The next day came, and it was still grinding mugwort, leaving Xu Miaozhen yawning nonstop.
After finishing grinding the mugwort in the morning, Tan Yunxian had her read the Treatise on Cold Damage, and explained acupuncture in conjunction with the Treatise on Cold Damage.
Each time Xu Miaozhen heard something profound, she couldn’t help but feel she was still too shallow in her studies.
“The Ximen Acupoint is generally punctured obliquely or horizontally, and you can’t go too deep—about half a cun is enough. We regular physicians are very cautious with this acupoint; only Zhang Zhongjing used it frequently. As for the Fengfu Acupoint, you must be even more careful—a slight mistake could be fatal,” Tan Yunxian reminded her.
Xu Miaozhen nodded repeatedly, constantly taking notes, wishing she could write down every single word.
That night, although she was originally very tired, she was surprised to find both her parents waiting for her.
Her mother had especially saved her some food: half a steamed perch, a small dish of pickled cucumbers, and a little plate of scrambled eggs.
She was already starving, so she ate like a whirlwind, wolfing everything down.
Even after eating, she still wasn’t full.
Xu Erpeng brought over all the snacks he usually kept in his study.
“Here, have a taste.”
Xu Miaozhen accepted them, and heard Mei Shi say, “You must be exhausted, right?”
“Tired, yes, but it’s a rare opportunity.”
She remembered watching Legend of the Condor Heroes, where Mu Nianci’s martial arts improved greatly after learning Xiaoyaoyou Boxing from Hong Qigong for three days, and she easily won the Martial Arts Tournament for Marriage.
Since she could study for half a month, she would surely gain a lot.
Seeing his daughter like this, Xu Erpeng took out a bag of walnut kernels from somewhere.
“Walnuts are good for the brain—eat more.”
Xu Miaozhen took them, crunching one after another.
Xu Erpeng, sitting beside her, used a hammer to crack open a few more, blew on them, and placed them in front of his daughter.
“Right now, your memory and energy are at their best. It’s easy to learn anything, but you must persevere.”
“I understand, Father.”
Xu Miaozhen nodded quickly.
After dinner, she went back to organize her notes and once again practiced on the Acupuncture Bronze Man before finally climbing into bed to sleep.
It just so happened that in two days, it would be the Tao Family Eldest Young Master’s wedding, and that day she had to go prepare bone-in abalone snails.
She took two maids with her to whip the cream from milk, and Xiao Xi whispered her complaints, “Why do you have to do so much?”
“Don’t complain.”
When you gain more, you can’t begrudge a little hard work.
Some knowledge and some people are tightly guarded, but at least Ru Shi was willing to teach her, not to mention the guidance from great masters.
After Xu Miaozhen scolded her, Xiao Xi dared not say more.
Once everything was ready, Xu Miaozhen hurried to report to Ru Shi.
Because Ru Shi was skilled in medicine and had a strong personality, she always appeared capable.
Hearing that Xu Miaozhen had finished, she grabbed her hand and said, “Good child, you’ve worked hard.”
“I only regret I can’t help you more,” Xu Miaozhen quickly replied, saying it was nothing.
Ru Xiniang, standing by, looked at Xu Miaozhen with a subtle expression.
She hadn’t managed to enter the palace as she wished, her studies in gynecology had been neglected, and she only knew a bit about sores and ulcers.
Fortunately, Grandmother helped her memorize things, and at such gatherings where many high officials attended, Grandmother made it clear to outsiders that Ru Shi’s true medical heir was herself.
Ru Shi then invited Xu Miaozhen to join the meal, but she quickly declined.
“I still have things to do at home today. You should get busy—I promised my father I’d come home early.”
The Tao Family didn’t send her family an invitation, and her parents hadn’t sent any gifts.
She didn’t even know where to sit, so it was better to go home.
Actually, these things didn’t bother her.
She and Ru Shi weren’t relatives, and it was already good enough that Ru Shi taught her, so she just went home without saying much, glad for a chance to rest.
Of course, Xu Erpeng heard about all this.
He told Mei Shi not to ask too much and said, “Don’t ask about these things. I’ve heard of people learning a craft and getting beaten for it. Miaozhen is doing very well—at least she’s learning for herself. Those who can endure hardship when young will live smoother lives later on, but if everything is too easy when young, the future may not be so good.”
Now in his thirties, he already had some life experience and understood this well.
Xu Miaozhen finally got to rest for a while and slept so deeply she felt dizzy.
When she woke and couldn’t get back to sleep, she and her two maids sat under the oil lamp working on needlework.
She planned to make a pair of knee warmers as a gift for Tan Yunxian.
The next day, she brought some winter dates she’d prepared herself to the Tao Family.
Tan Yunxian, now older, felt unwell after the wedding banquet, so Xu Miaozhen quietly read in her room and didn’t ask much.
She only waited for guidance when Tan Yunxian was willing to offer it.
The Tao Family Eldest Young Master’s bride was very beautiful, and since her surname was You, some people privately joked she was a “temptress.”
But after she married in, although she was favored by her husband, Ru Shi seemed to dislike her.
Of course, Xu Miaozhen had already heard Ru Shi complain before the wedding.
