"Cai Qing, go tell Ling Muzhu that I'll take him to the market this afternoon."
"Yes, Young Madam."
Feng Jin had already devised a plan to deal with Ling Muzhu. Teaching a brat a lesson, how difficult could that be?
...
In the afternoon, Ling Muzhu appeared before Feng Jin, looking extremely reluctant. He stood there dejectedly, not uttering a single word.
"What, have you stuffed all your sage books into a dog's belly? I am your elder sister-in-law, and you haven't said a word upon meeting me."
Feng Jin took a gentle sip of tea, her tone conveying displeasure.
"Greetings, Elder Sister-in-law." Ling Muzhu called out, filled with resentment.
Putting down the white glazed teacup, Feng Jin slowly stood up and walked to Ling Muzhu's side, speaking in a calm voice, "Since Grandfather has asked me to guide you, I will teach you something today. Even if the person before you is your enemy, as long as you are not capable of defeating him, you must greet him with a smile and not let him see even a trace of hatred. Only then can you succeed."
Ling Muzhu's expression changed. He looked at Feng Jin in disbelief. Could she really be so kind? Yet, he nodded in agreement, as no one had ever taught him such things before.
"Let's go, I'll take you out today."
Feng Jin stood up and walked out. The carriage had been waiting outside for a long time.
"Elder Sister-in-law, you're finally here!" Ling Wan had been waiting in the carriage for a long time and was relieved to finally see her.
When Ling Wan's gaze fell upon Ling Muzhu, her expression gradually dimmed.
"How were you taught? Don't you know how to greet people?" Feng Jin said sternly.
"Sister, I am well." Ling Muzhu said softly, then lowered his head. Ling Wan was only a few months older than him, but from childhood, he had subconsciously understood that children of concubines were not as noble as he was.
Therefore, he had always looked down on Ling Wan and had never called her sister.
Ling Wan had suffered much humiliation from the second branch in the past and harbored deep resentment towards them. However, this time, Ling Muzhu had taken the initiative to call her sister, and she nodded in agreement.
"That's right. You must learn to be courteous and polite from now on. Time is getting late, everyone get into the carriage."
Feng Jin boarded the carriage first, followed by the others in succession.
The carriage was not very spacious, but it was just enough to fit the four of them. Ling Muzhu was squeezed to the side.
Along the way, Ling Wan chatted incessantly with Feng Jin, while Cai Qing ate pastries nearby, occasionally chiming in. Ling Muzhu, on the other hand, kept his head down, appearing somewhat out of place.
Upon arrival, Feng Jin and her entourage alighted from the carriage.
Feng Jin stepped into the house and, looking at the well-prepared rooms, a smile played on her lips. "These workers are quite fast. To achieve this in such a short time is truly impressive."
"Young Madam, I hired the best carpentry team in the entire capital. These cabinets, tables, and chairs were all built according to your drawings."
Cai Qing stepped forward and explained, "Your drawings were very unique, Young Madam. We had to search the entire capital to find a carpentry team willing to take on this job. And their price was more than double that of others."
"Pay them the remaining balance and add another twenty taels of silver."
It wasn't that Feng Jin was ostentatiously wealthy and had nowhere to spend her money. It was mainly because the craftsmanship was indeed excellent, and there would undoubtedly be many opportunities for future collaboration. Paying a little extra now would facilitate future partnerships.
All the equipment for the clinic was ready; all that was needed was to find an auspicious day to open.
Feng Jin flipped through the almanac and found that the sixteenth of this month was a good day.
"Cai Qing, post a notice announcing that this clinic will open on the sixteenth. We will offer free consultations for three days upon opening, and all medicinal ingredients will be half-price."
She needed to establish a reputation first, not to mention her uniquely formulated Clear Wind Jade Dew Paste, an excellent medicine for healing wounds and fading scars.
"I understand, Young Madam."
"Ling Muzhu, go and sort the medicinal ingredients in the backyard into categories and put them into the medicine cabinets."
Feng Jin had brought Ling Muzhu out this time specifically for him to work. She didn't trust him with other tasks, so she assigned him this simple job, which anyone who could read and had a functioning brain could accomplish.
This time, Ling Muzhu surprisingly did not argue with Feng Jin and obediently began sorting the medicinal ingredients.
After he finished, Ling Muzhu was drenched in sweat, his clothes clinging to him. He sat on a chair, gasping for breath. He had never even moved a stool with his own hands since he was young. Doing this kind of work felt like it had taken half his life.
"Here, wipe your face." Feng Jin handed a clean towel to Ling Muzhu. She had inspected the medicine cabinets earlier and found that he had indeed done a good job, organizing everything meticulously without a single error.
She had not expected Ling Muzhu to be so meticulous when it came to work. It seemed he wasn't entirely without merit. "Cai Qing made some hawthorn water to relieve heat and stimulate the appetite. Drink some before we eat later."
"Understood." Ling Muzhu responded listlessly. He scooped a bowl of hawthorn water and gulped it down. Still feeling unsatisfied, he drank another bowl. When he reached for a third, Feng Jin stopped him.
"Hawthorn water is cooling. You were sweating profusely just now. Drinking too much might cause gastrointestinal discomfort. If you are thirsty, drink some hot water to warm your stomach."
If he drank too much and his stomach felt unwell, he would blame her for poisoning him again.
Ling Muzhu held the bowl, unsure whether to put it down or not. He stood there for a long time with the bowl in hand.
Seeing this, Cai Qing couldn't bear it any longer. She reached out, took the bowl from Ling Muzhu, and poured him a cup of hot tea. "Young Master Cousin, drink some tea first. Drinking too much hawthorn water might cause stomach discomfort."
This Young Master Cousin, who had previously appeared so arrogant and willful, seemed somewhat clumsy and adorable when dealing with the Young Madam.
Ling Muzhu held the teacup and drank continuously. After finishing a pot of tea, the dryness in his mouth was greatly alleviated.
"Elder Sister-in-law, this medical book... can I take a look at it?" Ling Wan said hesitantly.
Feng Jin, who had been looking at the medical book, raised her head upon hearing Ling Wan's words. "You're interested in medical books?"
Ling Wan quickly nodded. "I once found a copy of 'The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine' and found it very interesting. So, I wanted to ask you for a medical book to read."
"Then do you know what a 'xu mai' (vacuous pulse) is according to 'The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine'?"
"'Xu mai' looks weak, with no root or foundation; it is floating and soft. A vacuous pulse with body heat indicates heatstroke. Qi deficiency and a weakened constitution lead to a lack of strength."
Feng Jin showed a hint of surprise as Ling Wan recited the answer fluently. Ancient wisdom stated that a woman's lack of talent was a virtue, and it was rare for a woman like Ling Wan to understand medical texts.
"Elder Sister-in-law, did I say something wrong?" Seeing Feng Jin's prolonged silence, Ling Wan asked somewhat nervously.
Feng Jin returned to her senses and smiled. "You said it word for word. I am simply surprised that you can understand medical books."
"I usually flip through medical books when I have nothing to do. Over time, I've managed to remember some of it."