Chapter 35: A Xuan

Auntie Wang beamed with joy and whispered, "Both mother and child are doing very well. The girls here said that the First Madam Wen had only given birth to one young lady before; this is the first young master in the household. Lord Wen, Madam Wen, and the Second Master are all overjoyed.

"Yesterday, after the young lady fell asleep, Madam Wen called me over and praised her for a long time. She even asked if the young lady could also treat uterine bleeding, and if the rumors circulating in the streets were true.

"I said they were true... Hehe, Madam Wen kept praising how capable the young lady is, and she even rewarded me with four silver ingots..."

Feng Chuchen put on her clothes. The sweat stains on the fabric had dried, leaving them wrinkled and smelling strongly of sweat, which was very uncomfortable.

In the future, she would need to bring an extra set of clothes for such occasions.

Hearing the movement, the maidservants outside brought in a copper basin. After she finished washing up, they brought in breakfast.

Eggs, steamed buns, steamed dumplings, chicken soup, and vegetable porridge were laid out across the table.

A maid smiled and said, "Our Madam said Miss Feng worked hard yesterday, so the small kitchen specially prepared a bowl of ginseng soup."

After the meal, a beautiful maid walked in with a smile. "My Madam requests Miss Feng's presence for a chat."

Auntie Wang supported Feng Chuchen as they followed the maid to the West Wing opposite.

The southern room of the West Wing was the maternity ward; the Second Madam Wen had already been carried to the north room and was still resting.

In the main hall, not only were Madam Wen and the Second Master present, but there was also a young woman with a large belly and a girl of about fourteen or fifteen.

Feng Chuchen had already heard that the First Master, Second Master, and Fourth Miss Wen were legitimate children born to Madam Wen. The other children were concubine-born; the eldest, second, and third young ladies had already married.

The young woman must be the First Madam Wen.

The girl should be the Fourth Miss Wen, the child her eldest aunt had taken in years ago. She was petite and delicate, exceptionally beautiful. Unlike the daughters of military officials, she possessed the elegance and charm of a girl from the Jiangnan region.

Feng Chuchen also enjoyed looking at beauties, so she couldn't help but steal a few extra glances at her.

The Fourth Miss Wen also looked at Feng Chuchen curiously and gave a small smile.

Feng Chuchen performed a formal curtsy to them. "Madam Wen, Second Master Wen, First Madam Wen, Fourth Miss Wen."

Today was the first time Madam Wen felt in the mood to observe Feng Chuchen closely.

The girl was fourteen or fifteen; though her face showed signs of fatigue, her skin was somewhat dark, and her clothes were wrinkled, her features were clear and refined. Her temperament was elegant and poised, her gaze calm and indifferent, possessing a unique aura that could not be ignored.

*Truly the successor of Healer Feng, not like a country girl at all...* Far from just "not like a country girl," many noble ladies lacked such presence.

Madam Wen composed herself and smiled. "You are indeed the descendant of Healer Feng, possessing quite a presence... Please, sit."

Generally, doctors were not given seats in households like this.

A maid brought over a brocade stool and placed it below the Fourth Miss Wen, then poured a cup of tea and placed it on the table.

Feng Chuchen expressed her thanks and sat down.

Auntie Wang stood behind her.

Madam Wen smiled again. "I didn't expect Miss Feng to be so young yet possess such excellent medical skills, even knowing how to administer the Shangyin Divine Needle. May the Bodhisattva protect us; that Healer Feng passed down this ultimate skill, how many infants will benefit from it."

The death of Healer Feng made the Shangyin Divine Needle seem even more exalted and precious.

They had thought such peerless medical skill had vanished, only for this divine needle to continue miraculously. To go from extreme disappointment to newfound hope was a moment of pure ecstasy.

The First Madam Wen added flatteringly, "The Bodhisattva also blessed my nephew with such good fortune, allowing his 'Life-Scent Incense' to be lit. So many infants hang by a thread, but if the Life-Scent Incense does not burn, even a doctor with the divine needle is powerless."

