Third Concubine

Biodata

Background and History

After her father died and her mother remarried, Huaying was raised by her grandfather, a retired member of the Imperial Medical Academy. She accompanied him in treating nobles and grew up learning medicine 17.

Huaying fell in love with a young man who promised to marry her. After she became pregnant, his family offered her the position of concubine, and she learned he was already betrothed. She ended the pregnancy at five months and sent the fetus to him in a box. Her grandfather then sought help from the Grand Princess, whose life he had once saved 17.

The Grand Princess took Huaying into her service and later bestowed her upon Xu Weibei as a concubine. She expected Huaying to report on the household and help Xu Weibei and Gu Wanning achieve a harmonious marriage and have a legitimate son 4 17.

Appearance

Huaying is slender and has a dark complexion. On one occasion, she wore a dark-blue coarse-cloth jacket and skirt with little jewelry, appearing dusty from work in the fields 107 134.

Personality

Usually quiet and restrained, Huaying can be observant and direct when offering advice. She warned Second Concubine that lavish wedding gifts might provoke jealousy and later spoke frankly about the new bride’s treatment of her 306 322.

Her past left her averse to men and fearful of being forced to share Xu Weibei’s bed. She also described herself as “unclean,” though Gu Wanning encouraged her not to be ashamed of her desires or neglect her health 17 44 107 136.

Huaying is ambitious about medicine: her grandfather praised her talent but wished she had been born a boy, while she believed she could be better than any man. Entering the Imperial Medical Academy was a dream she had never dared voice 239.

Medical Skills

Diagnosis and treatment

Huaying learned medicine from her grandfather and later established her own clinic 17 286.

• Used silver needles while attending the Grand Princess during an apparent heart attack 3.
• Examined First Concubine and judged her illness to be distress of the heart; both Huaying and another doctor later struggled to help when her condition worsened 37 40.
• Treated Old Madam Gu’s leg with inexpensive, effective medicine; Gu Wanning later said her knees had improved 107 131.
• Prescribed medicine for Fourth Concubine’s menstrual pain and secretly supplied her with remedies for injuries and other complaints 74 135.
• Identified an aphrodisiac given to Xu Weibei and advised using cool water to calm its effects. His unusual reaction led her and Gu Wanning to suspect prolonged drugging 232 233.
• Identified twins during Princess Qingyi’s difficult labor and warned that medicine intended to save the second child could cause fatal bleeding 346.

Story Role

Life in the Marquis’s Residence

When Gu Wanning asked about a schedule for the concubines, Huaying disclosed her past and said she could not serve Xu Weibei because of a lingering ailment. Gu Wanning did not press her, concluding that Huaying did not want to share his bed 17.

Huaying’s health had been depleted because she had not rested properly after her abortion. Gu Wanning persuaded her to take deer fetus paste, arguing that caring for her health would preserve her future choices 44.

Xu Weibei later proposed that Huaying marry Gao Lan. She refused and asked either to remain with Gu Wanning or leave and support herself 107.

The missing Tiger Tally

During a search for Xu Weibei’s missing Tiger Tally, Huaying falsely confessed to stealing it and rushed toward the lake. Gu Wanning caught her and brought her inside for questioning 134.

Huaying was deeply ashamed of the intimate items hidden in her locked box. After opening it, Gu Wanning reassured her that self-pleasure was nothing to be ashamed of and urged her not to seek death over it 135 136 140.

Medical career and Xu Weibei’s condition

After Huaying discovered Xu Weibei’s unusual response to the aphrodisiac, she initially wanted to avoid involvement in the matter. Xu Weibei subsequently questioned her, offering support for a clinic and a place at the Imperial Medical Academy; under pressure, she told him what she knew 233 234 239 243.

By Chapter 286, Huaying had opened a clinic. Gu Anfang helped her when someone caused trouble there, after which others stopped harassing her 286.

Relationships

• Gu Wanning — Mistress, confidante, and close friend. Gu Wanning supported Huaying’s health and independence, while Huaying treated members of her family and advised her on household matters 44 107 215 272.
• Grand Princess Dowager — Former patron. She knew Huaying’s past, treated her kindly, and placed her in Xu Weibei’s household with instructions to report on events there 17.
• Xu Weibei — Former master. Huaying did not want to share his bed; he later offered to support her medical ambitions in exchange for information about his condition 107 239 243.
• Gu Anfang — Gu Wanning’s third brother and Huaying’s fiancé. She initially rejected his confession and worried about the effect of her past on his family. After she told him about the man who had hurt her, he wanted revenge; their wedding was eventually set for the end of the year 286 340 341 359.
• Gu Yuanshi — Gu Anfang’s father. He accepted Huaying’s background and personally proposed to her on his son’s behalf, helping put her concerns to rest 359.
• First Concubine — Fellow concubine and patient. Huaying cared for her during a severe illness and later suggested that the ordeal had changed her behavior 37 54.
• Second Concubine, Jin Rongrong — Fellow concubine and friend. Huaying helped with her brother’s wedding and cautioned her about potential trouble with the bride’s family 306 314 317.
• Fourth Concubine, Zhou Yaya — Fellow concubine whom Huaying frequently supplied with medicine, sometimes in secret 74 135.