Chapter 107 (Combined Chapter 107)
The kitchen always keeps braised meat and fish balls on hand, so that the owners can easily prepare a delicious meal whenever they're hungry. Sister Fu did just that, having someone slice the braised beef into thin slices, stir-fry it in a pan with cilantro and chili oil, and also making a bowl of fish ball soup, garnished with chopped green onions.
Next, she made pan-fried tofu. The tofu was pan-fried until golden brown on both sides. Fu Jie put it on a plate and then, thinking that water was the most scarce resource in winter, she stir-fried some bean sprouts and chives that had sprouted at home.
Next, take out the tender pickled bok choy hearts and delicious spring greens that have been pickled in the jar.
To maintain the mystery surrounding Zhao Rui's identity, the task of delivering the meal was entrusted to Sister Fu. When she entered, Zhao Rui, who was looking at official documents, immediately put them down and coughed twice: "Why did you bring this?"
"Since your identity needs to be kept secret, it's only natural that I'm here." Fu Jie'er thought that he came from her family because she believed that her family could help keep his identity a secret.
Zhao Rui wasn't stupid. He thought to himself, how could he let the young lady feel awkward? He had originally come to the Xiao family to see his fiancée. He immediately said, "I don't know why, but when I came here and didn't know anyone, I thought of you, and you... came here."
Who would believe that? The Northern Garrison Command was a place where major cases were handled every day, and official business was a common occurrence; she knew all about it. But Sister Fu was very clever. She took out several dishes she had made first: "I thought you had been traveling a long way, so I made a few dishes for you. They were all made by my own hands, so please don't think they're too simple. People who have been traveling a lot are more susceptible to cold, and their stomachs can't handle too much oil and meat."
She actually made this herself. Zhao Rui wanted to thank her, but Sister Fu waved her hand and said, "Eat quickly. My brother will send someone to pick it up after you're done. I'm leaving now."
You're leaving now...
Zhao Rui looked at her in surprise, and seeing that she was indeed about to leave after bowing, he quickly called out to her, "Wait a moment, I have something for you." As he spoke, he took out a rectangular mother-of-pearl inlaid mica box from his pocket.
Fu-jie didn't take it directly; she waited for him to put it on the table before picking it up and asking with a charmingly naive expression, "May I open it?"
Zhao Rui nodded, "Open it and see if you like it."
Inside was a purple crystal bracelet. Crystals were rare enough, let alone purple ones. Fu Jie'er picked it up, looked at it, and put it back in the box. Tilting her head, she smiled and said, "This crystal is precious. Thank you so much. I'll go back and think of a return gift..."
After saying this, he bowed and left.
Zhao Rui thought his fiancée was so demure and virtuous, yet so adorable. He smiled as he looked at the dishes laid out on the table, which he devoured in no time. After he had eaten and drunk his fill, he found the complicated official documents all rather endearing.
In fact, after Sister Fu returned home, she had the box put away and didn't look at it again.
Even her parents probably didn't know that she was actually a bit vain. When she was young, she followed her mother to see doctors everywhere. The hardships of those women could fill a book.
The so-called honest men who marry down are nothing more than that. Those honest men aren't born pure and virtuous; they're just powerless and without influence. These days, you need capital to turn bad, and most spoiled brats come from wealthy families.
Then there are those who marry into the family solely for its good reputation, like Aunt Liu, who feel their talents have been wasted their entire lives.
Zhao Rui was already a third-rank official at a young age. Her mother had been married for seventeen years before obtaining the title of third-rank noblewoman, and she would be a third-rank official after marrying into the family the year after next. Moreover, the Zhao family was extremely powerful and had hereditary titles. These advantages outweighed the disadvantages, which is why she chose the Zhao family without hesitation.
The grandfather of the young master Qi, who was previously betrothed to her, has already retired. Her father is now only a sub-prefect. Even if he is only as talented as Zijian, he will be at least in his mid-twenties or even thirties when he passes the imperial examination. That means she will have to endure these years. If she can make it through, she will be very fortunate. If she can't, she will be like her aunt.
Why did my aunt insist on marrying my cousin to my brother, even though she seemed to be completely oblivious to what I was saying? It was because my uncle had no hope of passing the imperial examinations and could only manage minor official positions. Without official rank, one could not hold onto any wealth.
Furthermore, Grand Secretary Han has indeed entered the cabinet, and is now the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. My mother had excellent judgment and took a liking to this young master Han at the time. However, young master Han is not the eldest son; he has two older brothers, just like Zhao Rui.
