Chapter 118: Caesarean Section
It took the clerk five days to collect half of the wealth donated by the wealthy families and merchants and put it into the government treasury.
Boxes of gold and silver, famous paintings and calligraphy, and stacks of house deeds and land deeds were so dazzling.
Before each item is carried into the warehouse, it is registered and stored by a clerk who is in charge of the warehouse.
It happened to be noon, and the yamen runners and clerks had nothing to do after lunch, so they all gathered around to watch the fun.
"My goodness, there are at least several million taels here, right?"
"Counting houses, shops and the like, there should be even more."
"Hiss—Looking across all of Daxia, out of the 140 prefectures, only Shaoqing Prefecture is as wealthy as ours."
The clerk in charge of registration rolled his eyes and kicked him impatiently: "Go away, go away, you're making so much noise! I can't concentrate on registering! If you keep making noise, I'll complain to the prefect!"
My colleagues immediately quit.
"Are you a three-year-old kid? You're actually complaining!"
The clerk snorted, held the booklet and wrote furiously, ignoring his colleague who was quacking like a duck.
However, frightened by the prefect, everyone kept quiet and dispersed after watching for a while.
The clerk worked from noon to dusk, his hands nearly breaking from copying. Finally, he registered the last sum of gold and silver into the treasury and presented the booklet to the prefect for review.
Du Qingtang had just handled a case of patricide. The son was unwilling to support his elderly father, so he teamed up with his wife to put medicine in his father's porridge bowl. He happened to be caught by a neighbor, so he reported it to the government.
Daxia ruled the world with filial piety, and children who killed their father or mother were generally sentenced to particularly severe penalties.
For example, Yuan Sheng was sentenced to death by being torn apart by chariots, and this case of patricide is no exception.
After confirming that this incident had happened, Du Qingtang directly sentenced the couple to death by slicing, as a warning to others.
When I returned to the duty room, the clerk had been waiting for a long time.
"Sir, eighty-two donations have been registered. Please review them."
Du Qingtang sat down behind the desk, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and took it to look through it.
There are more than a thousand shops, including those officially owned and those registered under other people's names, in the prefectural city, the four counties under its jurisdiction, and the surrounding prefectures.
Du Qingtang picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and selected 500 shops in the prefecture and the four counties under its jurisdiction: "Let us rent these out to the people at low prices."
The clerk was stunned for a moment, then understood her intention and said, "Your Excellency is so kind. I will sort out these shops tomorrow and announce the lease to the entire city."
As long as you manage it properly, you will definitely make a lot of money.
With money, life becomes better.
Du Qingtang returned the booklet to the clerk and reported six more names: "Ask them to come over."
The clerk withdrew in response, and soon six people knocked on the door and entered.
"What are your orders, sir?"
Du Qingtang looked to the left: "How is the refugee camp?"
The clerk replied swiftly, "Seven or eight out of ten refugees have passed the assessment. They volunteered to reclaim wasteland. We estimate they'll be able to register in half a month."
Du Qingtang showed satisfaction: "Those who are qualified will be registered, and those who are unqualified will be expelled from Shaoqing Prefecture."
She is not doing charity work, so she should eliminate these unstable factors as soon as possible to avoid trouble later.
The clerk responded respectfully.
Du Qingtang continued, "I plan to conduct a household registration census in September. Tomorrow, you will send someone to notify the four counties under your jurisdiction. They must register every household. Anyone without a household registration will be arrested and sent to a refugee camp."
The clerk nodded in agreement, but hesitated. "What if the people below pretend to obey but actually disobey, and abuse their power for personal gain?"
There is no shortage of corrupt officials in this world. Money can move people's hearts. As long as enough money is given, there will always be people who take risks and help those without a name to hide their crimes.
Du Qingtang's original intention was to count the population and eliminate potential risks. Of course, she also knew that some people would take advantage of the situation. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Then send people from the government office, four people to each county, and a number of government soldiers."
With them watching over them, the people below will be more restrained.
The clerk bowed and said, "Your Excellency is wise. I will notify them tomorrow."
Today is August 14th, and half a month is enough time to prepare.
Du Qingtang looked to the right and said, "I plan to build three more schools. I will use the houses donated to the government by those people. After opening up, I will renovate them according to the previous standards."
She paused and continued, "It's best to choose the west, south, and north of the city."
The previous school was located in the east of the city, so it would be better for the four schools to be dispersed.
The clerk was overjoyed and said, "Yes, I will go and select a site tomorrow."
A while ago, a relative asked him whether the school was still recruiting students.
The clerk knew that the school was full, so he told the other party the truth and the other party left disappointed.
At that time, he also regretted that the limited number of admissions meant that some children were destined to be unable to receive a better education.
Unexpectedly, just a few days later, the prefect wanted to build more than one school!
He had to quickly tell his relatives the good news and make preparations in advance, so as to avoid being unable to register and missing the opportunity.
Studying is the only way to change your destiny. Even if you don't pass the imperial examination to become an official, you will have the ability to make a living and will not starve to death.
Du Qingtang finally looked at the four people in the middle: "The school needs teachers, you go to other places to recruit."
