CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44: AN UNPLEASANT MEETING

Meng Yao softly asked a few more questions, and the embarrassment faded from the woman’s face, "Doctor, you must help me, if this continues, I’ll surely be divorced! I’ve drunk so much talismanic water and still haven’t improved, my mother-in-law scolds me for being unclean."

As she spoke, the woman began to sob softly.

"Don’t worry, this is not some incurable disease, after three doses of medicine, I guarantee you’ll be fine." Meng Yao reassuringly comforted the woman with ease.

It’s merely a common ailment among women; the Wan Dai Tang should suffice.

Zhao Xiaohua quickly wrote out the prescription, prepared the medicine, instructed the woman on dietary restrictions, saw her out, and then called in the next patient.

...

By the afternoon, Meng Yao had already treated twenty patients as agreed; the mother and daughter changed their attire in the back courtyard and left through the back door.

Those who didn’t make it in line would have to wait until the next market day.

"Is that female doctor really so miraculous?"

"Of course, before my wife and I couldn’t have children, we decided to give it a try, and would you believe it?" said the speaker with a proud look, "Yesterday at the Hundred Herbs Hall, my wife was diagnosed with a pregnancy pulse!"

Childbearing was always a matter of great concern, and with this person affirming Meng Yao’s abilities, many harbored the thought of bringing their wives to see this female doctor.

This spread word of mouth, and Meng Yao gained the reputation of a "Goddess of Childbearing."

Of course, Meng Yao was unaware of this.

After some simple shopping, the mother and daughter boarded Uncle Niu’s ox cart.

Upon returning home, Meng Yao and Zhao Xiaohua each organized their medical cases.

In ancient times, a significant reason for the short lifespan of impoverished women was various gynecological diseases.

There was nothing else for it; symptoms related to the most private parts could hardly be voiced before male doctors. Minor ailments dragged on and on, eventually turning into incurable diseases.

In Zhou Country, although women’s status wasn’t considered low, female doctors were still extremely rare.

Those who mastered medicine mostly served the nobility and the wealthy.

Thus, Meng Yao willingly became a gynecologist.

As for how she came to know the owner of the Hundred Herbs Hall and collaborate with them, it was a chance encounter, yet not a mere coincidence.

The owner of the Hundred Herbs Hall, Lu Luoxing, found her through the Hundred Embroidery House.

Lu Luoxing had bought the fan set of the "Twelve Beauties of Jinling," so she used her connections to meet with Meng Yao once.

Thereafter, Meng Yao learned about the history of Hundred Herbs Hall and its founding predecessor.

A hundred years ago, the predecessor Luo Wanqing established the Hundred Herbs Hall.

Later, Luo Wanqing married Lu Chen, and thereafter, every leader of the Hundred Herbs Hall had to be named Lu Luo-something, also to commemorate Luo Wanqing.

As to why Lu Luoxing sought Meng Yao because of the "Twelve Beauties of Jinling,"

It was because in the ancestral teachings of the Lu Family, the life of the extraordinary woman Luo Wanqing was recorded. Among these, it was detailed that Luo Wanqing brought items like the "Dream of the Red Chamber," which were not to be transmitted outside the Lu Family.

Including the fact that she came from the future.

Before Luo Wanqing passed, she said if Lu Family descendants were fated to meet someone from the future whose character was sound, they should befriend them. Things like the "Dream of the Red Chamber" naturally became crucial identifiers.

Afterward, Lu Luoxing hired Meng Yao; Meng Yao visited the Hundred Herbs Hall for consultations every five days.

"Mother, Second Brother will be back today, should I go to Butcher Zhang’s house to get some pork belly?" Zhao Xiaohua excitedly asked Meng Yao after writing her medical case.

She wanted to eat the pork belly her mother cooked.

"Alright," Meng Yao nodded.

Pork belly, though greasy, if not often eaten or consumed in excess, won’t cause obesity.

Moreover, Zhao Xiaohua had developed very good habits, eating three meals a day, rarely snacking, and always practicing the wall-standing exercise.

It’s the growth phase, and Meng Yao thought, even eating a bit more now would not make her gain weight as easily as before.

Clutching a purse, Zhao Xiaohua happily ran towards Butcher Zhang’s house.

Meng Yao quickly finished her medical case and began to prepare the seasonings for the braised pork.

After the seasonings were ready for quite a while, Zhao Xiaohua and the meat had not returned.

Considering the time, it should have sufficed to run back and forth between home and Butcher Zhang’s place twice over.

Feeling uneasy, Meng Yao removed her apron and prepared to go find her.

As it turned out, she encountered Zhao Xiaohua and Han Muchi by the riverbank.

Han Muchi’s face was blue-white from the cold, he looked scruffy, and was stubbornly holding onto Zhao Xiaohua’s sleeve.

They had indeed met!

Upon getting closer, Meng Yao finally understood what had happened.

The filial Han Muchi, trying to catch fish for his mother in the dead of winter, somehow ended up falling into the river.

He was rescued by a passerby but had already lost consciousness.

Zhao Xiaohua happened to pass by; saving a life is worth more than building a seven-story pagoda.

Meng Yao’s earnest teachings ensured that Zhao Xiaohua couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

The method she used to save him was the emergency resuscitation technique taught by Meng Yao, cardiopulmonary resuscitation combined with artificial respiration.

In front of witnesses, Han Muchi, who was beyond saving, miraculously came back to life.

Then, he stubbornly refused to let Zhao Xiaohua go, insisting on taking her home to show his gratitude.

Had they met under normal circumstances, Zhao Xiaohua might have been lost in the handsome features of Han Muchi.

But in these unusual circumstances—

When Zhao Xiaohua saw him, he’d just been pulled from the water, his hair was in disarray, his face was blue, lips pale—hardly any charm at all.

Now he was holding onto her, delaying Zhao Xiaohua’s errand to buy meat.

Irritation was already apparent on Zhao Xiaohua’s face.

"Young Master Han is a scholar, doesn’t he know that men and women should not sit together after the age of seven, and that men and women should remain distant?" Meng Yao accused with a stern face.

Han Muchi hesitated, releasing his grip.

Zhao Xiaohua seized the opportunity to escape, running off quickly, "Mother, wait at home, I’ll be back soon to explain everything."

Han Muchi stared blankly as Zhao Xiaohua ran off, Meng Yao slightly curled her lips; their first meeting wasn’t all that pleasant.

Meng Yao ignored Han Muchi and turned to walk home.

Han Muchi wanted to follow but was interrupted by Madam Han rushing over, stumbling.

Someone had informed Madam Han about Han Muchi falling into the water.

"Oh, my child! Are you alright? You scared me to death!" Madam Han cried, hurriedly draping a coat over Han Muchi, and soon a group of servants escorted Han Muchi and the others away.

Zhao Xiaohua returned with the pork belly, "It’s the best three-layer pork belly with skin attached, Butcher Zhang specially selected the best part for us."

Zhao Xiaohua blinked, "Mother, every time we go to buy meat, we always get the best pieces. Don’t tell me you don’t know why!"

With a calm face, Meng Yao replied, "Did you give enough of the silver coin?"

"Of course I did, every instruction you gave me, how dare I not follow?" Zhao Xiaohua giggled.

Butcher Zhang had taken a liking to her mother.

Whenever they went to get meat, they’d either receive more or the best cuts.

At first, her mother had not caught on, even praising Butcher Zhang for his kind heart and saying that she had great luck. After she did catch on, she never went to Butcher Zhang’s herself anymore. Her mother said love debts were the hardest to repay, and thus, they should not be incurred lightly.