Jiao Niang’s Medical Record Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Strange Night

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As the woodblock sounded three times, the crowd in front of the mourning hall thinned even more. 

Two maidservants tossed some incense into the brazier and yawned. 

“Let’s get some rest too,” one suggested. 

“We shouldn’t. If we leave, no one will be here to keep vigil for the young mistress,” the other responded, hesitantly.

The first maidservant pouted.

“It’s not her fault she died young, and her daughter is so little—just crying is an accomplishment. There’s no way she could have dutiful children to tend to her,” she said, tugging at the other maidservant again. “Come on, let’s go. We’ll be back soon. Even the young master isn’t worried, so why should we be?”

The other maidservant stood up as well, and the two of them walked out, chatting.

“That’s why they say nothing is more important than your own health. If you die young, whatever you earned goes to someone else…”

The night wind blew in, making the funeral paper decorations rustle, and the white mourning hall felt even more empty and desolate.

In front of the unpainted coffin, the last piece of incense in the brazier flickered a few times before turning to ash, and the three sticks of incense were nearly burned out.

A small figure slipped in from outside, barely taller than the table legs, and gazed up at the coffin.

It was a little girl, about three or four years old, with big eyes and rosy cheeks. Her jacket was crooked, and her hair was loose.

She stared at the unsealed coffin, slowly walked over, and clung to the bench supporting the coffin. After a few failed attempts, she finally climbed up, gripped the edge of the coffin, and slowly stood up to look inside.

Under the bright white candles in the mourning hall, a young woman lay quietly in her coffin.

Her oval face, powdered with lead, appeared even more fair and delicate. She had a high nose, cherry lips, a broad forehead, and long eyebrows. Her black hair was styled in a cloud-like coiffure, adorned with a gold hairpin featuring nine wings and pearls. She wore an elegant dark blue embroidered brocade shroud, and a colorful pearl necklace wrapped around her neck three times. The flickering candlelight made it shine brilliantly.

The young girl extended her hand.

“Mother, mother, wake up, hug me,” she whispered.

Her tiny arms struggled to reach the edge of the coffin. It was challenging even to reach inside.

She stood on tiptoes, attempting repeatedly.

A piercing scream shattered the solemnity of the mourning hall.

The young girl turned around and spotted two maids standing by the entrance of the mourning hall, their faces drained of color, their eyes wide with fear.

“Mother called out to me,” she explained, gesturing towards the coffin, making sure to clarify for the two maids.

This statement finally shattered the nerves of the two maids, causing them to let out a scream and collapse to the ground, unconscious.

The bustling atmosphere emanating from the Wang family mansion, dominating the entire street, swiftly expanded, scattering the early summer’s misty moonlight into fragments.

Towards the westernmost edge of the Wang estate, a couple of small courtyards stood independent of the Wang family’s ownership. Here, the city’s river meandered by, leaving the area perpetually damp and shadowy, with moss and algae proliferating.

The rapid footsteps resounded through the street, shattering its peace.

They halted at a small courtyard with two lanterns hanging by its narrow entrance, casting a soft yellow glow that illuminated the figure standing before it.

The group consisted of four people—two men and two women, one of whom held an embroidered cloth wrapper.

Appearing somewhat breathless from their haste, they paused briefly before one of the men approached to knock on the door.

Beneath the lamplight, the weathered wooden door appeared even more aged and pallid. As the man’s hand reached out, the door creaked open of its own accord.

The abrupt sound of the door opening in the dead of night made all four already nervous individuals shudder involuntarily. The two women instinctively took a step back, their faces displaying a mix of fear and apprehension as they watched the partially opened door.

The light streaming in only halfway intensified the unsettling darkness that remained.

“Cheng family… lady…” The man’s teeth chattered slightly as he spoke, “Does she… not close the door at night?”

His words brought some relief to everyone’s fear. The woman clutching the bundle took a deep breath and advanced.

“Lady of the Cheng family…” she softly called through the door, “Lady Cheng… Cheng…”

Her voice suddenly dropped to a whisper, and they all observed a lantern approaching from the darkness beyond the door, accompanied by the sound of delicate footsteps.

