That year’s New Year’s Eve was quiet throughout the Cheng Family.
The Second Madam of the second branch and the Fifth Young Master were both stationed at their posts, and the Eldest Master had departed for his year-end appointment in Henan, taking Fang Yiniang and another Tongfang with him.
Because of this, the entire Cheng household felt somewhat subdued.
The Third Madam had appeared, but after the last incident that offended both the Old Madam and the Xifu Old Madam, she had to tread carefully.
As usual, Xu Miaozhen first went to check the pulse of the Big Madam Ji Shi, who kept pestering her about whether she was a boy or a girl.
Xu Miaozhen shook her head: “I simply cannot tell.”
Even if she sensed something, she wouldn’t reveal it.
Ji Shi was somewhat disappointed but soon her daughter Xin Fang came over, and Ji Shi’s face softened into that of a caring mother.
Xu Miaozhen quietly slipped away and bumped into the Tongfang who had knelt last time.
Since Xu Miaozhen had applied some bruising ointment before, the Tongfang remembered and smiled faintly at her.
When Xu Miaozhen returned to her quarters, Ji Zhenjie had already come back and, knowing the hardship of her night shift alone, had left a tray of Plum Blossom Buns for her.
Xu Miaozhen was not picky, so she wrapped half of the buns in a cloth for Xiao Tao to deliver as a treat to Gu Mama and the others, and ate the rest herself.
She had once read in Tokyo Dream Record about a kind of cave Plum Blossom Bun; some experts speculated they might be soup buns.
But the buns she was eating now were nothing like soup buns—they were classic red bean paste buns.
It was a pity that although sweet buns were delicious, Xu Miaozhen still preferred the big meat buns—fragrant and juicy.
Sometimes she felt she really had a bun-obsessed mind, never growing tired of eating them.
Xiao Xi brought fragrant tea: “Miss, have some tea to balance out the sweetness.”
“Just what I was thinking. By the way, do you think Third Madam will keep targeting us?”
Xu Miaozhen asked.
Xiao Xi sighed: “That’s hard to say.”
Xu Miaozhen thought it would be safer to return home.
Without Third Madam’s interference, things here would be a bit better.
Honestly, since her father had arranged such a fine match for her, surely the dowry would be generous as well.
Their family’s foundation was thin; if she could save some silver, it would help ease the household’s burden.
Snow finally fell on New Year’s Eve, quietly and gently—not heavy like feather-like flakes.
After a long day, Xu Miaozhen ate and went to sleep.
For working people like them, being able to sleep well was the best blessing.
On the first and second days of the new year, the Cheng Family visited relatives and friends.
People like Xu Miaozhen, on the fringes, stayed in their rooms.
She kicked off her shoes and burrowed into the quilt, her hair messy like a bird’s nest, yet she felt comfortable all the same.
But she couldn’t just lie there all day—stealing moments of rest was best.
“There’s nothing wrong at Big Madam’s place, and none of the other ladies or madams have reported illness either. Today, let’s just sleep like the dead.”
Xu Miaozhen yawned and stretched, preparing to catch some more sleep.
No sooner had she settled than a little maid by the Big Madam came over: “Miss Xu, our Big Madam asked you to quickly go see the Yingtian Prefecture Zhifu’s wife about her illness.”
“All right, I’m coming,” Xu Miaozhen groaned and got up.
Leaving the warm quilt behind, she hurried to wash and dress, but at the door was told there was no carriage.
If they wanted to call one, they had to notify Third Madam first to arrange it.
“What can we do? Third Madam went to another family’s feast today,” Gu Mama fretted.
Xu Miaozhen said, “Big Madam went to the Ministry of Rites Shangshu’s house; Third Madam is visiting elsewhere. Even if we want to go out, we can’t.”
Gu Mama also had family waiting for her to celebrate the New Year, unlike Xu Miaozhen who was alone here, so she said, “In my opinion, since there’s no carriage now, we might as well wait for them to come back.”
Seeing Gu Mama’s wish to go home for New Year’s dinner, Xu Miaozhen shrugged: “Looks like we have no choice.”
Although Gu Mama left, Xu Miaozhen knew Big Madam’s temper well.
She told Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao: “We must stay by Big Madam’s side. If she comes back and finds we didn’t go, who knows how she might scold me—we’d be suffering for no reason.”
However, the Big Madam’s main room was off-limits, and the side rooms were guarded by maids.
Xu Miaozhen had no choice but to wait in a storage room.
While Xu Miaozhen waited, Big Madam was speaking with Cheng Yuan: “That Xu doctor girl helped your eldest sister-in-law cure her infertility, right? If she can cure the Yingtian Prefecture Zhifu’s wife too—she’s a cousin of Commander Lu Zhihui Tongzhi—if you can marry him, our mother-daughter life will be much better.”
Madam Zeng had once greatly trusted the Eldest Master, believing he would find a good match for their daughter.
