Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

After returning to the clinic, I was finally able to sit down quietly and drink a cup of tea, temporarily getting rid of the headache caused by that "miracle doctor farce".

Today was truly thrilling. From the charlatans to the first aid scene, each one was more skilled than the other.

I was just thinking about taking a nap when I heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

Before I could react, Zhu Yuan rushed in like a gust of wind, with an expression that said "you must help me" on his face.

My heart sank. What trouble had this kid gotten into again?

"Imperial Physician Yang, help!" As soon as Zhu Yuan came in, he knelt down in front of me, bowed with his hands, and his face was full of helplessness.

I was startled and quickly helped him up: "What are you doing? What terrible mistake did you make that requires me to save you?"

Zhu Yuan looked miserable. "My dad suddenly said he wanted to arrange a blind date for me! You know how old I am! This is killing me!"

"Blind date?" I narrowed my eyes and couldn't help laughing. "What's there to be afraid of? You're not bad looking, and you come from a good family. Girls should be vying for a blind date with you, right?"

"Rush? Run away!" Zhu Yuan looked hopeless. "I heard she's the famous 'venomous lady' in the capital. Last time she went on a blind date, she scolded the son of a Hanlin scholar until he fainted on the spot!"

I nearly spit out my tea. So powerful? I'm really curious about this "venomous lady."

"Then why did your father choose her?" I asked curiously.

Zhu Yuan sighed: "My father said that she comes from a famous family with a distinguished family background. Most importantly, her medical skills are also very good and can be on par with you!"

My eyebrows raised, suddenly interested: "Oh? She also knows medicine?"

Zhu Yuan looked desperate. "Don't get excited! The point isn't that she knows medicine, the point is that her tongue is sharper than a knife! Think about it, she can even make the son of a Hanlin scholar faint with her scolding. A mere mortal like me can't handle it at all!"

At this point, my gossip spirit is burning.

Isn't this just a "mouth cannon" competition? Zhu Yuan might have picked the wrong person. I like this kind of interesting opponent the most.

So, I sat up straight and said seriously, "Well, since you're so reluctant, I'll go and take a look for you. I'd also like to meet such a powerful woman."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuan quickly waved his hands: "No, no, no, if you go, and she asks you some advanced medical questions again, I'll be finished!"

I smiled even more widely: "So do you want me to save your people or save your life?"

Zhu Yuan looked helpless, but finally gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! Go ahead! But you have to promise me that no matter how difficult she is, you have to help me stop her!"

The engagement banquet was held in a famous restaurant outside Yingtianfu City. The restaurant's private rooms were decorated in an antique style, and the tables were filled with exquisite snacks.

To be honest, the environment is pretty good.

"Are you sure she's difficult to deal with?" I sat at the table, leisurely eating snacks, but I was a little skeptical. After all, how venomous could she be?

Zhu Yuan sat next to me, his face full of nervousness. "Don't underestimate her! Last time, she scolded my cousin so badly that he hid for three days and didn't dare go out. I heard she's very demanding about medical skills."

I was about to ask for more details when the door was suddenly pushed open.

I saw a woman in a light blue dress walk in. She had delicate features and a stern temperament. Her sharp eyes swept around the room and finally fell on me.

"Are you the legendary 'Imperial Physician Yang'?" she asked, with a hint of provocation in her tone.

I put down the snack in my hand, smiled and nodded: "It's me. I wonder if the girl is..."

"My name is Gu Qingge." She said calmly, her voice cold. "I've heard that you're an excellent doctor. Since you're here today, why don't we have a sparring match?"

A competition? This blind date has turned into a martial arts competition to win a bride?

I couldn't help but laugh, "We can exchange ideas, but it depends on what my friend thinks." I deliberately nodded at Zhu Yuan next to me.

Zhu Yuan was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he quickly waved his hands: "No, no, no, I don't know any medical skills, I dare not compete with you."

Gu Qingge snorted coldly: "You dare to come for a blind date without knowing any medical skills? What a waste of time." Her tone was full of contempt.

Zhu Yuan's face instantly turned red, and he was about to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. I quickly tried to smooth things over: "Miss Gu, my friend doesn't really know any medical skills, but he does have his own strengths. After all, not everyone is good at medicine."

Gu Qingge looked at me coldly, his tone still sharp: "Yang Imperial Physician, your medical skills are excellent. Today I want to see if you are really as good as the rumors say."

Good man, today’s competition of medical skills won’t end until we’re done, right?

I thought to myself, this girl's desire for challenge is really strong.

However, I am not a person who is afraid of things.

Since she wants to test me, I don't mind showing off my skills. It's a good opportunity to see how good she is.

"Since Miss Gu is so interested, let's have a little competition." I said with a smile.

Gu Qingge nodded, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

She pulled a small box from her sleeve and placed it on the table. "There are several herbs in here. Imperial Physician Yang, please take a look and see if you can identify their properties."

I raised my eyebrows and thought: He really came prepared.

I opened the box and found a few pieces of seemingly ordinary herbs inside. I picked up one and looked at it carefully.

