Xu Erpeng, always shrewd, had already prepared the gifts for his master in the Qinghua Mule Cart: two geese, a basket of eggs, two feet of blue silk, a stack of paper,
A new book, and two qian of Dingxiang.
Ru Shi had another female disciple who also learned medicine from her, about twelve or thirteen years old, dressed very fashionably.
She wore a white gauze blouse with a lilac-colored jia vest of coarse cloth, a trailing skirt in sandy green embroidered with golden branches and leaves, and her hair was styled in a falling horse bun adorned with a floral hairpin.
Her features were delicate and pleasant to look at.
“This is my niece, Xiniang. She’s picked up a few skills here with me,”
Ru Shi introduced.
Xu Miaozhen quickly stepped forward to greet her, but Xiniang sidestepped with a smile and said,
“We’ll be fellow disciples from now on.”
This Xiniang looked somewhat distant, but her voice was simple and honest.
Xu Miaozhen smiled and called her
“Senior Sister,” which pleased Xiniang so much that she untied the fragrant sachet at her waist and gifted it to her.
Xu Miaozhen accepted it immediately, then knelt on the prayer mat to kowtow to Ru Shi, formally acknowledging her as her master.
Because Xu Miaozhen usually attended nüxue, she would come here after class at shenshi (3 p.m.), and return home at three quarters past youshi (around 6:45 p.m.).
She had one day off every ten-day cycle, and on that day she would spend the whole day here.
Once the schedule was set, the Xu family hosted a banquet for Mei Juren.
Mei Juren wore a Daoist robe, his beard half white, looking quite the image of an immortal.
During the banquet, Mei Juren invited them to the Mei Family for the festival, but Xu Erpeng replied with a polite smile,
“As your son-in-law, I’d love to come, but for Mid-Autumn, my elder brother’s side is hosting our parents, so we’ll all be going over there together.”
Mei Juren could only drop the matter.
When the old man was thoroughly tipsy, Xu Erpeng had a servant personally escort him home.
Xu Miaozhen would officially start attending nüxue after Mid-Autumn, and would go to the Tao Family to study medicine then as well.
Now, with a rare three or five days of leisure, it felt just like the last days of summer vacation—of course she wanted to have some fun.
August was the time for the provincial exams.
Xu Erpeng had already instructed the Printing Worker to print the articles of the chief and assistant examiners and the eighteen examination room officials for sale.
Some resellers wanted to make a profit on the price difference, so they came early to order books from the Bookshop, then set up stalls at the Gongyuan, Fuxue, Xianxue, and other places to sell them.
There were also those who sold books on boats, called the Zhili Book Boat.
These people would also go to Jin Chang to buy stock.
These vendors were like fishermen casting nets at sea.
Some would always come to Rulin Bookstore to buy books, so Xu Erpeng made a tidy profit. At the dinner table, he said to Mei Shi,
“We just made two taels of silver—not much, but if it happens more often, I’ll be happy.”
Xu Miaozhen sighed,
“Father spent quite a bit of money for my sake this time.”
“It’s not much. The important thing is for you to truly learn the skills—that’s worth more than anything,”
Xu Erpeng didn’t mind.
Xu Miaozhen thought, her father was a writer of storybooks, open-minded.
If she were born into another family, how could she be raised this way?
After the meal, Ma Taitai from next door came by.
The Majia ran a Portrait Studio; in Ming times, portraits meant painted likenesses, and they also did some mounting and framing business on the first floor.
Qiu Niangzi used the south-facing courtyard of their house to run the nüxue, and it was this warm-hearted Ma Taitai who had recommended the school.
“Madam Xu, in a few days we’re having a tea gathering at Huanghuadang. Would you like to come?”
In the Ming Dynasty, many people scrimped and saved just to go on a trip.
In Suzhou, it was even considered shameful not to travel.
Such tea gatherings were a way for women to socialize.
Usually, even the smallest maids rarely stepped outside, but tea gatherings and incense gatherings provided the opportunity.
It was said that in Shandong there were even groups of incense pilgrims who traveled together to Wudang Mountain.
Mei Shi was tempted, but she said helplessly,
“My little son can’t be left alone. He’s still nursing. When he’s a bit older, I’ll go with you all.”
Ma Taitai didn’t mind and just smiled,
“That’s fine. When your boy is older, we’ll go together.”
Mei Shi quickly agreed with a smile.
Ma Taitai then brought up the reopening of Qiu Niangzi’s school after Mid-Autumn.
“She’s different from the other teachers—most only drone on about the classics, but I don’t know how she does it. My daughter used to speak so softly, like a mosquito, but now she dares to speak in front of others, and has become much more confident.”
