Renxin Medical Hall opened early today.

All the neighbors on West Street knew that Young Master Du was a lazy good-for-nothing. Before his father died, he had left him a substantial family fortune, but unfortunately Young Master Du didn’t live up to expectations. He spent his days with a group of scoundrels racing dogs and horses, frequenting brothels and gambling dens, squandering the enormous family fortune completely. When he finally came to his senses, only a small, dilapidated medical hall on West Street remained, and even that was operating at a loss, teetering on the edge of collapse and about to fail.

But today’s medical hall seemed somewhat different from usual.

The plaque on the door had been wiped clean. Though the characters were still carelessly written, they appeared brighter. The yellow wooden long table blocking the shop entrance had been moved back a bit, making the shop front appear less cramped than before. The medicine cabinets had been cleaned inside and out. At a glance, the originally narrow and shabby shop had become tidy and spacious overnight.

However, the most eye-catching thing was the young lady standing in front of the medicine cabinet.

A strange young lady had come to Renxin Medical Hall.

This young lady was very beautiful, with skin like ice and jade, clear spirit and refined bones. She wore a white thin cotton long dress with her black hair braided and hanging in front of her chest. Except for a frost-white silk flower by her temple, she wore no other ornaments, yet she outshone other young ladies who had dressed with great care.

The sight of this beautiful girl standing in front of the medicine cabinet organizing medicinal materials left people from the surrounding shops staring.

The tailor Ge from the neighboring tailor shop, whose elderly mother had intestinal blockage, came to buy croton seeds. Taking the opportunity, he pulled Du Changqing aside and quietly asked while looking at the girl in front of the medicine cabinet: “Changqing, who is this?”

Du Changqing glanced at Lu Tong, who was dispensing medicine, and snorted with laughter: “This is the resident physician I invited back—Doctor Lu!”

“Resident physician?” Tailor Ge looked at him in astonishment. “A female doctor?”

“What’s wrong with a female doctor?” Du Changqing was displeased. “Did a female doctor offend you?”

“How can a woman be a doctor? And at her age, she looks younger than you!” Tailor Ge thought for a moment, his eyes rolling before showing a knowing smile. “I understand now—she’s your sweetheart, right? If she’s your sweetheart, just say so. Why be so mysterious about it?”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Du Changqing said irritably. “She’s a proper doctor! She can diagnose illnesses and make medicine. Don’t assume everyone is as shameless as you!”

Tailor Ge, having been scolded for no reason, took his croton seeds and left sulkily.

Du Changqing looked at his stump-like retreating figure and cursed, “A dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory.” Looking again at the girl by the medicine cabinet who appeared like a lotus emerging from water, he felt both guilty and proud.

After a while, he muttered to himself: “What’s wrong with a female doctor? Isn’t she more pleasing to look at than the old tree bark at Apricot Grove Hall?”

He spat, not knowing whether he was trying to convince himself or others.

“I wouldn’t even want someone ugly!”

“What do you understand!”

…

The news that a beautiful young lady had come to Renxin Medical Hall spread throughout West Street in the blink of an eye.

The shopkeepers on West Street were all old acquaintances who had been doing business for over ten years, seeing each other constantly. When Old Master Du first started his business on West Street and later prospered and moved away, the neighbors were both envious and jealous. Now that his youngest son had fallen on hard times and returned to his father’s starting point, the neighbors felt both sighs of regret and some sympathy.

However, this sympathy didn’t last long. When Du Changqing invited a beautiful young lady to be the resident physician, the people in the four neighborhoods began to look down on his behavior.

It seemed Young Master Du was destined to squander the family fortune completely.

Truly a case of mud that couldn’t stick to the wall!

Not far away in Apricot Grove Hall, shopkeeper Bai Shouyi sat at a table in the inner shop, leisurely sipping tea.

Bai Shouyi was forty years old, with fair skin and a slightly plump build. He wore a sapphire blue straight robe with a colorful silk sash at his waist. He always greeted people with a three-part smile, appearing kind and benevolent, very approachable, but he had shrewd eyes.

He had originally started by dealing in miscellaneous medicinal materials, gradually accumulating some wealth, and eventually took over a large shop space on West Street to establish Apricot Grove Hall. The hall had a spacious shop front, many varieties of medicinal materials, and abundant customer flow. But Bai Shouyi was not satisfied with this.

He had long set his sights on Renxin Medical Hall. Though the medical hall was old and shabby, it was right at the street entrance with an excellent location. Bai Shouyi wanted to take over the shop to make it a specialized medical clinic, while Apricot Grove Hall would focus on selling medicinal materials. This way, all the patients on West Street would belong to Apricot Grove Hall, and silver would flow continuously into his purse.

However, Du Changqing, the owner of Renxin Medical Hall, refused to sell the shop no matter what.

