Translator: thornling | Editor: thornling
Since his brother’s legs recovered, Xue Jiming seldom went to the barracks. In any case, there was his older brother at home as a pillar. He was inferior to Brother in every aspect, so why would he go to the army and garner disdain? Brother’s subordinates all looked down on him. They were deferential on the surface, but behind his back, they would say that he was weak and inept. Even if he had the motivation to improve himself, his determination was gradually whittled away.
He might as well be like before and continue to eat, drink, and be merry, traveling the mountains and rivers freely. Wouldn’t that be more enjoyable? On this day, he originally planned to go out to meet with friends, but when he passed by the second branch’s courtyard, he heard shocked shouting coming from inside. When no one answered his yells, he ran in to check the situation. It turned out that the second branch’s eldest daughter-in-law’s infant son suddenly fainted. No matter whether he was pinched on the Renzhong* or given medicine, he never came to. His body was like a little burning coal, scalding to the touch, and his limbs twitched from time to time. His illness was extremely acute.
*Literally “human center,” the philtrum (the groove under the nose above the upper lip).
The eldest daughter-in-law of the second branch told the servants to go invite a doctor and at the same time went to her mother-in-law and the Old Madam for an executive decision, and then circled the room like a headless fly.
Xue Jiming didn’t have time to think about the separation between men and women. He quickly walked over and touched his nephew’s forehead, and exclaimed in alarm, “So hot*!”
*He says it in a way that also means that his hand feels scalded.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the second branch, Madam Xiao, burst into tears when she saw her brother-in-law and said intermittently, between sobs, “Jiming, you, you have to come up with something! Ran’er has been cramping up, and his body is getting hotter and hotter, if it goes on like this, it will really be a big problem!”
“Let’s go! I’ll take you to find Xiao Cao’er. She is a skilled doctor and will definitely be able to save Ran’er. If you send someone to look for a doctor, going back and forth will waste quite a bit of time. Why don’t we just directly go?” Xue Jiming picked up his nephew and immediately left, Madam Xiao hurriedly following behind him.
Not long after, Old Madam and the old madam of the second branch also heard the news and rushed to Xuancao Hall, where a noisy crowd of people squeezed into the shop, quite a sight to see.
Lin Dan also emerged when she heard the noise. Seeing that Old Madam and the others were extremely anxious, she didn’t go over and greet them. When others didn’t come to her for medical treatment, it showed that they didn’t trust her medical skills. If she shamelessly stuck her face on them, they would not only be upset, but would even think she was being nosy and delaying the child’s treatment. Since this was the case, why would she try?
She stood at the doorway and watched for a while, then turned back to the inner hall to continue processing herbs. She didn’t stick her nose into it.
Two quarters of an hour later, Xue Boyong and the eldest son of the second branch, Xue Yangfan (set sail), also came from the barracks. One rushed into Xuancao Hall, but the other only stood outside to check the situation before going into Xing Lin Spring.
Hearing the familiar footsteps, Lin Dan immediately raised her head and asked, “Brother, did you take a look over there?”
“I took a look, it looks like he caught a cold and has a bit of a fever.” Xue Boyong’s brows were tightly furrowed.
Lin Dan wiped her hands on her apron and said hesitantly, “Brother, I didn’t go over there to take a look just now and I don’t know what kind of illness the child has. Why don’t I go over now?” Taking Brother’s face into consideration, she would go and do her best to treat him even if others disliked her for it.
She didn’t expect Xue Boyong to unhurriedly wave his hand: “Don’t go over. Let Wu Xuancao take care of it. The second branch only has two di sons*. Wu Xuancao once saved the older one from drowning, so when the younger one became ill, they would naturally look for her again. They trust Wu Xuancao far more than they trust you, not to mention the fact that Second Grandmother is acting as a matchmaker between Wu Xuancao and Xue Jiming and wants to make them into one family. Even if you go, you won’t get a chance to stick your hand in. You will instead be disdained by them. Just forget about it.”
*Sons of the proper wife.
