Chapter 698 Practice Makes Perfect

After introducing herself to the eight newcomers, Li San Niang noticed from their demeanor that, just as Chun Tao had said, the eight people were indeed divided into four groups.

The three law-abiding citizens, who were of different ages, were told by the elder that they were a family. Because of their poverty, they took on laundry and cleaning jobs in brothels. In the course of their comings and goings, they accidentally came into contact with some poisonous smoke, which is why the authorities sent them to this place.

Li San Niang asked carefully and learned that the older woman was the grandmother of the family. She was a widow who had raised her son and finally managed to find him a wife. Her daughter-in-law had given birth to a granddaughter.

They should have been a happy family, earning a living in Chang'an, but fate played a cruel trick on them. Her husband passed away from a cold, leaving behind his wife and granddaughter.

Thus, she had no other choice but to personally take her daughter-in-law and granddaughter to the building to find some work in exchange for a bowl of rice.

If they didn't have no other means of survival, why would women with the means go to brothels to take jobs?

As for the other five, one of them looked to be around twenty years old. He was aloof and didn't sit with the other women. Instead, he stood upright in a corner by himself, without saying a word.

The remaining four people were divided into two groups of two, which turned into opposing groups.

Before Li San Niang could even ask a question, two of the two groups of women started arguing right in front of everyone.

"Pah! You filthy thing with the door half-closed has the nerve to talk to me?"

"What did you say? Who are you cursing? I'll beat you up, you foul-mouthed bastard!"

Seeing that a major battle was about to break out, Li San Niang quickly signaled to Qiu Xiang with her eyes. Qiu Xiang took a step forward and used a clever trick to separate the two people's hands that were about to collide.

Li San Niang coughed lightly, attracting the attention of everyone present. With a fake smile, she said to the women who looked over, "Gentlemen, whatever grudges you may have, I don't care."

However, as the doctor who will be treating you, I hope that you will actively cooperate with my treatment during your stay here so that I can cure your illnesses and minimize the harm of opium to you.

Once you're out of this drug rehabilitation center, I won't care if you fight each other with knives.

But here and now, I urge you all to take it easy, cherish this opportunity, and protect yourselves.

Li San Niang's forced smile, combined with Qiu Xiang's martial arts skills and Chun Tao's persuasion that gave them a way out, finally calmed them down.

Just as Li San Niang was about to take the pulse of the little girl in Liangmin Village who looked to be only seven or eight years old, Yan Mama's voice came from outside the door.

"I heard a commotion coming from up ahead. The princess sent me over to see what happened."

Li San Niang didn't need to turn around to feel the tension and fear in the four women who had just been arguing.

"Thank you for your concern, Princess."

"It's nothing, just a minor disagreement between the young ladies. It's all over now. Thank you for coming over, Granny Yan."

Granny Yan bowed to Li San Niang, then her expression changed, and she adopted a stern face, exuding the aura of a powerful and influential woman.

"Dr. Li is a female physician invited by the government. It is your good fortune that she can treat you."

Some people shouldn't waste this blessing; the Jingzhao Yin's prison has plenty of room.

After giving a few words of advice, Granny Yan gestured, and the maids behind her placed the items they were carrying onto the table.

"This is a gift from the princess to you all. You have all done your part for the stability of the Tang Dynasty."

Don't let personal reasons...

With this combination of threats and sweeteners, the young ladies obediently thanked the princess and behaved themselves, no longer displaying the tense atmosphere that Li San Niang had witnessed when she first arrived.

Li San Niang breathed a sigh of relief. She saw Granny Yan off to the door and bowed to her at the door. "Thank you for your help, Granny Yan. Otherwise, I would have been busy with my doctor's appointments and also had to keep them from arguing. It would have been really difficult for me."

"The princess said that Doctor Li can just focus on treating the patients. However, I am used to managing people in the Prince's mansion, so please rest assured, Doctor Li, it will not delay your treatment."

"Thank you very much."

After seeing off Granny Yan, Li San Niang turned to Qiu Xiang with a look of relief and said, "I really should thank Princess Qingyang for sending someone. When I go to have my pulse checked tomorrow, I must thank the princess properly."

There are only about ten girls, and I'm already finding it hard to manage them all.

Besides, Qiu Xiang, I don't want to get involved in their affairs. I'm already tired enough from treating these women, and I also have to keep in mind my promise to the Imperial Medical Academy to explain acupuncture techniques to the doctors.

No, I'll write a request later. I need to get at least one of the two, Lily of the Valley and Poria, to help me.

This is also a good time to gain experience.

"Third Miss, how about we try to get in touch with the teacher?"

Li San Niang shook her head, "That's not necessary. Why bother the master with such a trivial matter?"

I think Ningyizheng should be able to agree to this.

After all, look, a group of women have come today. Who knows, as the scope of this opium eradication campaign expands, even more women will be sent over.

They certainly won't leave me to handle such a huge workload all by myself."

However, it will be a matter of time before someone comes to help Li San Niang.

The arrival of these eight new maids kept Li San Niang busy until late at night.

After scalding her feet in the hot water at night, Li San Niang fell asleep as soon as her head hit the bed, as she was extremely tired during the day.

For the next five days, Li San Niang was busy every single moment.

I got up this morning and, taking advantage of the relatively cool weather, practiced a health-preserving exercise in the yard, taught by Dr. Liang.

Dr. Liang's original words were: "Most doctors know how to maintain health and are good at nourishing their qi, which leads to a long life."

This technique was passed down by my grandmaster; it's considered a skill of our medical school. I've taught it to your senior brothers as well. You should learn it too, so you can live a healthier and longer life.”

After finishing the exercise, I broke out in a fine sweat, drank a cup of warm water, and then went to the canteen with Qiu Xiang for breakfast.

After breakfast, I would return and take the pulse of each of the dozen or so women, inquire about their condition, record the information, and see if the herbal soup prescription needed to be changed. Those whose dates were approaching would also receive acupuncture.

Of course, the first thing to do is to visit Princess Qingyang, as she is a noble person and everything else must come first.

After all that busy work, it's almost lunchtime.

After lunch, she would go to the thatched huts where the male patients lived to give some pointers to the doctors who had not yet learned acupuncture. Usually, Li San Niang would find three typical patients who had been poisoned by opium to demonstrate on the spot.

In Li San Niang's words, "Practice makes perfect. Anyone with skill can learn by watching a few times. Those with talent will surely be able to learn it."

In the remaining time, people like Dr. Zhao would humbly come forward to ask for advice, and Li San Niang would usually give effective suggestions.

Sometimes, when encountering patients who already have an illness and are also infected with the virus, these typical seriously ill patients are discussed together by the doctors.

This method started with the debate between Li San Niang and Tang Ming Yue. Gradually, within a few days, it gathered a group of young doctors who were willing to accept this form of debate to exchange ideas and make progress together.