Chapter 47: Cheap Lives (Bonus Chapter, Please Vote)

Wen Shu's gaze drifted toward the ceiling again.

Although Young Master Shangguan was virtuous, upright, and possessed great breadth of mind, he could absolutely not help but pine for her day and night. As long as there was a place for her in his heart, that would be enough.

In truth, she also hoped that Young Master Shangguan would love only her, but she knew that was an absolute impossibility.

The wet nurse snorted inwardly. Previously, she had thought Miss Feng was capable, magnanimous, and knew how to prioritize. Now it seemed her vision was still limited; after all, she was just a country girl.

Any man who was fickle and unfaithful possessed true ability; what ability could a man have if he didn't even dare to think of a woman? A man without ability, no matter how devoted, was of little interest.

Fearing her young mistress might be influenced, the wet nurse pursed her lips and said, "Miss Feng is young; one shouldn't speak too definitively. Life is long. While Healer Feng managed to endure her life, it must have been very difficult."

Feng Chuchen merely smiled.

Women with nothing to do felt that life was very long. But for someone like her eldest aunt, who was wholeheartedly dedicated to her career, life never felt particularly long.

For instance, in her previous life, thirty-odd years had flashed by in a blur of busyness.

Wen Shu added, "I do know a few men who do not pine for anyone day or night. Some are imperial sons-in-law; it's not that they don't pine, but that they dare not.

"Then there is the old Duke of Dingguo. He truly does not pine for anyone; he had only one woman in his life, Old Madam Ming. Old Madam Ming is highly esteemed by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, has been protected by her husband her entire life, and lived a life of wealth and honor. She is the person all women envy."

The wet nurse said, "Although Old Madam Ming is not a princess, she is a Commandery Princess, and is even more esteemed by the founding Emperor and Empress Shengde than a princess is. What woman could compare to her..."

Let alone this country girl.

Feng Chuchen had a sudden realization; that Old Madam Ming was the true winner in life.

The next day after breakfast, Feng Chuchen went to perform acupuncture on Wen Shu.

On the way, she overheard two maidservants whispering.

"Do you think Young Master Shangguan will come to the Young Mistress's third-day celebration today?"

"He is the Fourth Miss's fiancé; he will definitely come."

"It's a pity he's in the outer courtyard, so we won't see him. They say Young Master Shangguan is incomparably handsome, yet I haven't seen him yet."

"I want to see him too. Maybe he'll come to the inner courtyard for the ceremony, and then we can see him."

"Great, great! Let's wait near the Listening Wind Pavilion at noon and catch a glimpse from afar."

The voices gradually faded away.

To make young girls want to see him so badly, and with the surname Shangguan, Feng Chuchen's intuition told her it was the number one beauty of Great Yan, Shangguan Ruyu.

Although the House of Earl Wuyi was a noble house, it was a lower-ranking one, and the head of the house held a relatively low official position. Meanwhile, Princess Yanghe was the Emperor's elder sister, and Consort Shangguan was a Marquis; both enjoyed the Emperor's great favor.

With a reputation like Shangguan Ruyu's, it was impossible for him to marry a girl of equal social standing, so he would have to find someone from a lower-status family...

No wonder the Wen family was so anxious to treat Wen Shu's illness. Shangguan Ruyu was an only son; only by bearing a son would Wen Shu's life with her in-laws be easier, and only then could the Wen family obtain what they desired.

They did not dare to invite an imperial physician specializing in gynecology. Even if an imperial physician was discreet, their frequent visits to the House of Earl Wuyi might cause others to speculate.

In their attempt to climb the social ladder by hiding this matter, if Wen Shu's illness could not be cured and she failed to produce the heir her in-laws expected, one could only imagine what her future would be like.

In political marriages between powerful families, the happiness of the children was never considered; only their utility to the clan mattered...

Today, Wen Shu was exceptionally different. A smile played at the corners of her mouth, and her eyes were filled with a spring-like radiance, making her even more charming and moving than usual.

Two beautiful outfits hung on the clothing racks in the bedroom, already pressed, and the dressing table was filled with rouge, powder, and jewelry.

She intended to tidy up and dress as soon as the acupuncture was finished.

Feng Chuchen said nothing and proceeded directly with the acupuncture and moxibustion.

The young girl always felt time passed too slowly, occasionally asking, "Wasn't it supposed to be two quarters of an hour? Why isn't it time yet?"

