Against the Current - Chapter 239

Chapter 239 - Inquiring About Medicine

Early the next morning, Xianglan attended to Lin Jinlou as he rose to practice his martial arts, after which she returned to bed for a brief nap until Lingqing called out from behind the curtains, prompting her to get up. Once she finished washing up, Xiaojuan brought out the mirror case and writing tools so Xianglan could comb her hair. By now it was late spring, though the mornings still held a chill. Feeling that her spring tunic was too thin, Xianglan layered a plum-orchid-and-chrysanthemum embroidered sleeveless vest over it.

Xiaojuan came over, stroked the fabric a couple of times, and said with admiration, "This material is so slick. Clothes made from top-tier silk are truly different, and paired with this embroidered floral pattern, it's simply stunning."

Seeing that there was no one else around, Xianglan lowered her voice and said, "There's still a bit of this fabric left. If you are frugal with your cutting, you can make a vest out of it. If you like this pattern, I'll draw one for you later."

Delighted, Xiaojuan responded, "Really?" She shook Xianglan's arm and coaxed, "Good mistress, good sister, you're always the kindest to me... I don't need the exact floral pattern on your dress, just to avoid drawing too much attention when it's embroidered and worn. If you have some spare time, just give me something simpler—a broken branch of peach blossoms or a landscape scene would be easy to embroider and won't waste the material."

Xianglan readily agreed, and seeing Xiaojuan's joyful expression, she couldn't help smiling faintly. "Your birthday is this month. Find a day when the master is away, and the few of us will close the door, order a table of fine dishes, and have a proper celebration."

Before she finished speaking, Lin Jinlou walked in, wiping away sweat. He was half an hour earlier than usual. He sat down directly beside Xianglan, pinched her chin, and stared at her face for a moment before asking, "What were you talking about just now? You were laughing so happily." Seeing Xianglan's cheeks tinged with a soft red, he lowered his voice and said, "I remember when you were still a maid, you used to wear an orchid pinned in your hair and gaze at your reflection in the lake, laughing and singing all the while. You should smile more often." With that, he leaned in as if to kiss her.

Xianglan blushed, dodging away while pushing against Lin Jinlou as she protested, "The master should go wash up first; you're covered in sweat."

Seeing the teasing, lingering affection in Lin Jinlou's eyes, Xiaojuan swiftly served the tea and slipped away.

Unable to escape, Xianglan was ultimately caught in Lin Jinlou's embrace and kissed once before he finally released her. "Don't eat anything just yet, and don't drink tea either; a physician is coming over shortly to take your pulse."

Startled, Xianglan asked in bewilderment, "A physician? I'm not sick; why bring a physician over?"

Lin Jinlou replied, "You still haven't conceived, so I found a highly skilled imperial physician to examine you."

These words frightened Xianglan out of her wits, and she hastily protested, "I... I'm not ill, I..."

Seeing her pale face, Lin Jinlou assumed Xianglan was afraid he would despise her for being unable to bear children. He dismissed the thought nonchalantly, saying, "What is there to fear? Of course you're not sick. Having a physician take a look and prescribe some care is all for the best." With that, he called the maids back in to prepare washing supplies, and instructed Xueling, "Keep an eye on her and don't let your mistress eat or drink any tea." He then went behind the screen to bathe.

Left sitting outside, Xianglan felt restless and uneasy, clutching her handkerchief so tightly she was nearly wringing out sweat.

As soon as he finished bathing, someone outside reported, "Imperial Physician Zhang has arrived." Lin Jinlou hurriedly changed his clothes and invited the guest into the main hall. After exchanging pleasantries, he stated, "I invited the elder gentleman here today to examine the health of a female member of my household."

Zhang Shiyou inquired, "What ailment is she suffering from? Has she been seen by a physician previously, and were any prescriptions left behind?"

Lin Jinlou answered, "One of my favored concubines is generally in good health, but she has long remained without child, which causes me some concern."

