Zheng Su-shi felt somewhat comforted.
“What should we do now? My poor child, suffering and dying from illness—I can’t let him depart all alone, can I?”
Nanny Liu quickly replied, “Have you forgotten? We selected two young ladies with suitable birth characters. Now that cousin-miss is gone, there’s still one left in our household.”
Zheng Su-shi remembered.
“But that girl is, after all, a relative from Second Master’s maternal side. I’m afraid Second Master might have objections.”
“She’s just a poor relative from some remote, godforsaken corner. Besides, it’s for our Second Young Master—why would Second Master object? Moreover, that girl’s family is so poor they can barely afford pants. If you hadn’t stepped in to take her in back then, she would’ve ended up in the brothels. How could she have had the fortune to stay in the Zheng Family as a young lady?”
Zheng Su-shi wore a look of disdain. “We chose Su Tanghuan back then because that dead girl was pretty, well-educated, and knew a bit about medicine—she might have been useful someday. But that country bumpkin… ugh, I just can’t stand her.”
“But right now, only her birth characters are suitable. She may be a bit dull, but isn’t she more obedient? For now, let her keep vigil for Second Young Master first, so he can be reborn into a good life.”
Zheng Su-shi sighed. “That’s the only way. I’ll speak to Second Master. You tell her to hurry to the mourning hall and kneel. My Second Young Master is so pitiful—gone so young, unable to enjoy life’s blessings. As his mother, I can only seek a way for his afterlife.”
Nanny Liu sighed. “Ah, you’re too kind-hearted. That’s why you spoiled such an ungrateful wretch.”
Zheng Su-shi felt a pang in her heart at the thought of Su Tanghuan.
…
Su Tanghuan stepped into Hemingxuan. “Yuzhi, please call the House Physician for me.”
Yuzhi grew nervous. “Eldest young mistress, are you feeling unwell?”
She pressed her lower abdomen. “A little.”
Yuzhi turned and shouted outside, “Yugui, go quickly and call the House Physician to examine the eldest young mistress. Hurry, run!”
Yugui took off running.
Su Tanghuan quickly added, “Ah, there’s no need to run… Don’t disturb Mother.”
Without another word, Yuzhi helped her to the bed.
“Please lie down quickly. Once the House Physician examines you, if it’s nothing serious, we won’t inform Madam.”
Su Tanghuan finally relaxed.
The House Physician rushed in, carrying his medicine case and slightly out of breath. Seeing Su Tanghuan listlessly leaning on the bed, he was startled.
“Eldest young mistress, where are you feeling unwell? Shall I take your pulse?”
Su Tanghuan quickly replied, “No need for a pulse reading. I just went hungry for two days, ate too much last night, and now my stomach feels uncomfortably full.”
The House Physician relaxed. “That’s easy to handle. I’ll prescribe you a Baohe Decoction—gentle and good for digestion.”
Su Tanghuan casually asked, “Is it the Baohe Decoction from ‘Danxi’s Experiential Therapy’?”
The House Physician was surprised. “Eldest young mistress has read medical texts?”
Su Tanghuan replied modestly, “I flip through them occasionally to pass the time.”
As he wrote the prescription, the House Physician remarked, “The book ‘Danxi’s Experiential Therapy’ isn’t something one can understand just by flipping through for fun. I can see the eldest young mistress is quite knowledgeable.”
“My mother was frail and often ill. She had a difficult labor when giving birth to me, which left her in low spirits and led to heart palpitations. I always attended to her when the physician came to treat her. But even after many years of treatment, her condition fluctuated.”
“I see.”
The House Physician didn’t suspect anything and handed the prescription to Yugui. “Give this to the Medicine Apprentice to brew.”
He took out silver needles and walked to the bedside. “Let me give you an acupuncture treatment first to ease the discomfort.”
Su Tanghuan had already rolled up her sleeve, revealing her fair wrist.
The House Physician was astonished. “You’re not just flipping through books for fun—you knew I was going to needle the Neiguan point?”
Su Tanghuan: …Oh dear, I was careless!
“My mother often suffers from stomach discomfort as well. After many acupuncture treatments, I’ve learned a thing or two. The acupoint on the wrist seems particularly effective, and there’s also one on the inner edge of the foot, just below the front of the first metatarsal base… What’s that acupoint called again?”
She pretended to forget.
