Chapter 299: Miao Chu Chapter 321: Eccentricity

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Song Miao knocked on the door, and hearing a response from inside, she then carried in the copper basin, basket, and other items.

Inside the room, Shen Xingniang's face was pale; she was half-sitting on the bed, but both hands were tucked under her buttocks, with a handkerchief padded beneath them, separated by two layers, not sitting solidly in the least.

Even having heard Doctor Lin's reassurance just now, her face still wore a look of panic and tension; clearly, the knot in her heart ran deep.

That handkerchief was quite large, and the exposed corners were embroidered with very exquisite cloud patterns; one look told it was something Shen Xingniang carried on her person.

Song Miao brought the things over to Doctor Lin.

Inside the bamboo basket were a pot of tea oil, an empty bowl, an empty spoon, and scissors and such.

She pointed at the basket and said: "The bowls, spoons, scissors, and such from the food shop are all boiled in rolling water every day; you take a look and see if they're of use."

Doctor Lin lowered her head and checked them over, then glanced at Song Miao and smiled: "Young Lady is truly clever and quick-witted."

She accepted the things, narrowed her eyes to look at the bed, then at the doorway, and asked: "Are there oil lamps?"

It was afternoon at this time, and happened to be overcast; the lighting in the bedroom was ordinary.

Song Miao hurriedly found two lamps, and also moved over an armchair, placing both lamps on the armchair.

Doctor Lin tried them, shook her head, then scanned the bedroom, checked a few spots, and in the end still went to open the window, and had Song Miao open the door as well; returning to the bedside, she narrowed her eyes and looked again, then turned to Song Miao and said: "Trouble Young Lady with one thing — go keep watch outside, don't let anyone come near."

And added: "You mustn't go far either; if I need someone, I'll likely still have to call on you to lend a hand."

As she spoke, she patted the bed and said to Shen Xingniang: "Come, child, take off your shoes and lie up here."

Shen Xingniang's whole body stiffened, and she said: "My body isn't quite well; if I accidentally dirty the bed, how will Song Xiaoniangzi sleep tonight?"

And said: "Better to wait…"

She "waited" for a long while, but didn't wait out any conclusion.

Song Miao had long since told the two of them her bed could be used freely; seeing Shen Xingniang react like this, she thought for a bit, and not being in a hurry to leave, first went to the cabinet to one side and took out a thin winter quilt, bringing it to the bedside.

She said softly: "Madam Shen just lie down; right now we've barely managed to invite Doctor Lin to come diagnose, she hasn't sat at the clinic for many days, but hearing you sought doctors and medicine in every direction yet never found a medical connection, out of true benevolence and kind intent she came to the door; we'd best not disappoint her sincere heart."

Song Miao didn't use words to exaggerate the doctor's medical skill, nor did she deliberately persuade much; she only mentioned the doctor's kind heart, which instead left Shen Xingniang unable to utter a single word of refusal.

As for Doctor Lin at the side, first being highly praised, then lightly patted, all praised was benevolence and kind thoughts, and it was done solemnly, winding about in circles praising her; compared to hard praise or fierce praise, or fiercely praising medical skill, it made her heart feel even more proud; though she wasn't a horse, she felt her old bottom become somewhat comfortable, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upward.

Glancing at Shen Xingniang's reaction, Song Miao bunched up the winter quilt, walked two more steps forward, and said gently: "This wall is very hard; if you need to lean back in a while, you may lean on the bedding, so your neck and spine won't ache."

As she spoke, she placed the winter quilt on the bed, moved it against the wall, adjusted the position a bit, then said to Shen Xingniang: "Try leaning and see if it's steady?"

Where could Shen Xingniang still say half a word of refusal.

She stood up, first placing the handkerchief padded under her buttocks in the middle of the bed, then took off her outer jacket, likewise padding it on the bed, only then took off her shoes, and carefully leaned onto that winter quilt.

