage was finally settled. None of the three candidates mentioned before were chosen. Instead, the daughter of Luo, the magistrate of Changzhou County, was selected. The two families were now considered to be of equal social standing, with one serving as an official in the prefecture and the other as a magistrate in the county.
County Magistrate Luo had heard that he had a good reputation. His first wife had no children, but his concubine had given birth to two sons and a daughter. The two sons were the same age as Jian Ge'er and had both passed the imperial examinations. The daughter was also beautiful, skilled in cooking and needlework, and had a clever and charming personality.
Miaozhen was still in mourning and couldn't go herself, so she specially chose some engagement gifts to send over. Xiaoxi went to see the Luo family girl on her behalf and came back praising, "Our master and mistress chose such a good Luo family girl; she's clever and kind."
"That's good. Father's judgment has always been excellent," Miaozhen said with a smile.
I didn't choose those with high official positions or those who were rich; I just chose the ones who were suitable.
As the mistress and servant were talking, Baozhu came over and said, "Fourth Madam, Madam requests your presence."
Her mother-in-law invited her over? Miaozhen thought for a moment and then went straight over. She saw three boxes placed there by Madam Ren, and she was saying to her daughters-in-law, "After the old lady passed away, her private property was left to our three households. I also picked out some to give to you."
Because of this, Miaozhen, Han Yueyao, and Lou Qiongyu all felt it was an unexpected joy.
When Miaozhen returned home, she opened the box and found it filled with precious fabrics: a bolt of Shu brocade, a bolt of crimson brocade with gold python patterns, and a bolt each of velvet winter and summer satin. Below these four bolts of fabric were two boxes of spices: a box of sandalwood and a box of benzoin. At the very bottom were two square boxes, one containing some small pieces of jewelry and the other containing a pair of gold pots.
Miaozhen had completed the registration and had it carried upstairs. She already had a considerable dowry, and having frequently visited the palace over the years, she also had many fine things to offer. However, she was still happy with the extra gifts she received.
The other two sisters-in-law received similar gifts. Lou Qiongyu hadn't even closed her chest when she saw Liu coming over and said with a smile, "Fifth Sister-in-law, what brings you here?"
Although Miaozhen and Liu had fallen out, she and Liu had not. In fact, the two had a good relationship when they were in the capital. Therefore, after Liu recovered from the pain of losing her son, she often came to talk to her.
Upon seeing the contents, Liu couldn't help but exclaim, "Where did you get all these good things?"
"Fifth Sister-in-law, you're joking. This was given to me by my mother-in-law. She said it was distributed by the old lady to all the families. I just brought it back." Lou Qiongyu was also very happy about this unexpected windfall.
The Xiao family was indeed wealthy, but they could only afford to make everyday clothes for all four seasons. They had to prepare their own expensive clothes. She clearly felt that her clothes were about the same as her fourth sister-in-law's. Her fourth sister-in-law often changed her jewelry and clothes every few days, and even Fu Jie'er's clothes were new several times a day.
Liu sat down and said with some envy, "Our wife must have received some too, but she didn't say anything about sharing it with us."
"I don't know about that." Lou Qiongyu didn't want to criticize Rao Shi.
Liu pursed her lips, "Our wife must have kept it herself. Who knows who will benefit from it later."
Lou Qiongyu had tea served, and then had someone bring over some Poria cocos cake and Eight Treasures cake, saying, "These are things that people in Suzhou like, you should try them too."
Liu smiled, picked one up and put it in her mouth, and couldn't help but say, "There are only four months left before our grandchildren have to observe the mourning period. I wonder if you will still be going to the capital then?"
Because Xiao Jingtang knew that Lou Qiongyu was obsessed with fame and fortune, he would definitely nag if he knew that Lou Qiongyu would no longer participate in the provincial examinations but go directly to the Imperial Academy, so he did not tell Lou Qiongyu.
Lou Qiongyu then said, "I think we should go."
"That depends on whether the fourth branch of the family can become an official in the capital. If not, you should talk to your second sister-in-law about it," Liu suggested.
