Chapter 13: Meng Lang

  "What is your honorable surname?" asked Wen Niang after making a curtsy to Chen Xiang.

  Everyone slightly frowned.

  Don't be emotional.

  "My surname is Chen..." Chen Jing replied, "Chen Yang and so."

  Wan Niang secretly assessed Liang Heng. As the owner of Wan Jun Ge, she wanted to make her business last long, so she had to figure out the surnames, status, likes and dislikes of the big families in Wang County.

  The Chen family is not a big clan, with strict rules and a dislike for their sons to frequent pleasure quarters, so they do not produce talented young men.

  There is a Chen Yu, whose learning and financial resources are both mediocre, but he often comes here, and it's likely that he and the young man in front of him are brothers.

  Wan Niang's thoughts were quicker than others, and in an instant she had estimated Chen Jing's worth.

  There were seven doctors, one more than Chen Xuan would have been too many, but Yu Niang made an exception and let Chen Xuan stay.

  "Gentlemen, please follow me." Madame Wan smiled and said no more, leading the crowd into the inner room.

  Xianwen's boudoir is equally simple and unadorned.

  As soon as you enter, there is a half-person-high huanghuali wood partition screen, on which are placed several exquisite and valuable antiques; after passing the partition screen, there is a room divider that divides the bedroom into two parts. In the room divider, two five-clawed golden inlaid beds with carved branches are placed, on which are piled green brocade quilts and pillows with ink marks.

  Behind the branches, thick curtains hang down.

  Behind the curtain is Xiwen's bed.

  There are two little maidservants with double buns, serving in the house.

  Looking at the decoration of this room, it is elegant and noble, and it seems to be a lady from a family of poets and scholars.

  "Pull back the curtain and let the doctors examine Xiwen." Yanni ordered the maid.

  The maid lifted up the curtain with a golden hook.

  Xianwen lay on the bed, dressed neatly, but without tying up her hair. She lay quietly on the pillow, her thick and smooth black hair spread out, covering half of the pillow and also half of her face, making the curves of her face even more gentle and charming.

  Her eyes lightly closed, unable to move.

  Chen Jiong thought she was asleep, but then saw Xi Wen's slender eyelashes like small fans, flashing once and then slowly closing her eyes. She wasn't sleeping, just didn't want to talk.

  "Ni Dafu's virtue is high and his reputation is respected, please let him take the pulse, we younger generations will learn from him." A doctor in his forties said to the crowd.

  Ni Dafu was an old man of about sixty years old.

  Upon hearing this, Ni Daifu smiled slightly and said: "I dare not consider myself a master. The discussion of diagnosis is to gather the strengths of all households, I am old and do not dare to rely on my age, so let's ask Liu Daifu first. Previously, it was Liu Daifu who diagnosed Miss Xiwen's illness..."

  Liu Dafu also declined after hearing this.

  Today, I have invited so many doctors, it is necessary for everyone to make a diagnosis and treatment plan, each person needs to speak out, and finally come up with the most appropriate solution.

  This is what later generations of experts will diagnose.

  It's even more difficult for TCM doctors to make a diagnosis. Unlike Western medicine, especially ancient Chinese medicine, there are no scientific instruments to examine and provide absolute evidence of what the disease is.

  Everyone relies on their eloquence, whoever speaks the most reasonably and suppresses others will have their plan adopted.

  But his plan may not necessarily be correct.

  This is the shortcoming of TCM consultation.

  Chen Jing didn't like this kind of consultation.

  They all pushed each other, being humble. Chen Jing stepped forward and sat on a small stool beside Xiwen's bed, saying: "I'm the youngest, so I'll start by throwing out a brick to attract jade."

  His words interrupted the mutual courtesy in the room.

  The old doctors didn't say a word, watching Chen Jing diagnose and take pulses, feeling uncomfortable in their hearts.

  This young man is too arrogant and doesn't know the order of seniority. With so many elder doctors present, he actually rushed to take the pulse first, showing no respect for his elders.

  At such a young age, he's probably not even out of his apprenticeship yet, and he wants to show off in front of Xiwen Miss, win her heart, but he doesn't understand the rules, truly uncouth.

  Several elderly doctors looked displeased.

  Wan Niang took an interest in it after seeing it.

  Chen Jiong felt the pulse, slightly furrowed his brow, as if he was in a dilemma.

  The pulse of Xiawen girl is surging and rapid, which is a sign of severe heat. With such a strong heat evil, it should be combined with blood stasis, leading to slow pulse.

  However, Chen Jiong felt the pulse and did not see any delayed pulse image, he was a little surprised in his heart.

