Early autumn at the ferry crossing, the air was shrouded in mist, taking away much of the lingering heat.
On a black-awning boat, Xu Miaozhen sat inside the cabin with Tan Yunxian, while the voices of Xu Erpeng and Tao Erlang drifted in from outside.
In the end, she still chose to go to Wuxi with Tan Yunxian, but Xu Erpeng was uneasy and insisted on personally escorting her to the Yang Family.
He was someone who wrote detective stories and naturally didn’t trust anyone easily, even those of high virtue and reputation.
Last night, her father had already told her that he would send a servant, Wang, to visit once a month.
She should try to adapt as much as possible on normal days, but if anything bad happened, she must write a letter for Wang to bring back, and he would come to fetch her.
“Grand Madam, do you want to lie down for a while?”
Xu Miaozhen asked.
Tan Yunxian waved her hand.
“Lying down too long harms the body’s energy. But this must be your first time traveling far from home, isn’t it? When I was young, I too grew up following my parents as they took up official posts.”
Xu Miaozhen replied, “It’s my first time leaving home, and it’s all thanks to you. Actually, my parents weren’t really willing to let me travel so far, but I thought, if I don’t go out while I’m young, I might not have the chance in the future.”
Tan Yunxian smiled and said, “You’re so young, yet you already have your own opinions about everything. That’s a good thing.”
At noon, the boatman brought over their meal: stuffed river snails, stir-fried Taihu white shrimp, steamed Taihu knife fish, eight-treasure duck, watermelon chicken, and several other refreshing dishes.
This was all arranged by Xu Erpeng—when out and about, he absolutely had to make his daughter look good.
Young people always have good appetites.
Xu Miaozhen finished one bowl and then added half a bowl more, causing Tan Yunxian to smack her lips and say, “Watching you eat like this is making me hungry too.”
“I’ll peel some shrimp for you,” Xu Miaozhen offered.
Although Tan Yunxian was advanced in years, her mind remained sharp and her knowledge of history was profound.
She said that as long as the wind and current were favorable, it would take less than a day to travel from Suzhou to Wuxi, and along the way, she told Xu Miaozhen about the local customs and scenery.
Outside, Xu Erpeng and Tao Erlang were eating together.
Luckily, he had finished his manuscript ahead of time, otherwise he would have been worried and rushed, unable to relax on either end.
It was rare for him to take a break from writing; years of constant work had left his arm too tired to lift, and even sleeping brought aches all over his body.
In a few more years, if he could earn enough, he wouldn’t have to work day and night like this.
As dusk fell, they reached the shore.
Xu Miaozhen noticed vendors nearby selling iced drinks and couldn’t help swallowing—everyone on the boat was nearly parched, and regular tea no longer quenched their thirst.
But she was afraid Tan Yunxian would scold her, so she hesitated for a long time before hearing Tan Yunxian say, “If you’re thirsty, just have someone buy some to drink.”
Xu Miaozhen was a bit embarrassed.
“I thought you’d tell me not to have cold things.”
“It’s true that eating too much cold food isn’t good, but being in a bad mood makes it even easier to fall ill. The most important thing is one’s mood.”
Tan Yunxian remembered her own youth and smiled.
The anxiety in Xu Miaozhen’s heart faded away after hearing these words.
Xu Erpeng had already hired a carriage from a nearby transport shop to take them home.
He was very good at handling such matters and cared about appearances; while he was lazy at home, he became surprisingly diligent when out, which startled Xu Miaozhen.
After helping Tan Yunxian onto the mule cart, he was afraid she might bump herself and didn’t dare relax his grip along the way.
Half an hour later, they arrived at a residence whose stone archway had no plaque, but the house had double-eaved beast-shaped ridges, and the entrance was three rooms wide.
Before they had even gotten off the cart, the old steward hurried out to greet them.
“Old Matron, the patient at the door has been waiting here for two days. It’s a six-year-old girl, and they say she’s close to death.”
As soon as Tan Yunxian heard this, she led Xu Miaozhen inside without even tidying up.
There, they saw a couple carrying a little girl in their arms—the girl was already on the verge of death, barely hanging on.
The young parents’ faces were filled with worry, but Xu Miaozhen saw her Teacher remain calm as she asked, “What’s wrong with this child? How long has she been like this?”