Because their marriage was right before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ru Shi, seeing that she was the proper lady of the house, had her start managing things with Da Mama.
Unexpectedly, she made a mess of things, and by the time of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the prepared gifts still hadn’t been sent out.
Ru Shi was complaining to Da Mama, “Of the several major medicinal merchants I usually work with, she hasn’t sent a single gift.”
Da Mama added, “In a couple of days, Madam Yang will be returning home. Cheng Yi has already arranged everything. Would you like to look it over?”
“I don’t have the time. Oh, right, Miss Xu helped me make so many butter abalone snails last time. I was thinking of sending her something in return, but I got too busy and forgot.”
Ru Shi wasn’t bad at household management, just entangled in too many matters.
Da Mama laughed, “Miss Xu genuinely came to help, she doesn’t expect anything in return.”
“You can’t say that. We can’t let her give for nothing,” Ru Shi replied.
Da Mama pinched the silver ingot in her hand and couldn’t help but smile.
“If you ask me, why not let her become a disciple of Yang Laoruren? It’d be an honor for her, and besides, I hear Madam Zhang wants the Zhang Family Sisters to study under you, but you won’t have time to teach so many.”
The Zhang Family were medicinal merchants, but Madam Zhang had no sons and was preparing to bring in a son-in-law.
She didn’t want a son-in-law to control the business, so her daughters needed to know some medicine.
This wasn’t just Da Mama’s nonsense.
But Ru Shi said, “I’ve already taught her almost everything I should. There’s not much left. Well, I suppose this is making a good match for others.”
Da Mama secretly thought Ru Shi just fancied the Zhang Family Sisters for their money—after all, they could study for seven or eight years.
Miss Xu was clever and quick-witted; she could master acupuncture after one lesson and recite gynecology prescriptions backwards.
Besides, the Xu Family were just small merchants and could only pay a little for tuition, not comparable to the Zhang Family’s wealth.
“Madam, you don’t need to play the bad guy. I’ll talk to Miss Xu and make sure it goes smoothly. As for Yang Laoruren, I don’t have the face to ask her—she’s not so easy to persuade,” Da Mama said deliberately.
Ru Shi shook her head, “That’s not it. My cousin, Yang Laoruren, is very compassionate. Well, since she’s studied under me, I never truly honored her. This time, I’ll do her this favor.”
Da Mama quickly agreed.
After coming out, she had someone call Xu Miaozhen over.
“This matter is almost settled. When you’re at Yang Laoruren’s, don’t let anything slip.”
Xu Miaozhen was very surprised; she hadn’t expected it to work out, as she hadn’t dared hope for it.
“Is it really true? I can hardly believe it,” Xu Miaozhen thought that even half a month’s study would be good, so this was a pleasant surprise.
Da Mama laughed, “Why would I lie to you?”
“Alright, I’ll wait for everything to be finalized. Thank you so much.”
Although she already knew Ru Shi would recommend her to Tan Yunxian, she still brought the knee warmers she’d made.
“You’ll be returning to Wuxi soon, and since it’s already autumn, I made these knee warmers for you.”
Tan Yunxian picked up the knee warmers, put on her round-rimmed glasses, and carefully examined the stitching.
She couldn’t help but say, “Your handiwork is excellent.”
“As long as you don’t mind,” Xu Miaozhen replied with a smile.
Although there was a big age gap between them, they could always talk about medicine.
Xu Miaozhen learned much from her: always listen to the patient, unravel the clues to find the cause, or else you’ll be deceived by appearances and easily misdiagnose.
After returning from the Tao Family, Xu Miaozhen told her parents the good news.
“Da Mama said it’s mostly certain, but I don’t know if it’ll work out in the end. At least I can rest easy.”
But Xu Erpeng said, “If you become her disciple, won’t you have to go to Wuxi? Is that alright?”
In his eyes, it was safest for his daughter to stay with her parents.
If something happened outside, who would take responsibility?
“Yang Laoruren is old and may not accept me. Da Mama only said this because I gave her all my private savings, but whether they agree or not is another matter,” Xu Miaozhen understood this.
Xu Erpeng had nothing to say.
When the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived, Xu Laotai had an accident.
While moving a bag from the top of a wardrobe, she fell from a stool and injured her lower back, so she could only rest for a while.
The chores of cooking and laundry, originally done by Xu Laotai, were left to Xu Siniang.
Xu Siniang used to slack off when her mother was capable, but now she couldn’t avoid it and was forced to start doing housework.
When Xu Erpeng came back from the old house, he said, “Honestly, Siniang’s cooking is better than my mother’s.”
Even the laziest person can force themselves to grow in the right environment.
Xu Miaozhen soon received a reply—Tan Yunxian was willing to teach her medicine, but she would have to go to Wuxi for two years.
Xu Erpeng and Mei Shi, though reluctant to let their daughter go so far, respected her wishes.
“Zhenzhen, think it through yourself.”
In ancient times, unlike today, people rarely left home unless they had no choice.
Otherwise, with poor communication, any mishap would take a long time to resolve.
And she’d have to go for two years…
But after working so hard for so long, was she going to give up just because of this?
Xu Miaozhen truly felt torn, a battle raging in her heart.
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