The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 211

With the situation outside unfavorable, the wealthy families in Changzhou all stayed indoors, afraid to move.

The shops on the street were all closed, but the Zhao family's Baicaotang clinic was still open every day, and Dr. Zhao was still seeing patients.

The owners of several other pharmacies in the same industry were all cursing: "The Zhao family is so greedy for money that they don't even care about their lives."

When someone told them that there was a large notice in front of Zhao Family's Hundred Herbs Hall, and that the notice contained such and such, the crowd mocked them again: trying to gain the sympathy of the rebels with this.

That's incredibly naive!

Inside the county government office, the man who had proclaimed himself General Ma was listening to a report from his subordinate.

"In such a large city as Changzhou, only one shop is open?"

"Yes, General, there's a notice posted on the door of that pharmacy called Baicaotang."

General Ma nodded after listening.

"Pass down the order: no one is to go to Baicaotang to cause them trouble. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

"Yes, General."

To be honest, they were also shocked when they saw the notice: people eat grains and get sick, and everyone has parents, wives and children. It's not good for anyone to be sick. Allowing this pharmacy to open for business is a blessing.

Sure enough, General Ma thought so too. This decree was an invisible protective umbrella for Baicaotang, so it seemed that Baicaotang would have no trouble opening its doors for consultations.

"In addition, all businesses must open for business within three days, especially grain shops, which are related to the livelihood of the people. If they do not open to store grain, it will be confiscated."

"Yes, General."

General Ma was not a reckless man; he was also a man who understood politics and worldly affairs.

He knew all too well that occupying Changzhou was only the first step; true occupation meant winning the submission of the people of Changzhou.

When the order to open the doors was given, the businesses, big and small, felt like the sky had fallen!

Are there any good food or household goods stores that have reopened?

Those thieves... those government soldiers eat and take without paying, how can this shop continue to operate?

In the end, they lost everything, even their underwear.

The managers of the four grain shops, who might have been enemies in normal times, were now as close as brothers.

They hid in Wan's small hall to discuss: How should the shop be opened? How should the grain price be set?
Finally, everyone agreed that grain prices would continue to rise, and selling everything now would mean missing a great opportunity to make a fortune.

After consultation, it was decided that sales would be limited and prices would be double those before the unrest.

Every day, once they sell out, they close up shop.

General Ma can't say the store isn't open. We're doing this for everyone's benefit, limiting sales each day to prevent wealthy people from buying more while those with less money can't.

Regardless of who it is, how much money they have, or how high or low their official rank, each household can only buy two jin (a unit of weight) based on their household registration certificate.

When General Ma learned of this, he cursed under his breath: "Shady businessman!"

When the people saw that the grain price had been raised, they flocked to the market. They accepted the rule that they could only buy two catties of grain a day with their household permits, mainly because their families were already struggling to make ends meet and they wanted to buy some to keep them alive.

As a result, long queues formed outside the four major grain stores in Changzhou every day. Those who bought grain were overjoyed, while those who didn't were devastated, as it meant another day of hunger.

Some people simply refused to leave, sitting and waiting outside the grain store all night long, preventing pedestrians from passing through the street.

General Ma saw this but couldn't do anything about it.

Similarly, the situation in other stores was no better than that in the grain store.

Because soldiers were indeed coming into the store to eat, drink, and take bribes, causing them great distress, the store would only be open for one hour in the morning and then closed in the afternoon under the pretext of being sold out.

Only Baicaotang is actually open for business every day.

The merchants all thought this was normal: Who the hell would go and rob medicine for no reason? They weren't afraid of theft or robbery, so of course they dared to open for business.

Of course, even during such turbulent times, Baicaotang risked opening its doors and continuing to provide normal medical services, and the cost of medicine remained the same as usual.

This has made many patients' families extremely grateful. They all say that the Bodhisattva has blessed the owner of Baicaotang with a long life, a happy and healthy family, and the birth of ten or eight sons.

Whether it was the prayers of the patient's family that worked or not, even amidst the chaos outside, Chunnuan seemed listless and lacked any energy.

At first, I thought it was because I had a big fight with Zhao Minghua that night.

So I didn't let him make a fuss for several nights, and I felt uncomfortable.

Zhao Minghua is a loving husband, so he naturally restrains himself when his wife is uncomfortable.

His wife wasn't feeling well, so he specifically asked Zhou Ma to make some fish soup for her to help her recover.

"Young Madam, this is fish soup that the young master specially asked Zhou Ma to make for you." Baihe brought in the soup: "Zhou Ma told you to drink it while it's hot, otherwise it will taste fishy when it gets cold."