Was Brother afraid that I would be bullied? Thinking of this, Lin Dan felt cozy in her heart, and her always expressionless face couldn’t help but reveal a smear of a sweet smile.
Xue Boyong took one glance at her and also couldn’t help the corners of his mouth hooking up. Only in front of Lin Dan would he reveal a tender side. To other people, even his relatives, he could barely hide his callousness. He had led the Qin army’s armored cavalry to conquer the surrounding countries. His hands were stained with too much blood, and he had once even killed tens of thousands of prisoners in a pit. How could he be compassionate?
But Lin Dan was not even the slightest bit scared of such a Brother, but rather was a little fond of it. She took out a throat lozenge from a drawer and stuffed it into her mouth, then took out another and fed it to Xue Boyong, her eyes curved like two crescents: “Brother, this is my newly developed throat lozenge, it can cure dry and hoarse throats. Brother, you run drills all day so you need it the most. I made a big box for you, don’t forget to take it with you later.”
“So sweet.” When he said this, Xue Boyong stared straight at her. It was hard to tell whether he was praising the candy or the little girl.
Lin Dan didn’t notice at all, and explained slowly: “Of course! I simmered snow pear, loquat, and licorice root into a very thick juice, then let it cool and cut it into pieces. Thinking of Brother’s preference for sweetness, I even added a few spoons of honey. Brother, do you still like sweet things?”
“I like it.” Xue Boyong smiled and nodded while taking off the little girl’s apron and putting it on himself, saying softly, “Sit to the side, I’ll help you grind the herbs.”
“Okay.” Lin Dan stood up and wanted to go to the rear courtyard, but Xue Boyong grabbed her wrist and asked anxiously, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to the kitchen to prepare lunch.” Lin Dan tilted her head to look at him, unintentionally looking adorable.
Xue Boyong’s heart was slightly itchy, and he said hoarsely: “It’s still early. Why be in such a hurry? Sit next to me and read some medical books. You’re not allowed to leave.”
Lin Dan didn’t ask him why either. She just obediently agreed, sat down, and picked up a medical book to read. If there are no critically ill patients in the shop, she usually wouldn’t take action, so she had plenty of free time. She also recently began to copy her ancestor and write down her own experiences practicing medicine. She even developed a strong interest in pharmaceuticals. She held a book in one hand and a pen in the other, writing as she read, with a very focused expression.
Xue Boyong sat beside her and pounded the herbs, his body filled with strength but paired with an apron. His appearance was a bit comical, and he frequently attracted the sidelong glances of passersby. But he didn’t care at all. After pounding the herbs for a while, he would take a glance at Lin Dan. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
—
Time passed tranquilly in Xing Lin Spring, but Xuancao Hall was in deep water and scorching fire.
Wu Xuancao was surrounded by three circles of the Xue family, so one could imagine the pressure she was under. After taking the pulse, she checked Xue Ran’s pupils and tongue, and used a homemade stethoscope to listen to his chest. Her expression became more and more solemn.
She had long been able to tell that Xue Ran had acute pneumonia, also known as acute infantile convulsion. It was a common disease in childhood. Even in modern times, the mortality rate was high, not to mention the ancient times when medical technology was extremely undeveloped. Seeing the anxious faces of the Xue family, and the infant whose face was already turning purple and almost no longer breathing, her mind buzzed.
There were no antibiotics, no specific medications, no ventilators, no intravenous injection tools… She didn’t know how to treat acute pneumonia at all.
“Force the child to drink water, lest the fever evaporate too much of his body’s water content. Bring a basin of warm water over, and I will give him a bath first. Are there any ice cubes left in the cellar? If there are any, bring it over quickly, chill a handkerchief with them and lay it on his forehead. Also, put an ice pillow behind his head. Hurry!” Wu Xuancao gave orders in an orderly manner.
The crowd of apprentices immediately split up. Some drew water, some fetched ice cubes, and everything was quickly prepared. Seeing Wu Xuancao’s* confident commands and composed expression, as if everything were in her grasp, Madam Xiao and the old madam of the second branch were completely relieved. Xue Jiming and Xue Yangfan quickly withdrew out to the door, lest there would be too many people squeezed into the room, disturbing the treatment.
