Chapter 125 Great Path or Small Path, as long as it helps her ascend to the heavens, it's a good path.

Qingling lay weakly, the pain in her abdomen becoming more pronounced.

She was also panicked; how could she have started bleeding so quickly?

Urged on by Lou Yue, Dr. He hurried into the courtyard, almost running.

"Quick, my young lady is bleeding!" As soon as Xia Chan saw Doctor He, she pushed him into the inner bedroom.

When Dr. He went in, he saw Yao Qingling covered in sweat, her small hands gripping the mattress tightly, clearly enduring the pain.

He quickly stepped forward, lifted her eyelids to look at her, and then asked her to open her mouth to observe her tongue coating. At this time, Qingling was in so much pain that she could hardly answer his questions. Taoye was also not there. Doctor He then took her pulse and quickly asked the medicine boy to bring his silver needles.

A few silver needles were inserted, relieving Qingling's pain. She gritted her teeth and asked, "Can the baby be saved?"

Dr. He was still inserting needles, and his face didn't look too good. He said, "You shouldn't have asked this question if you're going to keep doing this."

Qingling: "..."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she suppressed her grievances and distress, her body trembling slightly.

Is it beyond saving?

She had no fate with Zhan Xingzhuo, nor with this child.

She had planned for her child's future and there were still many things she hadn't done. Why would she abandon her as her mother?

Dr. He was soft-hearted. Seeing her distress, he sighed and said gently, "With me here, this child can certainly be saved. However, if it had been an hour or two later, it might not have been possible."

After he finished inserting the needles, he turned to write a prescription; the needles remained in Qingling's body, making her look like a hedgehog, unable to move.

The two maids were very nervous, clenching their fingers and craning their necks to look into the canopy bed, but they were afraid of disturbing the doctor's practice, so they could only anxiously watch from the side.

After writing the prescription, Doctor He turned around and saw the two maids staring wide-eyed and standing on tiptoe like two geese being held by the neck. He asked, "Which of you will go and decoct the medicine?"

“I, I’ll go!” Xia Chan said.

He then took the prescription and, along with his apprentice, went to Doctor He's shop to get the medicine.

Only the Lady of Zhongyong Marquis's Dangui Courtyard and the Old Lady's Cangbo Courtyard have small kitchens; the other young ladies and gentlemen share a large kitchen.

Yao Qingling has been very careful. To prevent being spied on, she has been preparing the medicine outside and then bringing it back to the hospital these days.

She had always wanted to build a small kitchen in the Mulan Courtyard, but firstly, she was too busy to do it, and secondly, others would object to her building a small kitchen, so it was not a good idea and she put it on hold.

After a while, Dr. He removed the needles and gave some instructions. Lou Yue listened attentively, almost taking notes.

Dr. He glanced at Yao Qingling. He was giving her detailed instructions, but if the patient couldn't cooperate, it would be all for naught.

But he was also aware of Yao Qingling's situation. If she could have a peaceful pregnancy, why would she have to put herself through all this trouble?

Finally, he simply said, "Madam Yao, given your condition, it would be best if you had a female physician by your side."

In case of any sudden situation, the female doctor can provide immediate first aid to prevent physical harm.

He then asked, "You're due in four or five months. Have you found a midwife and a wet nurse yet?"

Qingling said, "We've already found a wet nurse in the countryside, and she'll be brought into the manor in a few days. As for the midwife..."

There are many well-known midwives in the city, but they don't all work for her, and she's worried they might spread rumors. Yao Qingling plans to look in the outer city, but she's concerned about the safety of those outside, so she's still searching.

"...Doctor He often goes out of town to treat patients. Does he know any reliable midwives? If so, could you also recommend one or two female doctors?"

Qingling, shameless as she was, decided to rely on Doctor He for this matter.

Dr. He glared at her. "You're just targeting him?"

“I have a niece who has been studying medicine since she was a child. She is meticulous and steady, and I could introduce her to you, but…”

"Just what?"

