Chapter 126 A Little Shock

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, all taxes from the prefectural city and the four counties under its jurisdiction were collected at the government office.

The clerk spent two days checking and, after confirming that it was correct, Zhou Tongzhi presented it to the prefect for review.

"I checked the tax revenues of previous years. The land tax and the capitation tax have remained relatively unchanged, while the commercial tax has nearly doubled."

Although the bandit problem in Shaoqing Prefecture was eradicated and there were no refugees causing chaos, and the people were able to live and work in peace, the development and growth of farmland and population could not be achieved overnight.

Maybe by this time next year, there will be big changes—positive ones.

A few months ago, the wealthy families and merchants in Shaoqing Prefecture "voluntarily" donated half of their wealth, and the inspection team carried out routine inspections and irregular spot checks regardless of rain or shine. The economy controlled by the wealthy families and merchants was put on right track, the bad habits among shops were eliminated, and many people began to do business.

All transactions, regardless of size, are subject to tax.

In addition, the garment factory and the market, two big treasures that make a lot of money every day, the doubling of commercial taxes is an expected result.

Du Qingtang was quite satisfied and asked Co-Governor Zhou, "Given your over twenty years of experience as an official, how does Shaoqing Prefecture rank among the 140 prefectures in terms of tax revenue this year?"

Zhou Tongzhi hesitated for a moment and said, "It should be at the middle level."

Du Qingtang looked through the tax account book: "Add to that the one million taels that were confiscated from Zhou Wei and the other three's residence?"

Zhou Tongzhi was stunned: "Sir, what do you mean..."

Using the confiscated stolen silver as tax revenue might seem like deceiving the emperor.

Du Qingtang said confidently, "There was already tax revenue here that they had embezzled. I am simply returning it to its original owner."

Zhou Tongzhi calculated in his mind that Zhou Wei and his three companions had been bullying the people in Shaoqing Prefecture for more than ten years, squeezing the people's fat and blood, setting up private taxes, and embezzling tax revenue. Roughly speaking, the total amount might be as much as one million taels.

"I will note that this represents the tax revenue from the past fifteen years and will return it to the national treasury."

Zhou Tongzhi felt relieved and said, "Your Excellency is incorruptible. I admire you deeply. If you take into account this one million taels, you will definitely be among the best."

She wasn't incorruptible, but she just wanted to give a little shock to those people in the court who looked down on her.

Du Qingtang thought maliciously, "Is there anyone who is dishonest?"

Zhou Tongzhi shook his head and said, "I sent people to govern the four counties, ostensibly to assist, but in reality to monitor. There has been no evidence of embezzlement of tax revenue."

After reading the account book, Du Qingtang instructed: "New Year's Eve is approaching. During these two days, you can distribute porridge and charity in front of the government office."

Zhou Tongzhi complimented him sincerely: "Your Excellency is the most benevolent official I have ever met."

Du Qingtang said calmly, "We can't let the people go hungry on New Year's Eve."

Zhou Tongzhi bowed and said, "I will follow your orders, sir. I will make the arrangements right away."

That afternoon, the yamen runners distributed porridge at the gate of the government office.

Poor people and beggars heard the news and spontaneously formed long queues.

The cold wind blew fiercely on the long street, roaring and hitting people's bodies like a knife.

Everyone had smiles on their faces, which were full of traces of suffering. They looked ahead with burning eyes and swallowing sounds came one after another.

"It's steaming hot and smells delicious."

"I haven't had a full meal in more than ten days. The prefect is so kind that he even let me have some hot porridge."

The yamen runner wielded a copper spoon, pouring the coarse grain porridge into a dirty, broken bowl, and shouted, "Next!"

The ragged people got the porridge and couldn't wait to squat on the street and drink it up.

After eating a bowl of porridge, I felt warm all over and my eyes closed comfortably.

"I thought I would either freeze to death or starve to death this year, but I didn't expect to be able to have a full meal. It won't be a problem for me to get through this year."

The people who suffered from hunger and cold held their bowls and smiled with satisfaction.

Zhou Tongzhi, who was standing inside the door, also started laughing.

The days are getting more promising, aren’t they?

......

After finishing his shift in the evening, Du Qingtang returned to the third hall.

Zhu and Ju had not returned yet, and the yard was quiet.

Du Qingtang went back to the house to change into casual clothes, and when he came out again, Du Qingzhu had already returned.

"Xianyu, I just came back from the Food Fragrance Pavilion, and everyone was praising you along the way."

Du Qingtang sat by the charcoal stove, warming himself by the fire. Upon hearing this, he said nonchalantly, "What are you praising me for?"

Du Qingzhu pondered for a moment, then shook her head, the tassels in her hair swaying gently. "There are too many things to say. I really can't repeat them all. Anyway, you are now the most upright person in the eyes of the people. Their eyes light up when they talk about you."

Du Qingtang flipped his palm and said, "Because I ensure that the vast majority of the people have enough clothes to wear and enough food to eat, and I also eliminate hidden dangers for them. If I were a corrupt official like Zhou Wei, I'd probably have people cursing my ancestors every day."

Most people in the world are fence-sitters who change with the wind.

Love brings life, hate brings death.

Du Qingtang only needs to do her job well, and naturally people will support and love her.

Du Qingzhu agreed deeply and said frankly, "But to receive unanimous praise from the people is a rare feat. This is what makes the jade offering even more valuable."

