The Tang Dynasty’s Female Forensic Doctor

Ran Yan spoke calmly, but her words were alarming. The matchmaker quickly said, "Lady Xiaoliang, please calm your anger. I am merely acting on someone's behalf. If you do not like it, you can dismiss the idea. You are pregnant and should not be agitated or travel far."

Ran Yan picked up a plum and paused, "It's not that I'm angry. But you are right, I should not travel far."

Just as the matchmaker had begun to relax, Ran Yan mused, "Then I shall stay at the Zheng residence for a while, to nourish the fetus."

These words nearly made the matchmaker stagger. She steadied herself, about to persuade Ran Yan otherwise, only to hear Ran Yan say, "Ge Lan, see the guest out."

"Matchmaker Qian, my Lady is with child and cannot sit for long. Should you make this match a success, the Lady will surely visit in person to express her thanks," Ge Lan said with a smile.

Having said that and realizing she shouldn't stay any longer - lest Ran Yan suffer from sitting too long, which would be disastrous for her career – the matchmaker hurriedly left.

Once out of the Marquis's mansion, the matchmaker boarded her carriage and headed for her shop in the East Market. In Chang'an, the more reputable matchmakers all had their shops in the East or West Markets, called Matchmaker Galleries, where each gallery had at least three to five matchmakers, charging fees based on their reputation and word of mouth.

Matchmaker Qian was one of the best reputed in a Matchmaker Gallery. Today's encounter at the Marquis's mansion left her uneasy. In over ten years of arranging matches, she had never encountered anyone like Lady Xiaoliang. What if she stirred up trouble? How would she cope with a stain on her reputation?

Back in her shop, she remained anxious all afternoon until the closing time when she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The whole street was filled with Matchmaker Galleries. As the evening drum sounded, everyone lit lanterns outside their doors, preparing to close up.

Snow began to fall again when suddenly the sound of horse hooves echoed in the street. Everyone stopped their work to see a group of riders, led by a lively black horse bearing a rider in purple civilian clothes; flowing sleeves drew elegant arcs in the wind, but the rider's demeanor was far from graceful. It was as if he brought a blizzard with his fury, sending chills down the spines of everyone on the street.

"Tear it down!" Xiao Song pointed at the signboard of Matchmaker Qian's gallery with his riding crop.

Two guards dismounted immediately.

The gallery owner, a man around forty and quite portly, hurried out, hands clasped, "May I know how my humble shop has offended Marquis Xiangwu, to have you personally tear down our signboard!"

"Since I am tearing down your signboard, I might as well explain why to everyone on this street, so I won't have to bother tearing down someone else's signboard another day!" Xiao Song commanded from atop his horse, his presence overpowering.

He was already imposing, and now his anger made his stern face even more intimidating than a beheading executioner. His voice was as cold as ice, "Which of you in this gallery dared to be so bold today at my house, proposing to find a woman to relieve my wife of her duties? My family affairs are for me, Xiao Yuezhi, to handle! Whoever thinks to interfere, let that matchmaker roll out and explain herself!"

"Marquis Xiangwu, please, calm your anger. There must be some misunderstanding. We are all acting on behalf of others to arrange matches. I believe none of our matchmakers would dare to offend Lady Xiaoliang," the owner explained.

Xiao Song slightly curled his lip, "Are you suggesting that I am falsely accusing you?"

"Not at all, not at all, Marquis Xiangwu..." as the shopkeeper saw the sign being taken down, he could no longer concern himself with explaining and hurriedly tried to protect it.

Reputation was everything in their line of business. If their signboard was destroyed, they could no longer continue in this trade. So the shop owner would rather die than allow anyone to take their signboard away.

Xiao Song slightly nudged the horse's belly, and the horse took a few steps forward to the sign's front, then unexpectedly drew his sword and fiercely split the sign into two. The sword wind grazed the shopkeeper's body as it swept by, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

Xiao Song slowly sheathed his sword, and spoke in a cold voice, "I, Xiao Yuezhi, have long had a wife who is currently pregnant, and at such a critical time, anyone who dares to talk about sending women to her, causing my wife and child distress, will have their sign end up like this!"

Having said that, he rode away.

The people on the street were stunned, and when the shopkeeper came to his senses, he immediately threw himself on the shattered sign and started to wail loudly.

This incident spread throughout Chang'an overnight, and people with different stances took various attitudes. Besides many ladies of the inner chambers regretting their past choices, the majority of people did not approve of Xiao Song's actions.

However, since Xiao Song dared to do this, he was surely able to handle the consequences; he was never someone who acted without thinking.

Xiao Song strode into the courtyard, tossed the riding crop to the maid, and entered the house.

Ran Yan was bent over the basin retching, and Xiao Song quickly sat on the edge of the bed to rub her back. After she had finished a bout of vomiting, he asked, "Just how long has this got to go on? It'd be best if this time you could have five or six children, so you won't have to suffer this again."

Ran Yan gave a weak smile, "Do you think I'm a sow birthing piglets? Having five or six in one go!"

Xiao Song also smiled and hugged her, gently patting her back, "I can't help but worry, and I can't help much. If I could vomit for you, I wouldn't be so anxious."

"You might as well help me by giving birth to them," Ran Yan said, leaning on his shoulder helplessly.

"Ha ha!" Xiao Song laughed heartily, with a resonant vibration in his chest.

Ran Yan looked at the expanse of purple satin before her, "Where did you go?"

When Xiao Song went to the Government Office to attend to official business, he would wear the crimson official uniform, and every day upon returning home, he would rush into the bedroom without even changing out of it. Today, not only had he changed into his regular clothes, but his shoulders were also wet, clearly indicating he had not been in the residence.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a strict distinction between official uniforms and regular clothes. Wearing an official uniform meant all deeds were official business and counted towards one's administrative achievements, whereas regular clothes were for everyday life and more casual. Xiao Song had deliberately come back to change into his regular clothes before going out again...

"Xiao Yuezhi." Ran Yan pushed him away, "Do you already know about today's incident?"

Xiao Song coughed and nodded.

"Did you go to settle accounts with someone?" Ran Yan grasped his face with both hands, frowning, "Wouldn't this... be harmful to you?"

Ran Yan's original intent was to just ruin her own reputation since Chang'an was full of fierce ladies, and one more wouldn't make a difference. But then she reconsidered, as Xiao Song was not usually an impulsive man. Ran Yan asked, "Why did you do it?"

(To be continued. If you like this work, we invite you to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)