*Author made a mistake and put Lin Dan here.
But several of Xuancao Hall’s resident doctors shook their heads, looking worried.
One of them reminded: “Physician Wu, these measures you’ve taken can only temporarily relieve the child’s fever. If you want to stop his convulsions, you also need to immediately prescribe medicine! If you’re late by even a little bit, even if the child is rescued, he will have some serious sequelae.”
Acute convulsion was one of the four major childhood diseases, and it was classified as an acute and critical illness. If medicine was not given with all due speed, the child could die at any time. What was even more frightening was that this disease came quickly and changed rapidly. It was difficult for doctors to formulate the most suitable prescription in the shortest time. If an herb was wrong, or even if too much or too little of it was put in, it would not be efficacious. Even doctors who were the most experienced with treating children did not dare to guarantee that they would cure convulsions, let alone Wu Xuancao, who had only learned a little bit of Chinese medicine.
She was stunned on the spot with a look of distress on her face.
Xue Yangfan was frightened by the doctor’s words, and hurriedly asked, “What sequelae?”
“It could devolve into epilepsy, mental retardation, imbecility, and so on. We are not skilled in medicine and dare not prescribe at will.” Several doctors shook their heads and sighed, expressing that their hands were tied. The people who came had military power and a precious status. They couldn’t treat the illness and didn’t dare to treat the illness, for fear that if the illness wasn’t cured, Xue manor would hold a grudge. What’s more, they didn’t lie. Acute convulsions was too complicated a condition. Even the tiniest bit of hesitation could cost a life, and the consequences were very dreadful.
A few years ago, the imperial hospital’s Fang Yuan (square courtyard*) was condemned and demoted by the emperor because he failed to cure the seventh prince, who had been suffering from acute convulsions. He was a distinguished figure in the field, with extraordinary medical skills, but even he was helpless in the face of this illness, let alone an ordinary doctor? Wu Xuancao and Zheng Zhe had long had names of equal fame to him. They should be about to treat it.
*Yes, the author really named a person this.
Thinking of this, several resident doctors were afraid that Wu Xuancao would drag them into the water again, so they saluted in unison and said: “This time, only Physician Wu can deal with it. We will provide assistance from the side.” Last time, when the Marchioness of Wu’an came seeking medical attention, they had been very dissatisfied with Wu Xuancao’s act of throwing the pot*. If little Physician Lin hadn’t been able to cure the pulseless disease, who knew how much of a fuss the Marchioness of Wu’an would raise with Xuancao Hall!
*When someone is “carrying the pot” in Chinese culture, that means they are the one being blamed. “Throwing the pot” means shifting blame.
Hearing this, Xue Jiming immediately urged: “Xiao Cao’er, quickly prescribe medicine for Ran’er! If you don’t, his thrashing will have severe consequences!”
Even in a coma, Xue Ran was still twitching in bursts. His nostrils opened and closed, his lips and fingers were blue, his limbs were rigid and cold, his body burned like coal, but there was no sweat at all. His Yangguan* (yang gate) had completely closed.
*This is also known as the gallbladder meridian.
Wu Xuancao gritted her teeth and said, “I will cool him down first, then prescribe medicine. If the high fever persists, it will burn his brain.”
When Xue Jiming heard it, he thought that sounded reasonable, so he hurriedly stepped forward to undress his nephew. Madam Xiao and her mother-in-law also ran over to help, and after tossing for a while, finally placed Xue Ran on the ice pillow.
Madam Xiao touched her son’s scalding forehead and sobbed: “It’s useless! These methods are completely useless, the heat hasn’t reduced at all! Xuancao, hurry up and think of something! She grabbed Wu Xuancao’s shoulder and shook her, clearly on the brink of collapse.
Wu Xuancao’s head was covered in cold sweat. She held a pen in her hand, but couldn’t write even half a word for a long time. Prescribe medicine, what medicine? There were thousands of medicinal herbs that could reduce fever and clear cold, but she didn’t know how to combine them to form the best curative effect.
She really couldn’t do it!
