Jinyi Spring

Chapter 138 Nephew and Uncle Meet
There wasn't a single tree in the courtyard; only the small windows of the main house and one of the side rooms emitted a dim yellow light.

Xiao Henian walked straight into the main room. To his surprise, not only was Ming Shanyue there, but also the Duke of Ming and the Imperial Son-in-Law Shangguan.

The three of them grew up together and were as close as siblings. But ever since the younger sister was betrothed to the then-crown prince, they had never spent time alone together again.

today……

Shangguan Yunqi spoke first, a faint smile playing on his lips, but a shadow of time passing in his eyes, "Twenty years have passed in a flash, time really flies."

Duke Ming raised his hand to indicate, "Henian, sit down and let's talk."

When Xiao Henian finished hearing Ming Shanyue recount that secret, he was struck dumb, sitting frozen in his chair, unable to recover for a long time. The next moment, he suddenly raised his hand to cover his face, letting out a muffled wail, tears streaming down his face from between his fingers.

"The child is still alive, the child is still alive..."

He murmured repeatedly, his voice broken and incoherent, "Poor child... Heaven has eyes, Heaven has eyes... Father, Mother, can your spirits hear me? My little sister didn't give birth to a monster, she gave birth to a beautiful little girl, she's alive... she's alive..."

Xiao Henian was incoherent, sometimes crying and sometimes complaining, like a child who had suddenly lost his support. The regret and pain that had been building up for half a lifetime were mixed together with the surging joy and hatred at this moment and poured out in one go.

He pounded his legs hard, crying out, "It's my fault, I'm useless! I couldn't protect my little sister, I couldn't protect my little niece... Xue is so wicked, she dares to persecute even members of the royal family like this..."

The Duke of Ming reached out and pressed heavily on his trembling shoulder, saying in a deep voice, "Good and evil will be rewarded in the end, and the cycle of karma is inevitable. The secret that Wen Qian revealed before his death is the beginning..."

Xiao Henian wiped his cheeks heavily with his sleeve, took a deep breath, and his voice was still choked with emotion:

"Thank you, Dr. Cai... I was wrong to blame her and scolded her for so many years. Thank you, Wang Tu, for all the suffering you've endured over the years. And we should thank Dr. Feng and Dr. Wang even more... They snatched the child back from the brink of death, taught her all her skills, and gave our Xiao family... a glimmer of hope."

He suddenly stood up, straightened his robes, and solemnly bowed deeply to Ming Shanyue: "The one I should thank the most is Lord Ming. If it weren't for your keen insight, your fearlessness in the face of power, and your determination to get to the bottom of this matter... this injustice that has been buried deep in the sea will probably never see the light of day again."

Ming Shanyue quickly clasped his hands in return, saying, "Lord Xiao, you flatter me. It's my duty, and I dare not accept your thanks."

Unable to contain himself any longer, Xiao Henian stepped forward, his eyes filled with eagerness: "When...when can I see that child?"

Ming Shanyue smiled and said, "I will arrange it as soon as possible."

A smile spread across Xiao Henian's eyes, as if a deep pool frozen for many years had suddenly been stirred by a spring breeze, shimmering with light. He couldn't help but ask again, "The child is almost sixteen, isn't he? Who... does he look like?"

Duke Mingguo laughed loudly. He had met both Miss Feng and the young Qingxin Fagu, and felt he was the most qualified to comment.

“His appearance is just like that of Qingxin Fagu when she was young,” he laughed, “and he also bears a resemblance to Prince Qin and Lord Xiao. As for that straightforward and resolute demeanor… he does resemble my mother somewhat.”

Shangguan Yunqi chimed in with a smile, "He's about this tall." He gestured with his hand, "He's a bit thin, but full of energy. Just standing there, he exudes a certain air of elegance."

Xiao Henian smiled, his eyes crinkling into crescents, his gaze sparkling. "Anything else? What's your personality like? Are you talkative?"

Ming Shanyue's lips unconsciously curled up as she continued, "She is quiet and doesn't talk much. She is kind and gentle, and seems to have some martial arts skills. She usually wears simple clothes and has a simple hairstyle. There is a red dot between her eyebrows that is particularly noticeable."

He paused, his tone softening almost imperceptibly, "As Lord Xiao knows, her medical skills are excellent; she is not only skilled in acupuncture but also in surgery. Her handwriting is neat, and her culinary skills seem quite good as well... As for the rest, Lord Xiao will naturally find out once he meets her."

Xiao Henian's gaze drifted aimlessly into the air, and based on the descriptions of the others, he gradually sketched out the image of a young woman in his mind. It was as if, at this moment, sixteen years of wind, snow, and gloom had finally cracked open, allowing genuine light to shine through.

After a long while, he suddenly remembered the key point he had overlooked—how Ming Shanyue deduced the child's true birth date.

Xiao Henian's expression turned serious as he looked at Ming Shanyue. "Does Lord Ming mean... that child is the 'destined one' you are in your life?"

