A divine healer, a general, a young marquis! Who can rival them!

After the turmoil at Jichuntang subsided, Boss Su recovered well after a few days of rest.

On this fine morning, he solemnly invited Yang Hu to the main hall of Jichun Hall. The incense table was already set up, and the entire Su family was waiting in orderly rows.

Boss Su took Su Qing's hand and walked up to Yang Hu. The manager of this 30-year-old business had tears in his eyes.

"Dr. Yang," his voice trembled, "you saved the life and reputation of my Su family. My daughter Qing'er has been growing up with me in this pharmacy since she was little. She knows a few herbs and has a heart that yearns to learn medicine. I shamelessly begged you to take her in and let her learn real skills from you."

This is the formal time to formally become an apprentice.

That night, Su Qing entrusted her to Zhuiyi, but Yang Hu suppressed the formalities, saying that the situation was too tense and there was no rush. Now that Jichuntang is out of danger, it's time to settle this matter.

Yang Hu glanced at Su Qing, who was standing beside her father.

She was dressed in simple clothes today, her hair was neatly combed, and her eyes showed anticipation, solemnity, and a hint of barely suppressed nervousness.

"The path of medicine is not easy," Yang Hu said slowly. "It's about helping people and saving lives, but more often than not, it's about facing insurmountable difficulties and bearing the burden of life and death for others. Have you thought this through?"

"I've thought it through." Su Qing's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "These past few days, I've watched the miracle doctor pull people back from the brink of despair time and time again. That's what I want to learn."

The word "master" almost slipped out, but she swallowed it back, her cheeks flushing slightly.

These days, she followed Yang Hu, watching him diagnose intestinal abscesses, examine corpses to clear injustices, and repeatedly pull people back from the brink of death when Jichuntang was on the verge of collapse and her father was critically ill. His unparalleled medical skills and his calm and responsible attitude in the face of danger had completely won her heart. To be able to study under such a person was a blessing she never dared to dream of.

Yang Hu smiled.

"In that case," he nodded, "then let's serve tea."

Su Qing's eyes lit up, and she quickly turned around, poured a cup of hot tea herself, held it with both hands, walked up to Yang Hu, and performed a proper bow, presenting the tea high above her head.

"Please, Master, accept my bow."

Yang Hu accepted the teacup with both hands.

According to the ancient etiquette between master and disciple, the disciple offers tea, and the master accepts it, thus establishing their relationship. He did not immediately help her up, but instead accepted Su Qing's respectful bow and took a sip of tea. This act of accepting and drinking signified his recognition of her as his disciple, and from now on, he would shoulder the responsibility of being her teacher in her medical career and livelihood.

With that one sip of tea, the master-disciple relationship was sealed.

Boss Su, standing to the side, was moved to tears, bowing repeatedly. Lu Yan, Lu Rou, and the others also smiled, happy for Su Qing. Liu Ye grinned and leaned over to tease, "From now on, I'll have to call you 'Senior Sister'."

The room was filled with joy.

After becoming his apprentice, Yang Hu didn't stand on ceremony and immediately established rules with Su Qing.

"The first thing you need to learn medicine from me is not to recognize the medicines, but to recognize the people," Yang Hu said. "Illness is in the body, and people come in all ages and backgrounds, and illnesses vary in severity and urgency. Jichuntang has good medicines, extensive connections, and good information. These will be the capital for you and me to practice medicine and help people, and even do other things in the future. Since you understand medicine and are knowledgeable about this business, you will manage this business for me."

Su Qing, with her keen insight, immediately understood the two layers of meaning in those words. One was that she was to serve as a medical assistant, accompanying patients and dispensing medicine; the other was that the connection her master had uncovered—the eyes and hands of Jichuntang—was his most useful asset in the city.

"I understand, disciple," she replied solemnly.

As they were talking, people came to the clinic seeking medical help.

This was a perfect test. Yang Hu didn't point it out, but simply said to Su Qing, "Go, take a look and see what the symptoms are."

This was the first time Su Qing had been pushed to the forefront by her master like this. She composed herself and, following the usual method of observing her master's diagnosis, stepped forward to ask questions, examine her tongue, and take her pulse.