As he was speaking, Du Qingju returned to the inner house.

Du Qingzhu ate peanuts and asked, "Why did you come back just now?"

Du Qingju exhaled and rubbed her hands, took off her cloak and hung it on the hanger, then sat down next to the youngest child. "After closing the clinic, we stopped by the charity hall. Unfortunately, someone left a baby girl at the door."

"The child was less than a month old. It was freezing outside. When she was found, her face was purple and her breathing was so weak that she was almost non-existent. It took me a lot of effort to save her."

Du Qingzhu frowned. "The government has issued a clear ban on abandoning baby girls. They also provide a subsidy of ten taels of silver for each baby, enough for them to grow up without worries about food and clothing. How could someone still be so fearless as to abandon a baby girl at the door of a charity?"

Du Qingtang poured Du Qingju a cup of tea. Du Qingju took a sip and exhaled: "Is it possible that they abandoned the baby girl after receiving the ten taels reward?"

Du Qingzhu was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and slammed the table in anger, cursing, "God damned bastard!"

Du Qingju continued, "Abandoning a baby girl will most likely result in her death, and the charity is affiliated with the government. If you send baby girls here, they will definitely take them in, so it won't count as abandonment. Of course, that's just what they think, but in reality, it still counts as abandonment."

Du Qingzhu gritted his teeth: "Will I die if I don't take advantage of loopholes?"

Du Qingtang's eyes were calm, and he tapped the handrail lightly with his fingers: "I will send people to guard the door of the charity hall. If they find anyone, they will be arrested immediately. The main culprit will be beheaded in public, and the accomplices will be sentenced to ten years in prison."

It seems that a fine of silver is too light. Only imprisonment can serve as a deterrent.

"As for abandoning a baby girl after receiving the reward..." Du Qingtang sighed softly, "Just like in Sanli Village, whether to abandon the baby or raise it well after receiving the money is entirely up to conscience. It's not just the conscience of the parents, the conscience of the neighbors is also very important."

It would be best if the neighbors reported the crime promptly after discovering it. If they were in collusion and protected each other, even if Du Qingtang had three heads and six arms, he would not be able to catch them one by one and bring them to justice.

Zhu Ju and the others both heard what the youngest brother had not said, and they felt the same way, feeling angry and powerless.

"They knew they would be beheaded if caught, and that their families' wealth would be lost and their descendants would be affected, but they still decided to risk their lives."

"There are always people who cling to the hope that the authorities won't discover what they're doing."

"I really hope that things like abandoning and drowning baby girls will never happen again."

Du Qingtang threw the melon seed shells into the charcoal basin and calmly pointed out, "Seventh Sister, your idea is too idealistic. This is an era where women are generally considered inferior to men. Unless women stand up and more women are in power, it will be possible to correct the people's deep-rooted concept of favoring boys over girls."

Du Qingju continued, "Otherwise, there will always be baby girls abandoned and drowned at birth."

"well--"

The three sisters gathered around the charcoal brazier and sighed in unison.

Du Qingzhu placed the peeled melon seeds in the youngest's hand and earnestly instructed, "Xianyu, you and Zizhan should work harder and strive to change the current situation as soon as possible. I've had enough of this world."

Du Qingtang smiled and said solemnly, "I will."

She took this as her goal and worked hard to achieve it.

The road ahead is long and arduous, but she will succeed.

But to be honest, it’s quite satisfying to swallow a handful of melon seeds in one bite.

Du Qingtang paused, then added, "Forget about it this year. Next year, I plan to send people to inspect all parts of Shaoqing Prefecture to eradicate the trend of favoring boys over girls."

She was unable to change the people's minds and could only do her best to save more baby girls.

Du Qingju smiled and said, "It seems that the charity hall is going to be expanded again."

Du Qingtang took a sip of tea and said, "We have to give the child a place to stay."

......

The next day, after Du Qingtang took up his post, he dispatched several more patrolmen to guard the vicinity of the charity hall.

The person was assigned in the morning, and in the afternoon he caught someone who had abandoned a baby girl.

The man, caught red-handed, not only didn't feel guilty, but he stiffened his neck and argued, "The charity has taken in so many wild children, what's the big deal about one more? My family is poor and can't feed so many mouths. Isn't the prefect always sympathetic to the people's suffering? Shouldn't she raise a child for me?"

The words were so unreasonable but so confident that the patrolman was so angry that he laughed. He couldn't help but slapped the man hard in the face. The man turned around on the spot and fell on his butt, with his eyes staring blankly for a long time.

"Did the prefect ask you to have a baby?"

"If you can't afford it, don't have the baby. Besides, the government has given you ten taels of silver. As long as you don't spend it lavishly, it's enough to raise the child."

"You take the money but don't want to raise the child. You are a piece of shit!"

The man wanted to continue to argue, but the patrolman raised his hand to slap him, and he shut up.

"If you dare to talk back again, I'll beat you to death!"

The patrolmen picked up the man, tied him up, and took him to the government office.

Along the way, they shouted loudly, attracting countless people to watch.

"It was this man who took ten taels of silver from the government and then abandoned the little girl at the door of the charity hall."

"The prefect has said that anyone who knowingly breaks the law will not only be beheaded, but their entire family will suffer, and they will all be sentenced to ten years in prison!"

