Chapter 146: Women as Doctors
In mid-February, the fighting at Loushan Pass subsided.
In the final battle, the soldiers of Loushan Pass fought with extraordinary bravery. General Pei Yuchun killed the enemy's main general on his horse. The lieutenant general and others captured alive two deputy generals, as well as several Changping Pass generals such as captains and colonels.
The Qi army was immediately thrown into chaos and everyone fled in all directions.
The Xia army took over half of Changping Pass in one fell swoop, forcing the Qi army to withdraw its camp and retreat hundreds of miles to the west.
This was not enough. Pei Yuchun later called out to the only remaining deputy general of the Qi army:
If you want the Qi generals back, you have to pay money to redeem them.
A deputy general received 200,000 taels, a captain received 100,000 taels, a colonel received 80,000 taels, and so on. The lowest-ranking prisoner still received 40,000 taels.
The deputy general of Changping Pass was shocked and angry, cursing.
"One million nine hundred and twenty thousand taels, why don't they just go and rob the money?"
"I don't have any money, but I have my life!"
After being rejected at Loushan Pass, the head of a captain was hung on the wall of Changping Pass that day.
In order to prevent the Qi army from seeing it, he was very considerate and tied a bright red silk on the head.
When the cold wind blows, the red silk flutters, becoming particularly eye-catching.
Deputy General of Changping Pass: "......"
The deputy general of Changping Pass did not expect that Loushan Pass would be so shameless. He was worried that the generals of Changping Pass would be killed by the Xia bandits, and he would not be able to explain to the court. So he hurriedly wrote a letter to the Emperor of Da Qi to seek his opinion.
At the same time, Emperor Qingyuan wrote a letter to the Emperor of Da Qi, questioning why he did not keep his promise, tore up the contract and launched an attack on Xia.
This time, Emperor Qingyuan no longer cared about peace being the most important thing, and his attitude was tougher than ever before.
He demanded that Da Qi return the five northwestern cities, otherwise the 300,000 troops at Loushan Pass would flatten Changping Pass in one fell swoop.
"General Pei of our dynasty is young and hot-tempered. He cannot tolerate any grievances. He also has a paternal vengeance against your dynasty. I cannot guarantee where the army will attack or how many cities it will capture."
Emperor Da Qi: "......"
Every word in the letter, including the punctuation marks, was a blatant threat. The Emperor of Da Qi was so angry that he turned into a desk cleaning master and swept all the pens, inkstones, paper, and teacups on the imperial desk to the ground.
"Trash! A bunch of trash!"
An army of 300,000 strong was actually defeated by his former defeated generals and was left in disarray, causing him to lose all his armor and weapons and flee in panic. His face was even trampled on by Emperor Xia.
And that 160,000-strong army of fierce warriors couldn't even capture a small Shaoqing Prefecture.
Not only did they fail to capture Du Qingtang, a woman with extraordinary means, but they were also almost wiped out by tens of thousands of the enemy guards.
He really lost both the wife and the army, which made him very angry!
After venting his anger, the Emperor of Qi swallowed the fishy and sweet taste in his throat and sat on the dragon throne for a long time.
It was not until this moment that he finally understood what Emperor Qingyuan had felt.
I feel frustrated and annoyed, but helpless and unable to resist.
The Emperor of Qi closed his eyes tightly and ordered the Minister of Revenue to take out 1.84 million taels from the national treasury and send it to Changping Pass at an accelerated speed of 800 miles.
The generals guarding Changping Pass were the elite soldiers of the Great Qi. They could die on the battlefield, but they could never die as prisoners at the hands of the Xia bandits. After death, their heads would be hung on the city wall, exposed to wind and sun, and subjected to humiliation.
The military fortress Changping Pass must not be lost, otherwise it would be tantamount to opening the country's doors and allowing the Xia bandits' cavalry to trample on the vast rivers and mountains of Da Qi.
Exchanging five cities for the peace of Da Qi is not a loss...bullshit!
These five cities have been included in the territory of Da Qi for a long time. Even though they are not as rich as the previous five cities, they can still add a considerable amount of income to the Da Qi treasury every year.
Now it’s all gone!
Emperor Qi cursed Emperor Qingyuan's ancestors one by one, his chest heaving rapidly.
"Just wait for me. One day I will avenge my past humiliation and use the head of Emperor Xia to pay tribute to today's humiliation!"
......
When the news reached Shaoqing Prefecture, it happened to be the ten-day holiday.
Du Qingtang and Du Qingzhu sat in the teahouse opposite Xinglin Hall, watching the people running around to tell each other and rejoicing.
"The 300,000-strong army at Loushan Pass is eyeing them covetously, and they hold over a dozen Da Qi generals in their hands. If the Da Qi emperor doesn't want to completely lose Changping Pass and suffer the loss of his best generals, he can only accept defeat."
Du Qingzhu ate the cakes with great relish, her eyes curved into crescents. "In the past, Great Qi invaded and occupied thirteen cities of Great Xia. If it weren't for the great victory in the battle of the eighteenth year of Qingyuan, how could Great Xia have recaptured five of them and rescued the local people who were deeply persecuted?"
"With this great victory at Loushan Pass, Da Qi has returned five cities, which can be considered as a relief for our Shaoqing Prefecture."
