A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

Chapter 303 Lord Tang's Inner Curve

Nie Qianqian gently explained her purpose: "I am a neighbor from the next courtyard, you can just call me Qianqian. This afternoon I happened to hear that Madam had caught a cold, and since my family made some chicken soup today, thinking it would help to dispel the cold and nourish the body, I specially brought some over. I hope Madam will not find it offensive." As she spoke, she handed over the earthenware pot in her hand.

Qiu Niang quickly took the earthenware pot. It was warm to the touch, and a rich aroma instantly filled her nostrils. She smiled and replied, "You're too kind, young lady. Please come in and have a cup of tea."

Nie Qianqian waved her hand: "No need, they're waiting for dinner at home, so I won't go in and disturb them. The chicken soup is best enjoyed hot, please pass it on to them." After saying that, she turned and went back to her own courtyard.

Qiu Niang carried the earthenware pot back into the house and reported Nie Qianqian's purpose to Wei Susu: "Madam, it's chicken soup brought by the neighbor we met this afternoon. She said her name is Nie Qianqian. She heard that you caught a cold, so she specially stewed it and brought it to you to ward off the cold."

Wei Susu was getting a little hungry from the aroma that had been wafting around for so long, and to her surprise, her neighbor was so thoughtful that she actually brought over some chicken soup.

She was always self-disciplined and strictly adhered to the rule of not eating after dinner, but today, smelling the rich aroma wafting from the earthenware pot, she couldn't resist and said to Qiu Niang, "Quickly, serve it out and let me see."

Qiu Niang quickly ladled out the chicken soup and served a bowl each to Wei Susu and Jiang Lingyang.

The soup is clear and bright, with a thin layer of chicken oil floating on top, but it is not greasy at all.

Wei Susu picked up the bowl, took a sip, and felt the warm chicken soup slide down her throat. A warm current instantly spread throughout her body, making her feel cozy and dispelling much of the chill.

The flavor was fresh but not greasy, with the natural sweetness of the chicken and a hint of dried tangerine peel, which neutralized the greasiness. It was a pure and delicious taste she had never experienced before.

After finishing a bowl, Jiang Lingyang couldn't help but exclaim, "This chicken soup is truly delicious! I've eaten countless delicacies in the capital, and even the imperial chefs couldn't match this, but I've never tasted such pure and delicious flavor. Could our neighbor be a hidden master chef?"

Seeing that the two were drinking happily, Qiu Niang also laughed and said, "That Miss Nie is extremely beautiful, and coincidentally, she looks quite similar to Madam, especially her eyes, which are remarkably alike."

Wei Susu paused in her spoonful of food, then looked up at Qiu Niang: "How similar are they?"

Qiu Niang nodded and recalled carefully, "Yes, I felt it at first glance. They are both so bright and spirited, but the young lady's appearance is more radiant, while the madam's is more gentle and graceful."

Wei Susu smiled and continued drinking the chicken soup, but a thought flashed through her mind, which she then dismissed.

There's no such thing as a coincidence in the world; there are plenty of people who look alike.

For some reason, recalling the girl's cheerful manner and her thoughtfulness at this moment, she felt a strange sense of warmth.

It had only been a few days since Jiang Lingyang returned to Beijing. During these days, he had been staying in Haitang Hutong, focusing on accompanying Wei Susu to recuperate.

Jiang Muxin and Jiang Zheng'an also frequently took time to visit, showing concern and care.

During this time, Nie Qianqian happened to encounter a difficult patient, so she stayed at Jishetang in the provincial capital for a few days and did not run into the Jiang family again.

Gu Xiao, Jiang Wenxuan, and Tang Yu were completely focused on their exams, studying diligently behind closed doors and rarely leaving their rooms, so they naturally had no chance to meet them.

Jiang Lingyang had run into Jiang Botao and Sun several times in the alley.

Judging from Jiang Botao's clothes and appearance, he knew that he was a businessman.

Although her clothes were somewhat flamboyant, adorned with some eye-catching patterns, and she wore a gold hairpin, her face was very kind.

Recalling the thoughtful gesture of delivering chicken soup the other day, Jiang Lingyang thought to himself that it was a good thing for Wei Susu to be neighbors with such a family.

During Jiang Lingyang's stay in the provincial capital, his identity had already been thoroughly investigated by the prominent figures in the city.

Some people also know that the young lady who accompanied him was Jiang Muxin, a renowned and talented woman in the capital.

Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but her talent was also on par with that of men, even surpassing many well-read scholars preparing for the imperial examinations.

For a time, people flocked to the governor's mansion to present their visiting cards and to pay their respects, a trend that never ceased.

Everyone brought carefully prepared gifts, hoping not only to catch a glimpse of Jiang Muxin's beauty but also to leave a good impression on this talented woman from the capital.

