In the courtyard, Lan Xi, who was holding a broom and sweeping dried leaves into a dustpan, suddenly felt a wave of dizziness before his eyes. His right hand instinctively reached out to steady himself against a tree trunk.
Blinking rapidly, his vision was filled with a gray haze, as if a bright light was shining directly into his eyeballs.
"What's wrong with you?" Noticing his unnatural sway and near fall, Song Shixue ran over to ask with concern.
Lan Xi steadied himself, his right hand moving to cover his eyes, which had lost their sight once again. Surprise was quickly followed by fear.
"Just now, this eye seemed to see for a moment, but now it's gone again."
Hearing this, Song Shixue moved to stand in front of Lan Xi, looking up to examine his eyes.
"Can you see my hand? Does your eye feel anything?"
Lan Xi shook his head. "I can't see, but it feels like there's a breeze on my eye, cool."
Song Shixue took the broom and dustpan from his hands and placed them beside him, then grasped his elbow to guide him back to his room.
"It's normal for your eyes to have reactions during the treatment. It means the time for your sight to return is coming soon."
"The light is harsh. Don't stay outside too long. Next time you go out, cover your eyes so you won't be suddenly stimulated like this."
The spot on his elbow where she held him through his clothes felt scalding hot. He allowed himself to be led into the room and seated like a soulless shell.
Staring at her retreating figure, his pale blue pupils seemed somewhat vacant.
Song Shixue reported Lan Xi's condition to Song Jinzhao.
Reduce the dosage of the prescription. Change the meridian-clearing treatment from once every four days to once every seven days.
Song Shixue nodded in understanding. "I see. I'll change the prescription tomorrow."
Qiu Ye entered Guo Yiyao's boudoir with a grim expression, carrying a tray, her voice low and dejected. "Miss, this is the dress Madam just had Nanny Lu deliver. She said it was specially tailored for you for Old Madame Meng's birthday banquet."
Staring at the plain white dress Qiu Ye unfolded, were it not for the few embroidered pink peach blossoms, one might have mistaken it for mourning attire at first glance.
"Aunt Meng gifted me a light purple gauze dress with scattered blossoms for the spring flower-viewing banquet this year. I'll wear that one on the day of the birthday banquet."
Qiu Ye bit her lip and lifted the white dress disdainfully. "What about this one?"
A cool, detached light shone in Guo Yiyao's eyes, devoid of any warmth, appearing both aloof and indifferent.
"The dress got stained with ink and became unwearable, so naturally I had to change. The other dress was a gift from Aunt Meng, making it all the more appropriate."
On the day of the banquet, seeing Guo Yiyao not wearing the plain white dress, Liu Fufeng frowned with displeasure.
"Today is the last time you'll meet the Meng family before marrying into their household, and on such a formal occasion as a birthday banquet. Why are you wearing this outfit? It looks too somber."
"What about the dress I had Nanny Lu send over? That's the new autumn style from Brocade Cloud Workshop. Do you dislike your mother's taste, is that why you don't want to wear it?"
Guo Yiyao's father, Guo Qishi, narrowed his eyes at her, displeasure rising in his gaze.
Guo Yiyao curtsied, her brows and eyes filled with self-reproach. "The dress Mother chose is naturally excellent. Unfortunately, I accidentally knocked over an inkstone while fetching Buddhist scriptures, and ink splattered all over the dress. I had no choice but to change."
"This dress was a gift from Aunt Meng when she invited me to the flower-viewing banquet this year. I thought wearing this would show closer affinity, so I chose it. It was my fault for not considering the color might be too subdued."
Hearing that the dress was a gift from Madame Meng, the displeasure on Guo Qishi's face instantly vanished, replaced by satisfaction.
"You'll be marrying into the Meng residence soon. It's good to dress somewhat conservatively."
"Why aren't Zhi'er and Shu'er out yet? Don't dawdle and delay us."
"Father, there will be so many people at the banquet today. I have to dress properly."
The moment she saw Guo Yishu, Guo Yiyao's politely smiling pupils contracted slightly.
A jade-green misty gauze dress, its colors as dazzlingly bright as rosy clouds—this was the genuine new-season treasure from Brocade Cloud Workshop.
Guo Qishi raised his eyebrows, nodding in satisfied admiration. "Your mother's taste is still the best. This dress looks very beautiful on Shu'er."
Guo Yishu shot a covert glare at Guo Yiyao, her dark gaze fixing on the light purple gauze dress Guo Yiyao wore, her lips pursed in jealousy.
Even if Guo Yiyao's dress couldn't compare to her own, it was a gift from Madame Meng, which made its significance different.
Wearing it on purpose to show off was just to curry favor with the Meng family.
Song Jinzhao went to the banquet first with Song Shixue, while Song Qiming would arrive later with Ye Liangyu.
As their carriage neared the entrance of the Meng residence, it stopped. Fushun turned his head to explain to those inside, "Young Miss, the road ahead is blocked by too many carriages and sedan chairs."
Song Jinzhao lifted the carriage curtain to look ahead. A dark mass of vehicles left no room to even step down. Who knew how long they would have to wait for their turn.
