Prime Minister

Chapter 192, Section 191: [Sworn Brotherhood]

Since Xu Zhiwei came to Yangzhou to take charge of Jimintang, this pharmacy, which was originally only known for its kindness, has gradually become the focus of discussion among the people.

With her exceptional medical skills, Xu Zhiwei's reputation as a miracle doctor spread far and wide, and more and more wealthy gentlemen wanted to invite her to their homes for treatment. However, she refused all those gilded name cards and told them that if they wanted to see a doctor, they should come to Jimintang and wait in line like the poor people.

For most wealthy families, being forced to squeeze in with those peasants would be a great humiliation. But at most they would just curse them at home and dare not do anything to harm Jimintang. The fate of Liu Fu and Zheng Boyan was still fresh in their minds. With Xue Huai still in charge of Yangzhou, who would dare to act as recklessly as before?
However, some people don't care about this false sense of respectability.

"Miss Shen?"

Inside Jimin Hall, Xu Zhiwei, who had just finished lunch and was about to rest for a while, looked at the steward who came to report, a hint of doubt appearing in her eyes.

The manager respectfully replied, "Yes, the Shen family is the same Shen family as Guangtai Company. Since the Liu and Zheng families fell from grace due to the Lianghuai Salt Case, the Shen and Qiao families have become the most powerful merchants in the area. The young lady from the Shen family who came to inquire about medicine is the eldest daughter of Shen Bingwen. It is said that she is extremely loved by Mr. and Mrs. Shen, and in the past two years she has also shown a certain talent for business."

Xu Zhiwei certainly knew Shen Qingluan's identity; she was the woman who was with Xue Huai that day.

She hesitated for a moment and said, "Miss Shen has come in person?"

The steward replied, "Yes, the carriages are already waiting outside. The Shen family steward said they know your rules, so they came to seek your medical advice. However, they have only one small request: please examine Miss Shen in the inner hall."

Xu Zhiwei immediately understood. The reason why the other party chose this time to come was obviously because they did not want Shen Qingluan to be treated in front of a large crowd of people, after all, she was the unmarried eldest daughter of the Shen family.

Seeing her hesitation, the steward said, "Sir, perhaps we can do the Shen family a favor."

Xu Zhiwei stared into the other person's eyes and asked, "Did you accept a bribe from the Shen family's steward?"

"How dare I, a lowly person!"

The manager quickly shook his head and said, "To be honest, sir, the Shen family is willing to donate a thousand taels of silver to our Jimintang for medicine."

How many medicinal herbs can one thousand taels buy?

As expected of the wealthy and powerful Shen family, they made such a generous promise before even seeing a doctor. I'm afraid that Miss Shen has ill intentions.

Xu Zhiwei recalled Shen Qingluan's subtle reactions that day and made a plan in her mind. She said to the steward, "Please invite Miss Shen to the inner hall."

The interior was simply furnished with only a table and two chairs, and a medicine cabinet against the wall. The air was filled with the delicate fragrance of old herbs mixed with freshly dried flowers.

Xu Zhiwei sat upright behind the table, watching calmly as the steward led Shen Qingluan and two maids in. She was not wearing the veil.

She looked up and saw that Shen Qingluan was wearing a moon-white jacket and skirt embroidered with lotus patterns, with a primrose-colored cloak trimmed with silver fox fur. She had a graceful figure and dignified demeanor.

When Shen Qingluan finally saw Xu Zhiwei's face, a look of amazement quickly flashed in her eyes. This goddess doctor was so beautiful that it was no wonder she usually had to cover her face with a veil.

She suppressed her shock, her brows furrowing slightly to reveal a hint of weakness and weariness, and gave Xu Zhiwei a graceful bow: "I apologize for disturbing your peace, sir."

"Ms. Shen, please take a seat."

Xu Zhiwei raised her hand and pointed to the chair opposite her. Her voice was calm, neither overly enthusiastic nor coldly aloof, as if she were receiving an ordinary patient.

The steward silently withdrew and closed the door behind him.

The room fell silent instantly, with only the faint light filtering in from the window and the soft breathing of the people inside.

Shen Qingluan sat down as instructed, raised her bright, clear eyes, and looked at Xu Zhiwei with just the right amount of worry: "Thank you for your help, sir. Recently, I have been feeling dizzy and my energy has been low. My parents are very worried. They heard that you have amazing medical skills, so they sent me here to seek your help."

Xu Zhiwei did not immediately take Shen Qingluan's pulse. Instead, she looked up and carefully examined Shen Qingluan for a moment before asking, "Have we met before?"

"Sir, you have a good memory."

Shen Qingluan said frankly, "That day, when my brother Xue and I passed by this place, we saw the gentleman and several other doctors helping the poor. We were deeply moved and gave him a hundred taels of silver for medicine to do our part. Later, the gentleman pointed out the hidden dangers in my brother Xue's health, and we were extremely grateful."

She deliberately uttered the word "Xue" while scrutinizing the other person's expression, but found nothing unusual.

"I see, it seems we are destined to meet."

