She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

Chu Zhiyi's words were like a slap in the face to the Duke of Xingguo.

His face turned pale and then red, and after a long while he finally spoke up to retort, "Then please explain to everyone why she, a woman, frequently enters and leaves the military camp?"

"Naturally, it's to treat the wounded soldiers in the army!"

"But as far as this old minister knows, the army is equipped with military doctors, so why would she, a woman, need to treat the wounded?" Duke Xingguo persisted.

At the same time, he subtly winked at one of his men, who nodded slightly and quickly left.

"Miss Ding's medical skills far surpass those of the military doctors," Chu Zhiyi replied calmly.

"How old is she? How skilled could her medicine be?"

The Duke of Xingguo wore a mocking expression, his eyes gleaming with cunning. "Is Your Highness perhaps bewitched by her, which is why you trust her so blindly?"

In my humble opinion, it would be better to invite a few imperial physicians to test her on the spot. This would allow everyone to see if she truly possesses the skills, and whether, as Your Highness claims, her medical expertise surpasses that of the military doctors, rather than merely engaging in empty rhetoric in court and using dubious evidence to deceive people.”

Upon hearing this, the people in the courtroom began to whisper among themselves again.

Some looked puzzled, as if pondering the rationale behind the suggestion; others, however, seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, their gazes shifting back and forth between Shen Man and the Duke of Xingguo.

Shen Man sneered inwardly. She knew that the Duke of Xingguo was up to his old tricks again, trying to embarrass her in public under the guise of testing her, thereby disrupting the investigation process.

Chu Zhiyi frowned slightly, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes. He was about to speak in rebuttal when Shen Man stepped forward first, bowed slightly, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Since the Duke of Xingguo questions this, I am happy to oblige."

"But I wonder, if this young lady passes the examination, what will the Duke of Xingguo do?"

Her gaze was cold and clear as she stared straight at the Duke of Xingguo, as if trying to see right through him.

Duke Xingguo was taken aback by her sudden confidence, but quickly regained his arrogant demeanor and raised his head, saying, "Hmph, if you really have the ability to pass, I, the Duke, will naturally... will naturally apologize to you."

He thought to himself, "This little girl is only fifteen or sixteen years old. How much skill could she possibly have? Even if she started learning medicine from the womb, how much could she possibly learn?"

The imperial physicians in the palace were all experienced and highly skilled; they could easily expose her true colors by posing a few difficult questions.

With that in mind, Duke Xingguo was already eagerly waiting to see the show.

Seeing this, Chu Zhiyi nodded slightly. He had full confidence in Shen Man's medical skills. Besides, things had come to this point, so he might as well take this opportunity to shut up the Duke of Xingguo.

He immediately ordered someone to summon the imperial physician.

Before long, three imperial physicians rushed over. Upon learning that Shen Man's medical skills were to be tested, they all looked surprised.

Having practiced medicine for many years, they had never seen a female doctor, let alone such a young girl, which made them suspicious.

The atmosphere in the courtroom became tense once again, with everyone holding their breath and focusing on this special examination.

Upon seeing this, the Duke of Xingguo immediately addressed the imperial physicians: "Gentlemen, this young lady before you boasts that her medical skills surpass those of the military doctors. Test her for us all and see if she truly possesses the ability, or if she's merely all show and no substance!"

The leading physician, Zhang, cleared his throat and spoke first: "Young lady, in that case, I will start by posing a question."

A soldier suffered a severe abdominal wound during battle; the wound was deep and long, accompanied by profuse bleeding. He returned to camp barely alive. In your opinion, how should he be treated?

Upon hearing this question, everyone nodded in agreement, agreeing that it tested knowledge of treating serious injuries while also taking into account a real-world scenario, making it quite challenging.

After a moment's thought, Shen Man calmly and unhurriedly said, "First, we should use wound medicine to stop the bleeding quickly. This medicine needs to be prepared with special herbs to achieve rapid blood clotting."

Afterwards, the wound needs to be sutured with silver needles. The suturing technique should be fine and even to prevent the wound from reopening and becoming infected. During this period, moxibustion can be used to stimulate acupoints and help the soldiers recover their strength.

After the wound has been treated, a decoction of herbs that clear heat, detoxify, and promote blood circulation should be taken internally to regulate qi and blood and promote wound healing.

Shen Man's answer was clear and logical, and the steps were well-defined, which made everyone nod in approval.

The three imperial physicians exchanged glances, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes. They hadn't expected this young woman to have such solid medical skills.

But they didn't stop there. Physician Li then posed another question: "If a soldier accidentally ingests poison before a battle, suffering from severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and the poison seems to be spreading, how would you, young lady, deal with it?"

Shen Man calmly replied, "This is an emergency, and decisive action is crucial. First, induce vomiting to make the soldiers expel as much poison as possible from their stomachs. You can use salt water or soapy water to induce vomiting. Afterward, boil mung beans, licorice, and other detoxifying ingredients into a soup and feed them a large amount to neutralize the poison."

At the same time, observe the soldier's pulse and complexion. If the poisoning persists, acupuncture should be used to stimulate relevant acupoints to guide the toxic gas out. If necessary, an antidote should be sought based on the characteristics of the poison to ensure complete safety.

After two rounds, Shen Man's answers were impeccable, demonstrating not only her superb medical skills but also her composure under pressure.

The discussions in the courtroom gradually shifted from doubt to admiration, with even Xiao Kuo and Yuan Kai showing expressions of respect.

Finally, after a moment of contemplation, Physician Wang posed an even more challenging question: "Young lady, there is an old man, over seventy years old, suffering from a strange illness. Every full moon night, he suffers from pain all over his body, making it difficult for him to sleep. In addition, his limbs are swollen, and his pulse is weak and feeble. Do you know what illness this is and how to treat it?"

The moment the question was posed, everyone gasped in shock.

The person mentioned by the imperial physician was none other than Prince Chu Song of the Kang Prince's Mansion. He was the late emperor's younger brother and had been bedridden with this illness for over twenty years. The late emperor had spent a fortune seeking medical treatment for him everywhere, but to no avail.

It's quite a stretch that Physician Wang is using such a difficult and complicated case to test such a young doctor.

Upon hearing Physician Wang's words, Chu Zhiyi's expression changed drastically, and his gaze towards him turned fierce.

However, to everyone's surprise, Shen Man only closed her eyes and pondered for a moment before calmly replying, "This is a symptom of yang deficiency and water retention. Due to the weak constitution and deficiency of kidney yang, the body is unable to transform and transport water and dampness, resulting in water retention. The symptoms worsen on nights when yin energy is abundant, such as when the moon is full."

Medication should primarily focus on warming and tonifying kidney yang, and promoting diuresis to reduce swelling. Modified Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan can be used, supplemented with diuretics such as Poria and Alisma, depending on the severity of the condition. Simultaneously, moxibustion should be applied to acupoints such as Guanyuan and Qihai to warm and nourish yang qi. This two-pronged approach is necessary to alleviate the symptoms.

As soon as Shen Man finished speaking, a burst of enthusiastic applause erupted in the courtroom.

The three imperial physicians exchanged glances before turning to Chu Zhiyi and saying, "Your Highness, we need to verify this method before we can know whether what Miss Ding said is correct... Miss Ding, how long does it take for this treatment to show results?"

“About an hour!” Shen Man answered confidently.

Chu Zhiyi looked at Shen Man and, seeing her so confident, knew that she was very sure she could cure the disease.

Dressed in her finest attire today, she was noble and beautiful, with an added touch of gentle charm that made him even more captivated.

"In that case, let's move to the Prince Kang's residence and wait for the results!"