The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 879 - 857: Waiting for You to Grow (Extra update for reader ’He Yu’ for their reward)

Chapter 879: Chapter 857: Waiting for You to Grow (Extra update for reader ’He Yu’ for their reward)

Chapter Eight Hundred Fifty-Seven: Waiting for You to Grow

Erlang had no clue at all because he didn’t even know whose family the Guans were. All he could do was ask Qi Jue.

Qi Jue thought for a long time before remembering, "You’re talking about the Guan family? I’m not very familiar with them, but my elder brother knows Second Brother Guan quite well. Their family used to be servants in the Prince of Yizhou’s household. Why? Why have you suddenly started asking about them?"

Meanwhile, Manbao was also discussing the Guan family with Doctor Ji.

Having just seen off a patient and with no new ones coming in for the moment, Doctor Ji took Manbao with him to make medicinal pills, and they chatted while they worked.

Manbao brought up the birthday banquet from the day before, explaining how she’d met Guan Erlang from the Guan family and had spoken with his son about Old Master Guan’s illness. She then asked, "Doctor Ji, I’ve visited the Guan family several times but I still don’t know what they do."

Doctor Ji replied unconcernedly, "What else would they be doing? Naturally farming and studying."

"You said the same about the Ji Family, that they farm and study, but the Ji Family is quite impressive. They live in the city and have such a large house. Why does Old Master Guan live outside the city?"

Doctor Ji laughed and said, "Not all scholars are the same. Take your two junior brothers, for instance; one is studying at the government school, the other at an academy—would that be the same? The Ji Family produced a Left Prime Minister; their scholarship led to serving directly under the Emperor. The Guan family is a little less distinguished; Old Master Guan is a scholar himself but used to serve in the royal household."

Manbao was stunned. "The Prince of Yizhou?"

"Yes. How many other princely estates would there be in Yizhou?"

Manbao hadn’t realized Old Master Guan really had a connection with the Prince of Yizhou. It took her a while to respond, "In the past? What about now?"

"Now?" Doctor Ji shook his head and said, "That I don’t know. Old Master Guan’s migraines became more severe, and he moved out of the princely estate to the Guan Family Estate. Whether he still holds a position at the estate, I, a mere physician, wouldn’t inquire. But surely, the relationship remains; I’ve heard that the prince still occasionally calls him to the estate to play chess or paint."

"Did his eyesight not fail him already?"

"His vision only failed in the past six months; before that, he was quite well." Doctor Ji frowned and looked at Manbao, saying, "You should concentrate when making pills. It’s enough to know the general situation of a patient’s household; there’s no need to delve into details."

He glanced toward the front yard, making sure no one else was present, then lowered his voice to Manbao, "As physicians, apart from having good medical skills, we must also keep our eyes low and our mouths tight. Don’t see what you shouldn’t see, don’t say what you shouldn’t say, especially since you’re a girl. You will often visit the inner courtyards of large estates in the future, understand?"

Manbao, her attention slightly diverted, asked, "Why would I often need to visit the inner courtyards of large estates?"

Doctor Ji looked at the naive Manbao and shook his head with a smile, "You’re still young. Wait a couple more years, and you’ll understand."

"Why don’t you just tell me now? Why do I have to figure it out on my own?"

Doctor Ji thought over it and, with a slight cough, said, "Well, it’s not something easy to say... Alright, I’ll tell you. There are many ailments women have that are inappropriate for male physicians like me to treat, but as a girl, they would prefer to seek your help."

What Doctor Ji didn’t mention was that, in fact, ever since last winter, people had begun to seek her out quietly, all wanting to have Manbao visit for consultations.

After all, on last year’s Double Ninth Festival, Manbao managed a medical tent on her own and cured many patients.

In the large estates, the ladies and young misses also suffered a variety of illnesses. Even if their families were not lacking in funds, and some were enlightened, certain conditions were simply too delicate to discuss with their male physicians. Instead, they typically endured without seeing a doctor, often just having a knowledgeable nanny prescribe their treatment.

Manbao had made a name for herself in Yizhou City last year, and suddenly a lot more people took notice of her.

Not to mention anything else, but she was officially educated in medicine, surely a cut above the matrons at home?

Thus, during the onset of winter, there were people who came to the pharmacy to request Manbao. However, Shopkeeper Zheng and Doctor Ji jointly turned them away.

