Chapter Eighty-Eight: Madam Gong and Xie Linqing

Lin Qing was reading a medical book in the side chamber next door. Before her lay another booklet, filled with recipes for nourishing medicinal meals.

When she heard the curtain stir, she looked up and saw Granny Gong. She rose at once.

“Granny, has the Dowager Lady awakened?”

Granny Gong nodded. “She has. Just now, the Dowager Lady was troubled by a nightmare and wanted Dr. Lin to prepare a calming restorative decoction.”

Lin Qing was a little surprised and started for the door. “How could she have been plagued by a nightmare? I should go see her.”

Granny Gong held her back. “No need to hurry. The Dowager Lady is all right. Hong Xiu and the others are already attending her and preparing a medicinal bath.”

Seeing this, Lin Qing sat back down.

Granny Gong poured herself a cup of tea at the table, steadied her thoughts, and asked Lin Qing, “You have been in the residence for several days now, Dr. Lin. Is there anything inconvenient for you? Do not ever swallow grievance and keep silent. If the maidservants are not serving you with enough care, I will report it to the First Madam and have them replaced.”

Lin Qing hurriedly said, “Everything is very good. To tell the truth, these past few days have been the most leisurely and comfortable of my entire medical career.”

Now that she had entered the Prime Minister’s residence, sheltered beneath such a towering tree, and was only tending to the Dowager Lady’s health and occasionally applying acupuncture to the several madams, there was little else for her to do.

The people of the residence were courteous to her as well. Her quarters were quiet and refined, she had no worries about food or clothing, and she had more time to study the ailments and medical texts she had not yet fully understood, as well as to hone her own medical skills.

The Prime Minister’s residence also had a resident physician surnamed Ma, already somewhat advanced in years. Whenever she encountered something she did not understand, she could discuss it with him, pooling their knowledge together, and what had once been obscure would often become clear.

So she truly felt this place was quite leisurely and comfortable.

“Our Dowager Lady can be a bit stubborn at times. We hope you will bear with her.”

“Oh, no,” Lin Qing said, entirely unconvinced. “To be honest, before I came, the Duchess of Loyal and Brave House had already warned me about the Dowager Lady’s temperament, and I had thought she might be difficult to get along with. But after these past few days, I find she is not at all as the duchess described. On the contrary, the Dowager Lady is very amusing, and the way she sees things is full of great wisdom. I think she is wonderful.”

Granny Gong’s smile stiffened for a moment, then returned as before. She slowly sipped her tea, only to find that even the tea in her mouth seemed to turn bitter along with it.

Lin Qing did not notice the subtle change in her expression and went on, “I see that the Dowager Lady is also very kind to the servants and never puts on airs. I have treated many dowager ladies in other households, and the Dowager Lady of this residence is truly the most reasonable one I have ever met. She has not the slightest trace of arrogance.”

“To speak honestly, the Dowager Lady’s body was worn out from years of overexertion in her youth. It is not merely old illness; her organs and viscera have already suffered damage. How many years she can still endure depends entirely on fate.” Lin Qing’s voice lowered. “In truth, this is rather good. Her heart is at ease and clear, and she knows how to take care of herself, so naturally she can live longer. Otherwise, if she remained burdened and unable to unburden her mind, everything I do would be in vain.”

Granny Gong was startled. “Dr. Lin, the Dowager Lady she...”

“Granny, I can cure disease, but not fate. All I can do is try my best to delay the Dowager Lady’s day of passing.” Lin Qing smiled faintly. “For now, the Dowager Lady is steady, and the Prime Minister’s residence is steady. When the residence is steady, you servants are steady as well, are you not?”

Granny Gong suddenly understood and rose to make a solemn curtsey to Lin Qing. “One conversation with Dr. Lin is better than ten years of reading. You deserve this bow from me.”

Lin Qing quickly stepped aside and said reproachfully, “Granny, you have rank and standing. If I took your bow, would that not lessen my fortune? I appreciate your kindness, and that is enough.”

Granny Gong smiled, and a new resolve took shape in her heart.