Chapter 82: Confidence

Xu Ruojin had not stayed long in the main hall before she was invited to leave. It wasn’t that the ladies drove her out; rather, as she waited for Yuan Huiling, several young ladies from other residences arrived at the magistrate’s manor. After introducing themselves to Xu Ruojin, they promptly invited her to accompany them to the garden.

The magistrate’s wife was naturally delighted; as long as the young women left, that matter would be dropped. She ordered the maids and old servants to attend them well. Xu Ruojin found herself pulled along, half-dragged, toward the garden.

The deputy magistrate’s daughter, Zhao Cuiling, affectionately linked arms with Xu Ruojin. “We were just in the garden ourselves. If we’d known you were here, we would have brought you along sooner. When we’re with our mothers, there are too many rules—so much less freedom than here.”

“Hurry up, everyone’s waiting!” urged Mo Rong, the inspector’s daughter, from behind.

Xu Ruojin was being dragged along so quickly that, if not for her agility, she would surely have stumbled. She did not believe for a moment that these girls had randomly run into her in the main hall. Their warmth upon meeting her, followed by their insistence on taking her outside—especially Zhao Cuiling, who seemed to be searching for someone as they walked—made it clear: this was a deliberate ploy, likely orchestrated by Yuan Huiling, to draw her out.

Although Xu Ruojin herself appeared as a young girl, she had lived more than twenty years in her previous life; she could see through these little schemes easily enough. With all the ladies gathered in the main hall, she could hardly refuse. Since she was here, she didn’t mind—she was, in truth, glad not to have to face Lady Zhang’s sour expression any longer. Why not see what tricks Yuan Huiling was up to now?

Jiang Mingshuang, the assistant magistrate’s daughter, followed at the rear of the group with an air of detached indifference, seemingly unwilling to join in yet not wishing to be called unsociable. She was, indeed, a rather unusual character.

Xu Ruojin took note of her and followed Zhao Cuiling and Mo Rong toward the garden.

Both the magistrate and his wife hailed from scholarly families, and so the garden pavilion was particularly refined. Each pillar of the hexagonal pavilion was inscribed in gold with a poem—six poems in all, each penned by one of the magistrate’s close friends, all renowned poets of the Great Wei. Aside from the other elegant decorations, these six poetic couplets alone were objects of envy for any literary man.

The railing was already set up, and braziers glowed with warmth inside. Yuan Huiling was already waiting there, and upon seeing Xu Ruojin approach, she stood with an air of triumph, clearly eager to witness Xu Ruojin’s surprise.

Unfortunately for her, Xu Ruojin regarded her with complete composure, betraying not a hint of emotion.

Once inside the enclosure, the old maids handed out small hand-warmers to each guest.

Zhao Cuiling and Mo Rong’s earlier enthusiasm had faded; now, they cast glances at Yuan Huiling, as if eager for her approval.

Xu Ruojin waited a moment for Jiang Mingshuang, and the two of them accepted their hand-warmers. Yuan Huiling sneered, “Birds of a feather flock together. Naturally, like attracts like.”

“You’re quite right, Miss Yuan. But if you’re here with us, does that not diminish your own standing?” Xu Ruojin, now outside the main hall, no longer bothered with courtesy—she spoke her mind freely. Was it not just a verbal sparring? She had nothing better to do; why not play along?

“This is the magistrate’s manor, not the town’s main street. Of course I must do the honors as hostess,” Yuan Huiling replied coldly, clearly irked by Xu Ruojin’s indifference. “What’s the matter? Weren’t you all so lively with them just now? Hmph!”

“You just said yourself, this is the magistrate’s manor. Where you choose to appear is none of my concern.” Xu Ruojin sipped her tea. “The tea is quite nice.”

“You—” Yuan Huiling was left speechless by anger. She picked up a stack of prescriptions and tossed them at Xu Ruojin. “Take your useless prescriptions back. The old physician at Honglin Hall has no time for your nonsense. If I hadn’t gone and begged him myself, he wouldn’t even have bothered to look. See? He’s already indicated where they’re wrong. With a face like yours, aren’t you embarrassed?”

Xu Ruojin accepted the prescriptions and perused them carefully. Honglin Hall was the finest pharmacy in Zhonglin County, and most of the noble ladies sought out its physicians. Physician Cen, one of their number, was the teacher of this old master.

Prescriptions were occasionally modified, and Xu Ruojin took this seriously, for these doctors understood the ladies’ constitutions well—the value of such guidance was immense. Even if the old master hadn’t made revisions, she would still have had Physician Cen review them before using them in her medicinal brews.

“What’s the matter? Stunned by your own ignorance? Hmph!” Yuan Huiling mocked, “You overrate yourself, daring to write prescriptions for all the ladies as if you were some peerless genius. What a joke!”

Xu Ruojin ignored her and continued studying the prescriptions.

Yuan Huiling frowned. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“What is there to say to someone who doesn’t even understand the names or effects of the medicines?” Xu Ruojin placed the prescription on the table. “Madam Jiang suffers from insomnia and dreams; I prescribed prepared Rehmannia. The old master added half a tael of dried tangerine peel, likely because Madam Jiang eats little and prepared Rehmannia is hard to digest—so tangerine peel aids as an adjunct.”

She looked at Jiang Mingshuang. “Am I mistaken?”

Jiang Mingshuang’s eyes lit up and she nodded slightly. “My mother does eat little—Miss Xu, you are quite right!”

Yuan Huiling shot her a fierce glare and turned to Xu Ruojin. “Go on, then—what about the rest?”

“Madam Zhao suffers from soreness in the waist and legs, and occasional dizziness. The old master increased the dosage of processed Aconite and Wild Aconite by two qian. Madam Zhao sometimes coughs and feels discomfort in her throat; this adjustment balances out the effects of Datura,” Xu Ruojin explained, looking at Zhao Cuiling. “Am I wrong?”

“My mother…” Zhao Cuiling had intended to nod, but, glancing at Yuan Huiling glaring at her from the corner of her eye, she hastily changed her words. “My mother only coughs once or twice occasionally, nothing as serious as you say.”

Xu Ruojin merely smiled and carefully gathered the prescriptions. “Be that as it may, I will still consult Physician Cen before proceeding—I would never act on my own.”

Yuan Huiling snorted and turned away. “Enough, stop flaunting your trivial skills. This is the magistrate’s manor, not your shabby little hovel.”

At her mention of the “shabby little hovel,” Zhao Cuiling, Mo Rong, and the others covered their mouths to stifle laughter. They all knew Xu Ruojin was not favored in her family and lived in a side courtyard.

“A golden nest, a silver nest, nothing beats one’s own humble home,” Xu Ruojin replied, taking another sip of tea. “The tea is quite nice.”

Jiang Mingshuang couldn’t help but laugh. She had never gotten along with Yuan Huiling and her circle, and so had always sat quietly to one side. Now, seeing someone even more of an outsider, not silent but sparring directly with Yuan Huiling and the others, she realized Xu Ruojin was anything but weak. Only by seeing her in person did she understand the girl’s true character. Rumors, it seemed, were indeed not to be believed.

As the group chattered away, the voices of men drifted over from the distance.

Yuan Huiling went to the railing and looked out—it was none other than Zhang Zhongheng.

“Zhongheng, come over! We’re here!” she called.

At the sound of that name, Xu Ruojin’s heart froze.

Yuan Huiling glanced back at her, her face wreathed in a victorious smile. Clearly, this was all her careful arrangement.

She was determined to make Xu Ruojin lose face before Zhang Zhongheng.

And not just a little—but thoroughly.