Translator: thornling | Editor: thornling
Since his brother’s legs recovered, Xue Jiming seldom went to the barracks. In any case, there was his older brother at home as a pillar. He was inferior to Brother in every aspect, so why would he go to the army and garner disdain? Brother’s subordinates all looked down on him. They were deferential on the surface, but behind his back, they would say that he was weak and inept. Even if he had the motivation to improve himself, his determination was gradually whittled away.
He might as well be like before and continue to eat, drink, and be merry, traveling the mountains and rivers freely. Wouldn’t that be more enjoyable? On this day, he originally planned to go out to meet with friends, but when he passed by the second branch’s courtyard, he heard shocked shouting coming from inside. When no one answered his yells, he ran in to check the situation. It turned out that the second branch’s eldest daughter-in-law’s infant son suddenly fainted. No matter whether he was pinched on the Renzhong* or given medicine, he never came to. His body was like a little burning coal, scalding to the touch, and his limbs twitched from time to time. His illness was extremely acute.
*Literally “human center,” the philtrum (the groove under the nose above the upper lip).
The eldest daughter-in-law of the second branch told the servants to go invite a doctor and at the same time went to her mother-in-law and the Old Madam for an executive decision, and then circled the room like a headless fly.
Xue Jiming didn’t have time to think about the separation between men and women. He quickly walked over and touched his nephew’s forehead, and exclaimed in alarm, “So hot*!”
*He says it in a way that also means that his hand feels scalded.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the second branch, Madam Xiao, burst into tears when she saw her brother-in-law and said intermittently, between sobs, “Jiming, you, you have to come up with something! Ran’er has been cramping up, and his body is getting hotter and hotter, if it goes on like this, it will really be a big problem!”
“Let’s go! I’ll take you to find Xiao Cao’er. She is a skilled doctor and will definitely be able to save Ran’er. If you send someone to look for a doctor, going back and forth will waste quite a bit of time. Why don’t we just directly go?” Xue Jiming picked up his nephew and immediately left, Madam Xiao hurriedly following behind him.
Not long after, Old Madam and the old madam of the second branch also heard the news and rushed to Xuancao Hall, where a noisy crowd of people squeezed into the shop, quite a sight to see.
Lin Dan also emerged when she heard the noise. Seeing that Old Madam and the others were extremely anxious, she didn’t go over and greet them. When others didn’t come to her for medical treatment, it showed that they didn’t trust her medical skills. If she shamelessly stuck her face on them, they would not only be upset, but would even think she was being nosy and delaying the child’s treatment. Since this was the case, why would she try?
She stood at the doorway and watched for a while, then turned back to the inner hall to continue processing herbs. She didn’t stick her nose into it.
Two quarters of an hour later, Xue Boyong and the eldest son of the second branch, Xue Yangfan (set sail), also came from the barracks. One rushed into Xuancao Hall, but the other only stood outside to check the situation before going into Xing Lin Spring.
Hearing the familiar footsteps, Lin Dan immediately raised her head and asked, “Brother, did you take a look over there?”
“I took a look, it looks like he caught a cold and has a bit of a fever.” Xue Boyong’s brows were tightly furrowed.
Lin Dan wiped her hands on her apron and said hesitantly, “Brother, I didn’t go over there to take a look just now and I don’t know what kind of illness the child has. Why don’t I go over now?” Taking Brother’s face into consideration, she would go and do her best to treat him even if others disliked her for it.
She didn’t expect Xue Boyong to unhurriedly wave his hand: “Don’t go over. Let Wu Xuancao take care of it. The second branch only has two di sons*. Wu Xuancao once saved the older one from drowning, so when the younger one became ill, they would naturally look for her again. They trust Wu Xuancao far more than they trust you, not to mention the fact that Second Grandmother is acting as a matchmaker between Wu Xuancao and Xue Jiming and wants to make them into one family. Even if you go, you won’t get a chance to stick your hand in. You will instead be disdained by them. Just forget about it.”
*Sons of the proper wife.
