When Grain Official Zhao saw his friend and Mian Tang peering out the window at him, he felt a pang of jealousy. When he first heard Cui Xingzhou was heading northwest, he had been concerned for his friend’s safety but also had other things on his mind.
For instance, he had eagerly gone to the small courtyard on North Street, intending to take care of the “abandoned” Madam Liu. To his dismay, he found the residence empty, leaving him feeling hollow inside. Upon inquiring, he learned that Madam Liu had gone after Cui Jiu, who had joined the army.
Zhao Quan couldn’t quite figure out how the “Cui Jiu fake husband” charade had progressed. Had Mian Tang discovered Cui Jiu was the Prince of Huaiyang but pursued him out of resentment for being deceived?
Zhao never believed Cui Xingzhou would truly make Mian Tang his wife. The Prince of Huaiyang was too clear-headed and rational to let beauty cloud his judgment. At most, he might have indulged in a brief dalliance.
Now, with the young woman so devoted, Zhao worried that if she pursued and clung to Cui Xingzhou, she might irritate him, leading to harsh words or even punishment. Zhao remembered Cui Xingzhou’s coldly casual tone when discussing how to deal with Mian Tang as if she were an insignificant insect.
With these concerns for the lady, Zhao worked especially hard to procure provisions, hoping to curry favor with Cui Jiu when the time came to plead on her behalf. He never imagined the fake couple’s affection would continue to their dilapidated courtyard in the northwest.
When Cui Jiu emerged wearing a somewhat worn chiliarch’s uniform, Zhao nearly choked on his frustration. He wanted to ask Cui Jiu if he wasn’t tired of this daily performance.
However, Cui Jiu seemed genuinely pleased to see his friend delivering supplies in person. Taking Mian Tang’s hand, he said, “Trust your nose to sniff this place out. Mo Ru, fetch some northwestern sorghum liquor. Jia Yu and I won’t stop until we’re drunk today.”
Although Mian Tang didn’t think highly of Doctor Zhao, seeing him in military uniform made her reconsider. Like her husband, he had answered the call to serve during a national crisis. Despite his usual frivolous demeanor, he seemed to have a patriotic core. Her opinion of him improved slightly, and she asked Li Mama to prepare more dishes and hot soup to accompany the roast meat and liquor.
Zhao drank with a heavy heart. Eyeing Cui Jiu’s worn uniform, he asked, “Brother, you must have distinguished yourself in battle. How will the Prince of Huaiyang reward you? Surely he’ll promote you? A mere chiliarch’s salary won’t be enough to support a wife.”
Cui Xingzhou caught the hidden meaning in Zhao’s words. He replied with a meaningful smile, “Mian Tang followed me thousands of miles, disregarding her safety. How could she care about my rank? With such genuine feelings, I’ll naturally not disappoint her in the future. I’ll give her a lifetime of luxury and honor.”
The implication was clear: If Mian Tang had followed him to death’s door, why would she leave him for being a prince? And he would certainly provide her with wealth and status in the future, so Zhao needn’t concern himself.
Hearing Cui Xingzhou’s underlying message, Zhao felt utterly defeated, almost as detached as his Buddhist wife. True, Cui Xingzhou had deceived Mian Tang from the start. But with his handsome face, any young woman would be captivated by his dashing and elegant appearance, even without knowing his aloof personality.
Moreover, Cui Xingzhou wasn’t a poor boy pretending to be rich to seduce women. Once his identity as the Prince of Huaiyang was revealed, what woman would give up such immense wealth and status?
Mian Tang was a young girl who might not even care about riches and honor, simply loving Cui Jiu for his handsome appearance. Why else would she, still in the dark, follow him to this barbaric northwestern frontier?
In contrast, Zhao’s wives and concubines were beyond words. When they heard he was going northwest, his principal wife merely said “Amitabha” and promised to chant sutras for his safety day and night. His beautiful concubines wept bitterly, but when asked if any would accompany him northwest, they all suddenly felt unwell – catching colds or old ailments flaring up, unable to endure the journey.
Comparing the situations, Zhao suddenly felt his life was meaningless, overwhelmingly empty, and lonely. He wondered how he was inferior to Cui Xingzhou. Why didn’t such a devoted young woman love him instead?
He realized that unless Cui Xingzhou unfortunately died in battle, allowing him to rightfully care for the widow, he would never have a chance with Madam Liu in this lifetime.
Zhao was never one to hold his tongue. After a few cups of sorghum liquor, he tearfully grasped his friend’s hand, assuring him not to worry about matters at home and to focus on sacrificing himself for the country – he would take care of Mian Tang afterward.
Cui Xingzhou frowned deeply. If not for their friendship, he would have been tempted to strike Zhao for constantly wishing for his death.