After hearing these words, everyone gasped and fell silent.

"I originally wanted to send my newborn to a charity, but now I've decided not to."

"You're so ungrateful! It's really unlucky for a girl to be born into your family."

"Hey! Look at what you said. Didn't I give up this idea?"

"If you have any conscience, you won't have such a heartless thought."

The charity hall was in the east of the city, and the patrolmen deliberately took the man around the city to let everyone know about his immoral deeds and to serve as a warning to others.

The prefect has done his utmost to be kind and righteous, but some people are ungrateful for the blessings they have.

What's wrong with being a girl?

They are well-behaved and sensible, sweet and soft. Aren't they better than those naughty monkeys who climb trees to rob bird nests and go to rivers to catch fish?

Looking at the man with a bruised face and nose, many people couldn't help but feel relieved. Although they didn't like their daughter, they decided to raise her for the sake of ten taels of silver.

It's just one more mouth to feed, and the government allows the girl to study for free, and she also receives tuition money every month. It's a sure-win business.

Keep it, my daughter is fine too.

......

When the patrol passed by the door of Xinglin Hall, Du Qingju happened to be seeing off a woman who came to see a doctor, so he stood at the door and eavesdropped.

Upon learning the reason for the man's arrest, Du Qingju said disdainfully, "They say men should be upright and self-reliant, but I think there are more people who are shameless."

Liang Chuxia held the medicine dustpan and nodded in agreement: "Cats and dogs know how to love and feed their children, but they can even abandon their own flesh and blood. Let alone men, he is not a human being at all."

"To be honest, Master, when I was born, my grandfather was planning to give me to the landlord's stupid son as a child bride, but my mother made a scene and threatened to commit suicide to stop him."

"Dad and Grandpa have been indifferent to me these years. They only have eyes for my eldest brother and my younger brother. Only Mom treats me well."

The girl, who was at the age of coming of age, pursed her lips, with tears in her eyes.

Du Qingju thought to herself, who isn't?

At least you have your mother, and I only have sisters.

However, she is very glad that she chose to study medicine and that her sisters fully supported her in doing so.

Although it is difficult, she enjoys every day.

Du Qingju stroked the little apprentice's hair and said softly, "Then you should study medicine well. One day, you will achieve something and give them a good slap in the face."

Liang Chuxia nodded vigorously, her brows full of determination: "I will!"

Not only will she study medicine well, she will also surpass her elder and younger brothers.

She wanted her grandfather to admit in person that it was a huge mistake not to teach her medical skills.

The patrolman walked away, and the master and disciple were about to go in when they heard a commotion not far away.

"A clinic! Where is there a clinic nearby?"

Du Qingju paused and looked in the direction of the sound. Several tall and strong men were running around in the street like headless flies.

One of them was carrying someone on his back, and blood could be vaguely seen on his trouser legs, and his shoes and socks were also red.

Wherever it passed, it left a string of blood beads, frightening passers-by so much that they avoided it.

Liang Chuxia also saw it, and without thinking anything else, she waved her hand and shouted loudly: "Here! The clinic is here!"

The men were overjoyed upon hearing the sound and ran straight to Xinglin Hall.

However, after running a few steps, he heard someone say, "The doctors at Xinglin Hall are only in their twenties, and the patients who come to see you are all women. Your brother's injuries are serious, and a female doctor may not be able to cure him. Don't let any root cause of the disease remain."

Leave a root of disease?

The men's eyelids twitched wildly, and they slowed down their pace involuntarily, thinking of retreating.

Du Qingju glanced at the young man who tried to stop her. If she remembered correctly, this man was the grandson of one of the doctors in Yiyuan Hall not far away.

The young boy suddenly met the eyes of the female doctor. She looked gentle and quiet, with a smile on her lips, but he was inexplicably frightened. He originally wanted to take people to Yiyuantang, but he swallowed the words back and slipped away quickly with his head down.

Du Qingju looked at the men again and said calmly, "If he delays any longer, his leg will probably be broken. Even if the wound heals, he will still have difficulty walking."

"What? It's useless?!"

"What should I do?"

These men are all hunters. As the year draws to a close, in order to earn some money and have a comfortable year, they agree to go into the mountains and hunt a blind bear.

Unexpectedly, something went wrong during the journey. The blind bear woke up from hibernation. Zhang Wenzhou was unable to dodge and was bitten on the calf by the blind bear.

If they hadn't risked their lives to save him, he would have become the bear's meal.

They went to see the village doctor, but the doctor said he couldn't treat them and told them to go into the city.

After entering the city, I couldn't find a clinic for a while.

I finally found a clinic, but it was unreliable.

A hunter makes a living by hunting. If he loses a leg, his life is ruined. What will happen to his family?

Du Qingju looked at the panic-stricken hunters and raised her chin slightly. "If I'm not mistaken, his leg bones were snapped by some ferocious beast with incredible bite force. The broken bones are protruding, and judging by the cross-section, there must be broken bones under the skin. We must remove the flesh and bones. Looking at the entire city, besides the military doctor, I am the only one who can save him."

The hunters looked at each other, half believing and half doubting.

When passers-by heard this, they couldn't help but stop and talk about it.

"I remember the female doctor at Xinglintang performed caesarean sections more than once."