But in reality, it's quite different. Take her family, for example. They're already considered quite wealthy, and all the children are educated, but the resources allocated to them are clearly different. Her parents invest more effort in her younger brother. The Han family is the same. No matter how capable the third young master Han is, he has two older brothers, and they don't even share the same mother. In most families, the eldest son is relied upon, and the youngest is doted on, while the middle ones are neglected. I'm afraid that in the future, if he fails the imperial examinations, they'll fight tooth and nail for a hereditary title.
Zhao Rui was different. His father, Marquis Yunjian, served in the Five Armies Commandery, a gathering place for nobles, while Zhao Rui himself was thriving in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, holding a position even stronger than that of the eldest son.
Furthermore, Madam Ming was open-minded and reasonable, and she had personally met her.
As for the eldest mistress of the Zhao family, she comes from a humble background, is gentle in nature, and has a husband like that, so she is not a threat. The second mistress of the Zhao family, although somewhat troublesome, is a good test for me.
Men can roam the world freely, while women are rarely confined to their chambers; she's making a grand spectacle of herself within a confined space.
Late at night, Miaozhen, wearing only thin nightgown, got out of bed, drank a cup of tea, and then quickly ran back into her warm bed. Xiao Jingshi teased her, "You wouldn't even let me get up to pour it; you just ran over there like a golden rooster standing on one leg."
"Tch, they care about you, and you're so ungrateful." Miaozhen made a face.
Regardless of her age, she remained dignified and composed in public, but at home she was quite the little devil. Xiao Jingshi put his arm around her, but she pushed him away a few times. Knowing that she was feeling hot, Xiao Jingshi let go.
Although it was important that her son-in-law came to handle the case, Miaozhen also had her own things to do: "I have to make a house call tomorrow. The family has a small child who can't move around much. He says he has unbearable pain in his lower abdomen, and I think it might be a hernia."
"Then let Zheng-ge accompany you," Xiao Jingshi said.
Miaozhen nodded, and couldn't help but say, "Look how diligently our Zhao'er studies. You can't slack off on Zheng'er either; he's twelve years old this year (by Chinese reckoning)."
Xiao Jingshi laughed and said, "When have I ever let him off the hook? It's just that Zhao Ge'er is our eldest son and needs to enter officialdom quickly so that I can leave my connections to him in the future. But as for Zheng Ge'er, I have plans. At least we'll talk about it after this case is closed."
Since her husband had made arrangements, Miaozhen didn't say anything more.
The next day, Miaozhen had a carriage arranged for her to go to the Zhou Prince's Mansion, the largest mansion in the area. The person she was going to treat that day was the second son of the Zhou Prince's heir.
The young prince's residence is quiet and elegant, surrounded by a lake. Although the trees are bare and the lake is frozen at this time, it must be a completely different scene in spring.
“I often have cramps in my lower abdomen and around my navel, and here—” Little Prince’s wet nurse pulled down the child’s pants and pointed there, saying, “This place is very swollen.”
"Does it hurt?" Miaozhen asked.
The wet nurse shook her head: "It doesn't hurt."
Swelling without pain indicates childhood kidney deficiency. If not treated early, it can easily become a lifelong intractable disease. Miaozhen first prescribed a formula for Zhuyu Neixiao Pills, and then added half-cooked and half-baked morning glory seeds with the head and tail removed.
This is for internal use, and for external moxibustion. She burned moxa and placed it next to the Zhangmen acupoint near her navel for moxibustion.
After the child was cured, the Crown Princess of Zhou personally came out to see her off. Miaozhen hurriedly said, "Please stay, I'll go back now and come back for a follow-up visit in a few days."
"Thank you very much," said the Crown Princess of Zhou politely.
Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. The Zhou Prince's Mansion wasn't very polite to the governor and provincial governor, but they were so polite to him because Fu Jie'er had this good marriage.
When she returned home, Bitao and Hongxing helped her take off her overcoat and change into a casual jacket and slippers, which made her feel more comfortable. Another maid brought over hot tea, and Miaozhen lifted the teacup and took a sip. "Every time I see these children sick, I always feel that it is not easy for a person to survive."
Life is so fragile, Miaozhen thought to herself, resting her chin on her hand. Just then, Zhengge'er came in. This child was always very attached to her, and Miaozhen was delighted when he came in.
"Mother, my elder brother usually invites me to play in his room, but he won't let me today. It's really something," Zheng Ge'er complained.
