4 Becoming an Apprentice

Xu Erpeng had purchased a three-section residence in the bustling district of Changmen, but he kept it quiet, and even his own relatives back home were entirely unaware. In his spare time from writing, he hired a construction crew—the renowned Xiangshan Gang, famous for their work on the Forbidden City during the Yongle era—to remodel the two storefront rooms into a bookstore, and had carpenters build bookshelves.

Once the storefront was under renovation, he went to the trade guild to hire two engravers, a pair of brothers surnamed Tang. The engraving fee was one mace and five candareens of silver per page of approximately five hundred characters, and he hired two scribes at a rate of four candareens per hundred characters. In addition to this, he had to secure Fujian bamboo paper and woodblocks made of jujube and pear wood for carving.

His capital was limited, so he printed only the most essential and popular titles. The first category consisted of books for the imperial examinations, such as "Collected Commentaries on the Four Books," "Model Essays on Policy Questions," "Selections of Refined Literature," "Winning Examination Essays," and "Selected Civil Service Examination Models," all of which were hot sellers. He would even add catchphrases like "Guaranteed Success" or "Certain to Pass" on the covers. The second category included popular vernacular stories and plays, such as "The Journey to the West: Tang Sanzang's Deliverance from Peril," "The Tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl," "The Biography of Guanyin's Origins," "The Biography of Bodhidharma's Origins," "The History of the Southern Song," "The History of the Northern Song," and "The Popular Romance of the Great Song Restoration."

Because he already had a following of readers, he began preparing a new book immediately after finishing his April manuscript, starting with a ten-volume introductory work of about one hundred thousand characters.

Consequently, besides his store duties, Xu Erpeng had to write furiously at night. Mistress Mei was the same; by day, beyond caring for the children, she spun yarn and wove cloth, and at night, she made summer socks. Even Miaozhen, upon returning from school, would join in, the whole family pulling together toward a common goal.

Sometimes, when Xu Erpeng would get up to stretch, he would talk to Mistress Mei about the shop: "Bamboo utensils are cheap, so we’ll make do with them for now. Once the store is on the right track, we’ll buy some better furniture."

"Don't worry about us; just focus on making the shop a success," Mistress Mei replied with a smile.

Xu Erpeng said, "Once we move in, I'll find our daughter a better tutor. When times are better, we'll buy a few servants to look after you and our daughter—that would be better than anything."

Knowing her husband thought of everything for her and was so capable, Mistress Mei was filled with joy. After the couple finished talking, they saw that Miaozhen was already asleep on her small bed, and they tiptoed back to their respective tasks.

Book markets were generally held on the first and fifteenth days of each month, as well as the sixth, when out-of-town book merchants and small peddlers would come specifically to sell books. He aimed to have his shop open by May.

Meanwhile, Uncle Xu San still hadn't found a shop location. Any place with a decent location was terrifyingly expensive, and he looked down on the ones that were worse. Mistress Bao’s temper flared more and more often; she complained that Miaolian’s schooling was too costly and insisted on pulling her out. It was only through the persuasion of others that Miaolian was allowed to continue her studies.

Compared to the third aunt, who constantly forbade her daughter from studying, the eldest aunt specifically arranged for her daughter to learn painting from a female tutor. One night, when Miaozhen got up to use the chamber pot, she heard her father say, "The eldest brother borrowed five taels of silver from the third for Miaoyun’s painting lessons. He also said that because the eldest sister-in-law had already paid ten taels in tuition for Miaoyun to learn tea ceremony and incense appreciation, they were already strapped for cash."

Miaozhen was stunned, but she was also curious. Wasn't her eldest uncle a *gongsheng* (tribute student)? Why did it seem he was borrowing money?

In truth, Xu Dalao and Mistress Huang were renting a house in the most bustling area between Changmen and Xumen for six mace of silver a month, totaling seven taels and two mace a year. Their combined income wasn't low—Mistress Huang raised silkworms and reeled silk, weaving about sixty bolts of silk a year, which, after costs, brought in over forty taels. Xu Dalao had previously earned ten taels a month as a lecturer, but he felt insecure in that role, fearing someone would expose his lack of true substance. He left to teach at a community school, which meant he only earned twelve taels a year, plus a daily food allowance of two candareens, totaling only seven or eight taels annually.