"Even the belly can be cut open, so taking the baby out shouldn't be a problem. Cutting open the flesh on the legs and taking out the broken bones shouldn't be a problem."

"Dr. Du is amazing. A few days ago, my wife was giving birth and she couldn't move her muscles anymore. The midwife used forceps to deliver my daughter, and both mother and daughter were safe. The midwife said that the forceps were invented by Dr. Du. If it weren't for Dr. Du, I really can't imagine what would have happened."

"At the beginning of the month, my wife Xiangyun was also saved by forceps."

"Brother, what are you still doing there? Doctor Du said she can save your brother, so hurry in!"

The hunters came back to their senses from their confusion and without hesitation, they rushed into Xinglin Hall carrying Zhang Wenzhou on their backs.

Du Qingju asked the hunter to lay Zhang Wenzhou flat on the wooden bed and quickly ordered: "Chuxia, prepare Ma Fei Powder and gauze, and disinfect the razor blade."

"yes!"

Liang Chuxia rolled up her sleeves and made preparations for the operation quickly and methodically.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Du Qingju cleaned Zhang Wenzhou's wound.

She had already learned the cause of the incident from the hunter, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.

Although the garment factory solved the livelihood problem of some families, there were still people who had no food to eat.

In order to make a living, these hunters take the risk of going into the mountains to hunt, just to earn some money and have a good year.

Du Qingju sighed and waved her hand to drive them away: "Don't gather here, get out."

The female doctor was very thin and could be pushed down by the hunter with just one finger. However, Zhang Wenzhou's life was in her hands, so they could only leave the cubicle in embarrassment and wait in the lobby.

Liang Chuxia put the necessary items into the compartment: "Master, everything is ready!"

Du Qingju exhaled: "Let's get started."

The compartment door closed, blocking the hunters' view.

Unable to see Zhang Wenzhou's situation, the hunters couldn't help but feel anxious.

"I just heard that this female doctor seems to only specialize in gynecology. What if she cripples Dazhou?"

"The female doctor saw Dazhou's injuries at a glance. Apart from her, we can only find a military doctor."

Who is a military doctor?

That was a hospital that specialized in treating the illnesses of government soldiers and yamen runners, and it didn't care about the lives of ordinary people like them.

"What if she's talking nonsense?"

"Since it's broken bones, there must be something inside when we take it out. When the time comes, just ask her to show it to us."

Anyway, it has come to this point, it’s too late to regret.

Thinking of this, the hunters calmed down.

In Xinglin Hall, Du Qingju was removing broken bones for Zhang Wenzhou, while Liang Chuxia was helping and learning at the same time.

Outside Xinglin Hall, the news that Doctor Du was going to remove flesh and bones from people spread like wildfire.

Many people are paying attention to what's happening at Xinglintang, including the doctors at Yiyuantang.

"You're just a little girl, but you have such a big mouth!"

"I've been practicing medicine for many years, and everyone who's been bitten by a blind bear has, without exception, never recovered. All of them have become paralyzed."

"Just wait and see. This Du woman's boast will surely make her a laughing stock in Shaoqing Prefecture. Who will dare to seek medical treatment from her in the future?"

"You talk as if a lot of people came to her before."

"She shares the same surname as the prefect, yet she's so ambitious. If she manages to injure that hunter, I'm afraid the others won't let her go."

Several doctors exchanged glances, and malicious smiles appeared on their old faces like orange peels.

......

Half an hour passed in a flash.

The door of Xinglintang was wide open, and the cold wind blew in. The hunter who was dozing off while waiting was startled and woke up from the cold. He wiped his face and looked around.

"Is it over?"

"not yet."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the compartment opened with a "crash".

A beautiful female doctor came out, her hands and dress stained with blood. Her expression was calm and composed, almost indifferent. "The Ma Fei San hasn't worn off yet, and the patient hasn't woken up yet. We need to observe him for another half hour. I'll prescribe two more prescriptions later, and then you can go back."

"So soon?"

"Doctor, can I see the broken bones you removed from Dazhou's leg?"

Du Qingju was washing her hands and looked up when she heard this.

The hunter who made this request felt inexplicably guilty, but he soon became tough again. He was also doing it for Zhang Wenzhou's own good. It would be best if the doctor did not lie to them, otherwise he would not let her go.

"Early summer."

Liang Chuxia came out of the compartment, holding a wooden tray, and placed it in front of the hunter: "Here, take a look."

Looking closely, they saw that the white broken bones were of irregular shapes. Based on their years of hunting experience, they knew they were indeed human bones.

The hunters looked at each other in surprise. This female doctor was really capable.

Liang Chuxia saw what they were thinking at a glance and resisted the urge to roll her eyes: "Now you can be sure that my master didn't lie to you, right?"

The hunters all looked embarrassed. They felt guilty now, as tough as they were before.

"That's not true, girl. We have always believed in Doctor Du."

It is impossible to admit it. Dazhou is still lying in there. What if the female doctor is angered and she takes the opportunity to take revenge? What should I do?

Liang Chuxia snorted and turned away.

She just couldn't stand the fact that these people clearly relied on the master to save people, but acted as if they didn't trust the master.

She felt sorry for her master.

Liang Chuxia also went to wash her hands, muttering: "Master..."

Du Qingju dried her hands and ruffled her apprentice's hair: "Chuxia, you must remember that it is common for doctors to be questioned. You don't need to argue with them. The patient's recovery is the best response."

