Farmhouse Green Plum

Chapter 545 Attending the Banquet

In the past, she was also an apprentice of her master, but in the eyes of people like Shun'an County Master, she was just a doctor with great medical skills. When they met her, they would politely say that she was like their own granddaughter or niece, but they actually did not recognize her in their hearts.

Now that she was engaged to Yuan Qing, they thought she was someone worth making friends with, so they began to use this relationship to get around.

Thinking deeper, it also shows that although Lady Shun'an said on the surface that she and the master were sisters, in fact, in their hearts, the master was of a lower level, so they never had the intention of taking the initiative to interact with each other during the previous New Year holidays.

Perhaps, in the past, when she and her senior brother came to the mansion to kowtow and pay their respects during festivals, in the eyes of County Lady Shunan, it was probably the same as the sons and grandsons of the respectable stewards in the mansion coming to kowtow and pay their respects.

Song Ying curled his lips and said self-deprecatingly, "I didn't expect that my status would be improved by getting engaged."

Doctor Lin also sighed. No matter how skilled a doctor was, he was still just a doctor in the eyes of the powerful. Even if he became an imperial physician, he could still be a pawn that could be easily killed.

If it happened to an official with real power, would the late emperor dare to frame the three Jiang clans based on a flawed accusation?

Soon, it was the fifth day of October, the birthday of Princess Shunan.

You couldn't tell what was happening from the outside, but the Shen Mansion was bustling with activity. When Song Ying arrived, the house was full of people, even more lively than usual during the holidays.

The Lady of Shun'an County was wearing an ochre-colored jacket with a ruyi-collared buttoned pattern, paired with a horse-faced skirt of the same color. The soft satin with a dark pattern of the Chinese character for "Fu" was embroidered with pine and cranes, symbols of longevity. Her half-black, half-white hair was combed neatly and fixed with a turquoise headband.

Perhaps it was because she was in high spirits due to happy events, or perhaps it was because her daughters and granddaughters had returned home and the lively family reunion made her look much better, and she seemed calm and kind.

Next to her sat a plump woman who was a little older than Song Ying had ever seen before. Her features bore some resemblance to those of the Princess Shun'an, so she must be the Princess Shun'an's daughter.

Song Ying quickly glanced around the room and saw several unfamiliar faces. The young women were naturally the aunts of the family, and the unmarried boys and girls were probably the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-granddaughters who had come back with their mother to celebrate her birthday.

Song Ying kowtowed and said a series of auspicious birthday wishes, and the maid handed him the birthday gift.

Princess Shun'an looked at the graceful yellow and purple-spotted Jianlan flowers and the vibrant young golden osmanthus seedlings in the moon-white glazed basin and smiled, "This child is born to be a doctor. Look, her mind is different from other girls. She is devoted to these flowers and plants."

The eldest wife of the Shen family agreed with a smile: "But it has to be the same, otherwise how can you be a miracle doctor?"

"A miracle doctor?" Several married women from the Shen family in the room couldn't help but look at Song Ying. "Could this sister be Doctor Lin's apprentice?"

The Shunan County Lady nodded, "Indeed, she is very clever. She has studied under Lu Xi for a few years and is now a well-known doctor in Shunqing Prefecture. She has cured many difficult and complicated diseases that others cannot treat."

Several young ladies were extremely surprised. Although the girl's dress was different from that of other maids in the mansion, she was simple and beautiful, and obviously not a daughter of an official. So they thought she was a newly promoted respectable maid in the mansion. In order to gain respect in front of her grandmother, it was natural that her dress was slightly different from others.

I didn't expect that he was Dr. Lin's apprentice! Didn't she refuse to accept apprentices?

At the beginning, my grandmother wanted my seventh sister to become Dr. Lin's disciple, but as soon as she mentioned it tactfully, she refused.

There is also Miss Qing, who is in charge of her grandmother's medicinal food in the capital, and has always wanted to become Doctor Lin's apprentice. Although Doctor Lin is very satisfied with this medicine girl and is willing to teach her some medical skills, he has never agreed to accept her as a disciple. How could he accept an apprentice here?

The ladies exchanged a glance, their surprise quickly subsided, and one of them said with a smile, "A good teacher produces a good student. Doctor Lin's student is a miracle doctor, I'm not surprised at all."

Song Ying responded with a modest smile.

The Shunan County Lady then introduced her daughters and granddaughters to her one by one, and said, "Luxi and I have been close friends for most of our lives, and there are few sisters like us.

She is not married and has no children. You are her only apprentice, and you are no different from her own daughter.

You should treat my daughters and granddaughters as your own aunts and sisters. When you go to Beijing in the future, if you need their help, don’t be embarrassed. We are all family.”

Then he explained to his daughters and granddaughters, "This child has been engaged. She is married to a scholar from her hometown. He is fourteen years old and very knowledgeable. Your grandfather is very optimistic about him and wanted to take him as a son-in-law for his grandson, but you sisters are not up to the task."

Having said that, she nodded helplessly to the three sisters Shen Wanting, and then took Song Ying's hand, "Fortunately, your sister Song Ying has done well, so it's not a bargain for outsiders."

She spoke kindly and lovingly, and gave earnest instructions as if she really treated Song Ying as her own granddaughter. However, Song Ying would not climb up the ladder by following the rules. As a junior, some things were difficult to say. In most cases, she chose to smile shyly. If she had to answer, she would choose her words carefully and answer politely without being humble or arrogant.

Fortunately, this embarrassing situation did not last long, and Princess Shunan shifted her attention to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Song Ying breathed a sigh of relief. This was more tiring than seeing patients. If she had known that it wasn't a birthday party with many guests, she would have definitely found an excuse to turn it down.

It was the first time we met and we didn’t even know each other, especially since we were family. It was so awkward.

Doctor Lin seemed to notice her embarrassment. When no one was paying attention, he gently patted her hand and said in a low voice, "Don't worry about it. Everyone knows it's just a polite remark. If you don't know how to respond, just laugh."

Song Ying nodded, and couldn't help but wonder, since Master was so experienced, had he experienced many such situations before?

Under such circumstances, Song Ying felt that time had become very long. She had clearly calculated the time and arrived only three quarters of an hour earlier than the start of the banquet, but these three quarters of an hour seemed to last two hours.

Suddenly, the room was quiet, and neither adults nor children spoke.

Song Ying turned his head and saw Aunt Lian coming in with a hand warmer.

She frowned. It was only early October and although the weather was cold, it was not cold enough to use a hand warmer.

Looking more closely, one could see that Aunt Lian was so thin that only a layer of skin remained. Her clothes seemed to be hanging on her body. When the wind blew, her clothes fluttered and she looked like she was about to be blown away.

After a brief silence, the Shunan County Master said, "Everyone is here, let's start the feast."

The banquet was set up in the flower hall next door. Upon hearing this, the maids and servants led them there in an orderly manner.

As soon as she entered the room, Aunt Lian sat down at a table at the door. The maids and servants were very embarrassed when they saw her.

Qiu Ju, who was standing next to him, said with a stiff face, "Auntie, it's windy outside, so leave it for the gentleman. Your seat is inside, I'll take you there."

PS: My mind has been a little confused these past two days, I will try to update twice a day tomorrow.