Chapter 159 Angry Qiu Ju Niang

Faced with Qiu Juniang's aggressiveness, the doctors who had spoken earlier fell silent. Only Doctor He intervened, saying, "Qiu Juniang is right. Doctor Tang's case is already settled. It's not that Qiu Juniang's medicine was faulty, but that Doctor Tang was terminally ill. Even calling in a famous doctor wouldn't guarantee he could be saved. Don't mention this matter again. If County Magistrate Sun hears about it, I'm afraid you'll be charged with contempt of the court."

However, Qiu Ju'niang did not look happy when faced with Doctor He's rescue.

The others snorted in dissatisfaction, but one still said, "That being said, it's immoral for a woman like you to practice medicine, not to mention you've already been expelled from your husband's family. You've only been studying for a year or two, and yet you brazenly claim to be curing illnesses and saving lives. For the sake of the people of Lan County, and for the sake of the reputation of our fellow doctors in Lan County, Miss Qiu Ju, you are forbidden to practice medicine in Lan County. If you do, don't blame us for not giving honor to the deceased Doctor Tang and exposing all your scandalous deeds to the public!"

Qiu Ju Niang laughed out of anger, her eyes clear, not shying away from the situation. "What shameful things have I done? What shameful things have I done? I am worthy of Heaven above, worthy of the earth below, and even more so of my late husband. When my late husband was ill and bedridden, I took care of him without taking off my clothes. Since you all keep saying that your medical skills are superb, why did you all pass the buck to me like a hot potato when my late husband was seriously ill and I came to you for help? You didn't dare to use medicine, but I did! But afterwards, you all accused me of using medicine recklessly, saying that I treated my late husband like a drug tester and that I killed him!"

Qiu Ju Niang's words were so powerful, like thunder, that they silenced everyone in the room for a moment.

Some people avoided the woman's sharp gaze out of shame.

Doctor He couldn't help but sigh.

He remembered that Qiu Ju Niang had knelt and begged at his door, but he hesitated and missed the opportunity because Doctor Tang was too seriously ill.

Now, it’s no wonder that Qiu Ju Niang hates him.

"You don't have to make excuses. You're so anxious to chase me away, aren't you afraid that my medical skills will surpass yours? Aren't you jealous of the large number of patients I've had recently? They say that to learn medicine you must first learn how to be a good person. I see that your medical skills are not very good, and your character is not that good either! I, Qiu Ju Niang, disdain to be associated with you!"

Qiu Ju Niang said this and left in a huff.

When I pushed the door open, I saw three people standing outside.

The person in the front was tall and thin, with star-like eyebrows and sharp eyes. He exuded an aura that was impossible to ignore.

The man nodded slightly as a greeting.

The attitude is lukewarm.

Qiu Ju Niang couldn't help but be slightly startled. When she looked up again, the man had already turned sideways. It turned out that the man was opening the door for the person behind him.

The man in front is already a rare talent, but I wonder how handsome the man behind is.

When did such a powerful figure appear in Lan County?

Zou Ju'niang couldn't help but hold her breath. She saw that the person behind her was a fair-skinned young man. Unlike the first person, this young man smiled at everyone he saw. His eyes were clear and bright, and there were two shallow dimples on his lips. He made people feel friendly at first sight.

Qiu Ju Niang's expression changed slightly, and she quickly lowered her head, "Greetings, Lord City Lord!"

This greeting immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the room. They looked at the three people standing at the door with different expressions, but they also hurriedly said, "Greetings to the City Lord!"

Xu Zhenying's gaze darted around the room, as if she had instantly sensed the earlier quarrel from the atmosphere inside. She smiled at Qiu Ju Niang, her eyes like crescent moons, making her seem even closer. "Doctor Qiu, are you preparing to leave?"

Qiu Ju Niang was a little apprehensive and didn't know how to respond, but the woman next to Xu Zhenying caught her and saved her: "The banquet hasn't even started yet, how can the guests invited by the city lord leave? Come and sit down and have a couple of drinks with me. It's just you and me here today, you might leave me alone."

Xu Yinxi's words came at the right time, and she said it with a smile, which did not make people feel oppressed at all.

Before Qiu Ju'niang could react, Xu Yinxi pushed her to sit down.