Liang Chuxia puffed out her cheeks and said softly, "Okay, I'll take note of this."

Du Qingju smiled and said, "Go ahead. The task of preparing the medicine is left to you."

Liang Chuxia always listened to her master and went obediently.

After a stick of incense, Zhang Wenzhou woke up.

Recalling what happened before he fainted, Zhang Wenzhou's face turned pale.

Just then Du Qingju came in. Zhang Wenzhou learned that she was a doctor, so he asked in a trembling voice: "Doctor, is my leg useless?"

The hunter in the lobby pricked up his ears secretly.

Du Qingju whispered softly: "No, just take good care of it, it will be no different from an ordinary person."

Obviously, this female doctor was very young, but her tone was so confident that Zhang Wenzhou inexplicably believed her.

Zhang Wenzhou felt relieved and burst into tears of joy: "Thank you, doctor! Thank you, doctor!"

Du Qingju waved her hand and said it was okay to speak frankly.

Half an hour later, after making sure that Zhang Wenzhou was fine, Du Qingju gave him a few instructions, paid him, and let him leave.

Zhang Wenzhou's right leg was sutured with mulberry bark thread and fixed with a wooden board, making it difficult for him to walk. Fortunately, the hunters were as strong as oxen and found a discarded door panel and carried Zhang Wenzhou out.

Many people were paying attention to what was happening in Xinglin Hall. When they saw the hunter appear, they immediately swarmed over and asked questions in a flurry.

"How was it? Did the female doctor really pick out the broken bones?"

"Are there really broken bones? Is she trying to scare you?"

"I think Doctor Du is very gentle and kind, and doesn't seem like someone who would lie."

“You know a person’s face but not his heart. Who knows?”

Zhang Wenzhou said in a rough voice, "My leg was bitten to pieces by a blind bear. Not only was the bone broken, but a large piece of skin was only connected to the flesh at the edge. It was almost broken off. Doctor Du not only picked out the broken bones, but also sewed the skin and flesh back together. If you don't believe me, just look—"

Zhang Wenzhou did not hide it and showed everyone his right leg which was holding the wooden board.

"My God, such a long wound can actually be sewn up with needle and thread."

"I saw the wound clearly before. If it wasn't stitched up, only the bone would be exposed, and the bone would be crooked. It's scary to think about it."

"Doctor Du is really capable. My nephew broke his leg a few years ago, and the doctor at Yiyuantang did nothing but fix it with two wooden boards. The bone is still crooked, and he still walks with a limp. Because of this, no girl from a good family would marry him, so he ended up marrying a widow. Fortunately, the widow has a good temper, and the couple lives a good life. Otherwise, my sister would really go to Yiyuantang and make a scene."

Upon hearing this, the doctors from Yiyuantang who were watching the excitement not far away all shrank their necks.

"You know what, those old guys in Yiyuan Hall don't have much ability, but they have a bad temper."

"Last year, my daughter was sick and went to Yiyuantang for treatment. She took medicine for a month but still didn't get better. It was really a rip-off. I suspect they did it on purpose."

When the doctor from Yiyuantang heard this, his eyes rolled around and he looked guilty. It was obvious that the other party was right on the mark.

"It's not advisable to stay here for long, let's go!"

Several old doctors slipped away as fast as they could, not even caring about the joke that was happening at Xinglin Hall.

"So, Doctor Du is even better than the doctor at Yiyuantang."

"So from now on, if we have a headache or a fever, or any other illness, big or small, we'll go to her for treatment?"

"The key is that Doctor Du has a good personality and smiles at everyone he meets. Unlike Yiyuantang, where you have to pay for things at the expense of others."

......

Within an hour, the news that Doctor Du from Xinglin Hall had removed flesh and bones from a person spread.

There was no water in the teapot, so Du Qingtang came out to fetch some and happened to hear the yamen runner talking about this matter.

"The prefect is brilliant and resourceful, and Miss Zhu and Miss Ju have also achieved great things. The Du family's ancestral graves must be filled with smoke, having produced so many beautiful and talented daughters at once."

"No matter how good your ancestral tomb is, no matter how high your talent is, it will be useless if you don't work hard later in life."

"That's right. I asked the coroner. He always sews up the stomach at the end of every autopsy. Even without mentioning the skill, he must have practiced for a long time, let alone sewing on a living person."

"It takes ten years of hard work to be successful on stage. No matter what you do, it's not easy."

Du Qingtang carried the teapot back to the duty room and continued to handle official business.

As the shift was about to end, Du Qingju came over.

"Xianyu, you asked me to compile some data earlier. There were a total of 68 women in Tiancheng who had difficult births. According to the circumstances at the time, most of them would have resulted in two deaths, but thanks to forceps, both mother and child survived safely."

"I also asked the midwife at the training class for data from previous years and made a detailed comparison." Du Qingju placed a thin booklet in front of Du Qingtang, her voice rising, "Please review it, Your Excellency the Prefect."

Du Qingtang gave her an unpleasant look and opened it to look through.

Du Qingju was always meticulous and thorough. The data in this thin booklet was enough to prove the effectiveness of the forceps. "I will draft an urgent memorial and send it to Xiajing immediately."

Du Qingju's eyebrows curved: "Thank you for the jade."