Lou Qiongyu hadn't thought of this question yet: "Not to mention that Fourth Brother's performance in the Ministry of Personnel's evaluation during his previous inspection tour of Xuanfu and Datong was quite good, Fourth Sister-in-law also has some standing in the capital, so she should be able to stay, right?"
"That's not necessarily true. Xu's family background isn't as prestigious as Second Sister-in-law's, and she doesn't have a good relationship with Second Brother's superiors and subordinates," Liu said.
Lou Qiongyu agreed in her heart.
Therefore, after Liu left, she went to Furongwu. At this time, there were still a few patients. They had heard that they had been waiting for a long time and that there were people inside who were getting acupuncture, but they still did not leave. They said, "We finally found Doctor Xu. How can we leave?"
Fortunately, the patients who came after me only needed medication and left quickly.
Miaozhen changed her clothes and washed her hands and face before she met Lou Qiongyu.
"What does my sister-in-law want with me?"
Lou Qiongyu said, "We'll be out of mourning in a few months. I heard that my second sister-in-law next door has already sent someone to the capital to make arrangements. What are your plans, sisters-in-law?"
So that's what you were asking about. Miaozhen shook her head: "I don't know what your fourth brother is planning."
In fact, Xiao Jingshi didn't have any big plans, nor did he have any intention of staying in the capital. He was still young and originally wanted to go to more places. Miaozhen also agreed. In any case, they would just follow each other's lead.
But Lou Qiongyu seemed even more anxious than him: "If I am transferred to an outside post, it will be difficult to go back."
“You’re right, I’ll pass your opinion on to your fourth brother,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
Lou Qiongyu covered her mouth again: "Fourth Sister-in-law, I was just saying it casually, it's all for your own good."
Miaozhen nodded: "I know, I know."
She naturally told Xiao Jingshi this as well. Xiao Jingshi put his arm around Miaozhen from behind and said, "What will you do if I fail to pass the imperial examinations?"
"If we don't pass the exam, we don't pass. We can open a women's clinic together. You can sell medicinal herbs, and I can see patients. We'll still live a prosperous life, just as well as others." Miaozhen didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
It would be great if you could pass the exam, but there are ways to live even if you don't. Besides, just like Miaozhen, you can only manage your own efforts and can't control others.
Just like many parents who always hope their sons will become dragons and their daughters will become phoenixes, pushing their children to the point of collapse, with the attitude of "I'm eating chaff and vegetables for you and you don't even appreciate it," but their own poverty is of their own making. People should push themselves, not others.
Her children were the same; as long as they tried their best, if it didn't work out, the women could learn medicine from her, and the men could own some land. At least they could pass on their family tradition of farming and scholarship, and live a life free from worries about food and clothing.
Upon hearing Miaozhen's words, Xiao Jingshi felt his heart melt, and he held her tightly.
Miaozhen turned to look at him: "I feel that you've been much gentler towards me these past two years, both in your words and actions. Why is that?"
"Because I like you, and because I like you, I want to treat you well. No one else has that kind of luck," Xiao Jingshi said proudly.
Miao Zhen looked at him with eyes full of longing, and seeing that he was still so handsome, she couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart.
Xiao Jingshi didn't work in the Ministry of Personnel for nothing. He discovered that Miaozhen was the kind of person who responded better to gentleness than force. Especially when he was a little gentle, she would be overly kind to him. Because of this, he gradually got to know how to get along with her and learned the best approach.
Meanwhile, Madam Gao from the second wife had already prepared many gifts, including calligraphy and paintings by famous people, a jade horse, and several boxes of pearls, all packed full, in order to help her husband obtain a good official position.
Gold and silver are vulgar gifts; if they are given in a way that is too conspicuous, it will only backfire and cause you trouble.
The position they sought was that of the Director of the Reception Department of the Ministry of Rites, a fifth-rank official position, second only to the Vice Minister in the Ministry of Rites. It was only when Liu's father was almost fifty years old that he managed to obtain this position.
Seeing that Madam Gao had taken care of everything, Xiao Jingtian took her hand and said, "Thank you for your help again."
