Tang He had just arrived at the Chang’an County Governntal Office, and he hadn’t even ward his seat when a new case was imdiately presented to him.
He was quite surprised, "Are the cases in the capital really this frequent?"
All this, so early in the morning?
Manbao was seeing patients at Jishi Hall. She had Ms. Doctor Liu and Zheng Gu sit together, waiting for them to see the patient and prescribe, after which she would take a look.
After a patient left, Manbao would take the prescriptions written by the two and provide her feedback.
Now Zheng Gu was much improved compared to before, being able to use at least two prescriptions correctly out of ten.
In the intervals when there were no patients, Manbao would teach them according to the dical books she wrote, checking their recitation occasionally and assigning howork, and it would almost be lunchti.
Manbao went to the backyard to watch Shopkeeper Zheng teaching Zhou Liru.
Zhou Liru was still learning to recognize herbs, identifying them repeatedly, and had started morizing so properties, though she was not yet familiar with them.
Manbao squatted beside her, occasionally pointing things out when she seed to get stuck.
Shopkeeper Zheng had finished making the ointnt for the day. Seeing Manbao was still there, he asked, "Do you have an appointnt in the afternoon?"
"No," Manbao replied, "I heard the kitchen is making stead pork with rice flour today, so I want to eat lunch before leaving."
Shopkeeper Zheng: "... Do people living in Chongyuan Courtyard lack stead pork with rice flour?"
Even Zheng Gu couldn’t help but lift his head from the dical book, "Dad, you sound really sour."
"Off you go."
While they were chatting, a ladder was placed on their shop’s surrounding wall, and the shopkeeper from the neighboring Baohe dical Clinic poked his head over and smiled at Manbao, "Doctor Zhou Junior, I haven’t congratulated you on moving to your new residence yet."
Manbao squinted her eyes while smiling, "Shopkeeper Shi, you are too kind, what brings you here?"
"Oh, I wanted to ask you about an acupuncture thod. In that dical book we exchanged last ti, it says that for spleen and stomach deficiency, acupuncture for children should be adjusted. However, it doesn’t specify how, so..."
Manbao thought for a mont and then recalled, "Oh that, you need to start from the Yangming ridian..."
Shopkeeper Zheng gave Shopkeeper Shi a subtle glare, and Shopkeeper Shi, taking advantage of Manbao’s lack of attention, glared back before turning to look at her again with a smile.
By the ti Lord Tang arrived at Jishi Hall, Manbao had already gone to the neighboring Baohe dical Clinic, taking Zheng Gu with her.
It was purely coincidental, but Zheng Gu happened to be studying this, and pediatric diseases are the most difficult to learn. It is rare to have a patient who can be used for practice; oh no, observation, so naturally, he should seize the opportunity.
Although Shopkeeper Shi was quite reluctant to have Zheng Gu over, he was helpless as Zheng Gu was Zhou Man’s apprentice, and Zhou Man was also a doctor at Jishi Hall.
Perhaps because Zhou Man was young, Jishi Hall was lenient with her. Although she was only registered with them, they did not restrict her from visiting other pharmacies. If it were any other doctor, once they chose to register with this pharmacy, they wouldn’t be allowed to associate with others.
What happens privately cannot be controlled, but publicly it must be noted.
Not only does the neighboring Baohe dical Clinic frequently interact with Manbao, but even doctors from the Hundred Herbs Hall across the street occasionally stop by Jishi Hall to exchange dical insights with Manbao.
Previously, Doctor Ding and other doctors from the two different pharmacies didn’t recognize each other when they crossed paths, but now they often joined the fun, and everyone got accustod to occasionally gathering to discuss dical skills.
Shopkeeper Zheng always had a calm deanor, appearing as though he didn’t like them visiting but never stopped them either.
Zheng Gu quietly told them that in fact, his father didn’t see anything wrong with it, but the family worried about doctors revealing prescriptions or colluding with outsiders, hence the aversion. This attitude was just for the family to see.
