Xiang Ming, who was reading a book inside the room, couldn’t help but put the book down upon hearing the conversation outside and looked through the window at the ntor and protégé.
Mr. Zhuang, looking down into his disciple’s bright, shining eyes, couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.
He paced around the courtyard, deliberating. He had hesitated in his heart whether it was right to let Manbao advance further and further on the path of studying dicine.
Especially when she showed more and more her natural talent for reading and her understanding of worldly affairs.
But all hesitations vanished like smoke when the child looked up at the starry sky, making a wish to beco the greatest doctor in the world, one who saves the dying and heals the injured.
Mr. Zhuang walked in circles for a while, and after careful thought, he said: "Manbao, you three have been living in Qili Village since you were little, knowing little of the outside world, and your environnt is simpler than both Bai Shan’s and Bai Cheng’s. There are so things that your teacher has not specifically taught you, and your family has pampered you, so you haven’t experienced certain things either."
Manbao listened attentively.
"In the outside world, people are divided into ranks and classes."
Manbao nodded and said, "I know, scholars, farrs, artisans, rchants, as well as slaves and convicts."
Mr. Zhuang chuckled and shook his head slightly: "You say that so easily, which shows you really do not understand."
Manbao looked at Mr. Zhuang with confusion.
Mr. Zhuang touched her head and said, "Put it this way, people think that sorcerers, musicians, and all craftsn are despised by the gentlen. Doctors fall among the craftsn, ranked beneath the rchants."
Manbao’s mouth fell open, and it took her a while to respond, "That’s not right, rchants don’t have official titles, but we doctors do."
Mr. Zhuang smiled and nodded, "You’re not wrong about that, and that’s why doctors, unlike other craftsn, are not registered and are not conscripted by the authorities."
You should know that the life of a craftsman is hard; they all have to be registered and often have to work for the governnt for free, sotis being conscripted without pay during major events.
For example, conscription duty: as for farrs, which ans commoners, there are rules on how many days each year they must serve, and local officials usually wouldn’t and wouldn’t dare delay it for too long.
Otherwise, if the labor is too harsh, and the commoners rise and attack, what if they stage a revolt?
But with craftsn that doesn’t apply. When big road repairs are needed, craftsn are conscripted; when water conservancy repairs are needed, craftsn are conscripted; when palaces need to be built, craftsn are conscripted; when there is a war, craftsn are also conscripted...
So craftsn, once conscripted, are gone for two to three years, and so are even sent to another place, being continuously transferred, their family cannot find them, and sotis when they are released back to their village, they’ve been away from ho for a decade or two.
Mr. Zhuang said, "There are fewer cases now, but in the past, if there was a major war and the army lacked doctors, dical personnel would also be conscripted from the civilians to the military."
Once in the military, you beco a military doctor, and that is not a role you can simply desert from; to do so is to beco a deserter, liable to be sentenced to death.
He added: "Being able to go from a military doctor to the Imperial Hospital, and also to retire honorably back to one’s hotown from the Imperial Hospital, throughout several dynasties there was only one, Imperial Doctor Fan."
Manbao began to understand, "So actually, the status of a doctor is quite low."
Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly, "And you, being a female doctor, are considered even lower in status in the eyes of the world. However, educated people always treat doctors with a bit more courtesy and wouldn’t get angry with them easily."
There are those like the Crown Prince who would casually draw a sword and chop at people, but that is quite rare.
"Second Madam Cheng previously treated you with courtesy because you were a doctor who was going to treat her; that extra bit of politeness would make for a pleasant future relationship," Mr. Zhuang said. "Now, her respect for you, I think, is firstly because your status has indeed changed. Although your father was posthumously honored, he represents righteousness, and you represent filial piety. Since you are literate, you deserve the title of a scholar. Moreover, as the descendant of a loyal official, you are still willing to do this work of saving lives and helping the wounded, naturally you’re worthy of respect."
Manbao pondered thoughtfully.
"So you see, not everyone in this world strictly follows the rules. There are people like Second Madam Cheng who can see through these things, and naturally there are also those who can’t, adhering rigidly to the rules. You will et many more people in the future, all sorts of people."
Mr. Zhuang continued, "So may recognize your status as a ’scholar’, others may only see you as a ’doctor’. But no matter how others view you, what you consider yourself to be is what you are."
After thinking for a while, Manbao said, "I consider myself a doctor, and I can also be a scholar, but I don’t feel that being a doctor is beneath being a scholar."
Mr. Zhuang laughed, "That’s exactly right."
He stroked her head with a smile, "As your ntor, I can barely count as a scholar; your father and brothers at ho are farrs. In your heart, do we each have a hierarchy among us?"
Manbao shook her head embarrassingly, "No."
"This is the way of the world and human sentint. Rules are made by people, but in this world, are there scholars who only befriend other scholars, farrs who only socialize with farrs, or rchants who only interact with other rchants?" Mr. Zhuang said. "In the future, you will et even more people. So will treat you consistently from beginning to end, while others will change constantly. You should not be overly concerned with these changes, nor should you change your original intentions because of them. Understand?"
Manbao nodded vigorously, "Stick to oneself, never forget the original aspiration."
Mr. Zhuang nodded in approval. He liked to teach students who understood with just a hint. His interest in the conversation grew, and he simply sat down on the chair, talking to her even more thoroughly.
"The distinctions of nobility in this world are rely rules set by so clever people to bind the foolish and profit themselves. Such things have existed since the Xia and Shang dynasties, and we, as beings of flesh and blood, certainly cannot change these rules," he said. "But our hearts are our own. So things are better kept to ourselves. If you do not consider yourself lowly, then you are not lowly. That is integrity."
Manbao propped her chin with her hand and began to ponder, digesting the teachings her ntor imparted today.
Xiang Ming inside the room was also stunned, clutching his textbook tightly, unaware of how much ti had passed. It was only when a boisterous laughter reached him that he ca back to his senses. Looking outside, he saw Bai Erlang charging into the yard with his book basket, cheering along the way, with Bai Shan closely following...
Manbao, deep in thought, was also startled awake. She turned her head to look at the two, asking, "What are you doing?"
Bai Erlang and Bai Shan hastily paid their respects to the teacher before rushing over to Manbao, their eyes shining brightly as they asked, "Manbao, where is your horse?"
Manbao: "... How did you know?"
Bai Shan said, "On our way back, we specifically stopped by Jishi Hall, thinking you hadn’t returned yet. But then, Shao told us you bought a horse and returned on your own. Where is your horse? Is it in the front yard?"
Bai Erlang also looked at her with great enthusiasm.
Manbao: "..."
She hesitated for a mont but under the gleaming gaze of two, no, three people, she gritted her teeth and said, "Would you believe if I said I gave the foal away?"
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