Chapter 112: Reentering the An Residence

An Yi returned to Jingli Garden, where the people from the sewing room had been waiting for some time. After having her measurements taken and selecting fabrics, she dismissed the staff. An Yi sat in the garden waiting for Fang Rong to return with news, but instead of the eavesdropping maid, she was greeted by Han Songyan and Aunt Hua.

This was Aunt Hua’s second time entering the An estate. Externally, she appeared calm, but internally she was anxious. The Seventh Young Master had forbidden her from telling anyone of her previous visit, and since the Fourth Young Master was unaware of it, she wondered if the Seventh Young Master, who had already left the capital, knew she was being brought here now.

The Seventh Young Master, who usually cared for nothing, had personally brought her to the An residence for the sake of Miss An. He must surely be fond of her. And now, the Fourth Young Master was also bringing her here to help the young lady—was he, too, interested in her?

Two masters vying for the same woman! Trouble was brewing. Aunt Hua cast a look of resentment at An Yi. Unbeknownst to An Yi, she had already been labeled a "femme fatale" by Aunt Hua.

Han Songyan, unaware of Aunt Hua’s thoughts, greeted Madam Luo and An Yi with a gentle smile: "Auntie, Xi'er."

"Fourth Young Master is here. Please, take a seat," Madam Luo replied with a smile.

"Is your vision any better, Auntie?" Han Songyan asked with concern.

Madam Luo laughed. "Much better. I can see clearly now; it is no longer a blurry, blood-red haze."

Han Songyan looked at An Yi and smiled. "It has been over two years. Xi'er’s medical skills have truly improved."

"Not at all. It is just that an illness of the heart requires a remedy of the heart," An Yi replied modestly. Madam Luo’s eye ailment had been triggered by excessive grief; medicine could treat the physical symptoms, but not the soul. Only when she returned and ensured Madam Luo no longer wept in sorrow could the "medicine" truly effect a cure.

"Yesterday afternoon, I treated a five-year-old patient. His belly was distended like a winnowing basket, his legs thin as reeds, his body skeletal, and his eyes covered by a film that made it nearly impossible to see. I diagnosed him with infantile malnutrition and prescribed medicine, but he vomited immediately after taking it. Xi'er, could you look at this prescription and see if there is anything amiss?" Han Songyan produced the prescription and handed it to An Yi with both hands.

As she took the paper, An Yi asked, "The Seventh Young Master’s medical skills are superb. Why didn't you ask him to diagnose the patient?"

"Seventh Brother left the capital early yesterday morning," Han Songyan said with a bitter smile. If not for his promise to his grandfather to remain in the capital and guard the family business, he, too, would have left to escape these endless complications.

An Yi frowned slightly. What was Bai Wuming up to now? There was no answer to that question, so she didn't waste time thinking about it. Lowering her gaze to the prescription, she looked back at Han Songyan. "Fourth Young Master, there is nothing wrong with the prescription. The patient likely vomits because the medicine is too bitter. Children fear bitterness; if they cannot swallow it, they will bring it back up."

"I asked his parents. He vomits not only when taking medicine but sometimes when eating food as well."

"Then he suffers not only from malnutrition but also from anorexia."

"Do you have a good solution, Xi'er?" Han Songyan looked at her expectantly.

"We could try making it into pills for him to take."

Han Songyan frowned. "But the medicinal efficacy of these ingredients ground into powder is not as potent as a decoction."

"While not as effective as a decoction, it will still have some impact. Taking them more frequently will suffice."

"The child is too young. The longer this drags on, the greater the toll on his body," Han Songyan said, his heart focused on the patient.

"Then change the prescription."

"What would you suggest?"

An Yi pondered for a moment. "You can use roasted grains, fried Codonopsis, Poria, stir-fried Atractylodes, stir-fried yam, scorched Coix seed, tangerine peel, stir-fried millet sprouts, and raw hawthorn, bound with honey into pills for the patient to take."

"That prescription is also suitable. Could you write it out for me, Xi'er?" Han Songyan asked with a smile.

"One moment, I will write it for you." An Yi went into the inner room to fetch brush and ink.

Han Songyan watched her leave, then turned to Madam Luo. "Auntie, Aunt Hua has served my grandmother for many years. I brought her here hoping she could assist you and offer some guidance on the customs of a noble household. I apologize for bringing her without prior notice; I hope you do not mind my intrusion."

An Kang had long ago asked Han Songyan to help find someone reliable and well-versed in household etiquette to guide Madam Luo so she could manage the inner court properly. However, Madam Luo’s emotional instability had made it difficult, and at that time, Aunt Hua had been busy caring for the ailing Old Master Han, and later, the grieving Concubine Zhou. By the time Concubine Zhou passed away, Madam Huang had already entered the family, leaving no opportunity for Aunt Hua to come to the An residence.

"The Fourth Young Master is so kind; I am truly grateful, so why would I mind?" Madam Luo smiled. "However, it is Xi'er who is managing the household now. Please, Aunt Hua, take the trouble to teach her."

Han Songyan smiled. "Xi'er is clever. If household affairs are left to her, she will surely manage them well."

"Xi'er is young and knows little. I don't know how she has been doing these past few days, but fortunately, there have been no major disasters. Please, Aunt Hua, take some extra care in teaching her later." Because her eyesight was poor, Madam Luo did not recognize that Aunt Hua had been there before.

"This old servant will do her best," Aunt Hua said coolly.

"Oh?" Madam Luo squinted at her. "Aunt Hua, have we met before?"

Aunt Hua’s expression remained unchanged. "Madam must be mistaken; you have not seen this servant before."

