After being ridiculed by others, Taijian could not bear it, and his mother, unable to endure it either, angrily dragged him away.
“What kind of useless doctor puts on such airs? Let’s go. We’ll find an even better master.”
The mother and son seemed to understand each other without words. When they reached the doorway, they both spat fiercely at the same time.
Then they disappeared from the entrance of Cui Shantang[1]Doctor Cui’s Medical Hall jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1953086_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1953086_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
“Congratulations, Doctor Cui, on receiving such intelligent disciples.”
“Congratulations, Doctor Cui, and you even accepted two such clever disciples at once.”
“Doctor Cui hasn’t taken disciples for over ten years. These past few days, magpies have been calling on the tree at your gate. And now, good fortune has arrived. Congratulations, Doctor Cui.”
…
Doctor Cui was charitable and well-liked. There was no one in Qinzhou City who did not know him.
Everyone crowded inside the medical hall offered their sincere congratulations.
Doctor Cui rarely showed a hint of a smile.
Tian Fengying was so proud that she looked more spirited than her family’s rooster before it had its feathers plucked.
She pulled Ning Yuchan and Taohua to kneel together before Doctor Cui.
“From today on, you two are Doctor Cui’s disciples. Follow your master and study well from now on.”
Cui Shitou had been in the medical hall for five years and had never succeeded in becoming a disciple. Seeing his master accept two disciples at once, he felt uncomfortable. Hiding behind the crowd, he glared fiercely at the two girls.
Doctor Cui was pleased, but he quickly restrained his smile and returned to his usual calm expression.
“From today on, I formally accept the two of you…”
He paused for a moment and looked toward Cui Shitou, who was hiding behind the crowd. “Shitou, come here.”
Cui Shitou did not know why his master was calling him. With his head lowered and shoulders slumped, he squeezed forward.
Doctor Cui said, “Kneel.”
Like a puppet, Cui Shitou obediently knelt down.
Doctor Cui spoke, “From today on, I formally accept the three of you as my disciples. Cui Shitou is the eldest among you and will be the Third Disciple. Ning Yuchan will be the Fourth Disciple. Taohua will be the Fifth Disciple. Alright, perform the ceremony.”
All three were overwhelmed with joy and moved to tears. With both respect and urgency, they kowtowed and paid their respects to Doctor Cui.
Especially Cui Shitou. For five years, a full five years, he had begged his master every year to accept him as a disciple, even persuading Senior Brother to speak on his behalf. Yet every time, his master refused on the grounds that he would not take more disciples.
Today, thanks to Ning Yuchan and Taohua, he had finally become Doctor Cui’s Third Disciple.
Just moments ago, he had disliked the two of them and even wanted to drag them out. Now, wiping his reddened eyes, he wished he could treat them as his own younger sisters.
“Fourth Junior Sister, Little Junior Sister, from now on you are my real sisters. I will look after you.”
Ning Yuchan spoke first. “Thank you, Third Senior Brother.”
Taohua repeated her words. “Thank you, Third Senior Brother.”
Doctor Cui then called over his eldest disciple and instructed them to get along well as fellow disciples.
Tian Fengying was so happy she did not even know what to say.
After the three disciples completed their kowtows, Doctor Cui led Ning Yuchan and Taohua to the back hall.
Earlier, he had noticed that when the two girls recited the names of the herbs, their methods were different.
“Yuchan, how did you remember those herb names?”
Ning Yuchan’s face flushed slightly. Unsure whether her master was dissatisfied with her performance, she answered honestly, “Master, when you were taking out the herbs just now, I paid attention to the order in which you took them. The drawers were labeled with the herb names.”
Doctor Cui recalled it and was somewhat shocked. “You actually remembered the order in which I took the herbs?”
Ning Yuchan nodded. “When I close my eyes, I can recall the sequence in which Master took them.”
It was the first time Doctor Cui had encountered such a person. “Did I only take out herbs thirty-seven times?”
Ning Yuchan shook her head. “Twice, you didn’t take any out. You opened the drawer, took a look, and closed it again. And once, you took one out but then put it back because it was repeated.”
Doctor Cui: “…”
That meant there had been over forty actions in total, and Ning Yuchan had formed a complete image in her mind and recorded it entirely.
For a moment, he was in a daze. Many years ago, there had also been such an intelligent woman. But when he tried to recall it carefully, he could not remember clearly.
He then turned to Taohua. “What about you?”
Taohua used a more straightforward method, with a bit of cleverness. “Master, when you pointed to the herbs and said their names, I tried hard to remember them. The first time I missed some, but when Sister-in-law recited them again, I remembered all of them.”
Taohua was the normal one.
Doctor Cui was very satisfied with both of them and praised them, “Both of you are very intelligent. As your master, I am very pleased to accept you. In a moment, let your Senior Brother arrange rooms for you. From now on, you will stay here long-term. You may return home once every half month. Let your mother go back.”
Tian Fengying had already transformed into an expert in giving instructions.
She was surrounded by a group of elders and villagers, speaking at length about her experiences raising children over the years.
This rare moment of glory for Tian Fengying had her being looked at with admiration, appreciation, and envy by the crowd.
It was just a pity that the people from the village were not there to see it.
After all these years of hardship, it was finally her time to hold her head high.
“I’m telling you, whether it’s a girl or a boy, you must treat them the same from the start…”
When Ning Yuchan and Taohua came to the main hall of the medical hall, this was the scene they saw.
Ning Yuchan felt embarrassed to interrupt, so it was Taohua who squeezed through the crowd and pulled Tian Fengying out.
“Mother, the two of us will be staying here from now on.”
Tian Fengying was startled. “I’m going back alone?”
Taohua smiled. “You didn’t take a master, so of course you have to go back.”