Qiu Ju'niang knew very well that this girl was trying to help her out, and she immediately gave her a grateful look.

Xu Yinxi was very good at handling things and immediately poured her a cup of hot tea.

Xu Zhenying, however, seemed oblivious to the subdued atmosphere in the room. Instead, he walked up to Doctor He with a smile and said, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I haven't been to Hua Man Lou before. I just took the wrong alley. My apologies."

Everyone had not expected the new city lord to be so sincere. Their expressions softened slightly as they politely said, "I dare not, I dare not."

No one dared to criticize Xu Zhenying just because he was young.

Everyone has seen what happened to Chen Jia Na Qiao.

Those dozen heads are still hanging on several city gates, and the people in Lan County have been talking about them for several months. Xu Zhenying's prestige remains undiminished, and everyone can only behave themselves.

So even though they felt humiliated, they dared not refuse to come since Xu Zhenying invited them.

Doctor He quickly said, "What are you talking about, City Lord? We should have invited you to our house for a gathering, but it is really rude to bother you to come to Hua Man Lou."

Xu Zhenying found Dr. He interesting.

The old doctor was almost sixty years old, yet he could be so humble and sincere in front of a little girl like her. He was completely different from other people who were submissive on the surface but called her a bandit in their hearts.

"There's no need to say more, please take your seats and we'll talk while we eat."

Xu Yinxi naturally not only served as a secretary, but also had to accompany Xu Zhenying to social events. Xu Yinxi was already familiar with such things as welcoming and seeing off guests in Bianjing City. At this moment, she was able to order the restaurant to serve dishes, add tea, and liven up the atmosphere with ease.

A group of people sat down, and they naturally agreed that all affairs of the night would be handled by Doctor He. Doctor He was highly respected and could control the situation, so it was most appropriate for him to accompany the city lord.

However, everyone was thinking, don't look at Xu Zhenying's young age, look at how she is caring and considerate to Dr. He, just like a younger member of the family, it's obvious that this person is a powerful character.

Unconsciously, everyone relaxed their worries and stopped trembling with fear. Instead, they became curious about why Xu Zhenying had gathered them together.

Since they were in Lan County, they naturally knew about the big moves in Lan County in the past few months, especially the events since the beginning of spring. It can be seen that Xu Zhenying planned to run Lan County for a long time.

Initially, everyone was fully expecting Jinzhou Prefecture to send troops to suppress the rebellion, then they adopted a wait-and-see neutral attitude, and now they have a vague expectation. As time goes by, the people of Lan County have gradually become accustomed to Xu Zhenying's governance.

There are more than a dozen people in this room, each with their own thoughts.

As soon as the food arrived, Doctor He had no appetite. He only symbolically took a few pieces of vegetables and ate them. He couldn't help but ask, "May I ask the City Lord, why have you summoned us doctors here today? What is the use of us? Although I am not very talented, I have some knowledge of Huang Qi's art. If the City Lord needs anything, please feel free to teach me."

Everyone present listened attentively.

Xu Zhenying smiled and said, "Don't be nervous, everyone. I came here to chat with you and discuss Lan County's medical planning."

The word "planning" is also a new word coined by the Xu family team.

Ordinary people were not used to hearing these words at first, but after hearing them for a long time, they actually felt that these two words exuded a mysterious and novel power.

"I value you all very much. This isn't just empty talk; I truly value you, your medical skills, and the medical development of Lan County, and even the entire Great Zhou Dynasty. In my opinion, the Great Zhou Dynasty relegated doctors to the lowest class, and even confused witchcraft and medicine in the early days of the dynasty. This is extremely unscientific and even inhumane!"

Before Xu Zhenying said anything else, just these few words immediately moved all the doctors present!

"In my opinion, advances in medicine represent the progress of humanity and the world as a whole. Without medicine, human lifespans would be significantly shortened, and wars would be frequent during the transition of dynasties. Without doctors, the population would plummet. At the same time, doctors' dedication to curing human ailments and alleviating suffering is immeasurable!"

"Well said!" Qiu Jiuniang was the first to slam the table. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at Xu Zhenying. "City Lord, just for what you said. Just tell me what you want to do! I, Qiu Jiuniang, will never refuse!"

