Jiaofangsi
Pan Cheng nodded. Then another palace maid arrived. After examining her, Pan Cheng said to Bai Shu, "She is pale, listless, and short of breath. During menstruation, she experiences dull, aching pain, which is relieved by warmth and pressure. Her tongue and pulse are pale with a thin white coating, and her pulse is weak and thready. This indicates a deficiency of Qi and blood, a typical case of Qi and blood deficiency. We can use the Four Gentlemen Decoction (Ginseng, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, and Prepared Licorice Root plus Astragalus membranaceus) to greatly replenish her vital energy; and the Four Substances Decoction (Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica sinensis, Ligusticum chuanxiong, and Paeonia lactiflora) to nourish and invigorate her blood. With both Qi and blood replenished, the uterus will be nourished, and the pain will naturally subside."
"Cold-induced blood stasis syndrome can be divided into excess cold and deficiency cold, and there are also cases of mixed excess and deficiency," Pan Cheng continued. "For example, the palace maid who braved the rain to deliver an umbrella this morning suffered from cold pain that was relieved by warmth, aversion to cold, cold limbs, and a pale complexion. Her tongue was dark with a white, greasy coating, and her pulse was deep and tight. Therefore, it was an excess cold syndrome of cold-damp stagnation, with the disease located in the lower abdomen. The treatment principle was to warm the meridians, dispel cold, resolve blood stasis, and relieve pain. Hence, I prescribed the Lower Abdomen Blood Stasis Removing Decoction."
Bai Zhu listened attentively, taking notes, when a voice interrupted—
"So Lord Pan has started taking on students too?"
The newcomer was an elderly female official who looked to be in her fifties. Pan Cheng quickly stood up to greet her. Bai Shu didn't know who this elderly female official was, but seeing that Pan Cheng had stood up, she followed suit.
Pan Cheng greeted the female official and said, "Since Aunt has come in person, it is my turn to take your pulse."
The older lady-in-waiting replied kindly, "The weather is nice today, so it's fine to walk around."
Pan Cheng was very close to her and introduced her to Bai Shu: "This is Aunt Ruan, the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau. She used to be the Assistant Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau and watched me grow up."
The Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau held the same rank as the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau. Bai Shu quickly bowed and said, "This humble official, Bai Shu, greets Lord Ruan."
Upon hearing the surname Bai, Ruan Yeting asked, "Aren't you the young lady who serves the Bai family?"
Bai Zhu was both ashamed and apprehensive, wondering how his reputation had reached the ears of the Imperial Censor. He heard Ruan Yeting say with a smile, "Your father once mentioned that you could recite the formulas and prescriptions when you were three years old. You will surely be able to carry on the Bai family's traditions in the future."
The recipe for herbal soup that she memorized at the age of three... Bai Zhu herself had completely forgotten it, so she could only say, "My father is too kind."
Ruan Yeting looked her over and nodded, encouraging her, "It's rare for a young person to be so calm. Do your job well, and you'll have a bright future."
Bai Zhu brazenly replied, "Yes, Your Excellency, I will do my best to fulfill my duties and live up to your expectations."
Ruan Yeting grew increasingly fond of the young girl. He sat down, extended his wrist, and said, "I haven't had much of an appetite lately, and I always feel bloated. Why don't you take a look at me?"
Bai Shu: "..."
Help!
Bai Shu looked to Pan Cheng for help. Pan Cheng smiled gently and came to her rescue, saying, "She doesn't know your constitution. Let me do it."
Ruan Yeting had only said it casually, not to make things difficult for Bai Shu, so he said, "Alright."
It wasn't anything serious. Pan Cheng prescribed a remedy for her. Ruan Yeting chatted with Pan Cheng, saying, "There have been many new children in the inner court these past two years. It's just that your master and the other two are not receiving enough support. Although you are young, you are very skilled in diagnosing and prescribing medicine. When do you plan to get promoted?"
Pan Cheng replied, "I am still young and have much to learn."
