The apprenticeship has begun…
Even if the old woman wasn’t Yang Ruren Tan Yunxian, Miaozhen still used her own money to purchase several feet of bright satin and gifts. She planned to send them to Ru Shi’s confidante at the Tao family, hoping to enlist her help.
A word from these people carried more weight than ten from others.
The summer heat was intense. At home, they ate a full meal at noon, but only porridge in the morning and evening. For dinner, the kitchen prepared soybean noodles served with shredded cucumber and marinated meat. The family ate heartily.
After the meal, Xu Erpeng brought up a matter: “Third Brother came to the shop today and said Eldest Brother sent a letter asking our two families to each contribute a hundred taels for him, or else disaster would strike. I examined the letter—it’s in Eldest Brother’s handwriting, neat and tidy. I’m not sure what’s going on? He shouldn’t be facing extortion, right?”
“What should we do?” Mei Shi was unwilling to give money to this eldest brother. Saving money was no easy feat for their family. Their daughter was about to turn twelve, and in another year, she would be of marriageable age. Without a generous dowry, she would have to marry beneath her station.
Xu Erpeng took a sip of tea and said, “I sent someone to invite Eldest Brother’s wife’s uncle over to ask if their family knew about Eldest Brother’s situation, but they seemed unaware as well. So, I plan to write a letter first to inquire. I’ll send it to his friend in Jinling. If things are bad, that friend can report it to the authorities.”
Brotherly harmony meant little to Xu Erpeng. Though he was plump and gentle in appearance, he was not soft-hearted. In his view, the brothers had been independent for years. Eldest Brother had taken thousands of taels from others back in the day, not to mention the family’s financial support, yet he never contributed a cent. Last year, he stayed at their house for nearly ten days to avoid the rain, treating his friends to fine food and drink but never offering to host his own family.
Call him heartless if you must, but he refused to part with his money. At most, he could help report the matter to the authorities. Would the court refuse a case involving a Student of the Imperial Academy?
Miaozhen thought of her elder sister, Miaoyun, and sighed inwardly at her uncle’s inability to manage his life. Tong Pan’er’s father was merely a Student of the Imperial Academy, but because he secured a position in the local government, he managed to marry Tong Pan’er into an official family. Meanwhile, Da Bomu spared no effort in cultivating her elder sister, who had learned even more than many well-bred young ladies, yet they lived without a stable home.
Still, it was merely a passing lament.
By the end of the eighth month, Miaozhen heard that Tan Yunxian had arrived at the Tao family. She then sent several feet of satin and two tin bottles of Sanbai wine to Ru Shi’s head maid. This maid had originally been Ru Shi’s personal servant, never marrying in her lifetime. Usually, Ru Shi was busy with medical visits and had a strained relationship with her mother-in-law, so all household affairs were managed by this maid.
This woman was neither petty nor narrow-minded. She handled matters fairly and helped others whenever possible, holding an unusual status in the Tao family.
Most remarkably, despite the discord between Ru Shi and her mother-in-law, this maid maintained good relations with both sides.
The head maid smiled and said, “It’s neither a festival nor a special occasion. What brings you here with these gifts, Miss?”
“You’ve always taken good care of me. It’s only right for me to bring these,” Miaozhen replied, not yet stating her purpose.
Seeing the Sanbai wine packaged in tin bottles—a sign of its value—along with a food box containing roast chicken, pork knuckle, preserved fruits, and nuts, the head maid initially declined. It was only after Miaozhen insisted repeatedly that she finally accepted.
Miaozhen left shortly after delivering the gifts. The next day, when she returned to help prepare the Braised Abalone with Bone, she happened to encounter the old woman she had seen before. She truly had some luck—she had actually met Tan Yunxian.
Ru Shi promptly introduced her, saying, “Aunt, this is my apprentice.”
Miaozhen promptly bowed in greeting, while Tan Yunxian smiled and said, “I’ve already met her at the Lotus Marsh.” She then recounted how she had seen Miaozhen performing moxibustion and prescribing medicine for the boatwoman that day.