Was Brother afraid that I would be bullied? Thinking of this, Lin Dan felt cozy in her heart, and her always expressionless face couldn’t help but reveal a smear of a sweet smile.
Xue Boyong took one glance at her and also couldn’t help the corners of his mouth hooking up. Only in front of Lin Dan would he reveal a tender side. To other people, even his relatives, he could barely hide his callousness. He had led the Qin army’s armored cavalry to conquer the surrounding countries. His hands were stained with too much blood, and he had once even killed tens of thousands of prisoners in a pit. How could he be compassionate?
But Lin Dan was not even the slightest bit scared of such a Brother, but rather was a little fond of it. She took out a throat lozenge from a drawer and stuffed it into her mouth, then took out another and fed it to Xue Boyong, her eyes curved like two crescents: “Brother, this is my newly developed throat lozenge, it can cure dry and hoarse throats. Brother, you run drills all day so you need it the most. I made a big box for you, don’t forget to take it with you later.”
“So sweet.” When he said this, Xue Boyong stared straight at her. It was hard to tell whether he was praising the candy or the little girl.
Lin Dan didn’t notice at all, and explained slowly: “Of course! I simmered snow pear, loquat, and licorice root into a very thick juice, then let it cool and cut it into pieces. Thinking of Brother’s preference for sweetness, I even added a few spoons of honey. Brother, do you still like sweet things?”
“I like it.” Xue Boyong smiled and nodded while taking off the little girl’s apron and putting it on himself, saying softly, “Sit to the side, I’ll help you grind the herbs.”
“Okay.” Lin Dan stood up and wanted to go to the rear courtyard, but Xue Boyong grabbed her wrist and asked anxiously, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to the kitchen to prepare lunch.” Lin Dan tilted her head to look at him, unintentionally looking adorable.
Xue Boyong’s heart was slightly itchy, and he said hoarsely: “It’s still early. Why be in such a hurry? Sit next to me and read some medical books. You’re not allowed to leave.”
Lin Dan didn’t ask him why either. She just obediently agreed, sat down, and picked up a medical book to read. If there are no critically ill patients in the shop, she usually wouldn’t take action, so she had plenty of free time. She also recently began to copy her ancestor and write down her own experiences practicing medicine. She even developed a strong interest in pharmaceuticals. She held a book in one hand and a pen in the other, writing as she read, with a very focused expression.
Xue Boyong sat beside her and pounded the herbs, his body filled with strength but paired with an apron. His appearance was a bit comical, and he frequently attracted the sidelong glances of passersby. But he didn’t care at all. After pounding the herbs for a while, he would take a glance at Lin Dan. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
—
Time passed tranquilly in Xing Lin Spring, but Xuancao Hall was in deep water and scorching fire.
Wu Xuancao was surrounded by three circles of the Xue family, so one could imagine the pressure she was under. After taking the pulse, she checked Xue Ran’s pupils and tongue, and used a homemade stethoscope to listen to his chest. Her expression became more and more solemn.
She had long been able to tell that Xue Ran had acute pneumonia, also known as acute infantile convulsion. It was a common disease in childhood. Even in modern times, the mortality rate was high, not to mention the ancient times when medical technology was extremely undeveloped. Seeing the anxious faces of the Xue family, and the infant whose face was already turning purple and almost no longer breathing, her mind buzzed.
There were no antibiotics, no specific medications, no ventilators, no intravenous injection tools… She didn’t know how to treat acute pneumonia at all.
“Force the child to drink water, lest the fever evaporate too much of his body’s water content. Bring a basin of warm water over, and I will give him a bath first. Are there any ice cubes left in the cellar? If there are any, bring it over quickly, chill a handkerchief with them and lay it on his forehead. Also, put an ice pillow behind his head. Hurry!” Wu Xuancao gave orders in an orderly manner.
The crowd of apprentices immediately split up. Some drew water, some fetched ice cubes, and everything was quickly prepared. Seeing Wu Xuancao’s* confident commands and composed expression, as if everything were in her grasp, Madam Xiao and the old madam of the second branch were completely relieved. Xue Jiming and Xue Yangfan quickly withdrew out to the door, lest there would be too many people squeezed into the room, disturbing the treatment.
