Jinyi Spring

Chapter 75 Apprenticeship
The second gate was already locked, but the Duke of Ming suddenly felt like playing. He leaped up, grabbed the top of the wall with both hands, and flipped over.

After landing and regaining his footing, he patted his dusty hands, looked up at the high wall, then at the night sky, feeling as if he had been transported to another world.

How many years has it been since I've used a VPN like this?
It seems that Shangguan Shi died two or three years after contracting that disease.

He was only in his early twenties at the time.

Time flies, and the world changes in the blink of an eye.

Although they still treated each other with respect, the intimacy and understanding of their youth were gone... The pleasures they shared in bed had long since become a forgotten memory.

The Duke suddenly arrived late at night, and the once quiet main courtyard instantly became noisy.

Madam Ming had already gone to bed, but when she heard that her husband had arrived, she quickly sat up and tidied her messy hair.

Just as she was about to apply some rouge, the Duke of Ming's footsteps reached the door.

He stepped inside, pressed his wife down, and said, "Madam, please sit down and talk."

The maid followed in and asked with a smile, "Shall I ask the kitchen to cook a few side dishes for the Duke to enjoy with his wine?"

Duke Ming waved his hand, "No need, it's late, I'll rest here."

Madam Ming was in a dilemma and said softly, "I'm not feeling well today. Should you go and settle Wanru in?"

Duke Ming shook his head and went straight to the washroom.

The maid went in to help him wash up.

After getting into bed, the servants took their leave.

A pale yellow gauze lantern shone in the corner, casting a faint light through the silk curtains.

Without makeup, Lady Shangguan's wrinkles were obvious, her eyes were lifeless, and her cheeks were sunken. The ravages of time had robbed her of her former beauty.

The image of that little girl from over twenty years ago suddenly appeared before my eyes—beautiful, lively, and full of life…

Duke Ming felt a pang of tenderness and grasped Madam Ming's cold hand, saying, "Xuanxuan, I've heard that Miss Feng is extremely skilled in gynecology. How about having her come and take a look at you?"

Madam Ming's maiden name was Shangguan Xuanxuan, and she hadn't heard her husband call her that in a long time.

Her eyes welled up with tears, and her nose tingled with emotion.

But upon hearing the words "see a doctor," my heart sank again. How could this illness possibly be cured?

She felt bitter. Sure enough, without the intimacy of marriage, even the deepest love would eventually fade.

Madam Ming countered, "Miss Feng, are you a descendant of Physician Feng, the one who invented the Feng Family Choking Treatment Method?"

"Exactly."

Madam Ming sighed deeply, "She's only fifteen or sixteen years old. Even with the best medical skills, how good can she be, especially when it comes to gynecological diseases? Even the most skilled imperial physician in gynecology couldn't cure my illness..."

"Master, I'm so sorry. You're in the prime of your life, but I can no longer serve you. Please, just make Wanru a proper concubine. With her serving you for a long time, I'll have peace of mind."

He choked up as he spoke.

She developed a serious hidden illness after a difficult childbirth when she gave birth to her second son. Her condition worsened because she took care of her mother-in-law shortly after giving birth. She has been treated for many years but has not been cured, and she can no longer take care of her husband.

She had no choice but to suppress her heartache and prepare two maids for her husband to share his bed.

She knew that her husband had taken Wanru as a concubine, so she kept Wanru with her until now.

The Duke of Ming's face flushed slightly, and he gently advised, "Miss Feng does indeed possess extraordinary abilities. I've heard she has saved several women from the brink of death..."

Madam Ming said, "Doctor Feng is arrogant and stubborn. Apart from being able to use the Yin Shen Needle, her other medical skills are far inferior to those of Doctor Zhou and the deceased Doctor Cai, not to mention Doctor Shan, who is skilled in gynecology. Her successor is so young, can she really do it?"

Apart from her closest relatives and two imperial physicians skilled in gynecology, she was unwilling to tell anyone about this hidden ailment.

They were even more unwilling to let Dr. Feng's descendants treat her. Back then, if Dr. Feng hadn't refused to treat her, she wouldn't have fallen so seriously ill…

Duke Mingguo insisted, "It's common for people with great talent to be arrogant and lack social skills. Miss Feng is not like Doctor Feng; she's quite perceptive. It wouldn't hurt to let her give it a try."

"My father, Shanyue, and Ruyu all had a very good impression of her. I heard that Commander Jin's young wife was also saved by her acupuncture..."

Seeing her husband's insistence, Madam Ming had no choice but to compromise.

"Okay, let's give it a try. I dream of getting cured."

Thinking to himself, he decided to have someone investigate thoroughly first, and if she did indeed have some real skills, then he would invite her to treat his patients.

-

Feeling completely limp, Feng Chuchen lay in bed until the following evening, eating all her meals in bed.

I finally felt some strength returning to my body.

Looking at the red glow of the window screen, I realized it was time to leave school.

After getting up and washing up, Feng Chuchen went to the entrance of the private school to meet Feng Buji. The two siblings then went to the street corner to buy lotus leaf chicken.

