Chapter 85 — Ji Yong

In the Green Shade Pavilion, not only had everyone of the Chang generation then at home arrived, but all those of the Qi generation as well who were studying at the clan school, separated by a twelve-panel black-lacquered screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The women sat in the small hall to the west; Ji Yong, accompanied by Dou Yuchang, sat with the others in the great hall to the east. No sooner were the hot dishes served than praise of Ji Yong came drifting ceaselessly into the western hall. By comparison, Wu Shan's first place in the provincial examination seemed to grow light as thistledown, not worth the mention.

Old Mrs. Wu and her daughter were present too. Showing nothing in her face, she quietly questioned the Second Young Madam Yu about Ji Yong, and upon learning that Ji Yong had passed the provincial examination as its highest scorer at the age of thirteen, she could not help but regard him with new eyes. When Ji Yong came over to toast them and the gathered ladies praised his outstanding talent and appearance, she smiled and glanced at her daughter, then asked Madam Ji, who sat at the same table, with curiosity, "With such talent and such looks, I fear the matchmakers have worn the threshold thin."

Madam Ji, beaming with shared pride as she watched the Second Old Madam cling to Ji Yong and refuse to let him go, chuckled and said, "Our grandfather does not wish to see Ming marry so early"—a tactful admission that many had come to arrange matches for Ji Yong.

The others nodded one after another.

The Third Young Madam Xiu went further: "A talent like that—even if it were left to dull-witted me, I would still take pains to find him a fine match."

Everyone laughed, and the conversation turned to the newly married Madam Qi.

She was the wife of Dou Yan. Her father, Qi Baocheng, was a great landowner in neighboring Quyang County and a fellow student and close friend of Dou Xiuchang. The family had produced several xiucai, so it could count as a household of scholars who also farmed.

Madam Qi was fair of face and gentle of temper; from the day she entered the household she had helped the Third Young Madam Xiu manage the younger brothers and sisters, showing something of the elder sister-in-law's manner, and had won unanimous praise from the family elders. She had a younger sister five years her junior, who on a former visit had caught the eye of the Fifth Young Madam Guang, who wished to arrange a match for a nephew of her own natal family; at this, there was no end of questions.

Old Mrs. Wu sat quietly to one side drinking tea; watching Ji Yong's retreating figure as he left the western hall, her eyes dimmed slightly, and she gave a soft sigh.

Dou Yan saw it, and said nothing.

Over the following days, the brothers Dou Yong and Dou Huaide took Ji Yong all over Zhending County.

Dou Fan, full of worry, stayed at home tending to her grandmother's medicinal broth—somehow the old lady had caught a chill and was coughing badly, and even after several doses of medicine there was no improvement.

When word of this reached the East Dou branch, they all came to inquire after her.

Madam Ji brought Ji Yong along as well.

"He knows a little of medicine," she explained. "Let him feel Aunt Cui's pulse, so we may set our minds at ease."

Dou Yan nodded again and again and invited Madam Ji and her nephew into their grandmother's inner chamber.

Ji Yong took the old lady's pulse and looked over the prescriptions several physicians had written. He smiled. "Nothing serious—just an ordinary chill. A few doses to bring on a sweat and she will be well. You were too anxious: no sooner had this physician's medicine been taken twice without improvement than another was called in, and it is that which has delayed the old lady's recovery. The prescription this physician has written now is a good one; a few doses according to it and she should be cured."

Grandmother, confined to bed by Dou Yan and made to rest, had not risen for several days, and her limbs had grown stiff. Hearing Ji Yong's words, she joked with Madam Ji, "I told them I was fine, but Shouyuan would not believe it. I see that is how the old ladies of rich families are worn away to nothing."

Everyone laughed heartily.

Dou Yan was covered with shame.

She had been anxious all along about her grandmother's span of life.

But this was a thing she could not tell anyone.

She lowered her eyes.

Then Ji Yong said, "Cousin, the decocting of medicine takes no little skill. Let me brew a dose for Aunt Cui, and you send a young maid to watch; hereafter she may prepare the old lady's medicine just as I show her."

The Dou family were no newly risen richfolk—how could they not know how to decoct medicine?

But Ji Yong had already spoken, and she was too embarrassed to contradict him outright; besides, Ji Yong was a guest who had come out of regard for them to feel Aunt Cui's pulse, and could not be treated as an ordinary physician. Though he said it would suffice to send a maid to watch, how could she really send only a maid? Dou Yan had no choice but to accompany him in person to the small side room where the medicine was brewed.

Once inside the side room, however, Ji Yong came to a stop.

Gently he asked Dou Yan, "I saw just now that you were on the verge of speaking and then held back—is there something you cannot say before my aunt and Aunt Cui?"

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Sisters who are reading, this month has only twenty-eight days, and with three days left, I beg for your pink tickets...

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