Fields of Gold

"Qing’er, listen to me. Wait a little longer. Maybe Feudal Princess Jinan can really cure the pimples on your face? Promise me, don't give up any chance of treatment, alright?" The wife of the left assistant minister didn't want to see her twelve year old daughter dispirited and tried to get her to see sense.  

Upon seeing that her mother was enduring her own sadness and trying to comfort her with her heart and soul, Yu Wanqing nodded slowly with tears in her eyes. No matter what the result was, she had to try, even if she were to lose hope in the end. She didn't want to waste her mother's painstaking efforts. It wasn't easy for her mother these past few years... 

"Mother, don't be upset. I won't go back! Just as you've said, no matter what the result is, we should face it firmly. Your daughter won't run away. Even if Feudal Princess Jinan can't cure my face, then it's my fate." 

Yu Wanqing had become tired and downtrodden by the condition of the skin on her face after all these years. With such a face, all the other children treated her as a monster when she was a child, avoiding and running away from her. There were even ones who were so scared they cried. Not only did she not have any playmates but she also had to bear the criticisms of the parents of the children who were scared into crying. 

She feared her parents wouldn't like her and wouldn't want her, so she forced herself to be sensible and obedient, to be a well-behaved daughter. Her parents were also so worried for her sake that their hairs turned grey early. Thankfully, she had a pair of loving parents who never gave up on seeking out medical treatments for her for more than ten years. Her mother feared that she was lonely and accompanied her often, even going to the point of ignoring Yu Wanqing's older brother and father... 

She decided, if the treatment didn’t work this time, she would advise her parents to give up completely. She would just live alone this life with this appearance! 

“Qing’er, Feudal Princess Jinan has medicinal skills. I heard that she even has folk remedies on hand that can treat dubious or hard-to-treat maladies. Perhaps she truly can heal your face.” The wife of the left assistant minister carefully continued down this subject. Her daughter had endured this pressure for a very long time. She’d had her hopes lifted and then extinguished time after time. As an adult, even she almost couldn’t take it anymore, let alone her young daughter.  

"Lady Yu, Miss Yu, our master is here!" Hechun opened the coral beaded curtains and walked in. Behind her, a little maiden, who was about the same size as Yu Wanqing, came in wearing pink Qi-style clothing. 

Lady Yu's eyes looked over. The little girl's skin was white and delicate, and it looked as lustrous, smooth and soft as a pearl. She had a pair of big eyes that were sparkling with confidence, which could convince anyone. The dimple by her mouth that was partly visible was sweet and lovable. Was this Feudal Princess Jinan? The Feudal Princess Jinan who could grow high yield crops, invented greenhouse planting, and set up Blossoming Beauty? Lady Yu couldn't believe her eyes; she looked just like a delicate, weak, and protected noble young lady! 

"Feudal Princess Jinan, please forgive us for disturbing you!" Whether or not the other party could cure her daughter's face, there should still be etiquette. Lady Yu slightly bowed and said with a smile. Yu Wanqing gave a slight curtsy before falling back behind her mother. 

Yu Xiaocao had looked over the daughter and mother pair as soon as she entered the door. Lady Yu looked haggard but her eyes were kind. She seemed like an amiable person. Miss Yu's head and face were covered with a heavy veil. No matter the style or color of the clothes she wore, they could only be described as ordinary. It seemed like they had low-key and modest temperaments. As the wife and daughter of a third-ranking official, there didn't seem to be any arrogance and haughtiness. Rather they had a slight calmness about them, which gave Yu Xiaocao a good impression. 

“Lady Yu is too polite. What Feudal Princess, please call me Xiaoyu!" Yu Xiaocao's straightforward personality won a favorable impression from both the mother and daughter pair. 

“Qing'er, Miss Yu is older than you. Why don't you call her Older Sister Yu?" Lady Yu took her daughter's hand and said with a smile. 

“Older Sister Yu..." Yu Wanqing had a bit of an inferiority complex and a liking for quiet due to the condition of her face. Listening to her mother, she softly called out ‘older sister’.  

Yu Xiaocao knew that for the patient to cooperate wholeheartedly, she must win over their trust and gain a favorable impression. Hearing this, the dimples near her mouth deepened, "Since I'm older, I'll call you Younger Sister Yu. Younger Sister Yu, ever since I came to the capital, all the people I know are older than me. I finally have a delicate and weak sister to take care of."

Seeing Yu Xiaocao's attitude, Lady Yu's heart finally relaxed. It was rumored that Feudal Princess Jinan had a sharp tongue, so she was originally worried that the other party wouldn't be easy to get along with. She didn't expect the girl to be a kind person with a considerate heart that seemed to have a great understanding of people. It seemed as if those rumors couldn't be trusted after all!

“To tell you the truth, Miss Xiaoyu, my daughter and I came to ask for help. I've heard that your ‘Blossoming Beauty’ can help with regulating and healing the skin. Do you have any good methods of treating skin disease and improving its condition?" Lady Yu loved her daughter so much that she didn't beat around the bush but went straight into the main topic.  

Yu Xiaocao's smile didn't diminish and she nodded slightly, "Our beauty and health spa, which integrates improving beauty and preserving health, is committed to improving the quality of problematic skin so that every maiden and woman can bloom like flowers for their own splendor. As for the skin disease mentioned by Lady Yu, I have to see it before I can know if it can be cured."

