Zhao Boxian wasn’t lying when he said that. Because he wasn’t one to gossip, Yu Banxia sometimes told him things she couldn’t share with her family.
Occasionally, Zhao Boxian would even complain that she talked too much or said foolish things, but over time, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the girl.
Every time she came to sell medicinal herbs, he would give her a little extra.
“May all our futures be bright and splendid, our lives smooth and peaceful. If everyone is safe and well, every day is sunny.”
Yu Banxia raised her teacup high and proclaimed loudly.
“Well said!” the whole family chimed in with smiles. Those words were truly wonderful—if everyone is safe and well, every day is sunny.
Zhao Boxian rarely drank too much, but this time, Yu Mancang had to help him home.
And then, that very night, trouble struck.
“Doctor Zhao, open the door quickly! Please, I beg you, save a life!” A man pounded desperately on Zhao Boxian’s door.
Zhao Boxian, having drunk too much, didn’t stir at all.
Neighbors were roused by the noise and came out. An elderly neighbor man, holding a windproof lantern, looked at the man. “Hey, who are you? Why are you knocking on Doctor Zhao’s door in the middle of the night?”
“Uncle, uncle, I’m from Little Xu Village. My name is Xu Yong. I’m truly sorry for disturbing you so late. It’s just that my new wife is having a difficult labor—it’s a matter of life and death!”
“Doctor Zhao isn’t home right now,” Xu Yong quickly explained as he rushed up to the old man.
Hearing this, the old man slapped his thigh. “Oh no, that’s bad! Today, Doctor Zhao went to his apprentice’s house for a drink. He probably had too much—I saw Mancang bringing him back earlier tonight.”
“What? What do I do now?” Xu Yong was instantly dumbfounded. His wife’s life hung in the balance, and now Doctor Zhao was drunk.
Suddenly, the old man remembered something he’d heard that evening. “Here’s what you do. Go to Scholar Yu’s house—the one with the jujube tree in the yard.”
“Why should I go to Old Scholar Yu’s house?” Xu Yong didn’t catch on right away.
The old man glared at him. “Young man, you shouldn’t be so disrespectful. He’s Scholar Yu—why add ‘old’ to it?”
“My friend’s youngest daughter, Little Banxia, is Doctor Zhao’s last apprentice. We all just found out today that she’s been studying medicine under him for nearly eleven years.”
“Your wife is having a difficult labor, right? Since she’s a woman, wouldn’t that be more convenient?”
“What? Yu Banxia, that infatuated girl? Sorry, sorry—I mean, can Miss Yu really save my wife?” As soon as Xu Yong said it, he realized his mistake and hurriedly apologized to the old man, who was glaring at him.
The old man said irritably, “Do you have any other options right now? In all the villages around here, have you heard of any other doctors?”
“Alright, saving lives comes first.” Xu Yong gritted his teeth and bowed to the old man.
Then he ran toward the Yu house. Fortunately, there was moonlight tonight, so he didn’t stumble too much.
Soon, Xu Yong found the Yu residence.
“Miss Yu, Miss Yu, save her!” Xu Yong’s cries quickly alarmed the Yu family, even waking Yu Meihua’s mother, Aunt Zhao.
Aunt Zhao nudged her husband. “Hey, what’s going on? Why is someone calling for Miss Yu to save a life?”
“Why do you care so much? They’re not looking for you. If you’re not sleeping, I still want to. Can you stop overreacting?”
Aunt Zhao glared at him in the dark, then tilted her head to listen.Yu Mangui came out draped in an outer robe and, seeing that someone was indeed calling at his gate, walked over to open the main door.
“Oh my, what are you doing at this late hour?”
Xu Yong quickly spoke up: “Brother, please, I’m here to ask Miss Yu to save a life. My wife is having a difficult labor, and the midwife said we need to find a doctor to perform acupuncture to save her.”
“Doctor Zhao is drunk. His neighbor pointed me in this direction and told me to come here to find Miss Yu.”
Yu Hongwen, Zhang Quangui, and Yu Mancang all came out as well.
Yu Banxia also heard the commotion. She quickly dressed, retrieved her old wooden medical kit, removed anything too modern and stored it back in her Space, then picked up the kit and stepped out.
“Lead the way,” Yu Banxia said without any unnecessary words.
Yu Mangui had also finished dressing and hurriedly added, “Little sister, I’ll go with you.”
“I’m coming too,” Yu Mancang said, rushing back to his room to change. Seeing this, Zhang Quangui also offered to accompany them.
With three older brothers going along, Yu Hongwen felt reassured.
“Xiaxia, just do your best.”
Yu Banxia nodded. Yu Mangui and she set off first, with Zhang Quangui and Yu Mancang following behind.
Fortunately, Little Xu Village wasn’t far away, and they arrived shortly.
Xu Yong’s courtyard was crowded with people. His wife’s family had already rushed over, and the others were either neighbors or members of the same clan.
“Son-in-law, did you bring the doctor?” A woman with an anxious expression rushed toward Xu Yong as soon as he returned, grabbing his arm and asking urgently.
Xu Yong quickly nodded. “Mother, don’t worry. I couldn’t get Doctor Zhao, but I brought his apprentice—a female doctor.”
“Good, good, a female doctor is good. Quick, please bring the doctor inside,” the woman urged.
Without hesitation, Yu Banxia moved to enter the house.
Suddenly, another woman stepped forward and blocked her path. “Isn’t this the daughter of that old scholar from Anping Village?”
“Since when did she become a doctor? She used to follow Xu Xiucai around all day. I heard he went to propose today, and she even put on airs and refused to marry him.”
“This is a matter of life and death… Mmmph!” Yu Banxia directly took out a silver needle and swiftly inserted it into the woman’s neck. The chattering mouth instantly fell silent.
The woman stared at Yu Banxia with wide, terrified eyes, as if she wanted to swallow her whole.
“I’ll remove it after I save the patient. You’re too noisy,” Yu Banxia said, preparing to enter the room.
But Xu Yong’s mother-in-law rushed over and grabbed her arm.
“Wait!”
“What is it?” Yu Banxia was growing impatient.
What were these people doing? Weren’t they supposed to be saving a life?
What were they playing at now!
“Xu Yong, tell me honestly—is she really a doctor?” the woman asked anxiously.
Xu Yong wasn’t sure either, but Doctor Zhao’s neighbor had said she was a doctor.
“Mother, Doctor Zhao’s neighbor said we could ask Miss Yu to save a life. She really is Doctor Zhao’s apprentice.”
“But…”
“Do you want to try having your mouth sealed with a needle too?”
“Let her chatter some more if she dares. If you don’t want to save a life, I’ll just leave. Why keep blocking me one after another?”
Yu Banxia was losing her temper. This was a life-or-death situation, yet these people kept stopping her. If the patient’s condition worsened and they still expected her to save her, what was the point?
Hearing Yu Banxia’s words, the woman finally released her grip.”Sorry, sorry, miss—no, little doctor, I entrust my daughter to you.” The woman quickly apologized.
Yu Banxia nodded and stepped directly into the room.