For ordinary people, this was quite decent, but Mistress Huang was desperate to have a son, spending money on all sorts of prescriptions and medicines while also trying to cultivate her daughter, which made their lives strained and forced them to borrow money. Of course, he hadn't told anyone in the family that he had resigned from the academy to teach at the community school. Yet, somehow, Xu Dalao felt a sense of relief—no one would suspect him anymore.

Because of this, Mistress Huang was dissatisfied: "You are a *gongsheng*; being a lecturer was more than enough. If one academy wasn't good, couldn't you have gone to another? Why settle for a community school? I’m ashamed to even tell people."

What could Xu Dalao say? He felt utterly powerless. Seeing her mother scolding her father, Miaoyun lowered her eyes in silence, and the couple, seeing their daughter this way, quickly stopped arguing.

However, in May, when Xu Dalao learned that his younger brother had moved into a new home, he was incredulous. He asked Xu Sanlang, "Is this for real?"

"It’s true. Second Brother opened the 'Jinchan Confucian Bookstore' in Changmen. He sold me those two rooms at home, saying he needed to scrape together money. He went into a huge debt to buy that house. I just happened to lease a shop myself and was short on cash, so I only gave him a few strings of coins, with the rest to be repaid later." Xu Sanlang said this as a hint for Xu Dalao to repay his own debt soon.

Once Xu Dalao knew his second brother had bought the place, he felt compelled to visit. Mistress Huang prepared two modest gifts. When the family of three arrived at Niujia Lane, they saw bookstores everywhere with exquisite volumes, surrounded by elegant teahouses and taverns. No wonder this was the most prime location.

"Is that it?" Miaoyun, young and sharp-eyed, spotted it quickly.

The couple followed their daughter’s finger to see a tidy two-room storefront. The plaque read "Jinchan Confucian Bookstore," and the pillars were painted with elegant plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums. A banner outside announced, "The latest 'The Story of Zhou Yu Teaching His Son to Find His Kin' has arrived," and the shelves were filled with the most fashionable vernacular stories.

Xu Erpeng came out to greet them: "Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, let me take you in through that side entrance."

After instructing his assistant to keep watch, he led them around to the east door. Xu Dalao observed carefully: the front section had been converted into the bookstore, and a vaulted canopy had been installed between the first and second sections. Under the canopy sat a wheelbarrow, likely for deliveries. To the west were several rooms where craftsmen could be seen working. The second hall was spacious, and Xu Erpeng explained, "This is the usual place for receiving guests. A door was opened on the west side of the second hall leading to the kitchen and utility room. My wife and I live across from the main hall, and the third section is a boudoir for Zhen-jie."

From the second hall, a small path led straight to the main living quarters, passing through a charming garden planted with roses, trumpet creepers, moss roses, and climbing roses, all in vibrant bloom.

The men talked in the second hall. Xu Dalao saw that his second brother’s father-in-law, the scholar Mei, had arrived, along with several of the Mei brothers. These men had previously looked down their noses at his second brother, but now they addressed him as "Brother-in-law" with great warmth.

Xu Erpeng smiled, "Today is the book market, so I must excuse myself for a moment. Eldest Brother and Third Brother, please help me host the guests."

He then asked Mistress Huang to take Miaoyun to the main living quarters, where many ladies were gathered. Mistress Huang felt a twinge of jealousy, but she heard Mistress Mei say with a smile, "After purchasing this house, we really have no money left, so please bear with us."

Although the house lacked expensive furniture, being able to live in such a refined and elegant home was truly enviable.

It was also Miaozhen’s first time moving into the new home, and she felt a bit unaccustomed to the emptiness. The Xu family’s second branch had suddenly risen in status. She loved her new home, especially the two-story boudoir; the first floor was reserved for a future maid, and she lived on the second.