Thinking about how the professors and instructors of the prefectural and county schools came from, the clerk was silent for a moment, then asked cautiously: "If they are unwilling to come..."
Du Qingtang said without hesitation: "If you offer a large sum of money and promise fame and fortune, there will always be people who will be tempted."
The government office is not short of money, what it lacks is teachers.
As long as I can cultivate a group of outstanding flowers of the motherland, a monthly salary of thirty taels is worth it.
The clerk breathed a sigh of relief, as long as they didn't forcibly abduct him.
Last time they were badly scolded along the way.
"clang--"
The gong sounded, signaling the end of duty. Du Qingtang waved his hand and said, "That's about it. Let's go back first."
"Yes, I will take my leave."
The clerk bowed and left. Du Qingtang tidied up the table piled with various documents, washed the teacups and teapots, locked the door and returned to the third hall.
The restaurant and clinic have been prepared and are just waiting for an auspicious day to open.
Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival. Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju are making mooncakes in the kitchen. They are talking and laughing, and their laughter like silver bells can be heard from time to time.
Du Qingtang went back to the house, changed into casual clothes, rolled up his sleeves and walked into the kitchen.
Zhu Ju and the others heard footsteps and turned around almost at the same time.
"Yeah, Xianyu is back."
"Are you busy today?"
"Xiao Ba and I are making mooncakes. We have five-nut fillings, red bean paste, jujube paste, and egg yolk fillings."
Baoding Prefecture does have meat filling, but the girls in the Du family don’t like it.
Du Qingzhu asked with a smile: "What kind of filling do you want to eat? As long as you want it, Sister Qi can make it."
Du Qingtang instantly thought of many mooncake fillings that were difficult for people to accept. He suppressed the urge and went to wash his hands in the basin beside him: "No need, these are enough."
She doesn't care about food, as long as she can eat.
Du Qingtang wiped his hands, went over and grabbed a piece of dough, and asked casually, "Have you recruited anyone for the clinic?"
Du Qingju shook her head. "The notice was posted, but they only recruited two half-baked apprentices. They're here to make a living. They can do odd jobs on weekdays, but they still need to be taught slowly."
Du Qingtang stuffed the mooncake mold with jujube paste and said comfortingly, "First, let's spread the reputation of Xinglintang. The fragrance of flowers will naturally attract butterflies."
Du Qingju's eyebrows curved: "I think so too."
Her medical skills are no worse than those of the old doctors, but her disadvantage is her age.
But she was not discouraged.
Every time you cure a patient, you gain a little fame.
If this continues, Xinglintang will become famous.
Du Qingtang took the mooncake out of the mold and asked, "Don't you really need me to show your support?"
Du Qingju firmly refused: "No need."
Du Qingtang didn't force it and turned to talk about other things.
......
The next day, Du Qingtang walked into the government office carrying the mooncakes he had made himself and distributed them to the clerks working at their desks.
"You've worked hard during this period. This is a small token of my appreciation. Bring it back to try."
The clerks were all flattered. They stood up, took the mooncakes with both hands, and thanked him repeatedly.
Du Qingtang waved his hand and instructed before leaving: "Leave your shift an hour early this afternoon."
Everyone was very surprised.
"Thank you, Mr. Prefect!"
"Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Prefect!"
Du Qingtang replied "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival" and went to the duty room to handle official business.
After she left, the clerks opened the mooncake box.
“It’s quite exquisite.”
“It smells nice, too.”
"I didn't expect the prefect to give us mooncakes. Does this mean she recognizes us?"
"If you don't agree, your fate will be the same as Zhou Wei and the others, right?"
Thinking of Zhou Wei who was cut more than a thousand times and died in pain, everyone shuddered.
"It seems that the prefect has been very kind to us."
No one commented.
"Stop talking and get back to work. There are still a lot of things waiting for us."
There were echoes one after another. They put the mooncakes away and planned to enjoy them with their family in the evening.
In the morning, the government posted a notice about renting shops at low prices.
When the news spread, many people were interested.
"The rent is half the price of usual, why not try renting one?"
"But the shop originally belonged to those people. If you rent it to do business, aren't you afraid that they might harbor resentment and deliberately take action to retaliate against you?"
After these words were spoken, everyone hesitated.
"Forget it, we have no power or influence, how can we be their opponent?"
"Even if the prefect is on our side, those people are cunning and scheming. If they really want to deal with us, they won't be able to find any evidence. We can only accept defeat."
"Instead of emptying my family's savings to open a shop, I'd rather wait until the end of the month for the garment factory to open. I'll get paid as long as I work."
"That's right. These days, countless people go bankrupt in business."
So, after the notice was posted for several hours, no one came to the government office to inquire about the details.
The petty officials were immersed in the joy of the Mid-Autumn Festival and were unaware of the concerns of the people. They returned home an hour early in the afternoon to reunite with their families and celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Du Qingtang also gave the night watchman a day off. Once the gate was closed, the huge government office fell silent in an instant.
Back in the third hall, Zhu and Ju were busy in the kitchen, with Du Yi and others helping them.