Jishi Hall belonged to the entire Zheng family, and Shopkeeper Zheng’s family was from the second house. Currently, because Imperial Doctor Zheng was in the palace, they held significant influence, but the family was not dominated by one voice.
Thus, Doctor Ding and others remain restrained, though they often gather to discuss dical skills, each staying at their respective doors, hollering across the way, rather than entering each other’s establishnts.
Except for Manbao.
She enjoyed more freedom, visiting any pharmacy without much ntal burden.
It was Zheng Gu’s first visit to the neighboring Baohe dical Clinic, and upon entering, he couldn’t help but look around curiously.
He felt awkward, as if he were nervously attempting to gather intelligence.
Manbao had already gone straight to the patient.
Shopkeeper Shi had climbed down the ladder and rushed from the backyard to the front hall, letting her see the young patient directly, "This child is only six years old and isn’t articulate. Look at his complexion?"
Manbao took his pulse, examined his tongue coating, and then asked the parents a few questions before letting Zheng Gu take a look.
Zheng Gu hesitated, "It seems like dysentery to ."
Shopkeeper Shi added, "The previous doctor also diagnosed dysentery. He prescribed the wrong dicine, and the child hasn’t improved. He’s taken too many bitter dicines, which further weakens his spleen and stomach, making it difficult for him to even consu dicine. That’s why I thought to try acupuncture first."
Zheng Gu looked at Manbao.
Manbao nodded, "Indeed, it’s spleen and stomach deficiency cold. Although so symptoms are similar to dysentery, it isn’t."
She didn’t explain it on the spot, considering the patient’s parents were anxiously waiting.
Manbao felt the boy’s abdon, then told Doctor Ning at Baohe dical Clinic, who was holding the acupuncture needle, "Needle first, then moxibustion; use mugwort leaves to warm the spleen and stomach."
Soone imdiately went to fetch mugwort sticks.
Manbao instructed, "Start with Zhongwan point..."
Idle doctors gathered to observe.
Manbao did not perform the procedure herself, which was the rule; unless it was an urgent case, the patient’s doctor would attend to it themselves, and she would only offer advice.
Lord Tang, dressed in casual attire, entered Jishi Hall and had just opened his mouth to find Manbao when the clerk, observing his healthy complexion, realized he wasn’t there for treatnt and asked with a smile, "Is the young master inviting a patient for a ho visit?"
"No, a friend is visiting."
After confirming that he was not a patient likely to be taken by the neighboring clinic, the clerk pointed to the Baohe dical Clinic next door, smiling, "Doctor Zhou Junior is at the Baohe dical Clinic next door; you’ll see her as soon as you go in."
Lord Tang was stunned and asked, "Why, has she changed clinics?"
"Not at all, our Doctor Zhou Junior is always with our pharmacy. She’s just there to provide guidance," he proudly yet softly said, "The doctors at the neighboring clinic often co to consult our Doctor Zhou Junior."
Lord Tang found it amusing but maintained a serious expression, nodding in agreent, "Yes, Doctor Zhou Junior is certainly a little divine doctor; her dical skills are beyond question."
He turned towards the Baohe dical Clinic next door.
The child whimpered as the acupuncture needles were applied.
Manbao touched the child’s cheek and asked with a smile, "It doesn’t even hurt, so why are you crying?"
After thinking for a mont, she suggested, "Since he can’t take dicine, how about trying dicinal cuisine?"
Shopkeeper Shi imdiately handed her a pen and ink, smiling, "Could Doctor Zhou Junior leave a prescription?"
Manbao wrote one for him, then was happily escorted out by Shopkeeper Shi.
Lord Tang raised his hand, but no one noticed. Manbao was escorted to the door, and in two steps, she was back at Jishi Hall.
Zheng Gu discussed the condition with her, "How did you differentiate between dysentery and spleen-stomach deficiency cold?"
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