deserted
In 707, Bai Zhu was promoted to a high position.
Bai Zhu's father was promoted to Assistant Physician, his eldest brother was promoted to Attendant Physician, and his fourth brother also joined the Imperial Medical Bureau.
"One family with three worshippers," and seeing that Erlang is almost here, everyone has to say: "No wonder they are the worshippers of the Bai family."
Many colleagues came to congratulate Bai Zhu, but Bai Zhu said indifferently, "I am honored by your kindness, but I am still far inferior to my master and senior sister."
The familiar senior brothers laughed at Xiaobai, saying, "Master Xiaobai hasn't changed at all. He's still as humble as ever, haha."
Atractylodes macrocephala is used in gynecology and pediatrics, and is particularly effective in treating emotional disorders
In April, news of a great victory came from the Guanshan camp: the royal army had decisively defeated the Quan Di Aguda tribe and returned to the capital in triumph.
An imperial edict was issued, and the entire palace celebrated, with each person receiving an extra two strings of cash.
In May, the Duke of Huai's mansion invited Xiao Bai to provide Bai Shu for the Crown Prince's wife to treat her. Bai Shu carried her medicine box, got into a carriage, and went.
As soon as Bai Shu entered the courtyard, he saw white lanterns hanging under the eaves of the Huaiguo Duke's mansion's corridor. The steward was leading the servants, removing the dusty lanterns one by one.
The steward told Bai Shu, "Miss died in battle outside the pass before the New Year, and we've been keeping it from Madam. But recently, the royal army returned in triumph, and the general came back, so we couldn't hide it any longer... Alas. I've heard that you, Lord Bai, are skilled in treating emotional illnesses, so I'm asking you to come and examine Madam."
"Your daughter..." Bai Shu paused for a moment, then asked, "Did she ever work for the Imperial Medical Bureau, and later went to the northern desert with the army?"
The steward said yes, and then said to Bai Shu, "It happened many years ago. Does Lord Bai still recognize my young lady?"
Bai Zhu was momentarily dazed.
—The white lanterns hanging in the mansion represent Su You, the senior sister Su who, on her first night watch, pulled Bai Shu along with six apples to perform a ritual for peace and safety.
The Crown Prince's wife, her face streaked with tears, looked at Bai Shu with a sorrowful gaze, as if she were looking at Su You through Bai Shu, and said, "Bai Gongfeng looks quite young, but he is similar in age to my Su You."
Bai Shu did not mention that Su Youshi was her senior sister; at this moment, she was a court physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau who had come to examine Madam Su.
Bai Zhu examined Madam Su's pulse and prescribed a remedy.
Finally, Bai Shu said to Madam Su, "The dead cannot be brought back to life, Madam, please accept my condolences."
Madam Su covered her face and wept, while Bai Shu bowed with his sleeves tucked in, saying, "This humble official takes his leave."
Bai Shu followed the steward out of the house blankly, then stepped across the threshold and around the corridor. Suddenly, the steward turned around and asked, "Bai Gongfeng, what's wrong?"
Bai Shu snapped out of her daze, pursed her cheeks, and said, "It's nothing."
“Young Master,” the steward gestured for Bai Shu to turn around, “I called you several times just now.”
Bai Shu turned around and saw a young man who looked four or five parts similar to Su You. The young man said to Bai Shu, "I am Su You's elder brother. When we were in the army, Su You often asked me to send you manuscripts. I found some of her belongings in her tent. I think if Su You were still alive, she would have given them to you."
It is the manuscript of "Jin Chuang Ke" compiled by Su You.
Bai Shu accepted it and said, "Thank you."
Young Master Su nodded and instructed his steward, "Escort Lord Bai back to the palace."
Bai Shu returned to the palace and inquired about Su You and Lang Dianxian from the chief eunuch in front of the emperor.
The chief eunuch told them, "On the list of those receiving pensions, only Lord Su is included."
But this was not good news. The chief eunuch said that Lang Dianxian and Su You were in the same group, but that group encountered a blizzard on the grasslands, got lost, and ran into the main force of some Quan Di tribe, where they were scattered. General Su found Miss Su's remains, but did not find Lang Dianxian. There were no remains, no belongings, and it was unknown whether she was alive or dead, captured, or had defected to the enemy.