Fortunately, the kitchen is spacious enough, otherwise it would not be able to accommodate so many people.
Du Qingtang changed back into his regular clothes. Du Qingzhu poked his head out of the kitchen and said cheerfully, "Dinner is ready!"
"So early?" Du Qingtang was planning to go and help.
Du Qingju came out with a plate of mooncakes: "Eat it early so you can enjoy the moon after eating."
Du Qingtang hummed softly and went into the kitchen to serve the dishes.
It’s the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, and today’s meal is very sumptuous. The table is filled with large plates and bowls, which are delicious and mouth-watering.
The three sisters sat around the table in the Guixiang Room, while Du Yi and the others went to the East Annex Room to eat.
After eating and drinking, the sun had already set and night was falling.
Du Qingtang walked into the yard and saw a full moon rising slowly.
Du Qingzhu cut the mooncakes into small pieces, arranged them into various shapes, and placed them on the stone table in the yard: "My elder sister and the others should be enjoying the moon too."
Du Qingtang turned his head and said: "If you hadn't come to Shaoqing Mansion, you could have joined them. It would be more lively with more people."
Du Qingzhu feigned anger: "Look at what you said, as if we really regret coming here!"
"Xianyu, please don't say that." Du Qingju looked at Du Qingtang with sincere eyes, "Eldest sister and the others are important, but you are also important. You are all my closest relatives."
"I've saved many people along the way. Now, watching Shaoqing Prefecture gradually become better in your hands, although my seventh sister and I can't help you much, as a bystander, I also feel a sense of accomplishment."
Every time I walk on the street, I can always hear people praising Du Qingtang.
Whenever this happened, Du Qingju would always feel a secret sense of pride.
The person they praised so much was the daughter of the Du family, her younger sister.
Du Qingzhu took a small bite of the mooncake and said in a vague voice: "Although we are separated, we are enjoying the bright moon together, so it can be considered a reunion."
"I was unable to open a restaurant in Runing Prefecture before, but now my wish has come true. I can also stay with Xianyu, so that she won't be alone. We can eat and drink well, without worries. These days are so beautiful, like a dream."
Du Qingtang chuckled and raised his glass: "I am also very happy that you can come to my side."
The three of them clinked their glasses, and the wine rippled in the glasses, reflecting three smiling faces and a full moon.
-
On the second day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the government posted a notice.
The notice was written in black on red paper with five big characters written in silver hooks and iron paintings: "Garment Factory Recruiting Workers".
The garment factory will be inaugurated on August 30th and will also start recruiting workers at the same time.
Garment factories recruit not only female workers but also male workers.
The age limit for female workers is 14 to 45 years old, they must be in good health and not have any infectious diseases.
Most importantly, female workers must be good at needlework.
The age limit for male workers is between 15 and 45 years old, they must be in good health and not have any infectious diseases.
As soon as the notice was released, it attracted people from all over the city to watch.
The clerk stood aside and read the contents of the notice aloud.
"After waiting so long, the garment factory is finally hiring."
"August 30th, right? I went to wait outside the garment factory before dawn that day, lest someone else get the job first and I lose the chance to work there."
"Why hire male workers? They don't know how to make clothes."
"I guess the women are responsible for the delicate work, while the men are responsible for the physical work."
"That's great! I may not be good at anything else, but I have a lot of strength!"
"Why do I have to be able to sew? I'm not very skilled, but I want to work and earn money."
"A garment factory makes clothes, not teaches people how to make clothes."
There were boos of regret one after another.
The woman who was not good at sewing left with a frustrated look on her face.
The clerk said nothing.
Although the prefect loves his people like his own children and is committed to ensuring that they have enough food and clothing, he will not spend money to support a group of useless people.
......
On August 18, Xinglin Hall opened.
Du Qingju, wearing a light green dress, lit firecrackers with her own hands. The crackling sound sounded festive and lively.
Two apprentices stood at the door, shouting, "Xinglintang is open today. We're giving away free heat-clearing and summer-heat-relieving medicine packs, and the first five people to come will get a free consultation!"
People can never resist free things. When they heard that Xinglintang gave away free medicine packages and offered free medical consultations, they couldn't help but stop.
“Is it really free?”
"Not a penny?"
The apprentice smiled and said, "Of course it's free. The medicine packs are very effective. You can take them home and make tea or soup."
Everyone was excited and walked into Xinglin Hall.
The clinic was not too big. There was a long table on the left with several pulse pillows on it.
On the right is a medicine cabinet that takes up half of the wall, filled with a fresh and bitter medicinal aroma.
There is a small door next to the medicine cabinet, which is divided into two rooms: the medicine decoction room and the place where patients are placed.
Brand new medicine jars were neatly placed on the stove. Although the wooden bed was simple, it was flat and spacious.
Everyone looked at it discreetly and commented in low voices.
"This clinic is pretty good. Last time I broke my leg while working, the bed at the Zhang Family Clinic I went to had cracked boards. When I lay down on it, it snapped and broke. I almost fell to my death."
"Although it's small, it has everything you need. This clinic looks very comfortable."
