Chapter 120 Practice

So when Sun Chenyang rushed to Junyoulai, what he saw was Li Sanniang being dragged by Doctor Gao to Doctor Huang and the others, her face stiff from being constantly shown off.

Of course, the hall on the third floor is very large, but it can't fit seven or eight round tables. So, apart from the Li family and the close relatives of the four big shots, the other doctors were arranged in private rooms on the second floor.

Sun Chenyang was, after all, a physician with an official position, so an empty seat was arranged for him at the table where the physician and others were.

As Sun Chenyang listened to the enthusiastic discussions around him about how amazing and useful the suturing techniques Li Sanniang had taught that morning were, he felt a pang of regret.

If I had known I wouldn't make it, I should have asked for leave in advance and taken turns with someone else. I would have arrived earlier and avoided this frantic rush, which only resulted in missing the deadline.

Li San Niang naturally remembered the arrogant young doctor Sun Chenyang. She also saw the regret on Sun Chenyang's face, so she said, "Dr. Sun, there's no need to be upset. I will be explaining other suturing techniques this afternoon. I will definitely be demonstrating the techniques I explained this morning again before the meeting. Dr. Sun can take a closer look then."

Hearing this, Sun Chenyang was overjoyed. Thank goodness, it wasn't a complete missed opportunity.

"In that case, thank you very much, Madam Li."

The meal was delicious and satisfying. Junyoulai truly lived up to its reputation as a three-story restaurant that had stood the test of time in Chang'an for many years. The food was indeed remarkable, especially the several delicacies from the mountains and rivers that the Li family rarely ate. Li San Niang ate until her belly was round and full.

Because Li San Niang was not good at cooking, her only requirement for food was to fill her stomach and ensure basic nutrition.

But who in this land of China doesn't love delicious food?

Before Li San Niang received the thank-you money, the Li family had to support four young men who were studying at the academy and also learning martial arts. The family was not well-off enough to have meat at every meal.

In the past three months, Li San Niang returned home with her daughter after a divorce, Li Er Sao gave birth to Xiao Wu Lang, and Li San Niang received a lot of thank-you money. All these reasons made it possible for the Li family's meals to improve slightly. In reality, they could just order food from the street a few more times and have two meat meals every ten days.

The Li family had plans: the future of the four children, the marriage prospects of the two older sons, Li Dalang and Li Erlang, not to mention Li Sanniang herself was thinking about doing charity work. Where would they not need money?

We need to be frugal, since the source hasn't been opened yet.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the elderly doctors, Huang and Gao, were taken downstairs to their private rooms to rest by their disciples.

After the servant came up and cleared away the bowls and plates and brought out the teapot and snacks, the remaining physicians, Dr. Sun Chengren and Dr. Sun Chenyang, began to actively discuss the matter with Li's father, Li's second brother, and Li's third sister.

The topics covered a wide range, from the first aid techniques Li San Niang had discussed last time to the suture techniques for treating ulcers this time. In particular, Medical Supervisor Sun took Li San Niang's lectures very seriously, and even hoped that after Li San Niang joined the Medical Alliance, she would have the opportunity to go to the garrison camp on the outskirts of Chang'an, to the large camp with many ulcer doctors, and to give a detailed lecture to the other ulcer doctors and apprentices who had not had the chance to hear Li San Niang's lectures.

With Li's father present, Li San Niang did not speak first.

"Thank you, Physician Sun, for thinking highly of my Third Sister's skills. It is certainly a great honor to be able to exchange ideas with a seasoned physician who has been through countless battles. However, we are unsure of the Alliance's arrangements for my Third Sister's entry assessment, or the timing. We are truly worried that this might delay the work of the military camp's physicians."

With Li's father's reply, what else could Sun the physician not understand? It was simply because Li San Niang hadn't joined the alliance.

After glancing at Physician Sun Chengren, who was leisurely sipping tea, Dr. Sun said directly to Li's father, "Physician Li, how about this? I think Third Sister's skills are very suitable for our surgical medicine. Why don't we just skip joining the Chang'an Medical Alliance? I'll ask my superiors and have Third Sister directly join the Surgical Department of our Imperial Medical Bureau."

Li San Niang never imagined that Sun Yijian was actually planning to kidnap her.

This is completely different from the route she had planned!

Putting aside whether Sun Yijian's superiors would agree to a young woman taking a temporary position in the Department of Ulcer Medicine within the Imperial Medical Bureau, even if they did, it would have no positive connection to Li San Niang's own desire to improve the medical and sanitary environment for women in the Tang Dynasty!

Li San Niang wanted to politely decline, but before she could speak, Physician Sun Chengren, who had been leisurely sipping tea, slammed his teacup down on the table with a light, crisp sound. With a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, he said to Physician Sun, "Oh, Physician Sun, are you trying to poach our alliance's talent right up to us? Haha, Physician Sun probably doesn't know, but Li San Niang's talent is already known to the alliance. Now we're just waiting for her to finish her presentation and pass the basic assessment before she can take a position under our alliance. No need for Physician Sun to worry about it."

Dr. Sun Chengren turned to Li's father and Li San Niang with a forced smile, and continued, "However, if Dr. Sun wants Li San Niang to give lectures in the camp, he has to contact our alliance higher up first, since our alliance also has many doctors who want to learn Li San Niang's skills."

