The Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month was also her birthday, known only to Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao.
Each had made her a gift with their needle and thread; Xiao Xi gave a pair of embroidered pouches, while Xiao Tao, less skilled with sewing, made two pairs of shoes.
Miaozhen, in return, rewarded each of them with a string of coins and two feet of Heaven and Sea Mist Silk to make spring robes.
Both girls were overjoyed.
Xiao Xi said, “During this festive season, you’re often out on visits. It must be hard work.”
“Everyone has it tough,” Miaozhen replied with a smile.
“I see Third Mistress running about busily all day, and she still has to flatter the old madams. Those ladies can’t rest either—they have to attend social gatherings. Compared to all that, I’m lucky just to focus on my medicine.”
Besides the eldest daughter, who remained at home widowed, the Cheng Family still had three other young ladies in the chambers.
The First Madam had little regard for the concubines’ daughters, but she was keen to advance her own daughters.
Cheng Yin noticed this and grumbled in her room, “If only my Yiniang were here. But she’s so far away in Shandong, and my marriage is in her hands.”
Her wet nurse hurriedly cautioned, “My young lady, lower your voice. She probably wouldn’t dare overstep her bounds openly.”
“She’s already crossed the line,” Cheng Yin said angrily.
“My father is the Governor of Shandong after all. If she can’t even help me marry the son of a Zhifu—and insists it has to be the legitimate eldest son—who cares? Luckily, Old Madam wouldn’t let her run amok. She gave her an out, saying she must first discuss it with my father.”
Mentioning this made Cheng Yin even more upset.
Noticing two pimples forming on her forehead, she added, “Later, please send for Xu Langzhong. She’s quite the figure in our household now, but she must be busy. Take a bottle of Qiangwei Dew and some Yuhua Flower Powder from me.”
The wet nurse nodded, then added curiously, “It’s strange. Third Mistress used to only love painting and didn’t care much for fame or fortune, but now that she’s out and about, she’s constantly trying to stand out.”
“She’s after a good match too,” Cheng Yin understood perfectly.
Before the servants could go call Miaozhen, news arrived that Second Lao Taiye had died in Beijing, and the Eldest Young Master of the main branch was already escorting the coffin home.
A messenger had been dispatched at full speed days ago.
It was said that the Xifu Old Madam fainted upon hearing the news and only recovered after a long while.
But Miaozhen didn’t see Yu Zhoujin go over.
Unknown to many, Yu Zhoujin harbored her own grievances—because of her beauty, Second Mistress Ye Shi disliked having her around and she seldom visited.
Only Third Mistress sent word for someone to go, so Li Yaoyue went ahead when Yu Zhoujin didn’t move.
Just as they left, Ban Xia came by to speak.
“Good thing you didn’t leave, or I wouldn’t know who to see about my illness.”
“What’s wrong? Has Third Young Master been to you again?”
Miaozhen asked.
Ban Xia tried to stop her, “Why do you always bring him up? He’s been coming by recently, but I always say this place feels off, or that place aches, and he’s in a sour mood.”
Miaozhen felt sympathy.
“You need to be careful now. The family is still in mourning, and if you were to have a child, you might not be able to keep it.”
“Thank you for the warning.”
Ban Xia seemed to realize the danger.
Miaozhen examined her and saw the discharge was bluish, sticky, and foul-smelling.
She couldn’t even change her undergarments three times a day fast enough.
“The liver governs wood, which is associated with the color blue. You have a liver problem,” Miaozhen diagnosed.
“I’ll prescribe Jiaojia Xiaoyao Powder; it will clear the liver channel’s heat and resolve damp-heat in the lower burner.”
She quickly prepared the prescription.
Ban Xia grasped her hand, “Without you, I wouldn’t know what to do. Last time I had female jaundice, I thought I’d die.”
“I can’t guarantee the future, but as long as I’m in the Cheng Family, you come find me, I’ll help,” Miaozhen promised.
Ban Xia offered something to Miaozhen, but she declined quickly.
“I’m not being polite. The ladies reward me when I treat them, and I have my stipend. Save your kindness.”