"It's just a small favor. There's no need to thank me." Du Qingtang picked up the pen and dipped it in ink. "By the way, send the sweet potatoes and potatoes as well."

After drafting the urgent report, Du Qingtang attached the method of making forceps and related comparison data. He also took out the compass he had made a few days ago and attached the corresponding production method, as well as the method of planting potatoes and sweet potatoes.

After doing all this, the discount has been waiting for a long time.

Du Qingtang handed the urgent report to him. Because the number of potatoes and sweet potatoes was large and it was related to the national economy and people's livelihood, it could not be neglected, so he sent 500 palace soldiers to escort them.

Half an hour later, the imperial envoy and the palace soldiers left Shaoqing Prefecture and rode at full speed towards Xiajing.

Taking into account extreme weather and unexpected accidents, it will be delivered around the end of the first lunar month.

"clang--"

The gong sounded for the end of the shift. Du Qingtang tidied up the messy table and took Du Qingju to the third hall.

On the corridor, the two men met officials from the government office.

"Your humble servant greets His Excellency and the Township Master."

Du Qingtang nodded and reminded, "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. You don't need to come to work. Come back after the annual leave is over in half a month."

"Yes, I understand."

"I wish you a happy new year in advance and all the best."

Zhou Tongzhi started the conversation, and the other officials bowed and said auspicious words.

Du Qingtang replied with a "Happy New Year" and before parting, he suddenly remembered something: "Where are your self-criticisms?"

The officials were shocked and their eyes were darting around.

"Ahem—I've been so busy with official duties lately that I really can't spare the time to write a self-criticism."

"Please show some mercy, my lord. I will never do this again."

Everyone tried to excuse themselves, but did not forget to observe the prefect's expression. They saw the prefect smile slightly, and their hearts were relieved a little.

It seems that the adults are in a good mood today, so they probably won't take it too seriously...

"I'm not unreasonable. It's the New Year holiday, so half a month is plenty of time for you to express yourselves." Du Qingtang said in a slightly serious tone, "Fifty thousand words each. One less word will cost you the job of cleaning the garment factory toilets."

Officials: “???!!!”

There are more than 10,000 people working in the garment factory, and they all know with their toes that the smell of the toilet must be very sour.

It would be better for them to die than to be forced to clean toilets!

When everyone came back to their senses from the shock, they found that the prefect was no longer on the corridor.

"Bang--"

With a slight sound, the door to the inner house slammed shut, blocking out their desperate sight.

......

Entering the inner house, Du Qingju remembered the dull expressions of the adults and couldn't help laughing: "Just tease them if you want to give them jade."

"There was a fight at the government office a while ago, and the hall was in chaos because of them. Who else should we punish if not them?" Du Qingtang changed the subject, "By the way, Eighth Sister, I heard that you stabbed someone this afternoon?"

Du Qingju was a little surprised, but then she thought of the people outside Xinglin Hall watching the excitement, and suddenly understood: "It's similar to Master Yao's situation. We just need to remove the broken bones and straighten them."

"Xiao Ba! Show me the jade!" Du Qingtang was about to say when Du Qingzhu popped his head out of the kitchen. "I made pickled fish with chili peppers. Come and try it."

When she heard about the chili pepper, Du Qingju immediately showed a polite expression, picked up her skirt and turned around and slipped away: "I have to go back to the house to take a shower and change clothes, Xianyu, you eat first."

Du Qingtang: “…”

Du Qingzhu rolled her eyes and waved to the youngest: "If Xiaoba doesn't eat it, we will eat it. She doesn't even know what a delicious meal she's missed."

Du Qingtang laughed and went to the kitchen.

Like potatoes and sweet potatoes, she hasn't eaten pickled fish for many years.

Now that Du Qingzhu has reproduced it, it is certainly not to be missed.

At the dinner table, Du Qingtang mentioned that Du Qingju had been collecting broken bones for someone else.

Du Qingzhu placed a large bowl of pickled fish in the center, clapped his hands and said with a smile, "This will make Xinglintang famous and its business will reach new heights."

At this time, Du Qingju changed her clothes and came over. She vaguely heard the words "Xinglintang". After sitting down, she wanted to ask what they were talking about. As soon as she opened her mouth, a piece of fish was stuffed into her mouth.

Du Qingzhu smiled and said, "Xiao Ba, try it quickly."

Du Qingju was psychologically traumatized by the spicy and sour potato shreds with a lot of chili peppers. Her jaw was stiff, she dared not move, and she stared at Du Qingzhu with wide eyes.

She said she doesn't like spicy food, so why are you stuffing spicy food into her mouth?!

Seeing this, Du Qingzhu laughed so hard that tears almost came out. After a long while, she rubbed her stomach and said, "I know you don't like spicy food, so I made a special portion of fish fillet for you."

Du Qingju was stunned for a moment, then took a tentative bite.

It’s not spicy at all, but sweet and sour.

Du Qingzhu was still laughing, and his laughter was wild.

Du Qingju gritted her teeth secretly, then suddenly slammed the table and stood up, running towards her, feigning anger and saying, "Great! How dare you tease me? I'll beat you to death!"

Du Qingzhu jumped up with a scream and dodged everywhere.

One was running away and the other was chasing, going around and around in the dining room.

"Stop right there!"

"No, no!"

"Du Qingzhu, you're done. Next time I'm going to add coptis root to your meal!"