Aunt Qiao, the wealthiest among the sisters, had gifted a pot of lucky bamboo in a blue-and-white porcelain vessel and a set of gold-rimmed china. She was the loudest in the room, and several sisters-in-law and aunts were fawning over her. The Qiao family was a prominent household in Suzhou Prefecture. While no direct relatives held high office, distant kin included figures like the Provincial Administration Commissioner. Aunt Qiao’s brother-in-law was a sea merchant who specialized in exporting raw silk and porcelain, returning with jewels and spices, making a huge profit each time. That Mr. Qiao was also a *shengyuan* (government student) of Changzhou County.

Her husband was no slouch either; though only a *tongsheng* (elementary student), he had purchased the status of a *jiansheng* (imperial academy student) and operated two money shops in Suzhou. Thus, Aunt Qiao wore a blue-ground peony-patterned silk jacket with gold embroidery, paired with a pleated horse-face skirt embroidered with floral sprays. Even the cloud-shaped tips of her shoes were inlaid with pearls. Not to mention the bright red coral and jade hairpin in her polished bun, surrounded by strings of beads. A pearl tassel swayed as she spoke, and she wore jade bracelets that made her wrists look like suet jade.

In a loud voice, she advised, "Big Sister, you really should hire a few maids. Can Brother-in-law really not afford that much?"

The other Mei family women echoed her. Mistress Mei and Aunt Qiao were not of the same mother and had a lukewarm relationship back at their natal home. She had long heard that Aunt Qiao’s husband was a regular at brothels and had several concubines and even a secondary wife, as was common among businessmen. Therefore, on some level, she felt superior about her own marriage, as Xu Erpeng was upright, capable, and talented.

Seeing that Aunt Qiao had brought a gift, she didn't feel inferior, merely smiling, "We’ll talk about that once the shop makes money. We are still in debt."

Seeing Mistress Mei so frank, Aunt Qiao couldn't say much more. She glanced around and noticed Miaozhen: "Has Zhen-jie started school?"

Miaozhen replied, "I have been attending school for two and a half years."

Aunt Qiao smiled, "Your uncle hired a female tutor from Hangzhou Prefecture. She comes from a distinguished family and is particularly skilled in poetry. Since you’ve just started, you could be companions."

Aunt Qiao’s words were insincere; she was just showing off and didn't really intend for Miaozhen to study there. So, Miaozhen smiled and said, "I appreciate the offer, Aunt, but my father said he would find me another tutor in a while."

Young girls didn't like to crowd around the adults, so Miaozhen stood up and led her cousins to her boudoir. She took out two plates of fruit-filled pastries, a plate of silver-thread candy, and a plate of citrus, inviting everyone to eat.

The two younger cousins began eating, and Miaolian took a piece of silver-thread candy, but Miaoyun didn't eat. Seeing her shyness, Miaozhen said, "Eldest Sister, don't you like it? Would you like to try the fruit-filled pastry?"

Only then did Miaoyun use her handkerchief to lift a piece and eat it in small bites. She was only about the same age as Miaozhen, yet Miaozhen saw a grace in her that she herself lacked.

As for the housewarming celebration, after everyone had eaten their fill and left a mess behind, it was Mistress Mei, Fengniang, and even Xu Erpeng himself who cleaned up. Despite this, the family was happy; they finally had a home of their own.

Xu Erpeng was a pragmatic man. He kept the over fifty taels of writing fees he had earned over the previous months untouched, fearing some emergency might arise. Therefore, for the first month after the bookstore opened, they didn't hire extra servants. Every day, the meals were prepared by Mistress Mei and Fengniang, with Miaozhen helping to stoke the fire.

Her father used the saved money to buy many woodblocks. Being new to the trade, he eventually learned that unless a new book required custom carving, many old books already had existing blocks, which were cheaper and easier to use. A single woodblock could print thousands or even tens of thousands of copies, so the initial investment in blocks was necessary. With the Ghost Festival approaching in July, he printed various Buddhist classics, ranging from the cheapest bamboo paper versions to slightly more expensive ones printed on cotton paper with illustrations.

In previous years, despite his frantic writing, he had earned at most a hundred taels a year. This time, from May to August, he had already earned over a hundred taels.