"But it's a pity that I wasn't able to kill the main general who attacked Shaoqing Prefecture."
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on the curling tea leaves in the cup, as if trying to discern a flower. He said slowly, "Either way he's going to die, so naturally we have to make the most of him."
The only difference is dying at her hands and dying at the hands of Emperor Qingyuan.
The former happened silently and could be considered revenge at best.
The latter is a great achievement and can serve as a stepping stone for her to climb up.
Du Qingtang admitted that he was too utilitarian and was unwilling to miss this opportunity to accumulate credit.
Du Qingzhu held his chin and turned to look at the clinic opposite.
In Xinglin Hall, military doctors are providing free medical treatment to the people.
The not-so-big clinic was now overcrowded with people who had no money to see a doctor. Five long queues stretched all the way to the door of the teahouse, creating a beautiful scene on Yangliu Street.
"Thank you, doctor! If it weren't for you, my mother would have died of illness!"
A burly man, as big as a black bear standing upright, knelt on the ground, crying bitterly as he thanked the military doctor and kowtowed repeatedly, which moved everyone present.
"Xianyu, you're right. Merit is hard-earned, so naturally we should choose to do good." Du Qingzhu said with a sigh, "I thought Shaoqing Prefecture was already wealthy enough, but there are still many people living in poverty, without food or clothing."
They have no money to see a doctor and can only hold on. In many cases, death is a relief.
Little do people know that even modern developed countries have poor people and slums, let alone the underdeveloped Great Xia.
Du Qingtang was silent for a moment: "I can only try my best to ensure that most people have enough food and clothing."
The Garden of Eden is ultimately just an idealized and overly perfect concept.
There was no need for her to flatter herself and say that she could guarantee that hundreds of thousands of people in Shaoqing Prefecture would have food to eat, clothes to wear, and books to read.
That's too hypocritical and too arrogant.
Du Qingtang drank the tea in the cup and sat in the teahouse for a while, watching the military doctors providing free medical treatment to the people and the people expressing their gratitude to the military doctors.
After Du Qingzhu finished a plate of cakes, Du Qingtang placed a grain of barley on the table and said, "Let's go. If you don't go back, Youyou will tear the roof off your head."
The "disappearance" of the second poop scooper made Xiao Lihua uneasy for a long time, and he became more attached to Du Qingtang and Du Qingzhu.
It's fine when he's on duty on weekdays, but if he's at home on his day off, he'll meow all over the house if you're not around for a while, making it impossible to relax.
Du Qingzhu took out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth casually. She stood up and followed the youngest child, saying in a strangled voice, "The little kitty is just a little clingy. What's wrong with her?"
Du Qingtang raised his hand, brushed away the cat hair on his wide sleeves, and twisted it in front of Du Qingzhu: "This is wrong."
Du Qingzhu choked: "The kitten is just shedding its hair, what's wrong with her?"
Du Qingtang withdrew his hand silently, his face expressionless: "If you speak to me in this tone again, you will live in Shixiang Pavilion and never come back."
Du Qingzhu: “???”
Du Qingzhu wrinkled her nose and muttered something fierce, but that didn't stop her from boldly holding the youngest's arm, and the two of them went downstairs affectionately.
"It's been a month and a half. Xiao Ba should have arrived in Xiajing by now, right?"
"I don't know what the doctors in the Imperial Hospital are like. Will they be disrespectful and bully our Xiao Ba and Chu Xia like the other doctors before?"
"Luckily, Sixth Sister and Brother-in-law are also in Xiajing, so they can take care of each other."
"The results of the imperial examination should be coming soon, right? Candidates from Shaoqing Prefecture must fight hard and not be outdone by candidates from other prefectures."
Du Qingzhu kept chattering away, and Du Qingtang endured it until they entered the carriage and pinched her mouth: "Okay, stop talking, let me have some peace and quiet."
Du Qingzhu: “???”
"Eighth sister is already an adult. She knows how to protect herself. There are so many talented people in the imperial examination, and no one can guarantee that they will definitely be among the top. High school students, do you understand?"
Du Qingzhu nodded.
Du Qingtang withdrew her hand, and Du Qingzhu's body softened. He leaned against her, took out a piece of dried fruit, and chewed it in his hand.
After a long while, Du Qingzhu said in a muffled voice: "Actually, I just miss Xiao Ba a little bit."
From birth to now, she has always been with Du Qingju and has never been separated.
Du Qingtang turned his head and touched her hair twice: "Be patient, you will be able to see Eighth Sister in June or July."
Du Qingzhu hummed, said nothing, and just held the youngest's arm tightly.
-
On the other side, Du Qingju and his group traveled day and night and finally arrived in Xiajing in mid-March.
Before leaving in early February, Du Qingtang gave Du Qingju the key to the second courtyard that she had bought from Yao Jingzhou.
After entering the city, Du Jiu and Du Shi led the way and headed straight there.
Liang Chuxia opened the curtain a little, looked out secretly, and exclaimed from time to time.
Du Qingju was a little amused: "You like it so much?"
Liang Chuxia turned her head away and shook her head: "It's not that I like it, I just think Xiajing is worthy of being the foot of the emperor. We have passed many places and seen many scenery all the way from Shaoqing Prefecture to Xiajing, but none of them can compare to the prosperity of Xiajing."
