Chapter 69 : Pharmacology What Yuxi didn"t expect was that Momo (wet nurse) Quan also interested in Mama Fang"s remarried matter.
Momo Quan did not beat around the bush and asked Yuxi directly, “How did you get Mama Fang agreed to remarry?” The reason why she would ask this was very simple. Women in their 30s could not bear children and they usually had no outstanding appearance. When someone came to ask for a marriage, they would surely think that the other party was malicious. Except for this case, where the real reason behind Mama Fang agreement to remarry must have been because of Yuxi.
Yuxi also didn"t expect that Momo Quan really like to gossip, so she asked, “Why are Momo asking me about this?” This had nothing to do with Momo Quan.
"If you tell me," said Momo Quan, "I will teach you pharmacology." It was an undisguised temptation.
Yuxi did not know why Momo Quan must know about this, but she really wanted to learn pharmacology, “I just told Mama Fang all the details I could find on Patrol Guard Lian, and then, I told her that if she could marry into Lian family, she could be buried in their ancestral grave and enjoy the family"s incense for a hundred years.” To put it simply, Mama Fang didn"t have to worry about being a lonely ghost after she married into the Lian family.
Momo Quan nodded. Indeed, only for this reason would a 30-year-old woman be tempted. “What else?” Though, this alone was not enough.
Yuxi felt that Momo Quan could see through people"s hearts, “Also, I told Mama Fang that if the information I checked was wrong, even if the patrol guard was not a good person or the two children would be unfilial in the future, I would still look after her when she"s old and give her a proper burial when she dies.” This a.s.surance had dispelled Mama Fang"s last concern and made her decided to remarry. For Mama Fang, if the marriage gave her a poor result, then, it was no different than her returning to the past. If she did not trust even the patrol guards, would she still trust the children that he brought up?
Momo Quan"s expression slightly stirred as she said, “Now that Mama Fang had remarried, aren"t you worry that your baozi (steamed stuffed bun) shop won"t be able to make any money?”
Yuxi shook her head and said, “I opened that baozi shop that day with hope that Mama Fang would have something to do and would not entertain foolish ideas when she was sent out of the residence. She had been taking care of me all my life. If it wasn"t for her, I would have died when I had that smallpox. So this time, in return, I hope she can have a good life. Even if her reputation will not be good, but at least she will live well.“ If reputation was compared with happiness, naturally, one could say happiness was more important than reputation.
Momo Quan was deeply moved, but there was no lack of criticism in her eyes, “You have a hard life before. It seems like you have used your jewelleries as the capital for the baozi shop. So how did you have such large sum of money to buy another estates not long after that?“
Yuxi"s heart tightened and she pretended to be sincere, “This was the cash dowry left by my mother to me.”
A rare smile appeared on Momo Quan"s face. That smile brought gooseb.u.mps all over Yuxi"s body. “When something happened to the Ning"s family, your mother sold all her dowry to save them. So, how could she leave you with such a large sum of money?” This was basically a contradictory statement to Yuxi"s previous answer, so this meant that Momo Quan firmly believed that Yuxi had been lying.
Yuxi clenched her fist and pretended to be calm, “The money was left by my mother. If Momo Quan doesn"t believe it, then I can"t help it.“
Momo Quan said something that made Yuxi trembled with fear, “Fourth Miss truly has so many secrets.” She could now be sure that Ning Shi did not leave any money behind. However, from where did Yuxi get such a large sum of money was still a mystery. The most surprising thing was that no one in the residence doubted that there was something amiss with the origin of the money, which showed how well Yuxi disguised herself.
Yuxi was not feeling afraid at this time either, as she said, “Momo Quan really likes to crack a joke.”
Momo Quan said another surprising remark to Yuxi, “Fourth Miss, if you want me to teach you pharmacology, it"s not impossible. But you must promise me one thing.”
Yuxi asked cautiously, “What is it?”
“You will know in the future,” answered Momo Quan.
This kind of digging made Yuxi felt very uncomfortable, but she really wanted to learn pharmacology. Even if she knew it was a pit, she would still jump in. “Momo, what you will ask me to do must be within my ability and not against my will, otherwise I can"t promise.” She would rather not study pharmacology than sell herself.
Momo Quan couldn"t help laughing, “Sometimes I really doubt whether you are really a five-year-old child.” No adult had been this sophisticated.
Yuxi"s heart suddenly burst, but soon she said, “If I was like any other five-year-old child, Momo would not have noticed me.” Just like in her previous lives, Momo Quan probably didn"t even know who she was.
Momo Quan agreed very much on this. If Yuxi was not this sophisticated, Yuxi would certainly not be in front of her right now. Momo Quan then said, “Since I have promised to teach you, I will do my best in teaching you. How much I can teach depends on how much you can understand.”
Yuxi nodded and said, “I will work hard.”
After cla.s.s, Yuxi went back to her room. It was certainly impossible to hide such a big thing as studying pharmacology from everyone. So, instead of the Old Madam knew about this from others, it would be better if she said it herself.
When the Old Madam heard that Yuxi was going to study pharmacology with Momo Quan, she went momentarily blank. Then, she asked, “Why do you want to study pharmacology?”
Naturally, Yuxi could not repeat what she told Momo Quan to the Old Madam, “I think pharmacology will be useful in the future.”
The Old Madam"s eyesight was like a sharp arrow, staring at Yuxi as if she wanted to see her through. “Is that really the reason?”