Madam Wen laughed heartily; her grandson indeed possessed great fortune.

The Second Master Wen smiled and said, "The Emperor himself declared Healer Feng to be the 'Mother of a Thousand Infants'; she truly deserved the title."

Since they had taken all the polite words for themselves, Feng Chuchen did not know how to respond and simply smiled.

Madam Wen made a gesture, and a maid approached carrying a tray and another holding two bolts of silk.

A banknote lay on the tray.

Madam Wen said, "Eighty taels is the consultation fee for the Shangyin Divine Needle. Take these two bolts of silk back to make clothes, Miss Feng."

Feng Chuchen expressed her thanks, and Auntie Wang accepted them.

The wet nurse emerged from the north room carrying the infant.

Madam Wen said, "Please, Miss Feng, take another look at the child."

Feng Chuchen took the baby.

The infant was wrapped in a red swaddle, with only his head and hands exposed. Having just finished nursing, he stared quietly at Feng Chuchen with clear eyes.

His little mouth opened, blowing a tiny milk bubble.

Feng Chuchen thought of that milky voice she had heard by her ear, and her eyes filled with tenderness.

With a smile, she praised, "The little young master is truly handsome."

She gently opened the child's mouth to inspect it and then checked his pulse.

Looking up, she said, "The little young master is very healthy. My eldest aunt told me that any infant who receives the Shangyin Divine Needle is stronger than average, and the rate of illness before the age of ten is much lower."

Ten years old was a threshold; once a child passed ten, their immunity became much stronger and their survival rate higher.

Madam Wen's smile deepened, and she reached out her hands.

The wet nurse handed the child over to her.

With eyes full of maternal love, she murmured, "My big, chubby grandson, you have great fortune. The Shangyin Divine Needle was not lost to time, and by chance, you are the one who can administer it."

She looked up at her daughter and said to the Second Master, "I heard that when Young Master Shangguan was a child, a personal maid caught smallpox and the sickness passed to another maid, yet Young Master Shangguan managed to endure it. It must be because he received the Shangyin Divine Needle and had a strong physical foundation."

The Second Master Wen nodded and laughed. "It is a good thing Young Master Shangguan didn't catch it; if he had developed pockmarks, that handsome face would have been ruined."

The Fourth Miss Wen blushed, unable to hide her amusement.

Suddenly, a child's voice drifted in from outside the window: "Clad in iron armor, carrying a long saber! Clad in iron armor, carrying a long saber!"

The voice sounded somewhat familiar.

The Second Master Wen said in surprise, "Why has it come here?" After a moment, he smiled proudly. "Is it looking for me?"

The maid wondered who it might be, but just as she pulled back the soft curtain, a small dark shadow flew in.

It was a bird.

The little bird flew a circle around the room and finally perched on Feng Chuchen's knee.

It was the bulbul she had seen at Jiupo Ridge that day.

Feng Chuchen was extremely surprised. "Is this bulbul raised in your household?"

The Second Master Wen laughed. "It is General Ming's pet, named Ah Xuan. It is said the little fellow dislikes being restrained; it only followed General Ming back to the capital last month and spends most of its time wandering outside.

"I encountered it once at Princess Yanghe's manor. It begged Young Master Shangguan for meat, and if he didn't give it any, it would get angry."

He felt somewhat disappointed; shouldn't the little thing have landed on him if it came to find him?

Feng Chuchen gently stroked Ah Xuan's little head and smiled. "Last month, when we went to the mountains to pay respects to my eldest aunt, it flew there as well. It can recite poetry, it can say 'robbery,' and it can even mimic a dog barking..."

The Second Master Wen laughed. "Ah Xuan is the smartest bird; wherever it goes, it learns the local speech. But it is also forgetful; often, once it learns something new, it forgets the old.

"The only things it always remembers are those four or five phrases, like 'robbery' and a few war songs. It says 'robbery' is its way of asking you for meat—it loves meat most of all, but General Ming won't let it eat too much, and won't let it eat raw meat either."