The man who came in was a middle-aged man, supported by his family, and half of his body was limp. He was clutching his stomach, his face was sallow, his lips were chapped, and he groaned as soon as he entered the door, his back bent.

Following her master's usual method, Su Qing didn't rush to conclusions, but instead asked detailed questions: When did it begin, where was the pain, how many times a day, and what kind of stool was passed? Upon questioning, she learned that three days ago he had indulged in cold food, which caused severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea, and he had to go to the toilet more than ten times a day, unable to eat or drink, and had become emaciated. She then examined the man's tongue; the coating was yellow and greasy. Taking his pulse, she found it slippery and rapid.

After examining the patient, Su Qing was both shocked and suspicious. She whispered to Yang Hu, "Master, his diarrhea is full of pus and blood, he has abdominal pain, and tenesmus. It seems like dysentery. But this disease can be fatal if it gets too severe, I..."

"A good diagnosis." Yang Hu nodded, his eyes showing approval. "This is damp-heat dysentery. In the hot summer, unclean food causes damp-heat to accumulate in the intestines, rotting the blood and qi, resulting in pus and blood. Tell me, how should it be treated?"

Su Qing frowned, deep in thought, and her background as a wealthy pharmacy heiress became apparent: "Clearing heat, drying dampness, and detoxifying. Can herbs like Pulsatilla chinensis cool the blood and stop dysentery?"

"Exactly." Yang Hu picked up his pen, writing the prescription as he gave instructions, "Pulsatilla chinensis clears heat and detoxifies, Coptis chinensis and Phellodendron chinense dry dampness, and we add qi-regulating herbs to clear out this damp-heat toxin from the intestines. Remember, the worst thing you can do with dysentery is to use astringent herbs to block it. If the toxin is blocked inside, it will be more dangerous for the person. You have to guide the toxin out."

Su Qing nodded repeatedly, memorizing every ingredient and every word.

Following her master's prescription, she personally went to the medicine cabinet and weighed and prepared each ingredient meticulously. She controlled the dosage and cooking time of Pulsatilla chinensis, Coptis chinensis, Phellodendron chinense, and Fraxinus chinensis with absolute precision. This was a skill she had honed since childhood. After decocting the medicine, she carefully instructed the man: avoid greasy and cold foods, drink plenty of rice water to nourish your spleen and stomach, and never use astringent remedies while the dysentery was not yet fully resolved.

After two doses of medicine, the man's diarrhea subsided considerably, and he regained his energy. When he returned for a follow-up visit on the third day, he was able to walk in on his own.

"The apprentice of the divine doctor is also a divine doctor!" The man left, thanking him profusely.

Su Qing looked at the first patient she had personally cured, her eyes shining with an astonishing light. The joy that welled up from the bottom of her heart was something she had never experienced in her entire life.

From that day on, Su Qing became the most diligent person in Yang's Medical Clinic.

She arrived before dawn, learning to identify herbs, copy prescriptions, and follow up on patient consultations. She wrote down every word her master said in a small notebook and would review it at night. Her progress was so rapid that even Yang Hu was secretly amazed.

Lu Yan, seeing that she was well-educated and polite, treated her like a younger sister; Lu Rou and she got along very well, doing accounts and checking goods; Liu Ye often pulled her along, one gathering herbs and the other identifying them, chattering away together. This small courtyard in the east of the city became even more lively because of her arrival.

However, the feelings Su Qing had for her master, which were difficult to explain, quietly deepened with each passing day. She herself couldn't tell whether it was a disciple's admiration for her master or something else entirely.

That evening, Su Qing finished her rounds but didn't rush back. Instead, she went to Yang Hu, dismissed everyone around her, and lowered her voice.

"Master, Jichuntang's old partner in the pharmacy sent a message today." Her expression was grave. "That secret buyer who collects wound medicine in the west of the city has made a move again these past few days. But this time, what he's collecting isn't medicine."

Yang Hu stopped holding the medicine grinder.

"He secretly searched for someone in the city who could wield a knife."