Gifts and gifts

Yiqiancao lowered her head, stepped forward and said, "Reporting to the Imperial Household Department, this was my idea. I asked my junior sisters for help. I am guilty and willing to accept punishment."

Ruan Yeting's gaze shifted from Atractylodes macrocephala to Lysimachia christinae, then to the anxious Xiao Fu and Yang Huaishu. The young girl, inexperienced in the ways of the world, could not hide her fear and unease, and remained silent for a moment.

"Although it's somewhat improper, your prescriptions are quite good," Ruan Yeting said in a gentler tone. "Pack ten portions of each for me."

Bai Shu noticed the change in Ruan Yeting's tone, looked up and quickly replied with a smile, "Yes, thank you, Lord Yeting."

Ruan Yeting shook his head and said seriously, "It's really inappropriate to be hawking your wares in front of the yamen. Stop it immediately. If you really want to do this, I'll report to the Empress and arrange a few positions for you in the palace. Everything must be done according to the rules. How can we allow you to act recklessly?"

"Ruan Ling is right," Bai Shu and the others replied, bowing their heads.

Some time later, the Imperial Household Department issued an edict allowing the physicians of the Imperial Medical Bureau to take leave and hold concurrent positions, so as to give full play to their professional expertise and serve the officials and palace women.

Xue Cheng read the imperial edict to the physicians of the Imperial Medical Bureau, and the more than one hundred physicians of the Imperial Medical Bureau shouted "Long live the Emperor!" and kowtowed to express their gratitude for the Emperor's boundless grace.

Shen Gongfeng shook his head and left, leaving behind the words, "What kind of nonsense is this?"

But it's a good thing that Brother Qian doesn't have to resign from his official post.

Bai Zhu learned a saying from Xiao Fu: "Rob the east wall to patch the west wall; if the east wall is dark, the west wall will be bright."

Bai Shu watched Shen Gongfeng's departing figure and thought to himself, "A person who is too clear-headed will always have a heavy heart."

Second Brother is right, it's good to be a little confused every day.

Besides editing books, Bai Zhu had another task: to make a living with Xiao Fu, Huai Shu, his second senior brother, and several other senior brothers and sisters who were doing part-time jobs.

Bai Gongfeng said she was being silly. When he came to see Bai Shu, he brought two strings of silver coins and said with heartache, "Girl, if you need anything, just tell your father. You've had enough work to do. You finally have a day off to rest properly. There's no need for you to do work in the wind and sun."

Bai's eldest son said, "Little sister, why don't you resign from your official post and go home? Look at you, you've lost weight."

Bai Shu got goosebumps from the father and son's concern and jumped up and down, saying, "I'm perfectly fine, what suffering have I endured? I'm not resigning from my post. I can treat illnesses and save lives now, I have a career, it's very interesting, and I don't lack money, so don't worry about me. Please tell my mother and sister-in-law that next time I go to the brothel, I'll come home to see them."

After seeing her father and brother off, Bai Shu went to Yang Huaishu and Xiao Fu to discuss how to proceed with their "business".

Bai Shu said that some palace maids could embroider sachets and secretly sell them outside the palace. Since their Imperial Medical Bureau had obtained permission from the Inner Palace, why not cooperate with these palace maids to make medicine sachets that could calm the mind, soothe the nerves, refresh the brain, and repel mosquitoes and insects?

It was a good idea. Yang Huaishu and Xiao Fu both agreed. Bai Shu thought she was capable again, so she pulled Xu Qingyan, Lin Shaoyin, Chang Zhifang, and a few others together, and they got to work enthusiastically.

Xiao Fu carried the medicinal herbs into the house. In the dead of night, several girls gathered together. The candlelight was warm and bright, and the fragrance of herbs filled the air. The six girls sat around two tables pushed together. Xiao Fu and Lin Shaoyin weighed the herbs, Yang Huaishu prepared the medicine, Bai Zhu filled the sachets to the brim and handed them to Lin Shaoyin, Xu Qingyan sewed up the corners with her needle and thread, and Chang Zhifang trimmed the loose threads and neatly stacked the sachets into a basket.

“Xiaoshu’s method is still the best,” Xu Qingyan said. The sachets sell well both inside and outside the palace. “I heard that my senior brothers are planning to find a shop outside the palace to sell sachets that are exclusively supplied by the Imperial Medical Bureau. With the name of the Imperial Medical Bureau, they should not have to worry about sales.”

