Unable to speak

It is late summer.

When not on duty, Bai Shu often went to Qiu Chuxin's room to organize the manuscripts written by the senior sisters with Yang Huaishu.

The revision of the classic prescriptions was spearheaded by Qiu Chuxin, Pan Cheng, and Fang Lingshan. These three were the most skilled female physicians among the younger generation of the Imperial Medical Bureau, but their approaches were completely different.

For the same patient with hirsutism and acne-related menstrual disorders, Fang Lingshan, despite her seemingly steady demeanor, used extremely bold prescriptions. She believed the cause was "intertwined blood stasis and heat," advocating the use of potent herbs such as rhubarb, leeches, and soapberry thorns to cool the blood, disperse blood stasis, and regulate the extraordinary meridians. Pan Cheng, on the other hand, believed it was due to an imbalance between the kidney, Tian Gui (menstrual blood), Chong Ren (menstrual blood), and uterus, and should focus on tonifying the kidney and promoting blood circulation. Qiu Chuxin, however, stated that the root cause was phlegm-dampness and spleen deficiency, with phlegm-dampness stagnating and transforming into heat, resulting in impaired digestion. Therefore, the treatment should focus on strengthening the spleen, removing dampness, regulating qi, and relieving stagnation.

The three of them could argue about a single ailment all night long, leaving Bai Shu, Yang Huaishu, Xiao Fu, and Lin Shaoyin with no chance to get a word in edgewise. Bai Shu, who had been getting more and more engrossed in listening, eventually became so sleepy that she started yawning. She whispered to Yang Huaishu, "When I first started studying medicine, the Five Elements Theory confused me completely. I was totally bewildered. Now I realize that my fellow students also have their own theories."

Yang Huaishu shared the same sentiment, saying, "My grandfather's students often did the same thing, frequently arguing at home until the wee hours of the morning."

Bai Shu observed the situation and said, "I think none of the three of them can convince the others; they all have their reasons."

“Yes,” Yang Huaishu said, “Grandfather was the same way.”

"Why don't we write them all down?" Bai Zhu said, biting her pen. "I think the senior sisters' dialectical thinking and discussions on pathogenesis are more meaningful than recording a prescription. What do you think?"

"I think you're right, senior sister."

Great minds think alike.

Bai Zhu reached out, and Yang Huaishu, bewildered, asked, "What?"

Bai Shu took Yang Huaishu's hand and quietly gave it a high five.

“You remember what Senior Sister Qiu said, and I’ll remember what Senior Sister Pan said.” Bai Shu then pulled Lin Shaoyin to help him remember Fang Lingshan’s words. “Let’s write down all three of their arguments and compile them into a book.”

"Debate format?"

"right!"

...

Night after night, Qiu Chuxin's room was brightly lit. The female physicians all lived together, and this matter couldn't be kept secret for long, nor was there any point in hiding it. So, within a few days, the female physicians all knew that Senior Sister Qiu and Senior Sister Pan were going to revise the prescriptions.

As a result, more and more female doctors joined spontaneously. Xu Qingyan took on the acupuncture section, Chang Zhifang was in charge of the incantation therapy section, Lin Shaoyin and Xiao Fu planned to take the opportunity to reorganize the herbal supplements and corrections, and Su You wanted to add her trauma therapy section as well.

Su You said, "Since we've already started, let's just do it all the way through."

Originally, I just wanted to write a few pages of inexpensive classical prescriptions for my colleagues as a reference, but the amount of material I had to record kept increasing, and it seemed to be heading towards becoming a monumental medical work that connects the past and the future.

The female physicians gave this nascent work a name—"The Compendium of Medical Canons".

Su You was writing about her Jinchuangke, while Bai Shu was organizing the arguments presented by her three senior sisters the previous night. Most of the time, the three senior sisters were able to reach a consensus through discussion.

Bai Zhu got tired of writing, turned her shoulders a couple of times, and looked out the window at the lush, ancient trees.