"What do you mean? When husband and wife are of one mind, their strength can break metal. Oh, by the way, the official in the Ministry of Personnel is my father's student. I heard he's good at everything else, except he often treats sores and ulcers. I just happened to get some ointment from my fourth sister-in-law, so I'll send it over with it." Madam Gao was very thoughtful; she had already asked about everything and prepared the gifts.
Seeing that she had made proper arrangements, Xiao Jingtian didn't say anything more. He was very satisfied with Gao Shi, his virtuous wife.
Gao had the items labeled and accompanied by letters before going to Rao's place. To her surprise, Rao gave her two gold filigree headdresses.
Then Rao said, "I heard that you made arrangements with Sanlang and even used your dowry?"
"Madam, what are you saying? Mine is my husband's, isn't it?" Madam Gao said dismissively.
Madam Rao said with satisfaction, "What you said is very true. Since ancient times, a husband's glory has brought honor to his wife. If Sanlang is well, you will naturally be well too." After saying that, she pointed to the headdress and said, "This is what your grandmother gave to our third branch. I also packed some satin into a few boxes for you to take when you go to the capital."
In Rao's case, what the old lady gave to the third branch of the family, she would definitely distribute to her own sons and daughters-in-law; she would not give to her illegitimate sons and daughters-in-law.
Madam Gao felt uneasy, fearing that her two sisters-in-law might hate her rather than their mother-in-law.
But she couldn't just divide these things up. The third branch of the family didn't have the big business that the second branch did, and they all cared about appearances. Now that the second branch of the family had lost its big spender, they could still get by, but it would be difficult to live like before.
Thinking of this, Gao sighed.
It is said that during the New Year holidays, Han Yueyao was busy with the preparations, so Miaozhen and Lou Qiongyu often brought the children to keep Ren Shi company, since Ren Shi loved lively gatherings.
Madam Ren first asked Miaozhen, "I heard that the marriage of Xu's eldest uncle has been arranged?"
"It's settled. It's arranged for the daughter of Magistrate Luo. The two families have already exchanged tea ceremony and engagement gifts, and the wedding is just around the corner next year. My parents also said that I should be out of mourning so I can attend the wedding," Miaozhen said with a smile.
"Your father has good taste." Actually, Madam Ren didn't know who the Luo family girl was at all. Anyway, when chatting with her, she didn't want to say anything that would spoil the mood.
She then said to Lou Qiongyu, "Since Liulang is going to study at the Imperial Academy, he will definitely be staying there. So you don't need to go; just stay at home to avoid the hassle of traveling."
The Imperial Academy? Lou Qiongyu had no idea about this. After returning home, she sent someone to fetch Xiao Jingtang. The couple had a huge argument, and even Zheng Ge'er, who was playing nearby, came back to tell his parents.
Xiao Jingshi was lying on the chaise longue when Miao Zhen helped him wash his face with Jade Complexion Powder. After washing, she was going to clean his face and apply Jade Complexion Powder again, so that his face would be white and refreshed.
When they heard what Zheng Ge'er said, they all felt it was expected, but since it was their family matter, they shouldn't interfere directly. Xiao Jingshi then said to Miaozhen, "She will probably come to you to talk about this, so just put all the blame on me."
"What kind of mess is this?" Miaozhen was speechless.
Xiao Jingshi said, "It's nothing. Can't Jingtang make his own decisions?"
"Get up and wash your face first, I'll help you squeeze out the pimples on your face," Miaozhen said, urging him to get up.
Xiao Jingshi obediently got up and washed himself. He really liked Miaozhen's tinkering with these things, such as ear cleaning and massage, which made him feel so comfortable that he didn't even want to move his thumb.
Miaozhen spent some time putting this together, but seeing that Xiao Jingshi fell asleep instantly, she put down the warm tent and went to the front hall. Just then, Han Yueyao brought Li Ge'er over. Li Ge'er was so young, yet he was already betrothed to the daughter of a military commander.
Despite his young age, Li Ge'er suffers from rhinitis. Han Yueyao said, "He's constantly blowing his nose. My sister-in-law doesn't know that we have almost a whole room full of toilet paper. I don't know what to do."