“You,” Ruan Yeting shook his head, his tone filled with regret, “you and Qiu Chuxin, everyone else is scrambling for the place of worship, but you two, even if it were offered to you, you wouldn’t take it.”
Pan Cheng just smiled, while Ruan Yeting only said it was a pity.
Later, more palace maids came to see the doctor, so Ruan Yeting did not stay any longer.
Bai Shu then realized just how high her senior sister's level was, and exclaimed in surprise, "Senior sister, you're so amazing!"
Pan Cheng said, "If you study hard, you can do it too."
Bai Shu asked curiously, "Senior Sister, why don't you make offerings?"
Pan Cheng glanced at Bai Shu and said coldly, "Just do your own thing."
Bai Shu felt that she had been scolded by her senior sister again, so she shrank back and said, "Oh."
“I mean,” Pan Cheng paused for a moment, then explained, “I want to do my own thing well.”
Bai Zhu blinked, not quite understanding.
When it was lunchtime, Pan Cheng was packing her medicine box, with Bai Shu helping her. Suddenly, Pan Cheng asked her, "You've been in the palace for a few months now. Would you like to go home and visit?"
I never expected such a good thing to happen!
Before entering the palace, her parents said that it would be difficult for a female official to leave the palace. Bai Shu was sad for a long time. When she heard Pan Cheng say this, she replied with joy, "I want to!"
Pan Cheng nodded and said, "I'll ask Senior Sister Qiu for you. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices invites her to the four brothels under the Jiaofangsi every month to examine the registered girls. Go with her a few more times, and once you've become familiar with the officials of the Jiaofangsi, take some time to visit them at home. It won't take too long, and they won't make things difficult for you."
Bai Zhu looked at her senior sister with starry eyes!
Bai Shu decided that from now on, she would get angry with anyone who said her senior sister was cold!
Her senior sister is the best senior sister in the world! The gentlest and most considerate senior sister!
Bai Shu pounced on Pan Cheng again, jumping and refusing to let go, saying, "My dear senior sister, how can you be so good to me? Waaah! Senior sister, what do you need? Just let me know if you want something to eat, play with, or use, and I'll bring it to you!"
Pan Cheng felt like this girl was shaking her bones off, and pushed her away, muttering, "Oh dear, what's wrong with you? Let go of me."
Bai Shu wouldn't let go. She needed to release her gratitude and love for Pan Cheng, so she hugged Pan Cheng, feeling both helpless and amused, and said, "Alright, alright, I'm hungry. Let's go eat."
Pan Cheng kept Bai Zhu's matter in mind and went to see Qiu Chuxin that night. It wasn't a big deal, but Qiu Chuxin instructed Pan Cheng, "You must report this to Wan Gongfeng."
Pan Cheng said, "That's natural."
Of the thirty or so female physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy, Qiu Chuxin was the oldest, in her early thirties. When asked about her medical skills, everyone said she was no less skilled than Shen, the Imperial Physician. Qiu Chuxin was highly skilled and a loner; she stood out in the Imperial Medical Academy, neither serving as an imperial physician nor apprenticing under any of them. However, her medical expertise was so exceptional that many female officials in the inner court frequently sought her out, and even some noble ladies would make special trips to invite her.
After more than three months in the palace, Bai Shu finally got the chance to leave. He couldn't help but lift the carriage curtain to see the bustling Xuande Street.
In families where people marry young, Qiu Chuxin would be old enough to be Bai Zhu's mother. She laughed at Bai Zhu and said, "Look at how much you love it, it's like you're visiting the city for the first time."
Bai Shu used to frequent Xuande Street. She could even recite all the shops on Xuande Street by heart, excitedly telling Qiu Chuxin which rouge shop on the street had the most perfect rouge color, which sesame cake was the most fragrant and crispy, and when Aunt Zhang's iced cold dumplings would be available.
