Chapter 1779 On Duty
However, Manbao couldn't ask too much in front of others. But she had already hinted to the other party to see a doctor again.
She felt that none of those ladies were simple. She was like a child in front of them, so she didn't realize that they didn't understand.
She felt that she had fulfilled her obligation, so she happily led Doctor Liu to the palace gate and said to her, "You can go back and attend classes for half a day. Winter vacation will start tomorrow."
Doctor Liu agreed, bowed and left.
Manbao returned to Chongwenguan, but unfortunately she was on duty tomorrow and could not leave the palace.
This was Manbao's first time on duty at the Imperial Hospital.
In order to make it easier for people to call her, she had to bring her own bedding and sleep in the Imperial Hospital for one night. There was no other way. Although there were ready-made bedding in the Imperial Hospital, she didn't want to use the ones that Xiao Yuanzheng and others had used.
Xiao Yuanzheng also sympathized with the fact that she was a girl, and asked someone to prepare a small room for her.
Coincidentally, Doctor Liu and she had an appointment on the same night.
As night fell, many lights in various parts of the palace were turned off, and only two lights were on in the Imperial Hospital. The medical assistants put everything away, then brought a brazier and sat in the office of the Imperial Hospital to talk.
Doctor Liu took out a small bag of soybeans from somewhere, grabbed a handful and placed it next to the stove. After roasting it for a while, he asked the stunned Manbao to eat it with him.
It was Manbao's first time to attend such a night watch meeting. He picked up two soybeans out of curiosity and ate them. Then he nodded and said, "They are similar to the beans fried by my sister-in-law."
Doctor Liu smiled and said, "Doctor Zheng has good teeth. If you happen to be on duty with him, he will give you some dried meat to roast."
Manbao started to think, "Should I also prepare some night watch next time?"
Doctor Liu said cheerfully, "How many times a year do you stand guard? It's not necessary."
She only had to be on duty during long holidays, firstly to prevent emergencies in the palace that required her, and secondly to shut other people up.
He smiled and said, "You are still young, you don't need to stay with us. Eat something and rest for a while, then go to sleep."
"What about you, Doctor Liu?"
Doctor Liu smiled and said, "I'll stay for another two hours. If there's nothing else, I'll go to bed. There are also medical assistants. If there are any patients in the palace, they will call us."
The medical assistants nearby also quickly stated that they would be on duty separately and would not miss any movement.
We are all used to being on duty, so we will not neglect our duties in these matters.
Manbao nodded, and then sat around the stove with them, eating beans and chatting.
Doctor Liu mainly talked about the students in the Imperial Medical Bureau. "There are a few students there who are really good. They have already learned a lot outside. They can form a new class and teach them for another two or three years and they will be able to become apprentices."
He said, "Xiao Yuan and I were thinking that we shouldn't delay them for too long, so we wanted to each take one with us to teach. This way, we can get started faster, and they'll be able to help us next year or the year after next."
Manbao rolled his eyes and recommended her apprentice, "Doctor Liu, what do you think of my Zheng Gu and Zheng Shao?"
Imperial Physician Liu: ...
They want to bring people with them to teach, which means they are taking them as disciples, the kind where you kowtow and offer tea to become a disciple. What's the point of introducing your own disciple to them?
Imperial Physician Liu simply commented, "Zheng Gu is indeed quite good. He could easily become a disciple outside. As for Zheng Shao, she still needs a few more years of study."
But he didn't say anything about hiring people.
Manbao looked at him suspiciously, and Doctor Liu raised his eyes and glanced at her. Manbao immediately understood, "Are you going to accept a disciple in the Imperial Medical Bureau?"
Doctor Liu coughed lightly and said, "I don't have many disciples either. Isn't it because I met a talented person that I can't bear to let him go?"
In fact, they had no intention of accepting disciples from outside. After all, each of them had many sons and nephews of their own, and there were a lot of things to do in the Imperial Hospital. It would be very time-consuming to teach their sons and nephews.
It can be seen that Zhou Man accepted four disciples. Not to mention that one of them was his niece, the remaining two, Zheng Shao, had less talent, but Zheng Gu and Sanniang had made great progress.
Not to mention Zheng Gu, Liu Sanniang is his granddaughter, and he can see that she is improving at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Now, she is able to go in and out of the backyard of a wealthy family to treat patients and is respected as Doctor Liu, but her son, her uncle, is not as well-known outside.
Zhou Man's rapid development of Jishiditang finally made them feel a sense of urgency, so they also urgently needed some outstanding disciples.
Manbao didn't think it was a big deal and nodded in agreement, "Okay, then I'll have to take care of Zheng Gu and the others myself."
Doctor Liu breathed a sigh of relief, while Manbao sighed, "I don't have enough time."
Doctor Liu laughed and said, "You're complaining about not having enough time now. Once the local medical office opens, it will only get busier."
At this point, Doctor Liu suddenly thought of something and asked in a low voice, "I heard that Lord Yang is going to be sent out. Is that true?"
In this regard, the Imperial Medical Bureau was slower in receiving news than the ministers in the court.
Manbao nodded, "It's already about 80% accurate."
Doctor Liu sighed, "I don't know who will take over. The Imperial Medical Bureau has just opened, and we dare not cut off the funding, otherwise all our efforts will be wasted."
Why did the Imperial Medical Bureau of the previous dynasty gradually disappear after just a few years?
Isn’t it because you have no money?
The last emperor needed money for the war, so the Ministry of Revenue directly cut off the supply to the Imperial Medical Bureau. Later, the Imperial Medical Bureau tightened its belt and persisted for another two years, but finally released the students, and the Imperial Medical Bureau became a mere shell.
This was also one of the reasons why Xiao Yuanzheng and Doctor Liu were most worried when Zhou Man said he wanted to open the Imperial Medical Bureau.
What's more, her memorial was not only about the Imperial Medical Bureau, but also about opening up local medical bureaus, and the cost would be even higher than that of the previous dynasty.
Manbao became worried for a moment after hearing this, wondering if the things given by Senior Brother Yang could help them get money out of the Ministry of Revenue.
But when it comes to money, things will work out in the end, and Manbao is very open-minded.
So she comforted Doctor Liu, "Don't worry, there are still the Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince above us. If the sky collapses, there will be someone higher to hold it up. So much money has been spent on building the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Hospital. If Your Majesty gives up halfway, won't all the work be wasted?"
She said firmly, "I don't believe he wouldn't feel bad about wasting all the money he had earlier. As long as he feels bad about the money he had earlier, he'll continue to invest. It's just like gambling."
Imperial Physician Liu: ...
The medical assistants standing by were also stunned, then lowered their heads silently, pretending they hadn't heard anything.
The two of them chatted a lot around the fireplace, and the medical assistants also listened to many "secrets" with relish. Then Manbao's biological clock time came, and he couldn't help yawning.
Doctor Liu checked the time and said to her, "Go wash up and go to bed. I'll sit for a while."
Manbao asked, "Is there a high chance of seeing patients at night?"
Doctor Liu thought for a moment and said, "One of the three nights they'll call for help, and I think tonight should be fine. It's mainly because the three ladies have been feeling unwell for the past two days, and they've all been seen and prescribed medicine during the day."
So they knew everything about the patients in the palace.
Manbao nodded and went to sleep with peace of mind.
See you tomorrow, let's watch a movie tonight
(End of this chapter)
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