Xiao Fu gossiped, "I heard that one of your acupuncture department senior brothers sets up a stall selling sesame cakes at the palace gate after his shift. Is that a good deal?"

“It’s this senior brother,” Xu Qingyan said. “He’s not in the acupuncture department, he’s in the massage department. He kneads dough really well, and his steamed buns are incredibly chewy. They’re gone as soon as they come out of the pan. The other day, that senior brother even said he was going to resign from his official post and specialize in selling steamed buns.”

“There was also a senior brother who delivered takeout to Zhuanyulou,” Yang Huaishu said. “But he always had to work, so he would deliver today and not tomorrow. Zhuanyulou could never find him, so he eventually stopped doing it.”

Lin Shaoyin asked curiously, "So, it turns out that you senior brothers have been doing business outside for a long time?"

Yang Huaishu said, "It's just that we were too embarrassed to say it before, and we were afraid that the Imperial Medical Academy wouldn't allow it. Now that the Imperial Inner Palace has issued an edict, everyone dares to speak openly."

Chang Zhifang said to Bai Shu and Yang Huaishu, "Oh my, you've really accomplished something great this time."

"Isn't that right?"

...

With nimble fingers flying across the paper, the girls chatted and laughed. The faint chirping of insects outside the window reflected the warm, busy figures inside, the air filled with the sweet scent of herbs. Only when Qiu Chuxin came to urge them did they jokingly disperse and return to their rooms to sleep.

To rob Peter to pay Paul, you can patch up the west wall; if one side is dark, another will be.

Sometimes, ignorance is bliss; that's life.

With a side job to do, a medical manual to compile, and patients to read, Bai Zhu was full of energy every day. Wan Gongfeng greatly appreciated Bai Zhu's enthusiasm and decided to take her under his wing and teach her personally.

Atractylodes macrocephala is so busy, really so busy.

What made things even busier was that the second petition submitted to the Imperial Household Department was once again rejected.

They've gone mad! The Imperial Medical Bureau is going mad!

Su Youchong rushed to the chief physician, slammed his fist on the table, and demanded, "Speak! What's the reason this time! What reason!"

The physician told Miss Su to calm down, and stepped aside. Bai Shu then saw that behind the physician were many officials in crimson robes and jade belts—

This time, what was delivered was not only documents, but also officials from the Imperial Household Department who would conduct a face-to-face discussion and evaluation.

Miss Su turned off the engine.

Bai Zhu thought it was a good thing; it should be this way. How long would it take to see all those boxes of documents submitted? Besides, how could a piece of paper clearly explain medical principles and dialectics? It's better to explain things face-to-face.

Yang Huaishu smiled and said, "It's good that people have come. Senior brothers and sisters treat patients and save lives with integrity, they shouldn't be wronged like this."

The medical officers of the Imperial Medical Bureau prepared arguments for the face-to-face discussion overnight.

Bai Shu and her companions were of such low rank that they rarely saw the officials of the Imperial Household Department. The most senior official in the Imperial Medical Bureau first reviewed the documents, discussed them with Qiu Chuxin, Yi Qiancao, and others, and then, carrying the medical records and medical books by famous physicians from various dynasties, went to see the people from the Imperial Household Department.

Bai Shu went out to see patients that day. After finishing, he ran back to the Imperial Medical Academy, excitedly asking, "How did it go? Have the physicians come out yet?"

The physicians gathered together to wait for news. Su You said, "Not yet. Senior Brother Qian just went to inquire and also invited Master Wan over. I wonder what the situation is inside."

Bai Zhu muttered to himself, "Why did it take so long?"

Suddenly, Xu Qingyan rushed in, panting, and said to Yang Huaishu, "Something terrible has happened, Huaishu, you have to go see! Yang Gongfeng has fainted from a stroke."

"ah?"

Bai Shu stared in disbelief, then ran after Yang Huaishu. Su You and the others reacted quickly and followed closely behind.