  He thought she was just having a heat stroke when he saw her yesterday. Now it seems that Xiwen's illness is not so simple after all.

  Chen Jiong asked Xi Wen Zhang to open his mouth and take a look at his tongue coating.

  Xianwen hesitated for a moment, but still opened his mouth.

  Although she was talking wildly and incoherently, her mind was perfectly clear.

  Chen Jiong looked at her tongue coating and saw that it was dry and yellow, with a sharp tip. Chen Jiong roughly understood what was going on.

  He suddenly stood up, leaned forward and pressed down on Xiwen's lower ribcage.

  "Hiss......" Several doctors inhaled a mouthful of cold air.

  This... this is outrageous!

  Women's diseases, if they are from a wealthy family, must be separated by a curtain. Xiwen girl is a courtesan, but she is the top courtesan in Wangxian, selling art not body, many talented scholars admire and pursue her.

  As a result, this young man actually dared to touch the girl's lower chest area so crudely and take advantage of her.

  The words on the bed had been quietly closing her eyes. Suddenly she felt a pair of hands on her chest, and she suddenly opened her eyes.

  She couldn't speak, but she still had the strength. For a moment, her pretty face turned bright red with rage, and she raised her hand to slap Chen Jing's face.

  Chen Jiong anticipated it and caught her hand as she swung it over.

  "Hiss!" At this, all the doctors gasped.

  Can't take it anymore.

  This is too much.

  First, he touched someone else's chest, and now he's holding onto someone else's daughter's hand. If it were a respectable family's daughter, her reputation would be ruined by this scoundrel.

  "Youngster, you mustn't be rude!" The venerable and respected Mr. Nai looked on with disapproval.

  This young man, so young, doesn't seem to know any medical skills at all. He's been actively mixing with the doctors, and at first, everyone didn't quite understand his intentions. Later on, they thought he probably wanted to get close to Miss Wen.

  Unexpectedly, this kid is a sly thief, trying to take advantage of me.

  Taking advantage of Wen's young lady in front of a room full of people...

  It's simply outrageous!

  Ni Daifu couldn't bear it anymore. This shameless thief is using Langzhong's flag, and will bring shame to Wangxian County's Xinglin border!

  "What a nuisance!" Chen Jing heard Ni Daifu scolding and let out a sigh, standing up.

  Looking at the doctor's shocked and angry expression, then at Wen Niang's tightly furrowed brow without saying a word, Chen Jing sighed again and said: "The ancients said, 'It is better to treat ten men than one woman.' It is not that the doctor's medical skills are inadequate, but rather that women are unpredictable. A doctor is a heavenly occupation, saving people's lives, how can there be a distinction between men and women?

  Do you still want treatment? If you don't let me examine and feel the pulse, how can I know where the disease is located and make an accurate diagnosis?

  Everyone was taken aback.

  "It's easier to govern ten men than one woman", these words struck a chord in their hearts, leaving them speechless for a moment.

  For thousands of years, women's diseases have been the most difficult to cure. It is not only because women's bodies are weak and their defense against disease is poor, making them less responsive to medication, but also because there are many taboos when it comes to diagnosing and treating women's illnesses.

  For example, some illnesses involve abdominal pain and tenderness, so the doctor needs to press on the abdomen to determine if it's tender. But when you're examining a female patient, would you dare to press?

  Had no choice but to press, could only send a female family member to press.

  If it's not a doctor who personally performs the operation, they won't know the severity of the situation and even the doctor can't grasp it accurately.

  And for wealthy families, it's even more particular.

  Due to various reasons, gynecological diseases are extremely difficult to treat, and if one is not careful, they can be treated incorrectly, resulting in the loss of a doctor's reputation.

  So, as a doctor, I would rather treat ten men than one woman. This has been the voice of doctors for thousands of years.

  There is simply no one who can summarize this sentence.

  The doctors present today are all old men who have seen many illnesses. Chen Jing's words made them feel the same way.

  "Who said that in ancient times?" a doctor asked Chen Jiong.

  Chen Jiong was shocked.

  Their attention was on that sentence, Chen Jiong did not expect it at all.

  Who is the ancient person?

  Chen Jie thought for a moment, it should be Kou Zongshi of the Song Dynasty. But now, Kou Zongshi has not been born yet.

  "...I saw it in a medical book, but I don't remember where." Chen Jing said, then ignored the other doctors and looked at Yuanniang, asking, "Aunt Yuanniang, can this illness be cured?"

  Wan Niang had always made a living in the pleasure quarters, and men and women were not as sensitive about these things as these officials. So when Chen Jiu went to press down on Xi Wen's chest, Wan Niang didn't think it was excessive.

