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

Chapter 4 What trouble did the Third Young Master get into?
"The doctor is right." Chunnuan quickly gestured for Chunning to stop talking. "Doctor, may I borrow your writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone?"

"What do you want to do?" The old doctor was taken aback. "You want to write a prescription?"

"I am not very talented, but I have some knowledge of medicine. Since your shop requires a prescription to dispense the medicine, I will write it down."

It wasn't that Chunnuan was unwilling to ask a doctor to examine her elder sister-in-law, but rather that doctors had to pay consultation fees and pulse diagnosis fees for home visits, and the Xiao family didn't have any savings at the moment, so they had to save money wherever possible.

"You're just a young girl..."

"Dr. Chen, have this young lady write out the prescription, and we'll get the medicine according to it."

"Master, this..."

Dr. Chen was puzzled. The owner had agreed to let her write the prescription as soon as he entered the door and overheard their conversation. This was a medicine to prevent miscarriage, and it could cause trouble if not handled properly.

"It's alright, we'll need to see the prescription when we get the medicine, won't we?"

That's right. If there's anything wrong with the prescription, we absolutely cannot dispense the medicine. That's not treating the illness; it's endangering someone's life.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you, doctor."

Chunnuan sat down, picked up her pen, and wrote down a prescription. Then she gently blew on the ink.

"Doctor, please prepare a dose of medicine according to this prescription."

After examining the herbs—Dipsacus asperoides, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Cibotium barometz… Dr. Chen looked up at Chunnuan.

"To ensure a safe pregnancy, it is also necessary to clear heat."

"Yes, that's why Uncaria rhynchophylla was added to clear liver heat."

"It not only helps with pregnancy, but also prevents eclampsia."

"The doctor is absolutely right."

"Is this pregnant woman your elder sister-in-law?" Dr. Chen confirmed again, "Then we'll use your prescription?"

Although they are all pregnancy-preserving drugs, the prescriptions and effects are different. Although the disease is the same for thousands of people, each person must have a different prescription.

"Yes, thank you for helping me get the medicine, doctor."

Doctor Chen looked at the owner, and Zhao Chengxun took the prescription and exclaimed, "What beautiful handwriting!"

Dr. Chen... Master, you should be looking at the prescription, not the words!

"Fusheng, prepare the medicine for this young lady according to the prescription."

Before Dr. Chen could even remind him, Zhao Chengxun handed the prescription to Fusheng, the waiter behind the counter.

"Yes, boss." Fusheng took the prescription, secretly marveling: This is what a prescription should be! Doctor Chen's handwriting is like celestial script. I'm only lucky I'm capable enough not to misread it!
I got a dose of medicine to prevent miscarriage, which cost one tael of silver.

When Chunnuan took out her purse to pay for the medicine, she felt a sharp pain in her heart. Medicine is definitely not something that poor people can afford!
Just think about the Xiao family's storeroom in the capital; what kind of medicinal herbs wouldn't they have?
My great-grandfather and grandfather were extremely fond of medicinal herbs. As all the prominent families knew, they could use precious medicinal herbs to pay for a consultation with Physician Xiao, which would make him even happier.

As a result, the "empire" built by the Xiao family ancestors was completely confiscated, and it is unknown who benefited from it in the end.

"Sister, the medicine is so expensive."

“Yes, so it’s good that my sister-in-law can rest well and take good care of her pregnancy.” Chunnuan said, “I hope this is the last hardship, and that everything will go smoothly for us from now on.”

After all, she had already accepted an order from the young master of Baicaotang. As long as she worked hard, she would definitely be able to earn some money to support her family.

At Baicaotang, Doctor Chen looked puzzled.

"Does the master recognize that young lady from earlier? Which prefecture in Changzhou was she from? When did such a talented woman emerge from our An'nan Town?"

She can prescribe medicine and write beautiful characters. Is this young lady just reciting from a book or does she really have great talent?
"I don't recognize it." Zhao Chengxun handed him the prescription: "Dr. Chen, look at the signature at the bottom."

The signature at the end is the name of the person who wrote the prescription; what's there to see there?

However, the girl's name is quite nice: Xiao Chunnuan. "Xiao Chunnuan, a girl from the Xiao family?" Doctor Chen suddenly realized, "No wonder she can prescribe medicine. The girls of the Xiao family are truly talented and capable. I wonder which girl from the Xiao family the Third Young Master is looking for? Is it this one?"

Dr. Chen knew that the Dong family had plans to arrange a marriage with the powerful Xiao family. A few days ago, they sent a matchmaker to their door to discuss the matter, but the woman politely declined.

Of course, it wasn't that the Xiao family looked down on the third young master of the Zhao family, but rather that, as the woman, she should have pretended to refuse once or twice, instead of acting like she was eager to marry off her daughter.

The Zhao family will send a matchmaker again in a few days. After all, a family with a daughter is sought after by many. They will ask for her hand in marriage again and again, and they must be sincere.

"Minghua is probably not good enough for this girl." As he said this, a thought flashed through Zhao Chenghun's mind: How will we know if it will work if we don't try?

"Which branch of the Xiao family does this girl belong to? She certainly has some talent."

"She is not a girl from the prominent Xiao family."

To be honest, the Xiao family is really heartless. They grew and prospered under the protection of Physician Xiao, but when Physician Xiao suffered, they wouldn't even let his family into their home, and even expelled him from the clan. This behavior is simply despicable.

No, Minghua can no longer marry a girl from the powerful Xiao family!

Yes, the reason he wanted to arrange a marriage between his daughter and the Xiao family was because he valued the connections of Physician Xiao.

Without Physician Xiao, how long can the Xiao family remain glorious?

Just because Physician Xiao's sons have all been exiled, does that mean they have no future?
Just look at Xiao Chunnuan, and you'll know the Xiao family won't fall!
"She's not a girl from the Xiao family, she's..."

"Who have been coming to An'nan Town in Changzhou recently?"

Dr. Chen's mind is a bit dull, really. His employer knows he's old and has a bad memory, but he still insists on testing him!

"Master, is she the daughter of Physician Xiao?" Fusheng, being young, reacted immediately.

"The daughter of Physician Xiao?" Doctor Chen was shocked, and at the same time regretted that he had talked too much. "No wonder I was writing the prescription and filling the medicine. Like father, like son..."

"You're wrong, Dr. Chen. This is due to a family tradition of learning; like grandfather, like granddaughter," Fusheng corrected.

"You act like you're so smart." Doctor Chen glared at him. "You've been getting medicine here for eight years, and you still can't prescribe anything?"

"Hehe, I'm just stupid, I can't learn how to write prescriptions." Fusheng admitted that he was no good at it.

Zhao Chengxun chuckled as he watched the old man and the young man bickering, but then suddenly froze when he saw the one or two taels of silver on the table.

He remembered that the girl's money bag seemed very familiar... no, it was extremely familiar.

"I'm going home for a bit." Thinking of a certain possibility, Zhao Chenghun took large strides, almost as if he wanted to run down the street.

As soon as he entered, maids and servants greeted him.

"The master is back."

"I've met the master."

"Celebrating your birthday, where is the Third Young Master?"

"Reporting to Master, the Third Young Master is in the study."

"Send him to see me immediately."

"Yes."

Seeing that the master's expression was off, Qingsheng secretly worried for the third young master. What trouble had this young master gotten into this time? He hoped that he wouldn't be among those getting a beating later.

To be honest, Zhao Minghua had no idea what trouble he had gotten himself into.

"Father, what do you want to see me about?"

"You went out this afternoon? Who did you meet, and what did you do?"

(End of this chapter)