The first reason was that Manbao’s medical skills were still under study, and Doctor Ji was not yet confident enough to let her take on cases unassisted. If she happened to mishandle a case at this stage, it would tarnish her reputation.

For a physician, especially one who could potentially become a famous doctor, reputation is an incredibly important thing. Both Doctor Ji and Shopkeeper Zheng held Manbao’s reputation in high regard.

Secondly, since Manbao was still young, and those who would send for her were ladies from grand mansions, the child was too lively. Despite her frequent smiles, she had quite a temper and was stubborn; having never suffered grievances since she was young, stepping into such strictly bound manors might result in her showing her displeasure at the slightest disagreement. Doctor Ji was deeply concerned that she might ruin her upcoming career as a renowned doctor by getting into trouble beforehand.

Therefore, both Doctor Ji and Shopkeeper Zheng dared not let her venture out.

Besides, Doctor Ji just sighed while watching Manbao, thinking that she loved to chat with anyone she met and was quite clever at discerning secrets with unerring accuracy. But were the secrets of the major households so easily unraveled?

Doctor Ji earnestly instructed her, "Women have many concerns when seeking medical treatment, especially with gynecological disorders, as these are private matters. Typically, those who seek treatment for such illnesses or who would come looking for a doctor are from affluent backgrounds. If you enter such estates, you must keep your ears half shut, your eyes half closed, and your mouth tightly sealed. Do not listen to what you shouldn’t, do not see what you shouldn’t, and most certainly do not say what you shouldn’t."

Doctor Ji said, "Knowing less brings more happiness to a person and is also safer, helping one live a longer life."

Manbao listened, looking puzzled, and after a moment she asked, "But one’s eyes and ears are not under one’s control, right? It’s fine with the mouth, I can keep it tightly shut, and nobody could pry it open, but how can one close the eyes, how can one plug the ears?"

She said, "Half closing and half plugging, isn’t that just deceiving oneself? Take the Guan family, for instance. Doctor Ji, do you truly not know about the Guan family, or are you just pretending not to know?"

Doctor Ji put down the medicine jar, directly approached her, clapped his hands to stand up, and said irritably, "I’m tired, you can finish crushing them yourself."

Manbao pouted, murmuring quietly, "Getting angry over a correct guess, after all, it’s just self-deception..."

Although Doctor Ji was older, his hearing was still sharp. Hearing her mutter, he pointed to her forehead and said, "Until you fully understand this principle, I am not going to let you consult patients on your own."

Manbao looked at Doctor Ji with her eyes wide open.

Only then did Doctor Ji snort and turn away to leave.

At that point, Manbao remembered her initial purpose and quickly apologized gracefully, managing to stop Doctor Ji before she said, "Then, could you talk a bit more about the Guan family?"

Doctor Ji furrowed his brows as he looked at her, "Why must you inquire about the Guan family matters?"

Manbao found an excuse, "I’m asking for Bai Shan. We met Guan Erlang yesterday. He hit it off quite well with Bai Shan and even invited him to join us for a visit tomorrow. Bai Shan agreed as well."

Doctor Ji’s brow furrowed even tighter, "Is Guan Erlang trying to win over Bai Shan? Or is Bai Shan thinking of using the Guan family to secure a connection with the Prince’s residence?"

He was somewhat displeased, given the possibility that Bai Shan could drag Manbao into this, "Didn’t you just embarrass the Prince’s men a few days ago with that flower-selling incident? Why are you getting involved with the Prince’s estate again?"

Manbao shook her head blankly, "If Doctor Ji hadn’t mentioned it, I almost thought the flower-selling happened last year."

Doctor Ji glared at her with annoyance but still said, "There’s nothing much to discuss about the Guan family right now. Guan Erlang is studying abroad, Guan Dalang is serving Old Master Guan at home. Old Master Guan has long since left the Prince’s estate, though it seems he still holds a nominal post there. That’s all; what else do you want to know?"

Manbao shook her head. To ask for more details would be difficult to justify; who would want to be seen as foolish?

Manbao sighed inwardly, thinking that having people around her who were too clever was also a problem.

Like Doctor Ji, and Mr. Zhuang as well. Manbao wished in her heart that it would be so much better if everyone were like Bai Eryi.