“On the day of the Qiqiao Festival, we didn’t let her go out, so we coaxed her with plenty of sweet rice dumplings. But from that day on, her illness got worse. We’ve seen several doctors and tried many medicines, but nothing has helped.”
Xu Miaozhen watched as Tan Yunxian pressed the little girl’s abdomen and asked, “Does it hurt?”
The girl nodded faintly.
Tan Yunxian then asked her parents, “What does she usually like to eat?”
“She eats everything. Whatever she wants, we buy it for her.”
The couple clearly doted on their daughter.
Xu Miaozhen thought to herself, The Danxi Xinfang does mention the Baohe Pill, which is said to cure all kinds of food retention.
This child’s abdominal pain is also a clear sign, but she didn’t dare say it outright, since she wasn’t very skilled in pediatric medicine.
Then she heard Tan Yunxian say, “I’ll prescribe the Chasing Accumulation Pill. Have her take it first and see how it goes.”
With that, she wrote down the prescription.
The couple hurriedly took their child to the pharmacy to get the medicine.
After they left, Xu Miaozhen voiced her doubts: “With my limited experience, I thought you’d prescribe the Baohe Pill for this illness.”
“Look at the child’s sallow, thin face, and the worm spots on her skin. The family’s eating habits are unrestrained. That’s why I prescribed the Chasing Accumulation Pill—not only does it help with digestion and relieve stagnation, but it also harmonizes the stomach and expels parasites,” Tan Yunxian explained.
Xu Miaozhen suddenly felt that she had gone from only knowing acupuncture to learning gynecology, and now she was exposed to everything.
She felt as though her life was about to change.
That night, she slept in the courtyard next to Tan Yunxian’s.
After a quick wash, she went straight to bed.
The Tan Family was so influential in Wuxi that people called them “Half the City of Tan,” but Tan Yunxian still lived at the Yang Family’s house.
Her room was filled with medical books, and even at her age, she continued to refine her skills.
This was truly the blessing of future generations.
Thinking about all this, Xu Miaozhen drifted off to sleep.
While she slept soundly, Xu Erpeng did not.
He spent a long time chatting with the old servant who delivered their meals, learning about the Tan Family’s standing in Wuxi.
He also found out that Tan Yunxian had often gone to Jing to treat the Empress Dowager, Empress, and Imperial Concubines in the Palace, but now, being too old, she lived quietly in the countryside.
Having his daughter learn medicine by her side was certainly worth it.
The Yang Family’s meals included both vegetables and meat.
Although there weren’t many servants, they were all very capable, and that was enough.
For families like theirs, who had no background, every step was hard-won and required extra caution.
Many people who talked about benevolence and morality might not be so good behind the scenes.
That was why he sent someone to check in every month.
Before he knew it, dawn had arrived.
He got up and changed into a brand-new silk robe.
At home, his family all wore cloth, but when going out, they dressed better to avoid being laughed at.
He had arranged everything for this trip, and though it cost money, it was all within reason.
Money had to be spent wisely—if anything happened at home, having savings was more important than anything.
Early in the morning, the parents of the little girl who had come to see the doctor the day before returned.
They weren’t wealthy, but they brought seven or eight gifts of thanks, saying that after taking the Chasing Accumulation Pill, their daughter had passed the sweet dumplings and felt much better.
Xu Miaozhen was delighted to see this.
She seemed to have found the meaning of being a healer—saving a life brought true joy.
After breakfast at the Yang Family, Tao Erlang had to visit relatives at the Ru Family, so Xu Erpeng prepared to say his farewells.
Xu Miaozhen came out to see him off.
“Father, please take care on your way back.”
“Don’t worry, traveling during the day is safe. But you—remember, I gave you ten taels of silver. Don’t go spending it all at once like some kind of money-sprinkling child. Be careful, and don’t treat someone else’s house like your own just because they say a few kind words. If anything troubles you, tell your mother and me, understand?”
Xu Erpeng reminded her.
Xu Miaozhen nodded earnestly.
Xu Erpeng walked out the main gate and waved back.
“No need to see me off. Go back inside.”
“Please take care of yourself and Mother,” Xu Miaozhen called, waving hard in return.