Hearing this, Zhang Shiyou understood the situation at once. High-ranking officials and nobles frequently sought heirs and consulted physicians for medicine, but most often it was the lawful wives and mistresses who quietly sent for them. Giving a medical consultation to a concubine in this manner was a first for him. Zhang Shiyou was secretly astonished, though he did not show the slightest hint of it on his face. Upon entering the inner chamber, he saw three or four maids dressed in reds, greens, damasks, and silks—attire that would make them look more respectable than ordinary young ladies if displayed outside. Sitting on the bed was a single beauty of exceptionally striking appearance, at whom Zhang Shiyou couldn't help calculating inwardly. In his thirty years of frequenting the mansions of princes, nobles, and powerful families, the women he had seen who could match such looks could be counted on one hand. Suddenly, he understood why Lin Jinlou had insisted on bringing him here specifically to examine her health. He turned to Lin Jinlou and said, "Is this the mistress of the estate?"

Lin Jinlou replied, "Indeed. Please trouble the elder gentleman to take her pulse."

The maids brought over a large embroidered bolster, and Xianglan had no choice but to roll up her sleeve and bare her wrist. Zhang Shiyou first pressed his fingers against her right-hand pulse, examining it carefully for a moment, then switched to her left-hand pulse, inquiring about her daily diet and routines before finally standing up and saying, "Let us go outside to sit."

Back in the main hall, a matron served tea. Zhang Shiyou took a couple of sips before Lin Jinlou asked, "Elder gentleman, how is her constitution..."

Zhang Shiyou responded, "Judging from the mistress's pulse, her left pulse is sunken and choppy, while her right pulse lacks spirit. Her heart-qi is weak, her blood is depleted, and her qi is stagnant..."

Impatient to listen to Zhang Shiyou recite medical texts, Lin Jinlou cut him off. "Please give it to me straight, elder gentleman: does her condition present any obstacle to childbearing?"

Zhang Shiyou smiled and said, "There is no obstacle. She simply requires careful recuperation. I shall write out a prescription, and after she takes a few doses for proper nourishment—your household is certainly not lacking in silver, so simply use the finest medicinal ingredients—there are also certain considerations regarding marital intimacy. For the first two months of taking the medicine, it must not be too frequent. Fortunately, the mistress is young. At best three months, or at most half a year, her health will be fully restored, and childbearing will pose no problem."

Lin Jinlou smiled broadly. "That is wonderful. Whatever fine medicine is needed, spare no expense." Knowing that Zhang Shiyou was accustomed to seeing such cases and had encountered countless difficult ailments, he figured that since the doctor said there was no obstacle, it must truly be so. A smile naturally broke across his face.

Zhang Shiyou added, "It's just that this concubine harbors excessive worries, which is liable to injure her liver. I shall write an additional prescription to soothe the liver, and she will simply need to take extra care of herself in her daily life." With that, he took up his brush and dashed off two prescriptions on paper, offering a few final instructions to Lin Jinlou.

Feeling completely at ease, Lin Jinlou reached out, felt a heavy red packet, and said, "This humble token of appreciation is hardly worth mentioning, but I am certain I will have to trouble the elder gentleman to make house calls again in the future."

Zhang Shiyou weighed it in his hand, feeling it delightfully heavy, and accepted it gracefully with a smile. "You are too courteous, General Lin."

At that moment, Shuran stepped in to refill the tea and exchanged a meaningful glance with Lin Jinlou. Understanding her intent, Lin Jinlou excused himself and stepped outside. Shuran lowered her voice to report, "Master, Concubine Yin has come over. She says the Second Master has been listless since early this morning, and upon hearing that you invited an imperial physician, she would like to request the physician to go and examine him as well."

Lin Jinlou relayed this to Zhang Shiyou, instructing a matron to guide the physician over. After reviewing the medical prescriptions and seeing that they were all meant to nourish and replenish deficiencies, he called Shuran over, handed her the formulas, and instructed, "There is a medicinal herb shop in the capital belonging to our family. Have ten doses of the finest ingredients brewed according to this prescription. If our family shop lacks top-grade stock, purchase them from outside." He paused for a moment before adding, "Have Xu Fu personally oversee this matter. When it's brewed, bring it back for Xianglan, and make sure she drinks it under your direct supervision."

Shuran remarked, "When I stepped in just now to refill the tea, I caught a few words of what the physician said. Some of those remarks I don't know whether I should speak of or not."

Lin Jinlou prompted, "Speak your mind."

