The house erupted in cheers upon Qi Yue’s return—some crying, some laughing, finally settling into quiet.

The Second Madam herself arrived shortly after, entering the room already in tears.

Having not seen her for several days, the Second Madam looked even more frail. Qi Yue was frightened; lacking diagnostic skills or any test results, she frantically prepared to summon the elder physician.

“I’m fine; I know what ails me. It’s you who’s lost layers of skin…” The Second Madam grasped her hand, wiping her tears, then stared intently at Qi Yue, causing the tears she had just stopped to flow anew.

“Auntie, I haven’t lost layers of skin; it was just a cranial injury. I’ll be fine with rest,” Qi Yue said with a smile. “I am a doctor; I know my own condition.”

Only then did the Second Madam calm down, clinging to Qi Yue’s hand, unwilling to let go.

“You must return quickly. Your body cannot handle going out, facing the elements, or being agitated. If anything should happen to you, what would I do?” Qi Yue urged.

This single phrase, What would I do?, instantly reignited a spark in the Second Madam’s previously dimmed eyes.

“Don’t worry. For your sake, I must hold on until…” she began, then paused, “Yue Niang, come with me to the Capital.”

The Capital, again.

“Auntie, you absolutely cannot leave the house right now!” Qi Yue refused without hesitation. “Truly, I’m not good at internal medicine. If it were surgery, I’d be fine, but someone like Physician An is the one who can truly heal patients. If you are truly worried about your sister-in-law’s illness, you must find a reputable grand physician, perhaps even an Imperial Doctor.”

The Second Madam looked at her, a touch of anxiety still in her expression as she tried to persuade her further.

“Auntie, even if we go, it must wait until your body has recovered and the doctor says it’s safe to travel. I will accompany you then,” Qi Yue said, clasping her hand with a hint of longing. “I want to go out too; I’ve never been to the Capital. Auntie, the Capital must be huge and wonderful, right?”

The Second Madam’s expression held a hint of desolate grandeur.

“Yes, the Capital is vast,” she said slowly, gripping Qi Yue’s hand, her gaze firm. “Auntie will definitely take you.”

After resting at home for a day, Qi Yue returned to work.

“Resting at home is worse than going to the Hall of a Thousand Gold. With a doctor watching over me, isn’t that better?” Qi Yue laughed.

A’Ru and A’Hao finally stopped protesting and carefully helped her into the carriage bound for the Hall of a Thousand Gold.

Upon entering the patient ward, they saw Physician An examining a patient’s pulse, accompanied by two men.

Seeing Qi Yue enter, the two men immediately dropped to their knees, bowing their heads to the floor without a word.

“Enough, stop kneeling back and forth,” Qi Yue waved them off. She stood beside Physician An, watching intently as he checked the pulse, inquired, and adjusted the prescription.

After finishing with the patient, Physician An turned to take Qi Yue’s pulse.

“Physician An, I should be fine now. You should hurry back,” Qi Yue urged, noting that Physician An had been here for nearly half a month now. “This patient will be discharged in four more days.”

Saying this, she couldn't help but bend over in a formal salute.

“Thank you, Physician An, for saving my life.”

Physician An quickly moved to steady her.

“Serving my master is a disciple’s duty,” he replied with a smile.

“Oh, Physician An!” Qi Yue stamped her foot playfully. “Stop embarrassing me. If not for you this time, neither I nor he would have survived! What master and disciple? In the history books, this might just be recorded as a joke.”

Perhaps a footnote about some frantic female doctor who split open a chest to treat an injury, resulting in both dying—a cautionary tale for all.

Physician An was amused by her words.

“Without you, he would certainly have died,” he said seriously. “Master, such divine skill must be heaven-blessed.”

Liu Pu Cheng entered at that moment and smiled upon hearing their exchange.

“Stop being so humble to one another; you are mutually each other’s teachers,” he stated.

“Yes, Teacher,” Qi Yue replied respectfully, looking at him with a smile.

“Look at this entanglement of seniority,” Liu Pu Cheng laughed to Physician An.