"Ugh, I don't really want to drink it."

However, since this was a gift from both Zhao Minghua and Zhou Ma, Chunnuan had no choice but to accept the bowl and drink the fish soup.
Just as it was brought to my lips, I suddenly felt uncomfortable, and then my stomach churned.

Chunnuan hurriedly put down her bowl and ran to the bathroom, where she vomited violently.

"Young Madam, are you alright?"

Lily was startled: "Should we call a doctor to take a look?"

Chunnuan ignored her and continued vomiting until bile came out, at which point she felt a little better.

Lily quickly poured a glass of warm water and brought it over for her to rinse her mouth.

"Young mistress, shall I go and fetch Doctor Chen to take a look at you?"

"What are you looking at?" Dingxiang walked in. "Is the young mistress feeling unwell?"

"I'm fine, please stop arguing."

Chunnuan is feeling very irritable right now and doesn't want to hear them talking loudly.

The two looked at each other and then remained silent.

After a while, Lily was still worried.

"The young mistress just vomited."

She asked Dingxiang whether to call a doctor or tell the young master.

"I told you all to be quiet and let me have some peace and quiet."

Spring's warmth is almost enough to make one furious.

She had always had a good temper and was always kind to her servants; she had never been this irritable before.

The two of them fell silent again.

Suddenly, Dingxiang remembered something.

"Young mistress, please punish me as you wish, I still have something to say." Dingxiang said, "Baihe said you vomited just now, and I just remembered that you should have changed your clothes on the sixth day of the month. Now it's the eighteenth, and you still haven't changed your clothes. Are you sick?"

Spring warmth looked at the lilacs, and thought, "That girl's reminder was so timely!"
She really thought she had a stomach upset.

In fact...

Okay, hurry up and take your own pulse.

Sure enough, it was a slippery pulse!

"Young Madam, are you alright?"

Seeing Chunnuan taking her pulse, the two maids suddenly remembered that their young mistress was the granddaughter and direct disciple of Physician Xiao. Minor ailments were no challenge for her, and she could easily diagnose herself.

"Young Madam..."

"It's alright. Just tell Aunt Zhou that I've been eating oily and greasy food lately, and ask her to make me something light and refreshing at the end."

What could possibly be wrong with her?
No, something is wrong. She diagnosed it with a slippery pulse, even though the patient's condition was still young.

According to calculations, the melon was planted during that daytime commotion.

Thinking about it now, I still feel a little scared. Fortunately, I haven't let him cause any trouble these past few days.

"Dingxiang, have Qingsheng come here."

"Yes, young mistress."

I don't know why I'm asking for a birthday celebration.
I just do whatever my master tells me to do.

Qing Sheng was dumbfounded after hearing the young mistress's instructions.

"Young Madam, you said you'd tidy up the study so that the young master can sleep there starting tonight?" Could he have misheard?
Ever since the young master got married, except when he went out to discuss business, which night did he not stay in the Warm Fragrance Pavilion?

Even on days when the young mistress is inconvenient, he didn't sleep in a separate bed. Today, he actually made her manage the study. The young mistress wants to send the young master to sleep in the study.
What heinous crime did the young master commit?

What made the young mistress hate him so much that she wouldn't even let him into her room?

Furthermore, if he were to actually take charge of it, and the young master disagreed, wouldn't he be scolded again?

"Young Madam, is this the young master's order?"

Something just doesn't feel right.

"No, this is my order. Are you going to disobey me?"

Chunnuan retorted, "Didn't your young master say that I'm in charge of Nuanchun Pavilion and everyone has to listen to me? What, you have a problem with that?"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare have any objections, I only have one suggestion."

Qingsheng was clearly trying to survive. Seriously, he couldn't afford to offend either the young mistress or the young master, so it was better to get to the bottom of things.

To prevent the innocent bystanders from being harmed by a fire at the city gate.

"If you're afraid, then go do it. Stop talking nonsense here."

"Yes, young mistress."

This is really bad! The young master has really offended the young mistress this time. The young mistress used to never speak like this. She was always very polite to the servants. Now she almost started cursing.

I wonder what the young master did to make the young mistress so angry. Maybe we should go and remind him.

Zhao Minghua returned from running errands and was stopped by Qingsheng before she could even enter Nuanxiang Pavilion.

"Young master, I have something to ask you."

"Speak your mind or shut up. Can't you see I'm busy?"

He has important news to tell Chunnuan.

"Young Master, how did you offend Young Madam?"