Xu Zhiwei brushed it off, ignoring Shen Qingluan's probing, and then carefully observed. She saw that although the girl's face was deliberately made to look slightly pale, her eyes were bright and her lips were full, indicating that she was not sickly.

She understood, but remained calm on the surface, her tone still indifferent: "There are many causes of dizziness, Miss Shen, please relax and allow me to take your pulse and examine you carefully."

Shen Qingluan then placed one of her fair wrists on the silk cotton pulse pillow placed on the table.

Xu Zhiwei raised her hand to take Shen Qingluan's pulse, her fingertips gently touching Shen Qingluan's soft wrist.

Shen Qingluan quietly felt the slightly cool touch, her gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping over Xu Zhiwei's lowered eyelashes and calm profile.

After a moment, Xu Zhiwei withdrew his hand, looked up at her and said, "The pulse is even and strong, with the three pulse positions (cun, guan, chi) coordinated. There are no abnormal signs of being wiry, tight, slippery, or rapid, nor are there any deficiencies of being deep, thin, or slow. Judging from the pulse, Miss Shen has an excellent constitution and is full of vital energy."

Shen Qingluan's heart tightened slightly, but a look of confusion appeared on her face: "Then why do I always feel dizzy, especially in the afternoon?"

Xu Zhiwei's gaze was clear, as if she could see into people's hearts, yet it remained only within the realm of a physician: "Although Miss Shen's pulse is normal, one can see a slight unease in her mind, with occasional disturbances. Is it because the Shen family's business is busy, requiring more of Miss Shen's attention? Or is it because of external worries, with unresolved matters weighing on her mind?"

These words, though spoken casually, were like a small stone thrown into Shen Qingluan's heart.

She paused slightly, then covered her mouth and coughed lightly, avoiding the other person's overly clear gaze: "Sir, your eyes are indeed sharp as lightning. Things at home are indeed more complicated than usual."

Xu Zhiwei remained calm and continued, "Miss Shen, how has your sleep been lately? Have you been having trouble sleeping or having many dreams? Have you been eating a light and regular diet? Are you sensitive to cold or heat?"

Shen Qingluan responded to each question, her answers all falling into the vague category of "somewhat unsatisfactory." "Miss Shen."

Xu Zhiwei's expression remained serious, as if she were facing any patient who required her careful judgment. She slowly said, "Based on the pulse and symptoms, Miss Shen's so-called dizziness is probably not a disease of the internal organs, but more likely a slight imbalance of the heart and spleen, coupled with mental strain. It would be inappropriate to use strong medicine."

Shen Qingluan nodded and said, "I will leave it to you, sir."

Xu Zhiwei picked up paper and pen from the table, but did not immediately write a prescription. Instead, she calmly looked at Shen Qingluan and said, "Miss's illness stems from mental distress rather than physical weakness. Treating the illness should also address the mind. If the worries in your heart are not removed, I fear the medicine will be ineffective."

"What you said is absolutely true."

Shen Qingluan lowered her eyelashes and said obediently, "But sometimes, the troubles in my heart cannot be resolved quickly by human effort. Please prescribe some soothing and calming remedies to help me calm my mind and sleep soundly at night."

Xu Zhiwei nodded and said no more.

Against the backdrop of white paper, her slender yet remarkably steady fingers began to write, her handwriting delicate and neat, carrying a cool and expansive quality.

A moment later, she pushed the prescription in front of Shen Qingluan and said, "This Guipi Anshen Decoction is mild in nature. Boil three bowls of water down to half a bowl and drink it warm after dinner. If the symptoms do not improve after a month, or if your mind is more troubled, you may come again. This prescription focuses on conditioning and has a gentle effect. You can slowly feel the peace of mind."

Shen Qingluan took the prescription, her fingertips touching the still-fragrant ink on the paper. She looked up at the other person and said, "Thank you for your trouble, sir. Not only are your medical skills superb, but you are also able to read people's minds and understand their feelings. This is truly rare. My elders are deeply grateful for the noble deeds of Jimintang. The manager should have already informed us that the Shen family is willing to donate a thousand taels of silver to Jimintang to help you treat more patients in distress."

Xu Zhiwei sighed inwardly. How could she not guess Shen Qingluan's intentions? This girl clearly placed her heart entirely on Xue Huai. Perhaps she was just testing the waters because of her budding romance and anxieties, but she had inadvertently stumbled upon the perfect opportunity.

The Shen family is different from the four famous families in Yangzhou. The head of the family, Shen Bingwen, is known as a righteous merchant. Although Guangtai Company has accumulated a lot of wealth, it rarely exploits the people. On the contrary, it often helps the poor. Xu Zhiwei has learned about this over time.

Whatever she wanted to do to Xue Huai had nothing to do with the girl in front of her or even the Shen family; she would never hurt the other party.

Thinking of this, she solemnly thanked them, saying, "Miss Shen and your family are truly kind-hearted. On behalf of those suffering patients, Jimintang thanks you for your generosity. Please rest assured, Miss Shen, all the money donated by your family will be used to purchase medicines to help those who cannot afford medical treatment."

