Chapter 103
The epidemic, once a source of great fear, surprisingly began to subside in less than a month.
The yamen made a tally: during the twenty days of the epidemic, there were eight deaths.
Though any loss of life is tragic, this number was astonishingly low compared to the hundreds or thousands of deaths in past epidemics.
Such a report, if submitted to the county or the imperial court, might be suspected of exaggeration or even fabricating lower numbers.
Nevertheless, the report had to be submitted truthfully.
To prevent a resurgence of the epidemic, the yamen staff, under the magistrate's guidance, diligently continued their vigilance and follow-up measures.
This included strict screening of people entering and leaving the city for symptoms like fever, coughing, and pale complexion indicating illness.
The entire city of Yuxian and all its villages were mandated to fumigate with cangzhu and mugwort, creating an atmosphere as if shrouded in dense fog whenever one stepped outside.
The city was filled with a strong medicinal scent, though not unpleasant.
The epidemic was contained with timely discovery and proper management, resulting in a close call without major disaster.
Now, the residents of the county held their magistrate in high regard, showing great appreciation and actively cooperating with the yamen's measures.
Three days after returning from the settlement, Yu Ying and her elder brother and sister-in-law went back to Lingshui Village to pack their belongings.
Uncle He and Aunt He, upon hearing of Yu Ying's return, brought over eggs laid by their chickens as a gift to the Fu family.
Aunt He said, "We all heard from the yamen runners that this epidemic was timely discovered by you, Sixth Lady. You even risked going to the settlement to care for the sick and specially returned to Lingshui Village to treat our fellow villagers. We are truly grateful to you from the bottom of our hearts."
Yu Ying smiled, "I just happened to discover it."
Aunt He continued, "But it was you who discovered it. Without you, who knows what the situation would be now. We don’t have much to offer and haven’t been to Yuxian, but our chickens have laid quite a few eggs. I brought them for you to nourish yourself."
Yu Ying was about to refuse, but Aunt He, seemingly reading her mind, quickly said, "They are just a few eggs, please don't be too polite to refuse them."
With Aunt He insisting, Yu Ying could only smile and accept the eggs.
After receiving the eggs, Yu Ying asked Aunt He, "Is anyone in the village still suffering from colds?"
Aunt He replied, "Yes, but as soon as someone shows symptoms, they immediately report to the village head. Everyone cooperates well, isolating for two days and taking medicine. After that, if there are no serious issues, they return home."
Aunt He added with emotion, "Our magistrate in Yuxian is truly commendable. If it were the previous magistrate, he would have probably tried to escape Yuxian and wouldn't have cared about us commoners. He might even have secretly disposed of those infected."
Uncle He, overhearing this, quickly patted his wife, reminding her, "Even though that magistrate has been removed, such things shouldn't be said."
In severe epidemics, culling towns and villages was an unspoken practice in many places, tacitly permitted by the imperial court.
Aunt He quickly shut her mouth, changing the subject, "Also, we should thank the Second Son. He rushed back during the epidemic and specifically inquired about our family. Because of their return, the yamen runners paid special attention to our village. We will never forget such kindness in our lifetime."
It's in times of crisis that one's true nature is revealed. After this experience, everyone truly appreciated the reliability of the magistrate and the yamen, and they recognized the Fu family as good people.
As Yu Ying was talking with Aunt He, her sister-in-law suddenly came in, looking astonished, "Sister-in-law, many villagers have come outside. They all say they want to bring us some gifts."
Hearing this, Yu Ying turned and walked outside.
Stepping out of the house, she saw a large crowd of villagers waiting outside, each holding baskets.
Upon seeing Yu Ying, the villagers' faces lit up, with some calling her "Madame Yu" and others "the second daughter-in-law of the Fu family."
Some brought eggs, others carried chickens or fish, and even those dressed in tattered clothes brought baskets of vegetables, all as tokens of their appreciation.
Lingshui Village was the poorest in Yuxian, and Yu Ying knew these gifts represented the best and most valuable offerings they could afford.
The villagers hardly had decent food for themselves, and Yu Ying, not needing these items, naturally wouldn’t accept them.
She earnestly said, "We've called for a cart to move some belongings to Yuxian and won't have room for these gifts. If you want to thank me, just look after my herb and grain fields when I'm not in the village, so they don't fall prey to thieves."