Ming Shanyue's ears felt slightly hot, but she remained calm and met his gaze with composure.

"This junior dares not presume to say anything about 'destiny.' However, the mole under my eye did indeed turn from black to red because of her. Perhaps... she can truly resolve the calamity in my destiny. As for whether it is a predestined fate, I will have to wait until Master Yuhui returns to the capital to consult him before I can know."

Xiao Henian carefully examined the young man before him, a deep sense of satisfaction gradually rising in his eyes.

The Ming family elders are kind and benevolent, and many are known for their romantic nature. If the child himself is willing, it would be a wonderful story to see the unfinished marriage of the previous generation continue in this one. Moreover, in doing so, the Ming and Shangguan families would naturally be firmly bound together with Qin Shi Huang…

His undisguised satisfaction was clearly visible to everyone present.

The smile on the Duke of Ming's face deepened. Although Ming Shanyue tried her best to suppress it, the barely concealed glint in her eyes betrayed her thoughts.

A subtle feeling swept through Shangguan Yunqi's heart. The girl his silly son was still so hung up on was, ironically, his son's "destined one." Even without his own past with her, his son would have had no chance...

The group talked privately until late at night before leaving one by one.

That morning, Feng Chuchen was busy at the clinic.

A woman suffering from infertility, accompanied by her mother-in-law, came to the clinic, unable to hide her joy. "Dr. Feng, I haven't had my period for forty days."

Feng Chuchen examined her, a smile spreading across his face, and then had Banxia take her pulse.

Banxia took his pulse and smiled, "It's a slippery pulse, congratulations."

Feng Chuchen nodded.

The woman and her mother-in-law were overjoyed.

This is the third infertile woman that Tongji Women and Children's Hospital has successfully treated in the past few months.

The other patients' eyes shone with hope, feeling that they too had a chance.

The mother-in-law smiled and said, "Thank you, Dr. Feng, thank you, Dr. Feng! Dr. Feng is truly a goddess who grants children... Could you prescribe some medicine to help with the pregnancy?"

Feng Chuchen said, "My sister-in-law's pregnancy is very stable. All medicines have some side effects, so it's best to avoid taking them if possible."

At lunchtime, Mu Jin said, "I heard that the Yang family next door sold their house."

Banxia asked, puzzled, "Why would they sell the house?"

"It seems that Uncle Yang has landed a big business deal and needs to raise more money to buy more goods."

"Who did you sell it to?"

"I don't know."

Banxia said regretfully, "If we had known earlier, we should have bought it. With more and more women giving birth, we should have built a few more rooms."

Feng Chuchen also looked regretful. But inwardly she was pleased; Ming Shanyue and the others had done it quite quickly.

The Yang family moved out the next day. The new neighbors only did a simple cleaning and moved in three days later. It was a family of six: a husband and wife with three sons and a daughter. Feng Chuchen had already heard from Guo Hei that the man's name was Zheng Dashan. He had been Ming Shanyue's personal guard leader when Ming Shanyue was in Xiqing Prefecture. After returning to the capital, he did not show his face, but instead carried out secret missions.

Of the four children in the Zheng family, only their second son, Zheng Jiang, and youngest daughter, Zheng Hua, were their biological children. Their eldest son, Zheng Hai, and third son, Zheng He, were soldiers transferred from other places by Ming Shanyue.

Zheng Shuming's real identity was that of a porter. He had saved some money and was no longer willing to work hard, so he rented a shop on Beifu Street to sell candles.

On the afternoon of the day they moved in, Aunt Zheng took her young daughter Zheng Hua and carried homemade steamed brown sugar rice cakes to visit the neighbors, giving four to each family.

The Feng family has many members, so they sent ten.

Aunt Zheng was nearly forty, tall and robust, and very eloquent. Knowing that she couldn't possibly be worthy of Dr. Feng, she tried to get closer to Aunt Wang and the other servants.

She took Aunt Wang's hand and laughed, "Oh my, we'll be neighbors from now on, please take good care of me. I heard there's a clinic next door, I'm so happy! If I'm ever sick, I can just walk over there, it'll be so convenient. Don't let my strong appearance fool you, I'm actually quite weak..."

Zheng Hua was ten years old. As soon as she arrived, she started talking with several girls of similar age, including Mu Jin and Du Juan.

As June arrived, the weather became even hotter, the ground felt like a steamer, and even the cicadas in the trees seemed to be singing listlessly.

What Feng Buji liked to do most was to hold his sister's hand or put his arm around her.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, Guo Hei came over and whispered that Xue Yan'er's confinement period had ended yesterday, and the Empress Dowager had bestowed a marriage upon her.

Guo Hei laughed heartily, "Miss Xue is determined to find a handsome man. First, it was my master, then it was Young Master Shangguan. He Er is big and strong, not her type at all. But the Xue family is in a hurry to marry her off, and they don't care whether she wants to or not. Humph, one of them has a sharp tongue and the other has a sharp hand. It would be best to beat one of them to death."

Feng Chuchen asked, "What does the He family do?"