"But why don't I see the doctor?"
As soon as the words fell, a clear female voice sounded: "I am the doctor."
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and their expressions were stunned for a moment.
A beautiful young woman stood beside the medicine cabinet, a dustpan in her hand, a faint smile on her lips: "Are you here to pick up your medicine bags?"
"Uh...yes."
Du Qingju took a quick glance and took out the corresponding number of medicine packets from the medicine cabinet.
Before she handed it over, someone asked her, "Are you the doctor at Xinglin Hall?"
Du Qingju nodded in agreement.
The man who asked the question looked around and said, "Where are the other doctors?"
Du Qingtang said: "It's just me."
The man was stunned and spoke without thinking: "You are a young girl opening a clinic, and you don't even have anyone to support you. Aren't you afraid of killing people with your medicine?"
Du Qingju's smile remained unchanged. Instead of answering, she asked, "The first five people to come will get a free consultation. Why don't you try it out for yourself?"
Everyone's expression changed slightly and they retreated one after another.
"No, no."
"Other clinics are staffed by elderly doctors who are obviously experienced. How can a young girl like you treat patients?"
"I sprained my waist carrying sacks a few days ago. I was thinking of taking advantage of him, but I didn't expect the doctor at Xinglin Hall to be so young. I dare not see you. Don't let my waist get worse."
"Let's go, it's a big loss if you try to save money."
But in a moment, all the people who were attracted by the free medical consultation left without even a single one left, and they didn't even get their medicine packs.
"Who knows what's in the medicine bag? What if someone dies after drinking it?"
Before leaving, an aunt advised, "Young lady, doctors are always more popular as they get older. You won't be able to open a clinic like this. You might as well go out and set up a stall selling snacks. You can earn more than this."
Du Qingju shook her head and said firmly: "Thank you for your kindness, but I would rather open a clinic than set up a stall."
The aunt curled her lips and walked away muttering, "Young man, if you insist on having your own way, you will suffer."
Of course Du Qingju knew it, but she was the kind of person who would not turn back until she hit the wall and would not give up until she saw the Yellow River.
During her many years of practicing medicine, she has encountered countless people who have belittled and despised her, but she has never taken them to heart.
Rather than feeling sorry for herself or becoming depressed, she prefers to slap people in the face with her achievements.
They said she was not qualified to practice medicine, so she became a famous female doctor in Qingyuan County.
They said her idea of curing smallpox was a fantasy, so she developed the Tianju Drink.
There is nothing that cannot be done in this world, only people who don’t want to do it.
"Boss, everyone has left."
The apprentice's frustrated voice brought Du Qingju back to reality. She smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. There will always be someone willing to stay."
The apprentice had no choice but to continue shouting.
Over the next two hours, people kept coming in for free medicine packs and free medical consultations, and then left without hesitation after learning that Xinglin Hall only had one female doctor.
"If you were older, I would trust you for once."
"Girl, practicing medicine is not like cooking. If the food is burnt, you can still eat it. But if someone takes the wrong medicine, it can be fatal."
"Why did you say so much to her? I don't know where she comes from, but she's so bold..."
A few more people came and went, and the noisy Xinglin Hall returned to silence.
Du Qingju pursed her lips and continued to grind the herbs.
......
"Have you heard? A clinic opened on Yangliu Street, and surprisingly, there's only one female doctor there."
"I was tricked into going to jail by her. Fortunately, I didn't let her treat me. If something really went wrong, I wouldn't have a place to cry."
"So what if it's free? Do you really think we're fools and don't choose the doctor?"
Several men walked down the street, laughing and joking as they walked away.
A young woman carrying a bamboo basket passed by them.
Capturing the "female doctor" and "free consultation", the woman moved her ears and touched her lower abdomen inconspicuously.
Two months ago, after she gave birth, she had intermittent bleeding from her vagina, which did not stop until she was out of the confinement period. Instead, the bleeding became more frequent because of taking care of the child, doing housework, and working in the fields.
The woman returned to her parents' home and told her mother secretly.
Her mother didn't take it seriously: "This is a woman's disease, it can't be shown to men. Just bear with it, it will be fine after a while."
The woman asked, "Was it the same when you gave birth to me and my older brother and sister?"
Her mother nodded, speaking as if it were a matter of course: "All the women in the village are like this. Zhang Zhaodi's mother gave birth to ten children in a row, and the bleeding never stopped. Last time, I went to the toilet with her, and her uterus almost fell out. But she acted like nothing happened and put it back in after going to the toilet."
The woman recalled her mother's description and couldn't help shivering even though she was standing under the scorching sun.
If she keeps bleeding, will she be like Zhang Zhaodi's mother?
"Xinglin Hall on Yangliu Street..."
The woman murmured, her eyes gradually becoming firm, as if she had made up her mind.
......
The morning passed.
None of the medicine bags that Du Qingju prepared for the opening were delivered, and no one came in to see the patients.
The apprentice was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, and kept looking outside.
If no one comes to see patients, the clinic won't make any money and will close down sooner or later, leaving them with nowhere to go.