They bid farewell to Physician An amid much laughter. Even after his carriage was long out of sight, Qi Yue and the others remained by the entrance, watching for a long time.

“Your body isn’t fully recovered yet; go inside and rest,” Liu Pu Cheng told Qi Yue.

Qi Yue nodded and went inside to check on the recovering patient.

“Don’t be afraid; walk around more often,” Qi Yue instructed, directing the two men to help the patient take slow steps inside the room. “…Do some shoulder protractions…”

“Doctor, is Brother here really…” One of the men could no longer contain himself, pointing at the patient’s chest. “Is that iron wire binding him inside?”

Qi Yue nodded.

“It doesn’t need to be removed; it will fuse with the bone,” she said with a gentle smile.

The men before her looked horrified.

“Brother, you really have become iron-bodied…” the younger one murmured.

Qi Yue laughed heartily.

“Do you live far from here?” she asked again. “Although he is discharged, you must continue the medication Physician An prescribed, and the wound needs regular disinfection. Will one of you come in person, or shall I teach you how?”

The three men nodded simultaneously.

“We will come. We will come, no matter how far,” they said in unison.

What a joke; they were terrified enough as it was—they wouldn't dare try to handle it themselves.

As they spoke, Hu San entered, followed by two disciples carrying trays.

“Time for medicine and dressing changes,” Hu San announced, never showing kindness to these men.

The patient first took his medicine, then lay down, as one of the disciples began changing the dressing and disinfecting the wound, with Qi Yue watching and guiding closely.

“Master, you should take your medicine now too,” Hu San turned to Qi Yue, a wide, respectful smile on his face.

Qi Yue agreed, then cautioned the patient not to be afraid to keep moving before stepping out.

“Now that the Master has stepped out, shouldn't the hospital fees be settled?” Hu San said coldly to the men, his face stern. “Also, my Master is magnanimous and won't pursue the matter of injuring her, but how do you plan to give an accounting for that?”

In the office nearby, Qi Yue drank her bitter medicine, while Liu Pu Cheng reviewed several sheets of paper before him.

“…Excellent, easy to understand… letting everyone know that while surgery seems frightening, it is indeed a way to heal…” he remarked, nodding.

“I’ve thought it through. First, we’ll distribute flyers like these, and then we’ll print small pamphlets covering things like disease prevention and other common knowledge,” Qi Yue said vaguely, putting down the bowl and sticking out her tongue at the bitterness.

Hu San entered, hearing this, and was startled.

“Master, those are not just common knowledge! They are secret formulas!” he rushed to say. “Formulas worth a thousand pieces of gold that cannot be exchanged!”

Qi Yue laughed loudly.

“Once enough people know, they aren’t secret formulas anymore,” she smiled. “Besides, I’m not counting on using this to get rich.”

Wealth held little meaning for her now.

“This common knowledge, I’ve read it, Little Qi. If you can do this, it is a blessing for the common people,” Liu Pu Cheng said, his expression solemn.

“It’s just a small effort, and anyway, it’s nothing much,” Qi Yue replied, feeling slightly embarrassed by his praise.

“Very well then,” Hu San conceded. “At least surgery can still earn money.”

He laughed at this point.

“Master, that Guan Qing Niu insisted on paying the room and surgery fees; we couldn't stop him. He gave fifty gold pieces,” he chuckled.

Fifty gold pieces!

Both Qi Yue and Liu Pu Cheng were startled.

“That’s… too much!” Qi Yue exclaimed.

“Too much? Nonsense. The ginseng used just for Master alone was frighteningly expensive,” Hu San argued. “Shouldn't they cover it?”

Oh, right; the medicine consumed at the Hall of a Thousand Gold also required payment...

“All right then,” Qi Yue smiled. “Consider it compensation for emotional distress.”

Hu San finally nodded in satisfaction and gathered the papers.

“I’ll take these to be printed and let them distribute them,” he said.

Qi Yue nodded. A’Ru came to ask her to rest. After Qi Yue left, Hu San sighed deeply.

“She is truly different now,” he said, his voice mournful.