Song Miao adjusted the position of the winter quilt padding and lean for a while more, then turned her head to look at Lin Laodaifu, and asked: "You look — will this be too high? Can you see clearly?"

Lin Laodaifu had been standing at the side all along; first listening to Song Miao persuade the patient and flatter herself, then watching Song Miao move and shift the winter quilt, and now with the current proceedings, she had spoken very little the whole time, and not urged in the slightest; now being asked directly, she nodded, and said very cooperatively: "Can see clearly, not high, can distinguish very clearly."

Song Miao got the reply and was just about to step aside, when she lowered her head and saw Shen Xingniang's right hand still tucked under her buttocks, and though her left hand was exposed outside, it was tightly clenched into a fist.

Her five fingers — the little finger had a long fingernail; the other four were all trimmed very flat, but on the nail bed of every fingernail there were some uneven bumps, growing in vertical ridges, and on top were distributed dot after dot of white salt-clump-like colored patches.

With such fingernails clenched into a fist, the other fingers were fine, but the little finger sank into the palm, already pinching out deep bruised marks.

Song Miao untied the handkerchief she carried on her person, and called softly: "Madam Shen."

Shen Xingniang didn't know what she was thinking, spacing out, and for a moment actually couldn't react.

Song Miao lightly touched that handkerchief to her hand.

Shen Xingniang's eyes went wide, "Ah" she exclaimed, looked over, then looked at her own left hand.

Song Miao said gently: "If Madam is nervous and scared inside, why not clench this handkerchief tight — such a pair of skillful hands, they must be well protected; otherwise how will you thread needles and stitch seams in the future?"

And added: "We eat by our skill; the most important thing is our hands; once cured, you won't know how much you'll cherish them!"

As she spoke, she slowly pried open Shen Xingniang's ring finger and little finger, slipped the handkerchief in between, and didn't ramble further, only smiling a bit embarrassedly at Lin Laodaifu and saying: "Delayed your time; I'll go keep watch outside first."

The two people in the room didn't speak, but together turned their heads to watch Song Miao walk out the door.

Until her figure could no longer be seen, Shen Xingniang spaced out for a moment, but Doctor Lin said: "With so many people caring for you, not just for yourself, but for others' kind intent as well, you ought to seriously treat your illness."

Inside the two were in the midst of diagnosis and treatment; Song Miao went out the door, found a spot not too far, not too near outside the window, and stood there, specially moving aside a bit so as not to block the light.

She stood in place, first calculating the recent accounts in her mind, then thinking of the past few days always looking at houses outside, never finding a suitable one, then thinking those several debt collectors were quite easy to talk to before, but suddenly couldn't be found, not knowing what the situation was, also thinking about the food shop's menu — how exactly to set it, and there's new Steamed Bun; if "Song Ji Notes" sells out today, must quickly start making them, and must teach everyone to make them together, otherwise afraid we won't make it in time.

Finally, she further calculated when the food shop's new tables and chairs, and the back courtyard stove's shelves would arrive, and whether it would delay the opening.

Thinking of the opening, she couldn't help but calculate the days, and she involuntarily thought of the three days Han Li selected in that letter he sent — he said they weren't easy to pick, each had its own benefits.

Truly not easy to pick!

But that middle day seems a bit better — it falls right on a rest day.

If we pick this day, many officials and runners won't be delayed; as long as we open our mouths to invite them, we can ask quite a few people to come support the scene, make it lively — doing business, especially opening day, naturally the livelier the better.

Moreover, if it's a rest day, Young Master Han should be more able to spare time.

He said he'd help watch the rules and ceremony.

This person has never spoken big words; since he proposed to help long in advance on his own initiative, he must already have everything prepared.

Opening a shop is actually most troublesome; the person managing rules and affairs works themselves to the bone; entrusting it all to an outsider seems not too appropriate, but…

Song Miao thought until her mind was a mess; turning her head, she saw that broken vat at the foot of the wall, with green moss on top, and many lotus flowers; she looked left and right, not a soul in the courtyard, most likely still in the front hall measuring and re-measuring.