Apprentice Xiao Wang glanced at his boss. Du Qingju was flipping through a medical book, her profile beautiful and focused.
Xiao Wang muttered to his apprentice Xiao Fang, "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have come."
Xiao Fang snorted noncommittally.
The reason they chose Xinglintang was certainly not because of Du Qingju's medical skills, but just to make money and support their families.
Xiao Fang scratched his chin and said, "Let's wait and see for two more days. If it doesn't work out, we'll leave."
At this moment, a slightly hoarse female voice came from the door: "Can I see a doctor here for free?"
Xiao Wang and Xiao Fang paused in their conversation.
Du Qingju raised her eyes and said with a smile, "Xinglintang is open today, and you can see patients for free."
The woman licked her cracked lips. She went to the city to sell vegetables in the morning, and then came to Yangliu Street. Because she was not familiar with the city, she took many detours. Now her throat was burning and painful like a needle.
The woman hesitated for a moment, then walked in. "Are you the doctor from Xinglin Hall?"
Du Qingju nodded and raised her hand to signal, "Please come this way."
The woman sat in front of a long desk, opposite her was a female doctor from Xinglin Hall.
The female doctor took out the pulse pillow and asked softly, "Where do you feel uncomfortable?"
The woman glanced at Xiao Wang and Xiao Fang who were looking over here, and was a little embarrassed to speak: "That's it...that's it..."
Du Qingju understood and stood up and said, "Would you please come with me inside and I can give you a detailed examination?"
The woman was overjoyed and hurried to follow Du Qingju.
In fact, she had no choice.
She had continuous bleeding for two months. In the past two days, when she bent over to do something, she always felt dizzy when she stood up.
Male doctors are inconvenient, so I finally found a female doctor. I can only try my luck and give it a try.
After a thorough examination, Du Qingju understood the woman's condition and her expression eased. "Did you not get enough rest during the confinement period, or did you get angry?"
The woman's eyes widened for a moment. She was right!
Her husband's family was poor, and both the husband and parents-in-law had to work to earn money to support the family. She had to breastfeed the child, do some light housework, and be responsible for three meals a day.
"It can't be helped. As for the bullying..." the woman sighed, "My eldest sister's in-laws are such rude people. They made her do heavy work even though she was pregnant for eight months. I couldn't stand it, so I had an argument with the old woman. I lost, and I was really pissed off."
Du Qingju couldn't help laughing. This guy was a man of character. "It's not a big deal. I'll give you acupuncture first, and then prescribe two prescriptions for you. Take one in the morning and one in the evening. You'll be fine in two days."
The woman was very excited: "Really? You didn't lie to me?"
Du Qingju shook her head: "A doctor must uphold integrity. Whether it is effective will be clear in two days."
Du Qingju prescribed medicine according to the woman's condition and handed it to her. The woman wanted to pay, but she stopped her: "I said the consultation is free, so you don't have to pay a penny."
Just consider it as accumulating blessings for yourself and Xinglintang.
The woman was uneasy: "How can I be so embarrassed..."
Du Qingju smiled without saying anything and sent her out.
After leaving Xinglin Hall, the woman did not return to the village immediately, but went to her eldest sister's house.
The woman's name is Zhang Meihua and her elder sister's name is Zhang Lihua.
Zhang Lihua married a butcher five years ago, but has not been pregnant for four years.
Zhang Lihua is a soft-hearted person. She has suffered so much bullying from her husband's family over the years, but she never tells her family and keeps it to herself.
Last winter, after finally having a child, Zhang Lihua's wicked mother-in-law still ordered her to do things.
Zhang Meihua was worried and decided to go and take a look.
When we arrived at Huang the butcher's house, Zhang Lihua was washing clothes and her mother-in-law was sitting with her legs crossed and eating melon seeds.
Zhang Meihua was so angry that she fell backwards, pointed at the old woman's nose and cursed: "My sister is about to give birth, and you still order her around. Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"
Mrs. Liu was so angry that her nose was crooked, and she pointed at the two Zhang sisters and cursed.
Zhang Lihua tried to mediate, but her sister covered her mouth and pulled her into the house: "Sister, I don't think you need to stay in the Huang family anymore. It's better to go home directly and avoid being bullied."
Zhang Lihua knew her younger sister was worried about her: "Your brother-in-law is a good person. Every time his mother bullies me, he blames her. He is not often at home..."
Zhang Meihua wasn't surprised by this answer. She bit her lip, feeling a little annoyed, and then changed the subject: "I had persistent postpartum bleeding. I just saw a female doctor, and she prescribed some medicine that she said would stop in two days."
Zhang Lihua was a little surprised: "The bleeding stopped in two days? Is she some kind of miracle doctor?"
Zhang Meihua shook her head: "That female doctor is so young, she looks about my age."
Zhang Lihua frowned. "How good can a young doctor's medical skills be? Don't take the medicine she prescribes. If anything goes wrong, it will be disastrous."
Zhang Meihua agreed, but in her heart she felt that the female doctor at Xinglintang looked very reliable and her medicine might really be effective.