“Are you here seeking medical assistance?” inquired a voice, dripping with charm.

As the lantern approached, everyone saw a young girl in a pale yellow outfit. She had bright, lively features with phoenix-like eyes, a prominent nose, and vibrant red lips. Beneath her lips rested a beauty mole, adding to her allure and vivacity.

In that moment, the sinister fear evaporated, and the hearts of the four people outside the door were put at ease.

“Absolutely, it’s rather late to trouble Lady Cheng. My child isn’t very well…” The woman holding the cloth wrapper quickly approached and unveiled it.

A young girl peeked out, nestled on the woman’s shoulder, deeply asleep.

The girl in the pale yellow outfit leaned closer for a look and nodded.

“Alright, please come with me,” she said.

The four people quickly entered the door, but the girl in the pale yellow attire turned back and extended her hand to halt them.

“Only she should bring the child inside,” she stated.

Two men and one woman paused, observing as the woman carried the child indoors. The lantern gradually faded into the distance, and the two figures vanished into the darkness, as if consumed by some unseen force.

Following yesterday’s rain, the gravel path had become somewhat slippery. Situated in a shadowy spot near the river, the courtyard was pervaded by a notably thick, damp atmosphere.

The small courtyard, unadorned with lanterns, relied solely on the lantern carried by the young girl for illumination as they walked. The surrounding darkness felt increasingly stifling.

“Apologies for the late disturbance to your lady…” the woman holding the child interjected, seeming to find solace in speaking amidst the stifling atmosphere.

“No need to apologize,” the girl responded crisply. Leading her through the corridor, she adjusted the lantern’s position. “Watch your step.”

The woman stumbled slightly but quickly stepped back, regaining her balance just in time. As she lifted her gaze, she noticed a dimly glowing lantern before her. Once her eyes adjusted, she realized she stood in front of a room, its interior illuminated.

The young girl hastened forward and pushed open the door. Light spilled out, momentarily disorienting the woman. After a brief moment, she glanced inside once more.

In the central hall, a graceful palace lamp illuminated the space, casting a soft glow onto a folding screen adorned with intricate cloud and flower motifs. A faint silhouette lay behind it.

Was this the Lady Cheng they were seeking?

“The lady, there’s someone requesting medical assistance,” the girl whispered as she entered the room.

The figure lying behind the folding screen lifted itself slowly, illuminated by the soft glow of the lamp, revealing hair flowing like a waterfall.

“Let the patient in,” came a somewhat rigid voice from behind the screen.

The woman exhaled deeply, preparing to take a step with the child in her arms.

“Please stand still,” the girl in the pale yellow dress interjected hurriedly, stepping forward and reaching out her hand. “Hand the child to me.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the woman passed the young girl in her arms to the girl, watching as she carried the child inside.

The door remained slightly open, allowing the woman to witness the girl carrying the young girl behind the folding screen. The light from the lamp cast shadows on the screen, revealing the silhouette of a woman behind it. She appeared to be clad in a loose robe, her hand extending and casting a shadow.

In a fleeting moment, the girl bent down to lift the child and emerged from behind the screen.

Quickly, the woman reached out to receive the child, observing that the child in her arms still slept deeply with a flushed complexion, as she had upon arrival.

“A sudden bout of startled wind invaded, causing this. Acupuncture has been administered, so there’s no need to worry. There won’t be any more convulsions or incontinence,” the woman’s voice from behind the screen reassured.

The woman was both astonished and overjoyed. She was astonished because she hadn’t uttered a word, yet the woman here already knew about the illness. Her joy stemmed from the fact that just this one statement was sufficient to confirm that this Lady Cheng was truly skilled in medicine.

“Many thanks to you, madam,” she hurriedly expressed her gratitude, retrieving a purse from her pocket. “I apologize for troubling you.”

Before she could finish speaking, a woman’s voice from inside the room cut her off.

“As for this child, her condition isn’t really an illness. The one in your family who is truly ill is the one lying in the coffin. Are you not intending to provide treatment for her?”

What?

The woman looked up in shock, observing the figure behind the folding screen, now reclining again. With one hand propped under her head, her body undulated, blending with the darkness, the orange glow of the lamp, and the patterns of the folding screen, creating an eerie yet captivating sight.