Dr. He frowned, as if there was something he was reluctant to say. Qingling noticed this and said, "Dr. He, if it's inconvenient to say, you don't have to. I just need a reliable person. Since you introduced him, I trust him."

Dr. He said, "It's not really inconvenient."

Dr. He's family is a renowned family of doctors, and his niece was actually a concubine's daughter from the He family.

"I remember that Doctor He's elder brother works in the Imperial Medical Academy. Even if she is an illegitimate daughter, it would be quite remarkable if she could learn even a fraction of the skills. But, your brother actually allowed her to study medicine?"

In this dynasty, it is considered high class for women to learn a craft, while it is considered low class to learn medicine.

Every family with a long tradition of medicine has some medical skills and prescriptions that are not passed down to outsiders, and are passed down to sons but not daughters. The He family, which is a family of physicians, has several sons, so it shouldn't be the turn of a concubine's daughter to learn them.

Dr. He sighed: "When she was little, she had a high fever once. Her aunt, in order to win favor, delayed her treatment, which caused her to develop aphasia. Her brother felt guilty towards her, so he often took her with him."

"That child is quiet and learns quickly. She not only memorized the herbs, but also their properties and pharmacology. However, there are rules in the family, so she is only allowed to know these things."

"But the child was eager to learn and secretly memorized medical books. She couldn't bear to look at her brother's pulse diagnosis records, so she secretly came to my clinic."

Upon hearing this, Lou Yue couldn't help but ask, "She can only read pulse records and knows some medical principles, but has she ever treated any patients?"

That's the most important thing.

If we use her young lady as an experimental subject, wouldn't that be harmful?

Doctor He glared at her: "You little brat, why are you so quick to speak? I haven't finished yet." He looked at Qingling, "There's a dilapidated temple in the west of the city, where many beggars live. That girl often goes there to treat people."

Lou Yue gasped.

A doctor who treats beggars is recommending them to prostitutes?

Before she could say anything, Doctor He had already noticed and said, "Miss Lou Yue, don't look down on people. In the eyes of us doctors, regardless of whether we are poor or rich, we are all patients."

Lou Yue pouted, thinking to herself, "You doctors didn't say that when you were charging me for my consultation."

Dr. He continued, "Because of the environment in which beggars live for a long time, their illnesses are more complex and changeable. This also provides doctors with more channels to understand diseases, which is very helpful for doctors to improve their medical skills."

"But my niece... she is, after all, a woman. She goes to those kinds of places all the time, and she's mute. If something happens to her, it will be difficult for her to call for help. My brother didn't want her to become a doctor, but with her illness, it will be difficult for her to marry into a good family."

Qingling smiled and said, "So, when Doctor He suggested that I keep a female doctor by my side, he was actually looking for his distant niece."

Doctor He chuckled, sleeves tucked in his sleeves. "I suppose I'm destined to meet that girl. If she can find a good place to support herself, that would be a blessing for her. For Madam Yao, having someone by her side who can treat illnesses anytime, anywhere, and handle emergencies would also be a good thing."

"If that girl can't get treatment, isn't there still me and her father to cover for her?"

Yao Qingling's eyes flickered slightly.

That girl's father... Physician He?

On her way back to the city, Qingling was thinking about finding a powerful backer to deal with any unforeseen circumstances. Although Censor He's official rank was not high, he was still an official, and most importantly, he had access to influential people in the palace.

Regardless of whether it's a grand path or a minor one, as long as it helps her rise to great heights, it's a good path!

Qingling pretended to think for a moment, and then said, "When will Doctor He bring that niece to me so I can take a look?"

As they were talking, Xia Chan finished brewing the medicine and hurried back, holding the medicine in her hands without spilling a single drop.

She served Qingling the drink.

Qingling had received acupuncture and taken medicine, and her condition improved.

Seeing that she was alright, Doctor He left with his apprentice; before leaving, he said that he would bring her back after discussing it with the Imperial Physician He.