But after the Fang Yiniang incident and with the new year promotions, he was already in Henan, and she now had to handle her daughter’s marriage affairs herself.
Though Cheng Yuan was pleased to hear this—
Commander Lu Zhihui Tongzhi was the Emperor’s childhood friend and one of the hottest prospects now—she replied to her mother, “If you want her to go on these house visits, you must give her a generous reward during the holidays.”
Big Madam was dismissive: “She already gets monthly money; a few taels of silver as a tip will do. She runs off frequently to your eldest sister-in-law’s place but treats the rest of us perfunctorily. She should be given some tasks.”
Cheng Yuan disagreed: “You order her around but don’t pay? Our servants get tips for running errands; this is a guest she’s attending to.”
She knew her mother wanted people to revolve around her, but Xu Miaozhen was the family’s doctor, and Ji Shi was pregnant with the family’s first son and heir.
Naturally, they valued her.
After much persuasion, Madam Zeng agreed.
Outside, the snow fell a bit heavier than before.
The storage room had no brazier, so Xu Miaozhen and her two servants stamped their feet and rubbed their hands to keep warm.
When Big Madam finally returned, Xu Miaozhen was nearly frozen stiff and hurriedly explained the situation.
Madam Zeng glanced at her lightly and said, “In that case, you can go back for now and visit Third Madam tomorrow.”
Xu Miaozhen agreed at once.
Back in her room, she told Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao not to serve her, but to snuggle up together and warm up.
They didn’t even dare complain for fear someone outside might hear and report it to Big Madam.
Early the next morning, they again went to see the Yingtian Prefecture Zhifu’s wife.
Reviewing the medical case, Xu Miaozhen saw her foot was ulcerated and shook her head: “This is probably not a women’s disease, but diabetes. I’m afraid I can’t cure it. You’ll need to seek a more skilled doctor.”
Surgery to amputate for diabetes wasn’t something she could perform now.
But Xu Miaozhen knew that surgery to treat abscesses had already appeared in the Ming Dynasty.
Still, in this case, she wouldn’t overreach.
She told the truth: if she couldn’t cure it, she wouldn’t pretend she could.
This was a normal response, but Madam Zeng felt Xu Miaozhen was disrupting her plans again.
Just as with the Fang Yiniang matter, this time too.
Xu Miaozhen wasn’t a servant to be scolded freely, but Madam Zeng’s spirit was displeased.
“I suspect you’re doing this on purpose. You can even neutralize poison for others, but can’t cure a simple illness I ask you to treat?”
Xu Miaozhen didn’t argue—any excuse would only lead to blame.
When she stepped out, tears welled up on her lips.
Realizing she was crying, she quickly wiped them away and turned back without looking back.
Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao comforted her, but Xu Miaozhen advised: “Xiao Xi, I asked Chunxian Sister-in-law to teach you needlework; learn well, she manages the Cheng Family’s embroidery workshop. Xiao Tao, you should follow Banxia and Chunxian to learn hairdressing. Don’t be so dull all the time.”
These two would be part of the dowry, her right and left arms—not to be taken lightly.
Xiao Xi smiled: “Don’t worry, my embroidery has improved a lot.”
Then she comforted Xu Miaozhen: “Once we return home, things will be better; no need to listen to others’ nagging.”
“There’s drama wherever there are people. No place is peaceful. For now, we endure; ants may yet shake the tree.”
Xu Miaozhen snorted coldly.
The Lantern Festival was her birthday.
If she were home, her parents would have held a coming-of-age ceremony for her, but here, she could only have a bowl of noodles from the kitchen and eat alone, marking her birthday in her own way.
Xiao Tao, having learned hairdressing skills, carefully helped Xu Miaozhen wear the Yin Si Yun Ji hairpiece.
Xu Miaozhen changed into new clothes—the Cheng Family’s festival gifts, two complete outfits.
A white silk cross-collar jacket, an ehuang skirt, topped with a long satin jacket in light yellow with autumn chrysanthemum patterns, and wearing the jade pendant Chunxian had given her.
She took a few steps, and the two maids praised her.
“You all rest now. You’ve worked hard with me all year,” Xu Miaozhen told them, inviting them to sit and stop fussing.
Third Miss Cheng’s marriage still hadn’t been arranged by the Lantern Festival, causing Zhu Yiniang to mock behind her back: “Next year will be a widow’s year again; I don’t even know if she’ll have a husband by the year after.”
That night at the Lantern Festival was also a reunion day.
Xu Erpeng took his wife and children early to see the lanterns.
Jian Ge’er had just turned seven on the eighth day of the first lunar month.
He had been studying at the shexue for two years.
Xu Erpeng, though he didn’t think Jian was a genius, recognized some talent and had hired a shushi to tutor him at home.
Kun Ge’er was still too young to consider much.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.