Chapter 42 Assessment (Part Two): The Backdoor
The day of the assessment was cloudless, a truly auspicious day for everything.
Brother Li was on duty and had long since left home. He had originally intended to ask for leave to come back and help Li Sanniang, but Li Sanniang said it was unnecessary. It wasn't a dangerous situation; at most, there would be some harsh words, and there was no need for Brother Li to come back to protect her. It was also not good for the position of Jinwuwei to always ask for leave, lest his colleagues who had disagreements with Brother Li gossip about him.
Not to mention that Li Dalang is going to be a model this time. With him around, taking care of three or five thieves is no problem, and safety is guaranteed.
Besides, everyone in the medical alliance is a person who cares about their reputation, so there's no chance of any personal harm.
Li's father and second brother were definitely going, and Li's mother, worried about them, also decided to go, saying she was getting impatient waiting for news at home. She was also approaching fifty, and with her company, Li San Niang wouldn't have any moralists gossiping when she was in a space with a bunch of men of all ages.
Although only Li Dalang and Li Silang were to be models, Li Erlang and Li Sanlang also wanted to go. Since we couldn't show favoritism, all four of them had to be brought along.
That's eight people, which is quite a lot; even a donkey cart can't carry them all.
Such an occasion was really not suitable for a young child like Lu Zhu'er, so Li San Niang reluctantly refused her, who looked like an abandoned puppy with tears welling up in her eyes, and asked Chen Qiu Niang to help take care of her.
From then on, only Sister-in-law Li, Sister-in-law Li, Xiao Wulang, Luzhu'er, and Shen Qiuniang remained in the house. The clinic also closed for a day, but the medicine cabinet was kept in place by Li Gui and another shop assistant so that it wouldn't have to close down.
A donkey cart can only carry four or five people, and it also needs to carry a large basket of things that Li San Niang needs to demonstrate, so it really took two donkey carts to make up the space.
After a leisurely half hour, we finally arrived at Junyoulai Restaurant. Everyone says that this three-story restaurant is backed by several officials. We don't know if it's true or not, but since the restaurant opened, no one has ever dared to cause trouble. The only time was when a wandering knight got drunk and broke the tables and chairs with a stick. He was arrested on the spot by the street patrol.
Of course, prices in such a place are not cheap, but Chang'an City is never short of wealthy people.
The lobby on the first floor has a dozen or so tables scattered around, and a few places are shaded by the view, which is enough to create a relatively private environment. The second floor is all private rooms, which are used to entertain people with some wealth. The third floor is said to be reserved by the owner behind the restaurant. Having money is secondary; the key is that you have someone in your family who is an official, and only people with a high-ranking official position can go up there.
As soon as they arrived at the door, a kind-looking man greeted them with a smile, followed by two servants. After exchanging greetings, the shopkeeper smiled and said, "Distinguished guests, distinguished guests! We've been waiting for you, Doctor Li, Young Doctor Li, Midwife Li, Madam Li, and all the young gentlemen. Please come in, please come in."
Li San Niang thought to herself, "This shopkeeper really knows how to handle people. Not everyone can do business. It's not something that ordinary people can do. They can't say different nice things to different people."
The Li family members were ushered inside one by one. The basket containing several sets of surgical gowns, caps, masks, and cloths ordered from Lady Qiu, as well as two large pieces of pork with skin on, was carried by Li Dalang. Originally, the servant wanted to help carry it, but Li Dalang was not comfortable with that and carried it himself.
The basket containing the equipment was always carried by Li's mother; she felt more at ease having such a precious item in the hands of her own family at all times.
Sure enough, we were ushered to a private room called Peony on the second floor. According to Dr. Gao, whenever there was anything going on in the alliance, we would gather in the Peony room on the second floor of Junyoulai Restaurant to announce and discuss it.
It is implied that one of the shareholders behind Junyoulai Restaurant is a person with a high-ranking official position in the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Since the alliance was under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Medical Bureau, it was natural to keep the benefits within the family, and the gatherings and discussions were all held here.
As you approach, you see peony flowers painted on the door, exuding an elegant charm. Peonies are a medicinal herb, which is quite fitting for the professions of the alliance members.
