Chapter 115 The Beginning
This time, the departure time for Junyou was much earlier than last time, because Dr. Gao sent someone to say that the last time they started rather late, and they had to stay up late into the night, which was very inconvenient.
Then let's start earlier, while it's still daylight, so that it will be convenient for Li San Niang to demonstrate to the doctors.
So, around 7 a.m., Li's father and the others carried their respective medical kits to the door.
It was Li San Niang who first brought up the idea of a medical kit, because Li's father was a doctor who ran his own clinic and generally did not make house calls. Most of the time, patients would come to the clinic for treatment. Therefore, Li's father did not carry a medical kit with him like itinerant doctors or doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau when making house calls.
However, ever since Li San Niang introduced the concept of aseptic techniques, and with the advent of surgical gowns and other items, not to mention the metal instruments needed for suturing, as well as Li San Niang's proposal to establish medical records for future reference, all of these things have made the medical kit extremely important and useful for doctors.
Therefore, Li's father, Li's second brother, and Li's third sister-in-law each now have a separate medical kit with three compartments inside, which can hold a lot of items.
However, Li San Niang, being a woman, was still weak. Although the lightest wood was chosen when the medical kit was custom-made for her, she still filled it with too much.
It's not that she can't lift it at all, but it's really tiring for Li San Niang to always have to carry it herself.
Therefore, Li San Niang's medical kit had grooves added to both sides. Li's mother personally selected durable and sturdy cotton cloth, applied rice paste, and made a strap that allowed Li San Niang to carry it on her back sideways.
Li Dalang carried a rattan basket filled with pork, while Li Erlang carried a basket containing two sets of surgical gowns, caps, masks, and towels that he had explained to the doctors in the alliance last time. These items could protect the doctors themselves and prevent cross-infection among patients.
This is to prevent any doctors who came to Junyou today from having not heard Li Sanniang's explanation of the concept of aseptic technique last time from having to give a demonstration for them.
They were all carefully folded by Li's mother and tied with cloth strips.
Two donkey carts, which had been arranged beforehand, were already parked in front of the Li Family Medical Clinic. After everyone had put their things down, they took their seats. Li's eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law, who stayed at home, stood at the door and watched the donkey carts drive away before going home.
Li San Niang thought that by going to Jun Youlai earlier, she could arrive sooner, at least earlier than last time.
But she forgot that traffic jams during the morning rush hour were a common occurrence even in the Tang Dynasty at that time.
The only difference is that modern traffic jams are caused by cars and electric vehicles, while here they are caused by donkey carts and horse-drawn carriages.
Fortunately, the driver was familiar with the roads and led the Li family through the alleys twice, finally arriving at the entrance of Junyoulai Restaurant just before the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM).
This time, the display was even grander than last time. The shopkeeper was followed by four servants, two by two, which looked impressive and well-organized.
Before the donkey cart had even come to a complete stop, the shopkeeper came over to greet them.
As soon as Li's father and his companions got out of the car, the innkeeper approached and bowed, saying, "Distinguished guests, your presence is an honor to our humble abode!"
Upon hearing these two sentences, Li San Niang smiled. This shopkeeper was truly skilled at business; his ability to welcome and see off guests was something not everyone could do.
"Dr. Li, young Dr. Li, midwife Li, Madam Li, and all the young gentlemen, how have you been? The master has already instructed that everything be prepared. Please come in."
The four servants behind the shopkeeper were also very perceptive. They stepped forward to help move the medical kit and rattan basket, and one of them guided the coachman to the parking area.
The Li family followed the shopkeeper into the main hall, went up to the second floor, and then went straight up to the third floor at the corner.
Upon reaching the last step of the stairs, a partition comes into view, but it is exquisitely crafted with off-white window paper covering the window. Light from the opposite window shines on the light-colored wooden partition, creating a beautiful interplay of light and shadow.
Stepping over the partition, you enter a large hall the size of three rooms downstairs. The hall features six pillars, a clever design that neither obstructs the view nor hinders structural support.
The innkeeper watched with delight and pride as Li Sanniang and the others marveled at the view from the third floor. After they put down their medical kits and other belongings, they followed the innkeeper to the six large windows that opened in a circle. "Please look, everyone," he said, "this is the best viewpoint for my Junyoulai. To the north, you can see the imperial city, and to the southwest, you can see the Xuandu Temple. In spring, the ten miles of bright pink peach blossoms are a truly beautiful sight."
As the shopkeeper spoke, he led everyone toward the easternmost window, saying, "Looking east from here, you can see the East Market. If you look further southeast, you can also see a corner of the Hibiscus Garden."
Then I listened to the innkeeper tell a story, which took about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. He told me about when the restaurant was designed by which master, what kind of wood was used, what techniques were employed, and how long it took to build.
The shopkeeper remained talkative, even pointing out the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls of the third-floor hall.
The most cultured person in the Li family was Li's father. Seeing Li's father stroking his beard and nodding, Li San Niang knew in her heart that he probably didn't understand.
However, Li San Niang realized from the shopkeeper's actions that her lecture last time must have been exceptionally successful, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to give a lecture on the third floor this time, and would have received such warm hospitality from the shopkeeper, Jun Youlai.
Therefore, Li San Niang felt that she must be extremely serious this time and tell the story well.
This would not only allow her to spread the techniques, but also enable her to join the alliance as a female warrior, so that she could carry out her goal of increasing the rate of medical treatment for women and children, promoting the development and progress of medicine in the Tang Dynasty, and making her time-travel journey to the Tang Dynasty worthwhile.
After Li San Niang and the others finished tidying up and sat down to drink the tea brought by the shop assistant, they heard the shopkeeper downstairs flattering and praising someone.
Li's father and Li San Niang waited behind the partition. After a while, Sun, the physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau, who was dressed in ordinary clothes, came in.
Of course, what followed was a round of pleasantries. Li's father was genuinely overjoyed, since the praises given to Li San Niang by others were not from professionals, but Sun Yijian's praise felt truly sincere and pleasant to Li's father.
Before Li's father could exchange any modest words with Physician Sun, another sound came from downstairs. It turned out that several senior physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau, led by Physician Gao, along with a dozen or so young physicians, had come over.
Originally, Li Sanniang thought the hall was very spacious, but once the twenty or so people from this faction entered, they occupied a third of the space.
The physician Sun, who was seated here, held the highest official rank, and everyone should pay their respects to him.
While Dr. Gao was talking to Li's father, the shopkeeper led more than ten doctors from the Xiangwang faction, headed by Dr. Sun Chengren, up from behind the partition.
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