"How did you send it at first?" Miaozhen asked.
Han Yueyao explained, "At first, we thought it was just a cold, but then it just stayed like this."
This situation had been going on for two or three years. Miaozhen noticed that his throat was a little red and swollen, and he even had adenoid facies on his face. This was chronic rhinitis, and she thought she should give the child a massage.
First, clear the lungs, then the stomach. To clear the stomach, use your index finger to gently push from the wrist crease to the base of your thumb. Then, clear the six internal organs by using two index fingers to push from the elbow crease to the wrist crease. Not to mention clearing the large intestine and rubbing the Yingxiang acupoint.
After the massage, she prescribed Lizhe Tongqi San and also asked Han Yueyao to cook more peach kernel, red date, and millet porridge for the child on a regular basis.
"Sister-in-law, I'm so sorry, you finally got a break today, and I'm here again." Han Yueyao knew that Miaozhen was usually tired from seeing patients, so she had to rest for a few days every ten days.
Miaozhen laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, what are you saying? I watched Li Ge'er grow up since he was a child. It's just that we went to the capital for many years afterward, but I still treated him like my own son."
With such a skilled gynecologist and pediatrician at home, Han Yueyao was overjoyed. She wanted to talk to Miaozhen, so she instructed the maid to prepare the medicine and sent Lige'er and Zhengge'er to play in the side room.
"Did your sixth brother and sister-in-law have a fight?"
"Does your sister-in-law know about this too?" Miaozhen asked.
Han Yueyao nodded: "I've heard a little about it. My maids heard it from the people in the Sixth Household Department when they went to the kitchen to get food. Don't be fooled by Tang Di's peaceful nature. He is actually quite opinionated. Once he decides to do something, others may not be able to persuade him."
After all these years of marriage, she knows her family members fairly well.
Miaozhen, on the other hand, didn't know much about her husband's younger brother. Even though they lived under the same roof back then, she had to go to the palace, socialize, manage the household, and take care of her son. She only gave the sixth branch of the family their share and didn't interfere much else. Now, hearing Han Yueyao say this, she said, "So, even though they quarreled, the sixth brother's wish still won't change?"
“That’s right. To be honest, Sixth Brother’s idea is not wrong. The provincial examination is so difficult. If one can take the exam through the Imperial Academy, it will be easier.” Han Yueyao heard this from Xiao Jingheng.
She said this to tell Miaozhen to stop interfering in the affairs of the sixth wife and her husband, so that Xiao Jingtang wouldn't end up hating her instead.
Miaozhen understood, so when Lou Qiongyu came over, Miaozhen didn't agree and made excuses, which naturally disappointed Lou Qiongyu. Her idea wasn't wrong; she just hoped that the whole family would follow her lead and guide Xiao Jingtang onto the right path. Unexpectedly, everyone indulged him.
She also said that Xiao Jingtang was feeling depressed, so when Xia Xianjie found some kung fu, she told her husband to invite him over to relax. She added, "The Lou family isn't exactly a scholarly or prestigious family, but it's all thanks to my sixth brother's kind and righteous nature that others have been bullied like this."
Xiao Jingyan was originally not interested in officialdom, and after listening to Sister Xia Xian's words, he agreed and invited Xiao Jingtang over.
Knowing that Xiaoqi didn't like drinking, Xia Xianjie prepared some delicate dishes and drinks. After coming out, she said to Qiqiao, "Go and tell Miss Qin what to do; she can figure it out herself."
Miss Qin's given name is Ying. She was once doted on by her parents, but now she has nowhere to go. She smiled obediently at Qiqiao's words, but she sneered as soon as Qiqiao left.
The maid standing nearby looked very sad: "Miss, please don't be like this. We just won't listen to the mistress."
"You won't listen? I'll be in mourning in four months. Even if the First Madam helps me, what kind of family can I marry into without a dowry? I'd be lucky to even marry a poor scholar." Qin Ying was not as pure and innocent as her appearance suggested.