Du Qingtang's eyes were hurt by the shinning of the two girls, so he lowered his head to avoid being annoyed and concentrated on eating.

The two of them joked around for a while, then turned around and became as good as one, eating fish fillets together, smiling with their eyes curved like crescent moons.

-

After tasting the long-missed pickled fish, Du Qingtang had a good night's sleep and woke up naturally the next day.

The government office began its annual holiday, and Shixiang Pavilion and Xinglin Hall also closed, not reopening until the fifth day of the first lunar month.

Du Qingtang dressed neatly and opened the door. Zhu and Ju sat under the eaves to bask in the sun.

When they saw Du Qingtang coming out, they all smiled.

"Xianyu, how about we make dumplings tonight?"

"I just discussed with Seventh Sister and decided to make a few more fillings."

"Since it's New Year's Eve dinner, it naturally has to be a bit rich."

Du Qingtang readily agreed.

Eating dumplings on New Year's Eve is a custom in Shaoqing Prefecture. Now that they are in Shaoqing Prefecture, they follow the local customs.

So after brunch, the three sisters went straight into the kitchen and started preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner.

......

Du Qingtang was preparing the New Year's Eve dinner. Thousands of miles away in Xiajing, officials and their families had already begun dressing up in preparation for the New Year's Eve palace banquet.

The ladies put on their makeup with the new cosmetics from Ningxiang Tower. Two hours later, they held up their handheld mirrors to admire their almost perfect makeup that had been meticulously crafted. After a long while, they put it down with satisfaction and, along with their husbands and children, rode in carriages into the palace.

Arriving at the Bixiao Palace where the palace banquet was held, a jade rabbit rose quietly.

Charcoal fires burned inside the magnificent palace, making it as warm as a spring day.

Men and women sat at separate tables, drinking and chatting happily.

"I went to Ningxianglou for a facial yesterday. I heard they're going to release new products in the first month of the year."

"Why are you releasing a new product? Didn't you just release one last month?"

"Last time it was makeup, this time it's skincare. It's said to brighten your skin tone. Just tell me whether you want to buy it or not."

"Of course I have to buy it. Women should be nicer to themselves. If you don't take care of yourself, how can you expect those stinky men to treat you well?"

"Then I stopped by the Liulifang across the street and happened to see someone delivering something. I asked casually and was told they were selling dressing mirrors for the first month of the year, the kind you put on your dressing table."

"Oh my god, why are they all targeting my wallet?"

"Ah! Madam Wang, why are you sweating so much? Your hair is wet, and you're not wearing many clothes."

Mrs. Wang wiped the sweat off her face with a handkerchief, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Yesterday, my second son and his daughter-in-law, who are officials in another province, sent me New Year gifts. They bought a set of woolen coats for me and his father, saying they were soft, comfortable, and very warm."

"I thought today's palace banquet wouldn't end until midnight, so I put it on this morning, just in case. I even skipped an undercoat, but I didn't expect it to still make me sweat profusely."

When the noble ladies around heard this, they were all surprised to see that Mrs. Wang looked thinly dressed and had a slim figure, unlike them, who looked extremely bloated in their cotton jackets.

"Look at how you're dressed, and look at how we're dressed. One looks like spring, and the other looks like winter."

"Sister Wang, are woolen sweaters really as warm as you say?"

Madam Wang nodded. "Why would I lie to you? Just now, we walked from the palace gate here. My master didn't have a woolen coat on and was shivering with cold. And I, a woman, feel like I'm on fire."

When the ladies saw that her expression did not seem fake, they were moved and called out to Mrs. Wang, "Sisters and sisters," and surrounded her.

"Sister Wang, could you ask your daughter-in-law to bring one for me?"

"And me."

Women all love beauty. Unless they have to, or can't stand the cold, who would be willing to wear such a thick cotton jacket?

It was just a woolen sweater, but they spent thousands and thousands of taels of silver on it every month in Ningxiang Tower without even feeling sorry.

Madam Wang smoothed her hair and smiled brightly, "There's no need to ask my daughter-in-law to buy it. She said the woolen sweater comes from the garment factory in Shaoqing Prefecture and is sold by garment shops all over Daxia. Xiajing is at the foot of the emperor, so I'm sure any garment shop will have it."

"Shaoqing Mansion? This name seems familiar."

"During last year's New Year's Eve palace banquet, Lord Du Qingtang's identity was exposed by his biological mother, and His Majesty sent her to Shaoqing Prefecture to take up a post."

"I see. That incident was such a big deal back then, and it's been a year in a flash."

"Du Qingtang was a remarkable woman of extraordinary courage and insight. I wonder how she is doing in Shaoqing Prefecture."

"Second sister! Second sister!"

The noisy female voice brought Princess Zhaoyang back to reality. She frowned slightly and looked at the third princess beside her.

The third princess was also looking at her.

Princess Zhaoyang's mother, Xiao, has heroic features and a sharp beauty that ordinary women do not have.

She put on full makeup tonight, and the exquisite makeup highlighted all the advantages of her facial features, without showing any trace of the vicissitudes and haggardness she had when she first returned to Daxia.

The third princess recognized at a glance that this makeup was done by the makeup artist of Ningxiang Tower.

For this New Year's Eve palace banquet, she originally wanted to ask the makeup girl to design her makeup, but was told that the makeup girl was no longer in Ningxiang Tower.