Mei Shi ordered some Songluo Tea to be served and asked,
“I heard Qiu Niangzi was once a nun who returned to secular life. Is that true?”
“It’s true. She came from an official’s family, well-versed in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and needlework, and is a skilled cook. I’ve tasted her fried mushrooms—nearly bit off my own tongue! Unfortunately, she was widowed young and built a family shrine by the lotus pond.”
“Later, the shrine burned down, and the family she’d served had already moved to Jing, so she returned to secular life and became a cook in the Zhifu’s household. When the Zhifu was promoted and left, she rented my house to open the school,”
Ma Taitai explained.
Mei Shi pressed her palms together and said repeatedly,
“Amitabha, with such a person teaching our Zhen-jie, I can rest easy.”
Ma Taitai waved her handkerchief, clearly holding Qiu Niangzi in high regard.
“Exactly. I heard she was raised as the mistress of a prominent household, and even understands house management and accounting.”
Though she hadn’t gotten close to Qiu Niangzi yet, Mei Shi was already eager after hearing this.
Unexpectedly, Ma Taitai continued,
“But because Qiu Niangzi’s tuition is a bit high, Madam Wei from the Paper Horse Shop sent her daughter here for three days, then felt sorry for the money and demanded a refund. After that, seeing other girls progressing well, she became jealous and went around saying girls should just follow the three obediences and four virtues, stay home, and not go out. Can you believe such people exist?”
Xu Miaozhen thought, some people are just like that.
It reminded her of when she used to tutor—during the pandemic, she helped a high school student improve a lot, hoping for good results in the final exams.
But some parents, seeing their own kids do poorly with online classes, reported it to the education bureau, and that year’s finals were canceled.
Mei Shi clicked her tongue twice in agreement.
Seeing that Mei Shi was on her side, Ma Taitai didn’t miss the chance to boast,
“It’s better for girls to be literate. Nowadays, if a family has a bit of money, who would want their daughter to be illiterate? Frankly, it even helps when they marry.”
Mei Shi agreed,
“That’s right. We had neighbors like that—wouldn’t let their daughter study or learn embroidery, saying they were afraid she’d be too good for her husband’s family after marriage.”
The two women were getting into the topic of marriage, so Xu Miaozhen quickly excused herself.
As she left, Ma Taitai noticed her light steps and unbound feet, and immediately said,
“Why doesn’t your girl have bound feet?”
“Her father wouldn’t allow it, and I think it’s painful too,”
Mei Shi replied casually.
Ma Taitai laughed,
“Just like our family. My Yulan’s father dotes on her, so we let it go.”
During the Mid-Autumn season, Third Uncle’s family made plenty of Qiao Guo pastries, and business was booming.
People from the city and countryside flocked to buy them.
For nearly a month, they had daily earnings of two or three taels.
Besides the grandparents helping out, they even hired three more workers, one of whom was a nephew from Baomu’s family.
Xu Erpeng brought two braised ducks, a big watermelon, and two boxes of Hongling Jiao.
Xu Siniang, seeing Second Brother’s family always coming and going in a mule cart, with that strong-looking Qinghua Mule and Second Sister-in-law Mei Shi and niece Xu Miaozhen dressed in new clothes, plus a few servants trailing behind, was filled with envy.
She immediately went to whisper to Xu Laotai.
Just then, Xu Da Lang from the main branch arrived with his wife and daughter.
Xu Miaoyun came over to chat with Xu Miaozhen, who admired the silver-gilt butterfly hairpin in her hair and quickly praised,
“It’s beautiful.”
Xu Miaoyun smiled,
“It was a gift from someone else.”
Huang Shi was talking to Mei Shi,
“I’ve just taken on a job, teaching a deputy commander’s daughter embroidery. The lady of that house is very kind and likes how clever our Miaoyun is, so she lets Miaoyun stay with me at their home. She even gave her some jewelry and clothes, treating her like her own.”
Huang Shi went on to say that the lady came from a prestigious family and was different in every way.
Everyone envied Xu Miaoyun’s good fortune, but Xu Erpeng thought to himself that his elder brother’s daughter, like his brother, always had benefactors, while he himself wasn’t so lucky.
If he had someone to help him, he’d at least pass the Juren exam—even if he didn’t become an official, he’d still be among the gentry.
While everyone was admiring the main branch, Xu Miaozhen glanced at the corner and saw they had only brought a small watermelon and two bags of edamame, and she understood.
Once everyone had arrived, Third Uncle Xu was in charge of cooking today.
He was a great cook, and the table was filled with braised duck, roast chicken, fried fish, several cold dishes, and two soups—a whole tableful.