Since her parents passed away, she had suffered from poverty and bullying. Because of her beauty, some elders even tried to molest her. She finally managed to climb onto the coattails of Old Madam Xiao, flattering and serving her in every way. After a year or two of good life, if she were to leave again, she would truly be doomed.
She had only managed to get close to Old Madam Xiao out of obligation and had no connection with the Xiao family whatsoever. Once she got married, she would have even less contact with the Xiao family.
What kind of family is the Xiao family now? Not to mention the previous generation, just the grandchildren alone have two Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and one Juren (successful candidates in the provincial imperial examinations). The family is extremely wealthy. She wears a set of clothes that cost six taels of silver, drinks the finest Songluo tea, and even when she is vegetarian, she hires a top-notch chef to prepare her meals. Not to mention, she lives in the old lady's side room, which is decorated with flower and bird screens, and there are lush trees outside the window.
But this is only the eldest son's family. The second son's family is even wealthier, and some of them are officials. Xiao Jingtang is also the youngest son, and he is still young. So, it's not that bad for me to be with him.
That Lou family member wasn't very smart either. She actually sent Xiao Jingyan to help his ex-fiancée, which offended the Xia family. She thought that if she wanted to rise to power, the Xia family would also give her their full support.
Seeing that she had made up her mind, the maidservant couldn't help but say, "How about I dress you up?"
Qin Ying laughed and said, "No, I want to do the opposite."
...
Xiao Jingtang was also very frustrated, but he couldn't tell his brothers about it. Not to mention that Xiao Jingheng was very busy, even if he had time, he was a smiling tiger who rarely said anything. His fourth brother was usually very outspoken, but what if his wife and he had a fight over this matter and his fourth brother simply stopped recommending him?
Fortunately, Xiao Jingheng invited him over, and the two cousins chatted for a while, which made him feel much better.
They planned to go around the flower pavilion from the backyard, then to the side gate, and go directly from the side gate to the second house's garden to go home.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Jingtang heard two female voices talking at the flower pavilion. Their voices were not loud at first, but when they mentioned "Sixth Young Master", they caught Xiao Jingtang's attention.
Xiao Jingtang blew out the candle in the lantern, told the servants following him to be quiet, and then stepped forward to listen.
Under the moonlight, a slender woman said, "Anyway, I'm here now. I'll just stand here for a while and deal with it. Why would I actually listen to Madam's advice to seduce Sixth Master? He has a wife and children. Why would I do something so shameless?"
"But Miss, if you don't do as the eldest mistress says, what if she really marries you off to that old widower in West Street? The eldest mistress is really something. She resents Sixth Mistress for sending Master to help Widow Ding, but she can't bully you!" The maid was very anxious.
The young woman shook her head: "Even so, I can't use my beauty to do such a thing. At worst, after the mourning period, we can go to a nunnery and become nuns. I can't expect her to go to the nunnery to arrest people, can I..."
“Young lady, you are young and carefree. How can you go to such a place? Besides, nunneries are not necessarily pure lands.”
"Alas, if that's the case, then it's simply because my illness isn't getting better. Let's go quickly, lest we wait for someone to come." With that, the master and servant left.
Xiao Jingtang listened to this and thought to himself that Xia was really vindictive. Did she call him here today? Although he had a falling out with Lou, Lou Qiongyu was still his wife. He snorted coldly.
The next day, he finally met Qin Ying. Qin Ying had come to deliver flowers to each household. Since the women of the Xiao family could not go out, they were inevitably bored. So Qin Ying took the initiative to tell Madam Chao that the old lady had planted a lot of flowers. Xia Xianjie then cooperated and said that they would be delivered to each household. That's how Qin Ying came to this.
Qin Ying was naturally quite beautiful, especially with her charming and graceful demeanor, which made her even more endearing. She was accompanied by Sister Xia Xian's people, who seemed unwilling to come over.
When a man begins to pity a woman, that is the beginning of a tragic love affair.
...
During the New Year holidays, the children could only play at home, which was inevitably a bit boring. Fortunately, Zhao Ge'er had taken many books from his maternal grandfather and spent his time reading in the room and on the veranda, as if the years had passed in the mountains. After several months of instruction, Fu Jie'er was already able to write fluently on the desk. Although she was not an expert in pulse diagnosis, everything was progressing in a positive direction.
