My Lady Always Lacks Ambition

The next day, at Duke Dingguo Mansion, Qin Liuxi arrived as scheduled.
However, upon reaching Jiang Wenyan’s courtyard, she happened to see a servant dragging a woman away, her hair done up in a married woman’s style.
Qin Liuxi laid eyes on the woman, with large features and sparse eyebrows, a plump chin marred by a scar. This woman, though outwardly kind, harbored a venomous heart, skilled in using her superficial warmth to mask her inner darkness.
The woman, looking rather deranged, seemed to sense someone watching her. She looked over and upon meeting Qin Liuxi’s gaze, felt a sudden panic, quickly lowered her head, and allowed herself to be led away without a word.
During the acupuncture session, Qin Liuxi learned from Jiang Wenyan who the recently dragged away woman was – she was the very person who had secretly acted against her from the beginning, her husband’s wet nurse.
Jiang Wenyan rambled, “…It wasn’t that I wanted her to be married off; it was mother-in-law and my husband’s decision. Why do they solely blame me for severing her prospects? Just because the person she married was me? Such misplaced anger is truly unjust.”
Qin Liuxi quietly listened while twirling the needle in her hand.
“I thought she was good-hearted when her daughter was born. Considering she is my husband’s wet nurse, I even specially made a longevity lock as a congratulatory gift for her. Who’d have thought my kindness was like feeding a dog – she’s nothing but sweet on the surface and bitter inside,” Jiang Wenyan said, looking up at the canopy. “If she didn’t want to marry, she could simply refuse. Could I really control it if my husband would accept her? A man’s desire is the hardest thing to contain.”
Qin Liuxi: “Not necessarily. One needle, and it’s all under control.”
Jiang Wenyan: “…”
She turned her head, her expression saying more than words could – you really don’t want to hear me complain about these trifles, do you?
Qin Liuxi said to her, “Really, for a doctor, keeping a man’s desire in check is easy, one needle, and he’ll have the will but not the way. No need for a needle; I even have medicine. Would you like some?”
Everyone in the room: “!”
Young Madam, for the sake of your future happiness, just pretend to be asleep!
With a light cough, Jiang Wenyan said, “I feel a bit tired. Let me rest my eyes for a moment.”
She closed her eyes, feigning death.
Qin Liuxi turned to the wet nurse and Chief Maid, smilingly pitching, “Would you like to stock up some medicine for unforeseen needs? For the sake of Granny, I’ll give you a discount. It’s specifically for treating the fickle-hearted and flirtatious.”
The few forced awkward smiles: “No, we don’t need any.”
Qin Liuxi felt somewhat disappointed; that marketing pitch didn’t quite work.
Listening to Qin Liuxi’s sigh touch with regret, the corners of Jiang Wenyan’s mouth twitched slightly. Alright, her blues were completely blown away.
When it was time to retain the needles, Qin Liuxi took out a piece of jade and set up a small Spirit Gathering Array in the bedroom, moving unnecessary decorations aside, then placing jade and burying talismans at various positions, clasping her hands in a sealing mantra, and with a slight stomp of her foot: “Activate.”
The array formed, spiritual energy surged around, bringing a sense of physical comfort and mental ease.
“Don’t randomly move the jade or talismans I’ve buried, otherwise, the array will be ruined,” Qin Liuxi instructed Jiang Wenyan and the others.
“Would it harm the body if the array were to fail?”
Qin Liuxi shook her head: “This is originally a Spirit Gathering Array, which gathers Spiritual Energy within the array. Spiritual Energy nourishes people; when you are in this array, the energy’s blessing naturally makes you feel comfortable in body and mind. If the array fails, there will still be Spiritual Energy, just not as concentrated, so it won’t be harmful.”
Jiang Wenyan thought for a moment and said, “Could another array be set up in another room? I plan to take my son back from my mother-in-law to raise and teach him.”
Qin Liuxi did not say it was impossible, only saying, “Greediness leads to poverty; to covet everything good is not necessarily beneficial.”
To set up a Spirit Gathering Array is already to take advantage of Feng Shui. To set up another, to have more demands, you must give back as much as you take. Otherwise, how could it be said that the Heavenly Dao is fair?
Jiang Wenyan’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she said sheepishly, “I was too eager.”
Qin Liuxi smiled and spoke, “Duke Mansion is a place of nobles and naturally carries auspicious energy. As long as Granny does more good deeds and accumulates merit, it will surely benefit your descendants. Raise and teach your children to be brave, righteous, and kind, and they will certainly be rewarded with good fortune.”
Jiang Wenyan nodded with a smile.
Qin Liuxi finished applying the needles, and said, “Take your medicine regularly and maintain a relaxed state of mind, and this illness will be cured soon. Recite the scripture every morning as a morning lesson and offer incense.”
She explained the details of Taoist incense offerings and even considerately gave a small portrait of her own Grandmaster. Don’t ask why she was so thorough—if asked, it was because she had a sincere heart in attracting believers.
Jiang Wenyan was very sincere too, asking several questions and remembering them all. Qin Liuxi had given her a new lease on life—of course, she had to listen to her advice.
At that moment, a maid presented an invitation—it was from Jiang Wenyan’s close friend from her boudoir days, coming to visit her.
Jiang Wenyan received the invitation and her eyes lit up with a smile. Seeing that Qin Liuxi was about to take her leave, she hurriedly tugged at her sleeve and asked in a low voice, “If you’re not in a hurry to leave, could you help check the pulse of my boudoir friend? She got married the same year as I did, but she’s still childless. She’s seen many doctors who all say that her time has not yet come.”
Treating infertility.
Qin Liuxi hesitated for a moment, then Jiang Wenyan added, “My friend comes from a very wealthy family; she’s an orphan and brought her entire family’s wealth as a dowry when she married.”
After hearing this, Qin Liuxi sat back down—not because of the word ‘wealthy,’ but out of curiosity about the orphaned girl with a generous dowry.
Seeing her sit down, Jiang Wenyan hurriedly asked the maid to invite her friend in, and then began to introduce her friend’s background to Qin Liuxi.
“My friend’s surname is Lv, daughter of the previous National Guardian General Lv Tian, and has been my close friend from the boudoir since childhood. Unfortunately, her fate has not been very good. She lost her mother at a young age and her father when she came of age. Thankfully, her father had already arranged a marriage for her. Her husband’s family is not of high status, just a family of scholar-farmers for generations, with a household of five people. They are kind and treat her very well. Although there have been no children for several years of marriage, they have not blamed her nor sought to take concubines. Instead, they comfort her saying it’s just that the fate of having children has not yet arrived.”
Jiang Wenyan spoke of her friend Lv Xiaoshan, “In her youth, my friend faced many trials, but after marriage, her family has been harmonious and happy. Because she married below her status, her in-laws dare not belittle her, and her husband is all the more considerate to her. Sometimes I think, if I had also chosen to marry below my status, perhaps things would be smoother for me.”
Listening, Qin Liuxi couldn’t help but throw a bucket of cold water over the conversation, “Yet, what you see may not be the whole picture; perhaps it’s just a surface appearance?”
Jiang Wenyan was startled, then laughed: “That won’t be the case. Once you meet her, you’ll know. My friend is truly happy, aside from the regret of not having children yet. Right, her husband also passed the scholarly exam this year. Although he’s only a scholar, it’s still a great joy.”
“Young Madam, Granny Zhang is here.”
“Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Let her in quickly.” Jiang Wenyan immediately stood up, looking toward the door with a joyful expression, and a tall, ruddy-faced woman entered.