As usual, the adults sat at one table, the children at another.
At the table, Xu Laotai said to Xu Erpeng,
“The family’s always busy, and we don’t have the time to look after Siniang. I’d like her to stay with you for a few days and have your wife teach her some needlework. What do you think?”
Xu Erpeng sneered inwardly.
His eldest sister-in-law was an embroideress, but his mother didn’t ask her—instead, she wanted his wife to do it.
He smiled,
“Mother, our little boy is only half a year old and needs constant care. What would Siniang do here? There’s no one to look after her.”
“She’s old enough and doesn’t need looking after. Doesn’t Miaozhen have two maids? Just let Siniang sleep with her,”
Xu Laotai insisted, thinking her arrangement was perfect.
Xu Miaozhen was immediately unwilling.
Not only did Xu Siniang have pinkeye, but if she came, her own space would be invaded.
Yet Xu Laotai asked Xu Miaozhen directly,
“Second girl, how about letting your aunt stay with you and keep you company? Aren’t you afraid to live alone?”
“I’m not afraid. I’ll be going back to school after Mid-Autumn anyway, so even if Aunt comes, she’ll be here alone,”
Xu Miaozhen quickly replied.
Xu Laotai looked rather embarrassed, and the matter was naturally dropped.
Xu Siniang was upset and ignored Xu Miaozhen at the table and afterward, but Xu Miaozhen didn’t care.
There are always people who think that being pitiful entitles them to everything and take for granted that others should give them what they have.
After dinner, before the moon-worship and moon-watching, Xu Erpeng was eager to get home and write his storybooks, so he took his family straight to the carriage.
Once home, he said privately to his wife,
“If she came, who knows how much trouble she’d cause, making us a laughingstock among the neighbors. Our daughter spends so much to attend nüxue and keeps company with families of some means. If she drags down our reputation, people will look down on us.”
He’d experienced this firsthand as a child.
Back then, his parents couldn’t afford a rice shop and only worked as porters.
When classmates asked, he answered honestly and was looked down on for two years.
Mei Shi nodded slightly,
“That’s true.”
She always listened to her husband.
Although things looked good at home, they were still in debt.
It was already hard enough raising their eldest daughter.
Siniang always wanted whatever she saw, and if she didn’t get it, she’d hold a grudge and make the neighbors say they were stingy.
Xu Erpeng continued,
“That’s a minor issue. What if she ‘stays for a few days’ and then never leaves, and even gets married from our house, expecting us to pay for her dowry? That wouldn’t be a small sum. I’ve already decided, once the debts are paid, to save up for a generous dowry for Zhen-jie. I can help with a little, but I won’t be taken for a fool.”
Mei Shi didn’t know how to respond.
Xu Erpeng sneered,
“The elders help Third Brother from morning till night and never get a penny in return. Last time, they said they needed to buy a spinning wheel for Siniang, which Third Brother should have bought, but they were afraid of Baomu’s temper and kept asking me.”
“I pitied them and bought it—dozens of taels of silver, which would take me two or three years to save. At the time, I thought if Siniang had a spinning wheel, at least she could save some money herself, and it would lighten our load in the long run. Who knew she’d be so short-sighted and lazy? I misjudged her.”
He had learned his lesson from dealing with Xu Siniang.
Even for his own daughter, he only agreed to let Xu Miaozhen study medicine after observing her persistence for more than half a year.
Meanwhile, Xu Laotai comforted Xu Siniang,
“If you can’t go, so be it. Nothing to be proud of. They’re up to their ears in debt—who knows how long they can keep up appearances?”
She handed her daughter a slice of watermelon.
Xu Siniang rarely had snacks, her spinning and weaving didn’t sell for much, and she had to save up to buy hair ornaments.
Such fresh, sweet watermelon was a rare treat.
Eating the melon, her anger cooled a bit.
Baomu, who’d been eavesdropping outside, now came in swinging her shoulders and said with a smile,
“Mother, Sister, Second Brother came over today, riding that big mule cart, with a bunch of maids and servants. So grand! The people living near them are all well-off. If Sister could stay there, she might find a good match. Mother, you’re too honest. Second Brother worries about Second Sister-in-law, but if you send her over, it’s all family in the end.”
Hearing this, Xu Laotai fell into deep thought.
Late at night, Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao ironed Xu Miaozhen’s nüxue clothes and hung them up.
Xu Miaozhen packed two book bags—one for nüxue and one for the Tao Family.
When she finished, she looked up through the window and saw the moon, big and round.
She couldn’t help but clench her fist and cheer herself on.
Tomorrow would definitely be a good start!