"Master, look! The houses in Xiajing are magnificent, the streets are bustling with traffic, and the people's clothes don't even have a single patch."
"To be honest, I've never been to Xiajing either." Hearing what her young disciple said, Du Qingju became interested. She lifted the carriage curtain and peeked out. After a moment, she gave a pertinent comment, "It's indeed as you said. Xiajing's prosperity is far beyond comparison with other places."
Liang Chuxia was about to respond when her master changed the subject: "But Chuxia, what you see is only the surface. If you pay close attention, you will find that there are many ragged people in some alleys."
Liang Chuxia exclaimed and looked out again.
This time she did not look at the bustling streets, but at those inconspicuous alleys, and found that it was just as her master said, there were many ragged, unkempt men and women hiding in them.
"Are they... beggars?" Liang Chuxia asked uncertainly. She saw some people with broken bowls in front of them.
Du Qingju nodded: "Nine out of ten, they are beggars."
Liang Chuxia puffed out her cheeks. "They were hiding in the alley. I was just amazed that there wasn't even a beggar in Xiajing."
Du Qingju chuckled, "Because they have no place to go, and Xiajing is full of powerful people. A falling tile could hit a fifth-rank official. The streets are crowded with people, and no one can guarantee that they won't accidentally offend someone and lose their life. Relatively speaking, the alleys are sparsely populated and safer."
"Another possibility is that the government didn't want these people to show up in public, so they drove them into the alleys and ordered them not to show up during the day."
Liang Chuxia's eyes widened, unable to hide her astonishment and confusion: "Why would they do this?"
"Without beggars, the people will be prosperous and well-off, and the country will be thriving." Du Qingju's voice was gentle, but her words were almost cold. "It's just deceiving the superiors and the subordinates, and just a perfunctory facade."
Liang Chuxia felt a little cold and hugged herself weakly: "Aren't they afraid that His Majesty will know if they do this?"
Du Qingju smoothed the tassels on the carriage curtains and said, "Chuxia, you must know that while His Majesty is wealthy and has the power of life and death over others, he must also bear the corresponding responsibilities."
"Your Majesty is very busy with government affairs. If every single matter under the sun required his personal attention, even if he worked non-stop for twelve hours a day, he would not be able to handle it all."
Liang Chuxia suddenly understood: "Just like the officials in Shaoqing Prefecture before, they took advantage of the fact that the emperor was far away and could not pay attention to them. That's why they were so unscrupulous in corruption and abuse of power, oppressing the people."
Du Qingju nodded and ruffled her apprentice's hair with pride: "Not bad, Chuxia is really smart. She knows how to draw inferences from one example."
Liang Chuxia's face flushed, and she suppressed her shyness: "Master, please stop praising me. If you praise me again, my tail will be lifted up to the sky."
Du Qingju burst out laughing.
Liang Chuxia let her master laugh non-stop, and with her chin in her hand, she sighed, "So favoritism and corruption, sacrificing public resources for personal gain is the norm in the officialdom. Good officials like my uncle who are wholeheartedly dedicated to serving the people and don't ask for anything in return are rare, and therefore even more precious."
As she spoke, she tilted her head and said, "Master, you've been away from home for so long, have you ever missed your uncle?"
Du Qingju admitted frankly: "Of course I do, but I know that separation is only temporary and we will meet again in the end."
"And Chuxia, although family members are important in this world, there are more important things waiting for me to do."
Now she has taken the first step towards success, entering the Imperial Medical Service and taking charge of the Female Medical Department.
She will do her best to ensure that women who are dedicated to saving lives and healing the wounded can stand shoulder to shoulder with male doctors, and never again be discriminated against or prejudiced against.
The road ahead is still long and full of ups and downs and hardships.
But Du Qingju was not afraid at all.
Du Qingju's eyes were firm and her tone was calm. Liang Chuxia only felt that her master was glowing at this moment.
......
The group arrived at the second courtyard, and the escort took the money and left.
There are maids and servants in the Du family's house given by Yao Jingzhou. In the past few years, Du Qingtang has been traveling around, and they have been staying here diligently, waiting for their master to return.
When they learned that the eighth young lady of the master family was going to Beijing to take up a new post, and with the arrival of Du Qingtang's handwritten letter, the house, which had been silent for several years, suddenly became lively.
Du Qingju rested for a day, adjusted her condition, and then set off for the Imperial Hospital.
With the imperial edict as evidence, Du Qingju took out the seal of the village chief. After his identity was confirmed, he officially took office.
Dean Lan personally led Du Qingju to her duty room and said in a kind tone, "Seeing is believing. I didn't expect the doctor who developed the prescriptions for smallpox and plague to be so young."
Du Qingju said modestly, "It was just an accident."
Dean Lan waved his hand and said, "Master, please don't underestimate yourself. Your plague prescription is very exquisite. If there is a chance in the future, I would like to learn a few things from you."
Du Qingju smiled and agreed, then said, "Sir, this is the Imperial Hospital. We only have Deputy Chief Du Qingju, but no Lord of Deyang Township. Why not address him directly by his position?"
Dean Lan readily agreed and gave Du Qingju a brief overview of the Imperial Hospital. Finally, he said, "Master Du, please feel free to ask for anything you need. I will do my best to meet it. The Women's Medical Bureau is just getting started, and there are many matters awaiting Master Du's arrangements. I will take my leave now."
