Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

Ever since Zhu Yuan’s “sky-falling” marriage announcement, he has come to my house to “take refuge” almost every day, acting as if “marriage is the root of all evil.”

Please, Gu Qingge is a good doctor and looks good, but why does he make it sound like he is going to the execution ground?

That day, he came again. As soon as he stepped through the door, I heard his familiar wailing voice: "Imperial Physician Yang, you have to save me!"

I rolled my eyes and thought: This is the third time you've said this this week, could you please change your line?

"What's wrong, Mr. Zhu? Are there any new developments today?" I leaned lazily in my chair and poured him a cup of tea.

Zhu Yuan sat down with a pout, pouting, "My dad is forcing me to pick out my wedding dress again. He said I have to choose it myself to avoid it being 'not suitable'."

I nearly spit out my tea. "You're still not happy about this? Picking out a wedding dress is a big deal. At least you can pick something nice. Don't be like some people who look like a magpie on their wedding day."

Zhu Yuan rolled his eyes. "That's easy for you to say! I get a headache whenever I see anything red. How can I even think about picking out a wedding dress?"

I couldn't help but laugh: "So what are you going to do? Run away from the marriage?"

He was stunned for a moment, and a strange light flashed in his eyes: "Actually, I have really thought of this idea!"

I was shocked, put down my teacup, and stared at him: "Are you serious? Running away from marriage?!"

Zhu Yuan nodded seriously: "I've thought it through! I can pretend to be seriously ill and bedridden, so I can delay the wedding."

I almost laughed myself to death. "You're really trying too hard! Pretending to be seriously ill? Aren't you afraid your family will actually treat you like a critically ill patient and send you straight to the Imperial Hospital?"

Zhu Yuan smiled slyly: "Don't forget, I have a friend who is a miracle doctor like you! Just prescribe me some 'mysterious prescription' and make me look like I'm really sick. Then my father won't be able to do anything to me."

I looked at him speechlessly: "You have no moral integrity! You actually want to drag me down with you!"

He looked innocent: "Isn't this the end of my rope? Imperial Physician Yang, please help me! If I don't find a solution, I'm really going to be forced to get married!"

I propped up my chin and looked at him jokingly: "Are you so afraid of Gu Qingge?"

Zhu Yuan sighed, his face full of despair. "It's not that I'm afraid of her, it's just... I'm not mentally prepared yet! I still want to enjoy a few more years of free life. After getting married, it's all over. I'll be controlled every day. How can I be as free and easy as I am now?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Your logic does make sense. But pretending to be sick is too old-fashioned. Try something a little more creative."

Zhu Yuan's eyes lit up and he quickly came over: "So what good ideas do you have?"

I pretended to be lost in thought, then said slowly, "How about you actually get sick? Not a serious illness, just a minor one, the kind that can last a few months."

When Zhu Yuan heard this, his expression changed instantly: "You...you don't really want me to get sick, do you?!"

I laughed out loud. "Look how scared you are! I was just kidding! But, when it comes to marriage, you can't escape it. You might as well face it head-on. Maybe Gu Qingge isn't as 'difficult' as you think?"

Zhu Yuan's face was full of suspicion. "You've never been with her, so you don't know how cold she is. Every time I see her, she doesn't even smile at me. She's like an ice sculpture!"

I shrugged. "A doctor's heart is full of compassion. Maybe she's only gentle with her patients. Why don't you try pretending to be sick and see if she'll be nicer to you?"

When Zhu Yuan heard this, he actually started to think about it seriously, frowning: "Now that you put it that way, it seems to make some sense... Maybe I can give it a try."

I almost died of laughter: "I just said it casually, are you really planning to pretend to be sick?"

Zhu Yuan said seriously, "This is a good strategy. If it can really make her be a little gentler to me, I wouldn't mind giving it a try."

I shook my head helplessly. "You're truly a prodigy. But if you really want to do this, I suggest you don't feign a serious illness. Just pretend you have a cold. Don't make it too dramatic."