  She just didn't quite understand what Chen Jing was saying.

  It seemed like a simple sentence, but after he finished speaking, all the senior doctors were stunned.

  Wan Niang thought, Chen Xuan must have had some exceptional qualities.

  Wen's illness has lasted for almost half a month. Not only does he talk nonsense and go mad, but his diarrhea has not stopped, which makes Wenyang feel frightened.

  Many doctors were invited, and at first they all said it was not serious, but as they treated it, they couldn't cope with it anymore.

  Changed several doctors, all like this.

  Regrettably, his illness is getting worse and worse, more and more abnormal, slowly he can't even speak.

  Wan Niang thought that Xi Wen was beyond saving and had probably reached the end of her allotted lifespan.

  Since Xiwen Bao couldn't be kept, Wan Niang decided to use her one last time. She let out the word that she would marry off Xiwen to whoever could cure her illness, and Xiwen's suitors went everywhere to invite doctors.

  Wan Niang's abacus is clever: even if the treatment doesn't work, with such a grand gesture of inviting a famous doctor, it will also create momentum for Wan Jun Ge and increase its reputation. Later, they can cultivate other girls to replace Xi Wen, and Wan Jun Ge can still do business as usual.

  If she were cured, who would Wenxian marry?

  Wan Niang said, whoever cures her will be the one she marries.

  It was marrying someone who cured Wen's illness, rather than the person responsible for inviting Lang Zhong. The talented young masters misunderstood Yuanniang's meaning, and Yuanniang deliberately didn't explain.

  The status of a eunuch is not high, who dares to compete with the young masters and geniuses for favor? Those young masters and geniuses would not agree either.

  At that time, Yuankun Ge was again coerced and bribed, Lang Zhong would naturally take the initiative to give up, took some silver to settle the matter, and Wen was still in Yuankun Ge.

  No matter what the outcome is, Wan Niang will never lose.

  Duì xī wén, wǎn niáng zì rán xī wàng tā huó zhe.

  Translation:

  As for Xiwen, Wan Niang naturally hopes she is alive.

  Not to mention that Xiwén was raised by Yuèniáng since childhood, and trained with one hand. Even if Xiwén were to die, Yuèniáng really wouldn't be able to cultivate a second Xiwén. If the girls in the back aren't good, and can't bring out their reputation, the future of Yuèjūn Gé is worrisome.

  The talent of a courtesan is also something that requires innate ability.

  But talent is not something everyone has.

  Xī wén de tiān fù, qí tā rén wú fǎ zhì dài.

  Translation:

  The gift of writing is irreplaceable by others.

  Wan Niang hopes Xi Wen can survive.

  Chen Jiong's approach to treating illnesses may be a bit unorthodox, but it also has some novel ideas. Having new ideas means there are new possibilities.

  Wan Niang saw a glimmer of hope and couldn't bear to let go.

  "Master Chen, why don't you just diagnose now and see what's wrong. We can also be at ease." Yuanniang didn't directly ask Chen Xuan to treat him.

  What if this kid is just taking advantage of us?

  "Other doctors have not yet taken the pulse, how can they make a diagnosis?" Chen Jing smiled slightly.

  Debate requires two parties.

  The other party has not yet taken the pulse for diagnosis, what can be used to debate with Chen Jing?

  “…Madam Wan, if I'm not mistaken, before Miss Xiwen fell ill, she had contracted a cold. The doctor's prescription included herbs like patchouli, licorice root, dried tangerine peel, magnolia bark, and pinellia. Miss Xiwen contracted the cold during her menstrual period. After taking the medicine, that's when she started acting wildly, isn't that right?” Chen Jing asked Madam Wan.

  Menstruation period

  Wan Niang was shocked beyond words.

  Indeed, Chen Jiong said it without a single word being off the mark.

  One person, casually taking their pulse, would know what illness they had previously contracted and what medicine they had taken, which was unheard of to Ruolan.

  If this is not considered a divine doctor, who is?

  The one who opened the square box was Liu Dafu. And that Liu Dafu is also present now.

  Was it he who ruined Xi Wen?

  Wan Niang had accepted Chen Xuan's medical skills in her heart and understood why Xi Wen was ill.

  Her eyes were cold and sharp, and she immediately threw herself at Liu Daifu's body.

  Liu was shocked and angry: You little scoundrel, you actually shift the blame of Xiwen's madness onto me, trying to frame me?

  ***

  It's Monday again. In order to get on the new book list, I urgently need recommendation votes. Brothers and sisters, if you think the book is still readable, please give me a vote, thank you very much!