The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 1569 - 1544: I Cry

Imperial Doctor Liu cast a meaningful glance at the other side of the screen, where Zhou Man was still asleep, and said, "So, I think the conditions proposed by Imperial Doctor Zhou are a great deal for our Imperial Hospital."

He hinted, "While the deal is still favorable, why not agree to it?"

Imperial Doctor Lu glanced at Imperial Doctor Liu and said, "Imperial Doctor Liu, it’s not as simple as having two spots in pharmacology. With Zhou Man’s abilities and the backing of Jishi Hall, won’t she be able to train two disciples?"

"Clearly, she intends for her two disciples to use pharmacology as a springboard into the field of medicine," Imperial Doctor Lu added. "And in medicine, no one is more skilled at acupuncture than her. I imagine she doesn’t even need us to teach those two disciples; they’re aiming for physical therapy. We already have one Imperial Doctor Zheng in the Imperial Hospital; do we need two more Imperial Doctors Zheng?"

Imperial Doctor Lu looked at Imperial Doctor Liu, and with deep meaning, said, "Imperial Doctor Liu, although Ms. Doctor Liu is also a disciple of Imperial Doctor Zhou, she doesn’t measure up to her Senior Brother and Junior Brother. Look, Imperial Doctor Zhou didn’t propose giving the spot to Ms. Doctor Liu. So, women are indeed inferior to men. And besides, a married daughter is like water spilled out. Isn’t your granddaughter getting on in years?"

Imperial Doctor Liu frowned and said nothing.

Director Xiao lightly coughed and awkwardly glanced at Imperial Doctor Lu.

Imperial Doctor Lu curiously looked at Director Xiao and, with a slight bow, asked, "What advice does the Director have?"

Director Xiao’s gaze shifted to behind him, with a slight hinting look in his eyes.

Imperial Doctor Lu stiffened and turned around to see Manbao standing by the screen, bleary-eyed, looking at them in confusion.

Imperial Doctor Lu: ...

What he had just said was not pleasant. It was malicious speculation. Being caught red-handed by the one concerned, even someone as thick-skinned as Imperial Doctor Lu couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

But after all, he was old and thick-skinned. He quickly recuperated, put on a righteous face, nodded at Zhou Manbao, and continued to turn back to discuss with Imperial Doctor Liu, "Imperial Doctor Liu, you must know I’m speaking the truth, so I’d ask you to reconsider some of the proposals."

Young and tender-faced Manbao had already decided to act as if ’what eyes do not see, the heart does not grieve over’ and greeted him as if nothing had happened. But with those words, Manbao decided she disliked him, and said sternly, disregarding etiquette, "Imperial Doctor Lu, be careful with your words. Who says women are inferior to men?"

She said, "I may not surpass you now, but I’m young, and in time, I will certainly surpass you."

She then turned away with a serious look and said to Imperial Doctor Liu, "Imperial Doctor Liu, the reason I didn’t give the spot to Liu Sanniang is not because she is a woman, but because she doesn’t need it."

She said, "Although she has now become my disciple, she is not merely my disciple. She also carries the orders of the Empress."

Manbao said, "The Empress sent her to learn acupuncture from me, so in the future, when the Imperial Medical Department opens, she will certainly be the first to enroll in the acupuncture course. There’s no need for me to find her a spot."

Imperial Doctor Liu was stunned, as were Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Lu. They had long forgotten this matter.

They forgot, but Manbao didn’t. She had planned everything long ago, arranging plans for each disciple.

Hum, once she sends Zheng Gu, Zheng Shao, and Ms. Doctor Liu to study at the Imperial Medical Department, she won’t believe she can’t acquire the skills of Director Xiao and the others.

And there’s Sanya. With her three Senior Brothers and Sister leading her, she’s sure to get into the Imperial Hospital too.

Imperial Doctor Liu took a moment to come back to his senses, and then he looked at Imperial Doctor Lu, then at Zhou Man, and slowly said, "If Imperial Doctor Zhou hadn’t mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten. Alas, it’s true I’m getting old, remembering less."

