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

Chapter 205

"Big brother, do you like this older sister?"

Jiang Siya's mind went blank.

She and Zhang Wenxian were summoned to the palace at the same time and waited for the Empress's summons in the Imperial Garden.

Who knew that a girl would run out and trip and fall? Out of kindness, he took her to wash her hands, and as a result, she led him to see the Empress and the Crown Prince.

"Sister, sister..."

Panpan's shouts woke Jiang Siya.

"Your subject, Jiang Siya, greets Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince."

"No gift."

The Empress looked at Jiang Siya seriously for the first time.

Well, this girl didn't really stand out at first glance.

However, he has a face that suggests peace and prosperity, and he is also generous and proper in his dealings with others.

The empress looked at her son.

The son nodded slightly.

Alright, the son has finally decided on her, just as the Emperor wanted.

Three people voted, and two of them got the same result, so what is she still struggling for?

"Jiang Siya?"

"My daughter is here."

How old are you this year?

I already knew everything about her.

"Your Majesty, I will be sixteen in a month."

Her face was already starting to turn red.

At this age, she should have already started looking for someone, but she hasn't yet. Those who know, know, because the Jiang family wants to compete for that position.

Although she was somewhat unwilling, as a woman in the family, she naturally had to shoulder the responsibility and burden of bringing honor to the family.

Since the family needs her to make sacrifices, she will accept this task.

"Are you married?"

"Your Majesty, no."

This time, her face turned half red.

"Is there someone you have a crush on?"

The Empress was an experienced woman; it was perfectly normal for a young girl to have feelings for someone else. She didn't want to marry a woman who had another man in her heart as her son's wife.

"Your Majesty, no."

That's terrifying! If someone really has a crush on someone, how could they dare to even dream of that position?
Or are they afraid this family will live too long?

What do you do in your spare time?

"Your Majesty, I prefer quiet. In my spare time, I read books, do needlework, and occasionally have tea and chat with my sisters."

"What kind of books do you read?"

"Your Majesty," Jiang Siya said, "I occasionally read books like the *Women's Precepts*, *Women's Admonitions*, *Inner Instructions*, *Women's Analects*, *Abridged Records of Women's Exemplary Conduct*, and the *Classic of Poetry*.

"You have quite a wide range of interests."

"I wouldn't dare. I'm just passing the time, browsing around casually."

In fact, she also reads books for leisure, but this is something that should never be said.

From a young age, I was taught palace etiquette by my nanny, and I knew exactly what to say and what not to say.

However, Jiang Siya has never been one to be manipulated.

She had probably read most of the books in her grandfather's study, if not all of them.

"I've heard that Miss Jiang is renowned for her talent, proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The weather is fine today, perfect for flower viewing. How about we ask Miss Jiang to play a piece to liven things up?"

"Yes."

What could Jiang Siya say?

Let them play.

Zhang Wenxian, who was in the Imperial Garden, frowned upon hearing the music coming from not far away.

"What is Jiang Siya doing? Does she think she can attract the Crown Prince by playing the zither there?"

That's absolutely despicable!
Playing tricks is the best way to play!

“Miss, let’s ignore her. But, Miss, you’ve been in the Imperial Garden for quite a while now, Her Majesty the Empress…”

"Shut up, you dare to make up stories about the Empress."

This silly girl, it's best not to bring her into the palace anymore.

She has no manners at all. This is the palace, and she is the Empress. She can be summoned whenever she wants. How dare she gossip like that?

Isn't that just plain stupid?

"Yes, ma'am."

What can we do but wait?

Little did they know, in the side hall next door, the Empress and the Crown Prince were quite pleased with the music. The Empress even rewarded them with a jade bracelet, and then, led by Panpan, sent her out to play.

"Sister, there are fun places in the palace, would you like to go play together?"

"Your name is Panpan?"

Jiang Siya isn't stupid; how could she not know what the Empress and the Crown Prince meant?

A new talent show is about to begin, and the Queen naturally wants to get a feel for the competition first.

The rumors circulating are true; the Crown Princess is choosing between the Zhang family and the Jiang family.

That's why they were all summoned into the harem at the same time.

Unexpectedly, she won first prize.

Yes, that's right. This whole thing was thanks to this little girl named Panpan.

Who is Panpan?

Others may not know, but the people in the capital's elite circles know very well: the daughter that Madam Xia brought with her married into General Huaiyuan's mansion, and the old lady of the general's mansion treated her like her own granddaughter.

Some say that Panpan often went to the palace to play with the Empress, and the Empress liked the little girl very much.

If it were a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl, that would be a real problem, but a three or four-year-old girl is no threat at all.

Jiang Siya didn't take the matter or the person to heart.

I never expected that the first person I would encounter upon entering the palace would be this Panpan.

