Unlike her bold and resourceful brother Wang Xiaosong, Wang Xiaozhu was timid and cowardly, often blushing even when she couldn't get a full sentence out.
Coupled with the taciturn Doctor Wen Zhiyun, the two could barely exchange a couple of words about identifying herbs. For the rest of the time, they would just stare at each other in silence.
Whenever a patient came, after taking their pulse and writing a prescription, Wen Zhiyun would typically place the prescription on the upper right corner of his desk.
Wang Xiaozhu would then cleverly step forward to take the prescription and pass it to the patient.
Those unaware would think this was a mute clinic.
When Chang Yan arrived, he reflexively pursed his lips and resorted to gesturing. Only after Wen Zhiyun threw him a glare did he awkwardly say, "Brother Four, we have to go to the rear courtyard of the prefect's residence to gather information."
According to their plan, they should have recruited more medical girls and found an opportunity to infiltrate the inner circles of the ladies in the prefect's rear courtyard.
But most young ladies declined to appear in public, and they had failed to recruit any clever medical girls, only the shy Wang Xiaozhu.
"She... doesn't seem suitable," Wen Zhiyun said hesitantly, his face full of doubt.
Unlike any other enemy, Prefect He was the parent official of the city, a powerful fourth-rank official, an extremely dangerous figure.
Even though the siblings chose to start from his rear courtyard, they should have picked clever and quick-witted medical girls, not Wang Xiaozhu who would blush and stutter when nervous, easily exposing their plans and putting them at risk.
"Then you go?" Chang Yan glanced at his dear brother four.
With delicate features and a slender figure, some might believe him if he claimed to be a little girl.
But fake is fake after all. Once discovered, it would become a fatal weakness.
Wen Zhiyun crossed his arms over his chest, envisioning the scene of him being caught cross-dressing and executed naked, and shook his head in horror.
Chang Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud.
After laughing, he realized the laughter sounded like more than just his.
The brothers turned together and saw Wang Xiaozhu's flushed face.
She seemed to have just laughed, with tears still in the corners of her eyes and the edges of her mouth slightly upturned. Sensing the gazes of the two young masters, her face quickly reddened again as her expression changed to shame.
"Xiaozhu, are you willing to go?" Chang Yan asked as he rested his cheek on his hand. "This might be dangerous, but the reward will also be great."
Wang Xiaozhu pursed her lips tightly.
Her intuition told her to refuse, to run away, to hide behind her brother.
But seeing Wen Zhiyun's furrowed brows and remembering Wang Xiaosong sweating profusely while moving sacks of dry beans, the thirteen-year-old girl hesitated and blurted out inexplicably, "I...can try."
And so she found herself in the rear courtyard of the government office.
The massage techniques were hastily learned, the acupoints hastily memorized. Fortunately, having treated a few ladies before, she had a basic understanding of massage pressure that was enough to fool laymen.
But Wang Xiaozhu was still nervous. This stemmed from her timidity and awe of the prefect's title.
Although the leading servant was kind and polite, she still felt anxious, even her bamboo basket shook along with her.
After the long walk, they finally arrived at the entrance to the prefect's wife's courtyard.
The leading servant went to negotiate. Soon a head maid came to usher her in and led her to a dignified lady. "Mistress, the medical girl is here."
Glancing back at Wang Xiaozhu's nervous state, she couldn't help but laugh. "Why so frightened? The prefect's residence won't eat you up. It's not a den of jackals, tigers and wolves."
Wang Xiaozhu quickly knelt and said softly, "The medical girl's skills are shallow, afraid of displeasing the mistress."
This was true. The fifth young master had taught that lies should be seventy percent true, thirty percent false, so as not to go against her conscience yet still earn trust through sincerity.
Sure enough, after she spoke, the head maid covered her mouth and laughed. "Don't be afraid. The mistress is feeling discomfort in her shoulders and neck. Just massage her comfortably. No one will harm you."
Wang Xiaozhu nodded and didn't dare speak further. After the prefect's wife exchanged a few words with the head maid, the room door was shut and the curtains drawn.
The head maid was still going to stay and watch. She first helped the mistress take off her outer robe, then gathered up her long hair.
"Please go ahead, medical girl."
Only then did Wang Xiaozhu feel her soul return to her body. She first cleaned her hands with warm water, then asked for a basin of hot water. After soaking a thick towel to an appropriate temperature, she gently placed it over the prefect's wife's shoulders.
She repeated this cycle three times, then removed the towel and applied some moisturizing face oil to her palms. Gently massaging in circles on the neck and shoulders, she then squeezed with proper force.
These were not very advanced techniques, just basics that any conscientious doctor who had studied medical books would know, and could even do better than Wang Xiaozhu.
But they were all men.
The Dayu Dynasty practiced strict separation of the sexes. Even seven-year-olds couldn't share a table, let alone a male doctor massaging the bare shoulders of a lady. That was virtually impossible.
Only if one had a deep family background and specially trained a medical girl from childhood as a head maid could it be done.
But how could someone with such a prestigious background be sent to desolate Anshui Prefecture to serve as prefect?
Wang Xiaozhu's eyes flashed as she judged the timing was right. Her hands suddenly increased in strength.
The prefect's wife cried out abruptly.
The head maid's eyes widened, looking murderous.
Wang Xiaozhu hurriedly stopped, standing nervously in place.
Before the head maid could scold her, the prefect's wife spoke. "Don't stop."
Just two words indicated her comfort.
The head maid realized her mistake. Her gaze toward Wang Xiaozhu softened, even showing some apology.
"Continue, medical girl."
The massage resumed. Wang Xiaozhu was still anxious while the prefect's wife and head maid's attitudes had completely changed.
Wang Xiaozhu marveled inwardly at the fifth young master's intelligence and foresight.
Although the rumor was deliberately spread and embellished that Wen's clinic had a medical girl who could provide massages to eliminate fatigue, reaching the rear courtyards of all the prominent families in Anshui Prefecture, Wen Zhiyun's foundation was still shallow and Wang Xiaozhu was completely new to medicine, like pushing a duck onto the stage.
The prefect's wife looked kind but must have inwardly distrustful of outsiders.
So first Wang Xiaozhu honestly confessed her apprehension, leaving an impression of sincerity in the prefect's wife's heart. Then she deliberately created misunderstanding through variations in massage pressure and had the prefect's wife herself resolve it, dispelling her wariness and exponentially increasing trust.
Sure enough.
After these two incidents, not only was the prefect's wife speaking gently, at the end of the massage she even instructed the head maid to prepare food and wine to treat the hardworking medical girl.
The head maid understood her meaning.
The hospitality was just for show. The real reason was that the mistress appreciated the medical girl's skills and wanted to hire her long-term.
Once the head maid went out to call for food and drink, there were only two people left in the room.
As Wang Xiaozhu massaged, she recalled the conversational techniques taught by the fifth young master. "The mistress must be very affectionate with the prefect, right?"
"What makes you say that?" The prefect's wife sounded puzzled.
Wang Xiaozhu smiled demurely. "It's said a woman's looks are closely tied to her mood. Mistress has smooth, delicate skin and lasting beauty, surely because of deep affection without doubt for the prefect, free of worries to trouble the heart."
"You're quite clever." The prefect's wife praised her.
This time Wang Xiaozhu didn't speak.
After a moment, the prefect's wife continued, "Actually it's not that I have no worries. Lately he's been very busy, studying the dynasty's laws daily, even muttering about armed fights, no time to accompany me."
