Chapter 1291: Chapter 1269: The Temptation of Ideals (Anniversary Additional Release)
Manbao carefully washed her hands and then untied the cloth scarf wrapped around her head. Because it had been tied a bit tightly, there was a faint mark on her forehead, and her hair spilled down as she pulled it off.
Ms. Doctor Liu had just removed her own scarf as well. Seeing Manbao, she offered, “Doctor Zhou Junior, let help you comb your hair.”
Manbao loved it when others combed her hair; it was not only comfortable but also made her look better. She nodded repeatedly in agreent.
Eldest Lady Han finally regained her composure and imdiately instructed the servants to lead them to the guest rooms for rest and freshening up.
Ms. Doctor Liu still hadn’t fully recovered from the surgery. As she slowly combed Manbao’s hair, she asked, “Doctor Zhou Junior, how did you co up with the idea of performing an abdominal delivery?”
She felt a peculiar sense of familiarity, as if Zhou Man had perford such surgeries many tis before—so much so that it didn’t seem like this was her first ti.
For instance, her deft movents when extracting the baby, her ticulous suturing layer by layer—if soone hadn’t done this before, how would they know exactly what to do?
Ms. Doctor Liu had seen plenty in the Imperial Hospital, especially when the imperial doctors treated the masters of the harem. Due to inconvenience, it was often her responsibility to examine and relay findings.
Furthermore, young won had a unique attentiveness that stood out. Doctor Xiao might have been too shocked to notice, but Ms. Doctor Liu had observed everything from start to finish.
Manbao replied, “The more you suture, the more you understand.”
Turning slightly to see the half-completed hairstyle, she added, “In truth, natural childbirth is still preferable. Given the limited tools and challenges of postpartum care, cesarean deliveries cause significant harm to the mother’s body. Unless absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t recomnd them in the future.”
Ms. Doctor Liu nodded, “But, Doctor Zhou Junior, by starting this thod of treatnt, you’ve opened up a new pathway. In the future, for won experiencing difficult childbirth, there’s now a chance for survival.”
Manbao looked at her reflection in the bronze mirror and asked, “Would you like to learn?”
Ms. Doctor Liu froze, then hesitated for a long while before asking, sowhat surprised, “Can I learn?”
Manbao nodded, “People are full of prejudice. Look at families like the Han Family that dote on Han Wuniang, and even the Li Family is relatively open-minded. Yet, Imperial Doctor Tan and the others could only wait outside the screen. Other families wouldn’t even consider allowing that.”
She sighed, “The capital is still relatively enlightened, but there are even more ignorant places. I’ve seen mothers-in-law who would rather let their daughters-in-law die in labor than call for a doctor to take a look. That’s why, for childbirth, female doctors are much more convenient.”
Ms. Doctor Liu did not imdiately agree but thought deeply for a long ti before saying, “But wouldn’t that make essentially a midwife? How many people actually need abdominal deliveries? And I don’t have the confidence to execute them like Doctor Zhou Junior does.”
Manbao laughed and replied, “You wouldn’t just learn abdominal deliveries; you’d learn thods for natural childbirth too. Besides, you can study other dical skills. You’re not limited to delivering babies—you can diagnose and treat other illnesses as well.”
She continued, “Look at Jishi Hall. Among the patients who co and go every day, out of ten, five are children, four are n, and only one is an adult woman. That’s only after I joined and stabilized things—before that, there might not have been a single female patient in a day at Jishi Hall.”
Ms. Doctor Liu hadn’t considered this at all.
Manbao said calmly, “Is it because won’s bodies are healthier than n’s and don’t get sick? No, perhaps it’s due to poverty, or perhaps it’s the differences between genders. Won endure more—endure pain, endure illness—and force themselves to push through it alone.”
“But if the clinic had female doctors sitting in consultation, they’d have one less thing to endure. Those who can afford to see a doctor would co. You, coming from a family of doctors, would surely be able to learn other dical arts as well. You could sit in consultation and diagnose patients one day.”
Ms. Doctor Liu stayed silent for a long ti. After finishing Manbao’s hair and adding ornantal hairpins, she finally said with a complicated expression, “Doctor Zhou Junior, I’m seventeen. In two years, my family will arrange a marriage for and bring out of the palace to marry. After marriage, I surely won’t be able to sit in consultation anymore, right?”
Manbao asked, “Why not?”
She knew the financial standing of imperial doctors in the capital wasn’t as substantial as she’d initially thought. Maintaining a household and supporting an extended family wasn’t easy. From her inquiries, she’d learned that the Liu Family wouldn’t be able to offer Ms. Doctor Liu much as a dowry.
And if Imperial Doctor Liu’s grandchildren failed to enter the Imperial Hospital in the future, the entire family would eventually have to leave the capital and return to their hotown. There, they might purchase so land, live as ordinary wealthy landowners, open a pharmacy, or continue practicing dicine at a local clinic.
All of this depended on the abilities of future generations.
Imperial Doctor Liu was one of the physicians Manbao was most familiar with. Through conversations with Shopkeeper Zheng, she’d learned his family background was the weakest—he’d risen from the provinces through examinations and had no solid foundation. His son and grandson didn’t show outstanding promise.
On the contrary, Ms. Doctor Liu was soone Manbao greatly admired.
Ms. Doctor Liu wrestled internally for a while before saying in a low voice, “The family dical texts—Grandfather won’t pass them on to . Even so critical illnesses, my father hasn’t learned about them; only my eldest uncle can study them.”
Manbao: …
Manbao said, “No problem, I can teach you. Have you read the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor?”
Ms. Doctor Liu nodded, “I’ve read it, but there’s much I don’t understand.”
“Sort out your questions later, and I’ll answer them one by one,” Manbao said, slightly regretful. “It’s a pity you’re still in the palace. Otherwise, if you were like Shao and beside listening to diagnoses, your progress would surely be faster.”
After all, Ms. Doctor Liu had worked in the Imperial Hospital for years. Although she hadn’t read many dical texts, she’d certainly seen nurous illness cases and treatnt prescriptions. The problem was that she hadn’t systematically studied these, so she didn’t understand the principles behind them and couldn’t effectively diagnose or prescribe.
But Manbao believed that once she taught her properly, Ms. Doctor Liu’s growth would definitely outpace that of Shao.
Manbao lanted briefly.
Turning her little head, she admired the hairstyle Ms. Doctor Liu had crafted, finding it quite attractive. She stood up and gestured for her to sit down, “You should freshen up as well.”
Ms. Doctor Liu agreed, and while combing her own hair, she asked, “Doctor Zhou Junior, should I stay tonight to keep vigil with you?”
Manbao blinked and t her eyes, smiling as she asked, “Do you want to stay?”
Ms. Doctor Liu paused briefly, then softly replied, “Yes.”
Manbao grinned, “Then stay.”
It was as simple as Manbao’s word. As long as she inford Imperial Doctor Liu and the Li Family that she needed Ms. Doctor Liu’s assistance overnight, soone would handle the leave request from the Imperial Hospital.
Doctor Xiao returned from her conversation with Imperial Doctor Tan. After Han Wuniang woke up, Imperial Doctor Tan and Imperial Doctor Liu examined her to ensure no major issues. Once they confird the patient was stable, they left together.
Doctor Xiao needed to return to the palace.
Manbao penned a letter and handed it to Shao, instructing him to deliver it to Jishi Hall and then to Changqing Alley: “Tell my family I’ll stay here tonight and return ho tomorrow.”
Shao complied.
Manbao washed her hands again, entered the delivery room, glanced at the now-awake Han Wuniang, and then extended her mischievous little hand to press lightly on her abdon…
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