Miaozhen said to him, "Your older brother always dotes on you. He's only doing this because he feels cold. When Mother gets warmer later, shall we build a snowman together? We can use carrots for the nose and pebbles for the eyes, okay?"
Zheng Ge'er shouted "Good!"
Miaozhen knew that Xiao Jingshi and Zhao Ge'er were keeping it a secret because they were afraid that Zheng Ge'er, being young and naive, would reveal Zhao Rui's affairs at their home. She didn't expose it. After resting, she put on her fox fur coat and leather boots, and led Zheng Ge'er to build a snowman.
After the snowman was finished, she was afraid that Zheng Ge'er would catch a cold, so she made him go downstairs to wipe his sweat and change his clothes.
When Xiao Jingshi returned, he saw a snowman in the courtyard and asked Miaozhen, "Did Sister Fu build it?"
"It was I who led Zhengge'er to build it." After saying that, he explained the reason.
Xiao Jingshi laughed and said, "Young Master Zhao's whereabouts are unpredictable. It's fine to tell him, but if word gets out, it won't be good for our family."
Seeing that he said that, Miaozhen stopped worrying. However, although she wanted the young couple to develop their relationship, they were still engaged, so Zhaoge'er usually took care of their meals, while Fujie'er stayed in the room embroidering her dowry.
That evening, Miaozhen personally delivered ginseng soup to her. Seeing that her hands were cold, she couldn't help but say, "You should stretch your hands a bit. You can do these needlework tasks next spring. It's not a big deal."
Don't ruin your health by doing these needlework exercises. Anyway, there are quite a few maids in the family who are good at needlework.
Fu Jie'er smiled and said, "I was just tired from reading all day. I'm only getting a few acupuncture needles now. Mother, please sit down. I'll have some ginseng soup with you."
"I don't need to drink it. I specially brewed it for you. I'll just watch you drink it." Miaozhen was always worried about her daughters. Zhaoge'er and Zhengge'er would eventually live with their parents, but Fujie'er would get married.
Fu Jie'er seemed to have a sudden inspiration and knew what her mother wanted to say, so she smiled and said, "Mother, you don't need to worry about your daughter. I have a stubborn personality and won't let anyone bully me."
Miaozhen chuckled: "How could you be a troublemaker? You're your mother's good baby."
The mother and daughter were always close and affectionate, and talked for half an hour. Miaozhen thought that Xiao Jingshi was still waiting for her, so she went back to her room first. Unexpectedly, as soon as she returned, Zhao Ge'er came over and said that Zhao Rui had been wounded by an arrow. Miaozhen asked Xiao Xi to ask Fu Jie'er to come alone so that she could help treat Zhao Rui.
"Take my medicine kit and write down the prescriptions for whatever medicine you need. Don't send too many people, or it will cause a lot of trouble. I'm counting on you. But if you're unsure, come back to me."
Sister Fu was a little anxious and hurried over...
Xiao Jingshi glanced at Miaozhen: "She should be alright, right?"
Miaozhen saw things very clearly: "Last time, Prince Zhao traveled to the capital with us. He is a very meticulous and thoughtful young man."
Healing the sick is also healing people. Miaozhen has seen countless people, and now that she is so calm, Xiao Jingshi is relieved.
However, he frowned: "How dare these people even plot against the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"
Miaozhen shook her head: "That's unknown."
On the other side, Sister Fu was personally applying medicine to him: "This is top-quality wound medicine, you'll have to bear with it."
Although she felt a little shy looking at his exposed shoulders, her mother had never shied away from treating soldiers back then, let alone the man in front of her who was her fiancé.
The scene was originally quite beautiful, but when Sister Fu saw the wound on his back, she couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in her heart: "Do you often get injured like this?"
"They're just minor injuries, nothing serious." Zhao Rui had intended to make her feel sorry for him, but then he was afraid of scaring her, so he quickly denied it.
Sister Fu said very seriously, "I won't advise you against doing what you're doing. Everyone has their own ambitions, and a real man should strive to achieve his goals, but he also has to consider his own health. My mother often told me that even a thousand-year-old iron threshold will eventually become a mound of earth. People don't have to be too persistent."
Zhao Rui was shocked by these words. Everyone was hoping that he would rise to a high position, but she was like this. Fame, fortune, and glory would all be just a bubble in the end.
It's normal to pursue fame and fortune; everyone wants a better life. But it's not good to pursue them excessively and be led by the nose by those things. Just like her, she does want to marry a good man, but it's not good to resort to any means to get a marriage.