Someone responded, "Rest assured, Madame Yu, we're keeping an eye on your fields. No one dares to cause trouble there."
"Yes, we've also started growing herbs and beans. We always check on Madame Yu's fields when we pass by and will immediately inform you if anything happens."
Despite their insistence, Yu Ying firmly refused, saying she couldn't take the gifts, before they finally gave up.
After bidding farewell to the villagers and a quick packing, she left for the county town with Uncle He and Aunt He.
The new place was larger, so as they were leaving, they invited the He family to Yuxian for a housewarming feast in a few days.
The ox cart went straight to the new house.
Since the house in West Alley had become too cramped, they moved to the new rental the very next day.
After moving into the house in East Alley and settling in, Fu Wei returned just as they finished.
The small courtyard's furnishings were modest, but since it was just a rental, they were sufficient.
Fu Wei had a livable study, but neither of them mentioned sleeping in separate rooms.
They had already been living together for so long, and with their relationship firmly established, and Fu Wei always maintaining propriety, Yu Ying felt there was no need to sleep separately.
As they entered the house, Yu Ying went to open the windows, standing behind them and looking out into the courtyard.
The golden glow of the setting sun fell on the small path in the courtyard, and a smile gradually appeared on Yu Ying's face against the scenic backdrop.
"When the heart faces the sun, sorrow becomes irrelevant."
That seemed to be her state of mind at the moment.
Fu Wei closed the door and turned to see the relaxed smile on her face. He walked over slowly, hands clasped behind his back, following her gaze out the window.
"What are you looking at?"
Yu Ying replied, "Today, when I returned to Lingshui Village, the villagers brought many gifts. I didn’t accept them."
"Oh?"
Yu Ying withdrew her gaze, turned around, and looked at Fu Wei with a smile: "Being loved and appreciated is a joyous feeling."
Fu Wei smiled, looking at her earnestly, "You might not realize how effortlessly you make those around you grow fond of you."
Yu Ying covered her mouth with a light laugh, "No, I’m aware. I've heard similar things from others before."
Fu Wei's expression briefly faltered, pretending to be nonchalant, he probed, "Who has said such things to you?"
Detecting a hint of jealousy in his tone, Yu Ying playfully responded, "If you want to know, I won’t tell you. But if you call me ‘sister’, I might just share."
Fu Wei: …
Seeing him at a loss for words, Yu Ying's mood brightened further, then she looked back out of the window.
Fu Wei stepped forward, bending down to whisper “sister” softly in her ear.
His husky voice made Yu Ying's spine tingle delightfully.
Who could resist being called 'sister' by such a mature, steady, and handsome man?!
Yu Ying certainly couldn't!
She glanced at him with a smile, "A roommate I shared my room with for five years during my studies. She was my classmate." She added, "And she's a woman."
Fu Wei's eyebrows raised slightly, feigning nonchalance, "Of course, I knew she was a woman."
With the new house settled, Yu Ying went to visit Director Ji at Ji Shi Medical Hall.
Upon hearing that Madame Yu had arrived, Director Ji hurriedly ordered tea to be served and personally went to the herbal hall to greet her.
"Madame Yu, what brings you here all of a sudden?" Realizing something, he exclaimed joyfully, "Have you decided to join Ji Shi Medical Hall as a resident doctor?!"
Yu Ying nodded, but then added, "However, I might only stay for a year or a year and a half."
Director Ji quickly said, "Even if it's just for a month, I'd be more than happy to have you!"
Yu Ying continued, "There's another matter I'd like your consent for."
Director Ji asked, "What might that be?"
"I have a nine-year-old nephew whom I want to train. Unfortunately, I can’t do much for him at home, so I thought of bringing him here to work as an unpaid apprentice. Would you agree to that?"
Director Ji laughed, "That's no issue at all. Since he's your nephew, of course, it’s fine."
After a moment, he added, "I won't mince words. Your medical skills probably surpass those of any resident doctor in the medical halls of Yuxian. I was thinking of having my granddaughter apprentice under you. As a woman, it would be more convenient for her to learn from you, and I hope she too can become a female doctor in the future."
Previously, Director Ji believed women didn't need to learn much, just to take care of their family. But after interacting with Madame Yu at the settlement during the epidemic, he changed his old-fashioned views.