Having made money, Xu Erpeng was not stingy. He bought a kitchen maid named Yuxiang for six taels and added two maids for Mistress Mei, Jinchai and Yinhuan, for three and a half taels each. He also bought two maids for Miaozhen, Xiaoxi and Xiaotao, also for three and a half taels each. Only then did the household begin to look like a proper family of some means. Mistress Mei only had to care for her son, Jiang-ge, every day, as all the chores were taken care of by others.

Miaozhen, a modern soul, was initially unused to having personal servants, but she quickly grew accustomed to the luxury. Xiaoxi and Xiaotao were two years older than her; they knew how to comb hair, wash clothes, and serve tea. With their help, she saved much time, which she dedicated to studying medical texts.

Xu Erpeng kept observing his daughter. Seeing that even without attending Master Yu’s school, she practiced her writing and reading daily, and had managed to memorize fifty percent of the "Complete Guide to Women's Medicine," "Danxi's Heart Method," and "Selected Prescriptions" that he had assigned her, he realized she had the perseverance to warrant a truly excellent teacher.

In his view, everyone had their own path. If the family were poor, she would learn needlework, which was also a skill that was in demand in Suzhou. If they had some means, the choices widened; she could learn things others didn't have. Naturally, reading and needlework could not be forgotten.

Just as he had a talent for writing stories, he couldn't rely on that forever. Even if he stopped writing, his status as a *xiucai* (licentiate) would allow him to write petitions for others or open a school. He could even buy a few acres of land, which would be tax-exempt, allowing them to live comfortably regardless. Therefore, he hoped his daughter would master needlework and learning, while also acquiring a medical skill—if one path didn't work out, another would.

Thus, with the money left over from buying the maids, he didn't buy more furniture. Instead, he enrolled Miaozhen in the girls' school run by Mistress Qiu, with a tuition of ten taels a year—more than ten times what they had paid Master Yu. But hearing that Mistress Qiu taught the Six Arts and proper etiquette, it was considered worth it.

Furthermore, the couple helped Miaozhen make a set of new clothes and, accompanied by Master Mei, took her to apprentice with the renowned physician Tao Dingguo. Tao’s father had also been a famous doctor, especially skilled in treating fevers, and his wife, Mistress Ru, came from a family of famous physicians and was an expert in gynecology.

Mistress Ru originally refused. In the Ming Dynasty, there were generally two types of medical learning: one was an hereditary family practice, and the other was self-taught. About seventy percent of female doctors came from medical families, while only ten or twenty percent were self-taught scholars who had failed the imperial examinations.

However, when Mistress Ru met Miaozhen, she was struck by the girl’s articulate speech and clear eyes. She couldn't help but ask, "Have you studied?"

"I have studied for two and a half years. Later, I decided I wanted to learn gynecology to treat my mother and to bring honor to women. Many midwives and medicine-women cannot take pulses or prescribe medicine; they only sell pills to fool patients, making the world think female doctors are substandard. Therefore, with the 'Classic of Difficult Issues,' the 'Pulse Classic,' and the 'Plain Questions' my father bought for me, I have grasped their meanings. I only ask that you teach me, Madam," Miaozhen replied.

Seeing her speak thus, Mistress Ru intended to test her: "For all kinds of wind, tremors, and dizziness, what is the primary cause?"

Miaozhen blurted out, "All wind, tremors, and dizziness belong to the liver."

"What is the disease of the uterus mentioned in the 'Miraculous Pivot'?"

"It is a stony lump (uterine fibroid)."

Mistress Mei, standing to the side, felt her heart in her throat. Fortunately, her daughter answered both questions correctly. Mistress Ru continued, "What is the primary symptom of cold-induced reversal?"

Miaozhen smiled, "It is coldness in the four limbs."

"If one were to treat a cough of the six viscera, which points should be used?"

"One should use the *He* (junction) points."

Just as Miaozhen thought Mistress Ru would continue, the woman laughed, "Are you afraid of acupuncture? Are you afraid of hardship?"

Miaozhen shook her head quickly, "I am not."

She knew that by asking this, Mistress Ru was accepting her as a disciple. Indeed, Mistress Ru said to Mistress Mei, "Your Xu family has raised a fine young woman."