Guo Hei said, "Lord He is the Earl of Qingchang, a title that has been passed down for three generations, and there will be no next generation. In his family, only Earl He has become the deputy commander; all the other men are below the fourth rank."

"Miss Xue is getting old and has a bad reputation, so no good young man is willing to marry her. The Empress Dowager is kind and will consult with both families before granting a marriage, and will only grant the marriage if both families agree. I heard that she has consulted several families, and only the He family has agreed."

Feng Chuchen had heard many comments about Empress Dowager Xue, all of which were full of praise. However, because her surname was Xue and she was Consort Xue's aunt, her impression of her was never very good.

However, when it comes to the matter of bestowing a marriage, they are relatively lenient and reasonable.

Thinking of Shangguan Ruyu, I hope he can marry a good girl.

That afternoon, three people were receiving acupuncture in Feng Chuchen's clinic, while three more people were waiting in line outside.

Every time they saw a doctor, Banxia would take the pulse first and explain her thoughts, then Feng Chuchen would take the pulse and explain. Banxia would also write the prescription first, and then Feng Chuchen would make modifications.

She would not administer acupuncture to the same patient consecutively; instead, she would administer Banxia acupuncture for two days and then administer it to her for one day.

Feng Chuchen's "outpatient consultation fee" has risen to three taels of silver, and the fee for a home visit is five taels of silver. He is on par with Dr. Fang and belongs to the expert clinic of his previous life; otherwise, there would be even more people.

Peony came over and whispered in her ear, "Miss, we have guests at home."

Feng Chuchen gave Banxia a few instructions, then got up and went to the house.

Guo Hei stood in the courtyard and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "The master has arranged for you to go to the next room."

Then the volume increased, "The old lady has a bit of heatstroke and keeps saying she's most satisfied with the prescription written by Doctor Feng. Please prescribe two doses of medicine."

Feng Chuchen knew that she was about to meet her maternal uncle in this life. Guo Hei had previously hinted that they would meet at the Zheng family home.

Her heart was churning, but she suppressed her emotions and said, "I'll open it right away, Mr. Guo, please come inside."

Peony quickly followed and went in to pour tea.

Feng Chuchen picked up his pen and wrote out a prescription, saying, "Peony, go to the pharmacy and get three doses. Master Guo, please wait a little longer. I'll have Aunt Wu make a pot of cooling soup for the old lady, and then have Peony mix a bowl of cold jelly to take back as a tribute to the old Duke."

As she spoke, she raised her hand to tidy her hair and then took off her "work clothes." Today she was wearing a casual, slightly worn light green dress, and there was no time to change.

Zheng Hua suddenly ran over, "Sister Feng, please go and see my mother quickly, she suddenly said she feels dizzy and can't open her eyes..."

Feng Chuchen picked up the medicine box and said, "Don't worry, it might be heatstroke. I'll go take a look."

Mu Jin wanted to go with him, but Feng Chuchen said, "I can go by myself. You go help in the kitchen."

As soon as Feng Chuchen entered the Zheng family home, Zheng He blocked Zheng Hua, who was about to follow him in, and gave her a silver coin, saying, "Go to the pastry shop next to our family's shop and buy a pound of cold rice cake. Mother wants to eat cold rice cake."

Then he closed the courtyard gate and stood warily behind it.

An ordinary horse-drawn carriage was parked in the courtyard. Song Xian, wearing a straw hat, stood beside the carriage and took the medicine box from Feng Chuchen.

Ming Shanyue, dressed in casual blue clothes, stood under the eaves with a smile on his lips. He nodded first, then gestured with his eyes, indicating that the person was inside.

The door to the upper room was half open, revealing a glimpse of deep blue.

Feng Chuchen took a deep breath and walked towards the door.

Xiao Henian, dressed in a plain blue robe, had completely lost his usual composure. He stood in the center of the room, his gaze fixed on the approaching figure outside the door, holding his breath.

The door was pushed open, and the moment light flooded in, their eyes met.

Tears welled up in Xiao Henian's eyes. This child looked so much like his younger sister when she was young. His throat felt like it was blocked by something, and after several trembling movements, he managed to squeeze out a few trembling words, "Child, Chen'er."

Feng Chuchen's steps suddenly stopped in place.

Looking at that face that vaguely resembled her uncle from her previous life, yet was now filled with excitement and pain, a surge of emotion mixed with bitterness, grievance, and inexplicable intimacy rushed into her heart, making her nose sting and her eyes well up with tears.

She bowed deeply, her voice choked with emotion, "Uncle."

Xiao Henian took two steps forward, supported her arm, and looked her up, down, left, and right.

She choked up as she said, "So alike, so alike... Your uncle is so sorry. He was waiting outside the delivery room, and you were switched by bad people and have been wandering around all these years."

Ming Shanyue walked to the door and whispered, "Lord Xiao, Miss Feng, please sit down and have a talk."

The two then sat down on two chairs placed side by side.

Ming Shanyue closed the door and stood silently outside.