While the two friends’ drinking session grew tense, Mian Tang was enjoying her meal in contentment. Out of propriety, she didn’t share a table with her husband and Zhao, instead eating alone in the adjoining room.
Li Mama, seeing Madam Liu dining alone, prepared some small dishes that young women typically enjoy. A small plate of tender grilled rabbit skewers seasoned with flavorful salt and pepper paired wonderfully with sorghum liquor.
The wild boar meat was also stewed until tender, cooked in a small clay pot with eggplant chunks and bottle gourd strips Li Mama had brought from Lingquan Town. The rich savory sauce was delicious over rice.
Additionally, Li Mama thoughtfully added large sour plums to Madam Liu’s small pot of sorghum liquor, blending in some sweet glutinous rice wine to soften the strong alcohol.
Mian Tang, who hadn’t drunk in a long time, found the food so appetizing that she indulged a bit too much in the wine. As the snow began to fall outside, she sipped the warm alcohol, feeling that even a celestial being wouldn’t trade places with her in this moment of “red clay stove, clear and crisp wine.”
In the next room, her husband and Doctor Zhao were discussing something, and as they drank, Zhao’s voice took on a tearful, grief-stricken tone.
Mian Tang asked Li Mama, who came in to serve sweet soup, about the situation next door. Li Mama, annoyed by Marquis Zhao’s mournful talk, replied with drooping eyelids, “Marquis… Mr. Zhao has had too much to drink. He’s worried about the master facing danger on the battlefield and gets emotional, crying a bit… Don’t mind them, my lady. This is how men behave when drinking!”
Mian Tang nodded. She remembered the caravan guards at her grandfather’s escort agency behaving similarly when drunk, sometimes even coming to blows. As long as her husband and his friend didn’t overturn the table, she wouldn’t interfere with their drinking.
Due to her recent use of herbal medicine, Mian Tang has been avoiding alcohol. Since coming northwest and discontinuing the medicine, she no longer needed to abstain. Forgetting herself, she indulged a bit too much. Perhaps because she hadn’t drunk in so long, the effects hit her suddenly, and she dozed off in the side room.
She wasn’t sure how long she slept, but she suddenly felt movement beneath her. Opening her eyes slightly, she realized her husband had carried her back to the main room at some point.
“Zhao Quan is drunk. We let him stay in the side room,” Cui Xingzhou explained.
Mian Tang nuzzled into his arms, blinking her large eyes lazily. “I don’t know how I fell asleep. I haven’t even washed up yet…”
The earthen kang in the side room was a bit stuffy, making sleep somewhat chilly. Seeing her curled up under the fox fur earlier, Cui Xingzhou felt sorry for her, worried she might catch a cold and fall ill again.
So he had people move the unconscious Zhao Quan, who was sprawled on the warm kang in the main room, to the side room. Then he brought his beloved wife back to the cozy warmth of the main room’s kang.
Hearing her mention washing up, Cui Xingzhou said, “You didn’t go to the pharmacy today, just stayed home. You can’t be that dirty. I’ll wipe you down with a damp cloth in a bit…”
Although drunk, Mian Tang felt shy hearing her husband’s words. She softly protested, “You don’t need to. I can do it myself…”
But her legs were weak from drinking, and she couldn’t get up. Cui Xingzhou had a maid bring hot water, wrung out a cloth, and began wiping Mian Tang down himself.
Mian Tang obediently lay still, letting her husband clean her delicate face. Since coming to Wuning Pass, she had adopted local customs and stopped using powder and rouge, leaving her face clean and easy to wipe.
The warm cloth against her skin made her cheeks flush pink, making Cui Xingzhou wonder if the rest of her was equally delicate…
He became distracted, his movements slowing. Mian Tang, unaware of her beauty, affectionately nuzzled his hand like a cat curled up by a warm stove.
“Husband, when shall we have children? I want to give you a son soon…” Mian Tang said coyly, emboldened by the alcohol, her eyes half-closed.
Such words, spoken in the depths of the night as they were alone, were truly enticing.
Cui Xingzhou tossed the cloth aside and pulled his intoxicated wife into his arms. He had been drinking too, but retained some clarity. Zhao’s earlier words about wishing for his death had unsettled him. He pressed his nose against hers and said softly, “I could die in battle at any time. What would become of you as a widow with a fatherless child?”
Mian Tang frowned slightly, disliking talk of her husband’s death. Squinting her eyes and pouting, she said, “Which King of Hell would dare touch my husband? I’d overturn his entire palace… Husband, why don’t you kiss me?”
With such a soft, fragrant young woman in his arms, only a eunuch or a decrepit old man would remain unmoved. Cui Xingzhou was in his prime; how could he resist Mian Tang’s deliberate seduction? He obliged her request, capturing her plum-scented red lips.