Although Ru Shi had asked Miaozhen if she feared needles when first accepting her as a student, in practice Ru Shi primarily focused on gynecological diagnosis and direct prescription, with only occasional use of acupuncture.
Nevertheless, she still taught Miaozhen the fundamentals of needle insertion.
Miaozhen then responded, “Madam Yang flatters me too much. I merely did my humble best—hardly deserving praise from esteemed experts like you and my master.”
Tan Yunxian smiled without comment.
Miaozhen also fell silent, noticing Ru Shi instructing, “Return in three days to prepare more. I’ll trouble you then.”
“When my master commands, her disciple naturally serves,” Miaozhen replied.
Ru Shi then asked Miaozhen, “Do you know who this lady is?”
Seeing Miaozhen shake her head, she continued, “This aunt of mine has treated the Empress and imperial consorts in the palace, earning their deep trust. Feel free to consult her whenever you have questions.”
Though this was polite convention, Miaozhen earnestly responded, “This disciple certainly will.”
That afternoon, Miaozhen deliberately “chanced upon” the head housekeeper, who knew she had previously sent generous gifts. Today, she appeared carrying several pairs of Songjiang cotton socks wrapped in a cloth bundle.
“How long will Madam Yang be staying here?” Miaozhen inquired.
The housekeeper replied, “The old madam has neither sons nor grandsons. Though she has three daughters, all are married. Our mistress wishes her to extend her stay.”
“Head Maid, is Madam Yang’s medical skill truly as exceptional as my master claims?” Miaozhen probed.
The housekeeper nodded emphatically, “Without doubt. If I may speak out of turn, our mistress falls far short of her expertise.”
“How I wish I could receive her guidance. But I lack the standing to make such a request,” Miaozhen feigned distress.
Having already accepted her gifts, the housekeeper naturally offered, “What nonsense! Feel free to seek her counsel, young miss. Should the mistress object, I’ll handle it.”
This was precisely what Miaozhen wanted. She quickly thanked her, “In that case, I’m deeply grateful. There remains another plate of Braised Abalone with Bone—I’ll bring it to you shortly.”
She knew she must proceed gradually rather than rush matters.
Thus, early the next morning after visiting Ru Shi, she went to consult Tan Yunxian about acupuncture. Having already mastered acupuncture fundamentals in her previous life, she now needed reputable endorsement—so she could later claim Tan Yunxian had guided her practice, eliminating others’ doubts.
When she arrived, Tan Yunxian had long since risen and was practicing Five-Animal Exercises in the courtyard. Spotting Miaozhen, she smiled, “Young lady, what brings you here?”
“I came seeking your guidance, particularly regarding moxibustion techniques,” Miaozhen said earnestly.
Tan Yunxian chuckled softly, “It seems fate connects us. Now that I’ve aged, my memory isn’t what it used to be. Truth lies in returning to simplicity—study the Lingshu repeatedly, and you won’t go wrong.”
Miaozhen listened with a thoughtful nod.
Tan Yunxian wiped her sweat with a handkerchief again and asked Miaozhen to follow her inside. She didn’t inquire about the acupuncture matters but instead asked about her family background. Miaozhen answered truthfully: “My father was originally a Student of the Imperial Academy in this prefecture, but later lost interest in official career and opened a bookstore. When my mother gave birth to my younger brother, the midwife we hired was completely illiterate and only knew how to perform random acupuncture. So my father had me learn some medical skills to treat family members in the future. Gradually, I actually developed a genuine fondness for medicine.”
“Hmm, your father was quite foresighted. Have you received any formal education?”
“Yes, I started studying at six and continued until the end of last year—five years in total.”
Only then did Tan Yunxian nod: “It’s not easy for us women to learn medicine. To distinguish ourselves from those traditional midwives, we must be extremely cautious when treating patients, with accurate syndrome differentiation being most crucial. I’ll only be here for half a month before returning to Wuxi. You should arrive at mao hour (5-7 am) and leave at you hour (5-7 pm). I won’t wait if you’re late.”
