Chapter 23: Shangguan Ruyu

After a few chance encounters, Feng Chuchen came to fully believe in the concept of destiny.

Just as medicines and foods can complement or counteract one another, why couldn't things and people do the same? There were many people destined to live without a wife, a husband, or children.

For instance, in her previous life, she had lived to thirty-four without ever marrying; perhaps that was simply her fate to be without a husband or children.

Listening to the gossip, Young Master Shangguan seemed to have niche, even perverted, tastes. He enjoyed tormenting serious criminals—it sounded terrifying.

She wondered if the eldest Young Master Ming had niche tastes or if he truly was a "calamity star" destined to be alone.

If he were a calamity star, sparing women was an act of mercy.

If he were a man of "broken sleeves" (homosexual), not taking a wife was also an act of mercy.

But if he were like Young Master Shangguan—marrying a woman just for show or to carry on the family line—that would be doing a disservice to the girl.

In her previous life, Feng Chuchen had a patient who was a "same-sex spouse" victim. Initially, the woman didn't know, but once she found out, the shock was too much and she attempted suicide by jumping from a building. She didn't die, but she was paralyzed from the fall and was undergoing rehabilitation at her grandfather's clinic.

The kind of person Feng Chuchen despised most was someone who hid the truth to harm innocent women, even if others had no right to interfere with their personal lifestyle...

Yet, she felt she couldn't generalize.

Young Master Shangguan wasn't deceiving a wife; he was making it clear: "This is who I am; if you want me, it will cost you a fortune."

Being transparent and ensuring both parties got what they needed was, in a sense, not entirely reprehensible.

However, if the relationship between those cousins was indeed of that nature, it still felt nauseating.

Furthermore, the fact that people dared to discuss such matters openly in the streets suggested that this era was relatively enlightened.

To have traveled through time to an enlightened dynasty was always a good thing.

After finishing their noodles, Feng Chuchen and the others walked toward the Changping County magistrate's office.

Feng Buji was both exhausted and sleepy. Just as Feng Chuchen prepared to carry him, Guo Lei stepped forward and scooped him up.

Along the way, Feng Chuchen bought a set of books on surgical medicine along with some paper and pens. She already knew the medical principles within, so the books served both as something for others to read and as future study material for Feng Buji.

She also bought some ingredients for making medicinal salves, such as yellow cinnabar, as well as candy, tea, and firecrackers—the latter to be used when the magistrate's office sent over the commendations. She also bought three catties of *caozi* cakes, one of which was for the Guo family.

The items were somewhat heavy, so Guo Lei placed them into his back basket to carry.

By the end of the *Wei* hour, they arrived at the street corner leading to the county office, where Auntie Wang was already waiting.

While the siblings waited at the street corner, Auntie Wang and Guo Lei went into the magistrate's office to handle the deed.

Though it was early autumn, the sunlight remained intense. The two siblings stood hand-in-hand under an old banyan tree.

The massive tree acted like a giant umbrella; some of its leaves had already turned slightly yellow, swirling in the wind.

Suddenly, several high-strung horses came galloping toward them, causing pedestrians by the roadside to scramble out of the way in fright.

Feng Chuchen quickly pulled the still-dazed Feng Buji aside to hide.

The riders swept past like a gust of wind. A passerby cursed, "Riding horses wildly in the streets! Why doesn't the magistrate arrest them?"

Another pedestrian remarked, "Didn't you see that was Young Master Shangguan? Who would dare arrest him? Sigh, he's probably heading to the prison again."

Another person said through gritted teeth, "I hope he torments that big-nosed Fan to death..."

Not just Feng Chuchen, but even Feng Buji stood on his tiptoes to watch the group ride away.

They only saw several receding backs, one of which featured red clothing that shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight.

Feng Buji asked, "Sister, is he going to cut off the prisoner's nose?"

Feng Buji shuddered. Although the prisoner might be detestable, being treated that way was also pitiful.

"I don't know."

When Auntie Wang and Guo Lei emerged, Auntie Wang handed the deed to Feng Chuchen. The group then hired a mule cart to return to Baima Village.

The driver was well-informed. When Feng Chuchen asked about housing prices in the capital, he replied

"Most of the inner city is inhabited by high officials and wealthy merchants. Even the small houses on the outskirts, the cheapest ones, cost four or five hundred strings of cash. The outer city is much cheaper; you can buy a small house for one or two hundred strings..."