Ban Xia was deeply grateful and confided, “Eldest Grandmother will be returning soon. She’s a smiling tiger—very different from Third Mistress. Third Mistress is strict but fair; if Third Young Master favors someone, she’ll accept it. But Eldest Grandmother is different.”
“Though I’m not involved, thank you,” Miaozhen smiled.
Ban Xia envied her.
“Your family is landed gentry now, so you don’t have to endure such slights. Though it looks glamorous outside, it’s no easy life.”
Miaozhen gave her the prescription to take and brew.
Six or seven days later, the funeral procession of Second Lao Taiye returned.
The Eldest Young Master also came back after mourning.
Unfortunately, his only daughter, Xin Fang, fell ill.
Upon learning that Li Yaoyue was skilled in treating minor ailments and had kept the Longfeng Twins at Third Young Master’s house plump and healthy, the Old Lady of the Cheng Family sent for Li Yaoyue immediately.
As for Miaozhen, she had her own duties.
After curing the lumps on Xiao Ruanshi’s body, the daughter-in-law of the River Governor had sent a sedan chair for Miaozhen to come see her.
Lü Da Nainai’s condition was similar to Xiao Ruanshi’s—chronic accumulation—but slightly different, requiring gradual treatment over at least three months. During this time, Miaozhen visited every few days.
After explaining the herbs and their properties, Lü Da Nainai felt much better after the first session of moxibustion.
Seeing Miaozhen’s clear diagnosis and true doctor’s demeanor, she spoke little but rewarded Miaozhen with sixteen taels of silver and two bolts of fashionable silk brocade as thanks.
Today, when Miaozhen returned, she saw a woman wrapped in a blue headscarf enter Yu Zhoujin’s room.
She asked, “Who just came to the next room?”
Xiao Tao shook her head.
Miaozhen carefully put away the money and the silk—the three months’ fees and treatment costs—before changing clothes.
Xiao Tao took her and Xiao Xi’s clothes out to wash.
Usually, whoever went out would help with the laundry at home, but their clothes were rarely dirty.
The concern was the bacteria outside, so the clothes had to be starched and washed thoroughly.
As Xiao Tao carried out the wooden basin, she saw Xiao Lingdang guarding the door and quietly asked, “Why aren’t you going in?”
“Miss’s personal maid just arrived,” Xiao Lingdang replied helplessly.
She actually envied Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao.
Miss Xu was not only an excellent doctor but also kind and cheerful, never scolding servants, and sharing good ingredients with them.
But her own mistress made her do all the dirty, hard work—lazy and unwilling.
Thinking this, she glanced around the room.
Yu Aunt was speaking to Yu Zhoujin, “Niece, what’s wrong with you? I heard the other two have good fortunes, but you’re left out here in the cold.”
“Can’t expect people in this household to fall ill on purpose,” Yu Zhoujin answered without much urgency, though her demeanor was not flattering.
As long as she conducted herself properly, she didn’t have to compete with them.
They just wanted more rewards and were different from her.
Still, she felt uneasy, especially since Li Yaoyue had been praised even by Eldest Grandmother Ji Shi these past few days for her excellent care of Miss Xin Fang.
Ji Shi trusted Li Yaoyue; after all, Li looked plain and honest.
Ji Shi was a beauty with willow-shaped brows and cherry lips.
Once a clever girl in the inner chambers, now she often wore a worried expression.
Though said to be loved by her husband who refused to take concubines, he actually had two concubines.
One was pregnant but, influenced by rumors, claimed to be frightened by Ji Shi and had a miscarriage, which the Cheng Family assumed was Ji Shi’s doing.
She sighed quietly.
After the three months of mourning, Ji Shi planned to select one or two people as a show of propriety—she couldn’t let the outside world accuse her of being unvirtuous.
Just then, Li Yaoyue came over.
“Eldest Grandmother, the young eldest sister has gone to sleep. She’s still too young for acupuncture; I’ll come back tomorrow for massage.”
