Chapter 178: But, But...

Doctor Li, along with Qin Yuan and Xiao Dong, left Wutong Garden and first headed to Sixth Lady Gu’s courtyard with the medicine box.

After Qin Yuan assigned and distributed the people, affairs, and items within the mansion, she no longer inquired much. Steward Han and Steward Cao were overseeing the outer courtyard, while Steward Zhang supervised the inner courtyard.

However, she still had a clear understanding of the situation at Marquis Mansion.

After all, the housekeeper and stewards had to report their daily expenditures and handled matters to her daily.

These days, Qin Yuan was busy auditing accounts, and even Old Madam Gu had exempted everyone from morning and evening greetings. People from various courtyards rarely moved around without a reason, and it had been a long time since she had seen Sixth Lady Gu. Seeing her today suddenly gave Qin Yuan quite a shock.

Sixth Lady Gu was so thin that she was almost out of shape, her eyes deeply sunken with dark circles that couldn’t be ignored, her skin sallow, and her hair seemed to have thinned significantly.

The whole person exuded an aura of decline.

Qin Yuan restrained herself from speaking up, to avoid revealing her identity.

Sixth Lady Gu listlessly glanced at the young servant standing in front, focusing only on asking Doctor Li, "Are you the new doctor the mansion hired? Where is Doctor Liu?"

She seemed not very keen on letting Doctor Li examine her.

Doctor Li smiled and said, "The patients in the mansion are increasing, and Doctor Liu is overwhelmed. He fell ill this morning, so the Marquis invited me to come and diagnose."

Beside him, Nanny Zhao, who had also become quite thin, immediately asked, "May I ask which medical hall you are from?"

Xiao Dong quickly replied, "We are from Renhe Hall, which has been in the Capital City for more than a hundred years. My master’s ancestors once helped the government fight epidemics in Jiangnan and were commended by the court. If it weren’t for the fact that the old ancestors were accustomed to leisure and didn’t want to become imperial physicians, Renhe Hall’s reputation would be even greater."

These words made Doctor Li’s face glow more.

Doctor Li also cooperated by putting on a serious face, appearing disinterested in conversing further.

Qin Yuan nodded secretly.

She didn’t expect that Xiao Dong, who seemed soft, could speak so eloquently and confidently.

Nanny Zhao was taken aback and turned her gaze to Sixth Lady Gu.

Sixth Lady Gu frowned and murmured, "Renhe Hall, Renhe Hall, seems like I’ve heard of it somewhere."

Nanny Zhao said, "Mistress, have you forgotten? The Jade Beauty Cream of Third Madam."

"Oh, right, right," Sixth Lady Gu reacted with some enthusiasm, "Your Renhe Hall has the Jade Beauty Cream that even the palace can’t find, you do have some skills. But this smallpox... who invited you into the mansion?"

Doctor Li frowned.

His expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Xiao Dong then said, "To answer Madam, we were invited by the Marquis with a thousand taels of silver. The Marquis said that if we could cure the smallpox in the mansion, there would be further rewards."

"A thousand taels of silver..."

Sixth Lady Gu murmured softly, "It’s a bit much, but since it’s a matter of life and death, it’s not too much."

Xiao Dong continued, "Of course, we’re not financially driven, accepting invitations from just anyone. The Marchioness knows our Renhe Hall’s abilities and has some connection, and the Marquis is famously the War God of our court, so Renhe Hall is willing to serve the Dingbei Marquis Mansion."

These words were said with both solidity and prestige.

Doctor Li coldly maintained his demeanor, saying, "Does this lady have any other questions? If unwilling to be examined, I’ll take my apprentice to check other courtyards."

At this moment, cries and running sounds arose from outside the window.

Qin Yuan frowned and looked outside.

This commotion naturally also alarmed Sixth Lady Gu and Nanny Zhao.

Nanny Zhao exclaimed, "Not good, I fear something might be wrong with Qin; last night Aunt Huang mentioned that the situation recurred, and continuing like this, she might not hold on."

Sixth Lady Gu’s eyes clouded indistinctly and she immediately said, "Here we have the doctor the Marquis paid handsomely for, let him hurry and take a look."

Nanny Zhao also realized this was to use Qin as a test for the doctor.

"This doctor, please follow me," Nanny Zhao didn’t dare delay and immediately donned an apron, leading them out of the main house.

Not far away, several nannies and maidservants surrounded the west side of the side room, from which cries emanated.

"Oh, son, don’t frighten Aunt, Aunt has only you as a child."

The voice was sorrowfully hoarse.

Nanny Zhao hurriedly shouted, "The doctor is here, quickly make way, why are you still surrounding here, aren’t you afraid of contracting it?"

Despite the apron, Nanny Zhao’s voice was still quite loud.

The crowd immediately scattered, lining up to fumigate at the incense burner in the courtyard.

Doctor Li frowned, asking, "There aren’t any new patients in the courtyard, are there?"

Nanny Zhao replied, "No, the decoctions, herbs, and herbal teas sent by the Marchioness have all been used, no neglect was dared. However, the two young ladies repeatedly relapse without improvement. Sixth Lady Gu can’t sleep all night, worried about the sick young ladies and the two young gentlemen studying at the Imperial College, understandably she’s a bit anxious, please don’t blame her, she has a mother’s caring heart."

While speaking, they reached the doorstep.

A young disheveled woman was sitting despairingly on the threshold, crying out.

The child in her arms clenched both fists tightly, convulsing violently, the eyes rolled back showing only the whites, tightly clenched teeth, and the corners of lips frothy.

Qin Yuan thought to herself, "Acupuncture is needed first, should engage the points Baihui, Fengchi, Renzhong, and Hegu."

Indeed, Doctor Li, without speaking, quickly took out silver needles, didn’t bother with propriety, and administered acupuncture to the child in the woman’s arms.

The woman stiffened, daring not to move, eyes fixed intently on the child in her arms.

Nanny Zhao observed attentively too.

Watching the child’s tightly clenched little hands slowly loosen and jaw relax, Qin Yuan finally exhaled a breath of relief.

Not long after, the child’s breathing evened out, no more convulsions.

The woman was overcome with tears of joy.

Only then did Doctor Li extend his finger to take the child’s pulse, everyone around immediately hushed, not daring to breathe loudly.

With his eyes half-closed, he pondered for a while before saying, "No worries, just prescribe some medicine, it will be fine."

Upon hearing this, the young woman became so weak from relief that she almost couldn’t hold the child.

Nanny Zhao looked at Doctor Li in astonishment, eyes full of disbelief.

Doctor Li frowned and said, "Quick, bring the child inside, out of the wind."

Nanny Zhao called out, "Aunt Huang, Aunt Huang, the doctor tells you to quickly take Qin inside, out of the wind. He’ll prescribe some medication soon, it’ll be all right."

Aunt Huang got up in a daze, carrying the child numbly inside.

Doctor Li frowned and asked, "Where are the others tending to the child?"

Nanny Zhao replied, "Aunt Huang has two maidservants and several nannies, but she’s not assured, and tends personally."

Doctor Li then said, "After such commotion, she also needs to be cautious."

Nanny Zhao, with a fawning smile, asked, "I haven’t asked your honorable surname yet, Doctor."

"No honor, surname is Li."

Nanny Zhao asked, "Doctor Li, is it really just a few doses of medicine and it’ll be fine?"

Doctor Li sneered, "Would the words I speak be false? You were already using my prescription, and you got to see the imperial physicians early. This child should have been fine long ago, how is it still recurring and harmed fundamentally?"

Nanny Zhao was tongue-tied: "But, but..."