Du Qingju saw Lan Yuanshou off and walked around the duty room.
The duty room was not particularly spacious, but it belonged to her alone.
Du Qingju felt like there was a little deer in her heart, beating non-stop. She couldn't stop smiling, and the joy in her eyes was almost overflowing.
Currently, there is only one female doctor, Du Qingju, in the Female Medical Bureau. There are not even the most basic clerks or second-rate medical practitioners.
Fortunately, Du Qingju's mentality has always been stable. She spent two days to handle the miscellaneous affairs in an orderly manner, including but not limited to the rules and regulations of the Female Medical Bureau, the requirements and content of the female doctor recruitment examination, etc., and then had a long talk with Dean Lan about the plague prescription.
When other people in the Imperial Hospital learned about this, they also shamelessly came to listen.
To be honest, they were very curious about the vice-chancellor appointed by His Majesty himself.
It's not just because she is a woman, but also because of her medical talent and achievements in medicine.
Unlike some old doctors in the folk who rely on their seniority to look down on young doctors and female doctors, the imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau serve Emperor Qingyuan, concubines in the harem and nobles in the capital. They have seen many ups and downs, and most of them are humble and cautious and will not offend others easily.
After Dean Lan talked with Du Qingju, they also discussed medical issues with Du Qingju in turn.
Du Qingju was neither humble nor arrogant throughout the whole process. She answered every question and humbly asked for advice when she didn't understand something. At the end of the discussion, she left a very good impression on the imperial doctors.
After Du Qingju left, the imperial doctors bowed to Dean Lan and dispersed in twos and threes.
"The Du family is truly remarkable. Wen Anbo is currently in the limelight, and this Lord of Deyang Township is also quite formidable."
"Deputy Dean Du is about the same age as my granddaughter, but when it comes to medical skills, he's not much inferior to me. He's truly a disciple who surpasses his master."
"This is a good thing. The younger generation is becoming more and more powerful, and they can carry forward the medical skills that have been passed down for thousands of years."
"That's the truth."
The next day, after Du Qingju asked for instructions from Dean Lan, news about the "Female Medical Bureau recruiting female doctors" spread like wildfire.
It first spread in the city of Xiajing, and then spread to all parts of Daxia.
Officials and the people had mixed opinions on this.
"There's already someone named Du in the court, and now there's another one named Du. The Du daughter is truly ambitious and has big plans!"
"But we have to admit that both of them are truly talented and capable."
There is no need to say much about the former's contribution. If Du Qingtang had not made any achievements, Your Majesty would not have gone against the public opinion and conferred her the title of Earl of Wen'an on her.
Although the latter is not as good as the former, its merit lies in saving the people.
Even those sycophantic scholars had to admit the powerful effects of the smallpox and plague prescriptions.
"Master Deyang works at the Imperial Hospital. Even when he's out of the palace seeing patients, he's always dealing with the women, mainly Earl Wen An. Just thinking about calling a woman a colleague and seeing her every day in the near future makes me feel queasy."
"That's nothing you can do, unless you can convince His Majesty to remove Du Qingtang from his official position and let him return to be her Earl of Wen An."
"...Forget it then. I don't want to become a sinner of Da Xia."
The importance of Du Qingtang to Daxia is self-evident. Even if they dislike her in every way, for the sake of Daxia and to prevent Du Qingtang from being disappointed and rebelling, they have to praise her and tolerate her.
The officials exchanged glances and saw deep reluctance and helplessness in each other's eyes, and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Compared with the civil and military officials, the common people accepted it well, especially the women.
"The female doctors' office is great! With female doctors, we can go directly to them if we feel unwell. We don't have to endure the pain."
"It is said that the imperial court has appointed the head of Deyang Township to be in charge of the Female Medical Bureau. The head of Deyang Township is an excellent doctor, which is a good thing for us."
"That's right. The forceps made by the village head of Deyang saved my daughter's life last year. My daughter happened to have studied medicine with her father for a few years, so I planned to let her try it."
After saying this, the woman squeezed out of the crowd and went straight to her daughter's in-laws' home.
As soon as she entered the door, the woman started yelling, "Sister Tong! Sister Tong!"
The woman's daughter, Gu Bitong, came out upon hearing the noise, holding a chubby baby in her arms: "Mom? Why are you here?"
The woman Shu Lanhua greeted them with a smile, first teasing her granddaughter for a while, making the chubby baby giggle, and then talked about business.
"The government just posted a notice announcing the establishment of a female medical department within the Imperial Hospital. Any woman with medical training is welcome to apply. Once they pass the assessment, they can become a medical practitioner or even a clerk in the department."
Gu Bitong was stunned: "Female Doctor Bureau?"
Shu Lanhua nodded and said, "Do you know who is in charge of the Women's Medical Bureau now? The Deyang Township Master!"
Gu Bitong's eyes lit up, and she couldn't hide her excitement: "It's her?!"
"That's her!" Shu Lanhua patted her daughter's arm. "I was thinking, since you studied medicine with your father for a few years and have treated patients before, why not sign up and give it a try?"
Gu Bitong was somewhat tempted, but more hesitant: "I only learned the basics, how can I enter the Imperial Hospital?"
Shu Lanhua tutted her words. "Look at what you're saying. Since the notice says that anyone with medical experience can sign up, just go and take the exam. If you don't pass, come back."