Then he smiled warmly at Imperial Doctor Lu and said, "Imperial Doctor Lu, see, we’ve misunderstood Imperial Doctor Zhou."

Imperial Doctor Lu: ... What a load of nonsense—we did not misunderstand her. Dare you say she isn’t sending Zheng Gu and Zheng Shao into pharmacology to get them into the physical therapy department?

Having fallen out on this matter, Imperial Doctor Lu directly asked Zhou Man, "Wasn’t Imperial Doctor Zhou planning to send her two disciples to the physical therapy department?"

Manbao straightforwardly said, "If they have the talent to transfer from pharmacology to the physical therapy department, would I, as their master, stop them?"

Imperial Doctor Lu then said to Director Xiao, "Director, you see, indeed she harbors bad intentions. If Zheng Gu and Zheng Shao both get into the physical therapy department, wouldn’t the Imperial Hospital have three Imperial Doctors Zheng in the future?"

Manbao, not in a good mood, retorted, "So what if there are three Imperial Doctors Zheng? It’s their fault if they get called the wrong name, and why should Imperial Doctor Lu feel embarrassed?"

Manbao pursed her lips and also turned to Director Xiao, saying with a serious tone, "Director, the Imperial Medical Department is unlike the Imperial Hospital. It is grand. It doesn’t belong to any family or a few families; it’s for all the people of Great Jin, the entire nation’s Imperial Medical Department. If the Imperial Medical Department remains as narrow-minded as Imperial Doctor Lu, it won’t go far in the future."

Imperial Doctor Lu was fuming and said angrily, "And you used the backdoor, yet you think this way the Imperial Medical Department can go far?"

Because of the heated argument, Manbao was a little flushed, and now she was even more unable to suppress her anger. Her face reddened, and even her eyes were brimming with tears from grievance. "What backdoor access! It has been stated: if anyone wants to use a backdoor, just present a medical skill or a critical remedy. I wouldn’t mind you using the backdoor too."

As she shouted, her voice broke into a sob.

Manbao sniffled, wiped her tears with her hand, and cried out, "Doesn’t your family have a secret formula for treating smallpox, Imperial Doctor Lu? If you take it out, I’ll cast my vote for you when you ask for a spot, so show it!"

Imperial Doctor Lu was dumbfounded.

Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Liu were both stunned, and the palace maids and eunuchs outside the hall, hearing the commotion, rushed in, staring blankly at Manbao crying by the screen.

The Imperial Hospital is actually quite like a small court. The physicians are accustomed to bickering and disputing, but... none have cried in front.

No, not even behind.

It’s merely a competition. If you lose this round, regroup and come back stronger. If you can’t win this time, try next time. What is there for a grown man to cry about?

Oh, that’s right, Zhou Man is not a grown man.

Seeing Manbao sobbing, rubbing her tears by the screen, even Director Xiao, who usually did not interfere much in the disputes among the physicians and only resolved quarrels at critical times, couldn’t help but disapprove of Imperial Doctor Lu, and then stepped forward to comfort Manbao.

Imperial Doctor Lu also awkwardly averted his gaze, feeling that everyone’s eyes in the hall were looking at him strangely. He was both angry and embarrassed and finally stomped his foot, swung his sleeve, and left first.

Director Xiao took out a handkerchief and handed it to Manbao to wipe her tears, softly reassuring her, "Don’t cry anymore. This matter is Imperial Doctor Lu’s fault. We’ve already seen the efficacy of the medicine patch. I can’t speak for others, but I support giving you two spots."

Manbao gradually stopped crying, wiping her tears as she looked up with tearful eyes at Director Xiao.

Seeing this, Director Xiao couldn’t help but sigh. This was still a child after all—so young, bursting into tears when she couldn’t win a quarrel... But no, she didn’t even lose the argument, so why cry?

Wasn’t it Imperial Doctor Lu who lost? Shouldn’t he be the one crying?