However, this matter is evidently not urgent; it’s still the winter festival, and everyone is settling down and keeping calm, with no need to overburden themselves.
Manbao asked Ms. Doctor Liu, "Has anyone summoned you to the palace to perform acupuncture on the Empress Dowager?"
"Yes, I entered the palace for acupuncture yesterday evening. My grandfather said that Director Xiao should summon to the palace again today."
She still holds the position of a palace physician, although she doesn’t reside in the palace; if there are any requirents, she has to appear at any ti.
Only when one becos an imperial doctor can one have more autonomy.
Manbao then inquired about the specifics of her acupuncture and the Empress Dowager’s pulse condition.
Liu Sanniang is not yet qualified to feel the Empress Dowager’s pulse; she can only assess the condition based on the pulse records written by the duty imperial doctor. But in just one day, the Empress Dowager’s acupuncture thod hasn’t changed — it still follows the two sets prescribed by her master.
Thinking it over, Manbao said, "The pulse should still be checked. When we return from the break, I’ll discuss this with Director Xiao. In the future, when you perform acupuncture, you must ensure the pulse is taken so that you have a clear understanding."
Liu Sanniang was sowhat excited yet said, "But only an imperial doctor can take the pulse..."
"The Empress Dowager’s acupuncture thod was set by , so you can perform acupuncture according to it. But what if in the future you encounter a patient who needs acupuncture, yet I haven’t examined them?" Manbao said, "Although other imperial doctors can take the pulse, and you can determine the acupuncture thod according to their pulse records, it’s better to decide the acupuncture thod after personally taking the pulse."
Liu Sanniang nodded with her head lowered.
Manbao kept this matter in mind, planning to speak with Director Xiao after the break.
Manager Zheng, who was in the pharmacy instructing Zhou Liru on simring ointnt, heard their conversation dim and estimated they had finished talking, thus appearing with a smile.
Ms. Doctor Liu, knowing her manners, made a formal gesture and retreated to the front hall, where she sought out her two senior and junior brothers to discuss dical skills.
Manager Zheng laughed and said, "Doctor Zhou Junior, we made quite a bit of bacon and sausages at ho, and rolled a lot of atballs too. We were planning to send so over with Zheng Gu to you, but it turns out you sent them first."
According to etiquette, Zheng Gu and others are Zhou Man’s disciples, so as disciples, they should be the ones bringing delicacies to the master’s door during the winter solstice.
Earlier this morning, Manbao and Bai Shan, Bai Erlang, brought plenty of good food to Mr. Zhuang and had an early al with him.
When she left, Bai Dalang, right as he was moving back with his wife, brought a lot of good food for Mr. Zhuang as well.
Manbao waved her hand and said, "I don’t care much about these formalities; moreover, I haven’t seen Manager Zheng and Doctor Ding for a while, so I ca to check on you all."
Manager Zheng, however, said sternly, "That won’t do; other formalities can be discarded, but those involving respect for the teacher and the path cannot be. By lunchti, Zheng Gu and Zheng Shao must certainly co to visit."
That ans preparations at ho to entertain guests are necessary.
Manager Zheng then drew close to Zhou Man and changed the topic, quietly asking, "Doctor Zhou Junior, is your family planning to form a marriage connection with the Liu family?"
With Imperial Doctor Liu having ntioned it and both families being satisfied, and the younger ones having mutual interest, the matter is almost settled. Therefore, Manbao replied, with a smile, "At that ti, I’ll invite Manager Zheng to the wedding feast."
Manager Zheng felt a bitter pang in his heart, overwheld with both jealousy and admiration, sighing, "My son Zheng Gu is older than Ms. Doctor Liu, yet hasn’t found a suitable young lady even now."
He actually still thinks Zhou Lijun would be a good match, but unfortunately, Zheng Gu doesn’t like her.
At this ti, seeing Zhou Man, he couldn’t help but hint, "Doctor Zhou Junior, you have a niece of marriageable age, right? When will she beco engaged?"
Having accompanied her mother with her Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother to et many suitors, Manbao was extrely familiar with such introductions; in those two years, she had seen eight out of ten girls Zhou SiLang and Zhou Wulang t, often serving as a bystander.
Being well acquainted with such opening words, she imdiately shook her head, saying, "Lijun and Zheng Gu aren’t suitable."