Gu Bitong wiped the crystals off her daughter's chin: "But if I go, who will take care of the child?"
"Don't I still have you at home?" Gu Bitong's mother-in-law, who had been listening to the whole thing, couldn't help but say, "Sister Yue is well-behaved and sensible. Just leave her to me and do your thing."
Gu Bitong was deeply moved: "Mom, thank you very much, I want to give it a try."
Gu Bitong's father and grandfather were both doctors in the village. She was influenced by them since she was a child and was very interested in studying medicine. She followed her elder and second brothers to study for several years.
However, due to her gender, she could not carry a medicine box on her back and travel around the surrounding villages to see patients like her elder and second brothers did.
Gu Bitong felt deeply regretful. She never expected that she would live to see the court open a female medical bureau.
Does this mean that the imperial court began to value women, and female doctors could go out to practice medicine and provide medical consultations just like male doctors?
After careful consideration, Gu Bitong decided to sign up.
No matter what the outcome, at least she was brave and will have no regrets in this life.
Gu Bitong's mother-in-law said with a smile: "If you can get into the Female Medical Bureau, it will bring honor to the Zhang family and the Gu family, right?"
She is not the kind of evil mother-in-law who treats her daughter-in-law harshly, nor does she think that women must revolve around the small piece of land at home.
If Wen Anbo can be an official, why can't a woman be a doctor?
It is said that it is easier to get things done if you have someone in the court, and the Imperial Medical Service can be considered one of them.
If my daughter-in-law is lucky enough to enter the Imperial Hospital and become a female doctor, it will be a good thing for both the Gu family and the Zhang family. In the future, Sister Yue will also be able to marry into a good family.
Shu Lanhua felt relieved after hearing this. She exchanged a smile with her mother-in-law and said, "It's settled then. Sister Tong, you can go and register this afternoon."
Gu Bitong smiled widely: "Yeah, okay!"
......
The news spread from Xiajing to the inconspicuous remote villages.
"Sister Ahua! Sister Ahua!"
A short, thin, middle-aged woman wearing a patched-up coarse cotton shirt came out of the house, holding a handful of herbs in her hand. "What's wrong?"
The young woman panted heavily, holding her knees, and it took a while for her to recover. "Sister Hua, the court has opened a female medical department in the Imperial Hospital, recruiting women with medical training from the public. Your medical skills are so good that people from all over the village come to you for treatment. If you go, you will definitely pass the examination!"
Ah Hua shook her head, turned around and walked back into the house, her tone tinged with sarcasm: "The Imperial Hospital is full of men, the Women's Medical Bureau is just a cover. Just wait and see, no one will sign up."
A Ting pursed her lips, but still unwilling to give up, she continued to persuade her, "But I heard from Mr. Zhang, the scholar who read the notice, that the Lord of Deyang is also in the Female Medical Bureau."
Ah Hua turned her head and asked, "Who are you talking about?"
Ah Ting's eyes rolled. "That's the Deyang village chief who invented the Tianju Drink."
Ah Hua pursed her lips, turned back and continued walking inside: "You should go back. It's getting dark, so don't run around. I won't go to that damn Women's Medical Bureau."
Ah Ting stamped her feet and ran off angrily, muttering, "I really don't know what Sister Hua is thinking. They've already said that the head of Deyang Township is also in the Women's Medical Bureau, which means the Women's Medical Bureau really only recruits female doctors, which is different from before."
Ah Hua closed the door and sat in the yard sorting herbs.
His skinny and scarred fingers nimbly sorted the messy herbs, but his thoughts gradually drifted away.
When Ah Hua was thirteen years old, an old doctor who was providing free medical services noticed her talent in medicine and took her in as his disciple.
In the next ten years, the old doctor taught Ah Hua everything he knew and, against all odds, allowed her to see patients in the town's clinic.
Ah Hua was very grateful for her master's teachings. Therefore, even though everyone in the town said that female doctors were unreliable and her fellow doctors were hostile to her and isolated and excluded her, she still did not leave the clinic. She studied medicine with great enthusiasm and did her best to treat patients.
Gradually, Ah Hua became famous in the town.
Everyone knows that Doctor Ahua of Renyitang is an excellent doctor. Every time they come to Renyitang, if the old doctor is not there, they will go to Ahua for a consultation.
As a result, her fellow brothers regarded her as a thorn in their side and wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible.
Of course, they did.
Once when they went into the mountains to collect herbs, the senior brother knocked Ah Hua unconscious and cut her hands with a hatchet, leaving numerous wounds.
As long as Ah Hua's hand is disabled, she will no longer be able to practice medicine and will not block their way.
When Ah Hua woke up, the best time for treatment had passed for her hands.
Not to mention giving people acupuncture, I don’t even have the strength to hold chopsticks.
Ah Hua's hand is broken.
The old doctor knew who did it, but he did nothing. He just gave Ah Hua some money and said, "Go away. This money is enough for you to live to old age without worrying about food and drink."
Between Ahua and her senior brother who harmed her, the master chose her senior brother and gave up on her.
The old doctor also said: "Actually, they are right. You are a girl, so you are not suitable to study medicine."
Ah Hua wanted to burst into tears and question him: Why did you accept me as your disciple in the first place? And why did you let me sit in the clinic and see patients?