Lady Yu saw that the young maiden spoke freely, confidentiality and politely, so she was convinced a bit. She looked back at her daughter. If her daughter's face wasn't like that, would she be as self-controlled, confident, and beautiful as Miss Yu?

In order to avoid giving her daughter any embarrassment, Lady Yu suggested that they avoid unnecessary people. Yu Xiaocao let her personal servant girl wait outside but left behind Hechun, "Lady Yu, Hechun was taught personally by me. She has an extraordinary talent for skincare. As you know, I still have an imperial office and may not have the chance to look after Younger Sister Yu every time so..."  

Lady Yu expressed that she understood. After all, the young maiden had the post of an Agricultural Official in the Ministry of Revenue and she still had to take care of the matters on the Imperial Plantation. When her husband was serving his official post, he also placed great importance on agricultural cultivation. She knew that spring was an important season for the crops. If she became busy, how could she have time to care about other matters? 

“However, don’t worry Lady Yu. Hechun will be Younger Sister Yu’s exclusive skincare specialist in the future. When I’m here, I will try to personally help with her treatment. However, when I’m not present, she will take full responsibility. Hechun’s level of expertise isn’t any lower than mine, so the two of you don’t have to worry!” Yu Xiaocao explained the situation clearly, so as to avoid the mother and daughter having any misgivings about the method of treatment. 

Yu Wanqing saw that the girl in front of her was about the same age as her. Not only did she have an important position on the imperial court but she also opened a store as big as ‘Blossoming Beauty’. While she admired her in her heart, she also couldn't help respecting her, "Older Sister Yu, we believe you!" 

Yu Xiaocao gave her a sweet smile. This smile seemed to have a soothing effect on people. Yu Wanqing stopped worrying and gently lifted the face covering, revealing a dainty, but red and swollen face. In some places, it even had large pustules that oozed pus.  

Yu Xiaocao put away the smile on her face and looked at the symptoms carefully and solemnly. There was no contempt or disgust in her eyes, which made Yu Wanqing's body and frame of mind relax a lot more. Older Sister Yu was so strong. Even she herself dared not look at this face in the mirror, but the other maiden was looking at it so attentively. Was she not afraid of having nightmares? 

When others saw her face, they either took a breath of cold air, screamed in fright, or ran away like they saw a ghost. Only Older Sister Yu stayed normal, not even frowning a bit, and didn't have any expression of disgust or dislike. No matter if her face could be healed or not, as long as Older Sister Yu was willing, she was willing to become her friend——Yu Wanqing didn't have many friends growing up. She idly wondered if Older Sister Yu was willing to accept her as a friend. 

“How is it? Can Qing’er’s face be cured?” Just when Yu Wanqing was thinking about her personal gains and losses, her mother asked anxiously. 

Yu Xiaocao had a conversation with the little divine stone and confirmed her guess. Under the expectant and uneasy eyes of the mother and daughter pair, she nodded slowly.

Lady Yu and Yu Wanqing's hearts fell back down, like a boulder falling to the ground, and they felt as if they were still in a dream. They couldn't tell if that gentle nod a while ago was a hallucination or reality. Lady Yu held her daughter in her arms with eyes full of tears and said, “My daughter, my daughter that life has been cruel to, there is finally an end to your suffering!”

Yu Wanqing's face was nestled in her mother's chest. Although it was uncomfortable, she couldn't care. Her mind was repeating, ‘There's a cure. There's a cure. There is a cure for my face!’ The tears of joy stung the areas of ulceration on her face but her heart was full of joy. The heavens finally pitied her and sent her savior, Older Sister Yu, to her side. She wouldn’t have to hide by wearing the face veil anymore or bear the strange, disgusted, and frightened gazes of other people. She could finally be like a normal person and live a normal life! 

"Younger Sister Yu's papular eczema is caused by a skin allergy. It's accompanied by blisters around the mouth and nose. As long as the source of the allergy is found, and the symptoms are treated, her skin will heal without any scars." 

Under the little divine stone's reminder, Yu Xiaocao already knew what the little girl's skin was allergic to. This little girl was too miserable. She was allergic to willow catkins in the spring, lotus flowers in the summer, daisies in the fall, and plum trees in the winter...No wonder her skin never got better all year round. Most importantly, someone in her family liked the ornamental plant, kaffir lily, that bloomed all year round. That was the main cause of her skin eczema becoming ulcerated and swollen.

"Source of allergy? How do we find it? Miss Xiaoyu, please tell us." Lady Yu was happy but at the same time more urgent upon knowing her daughter's face could be cured. She hoped to cure her daughter's skin as soon as possible.

"Younger Sister Yu should be allergic to some type of flower pollen. Think of the flowers at your home. Which ones are most numerous and the ones that you have the most contact with?" Yu Xiaocao pointed them in the right direction. 

The mother and daughter pair looked in each other's eyes and saw surprise and regret. When Lady Yu was young, she liked kaffir lilies. She had met her husband because of this flower. Official Yu, who was a poor scholar back then, also liked the kaffir lilies. The two of them took fancy to a pot of kaffir lily in the same flower shop on the same day at the same time. Thus, a story of a beautiful official's daughter and a talented poor scholar began.