—The military law of Dayong was strict. If Lang Dianxian defected to the enemy, his father and brothers would also be implicated. Therefore, he was concluded to be "missing".
The desert is vast, and the Quan Di people live by following the water and grass, making it as difficult as climbing to heaven to find someone.
Fang Lingshan said, "Dian Xian is from a military family and would not betray her country. I will go find her."
In June, Fang Lingshan submitted his resignation and traveled alone north to the far north to search for Lang Dianxian's whereabouts.
At this point, of the female physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau who served when Bai Shu entered the palace, only she and Chang Zhifang remained.
The seventh year.
The eighth year.
In the eighth year, the Imperial Medical Academy welcomed batches of new staff.
On the fifteenth of August, the osmanthus blossoms fill the air with fragrance, and the Mid-Autumn Festival moon shines bright
The young female physicians and pharmacists set up tables and straw mats under the big trees in the courtyard to enjoy the moon and have a banquet, and invited Bai Zhu and Chang Zhifang.
Bai Shu went to the kitchen, where he found that Madam Zheng, the young lady from the Zheng family who made tofu in the west of the city, had been promoted to a junior manager. Bai Shu made a reservation for a table with her. Madam Zheng readily agreed, smiling and saying, "If Lord Bai has instructed me, I'll take care of it." Bai Shu tried to give her money, but Madam Zheng refused, saying, "What kind of relationship do we have? Why are you being so polite? You're being too formal. Take it back."
Bai Shu smiled and quietly placed the silver on Zheng Niangzi's table before leaving.
On the fifteenth of August, the moonlight was indeed beautiful that night. Both full moons were very bright, and the courtyard was as clear and bright as a mirror.
The young female physicians were all seated. Bai Zhu raised her cup and said, "We don't have many rules here. Those who want to drink can pour themselves a drink, and those who can't drink can also do as they please. Today, let's start with this first cup to welcome the two new physicians, Lord Zhu from the Department of Prescriptions and Lord Xu from the Department of Massage. From now on, we will all be colleagues, learn from each other, help each other, and do our jobs well."
The two young medical officers, who looked somewhat inexperienced, rose with trepidation and said together, "With more support and guidance, we will do our best to fulfill our duties."
Bai Shu waved her hand and said with a smile, "From now on, you two will be staying here permanently. Just treat this place as your home. When we're on duty, we're colleagues, and when we're off duty, we're sisters. There's no need to be reserved." After she finished speaking, she looked at Chang Zhifang and asked, "Does Lord Chang have anything else to say?"
Chang Zhifang smiled and said, "Save your polite words for Lingcheng. They're having a lively and relaxed time. The two of us here are making them uncomfortable."
Bai Shu said yes, and got up and left the table with Chang Zhifang. Bai Shu had her own little apprentice, who got up to escort her back to her room, but Bai Shu said no, "I'm with Zhifang, you don't need to worry about me, go play with them."
The moon casts shadows on the trees, intoxicating the passing time.
The ninth year, Ningxi 708.
Bai Zhu received Xiao Fu's letter.
Xiao Fu asked Bai Zhu, "Over the years, has the Imperial Medical Academy come up with any good methods to treat Yin-Yang poisoning? We should ask Fang Lingshan what her thinking was when she used Tripterygium wilfordii, how to use it, and how to combine it with other ingredients."
The letter was also written to Fang Lingshan, but Xiao Fu and Shao Yin were far away in Jiangnan and did not know the tragic news of Su You and Lang Dianxian, nor did they know that Fang Lingshan had been away in the north for two years.
Xu Qingyan also contracted the Yin-Yang Poison.
Xu Qingyan had a child after two years of marriage, but shortly after the child was born, she discovered that bright red, symmetrical, butterfly-shaped spots had also appeared on both sides of her nose.
Having seen Consort Liang's appearance, Xu Qingyan quickly understood her ailment. Therefore, through the Jin family's business, she sent a message to Xiao Fu Shaoyin—
She asked Lin Shaoyin to prepare Tripterygium wilfordii for her, as she wanted to try Fang Lingshan's method again.