Feng Chuchen chuckled inwardly; this was exactly how a young girl in love acted.

Finally, when the silver needles were withdrawn, Wen Shu rushed to sit by the dressing table impatiently.

Feng Chuchen tidied her things and left.

Feng Buji and Aunt Wang were already dressed. When Feng Chuchen returned, she used a scarf to cover Feng Buji's nose and mouth, and the three of them headed to the side gate.

The household was strictly managed; even when Feng Chuchen and the others went out, a matron with a token was required to open the gate.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians, the cries of vendors were incessant, and there were even monkey shows.

Feng Buji was extremely interested.

He squeezed into the crowd to watch the monkey show for half a quarter of an hour, then tossed three copper coins into the straw hat held by the monkey.

After coming out, he lingered to look at the candied haws.

Feng Chuchen smiled and said, "Wait a little longer, and you can eat one next year."

Feng Buji laughed, "When I turn ten, can I eat a whole skewer?"

"You won't have to wait until ten; you can at eight."

They walked from east to west, entering shops to buy some food and necessities.

Afterward, they went to Xu's Bun Shop to eat buns.

The group played until the beginning of the hour of the Monkey (around 4:00 PM) before returning to the House of Earl Wuyi with great interest.

The next day, after Feng Chuchen finished the acupuncture for Wen Shu, they agreed that Wen Shu would pick Feng Chuchen up the next time she had her period.

Wen Shu gave her a set of rouge and powder and a set of combs.

Feng Chuchen then went to bid farewell to Madam Wen.

She checked the pulses of Madam Wen and her young daughter, smiling and saying, "Both Madam and the young lady are in very good health..."

Madam Wen smiled and said, "Miss Feng's medical skills are extraordinary; you will surely achieve even greater success than Healer Feng in the future."

The two maids presented a pair of auspicious cloud silver bracelets and two bolts of silk.

She pursed her lips and smiled, "These are my thanks to Miss Feng."

She then pointed to a large basket and said, "And this is from the household to Miss Feng."

The large basket was filled to the brim with four jars of tea, pastries, and brown sugar.

This was a thank-you gift, or perhaps a hush-money payment.

Feng Chuchen did not like hush money, but she had no choice but to accept it.

How easy was it to completely refuse such coercion?

The two matrons carried their things to the outer courtyard, where a carriage was already waiting at the corner gate.

They did not return to White Horse Village until the beginning of the hour of the Goat (around 2:00 PM).

It was still lively outside the Feng family gates, with craftsmen busy at work.

They all smiled and greeted the Feng siblings, "Miss Feng, Young Master Feng are back."

Feng Buji got off the carriage and brought out pastries to treat the craftsmen.

In the middle of winter, the weather was freezing. Construction on the memorial archway had temporarily halted and would resume at the end of next month when the weather warmed up.

On the morning of the fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhao Chunjiang rushed to find Aunt Wang. "My wife started having contractions in the middle of the night; the pain is severe. My mother says it's a difficult labor. Please, Auntie, come help with the delivery."

Aunt Wang hurried to take Shaoyao with her.

The baby was in a malpresentation; they used every method possible before finally delivering the child at the beginning of the hour of the Monkey the next day.

It was a girl, with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Her body was bluish, and she had only a single breath left.

Aunt Wang sighed, "Poor thing. My young mistress knows pediatric medicine; quickly have someone invite her here. There might still be hope for the baby."

Zhao Chunjiang's mother asked, "Does the Feng girl charge for treating patients?"

Aunt Wang paused, but still said, "She must charge a little."

She looked again at the infant in her hands; the baby was only a little over four catties, her tiny belly rising and falling slightly, clearly breathing more out than in.

Her heart ached with pity.

She added, "It won't be much, just a hundred or so copper coins."

It wasn't that she insisted on the money. If she said she wouldn't take it, this family truly wouldn't pay. They were all neighbors; who would the girl be able to charge in the future if she didn't charge now? She couldn't let the girl be taken advantage of like her eldest sister.

Zhao Chunjiang's mother pursed her lips.

Zhao Chunjiang's father heard this from outside the window and asked, "A boy or a girl?"

Zhao Chunjiang's mother said, "A girl, thin as a cat."

Zhao Chunjiang's father snorted coldly, "With such a weak body, even if she's saved, she won't grow big. What a waste of money. My daughter-in-law is sturdy; she can just have another one next year."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chunjiang's mother tossed the infant onto a pile of straw to the side.