Shen Qingluan raised her eyes and looked at Xu Zhiwei with a hint of sincere approval: "May I ask how much your consultation fee is, sir?"

Xu Zhiwei shook her head and said, "No need. Since Miss's illness originates from the heart, the medicine I prescribed is not strong. Furthermore, we are grateful for the generous donation of medicine funds from the Shen family to help those in need. This consultation is to fulfill this benevolent act of care."

Shen Qingluan knew that this was the boundary drawn by Xu Zhiwei. She did not get up to say goodbye immediately, but carefully folded the prescription and handed it to Yun'er behind her. Then she rested her elbow on the edge of the table, leaned forward slightly, and closed the invisible distance between herself and Xu Zhiwei. A gentle and slightly intimate smile appeared on her lips.

“Sir, you are so kind as to refuse to accept even a penny more than necessary. Qingluan is deeply grateful.”

Shen Qingluan showed a hint of admiration, and said with a touch of curiosity, "I wonder which reclusive master you have learned such superb medical skills from? Or is it due to a profound family tradition? I am but a humble person, and I only feel that your abilities are beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"I am from Hangzhou. I lost both my parents at a young age and learned medicine from my master. Jimintang is the culmination of my master's life's work. I previously practiced medicine at Jimintang in Hangzhou, and later, at my master's behest, I came to Yangzhou to hone my skills. As for my medical expertise..."

Xu Zhiwei lowered her long eyelashes slightly, casting a small shadow under her eyes, covering the momentary ripples in her eyes, and then said: "The path of medicine is vast and cannot be mastered by one person or one moment. What I have learned is nothing more than the accumulation of the hard work of my predecessors, plus the insights gained from years of traveling around and practicing with patients."

Shen Qingluan was not surprised by Xu Zhiwei's evasive words, and a hint of understanding and admiration appeared on her face: "I see. Sir, you are exceptionally talented, and what is even more rare is that you have the common people in your heart and use all your knowledge to help the distressed and needy. This compassion and love is truly a blessing to the common people. Please don't blame me for being abrupt, but when I came to see you this time, I saw that you seemed to be about the same age as me, yet you have already made such a vow to help the world and practice medicine in a humble alley. I couldn't help but feel admiration for you and also felt a sense of kinship with you."

Xu Zhiwei was taken aback.

From the time she could remember, she followed Liu Ying's arrangements and lived a very disciplined life. She was surrounded by elders like Li Cong and had no friends of her own age.

She found herself not resisting Shen Qingluan's enthusiasm, but rather finding it somewhat novel.

Shen Qingluan keenly caught her fleeting emotional change, and smiled without making a sound, looking at Xu Zhiwei's slightly thin face with a hint of playfulness: "Teacher, you should also take good care of yourself. I saw that you have been working hard all day without stopping, so you should also remember to rest."

Before Xu Zhiwei could answer, Shen Qingluan took a white jade box from Yun'er and pushed it in front of Xu Zhiwei: "These are honey pills I made with honey from freshly picked osmanthus flowers in autumn. I added only a little ginseng powder and ophiopogon japonicus to replenish qi. They are sweet and soft. Taking one or two pills a day is the best way to moisturize dryness, calm the mind, nourish the stomach, and soothe the heart. They are perfect for someone like you who is mentally exhausted. This is a small gift from your boudoir, not medicine. Please don't refuse, sir. Consider it a small token of our consideration as fellow women."

Xu Zhiwei looked at the warm, jade-like box, then looked up at Shen Qingluan's face, which was filled with a sincere smile.

The other person had a bright smile and clear eyes, and their concern seemed genuine.

She could tell that Shen Qingluan's smile still held a hint of testing, but her effort to get closer to him also seemed to carry a touch of sincerity.

This left Xu Zhiwei feeling strangely lost and disoriented.

She was used to the gratitude and awe of her patients, to the protection of Li Cong and others based on their mission, and to Liu Ying's deep and cunning schemes, but very few women her age had expressed such pure closeness and care to her.

After a moment of silence, Xu Zhiwei finally did not firmly refuse.

Her voice softened slightly, carrying a change she herself was unaware of: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Shen."

Shen Qingluan's smile deepened. She stood up at the right moment, gave a graceful curtsy, and said kindly, "If you ever need anything from the Shen family in Yangzhou, or if you want to buy some hard-to-find medicinal herbs, just send someone to Shen Garden or the Guangtaihao flagship store to let us know."

"Okay. Take care, Miss Shen."

Xu Zhiwei got up to see the guest off, her attitude no longer as purely distant as before.

Accompanied by her maid, Shen Qingluan left Jimintang, and the door to the inner hall closed again, completely shutting out the noise.

Xu Zhiwei stood alone in the simple room, her gaze falling once again on the white jade box.

With her medical skills, she wouldn't be too surprised, let alone the honey pills made by a young lady from a noble family, or even the rarest and most precious medicines. But for some reason, ripples began to stir in her heart.

After a long while, she slowly raised her hand, her fingertips lightly tracing the texture of the box lid through the air.

(End of this chapter)