Manbao shook her head and quietly asked, "Are they officials or just ordinary commoners?"
County Magistrate Tang straightened his back, looked at Manbao with disdain, and said, "With matters like these, even if people file complaints, officials typically don’t investigate deeply."
The current dynasty’s mourning regulations aren’t extrely strict. It mainly forbids celebrations; as long as you don’t plan on matchmaking, marrying, starting a business, or moving house with large banquets within the three-month mourning period, generally personal matters between couples aren’t monitored.
In the entire Great Jin, there are nearly four million households, with ordinary commoners accounting for ninety percent. Can you really expect so many people to live like monks for three months?
County Magistrate Tang stared at Manbao and asked in a low voice, "Is soone in your family expecting a child?"
Manbao thought for a mont and said, "Yes, it’s still early, just one month, so it’s not appropriate to talk about it. I’ve only told you so far."
County Magistrate Tang: ... Liar, why ask about the mourning period if it’s only been a month?
But she’s a doctor, so if she says so, then it must be.
Manbao returned to Chongwen Pavilion and went to find Mr. Zhuang, discussing early pregnancy precautions with him.
Mr. Zhuang listened attentively, returned ho, and told Zhou Dalang, "Manbao said your sixth brother’s wife is due around the sa ti as Dalang’s wife, the difference is only a couple of days."
Zhou Dalang was confused, "Wasn’t she due a month earlier?"
Liulang and the others were planning to tell the Qiu Family after the first month.
Mr. Zhuang said, "It’s the sa as Dalang’s wife, just a month and a half now, so it’s not clear through pulse diagnosis. Wait another two months before talking about it; don’t ntion it to the Qiu Family either."
He continued, "After all, it’s too close to the mourning period, and Manbao is an official, so it’s awkward to talk about."
Only then did Zhou Dalang understand and promptly agreed, "Thank you, sir, I’ll go tell Liulang now."
Zhou Liulang hadn’t anticipated such a matter; they were just ordinary folks who knew one shouldn’t arrange marriages or celebrations during national mourning but didn’t know even... cough cough... would be restricted.
Zhou Dalang asked him, "Do your parents-in-law know about your wife’s pregnancy?"
"...No," Zhou Liulang said, "because Sister-in-law said it’s too early, talking about it could harm the child, so none of us has ntioned it."
Only Manbao couldn’t hold back, joyfully told Bai Shan and Bai Erlang once diagnosed, and then everyone else knew; otherwise, it would just be the Zhou Family knowing.
Zhou Dalang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then postpone it by a month, it’s better that way. Let the child be a bit older before telling others, it’s more stable."
Zhou Liulang nodded repeatedly; he didn’t want to cause any trouble for Manbao and worried, "Are officials really so strict? Will soone co and investigate our house?"
Zhou Dalang reassured him, "No, if we don’t talk about it, who will investigate? Besides, Manbao being a doctor, with her tending to our ailnts, she decides the tiline."
Zhou Liulang thought about it and felt relieved.
He went back inside to discuss with Ms. Qiu, who was slightly disappointed, "I thought we could soon tell my parents, make them happy."
"Just wait another month; then we’ll tell them ourselves," Zhou Liulang said, "Big Brother says Mr. Zhuang ntioned this morning that officials who don’t adhere to regulations during mourning were all demoted, one even expelled from the capital and uncertain if he could return."
Ms. Qiu, hearing this, imdiately replied, "Then let’s be cautious, I’ll stay ho more, and we ensure a consistent story among the sister-in-laws."
Ms. Qiu blushed, feeling a bit annoyed, and couldn’t help but give Zhou Liulang a gentle punch, "It’s all your fault; how will I face people when going out now?"
Zhou Liulang: ...
But in the Zhou Family, nothing seed amiss; the following day, everyone treated her as usual. Even in the Bai Family, no negative chatter erged; Ms. Cheng even ca by to play with her, "We’re due around the sa ti; I’m planning to make clothes for the baby, want to join?"
Ms. Qiu imdiately nodded; the two entered together, arriving and becoming pregnant around the sa ti. Though one was a lady from an official family and the other a rchant’s daughter, they got along well.
And so they went together.
Seeing this, Zhou Liulang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Manbao had ntioned that pregnant won tend to overthink, so engaging them prevents excessive brooding that could harm both body and child.
anwhile, Manbao, in the palace, received precise updates from Mr. Zhuang and was completely reassured, starting to organize the Imperial Hospital’s free clinic.
Doctor Xiao confidently suggested, "For this free clinic, besides Zheng Gu and those twelve, we pick eighty more from the Imperial Hospital as assistants, even if just observing procedures helps them learn."
Imperial Doctor Liu had no objections, "Learning so minor skills and offering assistance would be beneficial."
Manbao said, "I’ve reviewed the lists of discounted dicinal supplies from each distributor; we have all essential herbs covered. I’ve asked Zheng Gu and the others to copy them, and once done, everyone gets a copy."
Doctor Xiao responded, "Then let’s set the date and announce it. Zheng Gu and the team should morize these herbs to avoid using non-discounted items, or it could look bad."
Manbao thought for a while, then said, "Today is the ninth, the fifteenth will surely be bustling, but it’s not convenient for us."
Back during Mid-Autumn, there was a stampede incident in the capital; though it didn’t escalate due to the Empress Dowager’s demise, County Magistrate Tang was reprimanded, and a record was made.
However, he had captured several human traffickers, leading to the uncovering and elimination of a well-active trafficking ring around the capital region. It was said his subordinates chased the culprits all the way to Tangzhou.
Even Doctor Xiao and others at the Imperial Hospital heard about the incident; most girls were destined to be sold to Jiangnan, possibly never to return.
Due to the Empress Dowager’s death, this rit went uncelebrated, ending with balanced rits and faults.
During New Year’s, County Magistrate Tang imposed strict controls in the capital, influencing County Magistrate Guo in Wan Nian County to act more assertively. With most nobility still in mourning, besides a few wealthy rchants, few dared to indulge publicly.
Thus the year was particularly peaceful; yet Doctor Xiao knew several herbal shops were assigned spots on another street, prohibiting them from clustering.
He was also concerned about potential mishaps during a Lantern Festival clinic, thus said, "Let’s postpone to the eighteenth, scheduling it from the eighteenth to the twenty-first; should be safe."
Manbao and others pondered, all without objections, and agreed.
With the date set, Imperial Doctor Liu drafted a morandum for approval.
The authorities, seeing their request mainly sought personnel for maintaining order and so basic supplies, readily approved.
The first task was handed to the capital prefecture, which delegated it to the county magistrates; it didn’t impose on them. The supplies were easy; departnts pooled resources, moved items from storerooms as needed, and returned them post-clinic, keeping matters simple.
User Comments
0 comments from readers