"Heh, Old Sun, we all share the same surname, Sun. I wonder if you'll scare people when you're examining them, looking like that."

Father Li and Third Sister Li exchanged a glance, then helplessly remained silent. No one in the Li family could afford to offend these two, so they decided to keep quiet until the two powerful figures surnamed Sun finished their argument.

While Li San Niang was listening to the bickering between Doctor Sun and Physician Sun Chengren, Manager Jin from Junyoulai hurriedly knocked on the door and came in.

Li San Niang thought someone had come looking for her, but seeing the beads of sweat on Manager Jin's forehead and his anxious expression, she realized it wasn't that.

Even though he was in a hurry, Manager Jin still had the prestige of the No. 1 restaurant in Chang'an. He first bowed to Physician Sun, Sun Chengren, and Li's father, and then bowed deeply to Li San Niang. Li San Niang was just wondering when she heard Manager Jin speak quickly and clearly about what he wanted.

It turned out that they were hosting a group of 180 people from the Chang'an Medical Alliance today, so the kitchen was very busy. The young apprentices, who were only thirteen or fourteen years old and had just started learning to cook, were asked to help wash and chop the vegetables. One of the less clever apprentices was not focused enough when chopping a radish and actually cut his own hand.

The bleeding wouldn't stop, and the head chef in the kitchen sprinkled some of his own hemostatic powder on it, but it still didn't work!

I was thinking of taking it to the clinic as soon as possible, but before I even left the house, I remembered that most of the doctors who were on duty nearby were on the third floor, so I informed Manager Jin.

It's a matter of life and death. Even if it's just a junior apprentice, it's still a precious life!

So Manager Jin hurried up to the third floor and asked Li Sanniang to take a look and see if the suturing technique she had mentioned could be used to save the young apprentice's life.

As soon as Manager Jin finished speaking, Li San Niang stood up, picked up her medical kit, and was about to go downstairs with Manager Jin.

It was supposed to be an accident, but you know what, it came at just the right time.

"I shouldn't be happy, but this is truly the best opportunity for everyone to speak out! Dr. Sun, please come downstairs with me to take a look."

Li Dalang stepped forward and mentioned Li Sanniang's medical kit. Li Sanniang then turned to Li Erxiong and said, "Second brother, go downstairs and see if the doctors have finished eating. If anyone is interested, they can come with us to the kitchen to take a look. I was planning to talk to everyone about some other acupuncture techniques this afternoon, but this is a great opportunity that we really shouldn't miss."

After saying that, the group hurried downstairs. Time is life, and that saying is true anytime, anywhere.

When Li San Niang arrived at the kitchen, she saw a young apprentice in the yard surrounded by several burly men wearing aprons and hats. The apprentice's left hand was wrapped around the young apprentice, whose face was already soaked red and streaked with tears. The young apprentice was crying.

Li San Niang originally wanted to ask Manager Jin to find a clean room to use as an operating room, but the cleanest place in the back kitchen was probably this courtyard.

Therefore, when she arrived at the young apprentice with tears in his eyes, Li Sanniang sat down on the stone seat next to him and said confidently, "Young man, don't be afraid! I am Li Sanniang, who can treat metal wounds. This is Dr. Sun from the Department of Ulcer Medicine of the Imperial Medical Bureau, and this is Physician Sun Chengren from the Chang'an Medical Alliance. There are also dozens of other physicians upstairs, each with their own expertise. Don't worry, you will be fine today!"

A portly man quickly bowed to the group and said, "Thank you all for your help, doctors. Zhuzi is the son of a relative from my village. We wanted to give him a way out, but this happened. We're counting on you doctors today."

Manager Jin was very understanding. "Mrs. Li, just tell us what you need. Money is no problem! Zhu Zi is an apprentice of Jun Youlai. Since he's injured, Jun Youlai should take responsibility! If he can be cured, Jun Youlai will continue to use him! If he can't be cured, Jun Youlai will support him for life!"

Upon hearing this, the burly man quickly bowed to the shopkeeper, determined to take good care of the child he had brought out!

"It hasn't come to that point yet. Let me check the wound first. Shopkeeper, prepare hot water and lard soap as before."

After asking the young man named Zhuzi for permission, Li San Niang removed the cloth wrapped around his hand and used tweezers and a cotton ball to wipe away the hemostatic powder that had been applied earlier. Zhuzi must have been in a lot of pain, because he trembled. "Zhuzi, bear with it, let me see how bad the injury is."

"It's alright, it's just a wound about four fingers long from the side of the index finger to the web between the thumb and index finger. I think the hemostatic powder is still effective. Right now, the wound at the web between the thumb and index finger is a bit deeper and there is still some blood seeping out."

Next, Li Sanniang repeated the steps she had mentioned before: putting on surgical gowns, caps, and masks, washing and cleaning her hands and fingers. Then, while applying alcohol, she instructed the four or five burly men who had stepped aside to come forward and hold down the pillar's legs and feet, and also had his injured upper arms immobilized.

"Zhu Zi, this medicine can kill bacteria, but it hurts a lot. Have your master and the others hold you down so you don't move around. Here, bite down, but don't break your teeth."

Li Erxiong stepped forward and handed a clean cloth to Zhuzi's mouth. Zhuzi looked pitifully at his uncle, and after receiving a nod, he took the cloth in his mouth.

"Young master, I'm about to begin."