Manbao saw they were still in a daze, so she tapped the table and said, "Why are you still standing there? Quickly take out your paper and pen, today we’ll start learning the ridians and acupoints of the left arm..."
Everyone, including Zhou Liru, took out their paper and pen. Not everyone had a talent for drawing, but Manbao didn’t mind. She first taught them on the spot how to find various acupoints on the left arm, briefly explaining the role of these ridians and acupoints, and then began to teach them how to draw a hand, marking the acupoints on it and depicting the ridians.
Hmm, it was quite uneven, even Zhou Liru had drawn the arm like a piece of tree branch.
But Manbao didn’t care at all, accustod to it, she said, "Drawing as you go, you’ll learn eventually. Don’t be disheartened now. First find the corresponding acupoints on your own bodies, then find them on others. This is the most crucial part."
A student couldn’t help but raise their hand and asked, "Teacher, can’t we each have a copy of this ridian and acupoint diagram?"
"No," Manbao ruthlessly refused them, saying, "This diagram was drawn by , and it took quite so ti. The Imperial Hospital only has a few, all left by previous imperial doctors. If you want it, learn to draw it yourself. With so many students, how much ti would it take to draw so many copies?"
Manbao even cheated a bit in drawing this diagram. Originally, she used the diagrams from the Encyclopedia Pavilion, and later Teacher Mo even brought a human model with marked ridian and acupoint locations into the teaching room.
The diagrams in the Encyclopedia Pavilion were crafted too exquisitely; the paper looked like nothing from this world could produce, so she then traced one herself.
It was a complete copy, quite a cheat. But the diagram could be shown to others; when she later supplented the drawing, Director Xiao even saw it.
After class, Manbao packed up her precious diagram, rolled it up, put it in a tube, and carried it out.
Zhou Liru put down the pen and ran out to chase her, "Aunt, can I take a shortcut?"
Manbao thought for a mont, then nodded and said, "You can."
Zhou Liru’s face blossod into a smile, but before she could be happy, Manbao added, "If others draw one, you can draw two. Later, I’ll have your senior sister teach you how to draw an arm. She can draw floral patterns and does arms particularly well. Last ti I watched her draw, I found she even drew the head quite nicely."
Zhou Liru: ...
Manbao reached out and patted her head, encouraging her, "You need to think in your heart that you can do it, and then you’ll find you’re more talented than usual. Trust ."
Manbao turned to find her other three disciples to collect their howork. After filling a lot into the book basket, she left the Imperial Doctor’s Office, boarded Rong Si’s carriage, and returned to the palace.
When she returned to the palace, she received a decree from the Empress, asking her to prepare to attend to the noble ladies in the palace for the Winter Solstice check-ups.
Manbao was taken aback for a mont and asked, "Does that an I don’t have a holiday for Winter Solstice?"
Be aware that the Winter Solstice is a significant festival, only second to the New Year, and Manbao had already planned how to spend those five days with Bai Shan and others.
The maid conveying the ssage paused for a mont and said, "This year, the Winter Solstice is on the twenty-sixth, and the ladies are called to the palace on the twenty-third by the Empress, so it won’t delay Imperial Doctor Zhou’s family reunion."
The maid paused and then said, "However, Imperial Doctor Zhou, even without the Empress’s order, you still have to be on duty at the Imperial Hospital, right?"
Manbao said, "Director Xiao doesn’t want on duty."
The maid then returned to report to the Empress.
The Empress thought for a mont, then said, "Zhou Man is still young. Director Xiao is considerate. If she’s told not to be on duty, then she won’t be."
The maid advised, "Your Majesty, Zhou Man is the only female imperial doctor in the palace. She’s here for the convenience of the consorts and princesses in the palace. On regular days, it’s fine since she resides in Chongwen Pavilion and calling her over isn’t difficult. But for such major festivals, she should not skip duty."
"I heard that during the last Mid-Autumn Festival, Director Xiao couldn’t find her because she not only left the palace but also left the capital without reporting. His Majesty and the Empress love her; she should also follow the rules..."
The Empress, seeing the palace rules brought up, smiled and said, "If that’s the case, I’ll have Aunt Shang inform the Imperial Hospital to arrange for Zhou Man’s holiday duty."
The next day, after Manbao returned from the Emperor’s follow-up consultation to the Imperial Hospital’s records, she heard this bad news from Director Xiao.
She incredulously looked at the slightly gloating Director Xiao and asked, "Didn’t you say I was young and didn’t have to be on duty?"
Director Xiao tried to suppress the gleeful expression on his face and said, "Yes, but the Empress says this is the palace regulation. On regular days, it’s one thing if you’re not on duty. But for major holidays like the Winter Solstice and New Year, you’re off for too long, and not being on duty would raise concerns within the palace and the court."
Manbao frowned and lowered her voice, asking, "Is soone secretly trying to get at ?"
Director Xiao gave her an approving look and lowered his voice, saying, "This is just a small matter. We’ll follow the rules, and you can rest assured that after Xu Yu, no one in the palace dares to harm others anymore."
At least not in the short term.
"So we must adhere to the rules and not let anyone find fault," Director Xiao returned to his usual tone, "But keep in mind, considering your age, don’t worry; your duty will be scheduled at the beginning or the end, so your holiday won’t be interrupted."
Seeing Manbao’s distressed face, he smiled and comforted her, "Don’t worry, it’s only during extended holidays that you might be on duty. For regular two or three-day holidays, you won’t be scheduled."
Manbao felt a bit better, then started speaking kindly, "Director Xiao, it’s because I’m still young and can’t stay up late. You wait until I grow a bit older and taller; then you can schedule more frequently. By then, you all can take a rest."
Director Xiao glanced at her height and sighed, "That might be a while. I’m not in a hurry."
Manbao: ...
Director Xiao smiled and advised her, "Eating more beans helps to grow taller, or drinking more goat milk is good too. You manage your own fields now; raise so sheep on your land so that you have goat milk to drink every day."
Manbao sighed, "I’ll ask my sister-in-law to stew so beans for tomorrow when I go ho."
Director Xiao enviously said, "Tomorrow’s rest day is my duty shift."
Manbao then reminded him, "Director Xiao, tomorrow, you should check on the Emperor again. I think his symptoms are gone today, but he should take one more day of dicine to fully recover."
The Emperor’s health is no small matter, and Director Xiao agreed. The two exchanged a few more words, and just as Manbao was about to leave, soone ca from the Eastern Palace, "...The young grand-prince has a slight fever, and the Crown Princess asks Imperial Doctor Zhou to take a look."
Director Xiao said to her, "A child’s fever can be minor or serious. You and Imperial Doctor Liu go over together."
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