Chapter 398 begins
When Li San Niang returned home from her shift, she asked her father about Wang Zhao Di. "I prescribed her some medicine and told her to come back in three days. She happily took the medicine and left."
Li San Niang nodded, thinking that in this situation, she would help in any way she could.
Three days later, Li's father waited until dark. Li San Niang had finished her shift and returned home. Wang Zhaodi did not come to get the medicine again, so he told Li San Niang what had happened.
"Sister-in-law, she registered her address. Please have someone deliver this medicine package to her tomorrow."
Sister-in-law Li nodded, indicating that she had made a note of it.
Turning around, Li San Niang, along with her mother, Li Da Sao, Li Er Sao, and Qin Niangzi, who had been specially invited, inquired about the literacy situation of the students in her midwifery school.
"Aside from Sun Chunlan and Yao Qingqing, only Jin Zhenbao and Yu Xuelian from the merchant family can read some characters."
Because these ten women were all in different situations, I taught them according to the instructions of Third Sister, step by step. The women all studied diligently, and even though they had a holiday a few days ago, they hadn't forgotten much.
"Mr. Qin, how are they doing with learning the five hundred commonly used characters?"
With a smile, Qin Niangzi replied to Li San Niang, "It's already quite good. We had a small test yesterday. Apart from the midwife Sun who wasn't quite up to par, the other nine, as well as San Niangzi's disciple Song Fuling and Bao Ya, all did very well."
Bao Ya, who was sitting to the side watching over Wu Qiaolan, lowered her head shyly when she heard Qin Niangzi's praise.
Wu Qiaolan looked at Baoya with great satisfaction, her heart filled with joy, "My daughter can read now, she can read now, she will never have to live that bitter life like me again."
After hearing what Qin Niangzi said, Li San Niang understood the situation and decided to hold the first lecture of the Midwife Academy in the near future.
In the two days it took to notify these ten people, a major event also occurred in the Li family.
Li Dalang was sent by his elder brother to the camp on the outskirts of the capital to become a lowly soldier.
Because Emperor Wu said he would send troops to attack the Western Turks, recruitment of soldiers began in various parts of the Tang Dynasty.
This time it's not mandatory military service, but rather it depends on individual preferences; those who want to make a future can sign up on their own.
Furthermore, just because you sign up doesn't mean you'll be accepted.
You have to pass an assessment before you can register your household registration and be transferred to the military.
Li Dalang's martial arts skills were naturally excellent, and he was very excited about going to the army camp to make a living.
Young men yearn most for riding spirited horses, singing wildly, and going into battle to fight the enemy and defend their homeland.
Before leaving, Li Dalang comforted his sister-in-law, whose voice was already weary, but whose words were filled with excitement.
"Mother, don't worry, I will take good care of myself. When I get promoted, I will give all my salary to you."
No matter what, the children are grown up, and they have to be sent out to pursue their future.
After seeing Li Dalang off, it felt as if half of the family's energy and spirit had been lost.
As a result, Sister-in-law Li became even more attached to Lu Zhu'er. If it weren't for Li San Niang's insistence on sleeping with Lu Zhu'er at night, Sister-in-law Li would have snatched Lu Zhu'er away from her.
At this moment, Li Erlang said again, "I want to take the imperial examination. I will take the arithmetic exam. If I pass, I can become a clerk from a young age."
Sister-in-law Li disagreed, saying, "You're still so young. Let's talk about it after you turn fifteen. For now, you should study at the academy for another year."
Li Erlang was unwilling to waste another year. He felt that, based on the information he had gathered, this year was the most lenient year, with lower age requirements for applicants. He himself was just barely able to qualify for the exam.
This opportunity is fleeting and won't come again!
Li Erlang looked pleadingly at his father, who sat at the head of the main hall. His father pondered for a while, then looked up at his elder brother, Li Da. After his elder brother nodded silently, his father nodded in agreement, "The children are all grown up now and naturally have their own ideas. Since they want to go, then let them go."
"Take a leave of absence from the academy first. If you pass the exam, then go to your teacher to resign; if that doesn't work out, then it's best to go back and study for another year."
From then on, Li Erlang stayed at home to prepare for the arithmetic exam a month later.
As for the two brothers, Li Sanlang and Li Silang, they are still young and will continue to study at the academy. However, the Li family is worried about the two young men going to the academy together, so they asked Song Dalang (father of Song Fuling, Li Sanniang's disciple) to pick them up and drop them off every day.
Song Dalang took this very seriously. Every day he would arrive at the Li family's door early in the morning, take Song Fuling to the neighboring women's assistance association to learn to read, and then pick up Li Sanlang and Li Silang to go to the academy.
Tomorrow happens to be Li San Niang's day off, so she's thinking of holding the first lecture at the Midwifery School.
But the arrival of bad news cast a shadow over Li San Niang's originally joyful mood.
“Mrs. Li, this woman named Wang Zhaodi is already dead and has been buried.”
When I arrived, the family was indifferent to me. It was only when the young woman named Lai Di saw me asking about Wang Zhao Di that she stopped me after I had walked out of the village and spoke to me with tears in her eyes.
That day, Wang Zhaodi went home and got into an argument with her mother-in-law. She then suffered severe abdominal pain. Lai Di said that Wang Zhaodi had died shortly after the hot water had boiled, and her unborn child had not been born.
The man put down the medicine packet, received the copper coin that Sister-in-law Li had promised him, bowed, and left the Li family clinic.
No one expected that Wang Zhaodi would die like this!
Li San Niang had long anticipated Wang Zhao Di's death, and although she was saddened by the unexpected early demise, she could still bear it.
Li San Niang picked up the medicine packet from the cabinet, went to the courtyard, found a brazier, poured the medicine in, and lit it.
These medicine packets that have been removed from the cabinet cannot be taken back for use, but if they are thrown away carelessly, someone might pick them up and take them. Usually, the waste medicine is disposed of by burning it into ashes.
"Third Sister, you..."
"It's alright, Mother, I'm fine."
I know I can't save everyone, I can save whoever I can.
Mother, don't worry about me, I can get through this.
Everyone at home was thrilled to receive the news that the first lecture at the midwifery school would be held tomorrow.
Jin Zhenbao, the youngest daughter of the Jin family, had her maid bring out all her jewelry boxes and compared them one by one. "Xiaocui, tomorrow I'll be wearing this grass-green jacket. Would this lotus hairpin be a perfect match?"
“Young lady looks good in anything, Dr. Li will definitely like her.”
Upon hearing this, Jin Zhenbao's face lit up with joy, but before long, his joy was replaced by tension.
"No, I should learn more characters. I can't keep up with Sister Yao and Sister Sun in school. They are older than me. I should try harder."
As she spoke, Jin Zhenbao put down the silver hairpin in her hand, went to the table, and picked up a calligraphy book given by Madam Qin to read.
Meanwhile, Madam Jin was looking out the window at Jin Zhenbao, who was sitting at the table carefully studying a calligraphy book and tracing it with his hands, and a smile appeared on her face.
Madam Jin said to the older maid behind her, "It's a good thing we agreed to let her go for the study tour. Now we finally have someone who can handle this little rascal."
Look, he's learning to read by himself!
In the past, she was never such a good-natured person.
The maidservant followed Madam Jin's hand and looked through the window, replying with a smile, "Madam, can you rest assured now?"
I've heard that Doctor Li is truly skilled; with your intelligence, young lady, you're sure to surpass even that Doctor Li in the future!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com