After further questioning, it turned out that he had entered Princess Zhaoyang's mansion.

Just because of one word from that hateful woman Xia Danrong, my father gave the makeup girl to her.

The third princess lowered her gaze to Princess Zhaoyang's palace dress.

This palace dress was made of floating brocade. There were only two pieces of it in the entire harem. One went to Kunning Palace and the other went to Princess Zhaoyang's mansion.

Look at the golden butterflies on the double bun. They were tribute from a small country. Just because Xia Danrong took a closer look, her father gave them to her.

The third princess became more and more jealous as she watched, her heart as if she had drunk three jars of vinegar, so sour to death, and her tone could not help but show some of it: "Father is so good to you, sending all the good things to Princess Zhaoyang's mansion, while we have nothing. Is it just because you once married into the Great Qi?"

The eldest princess and the fourth princess's eyes changed slightly.

Just as she was about to smooth things over, she heard Princess Zhaoyang chuckle, "Xiao San, you envy me. If you had gone to marry me, then everything I have now would be yours."

The third princess choked, while the eldest and fourth princesses covered their mouths and laughed.

The third princess's mother, Concubine Xue, was Empress Cao's cousin through a different connection. The third princess relied on this relationship to act arrogantly in the harem, developed a domineering personality, and offended countless people.

Princess Zhaoyang suffered harsh treatment in Da Qi, and the vicissitudes of her life when she returned to Da Xia were obvious to all.

The third princess chose to poke at Princess Zhaoyang's sore spot, and she deserved to be squeezed out.

The Third Princess glared at the two people who were snickering, then rolled her eyes and said in a drawn-out tone, "Just now when I entered the palace, I happened to meet the Prince and Princess of Wenyuan's Mansion. They are a perfect match, husband and wife, and they are so inseparable. They are really the envy of everyone."

The eldest princess' eyelids twitched and she subconsciously looked at Princess Zhaoyang.

Princess Zhaoyang's expression remained unchanged. Her distinct black and white eyes stared at the Third Princess, with a half-smile on her face: "My dear Third Princess, you have been married to your husband for many years, yet you envy others. It seems your husband hasn't served you well enough."

"Yesterday, I got a new musician. He's handsome, gentle, and most importantly, he's very skilled and has amazing ventriloquism. I'll send him to the Third Princess's residence and have him teach your husband how to serve you."

"Of course, if you want to keep him, my dear, I will reluctantly give him up and give him to you."

The eldest and fourth princesses blushed at these words and turned their heads away, not daring to listen any further.

The third princess was embarrassed and annoyed: "Xia Danrong, you are shameless..."

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The eunuch's shrill messenger interrupted the Third Princess's verbal abuse, and all the princes and officials bowed and greeted her.

Emperor Qingyuan and Empress Cao sat on the high seats. He raised his hand slightly and said in a loud voice: "Everyone, please stand up. Today is the New Year's Eve palace banquet. You can drink and talk as you please. There is no need to be too formal."

Everyone thanked the emperor and sat down again, and the New Year's Eve palace banquet officially began.

The sound of stringed instruments gradually rose, and the most noble couple in the world talked and laughed happily, and their eyes were full of tenderness when they met.

The officials toasted each other and enjoyed the graceful dance of the dancer.

Princess Zhaoyang went to listen to the conversation of Lady Wang and her group again, and she complained that her husband had taken in a beautiful concubine and no longer came to their room.

Princess Zhaoyang lowered her eyes, played with the wine glass with her slender fingers, and seemed to be lost in thought.

A woolen sweater?

On the other side, inside the Shaoqing Prefecture government office.

After an afternoon of hard work, a hundred dumplings were photographed on the kitchen table.

Eat fifty tonight and fifty tomorrow morning.

Put the dumplings into boiling water, cover the pot and wait for a cup of tea, then open the lid. The plump white dumplings will float on the water, which is very pleasing to the eye.

"Dinner is ready!"

Three large bowls were lined up in a row. Zhu and Ju each had fifteen, while Du Qingtang had a big appetite and ate twenty.

Put dumplings in a big bowl and vinegar in a small plate.

“Dumplings dipped in vinegar are something even the gods wouldn’t trade for!”

"Wrong! It's clearly dumplings dipped in vinegar, the more you eat, the richer you will be!"

Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju laughed and joked for a while, then sat down on both sides of the youngest child, eating dumplings with big mouthfuls. Their cheeks were stuffed and they shook their legs with satisfaction.

After eating dumplings, the three sisters sat cross-legged on the kang, reading some books, eating melon seeds and peanuts, with sour plum soup at hand, which was essential for staying up all night to celebrate the New Year.

Time passed quickly while we talked and laughed, and it was midnight in the blink of an eye.

There was a crackling sound coming from the distance.

The sound of firecrackers bids farewell to the old and welcomes the new.

The nineteenth year of Qingyuan arrived as expected.

"Happy New Year."

The three of them said almost in unison.

After saying this, they were all stunned, and then each took out two red envelopes from the secret pocket in their wide sleeves.

"Here, the New Year's money."

They handed it out and spoke at the same time.

The three of them looked at each other, took the New Year's money, and laughed so hard that they fell down on the kang.

The candlelight flickered, and three figures were huddled together, inseparable.