These words seemed to bring the two closer. Zhao Rui thought that the Xiao family had really raised their daughter very well. She was not the kind of ignorant woman who was completely unaware of the ways of the world and was frightened at the sight of difficulties, nor was she the kind of person who was eager for quick success and instant benefits and only talked about her future. Nor was she the kind of person who was boring, only knew how to be shy, and had no insight.
She seemed to know his aspirations and didn't hinder his progress, but she also cautioned him not to be too persistent, which was really good.
...
Two days later, Zhao Rui disappeared again, seemingly out of nowhere. Miao Zhen pretended not to know anything about it. After her follow-up visit to the Prince Zhou's residence, she helped the young prince with moxibustion. Seeing that he was much better than before, she was happy.
When they came out, they unexpectedly saw Miaoyun. Miaoyun was dressed very simply. The young prince's birth mother, Madam Luo, said to Miaozhen, "That is Madam Zhang. She is a lay Buddhist. She speaks very well about the scriptures and is also good at painting Guanyin. I wish I could listen to her once."
Miao Zhen thought that Miao Yun was quite capable, but she changed her profession so quickly. It would be better if she used all her efforts in the right way. She remembered that Miao Yun was very good at drawing when she was young, and now she was making the most of her talents.
Even Sister Fu was astonished: "How could she be so bold—"
"Actually, she's not without merits. Look at her, she's very studious, her Guanyin paintings are excellent, she's studied Buddhist scriptures, and she has a noble appearance. In order to become a lay Buddhist, she even gave up her favorite mutton and started eating vegetarian food every day." Miaozhen herself is a carnivore. She can go without meat for one meal, but if she were to stop eating meat altogether, that wouldn't do.
But Fu Jie'er really disliked Miao Yun: "Mother, I always feel that she is just seeking fame and fortune and aiding and abetting evil. Doesn't she realize that Prefect Zhang has a bad reputation? Her so-called ambition is nothing more than to help Prefect Zhang get promoted so that he can make money and prey on the people in the future."
Miao Zhen snorted coldly: "Yes, she's pretending like this, as if she didn't do anything herself, just like how she used my name and pretended nothing happened because it didn't damage my reputation. But, a corrupt official like Zhang Shihua is bound to do this sooner or later."
It's not that no one impeached him, but that he had powerful connections.
The mother and daughter often shared a common hatred. Miaozhen used to think that Fu Jie'er was like herself, but now she thinks that Fu Jie'er's personality is also partly like Xiao Jingshi's. She even said in front of her that she was a troublemaker, which was really cute.
Actually, Miaozhen had a temper when she was a child, but perhaps the years she spent with the Cheng family smoothed it out, making her very tolerant.
During the Laba Festival, Miaozhen and Fujie cooked together. Their family had a special secret recipe for Laba porridge. They would first put it in a tin pot and steam it until it was soft and sticky, and then put it in milk, making it fragrant, smooth and sweet.
These porridges were delivered in exquisite bowls to various places, for all seasons and festivals. The items didn't need to be expensive, but they certainly couldn't be too coarse. Zhao Rui, who was usually unpredictable, was at his house that day, and Zhao Ge'er also sent a portion over.
Although Zhao Rui did not live in the Xiao family every day, he found that the Xiao family was indeed an excellent family. Xiao Jingshi and his wife were loving, their children were harmonious, the house was quiet, and the family was wealthy.
He was particularly touched by how considerate everyone was of each other.
This is probably what home feels like.
He sighed, knowing his mother-in-law wouldn't allow Fu Jie'er to come over anymore, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Zhao Rui was very efficient; what might take others months to investigate, he uncovered in less than twenty days. This naturally led to a major reshuffling of the Henan officialdom, but it didn't have much to do with Xiao Jingshi, the newly arrived official.
After the new year, Zhao Rui returned to Beijing. He was much calmer after returning this time, and the bloodthirsty feeling beneath his calm was gone.
Grandma Zhao added jokingly, "My third brother seems to be in a very good mood after his business trip. Don't you think so, Mother?"
Madam Ming smiled and nodded: "It looks good, but it will be even better when the bride enters the house next year."
Second Madam Zhao paused. That Xiao was the daughter of her enemy. Zhao Rui was blinded by lust and wanted to marry the daughter of his enemy. It was really too much. She, the victim, had to put on a smiling face. There was no such logic in the world!
Seeing Zhao Er Nai Nai's expression, Zhao Rui sneered inwardly, "The thief is catching the thief!"
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