"Even with you sitting steadily, such things can still happen!" Imperial Doctor Shi’s face was stern as he motioned to the servant following him. The servant hastily handed over the dicine chest.
Imperial Doctor Shi took out a set of silver needles, and Lady Zhao lifted the thin blanket off Lady Zhang. Together with Lian Zhizhi, they removed Lady Zhang’s outer garnt. Through the undergarnts, Imperial Doctor Shi applied the needles to an acupoint on Lady Zhang. The room fell silent, as everyone knew that a life hung in the balance and nearly all held their breath.
Imperial Doctor Shi removed the needles.
"Sir..." Lian Shouxin wanted to ask how it went but hesitated to speak.
Imperial Doctor Shi instructed the servant to prepare paper and ink. "Get the dicine from this prescription imdiately, and brew it for the patient without delay. If she can take this dicine and it stops the bleeding, the patient’s life will be out of danger. If it does not..."
Imperial Doctor Shi did not finish his sentence but concentrated for a mont before writing a prescription.
"I’ll go and prepare the dicine," said Lian Shouxin as he moved to take the prescription.
"Let do it. I’ve brought so commonly used dicines," said Wang Youheng as he took the prescription from Imperial Doctor Shi’s hand. He checked it over, then had his apprentice bring over the dicines he had with him. Wang Youheng personally matched the dicine according to the prescription.
Imperial Doctor Shi examined the dicines Wang Youheng had brought and nodded slightly. In his prescription, aside from so rare gynecological herbs, there were also a few unusual ones not commonly used in gynecology. Wang Youheng couldn’t possibly have carried the entire stock of raw dicines, but the ones needed were all present. This was not sothing an ordinary person could achieve.
"Old Master Wang’s son is not bad at all," Imperial Doctor Shi mused to himself.
Lian Manman hurriedly took the prepared dicine from Wang Youheng’s hands and gave it to Lian Zhizhi and Lady Zhao to brew.
Lian Zhizhi and Lady Zhao brought in the brewed dicine and fed it to Lady Zhang. During this ti, Lady Zhang had sowhat regained consciousness but was unable to speak. After the bowl of dicine, Lady Zhang’s breathing stabilized, and the bleeding from below gradually stopped.
Lian Manman had already briefly explained to Lian Shouxin about Imperial Doctor Shi’s origins and how Wang Youheng had managed to bring him here. Lian Shouxin repeatedly said they had encountered a savior. Over in the Upper Room, it was improper for the n to co, so Old Lady Lian and Lady He ca to check twice but could not intervene or say anything, so they left. When Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu heard that Wang Youheng had arrived and even brought Imperial Doctor Shi, who had been a judge at The Imperial dical Bureau, they asked the two gentlen to rest in the Upper Room. Scholar Wang’s Family had also sent soone to invite Wang Youheng and Imperial Doctor Shi.
After taking the dicine, Lady Zhang slept throughout. Imperial Doctor Shi took her pulse once more, then nodded and said no more.
Seeing Imperial Doctor Shi’s deanor, Wang Youheng knew that Lady Zhang’s life was saved.
"Manman, aren’t you going to thank Uncle Shi?" called Wang Youheng to Lian Manman.
Lian Shouxin, Lian Manman, Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi ca forward and kowtowed to Imperial Doctor Shi.
Imperial Doctor Shi quickly asked them to rise.
"Enough, I’ll write another prescription," said Imperial Doctor Shi as he wrote another one. "After the patient wakes up, follow this prescription for her recovery. Rember, she must rest in bed for a month and avoid all stress..."
After leaving additional dical advice and the night falling dark, Imperial Doctor Shi left with Wang Youheng. The Lian Family sent off their horse-drawn carriage out of the village, then slowly walked back.
Since they had to keep vigil through the night, Lian Manman and Lian Zhizhi went to the Upper Room to move the bedscreens.
On an autumn night, everyone was enjoying the coolness outside, and the Upper Room was without electric lights and completely dark. As Lian Manman pushed open the door and entered, suddenly a figure scread and jumped off the kang (a traditional heated bed platform).
Lian Manman was also startled, thinking to herself was there a thief taking advantage of the Lian Family’s busyness to co in and steal? Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Lian Xiuxiu.
All morning, everyone had been bustling about, and Lian Xiuxiu had been nowhere in sight. Could she have been hiding in the Upper Room all this ti? Why did she look as pale as a thief upon seeing her and Lian Zhizhi? Lian Xiuxiu wasn’t usually such a coward.
With Lady Zhang’s life hanging by a thread, and Lian Xiuxiu not showing her face, Lian Manman resented her for her lack of affection, so she didn’t bother with her, choosing instead to move the kang screen with Lian Zhizhi.
"What are you two doing?" Lian Xiuxiu asked.
"We’re keeping a vigil for my mother, and father has asked us to move this kang screen to the side room," Lian Manman replied.
"Your mother, your mother has co back to life?" Lian Xiuxiu inquired.
"Of course my mother is alive," Lian Manman said irritably as she and Lian Zhizhi carried the kang screen out.
Throughout the night, Lian Shouxin stayed right by Lady Zhang’s side, while Lady Zhao and Chunzhu’s Wife kept company with Lian Manman and the other children, also standing guard nearby. Exhausted from the day’s toil, the children were all very sleepy, but none of them wanted to rest. If one beca drowsy and drifted off, another child would push her awake.
Although they had the aid of Imperial Doctor Shi and Wang Youheng, they all witnessed Lady Zhang’s life ebbing away with the outward flow of her blood. They were all scared that if they fell asleep, Lady Zhang would never wake up again.
With the crowing of the dawn cocks, Lady Zhang slowly opened her eyes. Lian Shouxin and the children, with their red, strained eyes, could not hold back tears of joy.
Lady Zhang had turned back from the gates of death and was revived, but the unborn child in her womb was gone. Whether it was due to her weakened state or the shock of losing the child, Lady Zhang, upon awakening, seed dazed and unwilling to speak.
No matter the heartbreak, life had to go on. It was the ti for the autumn harvest, and due to Lady Zhang’s situation, half a day’s work had already been delayed. Early that day, Old Master Lian still led his family to the fields to work. Lian Shouxin, Lian Zhizhi, Lian Manman, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi were all to go too.
"What about my mother?" Lian Manman asked.
"I’ve already spoken to your grandmother, asking her and your old aunt to look after her," Old Master Lian said.
"That won’t do, I am not at ease," Lian Manman stated bluntly to Old Master Lian.
"What is there to be uneasy about, child?"
"Grandfather, yesterday my grandmother and my old aunt were right there, and yet my mother still had an accident."
**********
Great Book Recomndation
Title: Perfect Culinary Delights
Author: Searching for Lost Love
Summary: With a nimble tongue, taste the world’s delights; with skilled hands, cook the finest dishes! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welco to visit Qidian (qidian) to cast your recomndation votes, monthly tickets, and your support is my greatest motivation.)
User Comments
0 comments from readers