Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

Ever since the last incident of Mr. Li "avoiding marriage", Renxintang's reputation has been rising.

Many dignitaries in Yingtian Prefecture heard of my reputation as a "miracle doctor" and came to see me one after another.

Although my patient base has gradually shifted from ordinary people to the powerful and wealthy, I know in my heart that the clinic must be based among the people and cannot rely solely on the nobility to maintain its appearance.

However, what has been giving me a headache recently is not the "strange illnesses" of the nobles, but the little thoughts of my apprentices.

There are five apprentices in Renxin Hall, all of whom were trained by me.

They are not very old, but they are very enthusiastic about studying medicine.

During this period, I taught them how to take a pulse and identify medicinal materials every day, and also arranged for them to participate in some simple patient treatments.

However, as time went on, I noticed some subtle signs of "involution in the workplace".

That day, I was teaching them how to deal with burns. I prepared a few "fake wounds" for them (of course, not wounds on real people, but models made of cloth and medicinal materials) and let them take turns practicing.

"Come on, Little Leo, you go first." I waved to one of the older apprentices.

Leo is a smart young man. Although he doesn't talk much, he is very skillful and did a pretty good job of bandaging the wound.

"Well, the technique is good, but remember - the area around the wound must be disinfected thoroughly, otherwise it will easily become infected," I reminded.

"Yes, miss." Little Leo nodded, looking serious.

Just as I was about to call the next apprentice, Xiao Cui came over and whispered, "Miss, haven't you noticed? Little Li and Little Tiger seem to be having a bit of a rivalry these days."

"Competing?" I was stunned.

Xiao Cui quietly pointed at Xiao Huzi standing beside her and said, "Look, Xiao Huzi doesn't look too good today. I feel like he's a little bit dissatisfied."

I looked in the direction Xiao Cui pointed, and sure enough, Xiao Huzi was staring at Xiao Lizi with a "deep" look, as if to say, "You're good, right? Wait until I get on stage, I'll be better than you!"

I almost couldn't help laughing out loud: These ancient apprentices actually had this kind of "involutionary trend"?

Sure enough, when it was Xiaohuzi's turn to play, he was full of fighting spirit. He picked up the bandage and started bandaging it with very fast movements.

But soon, I discovered the problem - this guy bandaged the wound quickly, but his technique was rough and the wound was almost buried under the bandage.

"Xiao Hu, slow down, slow down." I quickly stopped. "This isn't a speed race. No matter how fast you bandage it, you have to make sure the wound can breathe. Look, you've wrapped it up like a dumpling. How can the patient get better?"

Little Tiger blushed and lowered his head: "Miss, I...I just want to behave better."

I sighed in my heart: This child is very strong-willed, but he is going in the wrong direction.

Watching the "little competition" among these apprentices, an idea suddenly came to my mind: it's time to teach them what the true "way of medicine" is.

So, I called all five apprentices aside and began to explain my "workplace philosophy" as a "modern time-traveling master":

"Do you guys feel like you have to perform better than others lately in order to get my attention?" I asked straight to the point.

The apprentices looked at each other, especially Little Li and Little Tiger, with a hint of embarrassment on their faces.

"Miss, we...we just want to learn quickly so that we can stand on our own sooner." Little Leo said honestly.

I nodded. "It's a good thing you're ambitious, but studying medicine isn't a competition, nor is it about whoever learns the fastest being the best. Medicine requires meticulousness and patience. Patients are putting their lives in our hands, and we can't afford to overlook details in our eagerness to perform. Do you understand?"

The apprentices all lowered their heads, as if thinking about what I said.

I continued, "To be a good doctor, the most important thing isn't to be faster than others, but to be more steady. Remember, a doctor's heart is compassionate. While excellent medical skills are important, your attitude is more important than anything else. If you neglect your patients' safety just to show off, you're making a huge mistake."

Little Tiger raised his head, scratched it, and asked sincerely, "Miss, how can we achieve 'stability'?"

I smiled and said, "It's simple. Don't think about comparing yourself with others, but compare yourself with yourself. Are you better today than you were yesterday? Have you learned more today than you did yesterday? If you are making progress every day, you don't have to worry about whether you are showing it or not."

After listening to this, the apprentices nodded to show that they understood, and their faces were less anxious than before.

However, no matter how reasonable I am, I know in my heart that the "competitive spirit" in their hearts cannot be suppressed in the short term.

But it doesn’t matter. Appropriate competition can help them improve. The key is to find the right degree.

As a teacher, I have to always pay attention to their mentality to prevent them from going astray.

Just as I was about to end the "Workplace Philosophy Class", I heard the sound of hurried horse hooves outside the door.

After a while, a servant in gorgeous clothes rushed into the clinic and said breathlessly, "Miss Yang, hurry... hurry and follow me, our young master is in trouble!"

When I heard this, I immediately became alert: Another patient from a wealthy family? Was he faking illness again?

However, judging by the servant's panicked look, it didn't seem like he was joking.

I didn't dare to delay, so I immediately took the medicine box and followed the servant out the door.

When I arrived at the mansion, I found out that the patient this time was actually the Mr. Li who "hid from marriage" last time!

"Miss Yang, you're here!" Mr. Li said anxiously when he saw me. "My bastard son has suddenly developed a high fever and is unconscious. Please come and take a look!"

My heart tightened, and I quickly walked to Mr. Li's bed and reached out to touch his forehead - sure enough, it was terribly hot.

I carefully examined Mr. Li's pulse and symptoms and found that he not only had a high fever, but also shortness of breath and weakness in his limbs. This was not like a common cold.

"Mr. Li, has your young master come into contact with any guests from other places recently? Or has he gone to any remote places?" I asked.

Mr. Li was stunned. "Yes, he went to Jiangbei a few days ago, saying he was traveling with some friends."

I suddenly had a clue: There have been rumors of a plague in the Jiangbei area recently. Could it be...

I immediately ordered my servants to prepare hot water and cool herbs, and took out some fever-reducing herbs from the medicine box and began to treat Mr. Li.

I first prescribed a fever-reducing medicine for Mr. Li, and then used silver needles to stimulate several acupuncture points to help clear his meridians and relieve the coma caused by the high fever.

After a few hours, Master Li's body temperature finally slowly dropped and his breathing returned to normal.

"Fortunately, we arrived in time, otherwise if we delayed any further, something big would have happened." I said to Mr. Li.

Mr. Li was filled with gratitude and thanked her repeatedly: "Miss Yang, it's really thanks to you! If it weren't for you, I, this unfilial son, would probably..."

I waved my hand and said, "Master Li, saving people is my duty, but you still have to pay more attention to the whereabouts of the young master. The rumors of the plague are not small, so you must not be careless."

Mr. Li nodded repeatedly, indicating that he would keep a close eye on his son.

After returning to the clinic, I couldn't help but sigh: It seems that although there was no modern epidemic prevention and control mechanism in ancient times, the threat of plague was not small at all.

As a "time-traveling doctor", I not only have to save lives, but also have to pay attention to these potential health threats.

However, after today's "crisis", I have become more confident in my medical skills.

Whether it is a common disease or a complex infectious disease, as long as I stay calm and apply the knowledge of modern medicine, I can cope with various challenges.

When the apprentices heard about the "serious case" I cured, they all admired me even more, and their faces showed more fighting spirit, but this time the fighting spirit had more "positive energy".

I looked at them and smiled silently in my heart: Little guys, don’t be anxious, there is still a long way to go!