Ji Shi said, “Don’t leave yet. Stay in the back guest room. I’ll have someone prepare two rooms for you. We’ll wait until Fang Jie’er recovers.”
“Thank you, Eldest Grandmother,” Li Yaoyue replied, her expression resigned.
Ji Shi added, “Your servant Cuiyu is getting old. I’ll assign someone else there.”
Li Yaoyue hadn’t liked Cuiyu at first because she was unmanageable, but now she felt some attachment.
Still, it wasn’t up to her.
Cuiyu had been sent by the Cheng Family and now that the new mistress wanted her gone, she had to leave.
Luckily, Li Yaoyue had given her two sets of clothes, though no one knew where Cuiyu had gone.
“Xu Sister, please look after things here for me. When young eldest sister recovers, I’ll return,” Li Yaoyue said.
Miaozhen replied, “We serve the entire Cheng Family. Last time, when my sister treated the second branch’s children, she didn’t stay there. Why do you have to live over there now?”
Li Yaoyue sighed.
“She insisted. I can’t argue.”
This Eldest Grandmother wasn’t one to shout or scold, but her tone carried an unyielding authority.
Li Yaoyue could do nothing but accept it.
Miaozhen could only say, “Come back as soon as you’re done. Then we can keep each other company.”
Sometimes, when alone, Miaozhen felt pangs of homesickness.
But she thought better of it.
Perhaps this was for the best.
Recommended by Xiao Ruanshi to Lü Da Nainai, Miaozhen was gaining recognition in these official households.
If she built a good reputation, marriage prospects wouldn’t confine her to a back courtyard.
She had to take things step by step.
Nothing was achieved overnight; impatience would only spoil the broth.
News came that the Shandong Eldest Master had returned with Zhu Yiniang.
Her eldest son was already eighteen; she herself was almost forty, fair-skinned with a long face, and very adept socially.
Standing beside Madam Zeng, everyone thought a shift in status was due.
No wonder the Eldest Master favored her alone—her nature was pleasant and alluring.
When Zhu Yiniang arrived, the First Madam, Madam Zeng, cried out about chest pains, summoning Miaozhen.
Just as Miaozhen arrived, Zhu Yiniang appeared too.
They overheard Madam Zeng’s moans of “Oh dear! Oh dear!” upon which Miaozhen hurried to check her pulse.
A glance revealed a flicker in Madam Zeng’s eyes.
Thinking carefully, Miaozhen recognized a clear pulse problem but said, “Madam, if it’s heartburn from anger, you must rest well and avoid frequent anger…”
After much back and forth, and spending half a day with her, Miaozhen finally left the main chamber.
Xiao Xi was curious.
“Why didn’t you diagnose or prescribe medicine today, Miss?”
“There’s no illness. Why take medicine?”
Miaozhen said. Madam Zeng was pretending to be ill to torment Zhu Yiniang into serving her.
Xiao Xi gasped, surprised.
Miaozhen snorted coldly, “The quarrels between wives and concubines aren’t my concern. Madam just wanted me to fake a diagnosis, saying she’s really sick. That I would never do. Medicine isn’t a tool for household intrigue. Next time anyone comes, just say I’m out.”
“But it can’t go on like this,” Xiao Xi said.
Miaozhen thought for a moment.
“Zhu Yiniang isn’t ordinary. Let’s just get by for now. I won’t fake anything for her.”
Zhu Yiniang was the Eldest Master’s original wife’s sister.
How she got along with the Eldest Young Master was unknown, but she seemed favored.
Though discreet, she wore top-grade brocade and a simple but fine white jade headdress.
Madam Zeng kept claiming chest pain, ordering Zhu Yiniang to serve tea, then complaining the water was too hot and purposely spilling it to accuse Zhu Yiniang of harming her.
“Madam, how could I hurt you? Please don’t misunderstand,” Zhu Yiniang knelt and kowtowed repeatedly, her fair skin reddening and swelling.
She felt humiliated. At first, she had respected Madam Zeng and feared offending her, but soon saw that Madam Zeng always sought to dominate, believing being the legitimate wife gave her license to mistreat others. So, she resolved to resist.