Feng Chuchen wanted to buy in the inner city, somewhere not far from the Xihe Gate.

The area between North Fu Avenue and the Xihe Gate was the Beian Ward, mostly inhabited by families of minor officials, merchants, and wealthy artisans.

The residential planning was quite good, consisting of blue-brick tiled houses, all in the courtyard style—mostly single-entry, with a few double-entry courtyards.

Feng Chuchen most wanted to buy a house here, as she could also open her medical clinic nearby.

Not only were the prices relatively affordable, but it was also close to their old home and the Qingwei Reeds...

Furthermore, they could only move within the jurisdiction of Changping County. It wouldn't do for the magistrate to bring down commendations only for them to move out of his territory.

The Beian Ward area happened to fall under Changping County's jurisdiction.

By the time they reached their doorstep, the sky was filled with starlight.

Shaoyao came out with two large flatbreads and a bowl of cold water for Guo Lei. "The lady asked me to prepare these for Father to eat on the road."

Feng Chuchen also instructed him, "If Sister-in-law Guo feels better, have her come to my house so I can check her pulse."

Guo Lei thanked her, finished the water, and continued his journey.

After entering the house, Auntie Wang placed nine silver nuggets (each worth one *qian*), a handful of copper coins, and a packet of celebratory fruits—red dates, peanuts, longans, and chestnuts—on the table.

She smiled and said, "I gave four silver nuggets to the manager's wife; these are what's left."

Feng Chuchen estimated the value and returned all the copper coins and three of the silver nuggets to Auntie Wang.

Auntie Wang took them and said, "If the family runs short of money, use these first."

Feng Chuchen recorded the account and placed the remaining six silver nuggets into the communal money box.

During dinner, she mentioned the rumors from the lunchtime noodle meal. Being embarrassed to tell the whole story, she only mentioned that people were discussing how the eldest Young Master Ming was a "calamity star" and was close with Young Master Shangguan.

She then asked, "Auntie Wang, have you ever met Young Master Shangguan?"

Auntie Wang replied, "I haven't met him, but I've heard of him. His name is Shangguan Ruyu, and he is as handsome as his name suggests. I wasn't part of this family when he was born. I heard that Princess Yanghe's childbirth was extremely dangerous, and many female doctors and midwives refused to take the case.

"Someone suggested inviting Midwife Feng, saying her skills were excellent. Others disagreed, fearing that since Midwife Feng was a descendant of the Fan clan, she might harm the Princess. Seeing that the Princess was near death, the Consort Shangguan ordered someone to bring the Eldest Sister [Midwife Feng] in.

"The Eldest Sister took the infant out, but the baby was purple all over and had already stopped breathing. The young master was lucky; the Eldest Sister lit the 'Life-Igniting Incense' and used the 'Yin Spirit Needle' to bring him back to life.

"Because Princess Yanghe's health was depleted by the birth, and she had only this one son, he was spoiled beyond belief. If he wanted the moon, she wouldn't hesitate to pluck the stars for him. I heard even the Emperor and the Empress Dowager indulge him...

"After that incident, the Eldest Sister was finally officially recorded in the Imperial Medical Academy's registry. The reason the price for the Yin Spirit Needle is so high is because Princess Yanghe herself stated that such a divine needle is worth that price.

"When the Eldest Sister passed away, the Princess Yanghe's manor sent an official to pay respects. Nineteen years have passed since then, yet the high-and-mighty Princess's manor still remembers that kindness. Unlike the Li family, who are utterly shameless."

She cursed a few more times.

Feng Chuchen thought to herself that the Princess seemed to be a person of the people who remembered kindness, so how did she raise a son with such strange eccentricities?

Banxia laughed and said, "I've also heard that Young Master Shangguan is exceptionally beautiful, even more so than Xiao Fengxian from the Qingxi Troupe."

Shaoyao remarked with some emotion, "There truly are all kinds of people in this world—women like me who are like men, and men like Young Master Shangguan who are like women.

"My mother says if I were to act, I would be best suited to play men, and I wouldn't even be able to play the handsome martial roles. If that Young Master Shangguan were to act, he would be best suited to play the *huadan* or *qingyi* roles."

Everyone burst into laughter.