It turned out that women could be heroes too, in no way inferior to men.
"May I ask how old your granddaughter is?"
Director Ji replied, "About the same age as your nephew."
After making this request, Director Ji added, worried that Madame Yu might feel obligated, “Of course, if the medical practices of Madame Yu's family are not to be shared, you can refuse.”
Yu Ying didn’t have such concerns and responded, “I’m willing, but I would like to take on two more young girls as apprentices. What do you think, Director Ji?”
“That’s no problem at all. But is Madame Yu considering training these girls to be doctors?”
Having a few more apprentices in the medical hall wouldn’t be an issue, especially since his granddaughter could learn skills. More so, having peers might help them solve problems together. Director Ji was curious about Madame Yu's intention.
Yu Ying nodded, explaining her thoughts: “I’ve noticed a scarcity of female medical practitioners, which often leaves women and young girls reluctant to seek medical help from male doctors, leading to delayed treatment. That’s why I had this idea.”
Upon hearing Madame Yu's idea, Director Ji enthusiastically supported it: “Madame Yu has really thought this through well, and it’s a great idea. You should directly take female apprentices to train at the medical hall!”
Towards the end of their discussion, they finally broached the topic of salary.
Director Ji suggested, “As for the salary, Madame Yu, please propose an amount first, and we can discuss it from there. How does that sound?”
Yu Ying proposed, “Twenty percent more than the salary of Ji Shi Medical Hall’s resident doctors.”
Director Ji was taken aback, “Doesn’t Madame Yu want to ask about the current salary of our resident doctors first?”
Yu Ying smiled, “My stay won’t be long, and I assume the salary of a resident doctor wouldn’t be too low.”
Since she was there to learn how to run a medical hall and to train her own apprentices, she didn’t want to ask for too much.
Additionally, she had carefully inquired about the practices at Ji Shi Medical Hall.
Ji Shi Medical Hall conducts free clinics annually, and Director Ji sends his apprentices to various villages for experience and to provide free consultations.
Morally and logically, she couldn’t ask for a high price. However, given her skills surpassing most resident doctors in Yuxian, her salary couldn’t be lower than theirs.
Chapter 103
The epidemic, once a source of great fear, surprisingly began to subside in less than a month.
The yamen made a tally: during the twenty days of the epidemic, there were eight deaths.
Though any loss of life is tragic, this number was astonishingly low compared to the hundreds or thousands of deaths in past epidemics.
Such a report, if submitted to the county or the imperial court, might be suspected of exaggeration or even fabricating lower numbers.
Nevertheless, the report had to be submitted truthfully.
To prevent a resurgence of the epidemic, the yamen staff, under the magistrate's guidance, diligently continued their vigilance and follow-up measures.
This included strict screening of people entering and leaving the city for symptoms like fever, coughing, and pale complexion indicating illness.
The entire city of Yuxian and all its villages were mandated to fumigate with cangzhu and mugwort, creating an atmosphere as if shrouded in dense fog whenever one stepped outside.
The city was filled with a strong medicinal scent, though not unpleasant.
The epidemic was contained with timely discovery and proper management, resulting in a close call without major disaster.
Now, the residents of the county held their magistrate in high regard, showing great appreciation and actively cooperating with the yamen's measures.
Three days after returning from the settlement, Yu Ying and her elder brother and sister-in-law went back to Lingshui Village to pack their belongings.
Uncle He and Aunt He, upon hearing of Yu Ying's return, brought over eggs laid by their chickens as a gift to the Fu family.
Aunt He said, "We all heard from the yamen runners that this epidemic was timely discovered by you, Sixth Lady. You even risked going to the settlement to care for the sick and specially returned to Lingshui Village to treat our fellow villagers. We are truly grateful to you from the bottom of our hearts."
Yu Ying smiled, "I just happened to discover it."
Aunt He continued, "But it was you who discovered it. Without you, who knows what the situation would be now. We don’t have much to offer and haven’t been to Yuxian, but our chickens have laid quite a few eggs. I brought them for you to nourish yourself."
Yu Ying was about to refuse, but Aunt He, seemingly reading her mind, quickly said, "They are just a few eggs, please don't be too polite to refuse them."
With Aunt He insisting, Yu Ying could only smile and accept the eggs.