The room was quite large, with two long tables and a circle of chairs around them. It looked like it could seat dozens of people, and if people squeezed in, it could probably fit a hundred or eighty.
The Li family arrived early; there was no one inside.
The innkeeper ordered tea to be served, and even the youngest, Li Silang, received a cup of fragrant tea.
The shopkeeper, surnamed Jin, exchanged a few more polite words with Li's father and the others in a soft voice, saying that when someone else came, a servant would lead them up, and if they needed anything, they could just call the servant at the door.
After Manager Jin left, Li San Niang and her mother placed one set of surgical gown, one cap, one mask, and two different sized blankets on each of the two tables in the room. They kept one set for display and kept the other as a spare.
The equipment that was made by the palace craftsmen through back channels by the shady characters was naturally one set. It would be taken out only when it was time to show it off. It was a precious item, and Li San Niang would be heartbroken if even a single curved needle was missing.
Li San Niang asked Li Da Lang to ask the servant at the door for two basins filled with water and some soaked soapberries. She brought two pig bristle brushes from home. It was Li's father who reminded Li San Niang that if she wanted to explain the concept of sterility, it would be best to cover everything from beginning to end.
Just as they were getting ready, the door opened, and it turned out to be family members. Old Doctor Gao and several other doctors he knew, all of whom were moderate, came together.
Li's father quickly led his second brother and third sister-in-law forward to greet them one by one. The doctors looked with curiosity at the pile of surgical gowns made of white cloth on the long table.
"Why did Madam Li bring meat with her?"
The doctor noticed the pork with skin on in a nearby basket and asked about it out of curiosity.
"Haha, the doctor will know in a moment, but please forgive me for keeping you in suspense for now."
While the group was still talking, another group of people was led in by a servant. Li Sanniang looked at the old doctor Gao, whose face had become serious and unsmiling, and guessed that this group was probably the Xiangwang faction led by Sun Chengren.
This time, it was Dr. Gao who led Li's father, Li's second brother, and Li's third sister-in-law to pay their respects. Sure enough, Dr. Gao referred to the middle-aged man with the short beard as "Dr. Sun".
"Oh, Dr. Gao, you're here early. Are you worried that this girl won't make it?"
It must be a deep-seated grudge. To start something disgusting right away, it can't be a deep-seated grudge.
"Heh, Doctor Sun, you probably didn't have time to eat breakfast and your spleen and stomach are upset, so you're quite hot-tempered. My grand-disciple's skills may not be famous throughout Chang'an, but it's true that he saved two people, not to mention that one of them was on the verge of death. He does have some skills, so Doctor Sun doesn't need to worry."
I must save face for my master's master. "I have met Doctor Sun before. I have often heard my master mention that Doctor Sun's skill in diagnosing pulses and prescribing medicine is like a miracle cure. Today, I, Third Sister, am making a fool of myself. I would like to ask Doctor Sun for guidance."
"Hmph, just you wait and see."
We managed to get by with great difficulty, and as long as we could save face, that was enough. The important thing today was the faction represented by the physicians drawn from the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Dr. Sun led several doctors to sit at the long table at the back, while Dr. Gao led the doctors who had come with him to sit on the chairs around the table, leaving another long table empty for the people from the Imperial Medical Bureau.
A moment later, Manager Jin personally led in seven or eight people.
The leader was a young man in his thirties with only a simple wooden hairpin in his hair, a clean-faced man with no beard, and wearing a round-necked robe. He must be an official in the court, otherwise not just anyone could wear such a round-necked robe.
It was obvious that these six or seven people were all following behind this person, with only an elderly man with a full head of mottled white hair, who looked to be about the same age as the old doctor, standing side by side with this person.
However, upon closer inspection, the old man was still half a body length behind this person.
As soon as they entered, even Dr. Sun, who had just sat down, stood up to greet them.
Li San Niang thought to herself, "This person has quite a grand air about them. They must hold a high-ranking official position and wield real power."
Upon seeing this, the old doctor immediately pulled Li San Niang forward and said, "Greetings, Physician Sun. I never expected to be able to attract Physician Sun's presence today. It is a great honor."
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