However, Jiang Muxin rejected all these visits, saying that her mother was seriously ill and she had no heart to entertain guests.

Although she did not meet anyone, Jiang Muxin occasionally composed a poem.

Her poems quickly circulated among the literary circles of the provincial capital. Their elegant language and profound imagery made her reputation even more renowned.

Many talented young men frequented the governor's mansion every day. Even if they couldn't see Jiang Muxin in person, they were content just to catch a glimpse of her carriage from afar.

That day, Huan'er accompanied Jiang Muxin back to the governor's mansion from the villa outside the city, where they encountered several young masters who came to request an audience.

Huan'er, familiar with the etiquette, politely declined on Jiang Muxin's behalf. Upon returning home, she saw a slight smile on Jiang Muxin's lips, clearly in a good mood, and flattered her:

"Although Miss is not in the capital this time, her talent has already spread throughout Jining Prefecture. I heard that many young men have spent a fortune to buy famous paintings and rare jewelry in order to win her favor."

Jiang Muxin picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and said calmly, "They're just external things, why would I care about them?"

“Of course!” Huan’er quickly chimed in, “Miss is not such a vulgar person, why would she care about these things? Unlike some merchant women, who deal with money all day long and are full of mercenary air.”

Huan'er knew perfectly well why her mistress had been in a bad mood a few days ago; it was simply because she had seen that woman, whose appearance was even more stunning, in Haitang Hutong.

Although the woman was simply dressed, she was strikingly beautiful, like an unpolished, dazzling pearl, subtly overshadowing the young lady. No wonder the young lady harbored resentment.

She changed the subject and continued, "Take that woman in Haitang Hutong for example. Although she is not bad looking, in terms of dress, temperament, talent, reputation, and status, she is worlds apart from you, Miss. She is simply incomparable. She looks like a vulgar and shallow person."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Muxin's lips curled into a faint sneer.

Yes, so what if that woman is beautiful?

She came from a humble background, and her mother was divorced. She had a beautiful face but didn't know how to use her beauty to climb the social ladder. In the end, she was just a merchant's daughter and was not worthy of being compared to her.

She has important matters to attend to now and is too lazy to bother with such a woman, but if she were to meet her again in the capital one day, she would definitely make her see the huge gap in their social status.

She was about to return to the capital to discuss marriage with Chu Shaoyang, and her future was bright. Why would she get entangled with these unimportant people?

A few days later, Jiang Lingyang, along with Jiang Muxin, Jiang Zheng'an, and their entourage, officially set off back to Beijing.

With Wei Susu fully recovered, Jiang Lingyang felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. However, there were still many matters in the capital that needed to be addressed.

Firstly, he needed to plan for Jiang Muxin's marriage, and secondly, he needed to submit a memorial to the emperor, requesting to formally retire and return to his hometown.

The group arrived in a grand procession and left with gongs and drums, attracting crowds of onlookers along the way.

The carriage slowly drove out of the city. Jiang Muxin lifted a corner of the curtain and watched the streets of the provincial capital gradually disappear into the distance, without much lingering attachment in her heart.

For her, this place was merely a place she had no choice but to come to, while her future in the capital had already been paved with a smooth road leading to the clouds.

Whether it's Nie Qianqian or Gu Xiao, who captivated her at first sight, they will likely spend their entire lives in this provincial capital and never see each other again.

When Jiang Lingyang left the provincial capital, Tang Jincheng, as the prefect of Jining Prefecture, naturally led a group of officials to see him off.

After seeing Jiang Lingyang and his entourage off, Tang Jincheng finally breathed a long sigh of relief. He had just been promoted to prefect and had countless affairs to handle, keeping him extremely busy. The arrival of Jiang Lingyang, a high-ranking official from the capital, made things even more hectic, working day and night.

He hadn't seen his son Tang Yu for some time, and today he finally had some free time, so he changed out of his official robes, took a few attendants, and went straight to Haitang Hutong.

After Nie Qianqian and the others moved to Haitang Hutong, they had already written to Tang Jincheng to inform him. Unfortunately, he was too busy with official duties to even make the trip to congratulate them on the move.

Thinking of his son, Tang Jincheng was filled with guilt.

Since donning official robes ten years ago, rising from a mere scholar to the current prefect, he believes he has lived up to the court's salary and the expectations of the common people. However, he feels he owes Tang Yu far too much.

Over the past decade, he has devoted most of his energy to official duties, leaving him with very little time to spend with his son.

Sometimes, Tang Jincheng would also fall into deep torment: Why must he always have to make choices between family and career in order to realize his ideals and ambitions? Why is it so difficult to balance accompanying his children's growth and fulfilling his own aspirations?