In the end, Ah Hua still didn't ask anything.
She kowtowed three times and left without looking back.
After returning to the village, facing the villagers' sympathy and ridicule, Ah Hua once wanted to commit suicide.
At that time, the hemp ropes used for hanging were already hung on the tree. Ah Hua suddenly remembered the ugly faces of her former senior brothers.
If she died, they would just applaud.
She deserves to be alive.
Live beautifully.
Let them know that even if her hands were crippled, she could still live a prosperous life.
Ah Hua quickly cheered up. She had studied medicine and knew how to train her hands to restore them to normal.
Ah Hua doesn't want to recall how much hardship and tears were involved.
In short, she succeeded.
Although her hands were left with lifelong scars and were not as flexible as those of ordinary people, after years of consistent practice, she could now diagnose patients' pulses and even perform acupuncture.
Ahua traveled all over the village to provide medical treatment for the villagers.
The reputation of "Doctor Ahua" gradually spread, and the old doctor came to her house, wanting her to go back.
Ah Hua refused.
From the moment the old doctor gave up on her, there was no going back.
The old doctor and her former senior brother became her taboos. Anyone who knew the inside story dared not mention them in front of Ahua.
Except A Ting.
Ahua never married, and A Ting lost her parents and depended on her grandmother for support.
Ah Hua felt sorry for her and gave her some food, and she has been obsessed with her ever since.
A Ting was not afraid of her cold face or her terrible scars. She often held her hands and shed tears.
"Blow, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts~"
Ah Hua wanted to laugh. She was no longer a child and no longer felt pain.
But she will always remember what her master said -
"You are a girl, you are not suitable for studying medicine."
Ah Hua disliked all male doctors equally, so when she learned that the court had opened a female medical bureau, her first reaction was disbelief.
The so-called Women's Medical Bureau is just a cover. Even if female doctors sign up, they will not be taken seriously.
They will be suppressed, isolated, framed, and their lives will be ruined.
Ah Hua's eyes gradually focused and she threw the herbs into the winnowing basket.
"What about the Lord of Deyang?"
"Whatever happens, happens in the end."
She has lived for more than thirty years and has long lost her original innocence. She delusionally hopes that someone will change this rotten world.
Forget it, let it be.
......
Some people, like Ah Hua, were skeptical, but more were excited and rushed to sign up.
The first round of assessment was jointly set by Lan Yuanshou and Du Qingju.
Dean Lan found a group of sick prisoners from the prison and asked the women who registered for the exam to take the prisoners' pulses to determine what disease they had.
For women who made the correct diagnosis, Du Qingju would test their theoretical knowledge.
Those who are qualified in both practice and theory can join the Women’s Medical Bureau.
These women started as the lowest-level medical assistants, and were tested once a month. Those who passed stayed, and those who failed left.
At the same time, based on the usual performance of the female doctors, thirty of them were selected and promoted to clerks.
In the first batch of assessments, a total of 28 women passed.
The woman, wearing a dark green official robe and with beautiful features, smiled and said, "Congratulations, everyone. From now on, you will be a doctor in the Female Medical Bureau."
Among the twenty-eight people, Gu Bitong held her head high and chest puffed out, with a smile on her face.
She seemed to have returned to many years ago.
At that time, she was just a young girl in her prime.
She was full of courage and had no idea of the immensity of the world. She dreamed of traveling around the villages with her elder and second brothers and becoming a female doctor.
Many years have passed, has the dream come true?
Gu Bitong lowered her head and looked at the badge representing her identity as a doctor with burning eyes.
"It's done." she said softly.
......
Registration for the Female Medical Bureau was in full swing, and Yan Tiande returned to Xiajing from Shaoqing Prefecture, exhausted.
He didn't even have time to go back home to wash and change his clothes before he went into the palace to report to Emperor Qingyuan.
After entering the imperial study, Yan Tiande bowed and greeted Emperor Qingyuan, and then reported the situation in Northwest Province in detail.
"I have already beheaded Cai Sheng and other criminals in public. Investigations have revealed that many local officials were corrupt and accepted bribes. Because the governor and several prefects were beheaded at the same time, I have not dealt with them."
"Besides, Shaoqing Prefecture repelled the Qi army in the twelfth month of last year. I'm sure Your Majesty has already received the news."
Emperor Qingyuan held a red brush in his hand and nodded slightly upon hearing this: "Indeed, as early as the first month of the year, I had already received the victory report from Lord Du."
And the commander of the Qi army, Wu Yi.
Emperor Qingyuan dug out a lot of information related to Da Qi from Wu Yi.
Yan Tiande then told Emperor Qingyuan everything he had seen and heard in Shaoqing Prefecture, including Du Qingtang's "ambitions".
His Majesty had indeed known about Du Qingtang's actions in Shaoqing Prefecture, but he was not aware of this.
The Shaoqing Mansion group returned, and as the emperor's trusted minister, Yan Tiande had to tell everything.
However, out of selfish motives, he concealed the fact that he had promised Du Qingtang that he would lend her a helping hand when necessary.
Emperor Qingyuan was very pleased with Yan Tiande's honesty and said in a gentle voice, "Your Excellency Yan, you must have been exhausted from the journey. You can rest for two days before returning to the cabinet."
Yan Tiande repeatedly said he dared not and bowed and left.