"It's this one, the one with the longest queue, that banner, 'Liu's Flatbread'!" Bai Shu called to Qiu Chuxin, "Their flatbread is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a golden-brown crust and a thin layer of sesame seeds. When it's hot, take a bite, and 'crunch,' it's so crispy it crumbles. Then go to the braised meat shop next door and get two ounces of finely sliced, marbled lamb ribs to add to it, tsk, it's so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off." It's just a pity that it tastes best when it's fresh out of the oven and hot; by the time her father and brother brought it to the palace, it was all cold.
Bai Zhu's words were amusing, and Qiu Chuxin listened attentively. She laughed and said to Bai Zhu, "Still smacking your lips, you little glutton."
"It's really delicious!" Bai Shu swallowed and said, "It would be perfect with a bowl of cold noodles."
Qiu Chuxin listened and smiled, saying, "I've walked this street a hundred and eighty times, but I never knew it was so interesting."
With the audience's support, Bai Zhu spoke even more enthusiastically, talking about everything from summer to winter, and how bustling and lively the lantern festival was on the Lantern Festival.
Before we knew it, we had arrived at the Soft Jade Pavilion.
The Court of Imperial Sacrifices (Taichangsi) oversees the Jiaofangsi, which directly manages four brothels, with Ruanyulou being the most prominent of the four.
Qiu Chuxin got off the car with her medicine box on her back and said to Bai Shu, "We have to check on all the ladies in the four brothels. We need to hurry."
Bai Shu blushed slightly as she looked at the signboard with the three gilded characters "Ruanyulou" and dared not raise her head.
—From a young age, Bai Shu was taught that Ruanyu Yicui and Feixian Hongxiu were not respectable places. Bai Shu would always avoid Ruanyu Tower when walking through Xuande Street.
Unexpectedly, one day she actually walked in and began treating the girls in the building.
Bai Shu paused as she got out of the car. Qiu Chuxin turned around and said to her, "A doctor should have a benevolent heart. No one's life is high or low, and no patient is good or bad."
Bai Zhu raised her head and said, "Yes."
The head of the Imperial Music Academy was already waiting in the Soft Jade Pavilion. Seeing that this time, Doctor Qiu was followed by a junior physician, he asked with a smile, "Oh, has Lady Qiu taken on a worthy disciple?"
“She is Wan Gongfeng’s little apprentice,” Qiu Chuxin said reproachfully to the director of the music academy. “I can only come out one day a month, but you always arrange so many patients for me. You don’t even let me have a moment to rest. So I borrowed Wan Gongfeng’s little apprentice to lend a hand.”
"Isn't it all because of your superb medical skills, Lord Qiu? So many officials' wives and children would love to have you treat them," the music hall director said with a smile. "To be honest, I have several relatives who have suffered from chronic ailments. They've heard of your reputation and all want me to introduce them. I can't very well refuse, so what do you think..."
“Since you have spoken, how can I refuse?” Qiu Chuxin nodded and said, “Please invite all the ladies over.”
"I knew you were so skilled and kind, Lord Qiu!" the director of the music academy praised. "I'll make the arrangements right away. Please go back to your usual place and wait a moment."
Qiu Chuxin knew that she would be busy later and would not have time, so she stopped the director of the music academy and said, "By the way, there is no need for the building to prepare lunch today. I heard that there is a famous Liu's flatbread shop on this street. Please send a servant to buy two flatbreads with two ounces of lamb ribs and two bowls of cold noodles for us."
As Qiu Chuxin spoke, he handed the money to the head of the music academy, but the head refused to accept it, saying, "This is such a small matter, Lord Qiu, you are being too polite." After saying this, he pointed to a young boy and instructed him, "Run there in a bit."
Bai Shu never expected that she would actually get to eat the sesame flatbread she had been longing for!
It's still warm!
Bai Shu couldn't hide her joy. If it weren't for the crowds at the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment venue), she would have jumped up and hugged Senior Sister Qiu, bouncing around twice. Qiu Chuxin found her amusing and gestured with her eyes: "There are too many people here, be more discreet."
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