She turned to look; inside the room there was only low murmuring, not sounding like there was anything needing to call her; relying on the wall base being only a few steps from here, she simply walked over.

The lotus flowers hadn't drooped their heads again, finally standing upright, but not a single one had bloomed.

Yesterday that Xu nephew from the Xu Family Martial Hall said he'd asked the flower seller, and on the other party's advice specially bought all flower buds; because he said if you buy already-bloomed flowers, they'll wither very soon, but if you buy buds, when those buds bloom you can watch a while longer, extremely cost-effective.

A pity this cost-effectiveness doesn't include lotus flowers.

Lotus flowers are hard to cultivate once separated from their roots; just waking the flower involves many steps. If you want it to bloom naturally, it's best to lend a hand — pry and rub open the petals one by one, all at once.

But she had business at the moment, and it wasn't convenient to help, so she simply moved the lotus aside and stood before the broken vat, watching the fish swimming inside for a good while.

The fish inside perhaps went about their own business, perhaps enjoyed themselves; outsiders separated by the vat could not fathom the fish's thoughts. Just watching, one only felt a profound leisure, and her mood grew much calmer.

She watched the fish; the quantity and variety of fish were truly too many, and they all looked somewhat similar to each other, very hard to distinguish. She couldn't help but think again of the painting Young Master Han had drawn, the one that gave the fish their names.

Just as she hesitated over whether to return to her room to fetch it and match the fish, she heard the commotion inside the room grow louder. She hurriedly set down the fish tank, turned, and in a few steps waited attentively.

Sure enough, before long, she was called in.

Doctor Lin was standing to the side washing his hands. Seeing her enter, he wiped his hands while pointing a finger at Shen Xingniang, who was already sleeping as she lay prone on the bed. He made a silencing gesture, then gestured toward the window.

Song Miao immediately closed the window. Seeing she had finished using the water, she also tidied away the copper basin and all the other things.

The two walked out the door together.

Doctor Lin said: "Does she have any family by her side at the moment?"

Song Miao mentioned Shen A'po.

Doctor Lin then said: "If it's convenient, why not call her over? I have a few sentences to instruct her with."

The front hall was still measuring fabric. Shen A'po heard there was a matter in the back, cursed in annoyance, set aside the work at hand for the time being, asked everyone to wait a moment, and hurriedly followed Song Miao over.

Just past the Second Gate, Shen A'po said: "This is truly embarrassing to speak of — Young Lady, could you help me a moment, and listen together to what instructions Lao Daifu Lin gives?"

Song Miao was somewhat surprised.

Shen A'po's voice was a bit hoarse. She said: "I'm old, I'm afraid I might not remember things that meticulously. If I do something poorly and delay Xingniang's treatment... could Young Lady help remember for me? I..."

Song Miao said: "I naturally can, but it also depends on what Shen Niangzi thinks. If she doesn't want outsiders to hear..."

Shen A'po said: "Anyone could be an outsider, but Young Lady alone is not. If not for Young Lady, who knows what state she'd be in right now. She has a clear mind about it; she told me so long ago. Rest assured!"

When the two reached Doctor Lin, the latter didn't utter a word of nonsense. Seeing them, he opened his mouth and said: "I just said a few words to her too. Now I'll say it again to the family — this child's illness isn't anything major. It's just that she herself is very afraid, always drilling into a dead end. The most important thing in treating illness is that the patient trusts the doctor and knows to comply. Otherwise, I give full instructions, she does less, or doesn't do them, and naturally she'll recover slowly, or simply not recover at all. Since you're family, you must persuade her well."

He added: "Tell the child not to bundle up in clothes and pants normally. In such hot weather, even if there was originally nothing wrong, wrapping herself up tight all day long would give her heat rash and unnamed swellings and toxins. How much more so when her body is originally weak."

He also asked about Shen Xingniang's diet and daily routine.