Zhang Meihua stayed at the Huang family for a while, and before leaving, she did not forget to warn Liu Pozi, which made Liu Pozi so angry that she jumped to her feet.
When she got home, she started to boil the medicine.
The mother-in-law smelled the medicine and went to the kitchen: "What medicine did you buy?"
Zhang Meihua told the truth. Her mother-in-law was a kind person. She smiled and said, "As the saying goes, you can't judge a person by appearance. Just because the female doctor is young doesn't mean she's not a good doctor. Drink it and try it."
As she spoke, the mother-in-law sighed, "It's also our fault that we couldn't let you spend your confinement comfortably."
Zhang Meihua consoled him, "You can't say that. If you don't make money, how will you raise your children? Are you going to starve?"
If you ask her, it’s still the poverty that’s to blame.
Poor people don’t care about so many things. They should be thankful that they are alive and not starving to death.
The mother-in-law felt better: "I heard that the prefect has built a garment factory. You are good at sewing, so go and try it out. If you are selected, I will not go to work for the landlord Ma and will stay at home to take care of your children."
Zhang Meihua thought this was a good idea: "If it can stop the bleeding, I'll try it at the garment factory."
My mother-in-law works all day and only earns five cents. It’s impossible that a garment factory only earns five cents a day, right?
The mother-in-law nodded and said, "If it works, go tell that female doctor. Your eldest sister is almost full-term. She used to stuff all kinds of things into her stomach to get pregnant. It's best if she's fine. It's also just in case."
Zhang Meihua knew her mother-in-law meant well, so she didn't take it to heart. Instead, she agreed, "You're right. Every time I go over, my eldest sister says she feels uncomfortable in her stomach, but after a while, she's fine. I'm still a little worried..."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted in the kitchen, the medicine pots were emitting steam, and the air was filled with simple beauty.
-
Du Qingju sent Zhang Meihua away. For the next afternoon, people kept coming in, but left quickly after seeing the doctor's appearance.
At the end of the day, Zhang Meihua was the only patient.
Excluding the rent and Xiao Wang and Xiao Fang's wages, Xinglintang's profit on the opening day was negative.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingzhu: “…”
The two were silent, looking at each other.
Du Qingju propped up her chin and said weakly, "Laugh if you want to. I don't care at all."
Du Qingzhu: "Puff——"
Du Qingtang put his fist to his lips and coughed twice to suppress his smile: "At least someone wants you to see a doctor. When she recovers, she will naturally introduce someone she knows to you."
Du Qingzhu quickly stopped smiling, tried to look more serious, and said in a rhythmic manner: "A temporary setback is nothing. Xiao Ba, you are a woman who is going to do great things!"
"That's natural." Du Qingju raised her chin slightly, like a proud peacock, and then changed the subject, "I'm just a little sad. That sister had persistent postpartum bleeding and didn't even see a doctor for two months. She lost a lot of blood."
Du Qingzhu sighed: "Most women in the world are ashamed of this, not to mention the strict separation of men and women. They would rather endure it than see a doctor."
Du Qingju wrinkled her nose, showing a rare childishness: "The bottom line is that everyone knows too little about this."
Du Qingzhu agreed and touched Du Qingju's arm. "Do you remember when we were on our way to Shaoqing Prefecture, we met a girl whose biological father had... If Xiaoba hadn't discovered that she was pregnant, she wouldn't have known that her biological father had done something worse than an animal to her."
Du Qingtang frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "I plan to add a science class to the women's class, mainly focusing on some common sense about women to improve their self-protection awareness."
She looked at Du Qingju and said, "Why don't you, Eighth Sister, take charge of this class?"
Du Qingju's eyes lit up slightly: "Of course I can! When will the class start?"
Du Qingtang estimated: "The three schools are still under renovation. They will be completed by the end of the month and classes will be available at the beginning of next month."
Du Qingju readily agreed: "Okay, there are only about ten days left, I will prepare in advance."
Du Qingtang nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Eighth Sister."
It was okay for Du Qingju to speak frankly. When she thought about what she had to do next month, most of the depression in her heart dissipated.
......
In the following days, Xinglintang's business was as bleak as ever.
Except for Zhang Meihua on the first day, no one came to see the doctor.
All the major medical clinics in the city knew that a medical clinic called Xinglintang had opened on Yangliu Street. In order to find out the other party's background, they specially sent people to investigate.
This is a serious investigation.
"Xinglintang only has one female doctor?"
"Still particularly young?"
"I know this girl. She came to visit me earlier and wanted to invite me to work at Xinglin Hall, but I refused."
"A little girl opening a clinic, isn't this playing with human lives?"
"Fortunately, no one is easy to fool. After all these days, no one has come to see her for medical treatment."
"She should be told to give up. If everyone could practice medicine, countless patients would die in vain."
It is impossible to retreat when knowing the difficulties.
From the moment she decided to study medicine, Du Qingju embarked on a path of no return.
She couldn't turn back.
I don't want to look back either.
On the morning of the sixth day, Xiao Wang and Xiao Fang went to see Du Qingju.
"Boss, my mother is suddenly seriously ill. I have to go back to take care of her. I may not be able to continue working for you."