Zhu Yuan nodded solemnly: "Okay! It's decided!"

A few days later, I received the news: Zhu Yuan really started to "pretend to be sick", with the reason being "catching a cold and being bedridden."

His little thoughts made me want to see if Gu Qingge would really become "gentle" towards him because of this.

That day, I happened to have nothing to do, so I decided to go and see Zhu Yuan’s “condition” in person.

When I arrived at his house, I saw him lying on the bed with a thick quilt wrapped around his face. A servant was holding a bowl of medicine next to him, looking at him with a sad face.

"Mr. Zhu, you should drink this medicine quickly. Don't delay any longer."

Zhu Yuan shook his head with a "weak" look on his face: "My illness is very serious, I'm afraid this medicine will be useless."

I couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Zhu Yuan, your acting is too exaggerated!"

As soon as he saw me, he sat up immediately. The weakness on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by a look of surprise: "Imperial Physician Yang, you're here! Quick, help me take a look, is my pretending to be good enough?"

I walked over helplessly, touched his forehead, and then said seriously, "Well, your face is pale, and your pulse is weak. It does seem like you've caught a cold. But your heartbeat is too fast. Are you acting too hard?"

Zhu Yuan scratched his head sheepishly: "I'm just worried that I won't be able to act like one."

I smiled and shook my head: "Don't worry, your level of pretending to be sick is still good enough. But has Gu Qingge had any reaction?"

Zhu Yuan's expression suddenly changed, and he seemed a little depressed. "She came and took my pulse, saying I had a 'minor illness', and then coldly said, 'Take medicine on time.' After she left, I felt even more seriously ill!"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Look at how capable you are! She at least came to check your pulse, which shows she still cares about you."

Zhu Yuan looked desperate. "Care? She wouldn't even look at me. It's like she's looking at a pile of herbs!"

I patted his shoulder and said, "If you ask me, stop messing around here. If you want her to treat you better, you have to be sincere, not pretend to be sick."

Zhu Yuan sighed, like a deflated ball: "I know that, but I just don't know how to get along with her. What do you think, should I get sick again and try?"

This time I really couldn't help myself and laughed so hard that tears almost came out: "Zhu Yuan, you are really creative! If you really want to do that, then just pretend to be sick every day. After all, you have me, the imperial physician, to protect you."

Zhu Yuan looked at me seriously and nodded. "Imperial Physician Yang, that's a good idea! If you can help me think of something else I can pretend to be sick with, what's the best way?"

I was completely speechless: "This is not a solution to the problem! Besides, Gu Qingge is not a fool. If you pretend to be sick every day, she will see through your tricks sooner or later."

Zhu Yuan was stunned for a moment and scratched his head: "What you said makes sense...but I really don't know what to do now."

I sighed helplessly. "Alright, Zhu Yuan, I think you should stop messing around. If you really want Gu Qingge to treat you well, you might as well start by spending time with her on a daily basis and slowly understanding her preferences. Don't always rely on these crooked methods."

Zhu Yuan nodded thoughtfully: "You're right, I need to think about it carefully. I can't go on like this."

I breathed a sigh of relief and thought: I finally persuaded him.

After seeing Zhu Yuan off, I can finally enjoy a moment of peace and quiet.

However, I had a vague feeling in my heart that Zhu Yuan's marriage would never end so simply.

Judging from his personality, there will definitely be a lot of "exciting follow-up".

Sure enough, a few days later, I heard a "hot" news: Zhu Yuan's "faking illness" not only did not make Gu Qingge warm to him, but made her even colder towards him. Gu Qingge even specifically warned him: "If you don't take the medicine, your condition will worsen and you will bear the consequences yourself."

When I heard this news, I almost laughed myself to death. This kid, playing with fire, got burned!

I was just wondering whether I should go check on Zhu Yuan's "miserable condition" again when Xiao Cui's voice suddenly came from the doorway: "Miss, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has sent someone to deliver a letter."

My heart tightened: What happened to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince again?