The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 1709 - 1684: Acting on Orders

State Duke Zhao hesitated for a moment before leaning in to speak softly, "The eldest’s little daughter, she’s only seven, and lately, she’s been having severe chest pain. We could feel something like a lump, but the nurses couldn’t discern anything. It’s inappropriate to call for a doctor from outside, so we reported a maid’s name to get some medicine, but it was only moderately effective."

She sighed and said, "According to those doctors, it doesn’t seem like a serious issue, but as elders, we are always worried, so we think having a female physician in the family would be more convenient."

The Empress thought of Mingda, who was becoming healthier, and couldn’t help but nod.

Mingda used to have poor health, with old ailments similar to hers, especially suffering in spring when the willow catkins flew around.

The palace did call the Imperial Doctors timely, but when it got serious, hidden parts of her body would break out in rashes, describing it to the doctors wasn’t as effective.

But ever since Zhou Man entered the palace, as long as Mingda stayed away from the catkins in spring, she hasn’t had any major issues. This year, the number of times they’ve called for the Imperial Doctor can be counted on one hand.

The Empress understood them, and after a sigh from the bottom of her heart, she said, "Tomorrow, I’ll have Zhou Man go to your residence to see the child."

The State Duchess Zhao originally wanted to wait until Zhou Man’s day off to invite her over. Hearing that the Empress would send someone out of the palace the very next day for a consultation, she quickly knelt gratefully to thank her on behalf of her granddaughter.

The Empress extended her hand to help her up, smiling, "Sister-in-law, you treat me too much as an outsider. You should have told me about this earlier."

The Imperial Doctors in the Imperial Hospital occasionally receive orders such as going to treat ministers or their family members. This was the first time Manbao received such a clear order; previously, people came to invite her on her days off after leaving the palace.

So, Manbao was rather curious after receiving the order.

Early in the morning, she handed over the lesson plan she wrote yesterday to Director Xiao and then took her medicine box and left the palace.

Rong Si was driving her carriage, and just as they were about to leave the palace gates, they ran into Zheng Gu and the two others coming to administer acupuncture. Manbao thought for a moment, called out to them, and pointed at Ms. Doctor Liu, "You accompany me on this house call."

Ms. Doctor Liu, hearing this, immediately grabbed her medicine box and climbed into the carriage, while Zheng Gu and Shao could only watch them leave with envy.

Zheng Gu said, "Being a woman does have its perks."

Zheng Shao said, "...Senior Brother, I still prefer being a man."

Zheng Gu glanced at him and said, "I never said I wished to be a woman either. Let’s go, with not many names on today’s list, without her, we can attend to a few more patients."

Zheng Shao replied, "Without Second Senior Sister, those palace maids probably won’t let us do the acupuncture."

Zheng Gu said, "...No worries, if we can handle all the eunuchs that’s fine too."

Ms. Doctor Liu last met Manbao the day before yesterday. The three Senior Siblings took turns asking questions, each having only two quarter-hours, which was tight timing. Today, with some time, Ms. Doctor Liu took out her notes from her medicine box and asked, "Master, where are we going?"

"To the State Duke Zhao’s residence, their young lady seems to be ill, and Her Majesty asked me to check on her."

Ms. Doctor Liu put her notes away and asked, "What kind of illness?"

"I don’t know. The palace maid who delivered the oral message didn’t say."

Upon reaching the State Duke Zhao’s residence, there was no need for the two to step forward. After Rong Si parked the carriage, he went ahead to knock on the door, "Imperial Doctor Zhou is here upon command to see the young lady of the household..."

The gatekeeper understood immediately, and while letting someone notify the master in the backyard, he removed the doorstep to let them in.

After the threshold was removed, Rong Si drove the carriage inside, set down the carriage stool for them to disembark.

Ms. Doctor Liu wanted to help Master carry the medicine box, and seeing her insistence, Manbao handed it over.

Soon, a nurse came to lead them to the back courtyard. In the early morning, the young lady of the State Duke Zhao’s residence was still asleep.

The nurse softly explained, "Young mistress has been feeling unwell; she wakes up later these days."

Manbao nodded in understanding; she also liked to sleep when unwell, as it helps regulate the body.

The two waited for a while in the side room, and then the heir’s wife of the State Duke Zhao came to greet Manbao, who was also worried about her daughter.

The two sat in the side room for a good while, and then a maid came to invite them.

Miss Zhao was half-leaning on the bed, wearing inner clothes, her hair simply tied back. Seeing that her mother was there too, she sat up and was about to get out of bed to greet her when the heir’s wife held her down.

With a pained expression, the heir’s wife said, "You’re unwell, just stay lying down. I’m your mother, not someone else; there’s no need for formalities."

Miss Zhao agreed with teary eyes, lifted her head to glance at Zhou Man and Ms. Doctor Liu, then lowered her head again.

Manbao carefully observed her expression and, seeing that she didn’t seem to have any problems other than not being in a good mood, said to the heir’s wife, "Madam, may I take Miss Zhao’s pulse?"

The heir’s wife quickly stood up to make way and said to Manbao, "Imperial Doctor Zhou, please, this child has been ill for several days, always complaining of chest pain. I only have this one daughter, so I inevitably worry. Please, would you examine her carefully?"

Manbao agreed, extending her hand to check Miss Zhao’s pulse. All she could tell was that her pulse was slightly agitated, nothing else showed up except that she hadn’t eaten breakfast that morning.

But why would it be so agitated so early in the morning, without having eaten?

Manbao asked, "Where does it hurt?"

Miss Zhao lowered her head and kept silent, as if wishing to bury her head in her chest.

The nurse immediately spoke up to help, "It’s the chest, the upper left side."

Manbao was taken aback, "Is it a flesh pain or heart pain?"

The heart is in the left chest, after all.

Miss Zhao remained silent, so the nurse said, "It’s a flesh pain. This maid could feel something like a flesh lump, looks like a bump, but the young lady is so young, it shouldn’t be possible."

Miss Zhao lowered her head even more.

Manbao frowned, looked around at the ten or so people standing in the room, and simply waved her hand, "You all leave, just leave the heir’s wife and the nurse."

The heir’s wife was surprised, but seeing her daughter’s discomfort, she quickly sent the servants out.

Ms. Doctor Liu didn’t leave, but instead moved to stand on Zhou Man’s other side to observe.

Manbao looked at the nurse and then said to Miss Zhao, "Don’t be afraid, just tell me where it hurts, and I’ll check."

Miss Zhao’s face was flushed, and she fidgeted without speaking.

Manbao said, "Look, you’re a girl, and I’m a girl. Haven’t you ever bathed with your sisters? There’s nothing to fear."

"No," Miss Zhao said softly, "I haven’t bathed with them."

"That’s alright. Open your clothes a little so I can see and check. There’s no one else here, just your mother and the nurse."

Miss Zhao looked up sneakily at her mother, then at the nurse, then slightly opened her clothes for Zhou Man to see, "Here, once touched, it hurts a lot, and it even hurts with clothes pressing on it."