Yuxi nodded, “Yes. After studying pharmacology, I can know fairly well when I feel uncomfortable, whether I have a headache or a fever. That way, I don"t need to worry.“
The Old Madam twisted the Buddha beads in her hand and said, “If you are not well, you can just call a doctor.” Seeing that Yuxi still wanted to talk, she waved her hand away, “Well, I"m tired. You should withdraw!”
Yuxi had known from earlier that the Old Madam wouldn"t be so easy to agree, and when she saw that the Old Madam was driving her out, she politely withdrew.
Old woman Luo asked strangely, “Why Fourth Miss want to learn pharmacology when she"s already in perfect condition? ” If she just learning some daily pharmacological knowledge, it won"t be a problem, but looking at Fourth Miss" stance on the matter, it seemed like it was a big deal for her to learn pharmacology.
The Old Madam stopped twisting the Buddha beads and wrapped them around her wrist several times. “She keeps in her mind the incident that happened last year.” Although Yuxi did not verbally say so, she knew that Yuxi wanted to learn pharmacology because the incident made her felt bitter with them.
Old woman Luo exclaimed, “That cannot be!”
The Old Madam said with a straight face, “Why not? It doesn"t show on her face, but she remembers everything clearly, deep in her heart.“
Old woman Luo did not reply. It was only natural for Fourth Miss to bear in her mind last year"s incident. While she was too sick to move and had to stay in bed, the Old Madam called the doctor away. How could she not bear it in her mind. “Old Madam, will Fourth Miss give up if you don"t let her learn it?”
The Old Madam shook her head and said, “No, I guess she"ll find someone to intercede now.” Yuxi"s temperament was not one who would give up easily. She just didn"t know if this time Yuxi would go to Qiu Shi or Yuchen, or perhaps to both of them.
To the Old Madam"s surprise, Yuxi did not ask Qiu Shi or Yuchen, but Han Jianming.
Han Jianming was not surprised that Yuxi wanted to learn pharmacology. At that time, in the book store, she had bought a lot of medical books. “Grandma didn"t agree with you wanting to learn pharmacology? Why?“ It was beneficial and harmless for girls to learn some pharmacology, but pharmacology was a boring subject and hard to find people that willing to teach. It was rare that Yuxi was willing to learn by herself and for someone to be willing to teach her. In theory, Grandma should have not refuse.
Yuxi shook her head and said, “I don"t know, so Eldest Brother, please help me talk to Grandmother.”
Han Jianming found Yuxi to be very interesting and asked with a smile, “Why do you think Grandma will agree if I intercede for you?”
Yuxi still shook her head and said, “I"m not sure, but it"s much better than resigning myself to my fate.”
Han Jianming nodded slightly, “That"s a good point. But are you sure you want to study pharmacology? I heard that studying pharmacology is kinda boring. Can you stick to it?“
Yuxi told Han Jianming, “I have already memorized half of Shennong"s Compendium of Materia Medica.” Since no one ever supported her, she decided not to give up halfway.
Han Jianming looked at Yuxi like he just saw a monster. “If I remember correctly, you are given strenuous homework and then you have to learn etiquettess. How can you still have time to memorize medical books?” Although he did not care about the internal affairs, he knew the general affairs of the state residence.
Yuxi replied, “Time can always be squeezed out if you really want to.”
Han Jianming looked at Yuxi and, without knowing why, he suddenly sighed and said, “Yuxi, if only you were my brother.” If Yuxi was his younger brother, he would certainly be cultivated well and become his effective arm in the future.
Yuxi wittily smiled, “Eldest Brother, aunt always said that I was her close little cotton-padded jacket!” She also wanted to be born as a son so that she didn"t have to be controlled by others. Unfortunately, this was only an ‘if". She was already born as a daughter, an unchangeable fact.
Han Jianming suddenly wanted to sigh when he saw Yuxi smiling like this. “About Grandma, you don"t have to worry. I"ll convince her. Since you have decided to study, then study hard.“
Yuxi solemnly promised, “Don"t worry, Eldest Brother, I will learn properly and strive to learn all Momo Quan"s skills and knowledges.”
It was not clear how Han Jianming persuaded the Old Madam, but for Yuxi, she did not care, as long as the Old Madam did not object her from learning pharmacology. Strangely enough, the Old Madam had been kind to her since then. She couldn"t help feeling, that Eldest Brother would be among the top two influencial person in the residence when he was in action!
Since the afternoon of the next day, Yuxi could see that instead of teaching her etiquette, Momo Quan started to teach her pharmacology. She wondered, “Momo, don"t we have to learn etiquette?”
Momo Quan looked at Yuxi and said, “The best way to learn etiquette is by turning your every word and deed (Chinese idiom : what one says and does), every act and every move (every action) into etiquette. Can you do it?” Yuxi didn"t have to marry into the royal family, so for her, rules and etiquette no need to be so fine. She was also not bad at learning now. It was just enough to correct some shortcomings in her daily life.
While Yuchen was destined to marry into the royal family. Since a family couldn"t have two daughters married into the royal family, so Yuxi would either be married into an honourable family or an official family. What she had learnt now should be enough.
Yuxi remembered Yuchen. Yuchen"s words, deeds and actions were all etiquette and had become templates to other young ladies. She shuddered at the thought of learning etiquette just like Yuchen. She quickly shook her head and said, “No thank you. I think I"m fine with how much I have learnt till now.”
The corner of Momo Quan lift slightly, giving her a smiling expression.