In the Capital, there’s news again: Chunshan Women’s Medical College has started its second round of enrollment.

This time, those who registered are no longer the daughters of wealthy families, but mostly the daughters of affluent households.

Each has her own reasons.

Because everyone knows that studying medicine might lead to entering the palace as a female physician.

The daughters of wealthy families disdain this kind of work; they have ways to form alliances through marriage, marry into high-status families, or even be selected to enter the palace as a noblewoman.

There’s no need for them to serve others.

But the daughters of affluent families are different.

Such families mostly lack strong foundations and have only some wealth passed down from their ancestors or accumulated through occasional bold ventures.

However, climbing up the social ladder is anything but easy.

Discovering that women learning medicine have the potential to enter the palace and serve as female physicians, or assist in births for the wives of powerful families in the Capital, is certainly another path.

"Teacher."

Zhong Xiuxiu did not enter the palace as a female physician but was kept by Chun Nuan at the Women’s Medical College as an assistant, taking house call requests.

If there’s something she can’t handle, isn’t there always the teacher behind her?

So, Zhong Xiuxiu’s status is now quite different.

"How is it?"

"Teacher, a total of thirty-seven young women applied, of which nine are illiterate, twenty-one are from merchant families, and seven are daughters of officials."

"The girls from poor families are diligent, but illiteracy makes learning difficult," Chun Nuan sighed, "Those young ladies from affluent families know how to read, but lack some common sense and few are willing to endure hardship."

In the first batch of students, only Zhong Xiuxiu and Lei Ying truly excelled; the others were rather ordinary.

Handling simple women’s ailments is no problem, but mastering exceptional medical skills would require another decade of accumulation.

Of course, as long as they persevere, they will eventually become excellent doctors.

"Indeed, however, the establishment of Chunshan Women’s Medical College by the teacher has certainly been pioneering, significantly changing people’s perceptions of women."

Unlike the first batch, the second batch of girls is more enthusiastic and eager to study in the medical college.

"The curriculum and examination standards are the same as yours; take charge of these matters."

"Yes, Teacher."

Zhong Xiuxiu readily took charge.

Her identity is now that of a doctor, and the teacher has granted her a monthly salary of four taels of silver, while her fees for house calls are split evenly with the college.

Last month, she went to the Grandmaster Mansion to help deliver the principal wife’s heir of the second branch; the second madam was very generous and gave her a red packet containing twenty taels of silver; additionally, she checked and treated the third miss of the Ma Mansion for irregular menstruation, and looked at the Chen Mansion’s eldest grandson’s dysmenorrhea during menstruation... all told, Zhong Xiuxiu earned sixty-three taels of silver in a month.

This was earned through her own skills!

She gave half to her aunt, which made Mrs. Gu so moved that she kept saying it was unnecessary.

"Aunt, please take it," Zhong Xiuxiu said, "I am still unmarried and living in the mansion; this silver I earned with my own skills. Please keep it, you’ll need plenty of money to raise my brother."

"For your brother’s birth, the master and madam have given many valuable items."

The most unexpected thing for Mrs. Gu was that on her child’s full month, the master and madam raised her status to that of a concubine.

As a concubine, she now couldn’t be sold or killed off arbitrarily anymore, which was a pleasant surprise for Mrs. Gu.

This just shows how generous the madam is; how many heads of the family raise a concubine’s status after bearing a son?

One must be cautious.

But the madam was not, she was very happy for Mrs. Gu, saying Mrs. Gu contributed to the Zhong Mansion by adding to the family, and she particularly raised her status as a reward.

Mrs. Gu knew very well that everything she enjoyed today was earned by her daughter’s talents.

Now her daughter even wanted to give her silver, which made her feel a bit undeserving.

"Aunt, please raise brother well; he is my future support," Zhong Xiuxiu said, "If I successfully marry into the Tang Mansion, Second Young Master Tang is planning to enter officialdom..."

Mrs. Gu nodded.

"I will raise him with care."

Yes, now she was a concubine and could invest in some ventures.

"The master and madam gave us numerous valuable items, I’m thinking of converting them into silver and investing in a storefront for income later."

"Aunt, you make excellent pastries," Zhong Xiuxiu said, "Why not open a pastry shop?"

"Can I?"

"Of course."

Zhong Xiuxiu said, "I’ll find you a few recipes later, we’ll make unique pastries."

"Alright, since you think it’s feasible, let’s do it."

Mrs. Gu, being an upright person, even went to inform Madam Zhong of her intentions.

"It’s good to start your own pastry shop. If successful, your son will have something to depend on in the future."

Madam Zhong was so generous because illegitimate children wouldn’t partake in family wealth, and her own sons were excellent; she had no concern about illegitimate sons overshadowing her own.

Moreover, the Fifth Girl is capable, and Mrs. Gu having a son means she will have support in the future.

If she treated Mrs. Gu well, the Fifth Girl could have peace of mind, living a good life after marrying into the Tang Mansion.

Mrs. Gu exchanged some valuable items for silver and opened a pastry store.

Her skill in making pastries was indeed unmatched, further aided by two unique recipes from Chun Nuan via Zhong Xiuxiu, making business unexpectedly brisk.

"Business is good; let’s make more."

Mrs. Gu told the steward nanny, "If there’s money to be made, we shall earn it."

"Aunt, I have something to say if I may?"

"Child, what can’t you say to me?"

Mrs. Gu asked her daughter with a smile what she wanted to say.

"I observed how Huanyan Pavilion always limits its supply and remains in high demand; its business has been booming for years."

"That’s because Huanyan Pavilion offers truly excellent, precious items."

"Actually, the same applies to our pastries: rarity increases value. If we supply limited quantities daily and run out, people will look forward to the next day."

"Aunt, I agree with Fifth Miss, rarity indeed increases value. Supplying limited quantities daily highlights our freshness."

"Indeed, quality ingredients, fresh pastries, and meticulous craftsmanship make it our unique selling points," Zhong Xiuxiu said, "No matter what, our pastries are one of a kind."

"Alright, let’s follow Fifth Miss’s advice." Mrs. Gu instructed Nanny Zhou, "Post a notice to inform customers of our business model to avoid a wasted trip."

"Yes, Aunt." Nanny Zhou never thought she would become the steward nanny for an aunt in her old age.

Following the right master truly matters a lot. Who would have thought the always unassuming Aunt Gu at the back courtyard would become the most outstanding aunt?