After receiving the eggs, Yu Ying asked Aunt He, "Is anyone in the village still suffering from colds?"
Aunt He replied, "Yes, but as soon as someone shows symptoms, they immediately report to the village head. Everyone cooperates well, isolating for two days and taking medicine. After that, if there are no serious issues, they return home."
Aunt He added with emotion, "Our magistrate in Yuxian is truly commendable. If it were the previous magistrate, he would have probably tried to escape Yuxian and wouldn't have cared about us commoners. He might even have secretly disposed of those infected."
Uncle He, overhearing this, quickly patted his wife, reminding her, "Even though that magistrate has been removed, such things shouldn't be said."
In severe epidemics, culling towns and villages was an unspoken practice in many places, tacitly permitted by the imperial court.
Aunt He quickly shut her mouth, changing the subject, "Also, we should thank the Second Son. He rushed back during the epidemic and specifically inquired about our family. Because of their return, the yamen runners paid special attention to our village. We will never forget such kindness in our lifetime."
It's in times of crisis that one's true nature is revealed. After this experience, everyone truly appreciated the reliability of the magistrate and the yamen, and they recognized the Fu family as good people.
As Yu Ying was talking with Aunt He, her sister-in-law suddenly came in, looking astonished, "Sister-in-law, many villagers have come outside. They all say they want to bring us some gifts."
Hearing this, Yu Ying turned and walked outside.
Stepping out of the house, she saw a large crowd of villagers waiting outside, each holding baskets.
Upon seeing Yu Ying, the villagers' faces lit up, with some calling her "Madame Yu" and others "the second daughter-in-law of the Fu family."
Some brought eggs, others carried chickens or fish, and even those dressed in tattered clothes brought baskets of vegetables, all as tokens of their appreciation.
Lingshui Village was the poorest in Yuxian, and Yu Ying knew these gifts represented the best and most valuable offerings they could afford.
The villagers hardly had decent food for themselves, and Yu Ying, not needing these items, naturally wouldn’t accept them.
She earnestly said, "We've called for a cart to move some belongings to Yuxian and won't have room for these gifts. If you want to thank me, just look after my herb and grain fields when I'm not in the village, so they don't fall prey to thieves."
Someone responded, "Rest assured, Madame Yu, we're keeping an eye on your fields. No one dares to cause trouble there."
"Yes, we've also started growing herbs and beans. We always check on Madame Yu's fields when we pass by and will immediately inform you if anything happens."
Despite their insistence, Yu Ying firmly refused, saying she couldn't take the gifts, before they finally gave up.
After bidding farewell to the villagers and a quick packing, she left for the county town with Uncle He and Aunt He.
The new place was larger, so as they were leaving, they invited the He family to Yuxian for a housewarming feast in a few days.
The ox cart went straight to the new house.
Since the house in West Alley had become too cramped, they moved to the new rental the very next day.
After moving into the house in East Alley and settling in, Fu Wei returned just as they finished.
The small courtyard's furnishings were modest, but since it was just a rental, they were sufficient.
Fu Wei had a livable study, but neither of them mentioned sleeping in separate rooms.
They had already been living together for so long, and with their relationship firmly established, and Fu Wei always maintaining propriety, Yu Ying felt there was no need to sleep separately.
As they entered the house, Yu Ying went to open the windows, standing behind them and looking out into the courtyard.
The golden glow of the setting sun fell on the small path in the courtyard, and a smile gradually appeared on Yu Ying's face against the scenic backdrop.
"When the heart faces the sun, sorrow becomes irrelevant."
That seemed to be her state of mind at the moment.
Fu Wei closed the door and turned to see the relaxed smile on her face. He walked over slowly, hands clasped behind his back, following her gaze out the window.
"What are you looking at?"
Yu Ying replied, "Today, when I returned to Lingshui Village, the villagers brought many gifts. I didn’t accept them."
"Oh?"
Yu Ying withdrew her gaze, turned around, and looked at Fu Wei with a smile: "Being loved and appreciated is a joyous feeling."
Fu Wei smiled, looking at her earnestly, "You might not realize how effortlessly you make those around you grow fond of you."
Yu Ying covered her mouth with a light laugh, "No, I’m aware. I've heard similar things from others before."
Fu Wei's expression briefly faltered, pretending to be nonchalant, he probed, "Who has said such things to you?"
