Chapter 26: Frank Words

  Although he was very angry, Zhou Lang still let Cao Guanshi go see Madame Zhou on Saturday and told her in detail what he had bought on the street.

  Mr. Zhou couldn't help but blame Mrs. Zhou for neglecting such a small matter, and Mrs. Zhou felt wronged but also knew she was in the wrong. The couple bickered for a few sentences before going to bed with a sulky mood.

  Madam Zhou discussed with her personal maid servant through the night and had an idea.

  On the second day, Madame Zhou personally opened the warehouse early in the morning and selected new clothes that were originally prepared for her daughters to wear during the New Year. She had the maids pack them up again before entering the Chen family's gate once more.

  When meeting each other, they naturally first ask about the old man's well-being.

  "It's much better now, I can sit up." Madam Chen Shao received her with gratitude.

  Can it really be cured?

  Madam Zhou was overjoyed.

  "It's Old Master Ji's good fortune and heavenly fate," she said.

  "I was just about to have someone accompany you," said Mrs. Chen, "Let the young lady stay here for a while longer, with her here, we can also feel at ease, and it's more convenient for diagnosis and medication."

  "I thought so too." said Mrs. Zhou with a smile, pointing at the maid servant behind her, "So I had some replacement clothes sent over."

  Sighing as he spoke.

  "This child, due to her illness, has been eccentric since childhood and doesn't like to interact with people. I won't hide it from you, madam, this child is also not close to us. Whatever right or wrong she does, we can't say anything or advise her. If she has offended in any way, please forgive her considering she's been ill since childhood, lost her mother at a young age, and is pitifully alone." She said, with a sincere yet helpless expression, wiping away tears.

  Madam Chen naturally saw that Jingniang was lukewarm towards the Zhou family, and she didn't dare to guess at other people's family affairs. Unexpectedly, Madam Zhou opened up to her about it, and she put down a few of her own grievances, instead feeling somewhat sympathetic.

  "This is said, but I dare not." She hastily said, while extending her hand in invitation, "Madam, please try some tea."

  Tea, please tea, one word difference, distinction between intimacy and estrangement.

  Mrs. Zhou's mouth corners floated with a hint of a smile, she bowed her head in thanks, and slowly savored the tea with a heart full of satisfaction.

  "Unfortunately, Nurse Chang is giving the old master an injection. You can see him later, madam." said Mrs. Chen.

  "That's all, I have nothing else to do, just leave these things here and remind the girls a few more times." Madame Zhou smiled, putting down her teacup. "She is worried about Old Master's illness, seeing me would only distract her. Besides, with you taking care of her, I can rest assured."

  Madam Chen's smile grew thicker.

  "Of course, madam, don't worry about it." She nodded and said.

  At this time, in the old master Chen's house, the curtains were drawn open, the wooden windows were half-opened, and the paper doors were half-closed. Two maidservants arranged the newly picked flowers from the flower house in the hall.

  The fragrance of flowers in the house is faint, mixed with the smell of charcoal and medicine. The foul odor from bedsores due to paralysis has dissipated.

  The girl arranged the flowers properly and slipped out quietly, afraid of disturbing the people inside.

  Jiangniang slowly picked up the last golden needle.

  On either side of him, Chen Shao and his brothers each grasped their father's shoulders and arms, trembling with every tremble of their father.

  "Alright." said Jingniang, putting the golden needle into its case.

  Mr. Chen was helped up by Chen Shao.

  "Refreshing, refreshing." He said, lifting his sleeve to wipe away the sweat on his face.

  "Today I took medicine and can try getting out of bed this afternoon, take a few steps." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  The three members of the Chen family were overjoyed.

  "Really, get out of bed?" they asked incredulously.

  All they asked for was to save their lives, and they didn't dare think about being able to walk again. How could it be that after being paralyzed for so long, they could get out of bed so quickly?

  "Oh, of course, if you don't want to get out of bed, you can just lie there." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  This woman speaks strangely, and the three of them have gotten somewhat used to it.

  "Thank you, young lady," said Old Man Chen, barely concealing his excitement as he sat down and paid his respects.

  Chen Shao and his brothers hurriedly followed suit, excited beyond measure.

  Too good, too good, too awesome, too awesome!

  Looking at the clothes laid out in the house, Cheng Jiaoniang didn't say a word.

  The maid waved her hand and let the servant girl retreat, helping Cheng Jiaoniang take off her outer garment, inside which the white silk undergarment had already been soaked with sweat.

  "Daughter, these clothes were all sent by the Zhou family, what do you think, should we accept them or not?" she asked.

  "Received." said Jingniang, turning her head to glance at the ground.

  The maid answered.

  As Old Man Chen's condition improved, more and more visitors came to the Chen household.

  When seriously ill, one needn't come to visit; when the patient has recovered, one must come to pay respects. In this way, both the visitor and the visited will be pleased in their hearts.

  "Madam, Lord Dong and his wife have come to visit the old master." The servant girl said hastily.

  There were already four madams sitting in the house, and they all burst out laughing when they heard this.

  "It just so happens that they have also arrived."

  Mrs. Chen smiled and got up to greet them.

  It wasn't a coincidence either. Yesterday, several groups came too. Smiling, they welcomed the ladies and escorted them into the hall. The housekeeper's wife gave a signal with her eyes, and Madame Chen fell back a few steps.

  "Ma'am, are these people staying for dinner today?" she asked in a low voice.

  Mrs. Chen smiled helplessly.

  "I think they're not planning on leaving now," she said.

  As soon as she entered the house, the newly arrived Mrs. Dong expressed her congratulations.

  "I've just finished reading it. The old master is indeed much better." She smiled and said, "It's truly a joyous occasion, after great difficulties there must be great blessings."

