Chapter 926 The Flourishing Ping'an Women's Medical College
Despite repeated instructions and reminders, Yu Xuelian ultimately had to walk this path herself.
Li San Niang and Lu Zhu'er stood outside the drug rehabilitation center, watching as Yu Xue Lian and Shi Liu, each carrying a small bundle on their shoulders, followed Granny Yan inside.
"Mother, let's go pick up Sister Xue Lian next time."
"Yes, when Xue Niang and the others have their days off, your mother will bring you to pick her up and take her home."
Turning back, the group got back into the carriage, and Lao Shi pulled the reins, leading everyone towards Ping An Women's Medical College.
More than half an hour later, Dewdrop saw the red and yellow trees on the mountain not far away through the carriage window. Her round eyes widened even more: "Mother was right. It's colder here than in Chang'an. The leaves are all yellow."
"Find the cloak you brought from home. You'll have to put it on when we get there. It's cold here, so don't catch a chill in the wind, or you'll have to drink bitter medicine."
After a while, they arrived at their destination. Lao Shi parked the car, and the group went to the entrance of Ping An Women's Medical College.
Upon landing, Dewdrop looked in surprise at the small market not far from the entrance of the Ping'an Women's Medical College.
Li San Niang also noticed the market. It was called a market, but it was really just a dozen or so small stalls selling food and sundries on both sides of the road a few dozen feet away from the Women's Medical College.
The largest stall was a tea stall with a thatched roof, while the rest sold snacks, local products, or homemade straw baskets.
When Li San Niang and her companions' carriage passed by these stalls, it naturally attracted everyone's attention.
Faced with the curious and scrutinizing gazes from these people, and knowing that they meant no harm, Li San Niang and her companions paid no further attention.
As soon as she stood still, a yamen runner came out from the gatehouse of Ping'an Women's Medical College to greet her.
"Dr. Li, all is well."
Li San Niang actually knew the yamen runner on duty today. Earlier, when she wanted to inform the villages outside Chang'an City about the enrollment of the Women's Medical College, she had managed to do so through the yamen runners of Wannian County.
"Commander Li, all is well."
"Is the shift leader on duty today?"
Before Li Bantou could reply, Li Sanniang gestured to Song Fuling, who turned around and took a basket from the carriage.
"The Women's Medical College is not conveniently located near Chang'an City. This is some meat; please, Chief Li, distribute it to the yamen runners on duty. Thank you all for your hard work."
Here's a small token of my appreciation: please have some tea.
Li Ban Tou had met Li San Niang and knew that she was a heroine, the first female physician, and had never looked down on them, the lowest of the low.
He happily took the basket and said with a beaming smile, "What Dr. Li said is true. Being able to guard the door for the female doctors is a job that we brothers would kill for."
"Don't worry, Dr. Li, my brothers are all skilled. They rotate shifts every three days and make rounds every hour, so the female doctors won't be disturbed!"
When Li Bantou saw Li Sanniang turn around and glance at the small market not far from the entrance of the Women's Medical College, he spoke up: "This small market is run by villagers from the surrounding area. I asked Dean Mei, and she said that as long as it doesn't affect the female doctors' studies, there's no need to drive them away."
"Don't worry, Medical Supervisor Li, we've set rules for them. They have to keep their distance so as not to disturb the female doctors' studies."
Li San Niang nodded. She hadn't intended to object, and since Mei Ruying had agreed, Li San Niang was even less likely to object.
She also understood that once Ping An Women's Medical College was established, it was only a matter of time before business activities revolved around the college began.
Besides, although the academy has its own kitchen, not all the young women there come from ordinary families. Some are from moderately wealthy or even noble families, and they probably can't endure hardship.
Li San Niang also stipulated that maids and servants were not allowed to come in to study, so if someone wanted a treat or needed anything, they would naturally have to go out and get money to buy it.
Therefore, it's not a bad thing to have a small market at the entrance of the college. It can attract some people and provide some income for the surrounding villagers, which is a good thing.
As long as the students' safety can be guaranteed, it's acceptable.
Li San Niang bowed slightly to Li Ban Tou and led everyone through the door. Li Ban Tou respectfully returned the bow, and after watching Li San Niang and the others enter, he handed the basket to the yamen runner behind him.
The constable was a young man. He happily lifted the cloth covering the basket and saw a dozen or so warm mutton sandwiches inside. Next to the basket was a bulging blue purse. He took out the purse and handed it to the head constable, Li.
"Boss?"
Li, the head constable, took the purse, opened it, and poured the contents into his palm, revealing small pieces of loose silver.
Li, the head constable, grinned and tossed a rather large piece to the constable: "Li, the medical supervisor, is so generous. In the past, when we did things for her, we always got our share of the benefits."
"Hehe, take this and exchange it for copper coins, then distribute them to the brothers on duty today."
Actually, Li San Niang originally wanted to ask Princess Qingyang to find some veterans who had retired from the army due to injuries, but such people were really hard to find.
Therefore, Li San Niang had no choice but to seek out the county magistrate of Wannian County and ask a group of yamen runners to take turns guarding the entrance of Ping'an Women's Medical College.
Li San Niang thought that in the future, when Li Da Lang and his soldiers returned from the south, there would surely be veterans who had retired due to injuries or disabilities. It would be cheaper to find people then.
Upon entering the academy, Li San Niang first led Lu Zhu'er to greet Mei Ru Ying and Chen Yan Fu, and then invited Gao Zi Wei, the daughter of the Gao family, to take Lu Zhu'er on a tour of the academy.
This Gao Ziwei was a member of the Gao family, and she and Mei Ruying were aunt and niece.
This academy has both female and male teachers.
For example, Gao Ziwei's husband, Wang Zichuan, was a teacher of herbal medicine at the academy. It can be said that all four members of their family were at the academy. The couple were teachers at the academy, and their eldest and youngest daughters were students in different classes.
These were all people that Li San Niang invited through the Gao family, because this academy not only teaches female doctors, but also female healers.
Most female healers were young girls from ordinary families. Most of them were illiterate, so they had to hire a tutor to teach them.
The male teachers in the academy did the work of these enlightenment teachers, teaching not only to recognize characters but also to learn arithmetic.
Female doctors were trained specifically to work with female physicians. They were literate and could read and write, understand female physicians' prescriptions, and be able to dispense medicine and calculate costs. If they were capable in the future, they could be assigned to work in maternity wards.
Therefore, Li San Niang also invited midwives like Li's mother and pharmacy owners like Li Er Xiong to teach the students, teaching them according to their aptitude, so that the girls who came in could learn something and make a living in the future with their skills.
Meanwhile, while Li San Niang and Mei Ru Ying were discussing various matters concerning the Women's Medical College inside the house, on the other side, led by Gao Zi Wei, Lu Zhu Er followed behind with curiosity and joy, watching the women of all ages coming and going in the college.
Just as they were watching, a melodious "thump thump thump" sound suddenly echoed throughout the academy.
"It's the bell ringing to signal the end of get out of class; it's time for the students to rest and have lunch."
Young lady, would you like to go and take a look at the kitchen?
"Dr. Li specifically consulted with us before finalizing the menu for the meals provided by the kitchen."
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