The herb is yellowish in color and has a faint bitter smell.

"This is Coptis chinensis, which clears away heat and dampness, purges fire and detoxifies. It is used to treat damp-heat dysentery, jaundice, red and swollen eyes, and other symptoms." I said lightly, and Gu Qingge's expression changed slightly.

I picked up another piece of herb, this time a piece of dried bark, dark brown in color and with a pungent smell.

"This should be cinnamon bark, which warms the middle and dispels cold, promotes blood circulation and unblocks menstruation. It is often used to treat cold pain in the abdomen, asthenia and cough due to deficiency of cold, etc." I continued.

Gu Qingge's expression gradually became serious. She stopped talking and just looked at me quietly.

The last piece of medicinal material is a little special. It is shaped like some kind of dried insect, dark brown in color, and has a fishy smell.

I picked it up and looked at it carefully for a while, and suddenly an idea came to my mind.

I pretended to think, then slowly said, "Well, this thing... looks like a mole cricket, also known as an earth dragon. Its main function is to clear away heat and detoxify, and it can also unclog the meridians and relieve spasms. It's used for stroke, hemiplegia, rheumatic pain, and other symptoms."

There was a hint of surprise in Gu Qingge's eyes, obviously she didn't expect that I could recognize them all.

She nodded gently: "Yes, it seems that the rumored Imperial Physician Yang is indeed a man of real talent and knowledge."

I smiled and was about to say something modest when Gu Qingge unexpectedly changed the subject: "However, just knowing how to identify medicines is nothing. The most important thing for a doctor is clinical experience. How about we have another acupuncture competition?"

This girl is determined to compete with me to the end!

I was just pondering how to respond when an idea suddenly struck me: "Miss Gu, since you mentioned clinical practice, why don't we find a real patient to take a look? After all, whether it's acupuncture or a prescription, the key is the efficacy, isn't it?"

Gu Qingge was slightly stunned, then nodded: "You are right, the value of medical skills lies in the effectiveness of the treatment. Then let's find a patient to compete."

I was secretly proud of myself, now you have fallen into a trap.

Not long after, we found a real patient in the restaurant - the owner of the restaurant, who was in his fifties and had suffered from long-term back pain. He walked with a limp and could only move with the help of plasters and hot compresses on weekdays.

Gu Qingge glanced at the shopkeeper and said calmly, "Old man, your symptoms clearly indicate bone-chilling dampness. I can use acupuncture to clear the meridians and temporarily relieve the pain."

As soon as she finished speaking, I immediately added, "Miss Gu is right, but acupuncture alone can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. The root of the old man's illness lies in spleen and kidney deficiency and long-term accumulation of cold and dampness. I'm afraid he needs internal medication to regulate his condition."

The shopkeeper was stunned when he heard this, and his eyes kept moving back and forth between me and Gu Qingge, as if he was watching a wonderful duel.

"Then please let Imperial Physician Yang give you acupuncture first." Gu Qingge said lightly, as if he wanted to see my technique first.

I smiled in my heart. It seemed that she wanted me to make the first move so that she could find an opportunity to refute her.

I took out the silver needles I carried with me, carefully selected a few key acupuncture points, and gently inserted the needles.

The shopkeeper suddenly felt a warm current flowing through his waist, and the painful expression on his face gradually eased.

"It's so comfortable..." The shopkeeper couldn't help but sigh.

Gu Qingge glanced at me and nodded: "It seems that Imperial Physician Yang's acupuncture technique is indeed good."

I smiled and said, "Miss Gu, why don't you try it too, so that the shopkeeper can have a comparison."

Gu Qingge was not willing to be outdone, so he immediately stepped forward, took out his silver needles, and skillfully inserted them into several acupuncture points of the shopkeeper.

Although her technique was precise, her strength was a little too strong, causing the shopkeeper to frown slightly.

After a while, Gu Qingge withdrew the needle and the shopkeeper moved his body. Although it was not as comfortable as before, the effect was still good.

The shopkeeper scratched his head and said with a smile, "Both doctors are very good. My back pain is much better now."

Gu Qingge's expression was a little complicated, as if she didn't expect me to be so calm.

I smiled and said, "It seems we all have our own strengths. There's no absolute superiority or inferiority in medical skills. The key is the effectiveness of the treatment."

Gu Qingge was silent for a while, and finally nodded gently: "Imperial Physician Yang is right, I learned a lot today."

I smiled, feeling relieved. Although this girl was harsh in her words, she wasn't unreasonable.

After Gu Qingge left, Zhu Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed in his chair as if he had survived a disaster.

"Imperial Physician Yang, you are truly my savior!" He looked at me with gratitude.

I couldn't help but laugh: "I helped you block her 'venomous tongue', but you still have to face your father's arrangements on your own."

Zhu Yuan sighed with a sad face: "Oh, it seems I have to think carefully about this marriage."

I patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry, she's not as scary as you think. Maybe you two are actually quite suitable for each other."

Zhu Yuan listened and smiled bitterly: "I hope so."