Who offended?
"The young mistress doesn't want you to stay in the Warm Fragrance Pavilion anymore. She instructed me to prepare the study for you to sleep in tonight."

what?
Zhao Minghua was stunned.

"Who among you caused this mess and made me take the blame?"

How could Chunnuan possibly kick him out and not let him stay at Nuanxiang Pavilion?
I can't sleep at night if I don't sleep with her. What kind of good man sleeps in a separate room from his wife at such a young age?
Isn't this nonsense?

"Young master, where are you going?"

"Where to go? Naturally, to find the reason."

Zhao Minghua wasn't disobeying orders; she just wanted to know the truth.

Even if I die, I want to die knowing why, so I don't die unjustly.

She strode into the Warm Fragrance Pavilion, only to find that none of the maids were there, and Chun Nuan was sitting on the couch, dozing off.

Seeing this, Zhao Minghua felt both heartache and pity, and quickly went forward to gently pick up the person and place them on the bed.

Normally, spring warmth would surely awaken.

However, she was fast asleep at this moment, and turned over and continued to sleep.

Zhao Minghua... it seems like she's angry, but not really; yet, it seems like she's just sulking.

Should I wake her up?

Never mind, let her get enough sleep first.

Yes, why don't we ask the girl what happened?

When Dingxiang and Baihe said that Chunnuan was vomiting badly, she took her own pulse and asked Zhou Ma to make her diet lighter... She checked each symptom one by one, but found nothing wrong.

It's probably just because of poor health.

Otherwise, go ask Dr. Chen and buy her some medicine while you're at it.

After hearing about the symptoms, Doctor Chen glanced at his third young master.

"Didn't the young mistress tell you what illness it was?"

It felt like their young master wasn't there to ask questions, but rather to test them.

"No, she's asleep."

"The young mistress eats light meals and sleeps very well."

That's the symptom.

"Young master, I can't treat illnesses from afar, but I can read faces and tell fortunes." Doctor Chen decided to try and fool this naive young man: "I can tell that you will have good news within three days."

"..."

Zhao Minghua... Why is the old man acting all mysterious?

After practicing medicine at home for two or three decades, is he now going to change his ways and become a shaman?

When did he learn face reading and fortune telling?

"Young master, if you don't have any great joy within three days, I'll treat you to a drink. If you do have great joy, don't forget to treat me to a drink."

Anyway, he's determined to drink this wine.

"Looks like you're really into alcohol."

Ignore him and go home.

When Chunnuan returned to the Fragrant Pavilion, she had just gotten up and gone to the washroom.

He was taken aback when he saw Zhao Minghua: "Why didn't you go to the study to rest?"

"That's exactly what I was going to ask you. What rule did you break that you're being banished to the study?"

"You are not fit to sleep in this room."

The warmth of spring is a concern because people might not be able to resist the urge to get close. The first three months are the most crucial time, and it's something that really can't be taken lightly.

Give me a reason.

Zhao Minghua was still confused. She went through everything she had done recently, but couldn't find anything that was bad for her.

How did they get exiled?

"come here."

Zhao Minghua quickly went over.

Chunnuan whispered something in his ear, and Zhao Minghua was completely stunned.

"you……"

How come he's about to become a father?
Is that child already growing inside the wife's belly?

No, the child is here, so why can't the father sleep here?
"I'm just afraid you'll hurt him because you're clumsy."

"How could that be? He's inside you, how could I hurt him..."

Suddenly, Zhao Minghua realized how he had been hurt.

"I promise, I'll stay far away from your belly, as far as the Chu-Han border can separate us." Zhao Minghua quickly swore, "You're pregnant, how can I move to the study to enjoy some peace and quiet? I can take care of you if you need any water or food at night, I can't go to the study."

This excuse sounds so convincing that there's no way to refute it.

"Dr. Chen is absolutely right."

Zhao Minghua suddenly blurted out, "Could it be that he really can read faces?"

"What?"

Spring warmth evoked a puzzled question.

"Dr. Chen said I would have good news within three days, and sure enough, I'm going to be a father. It's definitely good news. Hmm, I'll invite him for drinks tomorrow."

After learning the whole story, Chunnuan pursed her lips. This man was actually so easily fooled when it came to this kind of thing.

Is it better to call him stupid or naive?
All I can say is that Dr. Chen saw through it all but didn't say anything and even deliberately made things mysterious; he's truly a cunning old fox.

Qingsheng knew that the young master wouldn't go back to the study to sleep, and he secretly rejoiced: Luckily, he hadn't tidied up the bed in the study; look, it's completely unused.