Feng Buji whispered, "Sister, I've taken a fancy to another fine young man. He's the older brother of my classmate. He's handsome and has already passed the imperial examination at the county level..."

Feng Chuchen quickly interrupted him, "Maybe he even has a son."

A few days ago, the little guy took a fancy to a new mother's younger brother. Just because the younger brother was a scholar, he didn't mind the "filth" of the maternity and children's clinic and boldly entered the clinic.

They only gave up after finding out that the man already had a son.

Today I saw my classmate's older brother, who is good-looking and I heard he's a scholar, and I started having some ulterior motives.

Feng Buji said, "I've asked him. He's not engaged yet and doesn't have any chronic illnesses. My sister is already fifteen; we can't delay any longer..."

Feng Chuchen could only say, "Now that I'm a renowned doctor, my standards have risen, and ordinary scholars are no longer a good match for me."

Feng Buji thought about it and agreed, "Sister is so good, she should find someone even better."

On the third day, Feng Chuchen lay in bed for another morning.

Fortunately, no one has bothered me during this time, including the clinic next door.

In the afternoon, Feng Chuchen felt that she had recovered almost completely, so she went to sit in the courtyard to bask in the sun.

This body is not afraid of the cold normally because it cannot feel the cold.

Only after receiving the acupuncture treatment will one feel cold.

The sun shines brightly, the autumn breeze is gentle, and the sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows that feel warm and comfortable on the skin.

Chrysanthemums and orchids are in full bloom, and the pomegranates in the neighboring yard are starting to turn red, which can also be seen in this yard.

A woman is giving birth, and faint cries can be heard from her.

This sound has become commonplace in the neighborhood.

Feng Chuchen watched as the peony tended to the flowers and plants, occasionally offering a few words of advice.

Peony isn't good at many things, but when it comes to planting flowers and grass, and fighting, she's an absolute master.

Mu Jin sat on the veranda making clothes for Feng Buji.

This child, though young, was far more meticulous than the clumsy Peony; she did all the delicate chores around the house. The courtyard gate creaked open, and Hibiscus got up and ran to open it.

She turned around and reported, "Miss, Young Master Shangguan has arrived."

Feng Chuchen stood up and said, "Please come in."

Wearing a bamboo hat, Duan Yan personally drove an ordinary horse-drawn carriage into the courtyard.

Two plainclothes guards got out of the car first, and Shangguan Ruyu landed gracefully.

He beamed, his slightly upturned peach blossom eyes flashing at Feng Chuchen a few times.

Standing amidst a sea of ​​flowers, he is the most outstanding one.

Why is this person a man? If it were a woman, who knows how much trouble she would cause.

Even the worldly-wise Feng Chuchen gave him a mental thumbs up.

He raised his hand in invitation, "Young Master Shangguan, please come in."

Mu Jin blushed slightly with excitement, and her hands trembled a little as she carried the tray. When serving the tea, she only glanced at him briefly before lowering her eyes and standing behind Feng Chuchen.

Feng Chuchen was very satisfied with this little girl. She was curious, but she could control herself and had a very good sense of propriety.

Peony dared not look at Shangguan Ruyu so openly as last time, so she slipped next door and quietly called over Banxia, ​​Zisu, and Zifu.

Feng Chuchen had already instructed that Shangguan Ruyu's visit must be kept secret.

The girls had been disappointed for a long time because they hadn't seen Shangguan Ruyu.

They didn't dare go inside, but pretended to walk around the yard, quickly glancing inside before heading to the kitchen to whisper among themselves.

Feng Chuchen didn't dislike girls liking to look at beautiful women. She didn't mean anything by it; it was just a simple appreciation and longing for beautiful things, much like how young girls in her previous life chased after celebrities.

Shangguan Ruyu said, "The government has agreed to sell the land behind your house. The officials will come to measure it tomorrow."

Feng Chuchen was overjoyed; it really was true that having connections in the court made things much easier.

She had already planned it out: build several rows of houses to serve as the main residence, and use the old clinic courtyard as the outpatient department and logistics department.

It allows them to earn more money themselves and also serve more women and children.

Shangguan Ruyu then took out two more silver notes, plus a ten-tael silver ingot and a five-tael silver ingot, and handed them to Feng Chuchen.

"Lord Xiao is recovering very well. Not only his wounds, but his whole body is much better. Thank you, young master. Here, this is my thank-you gift, and this is Ming Shanyue's thank-you gift. This silver is for Aunt Wang and that maid; they've worked hard too."

Feng Chuchen hadn't expected there to be a thank-you gift, which Ming Shanyue also gave.

She was short of money to support her clinic, so she accepted the money without hesitation.

Two hundred taels of silver each, and Feng Chuchen was so happy that her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Although there has been a constant stream of pregnant women staying at the inn, the accommodation fees for the first two months were discounted, and we still have to support so many staff members, pay taxes, give gifts to the government officials, and now we need to expand the clinic... Every single one of these costs a lot of money.
We're short of money, really short of money.