“Someone has to try,” Xu Qingyan said to Lin Shaoyin. “I trust Senior Sister Fang and Consort Shen. Consort Liang was already terminally ill and couldn’t withstand the medicine, but I had just fallen ill and was still in good health, so I could give it a try.”
Bai Zhu was already a courtier and could not leave the palace. She replied to Xiao Fu, telling her to quickly go find Senior Sister Qiu and Senior Sister Pan.
Jin Xiaofu mobilized all of the Jin family's businesses and finally found out about Qiu Chuxin, who was practicing medicine in Fufeng County.
Qiu Chuxin was unaware of the many changes that had occurred in the Imperial Medical Bureau over the years. She immediately packed her things and, together with Jin Xiaofu and Lin Shaoyin, rode quickly to find Xu Qingyan.
Even Qiu Chuxin, who often used unorthodox remedies, exclaimed in surprise after hearing Xiao Fu and the others explain the dialectical approach of using Tripterygium wilfordii to treat Yin-Yang poisoning: "You guys are really bold." After thinking about it carefully for a while, Qiu Chuxin understood Fang Lingshan's line of thought and said, "It does make some sense."
Xu Qingyan grasped Qiu Chuxin's hand, chuckled, and said, "How will you know if you don't try? Senior Sister Qiu, I believe you."
This time, Xu Qingyan had time, and Lin Shaoyin steamed and processed the poison of Tripterygium wilfordii nine times, again and again, to reduce its toxicity.
...
Xu Qingyan's case is an extremely valuable medical record.
Lin Shaoyin meticulously recorded each step of her preparation, while Qiu Chuxin meticulously documented Xu Qingyan's daily changes in her condition. Xu Qingyan, also a physician, described her own feelings in even greater detail. The three records were compiled together, copied by Xiao Fu, and sent without reservation to Bai Zhu in the palace.
Bai Zhu watched as Lin Shaoyin repeatedly improved the preparation method, and watched as Xu Qingyan's condition changed day by day: weakness, hair loss, erythema, her joints swelling and then subsiding, her vomiting and inability to eat or drink for days, her weight loss day by day, her jaundice, her bloating and then subsiding, and Qiu Chuxin saying that spider angiomas had appeared on her palms, so she stopped taking Tripterygium wilfordii... Over and over again, day after day, year after year.
Every day was torture.
Bai Shu was heartbroken and wrote to Xu Qingyan to persuade her: Qingyan, stop.
Xu Qingyan replied to Bai Shu, "We are doctors."
Xu Qingyan always felt that they owed Consort Liang a life.
Xu Qingyan said, "I only wish that future generations will no longer be afraid of butterfly spots."
Later, although Xu Qingyan still sent letters back, they were now written in Qingyan's tone and in Qiu Chuxin's handwriting.
After a long time, in their last communication, Bai Zhu received the final draft of Xu Qingyan's "Medical Compendium: Acupuncture Chapter". The yellowed and worn paper inside was written in Xu Qingyan's handwriting, while the remaining and supplementary parts were written in the handwriting of Qiu Chuxin, as well as Jin Xiaofu, Lin Shaoyin, Shen Gongfeng, and Fang Gongfeng.
Box after box of manuscripts;
One after another, people have left.
Bai Zhu closed the door and wept bitterly.
In the spring of 711, the Imperial Medical Bureau recruited new female officials.
The major and minor branches of the government have not admitted any new female officials for three years.
Bai Shu petitioned the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Imperial Ladies, and went to Xuande Square to recruit female physicians.
Xuande Square was bustling with people, just like the grand scene in Baizhu back then. The kitchen, weaving room, examination room and other places were crowded with young women.
Only the Imperial Medical Bureau was deserted.
A few people came to ask questions, and Bai Zhu only needed to ask a couple of questions to know that they were complete novices.
Bai Zhu said gently, "It doesn't matter, you can learn it after you're in."
The two girls laughed and giggled, then shook their heads shyly and said, "Studying medicine is too difficult. Let's just observe from the sidelines."
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