"The Meng residence is just ahead. We'll get off here. Take the carriage to the shop entrance and come back to fetch us in an hour."
Guo Yishu irritably pulled open the carriage window, her voice sharp. "How much longer do we have to wait? Can't they let us through first?"
The coachman found it hard to voice his difficulties. Even if someone was willing to yield, there was simply no space ahead to move into. They could only wait.
"Who is that? Among the guests invited by the Meng residence, there are those who can't even afford a carriage or sedan chair? Their clothes look splendid, though. Who are they putting on a front for?"
Guo Yishu looked disdainfully at Song Jinzhao and Song Shixue, who were walking past their carriage, displeased at being overtaken.
With keen hearing, Song Jinzhao halted her steps. She turned towards the source of the voice, her gaze settling on Guo Yishu, who had stuck her head out of the window.
Guo Yishu's fingers slid across her exquisitely embroidered collar as she shot Song Jinzhao a haughty, scornful look.
"What are you looking at? You don't even have a carriage and dare to get ahead of me? Don't you know the distinction between superior and inferior, noble and base? You have no manners at all."
She knew all the dignitaries and nobles in Anyang Prefecture. These two were on foot and not accompanied by a matriarch. They were probably from some newly arrived minor family, rushing to flatter Prefect Meng by taking advantage of Old Madame Meng's birthday banquet.
Song Jinzhao's calm, placid eyes lightly fixed on Guo Yishu's face.
"Whether I have manners or not, I don't know. What I do know is that the main street is not a latrine. If you need to relieve yourself, go home and do it. Spraying it everywhere—you may have no shame, but I still find it disgusting."
Inside the carriage, Guo Yiyao, hearing these shocking words, couldn't help but shift and crane her neck, wanting to see who was arguing with Guo Yishu.
Seeing the familiar face, she blinked in astonishment. It was Doctor Song.
Seeing Guo Yiyao appear in the carriage, Song Jinzhao's eyebrows raised slightly, curious about this family's identity.
Hearing that Song Jinzhao actually dared to insult her, Guo Yishu, who had never suffered any grievance, immediately wanted to get down from the carriage to teach Song Jinzhao a lesson.
Liu Fufeng pressed down on her hand with a dark expression. "Don't start a dispute at the Meng residence's doorstep." They could settle the score later by finding them after returning home.
Catching a glimpse of Guo Yiyao's composed face from the corner of her eye, Guo Yishu felt as if the other was mocking her.
She angrily threw a threat at Song Jinzhao, "You just wait. I won't let this matter rest today."
In the entire Anyang Prefecture, aside from the Prefect, her father, the Assistant Prefect, held the highest authority. It would be easy to teach two people a lesson later; even if they were beaten half to death, no one would dare utter a word.
Song Jinzhao curled her lip. Such lawless arrogance likely meant they came from an official family. She wondered what rank they held, and if it was high enough for her to kill.
Guo Yishu clenched her fists and closed the carriage window. After the birthday banquet concluded, she would definitely make that woman pay.
This matter wouldn't be settled until she was forced to kneel and kowtow one hundred and eighty-eight times.
After entering the Meng residence, a maid smilingly led Song Jinzhao and Song Shixue into the inner courtyard.
Seeing unfamiliar faces, and two young ladies unattended by any matron, many began inquiring about Song Jinzhao and Song Shixue's identities.
"Whose daughters are these? Why haven't we seen them before?"
Old Lady Meng spotted Song Jinzhao from afar and hurriedly waved for Bihe to bring her over.
She turned to Old Lady Liao and said, "The Doctor Song I mentioned has arrived. If you don't believe me, you can ask her yourself. The needle went in and out of my belly just like sewing clothes."
When Song Jinzhao and Song Shixue entered the flower hall, all the ladies seated inside turned their gazes towards the two.
So this was the highly skilled Doctor Song. She looked far too young, perhaps not even of age yet.
Song Jinzhao placed her hands folded before her abdomen and gave a slight curtsy. "Congratulations on your birthday, Madam. May your golden daylilies ever flourish, and your motherly bamboo enjoy enduring spring."
Old Lady Meng chuckled happily and bid Song Jinzhao to rise. "There's no need for such formality, Miss Song. You are my lifesaver. Please, come sit here."
Song Jinzhao handed the brocade box in her hand to Bihe and calmly took a seat.
Old Lady Liao, sitting beside Old Lady Meng, looked at Song Jinzhao and said, "I've long heard that Anyang Prefecture's new female physician is not only highly skilled but also very young. Seeing you today, I wonder, Miss Song, if you have come of age?"
Song Jinzhao nodded calmly. "I came of age last year."
After nearly a quarter-hour of introductions and small talk, Song Jinzhao had a fairly good understanding of the identities of the dozen or so ladies in the flower hall.
They were all the elderly matriarchs and ruling mistresses from official families in Anyang Prefecture.
Old Lady Liao was the mother of the Vice Prefect of Anyang Prefecture, the very Liao family that, like the Mengs some time ago, had summoned every physician in the prefecture for a consultation.
She was Old Lady Meng's close friend since their maiden days, and their relationship was intimate.