  "Yes, yes, this time we can spend a peaceful New Year." Others echoed in agreement.

  "All right, now you can speak your mind freely. Besides visiting our family's elder, what else do you want?" Madam Chen said with a smile.

  Mr. Chen is delighted to see his wife in good spirits, having avoided a great calamity, and her heart is now at ease.

  "We want to eat canary." everyone said in unison.

  Madam Chen lost her smile.

  That day, a colleague and friend came to visit the old man. Chen Shao left a few cups of wine, and recently his family loved to eat salted pepper fried canary, so he used this as a side dish to go with the wine.

  That friend liked it very much after eating, but others were ill, and it was not good for oneself to praise and praise a dish as if one had come specifically to eat.

  After he left, he personally caught yellow sparrows and made them, but unfortunately the taste was never as good as Chen's. He couldn't help but talk about it, so the news spread, and curious people came to visit at mealtimes, tasted it as expected, and praised it endlessly.

  The news of Chen's house cooking well soon spread.

  As Mr. Chen's health improved, everyone no longer avoided him, and they came to visit and dine together.

  "Also." A lady thought of something and said, "Can you introduce this divine doctor that your family invited?"

  Compared with eating food, a good doctor is more important.

  Old Master Chen was previously ill, although the Chen family closed their doors and didn't spread any news outside, but in the capital city, what kind of news can be hidden? Everyone knew that at most two or three months would not work. Unexpectedly, after inviting this mysterious doctor from who-knows-where, he actually recovered in just three to five days.

  It's worth getting to know such a great doctor better.

  Mrs. Chen was slightly embarrassed.

  "This, I really can't make the decision." she said.

  "It's not that I want you to take charge, but just introduce her. Since she is a doctor, of course, she has to see patients. Can't hide and not do it?" said Mrs. Dong.

  Mrs. Chen's face turned even more difficult.

  "She doesn't seem like a doctor," she said.

  Isn't it a doctor? What is it?

  The ladies present were shocked.

  Mrs. Chen smiled wryly and felt she couldn't make herself clear either.

  "In any case, she won't see him," she said. "Someone else asked too, but she politely declined."

  Saying "婉拒" (polite refusal) is just being courteous, but in reality, they directly refused.

  "At this time she was single-mindedly concerned about the old master's illness, so let's talk about it after the old master has recovered." The ladies all smiled and said.

  Perhaps, Mrs. Chen thought to herself, who would refuse to be pursued for being able to cure illnesses?

  After dinner, having seen off their satisfied guests, Madame Chen also let out a sigh of relief.

  "What about Dan Niang?" she asked, thinking of something.

  "At Young Mistress's place." The servant woman replied.

  It's also strange that this girl, although quiet, always makes people feel like they can't get close to her. When she comes home, no one dares to approach her and talk to her, except for Chen Dan Niang who goes to play with her every day.

  I don't know how a 14- or 15-year-old and a 4- or 5-year-old ended up playing together.

  "Don't let her disturb Mrs. Cheng," said Madame Chen.

  My wife is right.

  "What's Mrs. Cheng doing?" Madam Chen asked again.

  The expression on my wife's face was somewhat strange.

  "In the future, I'll make clothes," she said.

  "Sister," Dan Niang said with a face full of admiration, "you're so amazing."

  On the ground, Cheng Jiaoniang spread out the brocade and her scissors flowed smoothly through it. The maid was helping to thread the needle beside her.

  "Yes, I'm very fierce," she said.

  The maidservants and waiting women sitting under the eaves outside the house door exchanged a glance.

  Here is the translation:

  They're here again, this big and small pair always get along particularly well.

  "Sister, I fried sparrows again at noon today. I can eat five at a time." said Dan Niang, stretching out her small palm.

  Jiang Nang glanced at her.

  "It doesn't taste good," she said.

  "Ah, it's delicious." Dan Niang said with wide eyes and a shake of her head.

  "Canary seed requires canary seed to deal with it," said Cheng Jiaoniang, her scissors and needle thread not stopping.

  "What about the canary?" Dan Niang asked in confusion.

  "You let the kitchen boy go to the market and see how those fish are done, then you'll know." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  Dan Niang sighed.

  "Alright, I've remembered it." She said happily, looking at Jingniang again with admiration, "Sister, you're so amazing!"

  "Yes." Jingniang nodded in response.

  "Sister, Father and Uncle said you are a divine doctor, are you a divine doctor?" asked Dan Niang.

  Jiang Yao stopped what she was doing and sat up straight.

  "I think I'm more like a kitchen maid," she said, looking down at the cloak that was taking shape on the floor, "or... a seamstress."

  Quzhou, Xiù Wáng Fǔ

  Xiu Wang has been buried, and the mourning rites at Xiu Wang Fu have not yet been lifted.

  Under the white lanterns at night, the magnificent Xiu Wang Fu was as bright as daytime.

  The concubine of King Xiu stood outside the main gate, surrounded by attendants.

  "Prince of a Commandery."

  The sound of greetings and inquiries came one by one from outside the door, and the attendants standing by surged like waves.

  A youth wearing a white mourning garment and tied with a white belt came striding along, his clothes fluttering, his figure sturdy and strong, his face solemn and stern, his eyes sunken and red, his spirit worn out.

  Two kneeling maidens under the eaves stretched out their hands to pull over the sliding doors, and a stream of emerald green poured out from the door.

  The boy stepped into the room.

  "Prince of a Commandery."

  Inside, two rows of men and women kneel down, some young, some old, all wearing mourning clothes, sit up straight, then pay their respects.

  Year-end settlement is busy, can only update once a day for these two days, sorry.