Only Zheng Ge'er was restless, wanting to swing, play pitch-pot, and climb trees, much to the annoyance of Miao Zhen and Xiao Jingshi.
Unexpectedly, just as Miaozhen was about to take a break after the New Year, something happened at Haitangxuan next door. Because Xiao Jingtang saw that Qin Ying was in a bad situation but was not doing anything bad, he sent someone to tell her to rest assured that he could help her in the future.
Qin Ying also sent a letter of thanks. Xiao Jingtang did not consider these exchanges to be private matters. He just felt that this woman had a hard time. However, these matters were reported to Lou Qiongyu. Lou Qiongyu thought that Xia Xianjie had a past offense and was now reverting to her old ways. So she reasoned with Xiao Jingtang, first saying that a romantic relationship between a man and a woman during the mourning period would affect his career, and then saying that Xia Xianjie was bad. She also belittled Qin Ying's actions.
Xiao Jingtang felt very wronged. He was neither seduced by Qin Ying nor fell for Xia Xianjie's scheme, yet Lou Qiongyu pointed her finger at him and scolded him.
That wasn't all. When Mrs. Lou came over, she thought of her niece Ding's current situation and felt that it was all Xia Xian's fault. However, she had no evidence, and since Xia Xian was the eldest mistress of the Xiao family, she couldn't scold or beat her. So, she took a few people to scold and beat Qin Ying. She also complained to Madam Ren that Xiao Jingtang was seduced by a vixen and that's why he didn't want to study. She told the Xiao family what to do to Qin Ying.
When Mrs. Ren got anxious, she started to stutter, and Mrs. Lou vented her anger, which made Mr. Xiao very angry: "Our family is always humble and polite to the Lou family. Do they really think they can ride on our heads?"
Master Xiao called Xiao Jingtang over again and told him how Madam Lou had humiliated Madam Ren, adding, "Because of your actions, your mother has suffered in your place."
Xiao Jingtang cried out that he was wronged and told her about Qin Ying's situation. When he heard that Qin Ying had been beaten, he hurriedly said, "This is truly an undeserved disaster."
Master Xiao said, “This Miss Qin is so righteous, I think you should take her as a concubine after the mourning period. Now you can use Miss Qin to keep the Lou family in check in your inner quarters, and you won’t have to have such a headache.”
"Ah, I'm afraid Miss Qin won't agree." Xiao Jingtang was somewhat tempted.
Master Xiao said, "Whether she agrees or not is not up to her. What she did before has nothing to do with us. But now that Madam Lou has made a scene, outsiders don't know the truth. If it were attributed to your third or fourth brother, who are both in the process of being selected for official positions, it would be a disgrace if they were impeached. Why don't we just say that your grandmother entrusted her with the care of her children on her deathbed, and we'll tell everyone that Madam Lou was jealous and caused a scene. That way, no one can say anything."
With the matter settled, Sister Xia looked at Qin Ying and said, "You're smarter than I thought."
Qin Ying, her face red and swollen, simply smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Madam's kindness."
What was originally a non-existent matter has become a reality. Qin Ying never expected that Mrs. Lou would be so foolish. Lou Qiongyu was clearly married up, yet she treated Xiao Jingtang like a son, which ultimately benefited her.
Lou Qiongyu was filled with regret and hurriedly sought help from Han Yueyao and Miaozhen. However, Han Yueyao could not sway her in-laws' minds. Now that the elders had made their decisions, she had no choice but to accept it. Moreover, Mrs. Lou often spoke rudely to Xiao Jingtang and was also impolite to Madam Ren. How could she dare to speak up?
Not to mention Miaozhen. The incident with Xiao Suxin was instigated by Mrs. Lou, who thought she had done it discreetly. It's good that Miaozhen didn't retaliate. Furthermore, when Liu accused her of harming the child, Lou Qiongyu didn't distinguish right from wrong and help her. Instead, she got along better and better with Liu afterward. It's even more impossible for her to take the fall now.
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