With Panpan's help, she met the Empress and the Crown Prince before Zhang Wenxian, and it could almost be said that she got her ticket to the meeting.

My feelings were quite complicated.

"Yes, sister, my name is Panpan. Sister, let's go play. Let's go see the flowers."

"it is good."

The Empress also ordered that they play with her; this was an imperial decree from the Empress.

Jiang Siya appeared in the Imperial Garden holding Panpan's hand, while Zhang Wenxian looked disgusted.

"Sister, what's the name of this flower?"

Panpan pointed to the peony and asked.

"This is called peony. It's not only a flower, but also a medicine. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, clearing heat, and cooling the blood," Jiang Siya explained softly. "It can treat febrile diseases with rashes, red and swollen eyes, liver stagnation and hypochondriac pain, and injuries from falls and blows. It can also nourish blood and astringe yin, calm liver yang, and soothe the liver and relieve pain. Its main function is to treat liver blood deficiency, liver and spleen disharmony, and liver yang hyperactivity..."

"Wow, you know so much, are you a doctor?"

"I'm not a doctor, I don't know how to diagnose and treat illnesses, I just read and memorized what I saw."

"Sister, you're amazing! You have a photographic memory."

"Panpan is so young, yet she already knows the meaning of photographic memory?"

"I know, I know. Just like my older sister, she's beautiful and unforgettable."

Jiang Siya chuckled: Is it appropriate to use the term "photographic memory" here, child?

"Sister, my second aunt knows how to make medicine, and she's also a doctor."

Is your second aunt's name Xiao Chunnuan?

Jiang Siya remembered this person; she had seen her at a palace banquet one year. However, the woman was three years older than her, and at that time she was just a little girl. She had a very good impression of Xiao Chunnuan, remembering her as a very kind person.
Later, after returning home, my mother said that among all the daughters of the court officials and imperial relatives, the only truly intelligent one was Doctor Xiao's second granddaughter, a girl who was wise in appearance but foolish in reality.

If she intended to enter the harem, no one else would have a say. Of course, given the Xiao family's status and position, entering the harem wouldn't be easy.

Therefore, she did not regard that girl as a potential enemy.

I never imagined that, years later, I would enter the harem with the help of her niece, getting ahead of Zhang Wenxian and gaining a sense of security.

"Yes, Chunnuan, Nuannuan, is my second aunt. She's so amazing!"

Panpan clapped her hands and exclaimed happily, "Second Aunt is very good at making medicine!"

The two, one big and one small, chatted happily.

Zhang Wenxian pursed her lips. Only a fool would say so much to a little girl.

No, that's not right. Saying so much is just to make her seem impressive, isn't it?

Just then, a palace maid walked over.

"Miss Zhang, is that right?"

"Indeed, Aunt, is it Her Majesty the Empress who wants to see me?"

Zhang Wenxian was excited.

"Her Majesty the Empress has matters to attend to and is unable to meet with Miss Zhang today. Please return home."

What?
They sent her away before they even saw her.

"Thank you for your trouble, Aunt. I'll take my leave now." After taking a couple of steps, she still felt unwilling and pointed at Jiang Siya, saying, "Then why isn't she leaving?"

"Her Majesty has instructed that Miss Jiang should play with Miss first, and then take Miss to have a meal later."

The Empress instructed Jiang Siya to play with this little girl.
"Which family's young lady is she from?"

Zhang Wenxian suddenly realized she had miscalculated.

How could this little girl be so important? Could it be...?

"Reporting to Miss Zhang, this is Miss Xia, the eldest daughter of the Xia family of General Huaiyuan's residence."

What Miss Xia? Isn't she just a burden that Xiao Chunyu brought along?

You value it that much?
Oh no, this is terrible! She forgot her grandfather's instructions: if she saw Panpan when she entered the palace, she must treat her well. She might not be able to help much, but she might decide a person's fate for a lifetime.

So, this is the little girl named Panpan?

How did she end up in the palace?

“Miss Panpan doesn’t need to present a token to enter the palace; she can come whenever she wants.”

The palace maid glanced at Zhang Wenxian subconsciously: With a brain like that, how could she be worthy of entering the East Palace?
Therefore, there are reasons why someone is eliminated.

Zhang Wenxian glanced in the direction of Panpan and Jiang Siya, then gritted her teeth.

Over here, Jiang Siya and Panpan chatted as they looked around, and they could talk about the medicinal effects of all the flowers and plants in the Imperial Garden.

When she got excited, Panpan even started pulling weeds and flowers, making a complete mess.

If it were someone else, who would dare to pull weeds and flowers in the Imperial Garden? They'd be crazy to do that.

"Panpan, isn't it bad to pull it out like this?"

Seeing that Panpan was about to start again, Jiang Siya quickly stopped her: "After all, this is the Imperial Garden, and the flowers and plants here are all taken care of by gardeners."

