She then pricked the man’s acupoint again.
The man soon woke up and immediately noticed that his leg felt different.
Sitting up, he examined his leg and saw a large cast wrapped around it. Curious, he looked toward Doctor Zhao.
“This is a plaster cast. Your leg has been immobilized. As long as you avoid vigorous jumping or sudden movements, it can be removed in a hundred days. I guarantee you won’t be left disabled,” Yu Banxia said with a cheerful smile.
The man was overjoyed. He had already prepared himself for the possibility of becoming crippled, but now this young girl was telling him he wouldn’t be disabled. How could he not be thrilled?
“Really?”
“Thank you, thank you so much,” the man said, deeply moved.
Yu Banxia smiled and nodded at him, then went to open the door.
The people waiting outside hadn’t expected things to be resolved so quickly. Seeing the cast on the man’s leg, they were also curious about what it was.
“We should prepare a pair of crutches for this uncle. If you don’t have any, you can go to Yu Hongyu from the Yu family. My uncle is an excellent carpenter, and I saw a ready-made pair of crutches at his place this morning.”
“Alright, alright. Thank you, young lady. Are you Doctor Zhao’s disciple?” asked a woman who appeared to be the man’s wife.
Yu Banxia smiled and looked at Zhao Boxian. Zhao Boxian shot her a glare before replying with a smile, “She is my disciple. Though mischievous, her medical skills are quite good. If you ever need help in the future, you can come directly to her.”
“That’s wonderful!” the woman exclaimed, instantly excited.
In these times, it was extremely difficult for women to receive medical care, as many conditions couldn’t be discussed with male doctors.
“How much is the consultation fee?” the man asked gratefully after expressing his thanks.
Zhao Boxian looked at Yu Banxia, but she pretended not to notice. In the end, Zhao Boxian set the price himself.
The man and his family paid the fee with deep gratitude and left Doctor Zhao’s home.
“Let’s talk. You wouldn’t come here without a reason, would you?” Zhao Boxian said after everyone had left, finding a place to sit down.
Yu Banxia got straight to the point. “Master, you’ve seen it for yourself. I’ve had a fortuitous encounter and learned some skills in the Ghost Realm. To legitimize my medical knowledge, I’ll have to trouble you a bit.”
“Besides, having a clever disciple like me isn’t a loss for you, is it? I’ll also bring you delicious food regularly. What do you think?”
As she spoke, she opened the food box her third brother was carrying and took out the delicacies inside.
Zhao Boxian glared at her and snorted. “You’re right. Your medical skills are probably even better than mine. Taking you as my disciple is certainly no loss.”
“But how can you be sure I’ll agree to take you on?”
“Master, you’re a smart person too. We’re both old foxes who’ve seen it all. Wouldn’t it be better for us to join forces?”
Looking at her sly, fox-like expression, Zhao Boxian burst into laughter. “I’ve lost to you, you little rascal. Fine, I’ll take you as my disciple.”
“You have one senior brother and one senior sister. They’re a married couple. Your senior brother currently works in the Imperial Hospital. If you ever go to the capital, you can look for them.”
“Master, you might need to tell a little white lie. My medical skills aren’t something that can be learned in just a year or two.”
“As if I needed you to tell me that,” Zhao Boxian said, glaring at her again.Yu Banxia chuckled, then solemnly knelt down and performed the ritual of two bows and six kowtows.
Zhao Boxian laughed heartily and handed her a token: “This is your master’s token. In my earlier years traveling north and south, I acquired some properties.”
“The Spring Revival Pavilion in town is one of my properties. If you ever need anything in the future, you can go directly there. You can also sit in for consultations there when you have free time.”
“Great! I never imagined the Spring Revival Pavilion was actually your property, Master. I even sold a mountain ginseng there today.”
“Oh? So it was you who sold that mountain ginseng to Zhongxian. He couldn’t stop praising you.”
Yu Banxia chuckled: “Master, from now on, I will honor you as a father and never betray you.”
“Hahaha, good, good.” Zhao Boxian laughed heartily, clearly delighted, and bent down to help her up.
“In this lifetime, I have no children of my own, and your senior brothers and sisters are all grown now. I never thought I’d have the chance to take on a clever and spirited closing disciple like you in my remaining years.”
“Although you already understand medical principles, I still wish to pass on all I’ve learned in my life to you. I know you must have your own affairs to attend to now, so I’ll impart this knowledge to you. If there’s anything you don’t understand, come find me.”
“But you must promise me one thing regarding these Ghost Realm Thirteen Needles: you must not use them in the capital or in front of high-ranking officials or nobles.”
“Because doing so might bring fatal danger upon you.” Zhao Boxian hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
Yu Banxia looked at Zhao Boxian, and he looked back at her.
It seemed this master truly had his secrets. In her memory, Zhao Boxian had collapsed unconscious at the village entrance on a snowy night seventeen years ago, lying beside a mule covered in wounds that had already died.
Villagers found him and brought him home, saving his life. Later, when they learned he knew medicine, the village chief invited him to stay permanently.
Perhaps because he had wandered for too long, or perhaps because he was tired, Zhao Boxian truly settled down.
“Since Master’s Ghost Realm Thirteen Needles cannot be used freely, why not learn the Taiyi Thirteen Needles and the Yu Family Seven Needles that I possess?”
“Taiyi Thirteen Needles? Are they truly the Taiyi Thirteen Needles?” Zhao Boxian could hardly believe his ears.
The Ghost Realm Thirteen Needles he had inherited were developed by his school from fragments of the Taiyi Thirteen Needles. He never imagined that the disciple he had taken on somewhat hastily would actually possess the orthodox lineage of the Taiyi Thirteen Needles.
“You’re truly willing to give them to me?” Zhao Boxian still couldn’t believe it.
Yu Banxia smiled and nodded, then produced a sheepskin scroll in her hand.
This was originally something from the Space. If it could be passed down, it would be a good thing.
“You… this…” Zhao Boxian had noticed earlier.
Yu Banxia had done it intentionally, and with Xiao Bai by her side, she felt fearless.
“It’s just a small thing I obtained from the Ghost Realm that allows me to store and retrieve items.” Yu Banxia replied with a smile. Zhao Boxian glanced around cautiously.
“Although you’ve had an extraordinary encounter, you must not reveal it casually, lest someone develops malicious intentions.” Hearing Zhao Boxian’s warning, Yu Banxia smiled even more brightly.
She really hadn’t misjudged him.
“Don’t worry, Master. I won’t reveal it in front of others. Besides, this independent Space resides within my soul; no one can take it away.”
“That’s good, that’s good. But even so, you must use it discreetly.” Zhao Boxian warned again.
Yu Banxia quickly nodded, saying she understood, and only then did Zhao Boxian stop his admonitions.”However, the food you made is quite good,” Zhao Boxian said, turning his gaze to the dishes.
Yu Banxia smiled and replied, “I didn’t make these. It was my sister-in-law and aunt who prepared them.”
“I originally brought them to tempt you into taking me as your disciple. I never expected that, by a twist of fate, you would accept me as your apprentice right away.”