"Huh?" Bai Shu noticed something strange and asked Su You, "In the summer, the cicadas outside the palace always chirp so loudly that it keeps people awake. I've been in the palace for a year or two, and I've only just realized that there are no cicadas chirping inside. How strange."

“What’s so strange about that?” Su You said. “The Imperial Household Department has a sticky rod station, so you can’t hear cicadas chirping in the palace.”

Bai Zhu asked curiously, "What is the 'sticky rod section'?"

"You don't even know about the Sticky Rod Office?" Su You laughed at Bai Shu's ignorance. "Then do you know about the Autumn Administration?"

Before Emperor Jing assumed personal rule, the Zhi Qiu Bureau, headed by the former Yan princess who "controlled the palace and monitored all officials," was once a shadow looming over the capital, its name resounding far and wide. Bai Shu said, "I know that."

“The sticky pole office is similar, they’re all pretty much the same,” Su You said. “In the past, the palace suffered from cicada plagues every year, and there were people specifically in charge of catching cicadas. Later, they also took on the job of the Autumn Watch Office, catching cicadas by sound in the summer and reporting matters by sound in the winter.”

Bai Zhu understood instantly.

Bai Shu quickly covered her mouth and looked around, saying, "Oh no, did they hear what we said?"

Su You said it was alright, "They mainly don't have time to deal with us, but we still need to be careful, we must be cautious in our words and actions, and we must not say anything hurtful."

There was no sound of cicadas in the palace.

“Sigh,” Bai Shu sighed, “It’s fine.” She said, “It’s good to have some peace and quiet.”

The compilation of the "Medical Canon" became a massive project. A dozen or so female physicians worked for over two months to produce a rough outline of the chapters. The younger generation split up: Fang Lingshan gave Xu Qingyan's acupuncture chapter to her great-aunt, Fang Gongfeng, for review; Bai Shu took advantage of a trip to the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) to return home and seek advice from the old physician Bai; Yang Huaishu consulted Yang Gongfeng; Pan Cheng asked Wan Gongfeng; Lang Dianxian sought advice from Shen Gongfeng; Su You asked her father to send the manuscript of Jin Chuangke's section to the veteran military doctors; and Xiao Fu even asked her mother for the Jin family's pharmacy's account books for the past three years…

The older generation of worshippers, being knowledgeable and experienced, read the book carefully and offered their opinions. Bai Shu and the others then made revisions... Bai Shu calculated in her mind that the book wouldn't be ready in less than three to five years.

Even ten years would be difficult.

As Bai Zhu wrote more and more, she felt disheartened as she held the thick stack of "revision comments" and felt that there was no end in sight.

Unexpectedly, Wan Gongfeng, the "jack-of-all-trades" who taught her a lot of "fooling techniques," was unusually serious this time and encouraged her, saying, "Everything is difficult at the beginning. What you are doing is a great thing that has never been done before. Passing it on to future generations will be of immeasurable merit. It will be worth it even if it takes ten years, twenty years, or a lifetime. Writing a book requires a calm mind. Go ahead and do it."

Bai Zhu suddenly understood and gained confidence.

Atractylodes macrocephala cannot hide its feelings; whether it is happy or unhappy, its emotions are all written on its face.

Wan Gongfeng gave her some candy and then told her about something else: "Consort Zhou has been unable to speak again these past few days. Go and take a look at her."

"Me?" Bai Shu hesitated, embarrassed, and declined, "Master, you know my own limitations better than anyone."

Wan Gongfeng pointed to the manuscript of "Medical Compendium" written by Bai Zhu and said with a smile, "It's precisely because it's clear that I asked you to go. Little girl, you can remember Acheng and the others' arguments so clearly, you're ready to graduate."

Bai Zhu absorbed the strengths of many and worked diligently. She was unaware of the fact that she was surrounded by highly skilled physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau every day, and that her medical skills were already considered those of a "renowned doctor" even outside the palace.

Bai Shu followed her master's orders, carrying her medicine chest, and went to Consort Zhou's palace.