“Yes.” Miaozhen hadn’t expected Tan Yunxian to actually teach her, and quickly knelt down to kowtow three times.
Tan Yunxian enjoyed such great reputation that when people in Wu region learned she had come to Suzhou, they came seeking treatment in droves. Miaozhen arrived three quarters of an hour early, when the sky was still pitch black, and waited outside without knocking.
Xiao Xi asked her: “Aren’t you tired, miss?”
“Not tired. I’m sorry to trouble you all accompanying me today. I’ll give you rewards next month,” Miaozhen said with a smile.
Both Xiao Xi and Xiao Tao quickly said it wasn’t necessary.
When the Tao residence opened its doors, Miaozhen entered. She had thought Tan Yunxian would teach her about syndrome differentiation, but instead was told to roll moxa sticks.
“First learn to roll moxa sticks—we don’t buy pre-made moxa cones. For hands and feet, make them the size of your pinky’s knuckle; for limbs, two knuckles big; for the torso, about the size of your entire pinky. Start by trying these three sizes.”
Without asking further, Miaozhen first noted down the requirements in her notebook, then devoted herself to rolling moxa sticks.
Even when patients came, the elder still had her continuously rolling moxa. But Miaozhen was observant—she noticed how patiently Tan Yunxian spoke with patients.
Not only did she inquire about their conditions, but also their origins. Like this woman who had suffered continuous metrorrhagia for months, later even experiencing hematuria, with no effect from various medications. Miaozhen immediately thought that if it were her, she would choose Field Thistle Drink from “Prescriptions for Saving Lives,” as this formula specifically treats heat accumulation in the lower jiao causing bloody strangury and hematuria.
Unexpectedly, Tan Yunxian prescribed Center-Supplementing and Qi-Boosting Decoction plus Huang Qin, Cyperus, and Field Thistle, instructing the woman to take Grand Yin-Supplementing Pills after finishing the decoction.
Suddenly Miaozhen understood—this woman had depleted qi and blood from years of labor, unable to rest even during menstruation, so the core issue was primordial qi deficiency causing failure of qi to contain blood.
First supplement qi, then use Huang Qin and Field Thistle to stop bleeding, promote urination, and relieve strangury.
After the woman left, Miaozhen shared her understanding. Tan Yunxian exclaimed in surprise: “You’re right—simply addressing the symptoms temporarily won’t work.” Then, feeling Miaozhen showed remarkable insight, she mentioned having cured several similar patients this way.
Miaozhen hurriedly reviewed everything again and, despite her hands being covered in moxa wool, recorded everything in her notebook.
Afterward, she continued frantically rolling moxa sticks. When she returned home, she carried the strong scent of mugwort leaves.
Mei Shi had saved dinner for her and, seeing her so exhausted, couldn’t help saying: “You should at least rest a bit.”
“I’ve been given half a month at the very least, so I must study diligently. By the way, Mother, don’t we have plum sauce at home? I’d like to pack two jars—one for my master and one for Tan Yunxian. I shouldn’t favor one over the other.” She wanted to build her own reputation, but she wouldn’t neglect Ru Shi either.
Mei Shi told her to pack them the next morning, but fearing she might forget, she personally went to the kitchen that evening to scoop it out. She also gave a tael of silver to Yuxiang in the kitchen to buy two boxes of top-quality crispy skin pastries for her.
She was actually not fond of social niceties, but learning a craft inevitably involved many such interpersonal obligations. Without understanding these, one couldn’t succeed.
The next day, she arrived on time as usual. Tan Yunxian’s expression was even kinder than before. Seeing the plum sauce she brought, Tan remarked, “Now that I’m older, my household can’t be bothered to make these things. But when I was young, we used to preserve these at home too.”
“My mother is the best at making these. Every year after we finish pickling the preserved greens, neighbors and relatives all come asking for some,” Miaozhen said with a laugh.
Tan Yunxian had taken a liking to her ever since seeing her at the ferry, as if seeing her younger self. After spending these few days together and observing that she came from a well-off family yet could still endure hardship, Tan’s fondness for her grew even stronger.