Someone glared at Qiu Ju Niang angrily, seemingly dissatisfied with her eagerness to express her opinion.

She was the only one who expressed her opinion, but what about the rest of them?

She acts recklessly, has a stubborn temper, speaks bluntly, and doesn't know how to read people's expressions. It's no wonder that Qiu Ju'niang is unpopular in Lan County.

Doctor He's eyes sparkled, but he left room for maneuver in his words. "The City Lord is truly a man of profound insight. We are deeply moved. But I wonder what the City Lord needs from us?"

When Xu Zhenying was at the grassroots level, he often dealt with people like Dr. He.

He appears to be obedient and agrees completely, but it is extremely difficult to get him to do anything.

It’s not as easy to get along with as someone as straightforward as Qiu Ju Niang.

But Xu Zhenying was not in a hurry. He believed that one should eat one bite at a time and do things one step at a time.

"In that case, I'll just briefly share my thoughts with you all. I plan to establish a medical school, which I will fund myself, and hire doctors to teach here."

As soon as Xu Zhenying finished speaking, everyone in the room looked shocked.

"Does the City Lord want us to accept him as a disciple?"

"City Lord, we doctors are no different from others. We have strict requirements for our disciples. As the saying goes, a doctor must be kind and compassionate; he must be intelligent and knowledgeable; he must be honest and virtuous. When a doctor accepts a disciple, he must be very selective, testing their character and perseverance. He must wait at least ten years for them to succeed."

"Lan County is just a few tens of thousands of people. Why would we need so many doctors?"

Many people even showed contempt on their faces, and almost called Xu Zhenying act recklessly.

When this discussion started, everyone immediately forgot about the heads of the Chen family hanging on the city wall. Everyone talked at once and the atmosphere became extremely lively.

Finally, Xu Zhenying knocked on the table to stop everyone's verbal battle.

"Everyone, please don't get excited. Let me finish. If you have any questions, you can ask them one by one."

Doctor He stroked his beard but remained silent.

Seeing everyone quiet down, Xu Zhenying continued, "I'll fund the construction of this medical building. You can serve as my distinguished professors. I know some of you specialize in gynecology, some in pediatrics, and some in internal medicine. You can set aside half a day each day to teach your area of ​​expertise. I'll adjust the curriculum based on your class schedule. Of course, you won't be working for me for free; I'll pay you according to your class hours."

Xu Zhenying didn't expect that this remark would trigger an even more heated discussion than before.

"City Lord, what you're saying means that a student will have several teachers at the same time? We doctors value inheritance, and these disciples are all taught by our own hands. Wouldn't that be a complete mess? Who will he take as his master, whose sect will he belong to, and whose master's sect will be blamed if something goes wrong?"

Xu Zhenying said, "The reason I built this medical building is to break down the barriers within the medical profession. Medicine benefits all of humanity. Each of you has your own strengths, but due to the rules of your school or the desire to protect your own interests, you're unwilling to share your prescriptions easily. As a result, you can only study behind closed doors, delving into your own research. Little do you know that the more you debate, the clearer the truth becomes, and the more you discuss, the clearer the truth becomes. Why is it that a scholar has a teacher when he's just getting started, another teacher when he's taking the imperial examinations, and yet another teacher when he's a juren or jinshi? Yet your medical profession, a profession that requires the most communication, exchange, and debate, is so closed off that you can only follow one teacher for life? Moreover, diagnosing a disease requires understanding the strengths of hundreds of schools of thought. I'm going to say something truly outrageous: if you want to cultivate an all-round, capable doctor proficient in all disciplines, if you want to truly promote medical skills, you must break away from the narrow-minded way you've passed down your legacy! If you can strengthen communication, break down prejudices, work together sincerely, and innovate, perhaps you can promote the advancement of medicine as a whole!"

Seeing that everyone was eager to speak, Xu Zhenying didn't give them a chance to speak, and continued, "Or maybe you don't have such ambitions? You train disciples not to understand the suffering of the people, but only to have someone inherit your medical skills and enhance your own reputation!"

"City Lord, your words are so heartbreaking, they're more painful than killing us! As doctors, we all have the same heart as a parent. We all say we wish for the world to be free of illness, so why should we be afraid of seeing the medicine on the shelf collect dust? If we're really after fame and fortune, why don't we just not accept any disciples?"