At that moment, all of Cui Xingzhou’s earlier resolutions vanished. Though he had intended to be a gentleman, the alcohol in his system and her provocative words set his blood boiling. Did she want a child? He’d ensure she’d conceive by dawn!
But just as Cui Xingzhou’s entire body burned with passion, the young woman who had been giggling at his kisses suddenly tilted her head and fell fast asleep.
Cui Xingzhou’s eyes reddened with frustration. He realized that all drunkards, male or female, were equally irresponsible! He clenched his jaw and collapsed beside her, wondering if he should practice some martial arts on a snowy night to cool off.
The next morning, Mian Tang woke up feeling refreshed. She stretched lazily and turned to look at her husband’s handsome face with closed eyes. She reached out to touch his face.
At her touch, Cui Jiu woke up, but his eyes were bloodshot and unclear.
Mian Tang was used to seeing her husband like this. He had told her he suffered from chronic insomnia and never slept well.
Although it was a long-standing condition, Mian Tang felt sorry for her husband. Today, with Zhao Quan present, she decided to ask Li Mama to inquire if Zhao had any prescriptions for treating insomnia.
Early in the morning, Zhao Quan woke up groggy in the side room. As his hangover cleared, he sat on a small stool in the kitchen, sipping the hot sobering rice soup Li Mama brought him.
He needed to return to Jinjia Pass with Cui Xingzhou soon to hand over the transported provisions.
When Li Mama had gone to the main room earlier to deliver hot water for washing, Madam Liu had asked her to get a prescription for insomnia from Marquis Zhao for the Ninth Master. Seeing that the Marquis looked a bit better, Li Mama relayed the request.
However, after hearing this, Zhao Quan felt Li Mama was mocking him. He might not know everything, but Cui Jiu suffering from insomnia? He had never known his friend to have such an ailment. Unless… could it be that Cui Jiu had been so passionately active all night that he barely slept?
Such blissful news deliberately shared with him, a dejected man, was enough to end their friendship!
The doctor was so upset he couldn’t even eat breakfast. As he mounted his horse to leave, he shouted toward the main house, “Cui Jiu, I’ll wait for you at the main camp! And… be careful with your lack of restraint. You might exhaust yourself before middle age and lose all vigor in bed!”
Mian Tang, who was combing her hair, heard Zhao Quan’s jealous outburst but didn’t catch the innuendo. She thought Zhao meant her husband’s insomnia was severe and needed immediate treatment.
She turned to her husband worriedly and said, “What should we do? If what Mr. Zhao says is true, won’t you become… incapable?”
Cui Xingzhou, who was lying on the warm kang trying to catch up on sleep, slowly opened his eyes and smiled meaningfully at her words about his “incapability.” He said, “Once the war is over, I’ll show you just how capable I am…”
When it was fully light, Cui Xingzhou finally got up. Without even eating breakfast, he dressed and left for the main camp, still wearing his wide-brimmed hat.
Mian Tang leaned against the courtyard gate, watching her husband’s retreating figure with concern, still thinking about the doctor’s words.
No, she had to diligently study medical books to find out how to prepare a decoction for insomnia. Her husband was so young; how could he become exhausted and struggle in bed?
With this in mind, after finishing her meal, she tidied up and went to open the medicine shop.
Although the war had driven all the other doctors from town, making her Cui’s Pharmacy the only one left, her previous prescriptions had either been too strong or ineffective. Gradually, the townspeople realized that the beautiful proprietress was just for show – she seemed knowledgeable when discussing medical theory, but her actual prescriptions were dangerous! If you didn’t lose your liver and intestines after taking her medicine, you were lucky!
So while the pharmacy’s medicines were good, the owner wasn’t reliable. If you had your prescription, fine, but don’t expect her to prepare anything good for you.
As a result, unless it was an emergency, no one dared to let her prepare medicine. The shop remained quiet most of the time. But Mian Tang no longer cared about business. In these times of war, her initial intention was to provide convenience for the officials’ families and to help her husband.
Now that the carload of croton seeds she had procured had rendered such a great service for her husband, making money seemed less important.
So in the following days, when occasional customers came for medicine, she let the shop assistants handle it. The rest of the time, she sat at the counter, wholly focused on studying medical texts.
But the more she read, the more Mian Tang felt she wasn’t cut out to be a doctor. Comparing her husband’s symptoms with the medical books, he seemed to be suffering from deficiency insomnia rather than excess internal heat that needed release!
The amateur doctor grew increasingly uncertain. After a few more days, she became disheartened, losing her initial enthusiasm.
On this day, after several days of continuous snowfall, it finally stopped. She asked Fan Hu to lead some workers in clearing the snow from the shop’s entrance.