Manager Zheng hadn’t expected her denial to be so straightforward and was stunned before asking, "Why?"
Manbao replied, "Zheng Gu’s temperant is too soft; my family’s Lijun is very capable."
After speaking, she glanced at Manager Zheng, knowing without needing her mother to remind her that Lijun and the Zheng family wouldn’t make a good match.
Lijun is ambitious, whereas Zheng Gu is not. Moreover, in the Zheng family, being rely the second branch, although currently they hold an advantage, internal plotting abounds.
Though Manager Zheng manages Jishi Hall excellently, from Doctor Ding and the others’ words, she knows the Zheng family significantly influences the pharmacy.
Lijun would gain no advantage entering the Zheng family, only facing restrictions everywhere, which wouldn’t benefit Zheng Gu, the Zheng family, Zhou Lijun, or the Zhou Family.
Manbao further said, "My family’s Lijun is a person who can traverse the grasslands to collect dicinal materials or enter the inner courtyard to sell whitening cream."
Manager Zheng opened his mouth, but reconsidering his son’s cowardly nature, he accepted defeat, nodding, "Indeed, Zheng Gu doesn’t match Lijun."
Yet Manbao smilingly said, "It’s not about matching or not matching; it’s about whether they are compatible."
She contemplated a bit, feeling the need to show so concern for this primary disciple, saying to Manager Zheng, "Manager Zheng, this marriage matter should consider whether the young couple likes each other. Only if they like each other can the days pass smoothly; otherwise, forced together, if their life isn’t good, they’d bla their elders. Matters between husband and wife could even turn into family matters."
Manager Zheng, seeing her speak so wisely despite her young age, couldn’t help but chuckle and said, "Doctor Zhou Junior, you haven’t married yet, so how do you have such an understanding?"
Manbao replied, "I may not be married, but I’m engaged. Moreover, I’ve seen many from childhood to adulthood."
She continued, "I have six brothers, and it was only after they had personal interest that the family arranged their marriage. My mother has said, living dostically is a matter between the young couple; it depends on their satisfaction."
Originally, she hadn’t paid much attention to such things until her Sixth Brother’s talk of engagent, being picky and never settling.
Her father once wanted to forcefully set him an engagent, choose him a wife to marry, and be done with it.
In his words, once he marries and they share a bed, how could he not want a wife?
But her mother disagreed. Fearful of her picking up bad habits from her father’s example, she used their family and local examples to educate her.
"Look at Dazhu and Dazhu’s wife, aren’t they generally harmonious? Yet the other day, their quarrel beca really unpleasant, involving both families’ elders, even your eldest sister-in-law argued with Dazhu’s wife’s mother."
This eldest sister-in-law is naturally not Junior Ms. Qian, but the village head’s wife. The village head, being of Manbao’s generation but older, she usually calls the village head’s wife her eldest sister-in-law.
Dazhu is the village head’s eldest son; back in the day, it was arranged by both families for them to marry, although it’s said neither Dazhu nor Dazhu’s wife liked each other.
Ms. Qian said, "If it’s not soone you fancy yourself, in future when life isn’t great, there’s plenty to resent. But if it’s soone you’ve chosen and agreed to the engagent, even if their life isn’t great, it remains between the young couple, chewing through gritted teeth is their burden."
For instance, herself.
No matter how hard life was at the Zhou Family, she never blad her own parents or the Zhou parents for a day because it was her choice.
Because back then, she fancied Zhou Jin himself.
"Your five elder brothers and sisters-in-law, though each was originally just introduced, still only decided when mutual feelings existed. You think they remained harmonious post-marriage?" Ms. Qian said, "In married life, argunts are inevitable, hardly not even teeth sotis bite each other. Yet, if they lock the door and argue among themselves, it doesn’t spoil the whole family. Unlike Dazhu and Dazhu’s wife, each quarrel airs the grievances for both elders, even overwhelming affection wears away slowly."
"Thus, forming a marriage connection must consider the two families, but above all, the young couple’s own wishes."
At this mont, Manbao earnestly advised Manager Zheng, "Manager Zheng, when choosing a daughter-in-law, you ought to pick one whom Zheng Gu likes and likes him in return. Only then can the young couple live well."
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