"My mother found a wife for me, and I can't go back to get married."
Du Qingju remained silent for a moment, and without asking whether it was true or not, she readily paid them their wages and let them go.
Before leaving, Xiao Wang couldn't help but say, "Boss, if you really want to practice medicine, you can go to another clinic as an apprentice. There's no need to waste this money."
Du Qingju just smiled and continued to read the medical book.
Another day passed, and Xinglin Hall was still deserted.
Du Qingju closed the shop on time and prepared to lock the door and go home.
"Doctor! Doctor!"
A female voice, strange but slightly familiar, came closer and closer. Du Qingju turned around and saw that the person coming was Zhang Meihua, the only patient seeing a doctor at Xinglintang.
Zhang Meihua ran over, breathing heavily, her face pale, her voice trembling, and crying: "Doctor, please, please save my elder sister!"
Du Qingju's expression became serious. She supported the shaky Zhang Meihua, took out the medicine box and walked out: "Lead the way, and we'll talk as we walk."
Zhang Meihua choked up and gritted her teeth to follow.
"You prescribed medicine for me that day. I drank it once in the evening. The next day, the bleeding decreased, and it stopped on the third day."
"I waited two more days to make sure the bleeding had stopped. I went into town today and planned to tell my sister about this."
"When I went to the Huang family, I found out that my sister had been pushed by her mother-in-law that morning and had given birth early."
Du Qingju asked: "Hasn't the baby been born yet?"
Zhang Meihua wiped away her tears, her teeth chattering. "The midwife said my sister's baby was in an abnormal position, with her feet coming out first. The old woman wanted to keep the baby and refused to call a doctor. I was at my wit's end, so I came to you."
Du Qingju frowned, quickened her pace, and the two of them soon arrived at Huang's house.
There were many people standing in front of the Huang family's door, and there were shrill screams and unbearable insults coming from the yard.
"You are an unfilial son, a bastard who forgot his mother after getting a wife!"
"Why call a doctor? A doctor is a man. If he examines your wife, her innocence will be gone. It's better to let her die!"
Zhang Meihua heard this at the door and her eyes were red with anger: "Old woman, how dare you!"
Du Qingju followed her into the room. The screams in the room were still going on, but they were already weaker.
In the yard, the thick-waisted and muscular Huang the butcher was sitting on a stone block with his hands in his pockets. Next to him stood a woman with drooping eyes and a mean face. It was obvious that she was not someone who was easy to get along with.
Seeing Zhang Meihua come in, Mrs. Liu curled her lips and asked, "What are you doing here again?"
Zhang Meihua was too lazy to pay attention to her and just asked Huang Tuzi: "Your wife gave birth to your child, and you don't care about her life or death?"
Huang the butcher folded his arms and said in a muffled voice, "The midwife said the baby's feet should come out first, so only one can be saved."
Zhang Meihua clenched her fists: "So you choose the child?"
Huang Tuzi's lips moved, and he lowered his head, not looking at his sister-in-law: "If you want to choose an adult, you have to see the doctor."
Just as Mrs. Liu said, the doctor is a man, and his wife cannot be seen by any man other than him.
Du Qingju: “…”
When I meet a man like this, I feel disgusted and want to slap him but I am afraid of getting my hands dirty.
Zhang Meihua hadn't expected Huang the butcher to say such a thing. Her body moved faster than her brain, and she swung her arm and slapped him in the face: "Huang Li, are you still human? That's your wife lying in there!"
Huang Tuzi was stunned by the slap and covered his face without moving.
On the contrary, it was Mrs. Liu who reacted violently, her voice shrill: "Zhang Meihua, how dare you hit my son!"
Zhang Meihua sneered: "What's wrong with beating him? Even if I kill him, it won't ease the hatred in my heart!"
The people watching outside the door sighed.
"Lihua's sister is furious."
"Huang Li is not wrong. How can you show your wife to other men?"
"Bah! Nothing is more important than your life!"
"That's right."
The noisy voices brought Huang Tuzi back to his senses. He realized belatedly that he had been beaten, and he immediately became furious and slapped back.
Seeing that the palm-leaf fan-sized slap was about to fall on Zhang Meihua, Du Qingju stepped forward and said, "Stop!"
Huang the butcher paused, and Zhang Meihua took the opportunity to dodge.
Mrs. Liu lowered her eyes and asked, "Who are you? Who let you into my house?"
Zhang Meihua took a breath in shock and said quickly, "She's the female doctor I hired. If you don't allow male doctors in, a female doctor will do, right?"
"This female doctor is too young."
"I remember now. No wonder she looked familiar. She opened the Xinglintang on Yangliu Street!"
"It's not that the female doctor is incompetent, but how much experience can she possibly have at such a young age? She's afraid she'll kill someone."
Huang Tuzi heard this and shook his head decisively: "You can't."
Zhang Meihua was almost mad. Just as she was about to curse, the door creaked open and the midwife poked her head out: "Is the doctor here yet? If not, there will be two dead!"
Zhang Meihua's face suddenly changed: "Big sister!"