She put down her books, stretched her neck, and decided to prepare an invigorating medicinal tea for herself from the medicine cabinet.
Just then, the sound of carriage wheels approached. Mian Tang looked up to see a carriage stopping in front of the pharmacy.
An old woman rushed in, sweating profusely, and asked, “Where’s the doctor? Please come quickly to see my mistress. She… she’s having a difficult labor…”
Mian Tang hurriedly replied, “We don’t have a doctor here. Please go somewhere else quickly, so you don’t waste time…”
The old woman, seeing Mian Tang’s posture behind the medicine counter, assumed she was knowledgeable in medicine. She fell to her knees before Mian Tang and pleaded, “The heavy snow has blocked the roads these past few days. We can’t go too far, and we heard this is the only pharmacy open in the area. Please, young miss, lend a hand and save our mistress!”
Liu Mian Tang wasn’t unwilling to help, but she knew her limitations. If she took on this case, it would surely result in two deaths.
The urgent need was to find someone who truly understood medicine. Liu Mian Tang quickly walked to the carriage and lifted the curtain. Inside, there was indeed a young woman lying on bedding, her belly swollen high, moaning in pain.
Seeing this situation, Mian Tang hesitated no longer. She immediately called for an assistant to go to Jinjia Pass and fetch Mr. Zhao to save the woman.
If she remembered correctly, Zhao Quan had said that after handing over the provisions, he would return to Zhen Prefecture. Wuning Pass was on his route.
Since no caravans had passed through in the past few days, Liu Mian Tang was certain that Mr. Zhao hadn’t left yet. If heaven was merciful, they might even encounter Mr. Zhao on the road to Jinjia Pass!
The shop assistant was a former secret guard from North Street. Now working openly as a shop assistant while maintaining his covert role, he was naturally skilled in horsemanship. Upon receiving the order, he immediately mounted a horse and rode towards Jinjia Pass to fetch help.
Meanwhile, Mian Tang asked the old woman to help her mistress down from the carriage and into the back room of the pharmacy to rest.
The cold weather outside would be unbearable for a woman about to give birth.
Just then, perhaps due to the exertion, the pregnant woman grimaced in pain and involuntarily uttered a phrase. Mian Tang heard it clearly – it wasn’t in the Central Plains Han language, but vaguely resembled the language of the barbarians from beyond the border.
After the pregnant woman spoke, the color drained from the face of the old woman supporting her.
Her mistress was not a woman from the Central Plains, and it was precisely for this reason that experienced midwives were reluctant to help with the delivery.
Now, with the barbarians from beyond the border attacking cities and killing countless frontier people, the residents of these border towns and villages lived in fear of the barbarians, hating them bitterly.
So even if offered real gold and silver, most people wouldn’t want to help deliver a barbarian woman’s baby. Moreover, they didn’t have much money to spare, so in the end, only this old woman could assist her mistress in giving birth.
But this was the mistress’s first child, and whether due to a breech position or some other reason, they had struggled for a long time without the baby coming. The old woman had no other choice but to harness the horse and carriage to seek help.
Who would have thought that in her extreme pain, the mistress would involuntarily speak in the barbarian tongue? If the pharmacy owner drove them out now, what would they do?
Looking more closely at the pregnant woman, although she was quite delicate in appearance, her features were indeed somewhat different from Han people.
However, to the old woman’s surprise, after a moment’s pause, Mian Tang calmly led them into the back room to wait. She even thoughtfully brought the pregnant woman a bowl of brown sugar water to boost her energy.
The young woman, aware of her earlier slip, gave Mian Tang a grateful look before falling silent, biting her hand to endure the waves of contractions.
Mian Tang’s momentary surprise wasn’t due to aversion to the woman being a barbarian, but shock at realizing she could understand what the woman had said!
Mian Tang had no recollection of ever learning the barbarian language. Yet somehow, she clearly understood that the woman had said, “If I don’t make it…”
Mian Tang wondered if she was hearing things and hoped the woman would speak more.
Perhaps due to the intense pain, after enduring silently for a while, the woman began to writhe in agony again, speaking rapidly to the old woman in her language.
This time, Mian Tang understood clearly. With tears in her eyes, the woman said, “I can’t go on. Please, have someone cut open my belly. Perhaps my child will have a chance to live…”
It seemed the woman could no longer endure and only wanted to sacrifice herself to save her child.
The words were heartbreaking, bringing tears to one’s eyes. Mian Tang, deeply moved, suddenly replied, “Why give up so early? Be strong. The doctor will arrive soon, and he will surely ensure both mother and child are safe…”
After speaking, not only were the others stunned, but Mian Tang herself was astonished – how could she speak the foreign language so fluently?