Consort Zhou was very young and beautiful. A few years ago, she was chosen by the local magistrate at first sight and entered the palace when she had just reached the age of coming of age. Young, beautiful and talented, Consort Zhou was immediately favored by the emperor upon entering the palace. She was the most favored among the six palaces and was unparalleled in her favor. Magistrate Wen, who recommended Consort Zhou to enter the palace, and her father and brothers also benefited from her fame.

The colors in the palace were only vibrant for a time; with new concubines entering the palace every year, Consort Zhou was no longer the youngest and most beautiful.

Consort Zhou enjoyed the emperor's favor for five years, but still had no children.

Bai Shu saw Consort Zhou and was also amazed by her beauty.

But her beauty was somewhat frightening. Consort Zhou was thin and bony, and her pointed chin made her already large eyes look dark and lifeless.

Consort Zhou's face was deathly pale, and she could no longer speak. A senior palace maid said to Bai Shu, "Your Majesty's illness has been treated by Imperial Attendant Wan, and it had been showing signs of improvement. However, a few days ago, on the Empress Dowager's birthday, Your Majesty, out of filial piety, went to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday despite her illness, and fell ill again upon returning."

No sooner had the head palace maid finished speaking than a burst of laughter rang out. Consort Liang, who had come to visit the ailing Empress Dowager, covered her mouth and sneered, "What do you mean by 'celebrating the Empress Dowager's birthday while ill'? Who in the entire palace doesn't want to show their face before the Empress Dowager? The way you're talking, sister, makes it sound like you're ill because of the Empress Dowager. How would the Empress Dowager know who you are? Besides, His Majesty already issued an edict telling you to take good care of yourself. This whole charade you've put on is just you trying to get His Majesty to look at you more. Who can you blame?"

Consort Zhou's already pale face turned even paler with anger at Consort Liang's barbed words. She pointed at Consort Liang, but was speechless and trembling all over.

Consort Zhou's head maid helped her up and said to Consort Liang, "My lady is already so ill, how can she..."

"Smack!"

Before the head palace maid could finish speaking, she was slapped across the face by one of Consort Liang's maids. The female official who had struck her stopped, curtsied to Consort Zhou, and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive my overstepping my bounds and for disciplining the maid on your behalf. I wonder how Consort Zhou usually disciplines the people in the palace? How dare a mere maid talk back to Your Majesty?"

Consort Liang laughed and said, "I knew there was no manners in Sister Zhou's room. A mere maid dares to boss her mistress around. How ridiculous."

Consort Liang, having finished her boastful display, turned around with an air of superiority. Before walking away, she glanced at Bai Shu, ignoring her, and said only, "Let me give you a piece of advice, sister. Since you're ill, focus on recovering. Don't cause trouble like an ugly person. Now everyone in the palace knows about your habit of making blunders to curry favor. Do you still have the nerve to go out?"

Consort Zhou lost her voice and could not utter a single word.

Suddenly overcome with anger, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

Bai Shu was stunned. She had been stunned ever since the head palace maid mentioned Consort Zhou's illness, racking her brains but unable to recall which category of "aphasia" it was. Consort Liang's sharp tongue when she entered further bewildered her; the worst arguments Bai Shu had ever had were with the Imperial Historian. Now, with Consort Zhou fainting…

Bai Shu hurriedly helped Consort Zhou to the bed with the palace maids, and took out some brain-awakening pills from the medicine box and fed them to Consort Zhou.

Bai Shu felt that her master was... a liar.

Consort Zhou's pulse was moderate but slightly weak, probably due to her thinness. Bai Zhu examined her closely but couldn't find anything seriously wrong.

Before long, Consort Zhou slowly regained consciousness. Bai Shu pondered his words and said, "Your Majesty's inability to speak is probably due to pent-up emotions. Your Majesty, please rest assured and take good care of yourself; there should be no serious problem."

To everyone's surprise, Consort Zhou flew into a rage upon hearing this, slamming her hand on the table and pointing at Bai Shu. Her head maidservant scolded Bai Shu, "How dare you! Are you saying that Her Majesty is faking illness?"