He gazed ahead in the direction of Haitang Hutong, his heart filled with complex emotions, and his steps unconsciously slowed down.

With a heavy and uneasy feeling, Tang Jincheng walked into the courtyard, but he did not expect the atmosphere inside to be much more lively and harmonious than he had imagined.

Gu Xiao, Jiang Wenxuan, and Tang Yu had just finished lunch and were preparing to stretch their muscles during their lunch break.

Gu Xiao has developed a habit of practicing martial arts in the afternoons recently, and he is currently preparing to practice a set of Shaoyang Fist. This set of fist movements is gentle and moderate, which can strengthen the body and not consume too much mental energy, making it very suitable for practicing during breaks from exam preparation.

Tang Yu and Jiang Wenxuan had already experienced the benefits of practicing Baduanjin and strengthening their bodies. Now, seeing this, they stood still with Gu Xiao and began to imitate his moves.

As soon as Tang Jincheng stepped into the courtyard, this was the scene he saw: three people standing side by side, their figures upright.

Gu Xiao's movements were fluid and graceful, each move powerful and expansive, displaying the agility of a young man; Jiang Wenxuan learned diligently, striving for perfection in every movement; Tang Yu's movements, though slightly clumsy and not as free as Gu Xiao's, were still quite impressive, his expression focused, showing no trace of his usual dullness from burying himself in books.

In his memory, Tang Yu always believed that "all other pursuits are inferior, only studying is superior," and always thought that exercising was a waste of time, and he always looked down on these things.

Now that he could actually learn martial arts from his classmates, Tang Jincheng felt an indescribable sense of comfort, and most of his previous heaviness dissipated.

He smiled and summoned his attendant, Afu, who brought out the tonics he had brought: lotus seeds and lily bulbs to nourish the mind, donkey-hide gelatin and red dates to replenish qi and blood, and top-quality tea to refresh the mind. The packages were piled up in a small heap, and it was clear that he had put a lot of thought into selecting them, which must have cost him a considerable amount of his salary.

Tang Yu caught sight of his father, and a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. However, he maintained his composure and respectfully bowed to Tang Jincheng, saying softly, "Father, you've come."

Gu Xiao and Jiang Wenxuan also quickly stopped what they were doing, cupped their hands in greeting, and said, "Lord Tang."

Tang Jincheng smiled and waved his hand, his tone gentle: "No need for formalities, please continue. I just came to take a look."

Nie Qianqian was not home at the moment, so Gu Xiao, as the host, took the initiative to invite Lord Tang into the house for tea. He skillfully boiled water and brewed tea, making a pot of mellow pre-Qingming Longjing for Tang Jincheng. The four of them then sat around the octagonal table in the hall and slowly savored the tea.

After a few casual words, Tang Jincheng naturally inquired about the three's exam preparation, his gaze especially falling on Tang Yu, and he asked softly, "Yu'er, have you been settling in well here? Is your exam preparation progressing smoothly?"

Tang Yu has always been shy, especially in front of elders, and usually he would just lower his head and say a few words to avoid the question. But to Tang Jincheng's surprise, this time he raised his head and spoke clearly and logically, without the slightest bit of unease.

He described in detail the three of them's daily study habits: practicing Baduanjin for half an hour every morning, focusing on classical texts and policy essays in the morning, taking a short rest in the afternoon before discussing difficult problems together, and reviewing what they had learned that day in the evening. He also talked about what they had gained during this period, speaking with sincerity, saying that he had learned a lot of study methods and approaches from Gu Xiao, and that he had now become close friends with Gu Xiao and Jiang Wenxuan.

"...Thanks to my father for letting me come to the provincial capital to prepare for the exam, I was able to study with Brother Gu and Wenxuan, and I have gained a lot." Tang Yu finished speaking and nodded slightly, his tone sincere.

Tang Jincheng stared at his son, who was speaking eloquently, and his mouth dropped open slightly, almost unable to believe his ears.

Is this still his shy and reserved son who blushes easily and doesn't dare to speak loudly?

In just ten short days, he has become so generous and composed, and even his expression is so clear and fluent.

He looked at his son's slightly thin face, his voice softening, and said with a hint of apology, "Yu'er, I've been so sorry for you lately. I was just transferred to the provincial capital, and the affairs I've taken on are very complicated. To make matters worse, several counties in the east have been hit by disasters, resulting in a sharp drop in harvests and famine. These days, I've been busy researching disaster relief matters, and tomorrow we'll be opening soup kitchens to help the disaster victims in the surrounding areas. I really haven't been able to find the time to come see you. I hope you can understand."

He paused, his eyes filled with guilt towards his son: "I should have spent more time with you during this crucial time of your exam preparation, but I left you here alone. I'm sorry for making you suffer."