Yam and the others looked at each other, feeling puzzled and surprised, but none dared to step forward to reveal the truth.

"I heard Aunt Hua’s voice and it sounded familiar, so I thought we might have met," Madam Luo chuckled.

"Mother, you misheard." An Yi returned with the prescription. Aunt Hua was pretending it was her first visit, likely under Bai Wuming’s instruction; An Yi was certainly not foolish enough to expose her.

"My apologies, Aunt Hua. My eyes are getting better, but my ears are a bit dull. I heard wrong; please don't take offense." Madam Luo apologized with a smile.

"Auntie, it is a minor matter. Aunt Hua will not take it to heart," Han Songyan added.

An Yi handed the prescription to Han Songyan. "Fourth Young Master, since the patient is a child, the pills can be made the size of soybeans to make them easier to swallow."

"Thank you, Xi'er. I will head back to the pharmacy to prepare them." Han Songyan tucked the prescription into his robe. "Aunt Hua, you stay here. I will come to pick you up at the beginning of the You hour."

"Yes, Fourth Young Master," Aunt Hua replied.

"Safe travels, Fourth Young Master," Madam Luo said as she rose.

"Please, Auntie, stay seated. There is no need to see me out." Han Songyan left.

"Mother, I am going to Shunyi Hall. When Fang Rong arrives, tell her to come find me there." An Yi rose. "Aunt Hua, please accompany me."

An Yi took Aunt Hua and Taoren to Shunyi Hall, where the steward’s wife was seeing off Zheng Yun and gathering the managers. After reviewing the account books and handling a few minor matters, An Yi stepped out and ran into Fang Rong. "Let us return to Mingzhu Pavilion."

Back at Mingzhu Pavilion, with Aunt Hua present, An Yi did not ask Fang Rong about the conversation between the Huangs. Instead, she sought advice. "Aunt Hua, in a few days, I will be attending the flower viewing gala at the Princess’s estate. Is there anything I should pay attention to?"

"Since Miss An asks what she should be mindful of, I will speak plainly. If I cause any offense, I hope you will not blame me," Aunt Hua said stiffly.

Although An Yi felt that Aunt Hua’s attitude was much worse than before, she didn't think much of it. Her eyes shimmered as she smiled faintly. "Aunt Hua, please speak freely."

"The most important thing for Miss An to pay attention to is your attire and makeup. Although you come from a farming background, you are now the daughter of an official, and you should dress according to your status. When an official’s daughter goes out, she must be dressed elegantly. You should not wear such simple, plain clothes at home. Old garments like these should have been discarded long ago." Aunt Hua criticized An Yi’s attire without mercy.

"What Aunt Hua says is reasonable. I found it troublesome and neglected it, but I will be sure to be more careful in the future," An Yi replied humbly.

Seeing that An Yi was willing to listen, Aunt Hua’s expression softened slightly, though her tone remained sharp. "Miss An’s posture when standing, sitting, or walking is not standard. Since you know the Princess, you could ask her to help find a matron from the palace to properly teach you these rules."

"Thank you, Aunt Hua, for pointing out my faults. Please, teach me the correct posture," An Yi said with a bow.

"Miss An, it is not that this old servant is unwilling, but I am not a professional etiquette instructor. I do not know how to teach these postures; I only know enough to see that yours are not up to standard," Aunt Hua explained.

"What other shortcomings are there? Please, continue."

"The flower viewing gala is ostensibly about flowers, but in reality, it is a test of a young lady’s talents—be it poetry, painting, musical instruments, tea ceremonies, or chess. What are you most skilled at, Miss An?"

An Yi thought for a moment. "I can play the zither and chess, but I am not proficient in either."

"If that is the case, you must prepare early to avoid embarrassing yourself."

"What preparations do I need to make?"

"Painting, instruments, tea, and chess cannot be prepared in advance. Since you lack proficiency, you should hide your incompetence. However, you cannot attend the banquet and do nothing, or people will laugh. The only way is to ensure your poetry and prose are up to standard. If you have the ability, you can prepare a few pieces in advance. If you cannot write them on the spot, have someone write them beforehand and simply transcribe them during the competition."

"I understand. Please, go on."

"When at the banquet, try not to go near the water, avoid secluded paths, do not wander away from the group, and do not climb to high places. Be very careful with your small accessories—handkerchiefs, sachets—and ensure they are not lost. If someone picks them up, it will damage your reputation."

An Yi nodded slightly.

"If someone provokes you to your face, endure it if you can. If you cannot, use their own momentum against them. It is best not to have direct confrontations..." Aunt Hua listed everything she knew until her throat was dry.

An Yi personally poured her a cup of tea. "Please, Aunt Hua, have some tea to soothe your throat."

"Thank you, Miss." Aunt Hua took the cup and took a few sips. Seeing that Fang Rong had slipped out at some point and they were alone, she thought for a moment. "Miss An, there are some things I must say."

"Aunt Hua, please speak freely; there is no need for reservations," An Yi said.

"When did you meet my Fourth and Seventh Young Masters?"

"Many years ago, when my family was still living in Lingling, I met the Fourth Young Master. He and my eldest brother were of similar temperament and became good friends. The Seventh Young Master was brought to me by the Fourth Young Master to treat my mother’s illness; we only met recently." An Yi’s statement was not a lie; she had indeed met Han Xuanye only recently.

"You have only met the Seventh Young Master twice?" Aunt Hua asked in surprise.

"Three times. Before he came to my house, I saw him once when I went to the Jihuai Hall to buy medicine." An Yi had forgotten about the time she bought oysters.