Chapter 855 A Way Out
Sun Chunlan remembered the woman; after all, a woman who could argue with a man in the street was always quite eye-catching.
Although the woman appeared rather shrewish when arguing with Wang Er, she was actually quite pretty and charming.
After exchanging greetings, Sun Chunlan led the two to the consultation area.
After the three of them were all seated, Sun Chunlan smiled and looked at the woman, asking softly, "What's wrong, madam?"
In just a few words, Sun Chunlan learned from the woman's quick wit that this woman named Cui Niang had come to see a doctor for leukorrhea.
"Female doctor, you don't know, my husband keeps a close eye on me. When I feel unwell and go to see a male doctor, he gets all sullen."
He wouldn't even give in when someone just touched my wrist to take my pulse.
Although I still saw a male doctor and even consulted several traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, this ailment on my body still didn't get better.
"Well, thank you, female doctor, you've arrived. That's good. You're a doctor, and so am I. That's why I brought my husband here for a medical checkup."
Before Sun Chunlan could reply, Cui Niang turned to the man who was bowing his head and looking embarrassed by what Cui Niang was saying, and shouted, "Did you see that?"
I didn't cheat on my husband, I didn't see any men, I just came to see the female doctor because I was feeling unwell.
The man blushed deeply at Cui Niang's words. Seeing his expression, Sun Chunlan felt that if she gave him a hoe, he would probably dig a hole and bury himself in it to hide his shame.
Even though he was blushing furiously, the man still lowered his head and stubbornly whispered back, "You're beautiful, I was just worried that someone would take advantage of you..."
Sun Chunlan had just paved the way for the maternity clinic in Luoyang, while the maternity clinic in Chang'an was constantly busy.
As news of the upcoming first Chang'an Physicians' Exchange Conference spread, the already bustling city of Chang'an became even more crowded.
Physicians who had received news from their relatives in Chang'an rushed here from all over the Tang Dynasty.
Small and medium-sized pharmaceutical merchants who had obtained inside information from the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Pharmaceutical Alliance wanted to find out what was going on and see if they could get a share of the pie.
There were also rumors that famous doctors would gather in Chang'an, so patients suffering from illnesses and their families rushed to Chang'an.
Among these people, many women and mothers had heard the news that the Imperial Medical Academy's maternity ward was recruiting female doctors and midwives. Those with family backgrounds in these fields came to Chang'an with their fathers and brothers.
There were also young girls from ordinary families who wanted to secure a better future for themselves.
Shi Chunmiao was one of them.
Standing at the entrance of the maternity ward, Shi Chunmiao, carrying a basket on her back, watched as women dressed in various colors and styles came and went.
Finally, after standing for a full quarter of an hour and mustering her courage, Shi Chunmiao wiped the sweat from her palms onto her patched dress and headed towards the maternity ward.
As soon as she entered, a young woman with her hair in a bun and wearing a bright green dress came forward and asked, "Young lady, are you here to see a doctor?"
After swallowing hard, Shi Chunmiao mustered her courage and said, "I heard that they are looking for a female doctor here, so I came to ask and see if I'm suitable."
Looking at the woman opposite her, who was only a few years older than herself, whose clothes were completely unpatched, Shi Chunmiao suddenly felt that her own clothes, even though her mother had washed them clean enough before she came, were still patched and rather unpresentable.
However, Shi Chunmiao thought, "Even if she laughs at me, I have to take this opportunity to ask her. I don't want to end up like Sister Chunhua at the village entrance, who got married a few years later and died because she couldn't have a baby."
The desire for the future overcame the timidity in her heart, and Shi Chunmiao stared intently at the face of the woman in green before her, waiting for her answer.
"The maternity ward does indeed recruit female doctors, but at your age, you should be applying to become an apprentice female doctor."
"Come with me inside and find the manager to get an application form to fill out."
Shi Chunmiao was surprised that she wasn't laughed at or ridiculed. She followed the woman in green into the backyard in a daze and met a woman with a stern face. She was carefully asked her name and where she came from.
Shi Chunmiao unloaded her basket, a teacup was stuffed into her hand, and a plate of sweet-smelling pastries was placed on the small table next to her chair.
"It's okay, drink up, it's free."
Hearing the words of the woman in green, Shi Chunmiao finally dared to lift the teacup. It was her first time drinking tea. You see, in her village, only the village head's house had tea.
"...I came here with an aunt from the same village to sell mountain products. The woman who sells dried cakes at the city gate told me that I could apply for the job, so I came."
I took that horse-drawn carriage, spent two copper coins, and asked many people for directions before I finally found it.
As she listened, Steward Li took notes on a piece of paper. She asked Shi Chunmiao softly, "Did the village head inform you in the village that the maternity ward in Chang'an City is recruiting girls over eight years old to be medical apprentices?"
Shi Chunmiao shook her head and then answered Manager Li's questions one by one.
Shi Chunmiao was illiterate, but as Manager Li instructed, she dipped her thumb in red grease and pressed her fingerprint on the registration form he had written for her.
"You can apply, but you have to pass the assessment before you can become an apprentice."
"As long as you pass the exam, you'll be provided with room and board, but after graduation, you'll be under the command of the Imperial Medical Bureau for ten years."
Shi Chunmiao didn't quite understand what Manager Li was saying, but when she heard that food and lodging were included, she just hoped that she would be selected.
Manager Li told Shi Chunmiao the date of her assessment and gave her a small wooden plaque with words engraved on it: "This is proof for applicants who cannot read. You will need to bring this plaque here to take the assessment."
Shi Chunmiao carefully accepted the small wooden plaque and bowed to Steward Li to express her gratitude.
Manager Li then had someone pack up the plate of pastries on the table for Shi Chunmiao before sending her out.
In Shi Chunmiao's basket was a bag of pastries, and in her arms, in the purse her mother had sewn for her, were several copper coins and the small wooden plaque. She turned around and looked at the maternity ward plaque one last time, her heart filled with anticipation for the place.
Three days later, when Li San Niang, along with Qiu Xiang and Song Fu Ling, came to the maternity ward for inspection, she learned about this matter from Steward Li during a meeting with the other women.
"...Medical Supervisor Li, in the past month or so, Shi Chunmiao is the only young woman from the village outside Chang'an who has come to us. The other young women who have come to sign up for apprenticeship are either from Chang'an or from the outer three cities."
It seems likely that the people in those villages outside the three outer cities are unaware that we are recruiting.
Li San Niang nodded, "I'll go ask the Jingzhao Prefecture again to see if I can ask them to summon the village head and talk to them about our recruitment again."
After sighing, Li Sanniang continued, "We still don't have enough manpower. Otherwise, we can send people to go to those villages ourselves."
I'll think of something later.
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