Shuran said, "Although Xianglan has a gentle and kind disposition and usually wears a smile when meeting people, deep down she is extremely resolute. She is attentive and prone to overthinking. It's no wonder her liver has become constricted with such a brooding nature. If I may suggest, Master, you would be better off taking her out for a stroll—watching the scenery or chatting and laughing would do her good. There are quite a few households in the capital on friendly terms with us; you could let the mistress go pay visits, make a few close friends, and talk more, which would lift her spirits. As much as we are good to the mistress, for one thing, we are merely servants and bound to fall short in certain ways; for another, the mistress has a unique temperament, and sometimes we cannot truly understand her thoughts. Yesterday I saw the Eldest Mistress and Second Mistress get along quite well with her, but the two of them cannot constantly be visiting the house."

Lin Jinlou nodded. "I know. Go ahead, take good care of your mistress, and I will remember your contribution."

That was precisely the assurance Shuran wanted. Beaming with smiles, she took the prescriptions and walked out.

Lin Jinlou returned to the room and, finding Xianglan sitting there in a distracted daze, stepped forward to embrace her. "Set your mind at ease. The imperial physician said this isn't an illness at all. Rest for a few days, and I guarantee you'll give me a fat baby boy."

Xianglan forced the corners of her mouth upward, but her heart was filled with acute anxiety. She was still struggling day by day just to survive; how could she possibly afford to have a child now?

Noticing her absent-minded state, Lin Jinlou patted Xianglan's small hand and said, "In a couple of days, Old Master Lu is celebrating his birthday and has sent me an invitation. Since we are in-laws, it's only proper to make an appearance. You should come along too—visit, enjoy the theater, and clear your mind." He had originally intended to simply dispatch someone to send some customary congratulatory gifts for Old Master Lu's birthday, but because Lin Dongwan had earnestly invited him before her departure—and hearing that Lin Dongwan's life at her husband's home was not entirely smooth sailing—he figured they were family after all, so he ought to make a personal appearance to bolster his eldest sister's standing. Having just heard Shuran's advice, he now intended to bring Xianglan along as well. With Lin Dongwan present at the Lu household, no one would dare let Xianglan suffer any slights.

With her mind in utter chaos, Xianglan blindly agreed to whatever Lin Jinlou said. Suddenly, a matron came to report that Imperial Physician Zhang had finished examining Lin Jinxuan and was now taking his leave. Lin Jinlou inevitably had to go and see him off. Before leaving, he instructed Xianglan, "The second younger brother is falling ill again. We might as well have been ignorant of it, but since we know now, you should go check the storehouse to see if there's anything suitable to send over on my behalf. I have to go out on business shortly and cannot go personally."

Xianglan had no choice but to agree. She asked Shuran for the keys to the storehouse, unlocked the doors, and peered inside, only to find that it mostly contained bulky decorative items, some bolts of fabric and cloth, and leftover medicinal dregs. Shuran explained, "Because we don't live permanently in the capital, we keep fewer things here. We were afraid the medicinal herbs would spoil or lose their potency, so some of them were sent over to our family's pharmacy."

Xianglan flipped through the bolts of fabric and said to Shuran, "Plain cotton is fine, but these damasks and silks might lose their luster or get mildewed if left stored for too long."

Shuran replied, "The finest materials were all taken back to Jinling; what's left in the storehouse are just the leftovers. Though they may not compare to the silks of Suzhou or Hangzhou, these are known as 'capital silks' and carry a certain reputation. The mistress can pick whichever one looks best."

Recalling her unpleasant parting of ways with Tan and remembering that Tan was someone who loved adornment, Xianglan harbored a desire for reconciliation and picked out a bolt of pomegranate-red fabric. She returned and ordered the small kitchen to prepare a bowl of bird's nest soup. Shuran packed it into a food box, and together with Xianglan, they headed toward Kangfu Residence, where Lin Jinxuan was staying.

Upon stepping into the courtyard, they saw a maid wearing a crab-apple green sleeveless vest squatting under the eaves, watching over a small clay stove to brew medicine while fanning it with a round fan. Xianglan glanced at it without paying much attention and strode forward to enter the house, only to hear Tan's voice ringing out from behind the window: "Where is the medicine? Why isn't it ready yet? Have you gone wild outside, or did you not hear the Second Master coughing?"