A large crowd had gathered outside the government office. Xu Qingyan led Yang Huaishu through the crowd. Bai Shu heard Yang, the Imperial Scholar, shout in a voice cracking with anger, "Bribery? You're saying the ancient classics are bribery? You... Fine, fine! Come on, I won't argue with you about medical principles. If we can't reach an agreement, you'll come with me to the Empress Dowager and ask the Yun family's Renxin Pavilion if this prescription is correct! Let's see if the Yun family of Songyuan is bribery!"

Wan Gongfeng followed behind, advising, "Old Yang, Old Yang! Calm down, why alarm the Empress Dowager! You're so old, don't get angry... It's good that Huaishu is here, quickly persuade your grandfather."

Bai Shu squeezed through the crowd with great effort and saw that Yang Gongfeng was red-faced and trembling with anger. Wan Gongfeng and Yang Huaishu were on either side trying to persuade him. Yang Gongfeng had shiny silver needles stuck in his head. Fang Gongfeng followed behind. Fang Gongfeng's old leg pain had recently worsened, and he walked unsteadily. Wan Gongfeng had to persuade him to sit down.

Bai Shu asked the person next to him, "What's wrong?"

The person next to him was Fang Lingshan, who said with a worried expression, "It seems that Yang Gongfeng took Bingyue's 'Complete Mirror of Herbs' and said that licorice harmonizes various medicines, and it is correct that licorice is often used in prescriptions. The Shaofu people said that one or two doses are not effective, but how much licorice is used in every prescription? Even if it is an ancient prescription, how can we know that there is no bribery involved?"

Bai Zhu was so shocked he was speechless: "What? An ancient prescription, a gift? He said Lady Bingyue gave him a gift? Even if it's an ancient prescription given as a gift, he should correct the ancient prescription. If we administer the medicine according to the prescription, are we also at fault?"

Pan Cheng said, "So Yang Gongfeng fainted from anger and wanted to be dragged to the Empress Dowager to reason with her."

People can actually laugh when they're utterly speechless. Bai Shu sneered, "He dares?"

Empress Jingyu Yunfei and Empress Dowager Yunqi were both women from the Songyuan Yun clan.

Lady Bingyue, who compiled the "Compendium of Herbs", was the ancestor of the Yun clan of Songyuan. For seven hundred years before and after the reign of Emperor Dayong, the daughter of the Duke of Songyuan retired and succeeded her, and the Yun clan continued the lineage.

Pan Cheng replied, "The Imperial Household Department dares not, but it does not acknowledge it. Not only does it not acknowledge it, they have calculated the prescriptions and drawn a line with the lowest possible price. Any price exceeding this line will be penalized. Moreover, they only consider the symptoms of the main diagnosis, regardless of the diagnosis."

Bai Shu let out a long breath, feeling that he was about to faint.

Xu Qingyan helped her up and asked worriedly, "Should I give you an acupuncture?"

Bai Zhu said no, thank you.

Yang Gongfeng was persuaded to leave by Wan Gongfeng and Yang Huaishu. The heavily pregnant Xue Cheng came out and shooed away the onlookers of the physicians. Bai Shu saw his second senior brother and walked away to a secluded place with a sullen face. Bai Shu wanted to chase after him to ask him something, but was stopped by Pan Cheng.

Bai Shu was puzzled, but Qiu Chu thought to himself, "In the past, every prescription by Junior Brother Qian contained no more than seven medicinal herbs, and the medicine always cured the illness. However, there was a time when a palace maid with typhoid fever used his medicine. Although she recovered, her liver qi was damaged. She complained all the way to the Minister of Justice and the Imperial Household Department and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. It was because Junior Brother Qian did not use licorice to harmonize the medicinal properties in his prescription that he was almost dismissed from his post. From then on, Junior Brother Qian always used licorice in every prescription."

“He added more and more auxiliary medicines,” Pan Cheng said, “but he became increasingly cautious about using the main medicine, and dared not use it.”

“It’s not that Senior Brother Qian wants to use licorice,” Fang Lingshan said, “it’s that we don’t know if someone might not use licorice and something goes wrong, and we can’t afford to take responsibility.”

"This..." Bai Shu asked worriedly, "Senior Brother Qian was punished the most severely this time, will he resign from his post?"

Qiu Chuxin watched the disappearing figure of the moneywort and said, "It's hard to say."

Pan Cheng said, "Let him be. With his medical skills, it might not be a bad thing for him to go out into the world."