Just as they were speaking, they heard a burst of footsteps from Song Miao's room. Before long, Shen Xingniang came out from inside, shuffling in cloth shoes, hurrying anxiously.

Seeing the three standing to the side, none having left, she first let out a breath of relief, her face reddened. She stepped forward and said: "It's truly shameful. Just now I'd only heard the doctor speak halfway through, don't know why I got so sleepy, I actually fell asleep!"

Lao Daifu Lin laughed: "I moxibusted a few calming acupoints for you. If you weren't sleepy, that would mean my medical skill is lacking!"

She finished, then deliberately put on a serious expression: "Just asked the family. They say you normally only eat a little something, and won't drink water either. Continuing like this, a person will waste away to a bamboo pole. Originally many medicines carry injury; taken long they'll implicate the spleen and stomach, liver and kidneys. If you don't nurture your body well, even if I cure you, the person will still collapse — wouldn't that ruin my reputation?"

Shen Xingniang's face was full of embarrassment. She said: "With my condition, as soon as I eat or drink a little, I have to run to the toilet. If I'm not careful, if I can't hold it... my clothes get dirty and wet, it's very filthy... I..."

"You've taken medicine, fumigate-bathe five times a day, do acupuncture and moxibustion according to the schedule. If it's the right treatment, in three to five days at most you'll see results. Right now you can't control it because of kidney deficiency and yin deficiency — it's your body that's sick. Since you're the patient, don't be so hard on yourself. Rice must be eaten, water must be drunk. Every bit you can get down counts."

"Because your body is too deficient, I didn't dare prescribe many medicines. Now the medicines that were originally a full-strength prescription only achieve three-tenths effect. Eat more, drink more! If it gets dirty, wash it. What are you afraid of! Who hasn't been dirty before!"

She instructed a few more sentences, then turned to Song Miao and said: "I still have urgent business here. If there's nothing else, I'll leave first."

Song Miao then said: "I prepared soup early on, and there's a little snack. You've truly worked hard today. Sit a while, catch your breath, then go."

Serving soup to see off the guest, Doctor Lin naturally wouldn't refuse.

She said: "I've stayed in the Yi Guan long, I have a quirk — I really don't like drinking medicinal soups and decoctions. Things like licorice, cardamom, and the like — anything with a medicinal taste, I can't get used to a single one. Young Lady, if you have clear tea, or ordinary boiled water, or even clear water, give me a cup. Quenching thirst and suiting the occasion is enough. Don't trouble yourself."

As they spoke, the two had already reached the front hall.

Song Miao said: "It's not medicinal soup. It's a meat soup — Xiao Lian comes back every day with 'Master says' hanging on her lips. I know you don't like bland food, you love meat, like all five flavors sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, and you really know how to eat. It just so happens I have ingredients on hand, so I specially braised this soup, thinking to ask you to help appraise it."

Doctor Lin laughed heartily: "What do I know about eating!"

He added: "This little girl, always exposing my old bottom — but I really am someone who enjoys appreciating the five flavors. Since there's meat soup, I won't say those polite formalities!"

She took her seat.

Soon, the soup was served.

Everyone else had green plum drink; only before Doctor Lin was a white porcelain covered soup bowl served first.

As soon as she sat down, several disciples started scrambling to speak, pushing things toward her.

"Master, taste this! This green bean cake, so fragrant, so soft, so delicious!"

"Master, this fried dough twist is especially fragrant, and crisp. You try?"

"This broad bean is so crisp! Master eat this!"

"Master must be tired. Taste a mouthful of this vinegar pickled cucumber — sour and sweet, ice-cold, crisp but not hard, too delicious!"

Acupuncture actually consumes spirit and strength. Doctor Lin had been busy half a day and was truly a bit thirsty. She absently responded to her disciples, casually lifted the lid, and just glanced — clear thin soup, only needle-thin comb-tooth-like ingredients half-soaking in it, unknown what they were.

She didn't think much, blew on it, and sent a spoonful into her mouth.

Hm?

Hm???