Could the deceased in the coffin still be treated?

Was Lady Cheng speaking nonsense?

At three to five o’clock in the morning, the nursemaid cautiously lifted the curtain. The young girl nestled within the embroidered quilt stirred slightly, as if disturbed. The nursemaid tensed, holding her breath, but the girl only trembled momentarily before returning to her serene sleep.

The nursemaid reached into the quilt and gently felt the girl, who remained undisturbed.

Exhaling softly, the nursemaid released the curtain and turned around to gaze at the cluster of women behind her, all dressed in vibrant attire.

“How is she?” asked one elderly woman with white hair, her voice filled with urgency.

“Madam, Miss Yuan has not urinated, nor has she awakened. She has been sleeping since her return, without any convulsions,” the nursemaid replied in a hushed tone.

Upon hearing this, the women in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The old lady waved her hand, indicating she would leave first, and the others quickly followed suit.

Outside, the dawn was breaking, casting a somber light over the courtyard adorned with white lanterns. Mourners dressed in mourning attire moved back and forth, their presence weighing heavily on the onlookers.

“Liu Daopo has arrived,” a maid whispered hurriedly.

The old lady pondered for a moment.

“Let her wait for now. We’ll see how things unfold,” she said in a low voice.

Dealing with funeral matters, it wasn’t prudent to summon a Daoist priestess prematurely; outsiders might gossip upon seeing her presence. It was truly a headache.

How could their once good daughter-in-law suddenly stumble and fall, and fatally so? What made matters worse was that it happened in her own room, and even more damningly, during a dispute between them two.

“Regarding Lady Cheng…” the old lady began, her voice hushed as she turned to the nursemaid for insight.

But before she could complete her sentence, cries erupted from outside. In the dim light before dawn, the piercing wails of a woman sounded particularly unsettling.

The expressions of those present turned grim.

“Relatives from the lady’s family have arrived!” several maids hurriedly rushed in anxiously to report.

Standing outside the hall, the lady’s eldest brother felt as if his heart was about to break.

Upon receiving the sudden news of his sister’s death, the entire family was thrown into disarray. Their father fainted upon hearing the news, and seeing this, he dared not inform their mother. Amid the chaos, he consoled the family, and along with his three brothers and their wives, hurried over.

The sight of mourning attire dashed their last shred of hope. Upon entering, they saw the empty hall, and they almost fainted from anger.

What’s happening? What’s happening? Not only were there no mourners, but even the incense in front of the hall had been extinguished!

Even in death, she was treated like this. Who knew how difficult it must have been for her when she was still alive?

Their flustered brother-in-law who emerged to greet them found himself immediately surrounded and was mercilessly beaten.

“Sir, it’s not that we neglected our duty, it’s that there’s a haunting…” Some of the trembling maids attempted to explain.

“Nonsense! A clear conscience fears no haunting! You’re responsible for my sister’s death, and now you’re pretending to be haunted!” The women from the lady’s family abandoned their former dignified demeanor, resorting to tears and curses. They also pointed fingers at the maids and servants they had brought along, inciting chaos and directing blows at the servants of this family.

Outside the memorial hall, chaos erupted into a mess.

Witnessing this scene, the elderly lady and the other women who had arrived from behind were too terrified to emerge.

However, avoiding the situation was not a viable option.

“Madam, dawn is approaching,” the maid urgently reminded.

The uproar in the household was undoubtedly heard on the streets. If they waited until daylight, even more bystanders would be drawn in!

The elderly lady trembled as she heard that the relatives were already threatening to report the incident to the authorities. If it escalated to official involvement, their family’s longstanding reputation would be tarnished!

To tarnish the family’s reputation for generations to come would be an unfathomable tragedy! How could she face her ancestors after death!

What a calamity!

“Madam, what should we do?” the daughter-in-laws and maids urged anxiously.

What could be done? There seemed to be no solution at this moment! Unless… unless the person hadn’t really died!

A sudden realization struck the elderly lady.

“Nursemaid, nursemaid!” she exclaimed, turning swiftly, “Hurry and summon Lady Cheng!”

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