Tian Fengying was reluctant to part with the two girls. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, “Mother hasn’t eaten lunch yet. Your master is so wealthy, he should at least provide a meal, right?”
Ning Yuchan and Taohua had just taken a master and did not yet understand their master’s temperament.
A meal might not be worth much to a wealthy person, but neither of them dared to decide on their own.
“Mother…” Ning Yuchan took out a few copper coins from her small pouch. “I saw a noodle shop nearby. Mother can go eat there…”
Before she could finish speaking, Senior Brother had just finished dispensing medicine for someone. Hearing their conversation, he said, “Food has already been prepared in the back. Auntie and the two Junior Sisters, please follow me.”
Senior Brother’s name was Cui Qingcheng.
He was also an orphan. Doctor Cui had taken him in more than ten years ago.
He was tall and thin, with a sharp face and delicate features, looking very spirited.
However, his behavior and demeanor completely followed Doctor Cui. His whole person seemed neither joyful nor sorrowful, like an old man living deep in the mountains. Despite not being old, he already carried a trace of world-weariness.
Ning Yuchan quietly observed Senior Brother for a moment, then followed him along with Tian Fengying and Taohua to the back hall.
The meal was simple: two stir-fried vegetable dishes and a plate of large steamed buns. The other workers had already eaten, leaving only Tian Fengying and the other two.
Cui Qingcheng said calmly, “Auntie and the two Junior Sisters, please eat. Shitou will clean up later.”
After speaking, he nodded slightly and left.
Tian Fengying had not eaten much breakfast and was already hungry. She grabbed a large steamed bun and started eating. “You two eat as well. After we finish, I’ll head back. You two stay here and study well. Maybe in a few years, you can even become female doctors.”
Ning Yuchan had not thought that far. “I just want to learn how to prepare the medicinal plaster as soon as possible and restore our Huo family’s plaster.”
Tian Fengying had almost forgotten this larger goal.
“Alright, you decide what to do.”
After the meal, Tian Fengying picked up her bundle and greeted Cui Qingcheng before leaving.
She had originally wanted to see Doctor Cui and give a few instructions before leaving, but unfortunately Doctor Cui had gone to the inner residence and clearly had no intention of seeing her.
She could only say all her instructions to Cui Qingcheng in one go.
Three had come, but only one returned.
Ning Yuchan was a little worried and accompanied Tian Fengying all the way to the city gate.
Fortunately, Huojia Village was not far from the city. It would only take about half a shichen[2]about an hour jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1953086_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1953086_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); to get there.
“Mother, walk carefully on the way. If anything happens at home, send us a message.”
It was Taohua’s first time being separated from her parents, and her eyes were full of reluctance. “Mother, Master allows us to go home once every half month. When the time comes, make egg pancakes for us.”
With two fewer people eating and using resources at home, things suddenly became much easier.
Tian Fengying nodded. “Alright, when the time comes, Mother will make it for you.”
Taohua thought for a moment and added, “Actually, we don’t really like eating it that much. The medical hall has everything. Mother and Father should eat better food instead.”
These words made Tian Fengying feel a lump in her chest.
She had been very happy, but suddenly her nose stung unbearably. Turning her back to the two girls, she wiped away her tears.
“Ah, it’s not far anyway. Mother can come see you anytime.
Besides, your father’s leg is almost healed. When the time comes, the two of us will come together.”
Liu Hansheng was on duty today. Standing on the city wall, he spotted Ning Yuchan and came running down with his red-tasseled spear.
“Miss Ning, heading out of the city?”
Ning Yuchan first performed a greeting, then replied, “Taohua and I have taken Doctor Cui as our master. We’ll be living in the city from now on. I’m just seeing my mother off.”
Liu Hansheng’s face lit up. “Doctor Cui hasn’t taken disciples for over ten years, yet he accepted both of you?”
He carefully looked the two girls up and down. “That’s remarkable. Just now, some villagers passing by said Doctor Cui had taken disciples. I didn’t believe it.”
Tian Fengying said proudly, “Doctor Cui set a test. Both of them answered correctly. It’s because they’re clever. There was another one who didn’t pass.”
Just as they were about to leave the city, Taijian and his mother passed by. The two of them spat fiercely in Tian Fengying’s direction.
“Petty people getting carried away.”
As they were talking, a soldier came to notify them, ordering Liu Hansheng to immediately shut the city gates.
Tian Fengying had already experienced being locked in once before. She hurriedly ran toward the outside of the city.
“Yuchan, Taohua, Mother will come see you in a few days.”
Ning Yuchan and Taohua could only watch as Tian Fengying was separated from them by a large iron gate.
“Mother, go slowly.”
“Mother, we’ll be back soon.”
The last time the gates had suddenly been closed, Liu Hansheng did not know what had happened. But over the past few days, he had heard some rumors.
He warned Ning Yuchan and Taohua, “You two should hurry back. Something has happened in the city. Don’t go out these next few days, or you might get hurt.”
Seeing him busy arranging matters, Ning Yuchan quickly pulled Taohua and returned to the medical hall.
“Brother Liu, stay safe. We’re leaving.”
Doctor Cui’s disciples and the medical hall’s workers all lived in the single-story rooms behind the pharmacy.
Occasionally, patients would also stay there.
It was usually a mixed crowd.
For Ning Yuchan and Taohua, two young girls, it was clearly not convenient to live there.
So Cui Qingcheng arranged for them to stay in the inner residence.
Originally, only Doctor Cui lived in the inner residence.
It had been quiet and somewhat lifeless.
Now, with two girls added,
it suddenly felt filled with the warmth of everyday life.
Doctor Cui could not help but sigh inwardly. If he had not been disheartened back then and had not rejected the girl who had confessed to him, perhaps his children would now be about Ning Yuchan’s age.
References[+]