Chapter 83 Begging
Li San Niang really couldn't accept the acceptance of kneeling as a gesture of worship at this time. Coming from the modern era, Li San Niang found it hard to accept this kneeling gesture that carried the feelings of gratitude, obedience, hierarchy, and moral coercion.
So, when she heard the two Han women kneel down and bow their heads to her with a synchronized "plop," Li San Niang's heart was pounding with excitement.
In reality, people mostly used the cupped-hand salute at this time, whether it was a young woman or a young man, or a noble family or a commoner. Only those who sold themselves into slavery would be accustomed to the kneeling and kowtowing, which were behaviors that reflected social hierarchy.
Ordinary people are not required to kneel before officials. For example, when Li Sanniang was summoned to the Ministry of Justice for questioning, she only bowed and clasped her hands to Commander Xue Yao to show respect.
Therefore, neither Li's mother nor Shen Qiuniang expected that the two would perform such a grand ceremony upon their arrival. Shen Qiuniang, who was in the same direction as Li Sanniang, was a step behind and moved aside. Otherwise, it would have seemed as if Shen Qiuniang and Li Sanniang had both been subjected to this kneeling ceremony.
Li's mother's heart sank. She had thought that Li San Niang had come to her with a leukorrhea like Dilibaier. But if someone came to her for treatment, she would have been happy to help if she had just said a few more words and offered money.
Before a word was spoken, a grand gift arrived. This was definitely not just a simple medical consultation for the two women. Who knew what important or difficult matter was about to trouble Li San Niang?
Therefore, Li's mother's smile visibly faded, and she became somewhat expressionless.
Li San Niang remained seated, even picking up the teacup that Chen Qiu Niang had brought her. She slowly took a sip of tea, savoring the taste of the fine tea leaves from the gift sent by the Gao family. She didn't even glance at the two Han women kneeling on the ground or the bewildered Dilibaier standing there, only staring at the tea in the teacup.
After a dozen or so breaths of complete silence in the main hall, Li San Niang finally put down her teacup, looked at the three uninvited guests before her, sighed, and slowly said, "I, Li San Niang, am just a lowly woman who studied medicine with my father for a few years. Even if I had joined the Medical Alliance and opened my own clinic, I couldn't expect people to kneel before me every time they see me."
One of the two kneeling Han women, a beautiful woman, tentatively looked up at Li San Niang. As their eyes met, Li San Niang thought to herself, "This woman is really beautiful," while the beautiful woman thought, "Li San Niang must be angry."
“If you come seeking medical help, I will help you to the best of my ability. If you have other requests, I know that women have it hard, and I, Li San Niang, am not stingy if I can help you. But if it is beyond my ability, even if you kneel until your kneecaps are bruised, I will not feel guilty.”
As a doctor, Li Sanniang naturally possesses a compassionate heart. However, having practiced medicine in modern times for many years, she also knows that the complexity of doctor-patient relationships is no less than that of long-married couples.
Let alone in modern times, even now, if a doctor has been practicing medicine all year round and has not encountered many troublesome patients, then in the eyes of other doctors, he is not considered a senior doctor with experience.
Therefore, as a doctor, I have medical skills, a compassionate heart, and a sense of responsibility. I treat every patient who comes to me with care and do my best to help them relieve their pain and restore their health. That is me.
As a doctor, I am also an ordinary person. I need to make a living. I am not a god. I cannot do what only a god can do. Bringing the dead back to life and performing miracles are not things I can do. Things beyond my capabilities, even if you kneel down in front of me or kill me, I still cannot do them.
Especially since they didn't say anything or offer any explanation, but immediately knelt down and kowtowed, they might be trying to morally blackmail and trap Li San Niang, which is why Li's mother and Li San Niang were unhappy.
Upon hearing this, the other woman still kneeling realized that her little trick had been seen through. Qi Zhidie then changed her facial expression to appear more sincere, because she had just seen the look of amazement on Li San Niang's face when she faced Hong Niang. This meant that Li San Niang also liked to look at beautiful women. Although she was over thirty, she still had some remarkable features.
Qi Zhidie first stood up halfway on her own, then helped the matchmaker beside her to stand up straight. She nodded reassuringly to Dilibaier beside the matchmaker, then turned around and bowed to Li's mother, "Qi Zhidie greets Midwife Li." She then turned back to face Li Sanniang, this time standing up straight, raising her head to show her face before bowing, looking very elegant, "Zhidie greets Doctor Li. I thank Doctor Li for your kindness, which allowed Dilibai in the brothel to survive."
It's been said for a long time that Li San Niang is a sucker for good looks. Within permissible limits, she feels that taking a few more glances at handsome young men and beautiful young women can adjust her mood and make her happy.
This is not only the original character's "minor flaw" but also the modern-day Li San Niang's.
But actually, the root of Li San Niang's problem lies with Li's mother. None of the members of the Li family are ugly. Even Li Er Sao, who comes from the countryside, is a pretty girl with delicate features.
Sister-in-law Li, from a family of military generals, has the air of a refined lady and possesses a natural air of heroic spirit.
Li San Niang suspected that the main reason why Li's mother was willing to marry Li's father, who had nothing and brought Li's eldest brother with her, was because Li's father was handsome.
If we're talking about the least attractive member of the Li family, it would probably be Li San Niang herself. She's just an ordinary young woman; you could call her a pretty girl, but that's only because she's young and has plenty of collagen.
Therefore, under Qi Zhidie's deliberate scheming, Li Sanniang naturally saw the face of Qi Zhidie, the mature and charming madam of Shihualou. At that moment, Li Sanniang thought to herself, "This sister is really beautiful."
Qi Zhidie naturally noticed the fleeting look of amazement in Li Sanniang's eyes. After bowing her head in greeting, she pulled Dilibaier and Hongniang to bow to Chen Qiuniang again. "Zhidie greets Lady Qiuniang. Please do not blame Dilibaier for taking matters into her own hands. We are truly at our wits' end and have no other choice but to come to you for help."
You know what, if an ordinary, worldly-wise person acted like this, Li's mother and Li San Niang would definitely not like it. But I don't know how Li's mother felt about such a beautiful woman's affected manner, but Li San Niang certainly found it very interesting.
Judging from Li San Niang's expression, Li's mother knew that she had taken a liking to the beauty of this girl named Qi Zhi Die.
In fact, one of the reasons why Li's parents chose Wang Erlang, who was Li San Niang's ex-husband and Lu Zhu'er's biological father, was because Wang Erlang was quite handsome. Although he was not as tall as Li's eldest brother, he was indeed dignified. Not to mention that Wang Erlang was only fifteen or sixteen years old at the time and was full of youthful vigor. Otherwise, Li San Niang would not have agreed to the marriage.
Of course, you can't judge a book by its cover.
No matter how beautiful a person is, if they have a black heart, they are just a pretty face with a rotten core. So, as soon as Li San Niang discovered Wang Ziheng's affair with his cousin, she was determined to get a divorce. But she didn't expect to be so unlucky as to be transported to another world.
"Ahem," Li's mother coughed lightly twice on purpose, bringing Li San Niang back to her senses. She put down her teacup and said to Qi Zhi Die, "Madam Qi, please speak frankly. What brings you here tonight?"
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