“What’s different?” Liu Pu Cheng asked.

“Teacher, do you remember before, how fierce Master was? Scolding and threatening those hunters? But look now, Master didn't react at all, instead being so amicable with them. They nearly beat her to death, yet she didn't even dare to charge extra for their stay…” Hu San fretted, his eyes reddening. “She divorced, and as a woman, she has lost her support system... it truly pains my heart…”

As he spoke, he raised his hand, unable to stop the impulse to wipe away tears.

Liu Pu Cheng smiled.

“What are you talking about?” he shook his head. “It’s not because of that.”

“Then what is it? Is it because the person injured that time wasn't her? She doesn't care about injuring herself?” Hu San choked out, confused.

This woman seemed genuinely unconcerned about herself...

Liu Pu Cheng paused slightly.

“No,” he quickly corrected himself. “Lady Qi has improved.”

“Improved? Improved in what? Getting beaten is an improvement?” Hu San was even more perplexed.

“A healer must possess compassion. This compassion is not just pity for the patient’s suffering, but also understanding their perspective, putting oneself in their shoes, to truly achieve benevolence,” Liu Pu Cheng explained slowly. “Lady Qi this time was considering things from the patient's side, which is why she was so amiable. Those who don't know are not at fault, but those who do know are committing evil.”

Hu San listened, feeling utterly confused.

“What is a Great Physician?” Liu Pu Cheng asked him sternly.

These were maxims the disciples had to memorize before beginning their apprenticeship.

“When a Great Physician treats illness, they must calm their spirit and fix their resolve, desiring nothing. First, they must cultivate great kindness and sympathy, swearing an oath to save all living beings from suffering. If someone seeks help for an ailment, one must not inquire about their noble or humble status, age or youth, friendly or hostile relations, civilized or savage nature; all must be treated equally, as if they were one's own kin. One must not look ahead or behind, worry about personal safety or fortune, or cherish one’s own life. Seeing their distress as one's own, one must feel deep sorrow. One must not avoid danger, day or night, cold or heat, hunger, thirst, or fatigue, but rush to offer aid with a single focus, without pretense or calculation regarding personal effort. Only then can one be a Great Physician for the common people; anything contrary to this makes one a great thief of life.” Hu San immediately recited.

Initially, it was an instinctive response, but as he spoke the last parts, his voice smoothed, and his mind grew clear.

Finishing, Hu San bowed his head to Liu Pu Cheng and called out, “Teacher.”

Liu Pu Cheng nodded.

“Therefore, you must hurry and distribute these materials, letting everyone know what surgery is and what saving lives entails. Next time someone dares treat Lady Qi in such a manner, you just watch—Lady Qi certainly won't let them off,” Liu Pu Cheng said with a smile, tapping the table.

Hu San murmured an understanding and left holding the papers.

With the patient’s discharge, this incident drew to a close. Although the process had been perilous, the outcome was fortunately good.

Several figures burst into a traditional pharmacy, immediately overturning things indiscriminately, causing patrons seeking consultations or medicine to flee in terror.

“I was wrong? What did I do wrong?” the stout shopkeeper who was seized flushed crimson. “Go ask! Ask if that coffin-bearer did those kinds of things, and ask if those doctors ever bought corpses from him! What? Am I not allowed to speculate? I only speculated! Why did you believe it…”

What he said had some merit, and the leader of the men glanced over before letting the plump shopkeeper go.

“Next time you mislead my brother, I’ll beat you to death!” he said fiercely, nodding to his group, and they left.

“Mislead? How is that misleading? I was clearly offering kind reminders,” the plump shopkeeper grumbled, straightening his disheveled lapels. “In this day and age, good intentions are mistaken for malice!”

As he bent down, he heard footsteps approaching, and several more people rushed in from the doorway.

“Guest…” Before he could see who had arrived, a sack was thrown over his head, followed by a veritable rain of fists and cudgels.

“Thieves! Murder!”

The sound of slaughter echoed through the pharmacy.

During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, I’ll try for two updates (^__^) hehe... Happy holidays everyone RS

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