The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 145

Tang Liu was injured when he encountered bandits on his way back from the capital.

Chunnuan thought about how her family, including women and children, had traveled safely and unharmed from the capital to the distant Shu region of Changzhou, and it was quite an achievement that they hadn't encountered any bandits.

Chunnuan tipped the waiter, who left happily.

When I opened the letter again, it was from my eldest sister.

These fabrics were all sent back by Tang Liu on her behalf, who said they were a very fashionable style in the capital.

Chunnuan looked at the few bolts of fabric and had an idea: she would use the fabric to make embroidery, then transport it to the capital to sell, and open an embroidery workshop in the capital.

Moreover, she knew that Shu embroidery was also exceptional. Her aunt and uncle were skilled in Suzhou embroidery, Hunan embroidery, Shu embroidery and Guangdong embroidery, and coincidentally, they were all very accomplished in all of them.

Sending Shu embroidery made from the most fashionable fabrics in the capital to the capital is, well, a business opportunity.

"My eldest sister said that because it is during the mourning period, the fabrics she sent are not brightly colored, but rather plain and simple. Aunt, I'll make a summer outfit for you and your mother and third aunt each."

“No need to do it, we have clothes to wear,” said Madam Xu. “These plain fabrics are perfect for embroidery.”

“Yes, embroidery is a good thing,” Xu said. “We don’t go out now, so we have clothes to wear. There’s no need to make new ones.”

It's no longer the time when I needed to go back to my parents' home or attend social events in the capital.

In the capital, one must know when to return to one's parents' home, when to attend banquets, and one's clothes must be appropriate for all four seasons, and one cannot wear the same clothes twice, lest people misunderstand and think that one is not doing well.

Especially when visiting their parents' home, the sisters, though not explicitly saying it, engage in fierce competition.

Back then, what we wore wasn't just clothes, but also our face and our confidence.

Now in Sichuan, there are very few opportunities to go out all day long. In summer and autumn there are mosquitoes and the winter is cold, so you can't even stand sitting in the courtyard.

Besides, they all live in the countryside. With their fair skin and beautiful appearance, even if they wore a burlap sack, they would become the talk of the village women. Why would they need these latest fabrics?

None of the three sisters-in-law planned to make new clothes.

“This piece of fabric is suitable for boys.” Madam Xu picked out a piece of grayish-white brocade: “Make a set of clothes for Chun Ning, Chun Qiang and Chun An.”

"Let's make a light blue outfit for Nuannuan, Chunyan, Chunshu, and Chunxin."

Adults may not need to wear new clothes, but children do.

We're all growing taller, so last year's clothes are too short this year.

“No need to make them for me,” Chunnuan said. “I don’t seem to have grown much since last year, so I can still wear these clothes.”

Chunnuan was actually embarrassed to say that she had just received several sets of clothes made by the embroiderer at Zhao Minghua's request. They were all made according to the colors and styles of last year, and they didn't look too different when she wore them.

"Then make some for Chunyan and the others, and use the rest for embroidery." Xu suddenly noticed her daughter-in-law Zhu Lingling: "Lingling, make a dress too. I haven't made any new clothes since Muyang was born. I'm so sorry."

“Mother, I’m fine, those clothes are still wearable.”

In fact, the clothes made her look quite bulky. Her clothes were loose when she was pregnant, and it had been almost two years since she gave birth. Her figure was much slimmer than when she first came to Shu. She was still wearing her old clothes. She had been careless and forgot that things were different now than in the capital. She no longer had a monthly allowance or a dowry. It was so difficult for a daughter-in-law with no income to buy a new piece of clothing.

“Go ahead and do it. You are the eldest daughter-in-law of our family. You should have clothes that fit you when you go out. It’s also a matter of our family’s reputation.” Both Madam Xu and Madam Huang nodded in agreement.

So it was decided.

"Chunyu talked a lot about Panpan in the letter."

Whether a person is doing well or not can actually be seen from their letters.

Previously, Chunyu would only mention things briefly, never going into great detail about how Panpan was.

Nowadays, family letters are written in great detail, and Panpan's liveliness and cuteness leap off the page, making people smile and wish they could go to Beijing to hug their lovely granddaughter in person.

Knowing that the matriarch of the Xia family also doted on Panpan as her own granddaughter, and that she even beat up a lady at the banquet of Miss Jiang in the Minister's mansion to establish Panpan's authority, Madam Xu was truly filled with emotion.

Madam Xia's reputation in the capital had never been very good; people said she was spoiled and arrogant, pampered by General Xia. In fact, Madam Xu believed that most of the ladies were just envious and jealous of her good fortune.

General Xia had no concubines, not even a maidservant; he only had her. Such good fortune is not something everyone can have.

The ladies, especially those with many beautiful women in their inner quarters, were extremely jealous.

They stubbornly refused to admit their envy, instead accusing Old Madam Xia of being jealous. General Xia only had one son, Xia Guangcheng, and she wouldn't allow him to take concubines or have more children. It was her responsibility to ensure the prosperity of the family and the flourishing of future generations. Yet, she controlled General Xia so tightly that he had neither a concubine nor a son born out of wedlock—that was her fault!
Xu had only met Madam Xia a few times, and their relationship was merely a nodding acquaintance, as shallow as water.

Xu Shi took it easy to just listen to the various insinuations about her circulating among the wealthy ladies.

Families in the capital who neither took concubines nor had illegitimate children could be counted on one hand, including the Xiao family of Imperial Physician Xiao's household.

It would be strange if a woman could control a man. A man's goodness is simply due to his inherent goodness. The couple is loving and doesn't take concubines or have illegitimate children, and the Xia family has no objections. Yet, these outsiders have caused such a commotion.

Isn't this just blatant envy, jealousy, and hatred?

Madam Xu had seen General Xia, who came to pick up Madam Xia after attending the banquet. He was a handsome man. The two of them got into the carriage hand in hand, leaving a group of women who had not been picked up by their husbands to feel envious and jealous.

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long. After the banquet, General Xia went to war on the border. The news that came was that he had died on the battlefield. After that, Madam Xia observed mourning for her husband, sent her son off to war, and stayed at home to recuperate. Five or six years passed in the blink of an eye and she was not seen going out.

Madam Xu never dreamed that one day she would become in-laws with Old Madam Xia.

The Xia family's rule against taking concubines is the same as the Xiao family's.

So, this should be the right match for my daughter.

After reading her daughter's letter and seeing that her daughter was sending all the good things to Shu, Madam Xu finally believed that Xiao Chunyu was a capable person in charge of the household in General Huaiyuan's mansion, and that they could really make a living.

Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

Chunyu is no longer a cause for concern, but there are still things to worry about: another harsh winter has arrived in the northern desert.

In accordance with Chunnuan's plan, another batch of winter clothes and medicines were made and sent over.

This time, Chun Nuan only gave instructions from the sidelines and let Chun Ning make the pills herself.

(End of this chapter)