When I returned to Yan's Mansion, I saw a carriage parked at the door. The wooden sign hanging next to the carriage swayed in the wind, and the words "Sun Mansion" written in silver hooks and iron were faintly visible.
Yan Tiande paused slightly, and as he entered the room, he heard the doorman announce, "Master, the aunt is back."
Yan Tiande nodded and went straight to the main courtyard.
On the other side, Fuheyuanli.
Yan Yuyi was talking to her mother, Madam Yan, while her youngest niece, Dai Jie'er, was lying on a low table beside her, flipping through the "Analects of Confucius" with great interest.
Yan Yuyi looked at Dai Jie'er with a dazed look in her eyes.
Madam Yan didn't notice her daughter's distraction. She smiled and said, "Sister Dai, like her older sisters, started reading the Four Books and Five Classics at a young age."
As she spoke, she turned to look at Yan Yuyi: "I still remember that you were obsessed with the Four Books and Five Classics back then. You would collect a bunch of questions every day and wait for your father to answer them after he got off duty."
Yan Yuyi took a sip of tea and smiled without showing her teeth: "That's what happened."
"It's a pity that Liu was so talkative. Since then, you've put the Four Books and Five Classics aside and rarely read them." Madam Yan snorted. "Now that Cai Sheng has been convicted, her good days are over. It's all karma!"
Yan Yuyi smiled but said nothing.
When the Four Books and Five Classics were put aside, she felt wronged and reluctant, and blamed Liu in her heart.
If Liu had not scolded her, she could have continued to read the Four Books and Five Classics to cultivate her character, and she could have also talked about the Four Books and Five Classics in public.
Later, as she grew older, Yan Yuyi realized that it was all fate.
Even if there was no Liu, there would be Wang, Hu, and Wu who would stand up and scold her.
Because a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent.
She could read the Rules for Women and copy Buddhist scriptures, but she was not allowed to touch the Four Books and Five Classics.
Because this is a man's "privilege".
How ironic and unfair.
Because she is a woman, she has to accept her fate.
She lived as a model of a lady from a noble family, gentle and virtuous, treating concubines and illegitimate children well. Even the ladies in the palace praised her highly.
Who can say anything bad about her?
No one.
Yan Yuyi talked with her mother for a while and prepared to return to the Sun family.
Her husband was about to get off work, so she had to greet him as soon as he came back, ask him about his well-being, and serve him tea and water.
When Yan Yuyi saw her father at the main courtyard, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She bowed and asked, "When did father come back?"
Yan Tiande looked at his eldest daughter, who had been married for more than ten years, and handed her the book in his hand: "I have been back for an hour and was just about to go to Fuhe Garden."
"What is this?" Yan Yuyi was confused, but she took it anyway. "...Four Books and Five Classics?"
Yan Tiande put his fist to his lips and coughed lightly: "This was copied by my father when he was studying. I am giving it to you now."
Yan Yuyi smiled gently: "Father, it has been many years since I last saw you..."
Yan Tiande's heart sank, but he didn't show it on his face. He only whispered, "What happened back then was due to my father's negligence."
Yan Yuyi's pupils trembled slightly.
"I'm not a competent father. I failed to protect you, causing you to suffer injustice, and I didn't even notice your transformation afterwards."
As a subject, he is worthy of His Majesty and the people.
But as a father and husband, he felt guilty towards his wife and daughter.
Yan Yuyi tightened her grip on the handkerchief, smiling as usual: "Father, you are too kind. I have never blamed you."
This is the truth.
To be fair, her father was open-minded enough and loved her enough.
It’s just that some things are destined to become eternal regrets that cannot be made up for.
Yan Yuyi's mind was in turmoil, and she bowed again: "It's getting late, my daughter has to go back. She likes this set of Four Books and Five Classics very much, so she took it with her."
Yan Tiande opened his mouth, and thousands of words came to his lips, but he swallowed them back and turned them into the word "OK".
He stood stiffly where he was, watching his daughter walk away and disappear from his sight.
-
On the other side, Shaoqing Prefecture.
In April, the long cold winter passes, the warm spring returns, and all things revive.
The melon and fruit seedlings planted in the orchard in December last year have gradually matured and yielded a good harvest. The fresh fruit orchard, which had been closed for several months, has finally resumed business.
When the long-awaited people heard that the fresh fruit garden had opened, they rushed to buy goods or contacted delivery drivers to have them delivered to their homes.
After months of suffering, Wang Tongpan's heart finally settled down and he greeted everyone with a smile.
"Have you heard? Fresh Fruit Garden is back in business."
"Shaoqing Prefecture earned 2,400 taels on the first day. If we add in the profits from the surrounding prefectures, we estimate that we can earn 18,000 taels."
"Oh my, it seems everyone still loves the fruits from the fresh orchard as always!"
Zhou Tongzhi and others: “..t....”
So annoying, I really want to punch him in the face and see how he shows off!
At the same time, people also began to plant a new round of potatoes and sweet potatoes.
They only need to wait two to four months and they can harvest a full cellar. If they eat the rice mixed with coarse grains, they will not be hungry for the whole year.
Thinking of this, everyone grinned, felt full of energy, and wielded their hoes with great vigor.
"My eldest grandson loves potatoes the most. He cooks three or four potatoes every morning and takes them to the county school for lunch. He comes home full of energy in the evening."