The House Physician couldn’t help but admire the eldest young mistress.
“That’s called the Gongsun acupoint. You’re truly clever to remember that.”
The House Physician felt a bit more affectionate toward the eldest young mistress.
He carefully inserted the needles for her: “How did your mother’s palpitations turn out later?”
“My mother’s illness lingered for many years. It wasn’t until I was ten that we met the Divine Physician ‘Anxin Miaoshou.’ After over a year of treatment, she recovered, and her health gradually improved afterward.”
As she spoke, Su Tanghuan observed the House Physician’s expression.
She pretended to be uncomfortable and deliberately brought up her mother’s palpitations, which coincidentally matched Lady Ji’s condition exactly. She wanted to know whether the House Physician’s medical skills were insufficient or if there were other reasons.
The House Physician was overjoyed: “Really? Lady Ji also has palpitations, exactly like your mother’s condition.”
Su Tanghuan feigned surprise: “What a coincidence! How have you been treating Mother? Could you tell me about it? Let’s see if the method used for my mother is the same?”
The House Physician thought the eldest young mistress wanted to show filial piety toward Lady Ji.
Without hesitation, he explained his treatment approach: “But ever since the Marquis passed away, Lady Ji has been overwhelmed with grief, and the medication hasn’t been very effective. I don’t dare to prescribe strong medicine, fearing her body can’t handle it.”
“You’re right to be cautious. My mother was like that at first too.”
Receiving affirmation, the House Physician immediately relaxed: “Exactly. She shouldn’t get too agitated, but when the Shizi finally returned home only to pass away, Lady Ji fainted from crying that very day.”
Su Tanghuan sighed along with the House Physician.
She could empathize deeply.
Recalling when her own parents met with misfortune and passed away, she felt as if the sky had collapsed, wishing she could follow them in death.
“But you, eldest young mistress, have brought comfort to Lady Ji, easing her pain over the Shizi’s passing. When I went to check her pulse this morning, I felt she was doing quite well, not as overwhelmed with grief as in the past few days.”
Su Tanghuan felt guilty but also somewhat relieved.
Perhaps she and Lady Ji were saving each other.
Lady Ji was so kind; she was willing to care for her as if she were her own mother.
The House Physician opened up, and since the eldest young mistress’s mother had the same illness, he recounted everything about Lady Ji’s medication and dietary adjustments in detail.
Su Tanghuan now had a clear understanding.
Her father had originally run a pharmacy and was well-versed in pharmacology but had never studied medicine.
It was her mother’s illness that forced him to delve into the study of Palpitation Syndrome for years, eventually curing her condition.
Later, news of this somehow spread throughout the surrounding villages, and everyone thought her mother had been cured by some renowned physician.
Wealthy families and officials from other counties, if anyone suffered from Palpitation Syndrome, would send people to invite him.
The Great Jin Dynasty had strict regulations for medical practitioners.
Medical practitioners were required to keep treatment records and register with the government. To gain official recognition, they had to pass examinations in the four departments of the Imperial Physician’s Office: medicine, acupuncture, massage, and incantation. Those who passed were granted the title of “Physician.”
Father, on one hand, didn’t want to reveal Mother’s medical records, and on the other, didn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble. So, he treated people for Palpitation Syndrome while keeping his identity hidden.
People called him: Anxin Miaoshou.
But outsiders only knew their family ran a pharmacy and had no idea that ‘Anxin Miaoshou’ was her father.
The house physician had just left Hemingxuan when Ji Yan’s men summoned him to Tingsong Ge.
After hearing the house physician’s words, Ji Yan’s sword-like brows furrowed so tightly they could have crushed a mosquito.
Not only was that female swindler deceiving Mother, but she also intended to harm her?
Otherwise, why would she inquire about Mother’s condition?
His tone was icy: “I said before, those with loose tongues in Ji Residence should leave on their own.”
The house physician was terrified.
Belatedly realizing that the Grand Tutor had always suspected the eldest young mistress, what if she really was an imposter…
A cold sweat broke out down his spine.
“This humble one was merely anxious, wanting to understand a little… Rest assured, My Lord, this humble one personally oversees the medicinal cuisine for the Madam. I will never dare utter another word.”
Ji Yan waved his hand, signaling him to leave.
After pondering for a moment, he walked to the desk, picked up a brush, and wrote swiftly.
“Summon Su Tanghuan to see me.”