This was the first time Shangguan Ruyu had seen Feng Chuchen smile so brightly and radiantly. Before, her smiles were always faint, never reaching her eyes.

Your smile today seemed to brighten the whole room.

He thought to himself, "So Miss Feng likes gold and silver. This hobby is different from Old Doctor Feng's, and it doesn't match her otherworldly temperament at all."

Then I thought, Miss Feng is straightforward and unpretentious; she likes what she likes and dislikes what she dislikes, which is much better than those affected, pretentious so-called noble ladies. Also, she's so fair-skinned, even fairer than my naturally beautiful self…

Feng Chuchen saw that Shangguan Ruyu's mouth was slightly open, staring straight at him.

She stuffed the silver note into her purse and reminded her, "What kind of eyes do you have? I'm a girl from a good family."

Shangguan Ruyu looked away and then at her, her peach blossom eyes filled with resentment, and her voice rose two decibels.

"Almost every young lady wants me to glance at her a few more times, but you alone show me such disdain. Let me reiterate, I have no designs on you."

"And I never forced the young lady. Neither did the young man."

Duan Yan, standing behind him, closed his eyes. Wasn't this just a case of protesting too much? His young master acted like a fool whenever he met Miss Feng.

Shangguan Ruyu looked at Feng Chuchen more closely and asked, "I think your skin is much fairer and smoother than before, and you don't have any pimples anymore. What kind of cream are you using?"

Feng Chuchen touched her cheek and said, "I'm drinking a beauty soup that I made myself."

Shangguan Ruyu reached out and said, "Give me the prescription. I've been using too much Tianyou oil, and I've developed a lot of pimples on my face."

Who are Gai and Tian?

"He's the leading martial arts actor in the Hongqing Opera Troupe. I've seen too many bloody people in prison, so I enjoy watching Gai Hetian's plays, listening to Xiao Aman's songs, and I also like pinching Xiao Aman's slender waist..."

Realizing he'd let something slip, he coughed twice and added, "Hehe, if you're interested, I'll take you to see a play another day."

Women can only watch the show; the latter two things are best left unsaid.

Feng Chuchen's heart skipped a beat; this was a perfect opportunity to advertise.

She said, "I'm not interested in listening to opera, but I can help him get some skin treatments. I can't give you the prescription, but I have extra beauty powder; give him some."

She got up and took a packet of powder wrapped in oil paper. "Mix it with water and drink it three times a day. If it works, have him come here to find me."

Shangguan Ruyu happily accepted it, saying, "Thank you."

He handed the medicine packet to Duan Yan, pursed his thin lips, and his usually smiling peach blossom eyes suddenly lost their smile, gleaming with a strange and focused light.

“I’ve been fascinated by medicine since I was a child, especially ulcers. But my mother and father wouldn’t let me study it, saying it was a waste of my potential and would bring shame to them. I had no choice but to study it secretly.”

A self-deprecating smile played on his lips. "When I was little, I used to harm mice, frogs, and rabbits. I would also linger by the chicken coop and dog hole to watch hens lay eggs and female dogs give birth. As I grew up, I loved to sneak into the Ministry of Justice prison, not only to observe the executions and how prisoners were injured, but also to treat their wounds."

He suddenly became engrossed, his eyes filled with excitement and satisfaction.

"Seeing those bodies bruised by whips, cut by blades, burned by branding irons, and pinched by clamps, after I treated them, those wounds healed..."

"That feeling was incredibly exhilarating. At first, my medical skills were lacking, and the prisoners were screaming in agony, like they were being subjected to a second form of torture. Hehe, it's much better now."

He then proudly raised his chin.

Feng Chuchen's lips twitched. What a pervert. However, this also further confirmed that many of the rumors surrounding him were false.

He's a surgeon specializing in ulcer surgery, not... well, you know.

Her expression turned serious, and she solemnly said, "The essence of learning medicine lies in helping people and saving lives, not in torturing people and animals. Prisoners are also human beings. Treating them as playthings to hone one's skills, no matter how exquisite the skills may be, will run counter to 'benevolence and skill,' and will ultimately earn one the reputation of an evil doctor."

Shangguan Ruyu explained, "I have a very soft heart. Prison doctors usually don't use anesthetic to treat prisoners' injuries, which often makes people feel like they're dying. But I often pay for that stuff out of my own pocket, and I can stitch up better than the prison doctors. The prisoners all look forward to me treating their injuries."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, "Let me tell you another secret. I've practiced my skills on unclaimed corpses in the mortuary and even spied on coroners dissecting bodies. I think neither the coroners nor the surgeons are as skilled at stitching as you."

He sat up straight again and said, "Miss Feng, I would like to become your apprentice and learn surgery from you."

Feng Chuchen looked at Shangguan Ruyu. This child was almost obsessed with surgery, and being born into the imperial family, his influence was so great that it reached the ceiling.

He can promote certain medical principles that he couldn't promote in ancient times, and he can serve patients to the greatest extent possible. Maintaining a stronger relationship will benefit both himself and the clinic.

Feng Chuchen was very willing to teach him.