"If that's the case, why don't you teach your medical skills to more people?"

"Your words are nice, Lord, but let me ask you this: Who among those studying medicine doesn't know the Thousand Character Classic? Who didn't start by learning to read, starting as a medicine boy? You want to build a medical building, but where will those students who can read come from? You can't just teach us from the very basics, right?"

"Don't worry, everyone. There's no need to worry about student recruitment. Students who want to become doctors must complete the elementary and intermediate literacy classes before they can enter the medical building."

Qiu Ju Niang, standing nearby, asked the most crucial question: "What does the City Lord want to do by training so many doctors? Is he trying to take over the entire Zhou Dynasty's medicinal materials business?"

"Not really!" Xu Zhenying smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with a brilliance that was impossible to ignore. "I trained so many doctors to improve the medical environment of the Great Zhou Dynasty and advance the level of medical technology, so that the common people of the Great Zhou Dynasty, even those living in remote mountains and forests, can still see a doctor!"

But the crowd did not believe it.

Only Qiu Ju Niang looked thoughtful.

"I will sign targeted agreements with these medical students and train them free of charge. However, after graduation, they must obey my arrangements for at least five years. During these five years, I will pay them wages. I will have them provide support on the front lines, serve as barefoot doctors in the mountains, and serve as resident doctors in villages, reducing maternal mortality and increasing newborn survival rates. I will have them spread medical knowledge to more remote villages, helping women who have gynecological diseases but have to endure them for their entire lives, or who believe they are unclean, to protect themselves. I will also teach older women who don't want to have children about contraception, freeing them from the pain of endless childbirth. I want everyone in this world to suffer less from illness!"

Xu Zhenying's words were deafening.

The room fell into a long silence.

Everyone's expressions reacted differently.

Some were shocked, some were ashamed, some were skeptical, and some were moved.

Qiu Ju Niang's heart was in turmoil when she heard this. "City Lord, do you really have such plans?"

Xu Zhenying laughed, "Ever since I, Xu Zhenying, entered Lan County, have I ever broken my word?"

Qiu Ju Niang nodded. "That's right. You said we would distribute grain, and you said we would distribute land. You never lie!"

After that, she hesitated a bit, a little hesitant, as if becoming a little unsure. After a long while, she asked, "Then... does the city lord's medical building need a female teacher?"

Xu Zhenying laughed heartily, but instead of answering, he asked, "In the future, half of the students in my medical building will be female. Do you think I need female teachers?"

Qiu Ju'niang was so shocked that she couldn't speak.

Not only Qiu Ju'niang, but everyone else in the room also looked shocked!

"You're going to accept female students?" Qiu Ju Niang stood up from her seat in shock, her excitement evident in her words. "Are you serious?"

Xu Zhenying naturally heard the argument in their room when he started at the door, so he mentioned the matter of the female student intentionally or unintentionally. Sure enough, he saw that everyone present, except Qiu Ju'niang, had a look of disapproval on their faces.

Some radical voices expressed their dismay, "City Lord, how can this woman be a doctor? Doctors need to be in the public eye, and sometimes even need to touch patients to diagnose their illnesses... People value a woman's reputation. Qiu Ju Niang is a widow, so naturally she's not afraid. But if other young women follow her example, wouldn't that ruin their lives?"

Xu Yinxi was furious when she heard this, but she finally endured it.

This group of people didn't know that Xu Zhenying was a girl. Since entering the city, Xu Zhenying had been dressed as a man. Therefore, apart from the Xu family and some close people who knew that she was a girl, no one else knew.

Judging from Xu Zhenying's temper, he might be even more unable to control his anger than her.

Unexpectedly, Xu Zhenying didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled and said, "Male doctors have their own market. There are half men and half women in the world. Since this doctor said that female doctors shouldn't touch male patients, otherwise it would damage their reputation, then it's just right. Male doctors treat male patients, and female doctors treat female patients. Isn't that the best of both worlds? Or does this doctor think that only men are human beings, and only men need to see a doctor when they are sick, but women don't need to?"

The doctor who had spoken to me earlier immediately shook his head and said with a look of panic, "I have absolutely no such intention."