Chapter 36 – As Long As Sister Likes It

Tang Chaoyang’s gaze fell upon his frail body, her expression calm. “Don’t worry. Once you nourish your health for a while, you’ll grow stronger.”

After saying this, she took out her silver needles.

Young Master Qin pressed his lips together. “Mm.”

The Feishu acupoint could regulate lung qi. Tang Chaoyang began inserting needles into the various acupoints starting from Feishu.

About half an hour later, she finally began removing the needles. “I’ll also prescribe medicine for three days. Drink it at night. It will help you sleep soundly for several days.”

He had been coughing incessantly, unable to fall asleep at night. Naturally, his body wouldn’t last long under such strain.

Once Tang Chaoyang left the room, Young Master Qin turned his head to look at her departing figure, his eyes reddening slightly. “Thank you.”

Tang Chaoyang handed the written prescription and a list of dietary supplements to Princess Consort Cheng. The princess consort was so moved that her hands trembled as she held the prescription.

She drew in a deep breath. “Physician Tang, this is just a small token of gratitude. Once my son recovers, I will prepare a more generous gift to thank you.”

Granny Li held out a thick stack of silver notes in both hands and presented them to Tang Chaoyang.

Tang Chaoyang accepted the notes calmly and composedly. “Although Young Master’s illness is difficult to treat, as long as you follow the prescription, supplement it with proper diet, and continue with my acupuncture, he will gradually feel improvement over time. You must not grow anxious.”

The princess consort nodded.

Tang Chaoyang gave a few more reminders about daily precautions, then took her leave.

The princess consort instructed Granny Li to personally escort Tang Chaoyang out. She herself hurried to order someone to buy the medicine and summon the cooks.

Meanwhile, a plain-looking maidservant with an honest face soon found an opportunity to slip out of the side courtyard. She furtively made her way to the Plum Blossom Courtyard to report what had happened.

When Lady Mei heard the maid’s account, she fell into thought. “A female physician? Are you sure you heard them say she could cure him?”

The maid nodded. “I vaguely heard the princess consort and Granny Li discussing that the female physician could treat Young Master’s illness.”

Lady Mei sat up straighter and frowned. Did this woman really have such skill?

She pondered for a while and then sneered. Whether it was truly effective or not—she could not take that gamble!

She was determined to make Young Master die from the female physician’s medicine!

Lady Mei rose and went into the inner room.

Before long, she emerged holding a small packet in her hand.

She handed the packet to the maid and ordered in a low voice, “Find a way to mix this into Young Master’s medicine.”

The maid looked up at her in shock.

“Think about your brother. And your little sister. You know what you must do, don’t you?” Lady Mei said gently.

The maid answered nervously in a small voice, “Yes.”

She trembled as she took the small packet.

After the maid left, Lady Mei let out a disdainful laugh. That female physician was simply unlucky. Who told her to meddle in affairs that didn’t concern her?

A woman ought to stay home to serve her husband and raise children, yet she insisted on becoming a physician.

If she died, she’d deserve it.

**

After leaving Prince Cheng’s residence, Tang Chaoyang didn’t return to the General’s estate directly. Instead, she had Mage drive her to the house on Vermilion Bird Lane.

She bathed, washed her hair, changed into plain coarse clothing, then went into the study to continue writing her strategies for solving the food shortages among the common people.

The furnishings in the study were simple, and all around were shelves packed with books.

In truth, Tang Chaoyang hadn’t read many of these books herself. Her mother had bought most of them for her.

Though her mother couldn’t accompany her to adulthood, she had loved her dearly.

Tang Chaoyang sat before the desk, grinding ink.

[In the northern regions, the soil and climate are suited to large-scale cultivation of soybeans and sweet potatoes; in the eastern regions, the humid weather favors planting rice…]

That day, Ling Guyong also came early to Vermilion Bird Lane. The blind old servant had told him Tang Chaoyang was in the study, so he went straight there.

When Tang Chaoyang heard the knock on the door, she assumed it was Blind Uncle. Without lifting her head, she said, “Come in.”

Ling Guyong gently pushed the door open and saw her focused intently on her writing at the desk.

The room was utterly quiet.

Tang Chaoyang didn’t hear Blind Uncle speak, so she finally looked up—and saw Ling Guyong standing in front of the desk.

She glanced at the hourglass. “Guyuan, why did you come so early today?”

Ling Guyong raised his brows slightly and smiled. “Sister, didn’t you also come early? I just happened to have some time, so I came over.”

In reality, he was unbelievably busy.

Tang Chaoyang smiled and was about to set her brush aside when Ling Guyong stopped her. “Sister, please keep writing. May I watch? Recently my teacher asked me to write an essay on grain policy.”

“All right. Have a look at what I’ve written and share your thoughts. This is only a small portion of my draft.”

Tang Chaoyang didn’t consider her ideas perfect—there were likely many flaws. Having another person to discuss them with might lead to different insights.

Ling Guyong walked around the desk to stand beside her. Bracing one hand on the tabletop, he leaned slightly forward to read.

Tang Chaoyang hadn’t filled the entire sheet yet. Ling Guyong finished reading quickly.

His expression relaxed. “Sister, the greatest shortage right now is capable people. And the most urgent task is… to suppress the powerful clans. Otherwise, your plans will only make those clans stronger, and the common people will still go hungry.”

He picked up a brush and spread out a blank sheet of paper. With a fluid stroke, he wrote: “The wealthy have fields stretching endlessly; the poor have no place to set a single awl.”

The calligraphy was smooth and forceful.

“Sister, what do you think?” He lowered his gaze to meet hers, his eyes bright, and asked with a soft laugh.

Tang Chaoyang nodded. She raised her chin slightly to look at him. “I know. But I believe that one day His Majesty will allow the common people to live with full bellies. This is only a small part of what I’ve drafted. Everything must be built step by step.”

Being praised by her again made the corners of Ling Guyong’s lips curve faintly.

He gave her a respectful bow, as if saluting a teacher. “Sister, you are more capable than the Minister of Agriculture. You ought to take that post yourself.”

He spoke in all sincerity.

Tang Chaoyang saw him bow so formally and smiled. She lifted her index finger and tapped her own nose. “Me, the Minister of Agriculture? Wouldn’t that make me Jin State’s first female official?”

She shook her head and chuckled. “I don’t want to be an official.”

Seeing her laughing so happily, Ling Guyong also laughed. “Sister, once you finish writing, may I read it?”

At last, he’d have a chance to read her complete plan openly.

Tang Chaoyang nodded. “All right.”

She picked up the sheet he had just written on. “Your calligraphy is excellent. Will you let me have this page? I’d like to have it mounted and preserved.”

To see a person’s writing was to see their spirit.

Guyuan’s characters held a soaring, dragon-like vigor and sharpness.

When Ling Guyong saw she truly liked his handwriting, he nodded. “As long as Sister likes it. Next time, I’ll write even better.”

“Oh, by the way, I brought your son an amusing new toy. And here—this hairpin is for you. If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be alive now.”

He deliberately finished speaking all at once, then gazed at her expectantly, as if afraid she might refuse the gift.