"Speaking of the county school, is the provincial examination about to begin?"
"Yes, registration started late last month. My son signed up long ago and is just waiting for the exam to start on April 18th."
"Having a scholar in the family is a great joyous occasion that brings honor to the ancestors. Your son will definitely pass the exam this time."
The mother smiled from ear to ear, the beads of sweat on her forehead gleaming in the sun: "Thanks for your good wishes!"
In the government office, Du Qingtang was reviewing the examination papers for the provincial government examination. Beside him were two piles of documents half a person's height that had not yet been processed.
"Sir, these are the documents that must be dealt with today. I'll put them here for you."
Du Qingtang looked up when he heard the voice, and saw another pile of documents on the desk.
Du Qingtang: “…”
The clerk laughed dryly, rubbed his hands and slipped away.
Du Qingtang didn't want to talk and continued to ask questions at his desk.
Not long after, someone knocked on the door again.
"grown ups......"
Du Qingtang said without even looking up: "I don't have any place to put it here, so just put it on the table by the door."
"No." The yamen runner at the door said weakly, "The general of Loushan Pass has arrived and said he has something urgent to discuss with you."
Du Qingtang looked up, frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, and put down the wolf-hair brush: "Where is the person?"
The yamen runner replied, "Master Zhou has taken that person to the Binxing Hall."
Du Qingtang waved his hand to let him leave, put away the test papers, and strode out of the door.
In addition to Pei Yuchun, there were a few other people in Binxing Hall.
Four were standing and two were kneeling.
Du Qingtang's eyes passed unnoticed between the two kneeling figures and he saluted Pei Yuchun: "I didn't know General Pei had come all this way. I'm sorry for not welcoming you."
Pei Yuchun returned the greeting and immediately explained his purpose: "Today, I received news that there are suspected deserters from the Great Qi at the border of Shaoqing Prefecture and Jingdong Prefecture. Coincidentally, I have nothing else to do, so I came here to investigate."
"Pei saw these two men acting suspiciously and assumed they were deserters from the Great Qi, so he led his men to apprehend them."
"After interrogation, they confessed that they were not deserters from the Great Qi, but..." Pei Yuchun paused, his voice lowering a few degrees, "They were sent by the Cheng'en Mansion in Xiajing to investigate you, Lord Du."
Du Qingtang: “…???”
Cheng'en Palace?
Isn’t that Cao Yuan?
As his thoughts raced, Pei Yuchun handed him a piece of paper: "This is a confession."
After that, he said considerately: "Mr. Pei has plenty of time at the moment, so Mr. Du can take care of his personal matters first."
Du Qingtang glanced at him, and Pei Yuchun smiled back, his green eyes clear and bright, like two dazzling emeralds.
"Then please wait for a moment, General Pei. I will be back soon."
Du Qingtang summoned Du Yi and Du Er, and brought the two people on the ground to the third hall.
"Meow~"
When Youyou saw the poop scooper No. 3 coming back, he wagged his tail and rubbed against him, being very clingy.
Du Qingtang pinched the confession and rubbed the little raccoon's pointed ears: "I have something to do, I'm going to play by myself."
"Meow~"
After reading the confession, Du Qingtang laughed out of anger.
Tempt her with the position of empress, let her ask Emperor Qingyuan for permission to marry, and become the fourth prince's concubine?
If she doesn't succumb to the temptation, he will use the evidence to threaten her and force her to become the Fourth Prince's concubine?
This bastard Cao Yuan is getting dumber as he gets older. He can even come up with such a stupid and idiotic way of winning people over.
There are also the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince, two bastards with dog blood flowing in their bodies.
Before, they wanted her to be the concubine of the fifth prince, and now they want her to be the concubine of the fourth prince.
Do you really think she is a garbage recycling station that collects all the dirty and smelly things?
To be honest, since Shaoqing Prefecture paid more than one million taels of tax, her people have dealt with several groups of people who came to Shaoqing Prefecture to inquire about information.
Those people never returned, so the news from Shaoqing Prefecture naturally could not be passed back to Xiajing.
A while ago, Du Qingtang was still wondering, more than two million taels of tax revenue were sent to Xiajing, who sent people to find out the truth this time?
I didn't expect it to be a bastard and two puppies.
Du Qingtang crossed his fingers and couldn't help but think.
Did Emperor Qingyuan know their plans?
Nine out of ten people know it.
Emperor Qingyuan not only knew about this, he might have even ordered that there was no need to intercept the people that bastard sent to Shaoqing Prefecture.
Du Qingtang snorted coldly, a suspicious old fox by nature.
Every day he is either testing people or on his way to testing people, and he never feels tired.
But since Emperor Qingyuan wanted to test her, she went along with it and let him put his mind at ease.
Du Qingtang went to the pharmacy, took out a bottle of medicine, and handed it to Du Yi: "Feed them."
Du Yi controlled the person, and Du Er forced him to take medicine. After they were done, they stepped aside and stood respectfully with their hands hanging down.
The two spies tried to vomit out the pill, but the pill dissolved in water and took effect within a cup of tea.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, their bellies swelled up little by little.
"What did you feed me?!"
Du Qingtang met two pairs of shocked and angry eyes and slowly smiled.
"Let's talk about a deal."
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