*Author made a mistake and put Lin Dan here.
But several of Xuancao Hall’s resident doctors shook their heads, looking worried.
One of them reminded: “Physician Wu, these measures you’ve taken can only temporarily relieve the child’s fever. If you want to stop his convulsions, you also need to immediately prescribe medicine! If you’re late by even a little bit, even if the child is rescued, he will have some serious sequelae.”
Acute convulsion was one of the four major childhood diseases, and it was classified as an acute and critical illness. If medicine was not given with all due speed, the child could die at any time. What was even more frightening was that this disease came quickly and changed rapidly. It was difficult for doctors to formulate the most suitable prescription in the shortest time. If an herb was wrong, or even if too much or too little of it was put in, it would not be efficacious. Even doctors who were the most experienced with treating children did not dare to guarantee that they would cure convulsions, let alone Wu Xuancao, who had only learned a little bit of Chinese medicine.
She was stunned on the spot with a look of distress on her face.
Xue Yangfan was frightened by the doctor’s words, and hurriedly asked, “What sequelae?”
“It could devolve into epilepsy, mental retardation, imbecility, and so on. We are not skilled in medicine and dare not prescribe at will.” Several doctors shook their heads and sighed, expressing that their hands were tied. The people who came had military power and a precious status. They couldn’t treat the illness and didn’t dare to treat the illness, for fear that if the illness wasn’t cured, Xue manor would hold a grudge. What’s more, they didn’t lie. Acute convulsions was too complicated a condition. Even the tiniest bit of hesitation could cost a life, and the consequences were very dreadful.
A few years ago, the imperial hospital’s Fang Yuan (square courtyard*) was condemned and demoted by the emperor because he failed to cure the seventh prince, who had been suffering from acute convulsions. He was a distinguished figure in the field, with extraordinary medical skills, but even he was helpless in the face of this illness, let alone an ordinary doctor? Wu Xuancao and Zheng Zhe had long had names of equal fame to him. They should be about to treat it.
*Yes, the author really named a person this.
Thinking of this, several resident doctors were afraid that Wu Xuancao would drag them into the water again, so they saluted in unison and said: “This time, only Physician Wu can deal with it. We will provide assistance from the side.” Last time, when the Marchioness of Wu’an came seeking medical attention, they had been very dissatisfied with Wu Xuancao’s act of throwing the pot*. If little Physician Lin hadn’t been able to cure the pulseless disease, who knew how much of a fuss the Marchioness of Wu’an would raise with Xuancao Hall!
*When someone is “carrying the pot” in Chinese culture, that means they are the one being blamed. “Throwing the pot” means shifting blame.
Hearing this, Xue Jiming immediately urged: “Xiao Cao’er, quickly prescribe medicine for Ran’er! If you don’t, his thrashing will have severe consequences!”
Even in a coma, Xue Ran was still twitching in bursts. His nostrils opened and closed, his lips and fingers were blue, his limbs were rigid and cold, his body burned like coal, but there was no sweat at all. His Yangguan* (yang gate) had completely closed.
*This is also known as the gallbladder meridian.
Wu Xuancao gritted her teeth and said, “I will cool him down first, then prescribe medicine. If the high fever persists, it will burn his brain.”
When Xue Jiming heard it, he thought that sounded reasonable, so he hurriedly stepped forward to undress his nephew. Madam Xiao and her mother-in-law also ran over to help, and after tossing for a while, finally placed Xue Ran on the ice pillow.
Madam Xiao touched her son’s scalding forehead and sobbed: “It’s useless! These methods are completely useless, the heat hasn’t reduced at all! Xuancao, hurry up and think of something! She grabbed Wu Xuancao’s shoulder and shook her, clearly on the brink of collapse.
Wu Xuancao’s head was covered in cold sweat. She held a pen in her hand, but couldn’t write even half a word for a long time. Prescribe medicine, what medicine? There were thousands of medicinal herbs that could reduce fever and clear cold, but she didn’t know how to combine them to form the best curative effect.
She really couldn’t do it!