Huang Tuzi's expression also changed: "Pear Blossom!"
Granny Liu rolled her eyes and looked at the beautiful young girl: "It's okay to let you see it, but if anything happens, you have to pay compensation. If you don't have money, you can compensate my son with a daughter-in-law."
Du Qingju sneered: "If you had eaten a few peanuts, you wouldn't be so drunk and talking nonsense."
Zhang Meihua rushed over and slapped Liu Pozi several times, shouting, "Doctor, leave this to me, you hurry in!"
Du Qingju ignored Liu Pozi's screams and strode into the delivery room.
Huang the butcher took two steps and then stopped again, like a wooden stake, with his hands in his pockets and not saying a word.
Du Qingju examined Zhang Lihua and soon opened the door to ask, "Did you give her anything to drink?"
Zhang Meihua's heart skipped a beat: "My sister drank a lot of folk remedies to help her conceive before she got pregnant, and after she got pregnant..."
Huang Tuzi took over the conversation: "Drink it, it is said that you can give birth to a boy."
Du Qingju: “…”
Du Qingju didn't want to bother with this mentally ill mother and child, and said to Zhang Meihua, "Your sister's fetus is in an abnormal position. She's already exhausted and can't give birth on her own. I plan to perform a cesarean section on her."
The crowd was in an uproar.
"What? Caesarean section?"
"This is too horrible. How can a little girl be so cruel?"
"no!"
"Can!"
Huang Tuzi and Zhang Meihua spoke almost at the same time.
Du Qingju nodded: "I need someone to help me, how about you..."
"I'll do it!"
A young girl jumped out from the crowd. She was about the age of 15, with a round face and a bright look.
"My grandfather is a doctor. I studied medicine with him."
Someone recognized the girl and nodded, saying, "Her grandfather is indeed a doctor, and his medical skills are quite good."
Du Qingju agreed without hesitation and took the young girl back to the delivery room.
There happened to be Ma Fei San in the medicine box. Zhang Lihua took it with wine and soon fell asleep.
The situation was urgent and conditions were limited. Du Qingju had no time to change clothes. She just rinsed the scalpel, which was as thin as a cicada's wing, in boiling water and then washed her hands in another basin.
After completing the preoperative preparations, Du Qingju took a deep breath, held the homemade scalpel firmly in her right hand, and cut open Zhang Lihua's towering belly.
Blood oozed out and the midwife gasped.
The young girl stared at the scalpel with burning eyes.
......
Time passes by little by little.
A wave of people came outside to watch the fun, and another wave came.
The sun sets and night falls.
Zhang Meihua sat at the door of the delivery room with an expressionless face and a knife in her hand.
Huang the butcher and Liu Pozi stood in the yard, not daring to take a step closer.
"I said at the beginning that she wouldn't be able to have children and would die young. I was right."
"It would be better if they all died, so that I can find someone who is lucky enough to give birth."
Mrs. Liu was muttering to herself, and Zhang Meihua was getting annoyed. She raised her knife and was about to start scolding her, but she heard a loud baby cry.
"Wow--"
Zhang Meihua's hands trembled.
The next moment, the door opened: "The baby is born, mother and daughter are safe."
Mrs. Liu's face suddenly fell: "Why is it a money-losing product?"
Huang Tuzi's face also looked unhappy.
Zhang Meihua didn't care about them and cried with joy while holding a knife.
......
Zhang Lihua had taken too many random medicines and was in very poor health. Du Qingju was worried that something might happen to her, so she didn't leave after the stitches were done and just sat in the delivery room to watch over her.
The young girl didn't leave either, but stood by silently.
It was not until a hint of dawn appeared in the east and the golden sunlight leaped out of the horizon that Zhang Lihua slowly woke up.
After regaining consciousness, Zhang Lihua felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and her face changed: "Child!"
Du Qingju quickly stepped forward and stopped her hand from touching her belly, urging her not to open the wound: "The child is fine, she is right next to your pillow."
Zhang Lihua turned her head and saw a small, rosy-skinned baby wrapped in a blanket, sleeping soundly.
Before he could even touch her, he heard Du Qingju say, "Huang Li would rather you die in childbirth than hire a doctor for you."
"Not only that, he also wants to beat your sister."
Zhang Lihua was startled. She suddenly remembered that when she was in excruciating pain, a familiar voice said, "Save Xiao!"
That was her bedmate, her husband.
Zhang Lihua was silent for a long time, then said hoarsely, "I want to see him."
Du Qingju went outside to pass on the message.
Huang Tuzi came in quickly. He was so horrified by the odor in the delivery room that he paused. He endured the nausea and walked forward: "Lihua, I'm glad you're okay."
Zhang Lihua lay on the bed and waved: "Come here."
Huang the butcher was feeling guilty, so he quickly stepped forward.
“Bang!”
Zhang Lihua slapped Huang Tuzi, who staggered and hit his head on the bedpost.
"Pear blossom?"
Zhang Lihua met Huang Tuzi's stunned gaze with a blank expression: "Huang Li, let's get divorced."
Du Qingju stood aside and slowly smiled.
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