Detecting a hint of jealousy in his tone, Yu Ying playfully responded, "If you want to know, I won’t tell you. But if you call me ‘sister’, I might just share."
Fu Wei: …
Seeing him at a loss for words, Yu Ying's mood brightened further, then she looked back out of the window.
Fu Wei stepped forward, bending down to whisper “sister” softly in her ear.
His husky voice made Yu Ying's spine tingle delightfully.
Who could resist being called 'sister' by such a mature, steady, and handsome man?!
Yu Ying certainly couldn't!
She glanced at him with a smile, "A roommate I shared my room with for five years during my studies. She was my classmate." She added, "And she's a woman."
Fu Wei's eyebrows raised slightly, feigning nonchalance, "Of course, I knew she was a woman."
With the new house settled, Yu Ying went to visit Director Ji at Ji Shi Medical Hall.
Upon hearing that Madame Yu had arrived, Director Ji hurriedly ordered tea to be served and personally went to the herbal hall to greet her.
"Madame Yu, what brings you here all of a sudden?" Realizing something, he exclaimed joyfully, "Have you decided to join Ji Shi Medical Hall as a resident doctor?!"
Yu Ying nodded, but then added, "However, I might only stay for a year or a year and a half."
Director Ji quickly said, "Even if it's just for a month, I'd be more than happy to have you!"
Yu Ying continued, "There's another matter I'd like your consent for."
Director Ji asked, "What might that be?"
"I have a nine-year-old nephew whom I want to train. Unfortunately, I can’t do much for him at home, so I thought of bringing him here to work as an unpaid apprentice. Would you agree to that?"
Director Ji laughed, "That's no issue at all. Since he's your nephew, of course, it’s fine."
After a moment, he added, "I won't mince words. Your medical skills probably surpass those of any resident doctor in the medical halls of Yuxian. I was thinking of having my granddaughter apprentice under you. As a woman, it would be more convenient for her to learn from you, and I hope she too can become a female doctor in the future."
Previously, Director Ji believed women didn't need to learn much, just to take care of their family. But after interacting with Madame Yu at the settlement during the epidemic, he changed his old-fashioned views.
It turned out that women could be heroes too, in no way inferior to men.
"May I ask how old your granddaughter is?"
Director Ji replied, "About the same age as your nephew."
After making this request, Director Ji added, worried that Madame Yu might feel obligated, “Of course, if the medical practices of Madame Yu's family are not to be shared, you can refuse.”
Yu Ying didn’t have such concerns and responded, “I’m willing, but I would like to take on two more young girls as apprentices. What do you think, Director Ji?”
“That’s no problem at all. But is Madame Yu considering training these girls to be doctors?”
Having a few more apprentices in the medical hall wouldn’t be an issue, especially since his granddaughter could learn skills. More so, having peers might help them solve problems together. Director Ji was curious about Madame Yu's intention.
Yu Ying nodded, explaining her thoughts: “I’ve noticed a scarcity of female medical practitioners, which often leaves women and young girls reluctant to seek medical help from male doctors, leading to delayed treatment. That’s why I had this idea.”
Upon hearing Madame Yu's idea, Director Ji enthusiastically supported it: “Madame Yu has really thought this through well, and it’s a great idea. You should directly take female apprentices to train at the medical hall!”
Towards the end of their discussion, they finally broached the topic of salary.
Director Ji suggested, “As for the salary, Madame Yu, please propose an amount first, and we can discuss it from there. How does that sound?”
Yu Ying proposed, “Twenty percent more than the salary of Ji Shi Medical Hall’s resident doctors.”
Director Ji was taken aback, “Doesn’t Madame Yu want to ask about the current salary of our resident doctors first?”
Yu Ying smiled, “My stay won’t be long, and I assume the salary of a resident doctor wouldn’t be too low.”
Since she was there to learn how to run a medical hall and to train her own apprentices, she didn’t want to ask for too much.
Additionally, she had carefully inquired about the practices at Ji Shi Medical Hall.
Ji Shi Medical Hall conducts free clinics annually, and Director Ji sends his apprentices to various villages for experience and to provide free consultations.
Morally and logically, she couldn’t ask for a high price. However, given her skills surpassing most resident doctors in Yuxian, her salary couldn’t be lower than theirs.
