The Fallen Medicine Woman: The Daily Life of Chun Nuan-Chapter 357 - 209
Peering into others’ medical practices may indeed not seem very honorable.
After all, those are family secrets passed down through generations.
Moreover, Xiao Yin, this sincere child, actually shared his grandfather’s request with Chun Nuan.
"No worries, let your brother learn if he wants. The more people who learn, the more lives can be saved."
Chun Nuan felt that it was rare for a male doctor to want to learn about treatments for women’s diseases.
Many male doctors haven’t even considered studying this aspect of medicine, believing that seeing female patients is an ill-fated task.
Women never truly consider their ailments as diseases and resign themselves to misfortune, silently enduring physical and emotional assaults year by year until their inevitable demise.
Just like Mr. Qu’s concubine, who couldn’t even get treatment for a small breast abscess, afraid to seek help from a doctor. How generous heaven’s blessing is for a woman to live healthily into old age.
"Master, can I really teach my brother the medical skills?"
"Yes, it’s okay."
After receiving a definite reply, Chen Xiaoyin admired Xiao Chunnuan even more. It takes great vision and righteousness to not fear teaching a disciple who might outshine the master.
When he went back to tell his grandfather, Doctor Chen simply raised his thumb.
"See, I always said that Third Young Madam is extraordinary, not a mere mortal. Her vision is bigger than us men."
Doctor Chen even thought of sending his grandson to learn as well.
"No, no, no, while he might not feel embarrassed, we would. Besides, I..." Chen Xiaoyin pondered, "I’ll learn and just show him the notes; I won’t explain them to him."
Indeed, Master’s lectures mainly talk about women’s diseases and symptoms of ailments in female bodies.
Some things are said that even make the female apprentices blush.
Moreover, Master also sees patients, and when dealing with difficult female illnesses, she would let them hide behind the screen to listen.
Yesterday, a woman came for diagnosis, complaining of itchiness below and often wanting to scratch.
After questioning thoroughly, Master discovered her husband frequently went drinking at Chunfeng Tavern.
Then, Master’s questions left those behind the screen understanding and blushing.
Master prescribed medicine for the woman, advising both ingestion and washing, and also suggested not sharing a bed with her husband again.
The woman’s illness, after all, came from her husband.
This left several unmarried girls bewildered.
After sending the patient off, Master explained to them one by one.
It turns out that men drinking wine at flower houses inflicts the greatest harm on their wives and concubines at home; nine out of ten blue house girls catch dirty diseases, passing them to men and then to their wives and concubines at home.
Moreover, Master mentioned that the best couples are a pair for a lifetime, without chambermaids or concubines, maintaining purity in relationships and health.
These words often linger when Chen Xiaoyin returns home.
Actually, all girls fresh in love harbor expectations, wishing to meet a kindred spirit for a lifetime, dreaming of scenarios in play: True love from the lad, true love from the lass, farming and weaving together, raising children, enjoying warm little family life.
Yet everyone kept telling them: Women must learn three obediences and four virtues, must assist husbands and educate children, must not be jealous, must be good wives for husbands...
Only Master says couples should mutually respect and be faithful.
So, is Master right, or are they right?
What kind of person will be encountered in this lifetime?
The more Chen Xiaoyin learns, the more excited she becomes.
This day, her mother sought her out.
"Mother, what did you say?"
Truly frightening, mother said that grandmother wants to marry her back to the Tang family for her over-thirty cousin as a continuation wife.
"Mother also disagrees, but she is your grandmother, and I dare not oppose her. You must quickly seek your grandfather on this matter."
Such helplessness being a daughter-in-law, unable to protect her own daughter.
Asking the husband, he surprisingly said she is Xiaoyin’s grandmother, surely wouldn’t harm her.
Tang family’s status is good, related by blood; although older, he will cherish her.
A truly laughable idea, how did his original wife die so cherished?
Perhaps others might not know, but Xiaoyin once returned with grandmother to see the cousin-in-law, who died of a women’s disease.
The eldest cousin, boasting about earning some money outside, frequently went to drink flower wine.