"It's alright." The palace maid serving behind her said, "Miss Panpan always has her reasons for pulling weeds and flowers. The Emperor and Empress have both instructed that she can pull whatever she wants. Just don't do it yourself, Miss. Just tell me to pull it."

"Aunt Fang, I want those flowers, the reddest ones."

"Alright, this servant will go pick some for Miss right away."

Thus, Jiang Siya witnessed the little girl directing palace maids to wreak havoc in the Imperial Garden.

All the palace maids watched calmly.

This……

Jiang Siya reconsidered Panpan's position in the palace.

"It's getting late, I should head back home." Jiang Siya thought for a moment, then added, "Panpan, you're always welcome to visit our Jiang residence."

“Sure,” Panpan said. “Sister, have a meal with me, otherwise I’ll be so lonely.”

Having to accompany her to play, chat, and eat, Jiang Siya had no choice but to go to the restaurant with her.

Despite her small size, Panpan received the best possible treatment.

The female servants were very respectful.

Judging from how familiar she was with the place, she was a regular visitor to the palace.

Did Panpan always dine alone when she entered the palace?

There were many people in the harem, but the people in the harem were also very lonely.

“No, sometimes the Empress is with me, sometimes my older brother is with me, and sometimes the Emperor is with me. Today, none of them are with me. They must all have something to do. I’m very sensible. I can’t cry or make a fuss. I have to eat my food obediently.” Panpan ate by herself. “But I’m not lonely. I have my older sister with me.”

What else could Jiang Siya say?
Three of the four most distinguished people in the palace were dining with her.

"Yes, sister, you can often dine with Panpan after you enter the palace."

"Panpan, how could your sister possibly stay with you in the palace all the time?"

Hearing Panpan's words, Jiang Siya's heart skipped a beat.

"Sure, Panpan will come when Her Majesty the Empress summons you."

Jiang Siya... I was overthinking it.

After finishing her meal, Panpan said she was going to take a nap and then sent Jiang Siya back to the mansion.

Jiang Siya had wanted to return to the manor for a long time!

What she saw and heard today was beyond her imagination; her mind was a little overwhelmed, and she had to go back to find her grandfather.

"Panpan? You saw her in the palace?"

Grand Tutor Jiang was also shocked to hear his granddaughter's words.

"Yes, my granddaughter and Miss Zhang were waiting for the Empress's summons in the Imperial Garden when a little girl ran up to us and then fell down in front of us."

"And then you went up to her, helped her up, and showed her concern?"

"Exactly."

"And then she took you to wash your hands?"

"It was her granddaughter who took her to wash her hands..." No, it was indeed Panpan who took her to wash her hands, because the direction she was going was different from the direction Panpan was going.

So, this is...

"It seems that Panpan has a considerable influence on the Empress and the Crown Prince."

Jiang Siya seemed to understand a little bit as well.

Does this mean that Panpan decides all the candidates?

"Xiaoya, if you ever meet a little girl again, treat her like royalty."

Jiang Siya was completely taken aback.

"Just remember what your grandfather said. Be patient and treat this child well." Grand Tutor Jiang stroked his beard and nodded. "From now on, the people of our Jiang family should be more polite to the Xia family. Also, this matter must be kept low-key. We must not be careless, especially at critical moments."

"Yes."

The Jiang family members all knew that good things were about to happen in the Jiang household.

"Grandpa, what about the imperial concubine selection?"

"A normal draft."

In a normal draft, Siya will definitely be retained; that's for sure.

Panpan has most likely already chosen the Crown Princess.

Grand Tutor Jiang's guess was correct.

In the inner palace, in Kunning Palace, the Emperor accompanied the Empress and the Crown Prince to enjoy tea.

"Did Panpan choose a girl from the Jiang family?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Both young ladies are in the Imperial Garden. When Panpan ran over, she tripped and fell. Miss Jiang helped her up, and then Panpan took her into the palace to wash her hands."

"This little fellow is quite clever." The Emperor chuckled. "I also have high hopes for the Jiang family's daughter. The Grand Tutor's family has excellent rules, and the way they raise their children is also quite good. Che'er..."

"Father, my son and minister are here."

"When choosing a wife, one must be virtuous. The selection of the Crown Princess should not be arbitrary. Although the Jiang family girl is not as beautiful as the Zhang family girl, she is worthy of the title of head wife and will surely become your virtuous assistant in the future."

"Your subject will obey Your Majesty's arrangements."

"If you think that Zhang family girl is good, you can bestow upon her the title of concubine."

“Father, I am in poor health. Marrying one Crown Princess is enough. I shouldn’t delay other people’s daughters.”

That's true. My son is weak, so we really can't give him too many women, or something might go wrong.