“Although the bleeding has already stopped, you should still take another three doses to consolidate the effects of the treatment. After that, every month, one week before your menstrual period begins, you should take three doses again.”
Song Zhiwei gave her instructions carefully while Liu’er stood beside her, nodding repeatedly.
By now, no one in Madam Wang’s household doubted Song Zhiwei’s authority in treating illness.
This ailment had persisted for years and defied numerous physicians’ efforts. Yet Song Zhiwei had needed only six short days to pull Madam Wang back from the brink. Color was now returning to her face. At this point, no one dared question how someone so young could possess such remarkable skill.
People in ancient times naturally believed in child prodigies and reincarnation stories. Once they had personally witnessed the results of Song Zhiwei’s treatments, they readily found their own explanations. The ancients were not as stubbornly conservative as some imagined. In many ways, they were highly pragmatic.
“You’ve worked hard for many days on my behalf. This is the consultation fee your aunt has prepared for you.” Madam Wang smiled gently and instructed Liu’er to bring out a bolt of brilliantly shimmering brocade.
The bolt of autumn-yellow floral gauze was particularly suited for summer clothing. The fabric was highly breathable because of its many tiny openings, and Song Zhiwei really liked it. She therefore had Lancao accept it.
“Then I shall thank Second Aunt.”
When treating patients, accepting consultation fees was only natural.
Refusing payment, on the other hand, could make it seem as though one intended to claim a favor later or leverage the debt for something else, which often led people to overthink matters.
After bidding her farewell, Madam Wang watched Song Zhiwei’s slender figure depart, then turned to Gu Chunran, who was sitting nearby.
“Living under someone else’s roof is never easy. She’s only fifteen years old, yet the way she conducts herself is already as mature as an adult.”
Madam Wang’s dowry maid, Concubine Liu, spoke from the side. “Fortunately, our young lady has never had to endure such hardships. Just thinking about it makes one’s heart ache.”
Madam Wang sighed softly and nodded. “In the future, whenever Chunran receives an invitation or attends a banquet, bring Zhiwei along as well and let her meet more people.”
Song Zhiwei had been here for quite some time already, yet her sister-in-law had never taken her out to be introduced to others. What if that delayed her marriage prospects?
Gu Chunran opened her mouth as if to object, but swallowed her words. When her mother gave an order, she had no place to argue.
Besides, Song Zhiwei had cured her mother and had also once saved her younger brother. By any measure, that was an enormous kindness. At worst, she would suffer a little embarrassment.
Gu Chunran’s fingers kept twisting her handkerchief nervously.
After returning to her own courtyard with Lancao, Song Zhiwei found Zhuxiang had already returned.
Earlier that day, before she had gone to revisit Madam Wang after paying her respects, Song Zhiwei had instructed Zhuxiang to collect her monthly allowance from the steward serving her Eldest Aunt and, while doing so, inquire about a few matters as well.
Song Zhiwei’s current monthly allowance amounted to two taels of silver. It was neither large nor small, but enough to keep the three of them fed and clothed.
The moment Zhuxiang saw the fabric in Lancao’s hands, her face lit up with delight. “Miss, we can make new clothes now!”
Song Zhiwei nodded.
The clothes all three of them wore were made from the fabric they were given when they first entered the manor—several months had passed since then. The material had worn out, lost its sheen, and was always wrinkled, making them look shabby and impoverished.
Song Zhiwei asked, “Did you inquire about those two shops of mine? Will I be able to visit them tomorrow? Ever since Grandmother gave them to me, I haven’t met the managers or the staff there. I was hoping to ask about how the businesses are being run.”
Zhuxiang nodded. “I did ask. Li Er’s wife said the shop income will have to wait a few more days before they can deliver it to you. As for the people over there, they aren’t allowed to enter our manor, so the account books and other records will also be sent over a few days later.”
Hearing this, Song Zhiwei let out a soft sigh. She had known it. Things received for nothing were never truly that easy to obtain. Her grandmother had genuinely meant well when she gave her the two shops. However, she certainly hadn’t intended for Song Zhiwei to manage them personally or offer business advice. Who would trust the plans of a fifteen-year-old girl?
At most, the shops were meant to give Song Zhiwei a little extra spending money while letting her learn to read account books.
But money gave people confidence. Naturally, Song Zhiwei wanted to earn her own money. She paced anxiously around the room for a while before gradually calming herself down.
Success depended on effort. Worrying would accomplish nothing. Only by earning trust little by little could she obtain the authority and freedom she desired. Even a little room to maneuver would be far better than her current situation.
After giving herself a thorough mental pep talk, she finally had the leisure to pay attention to the bolt of fabric.
Ever since arriving in this world, her priority had been survival. She had paid very little attention to her appearance.
But everyone had their own nature. Song Zhiwei had not yet reached the enlightened state of being unmoved by gain or loss. She cared about looking presentable. So, as she examined the fabric, she considered which color silk thread to use and which embroidery pattern would suit it best.
Whether in her previous modern life or after transmigrating here, Song Zhiwei had always been highly skilled with handicrafts. She had nimble hands. In modern times, she had used a sewing machine to make Hanfu for herself, embroidered handkerchiefs, and even crafted silk flowers and velvet flowers. After coming to this world, she found daily dressing somewhat cumbersome. It was more comfortable to alter things herself.
So the three of them discussed their ideas and cut out the fabric pieces. Song Zhiwei found an iron cup and filled it with hot water to use as an improvised iron for pressing the cloth.
Immersed in their sewing and needlework, they spent three days making clothes for all three of them.
Using the new fabric, Song Zhiwei made herself a cross-collar jacket fastened with decorative frog buttons. Peach blossoms were embroidered across the front. The soft pink embroidery against the autumn-yellow fabric looked fresh and elegant.
She also used some of her old fabrics to alter her existing skirts, sewing the front openings closed and replacing them with lace-up waist ties like shoelaces, making the skirts much easier to put on and take off.
Lancao and Zhuxiang used the new fabric to make matching short jackets with front openings. Since they needed work clothes and wanted to avoid excessive wear, they fitted the sleeves around the wrists. The finished garments looked quite adorable on them.
After finishing the sewing, the three of them grew considerably closer.
Over the past several days, Song Zhiwei had also come to understand the two maids much better.
Lancao was a very responsible person. Whatever task she was assigned, she carried it through from beginning to end. She worked neatly and efficiently, with great competence.
Zhuxiang, on the other hand, was somewhat lazy by nature. If instructions were vague and no one pushed her to complete a task properly, she often looked for opportunities to slack off. However, she was also rather clever. If she was sent to deliver a message or relay information, she remembered nearly everything she was told and understood the true meaning behind people’s words.
That was more than enough. At the very least, both of them were useful and dependable.
As a result, whenever the courtyard was quiet over the past two days, Song Zhiwei used the Three Character Classic to teach the two maids basic literacy and arithmetic.
By now, both girls could already write, “Men at their birth are naturally good.” They could also count from one to one hundred and had begun to grasp the basic concepts of addition and subtraction.
Song Zhiwei didn’t particularly enjoy teaching others. She was simply doing her best to improve her chances of survival in this ancient world. If no talented people were available, she would cultivate her own!
However, such peaceful days were not destined to last long. One day, while Song Zhiwei was exercising behind closed doors in her courtyard, a servant delivered a formal invitation from Second Aunt.