Bai Shouyi looked down on Du Changqing in his heart. Old Master Du had left Du Changqing such a large fortune, yet he had managed to squander it all. If it had been him, he would have multiplied the family wealth several times over. Du Changqing had been useless for half his life, and now suddenly had an epiphany, playing the part of a prodigal son returning—who was he performing for?

He wasn’t worried about Du Changqing’s refusal to sell the medical hall. After all, Renxin Medical Hall had only a handful of customers each month. Du Changqing probably couldn’t hold on much longer. When he was forced to sell cheaply, the price Bai Shouyi offered would be even lower.

Bai Shouyi was just waiting for the day when Renxin Medical Hall would close down and Du Changqing would come crying and begging him. Who knew that today he would hear from others that Du Changqing had somehow invited a beautiful young lady to be the resident physician.

It was truly curious.

Wen You, a clerk from Apricot Grove Hall, returned from gathering information and stood before Bai Shouyi, reporting everything in detail: “…There really is a young lady standing in the medical hall. She’s quite beautiful. Oh, and that young lady also came to Apricot Grove Hall some days ago to sell medicine to Doctor Zhou.”

Bai Shouyi paused in his tea-holding motion and looked toward the man in front of the medicine cabinet: “Old Zhou, is this true?”

This man was called Zhou Ji, originally the resident physician at Renxin Medical Hall. After Old Master Du died, seeing Du Changqing’s destitution, Zhou Ji found an excuse to leave and transferred to Apricot Grove Hall.

It was only after Zhou Ji left that Du Changqing gave up completely, almost turning the medical hall into an apothecary.

Zhou Ji was thin and dry, with dark yellow skin sporting some whiskers. He wore a cocoon silk long shirt that made his body appear to sway like a bamboo pole within his clothes. This man, relying on his medical skills, was always arrogant toward the medical hall’s clerks, but extremely fawning and flattering toward the owner Bai Shouyi.

Upon hearing Bai Shouyi’s question, Zhou Ji thought for a moment before answering: “A few days ago, two women from out of town did come to sell cattail pollen charcoal, and they seemed to want to consign some medicinal tea as well. The cattail pollen charcoal was barely acceptable, but I didn’t dare use the medicinal tea and had someone throw it out.”

Bai Shouyi nodded with satisfaction: “You’re a sensible person. Apricot Grove Hall is different from those small apothecaries. We can’t use things of unknown origin, lest we damage our own reputation.”

“Shopkeeper, about Renxin Medical Hall…” Zhou Ji asked tentatively.

Bai Shouyi placed his teacup on the table and spoke deliberately: “An out-of-town woman, and Du Changqing actually dares to let her be the resident physician. I think he’s coveting her beauty and seeking his own death. Just watch—in a few days, Renxin Medical Hall will become the laughingstock of the entire capital’s medical profession.”

He adjusted the silk sash at his waist and smiled contemptuously: “Mud that can’t stick to the wall—why bother with him.”

…

Du Changqing didn’t know that in neighboring Bai Shouyi’s mouth, he was a pile of mud.

But even if he had known, he had no time to worry about it now.

In the medical hall, Lu Tong was picking up the finished medicinal tea pills one by one and putting them into jars. On the yellow wooden table at the front, about ten jars of medicinal tea had been stacked, looking like a towering small pagoda from a distance—quite impressive.

However, despite Du Changqing’s vigorous hawking for most of the day, many came to look at the beautiful young lady, but no one inquired about the medicinal tea.

Yin Zheng pulled Du Changqing aside: “Boss, with the front so deserted, can’t you think of other methods? For instance, having someone compose the medicinal tea into songs to spread around, or inviting a few young ladies to attract business at the front—anything would be better than sitting here in a daze, right?”

Du Changqing rolled his eyes: “Miss Yin Zheng, this is a medical hall, not a brothel. How could we be so frivolous?”

Yin Zheng’s expression changed slightly, and she didn’t continue speaking for a moment.

Du Changqing was completely oblivious and only rambled on: “…I told your young lady before that having a woman practice medicine as a resident physician might not gain people’s acceptance. Look at those bastards—they’re all here to watch a joke. Since they don’t trust female doctors, naturally they won’t try the new medicinal tea either. We’ve been open for most of the day and haven’t sold a single jar.” As he spoke, anxiety began to show in his eyes.

Just as he was worrying, A’Cheng outside suddenly shouted: “Master Hu is here!”

This was truly a living Buddha in desperate times. Upon hearing this, Du Changqing’s eyes lit up, immediately putting on a smile as he stepped forward to greet him, saying: “Uncle!”

Lu Tong, who was packing medicinal tea, looked up and saw a middle-aged man wearing a square cap and scholar’s attire entering from outside.

This Master Hu was helped into the medical hall by Du Changqing. He had just called out “Changqing—” when he spotted Lu Tong in front of the medicine cabinet, his face showing puzzlement: “This is…”

Du Changqing ushered Master Hu to sit in the inner shop and had A’Cheng make tea. Now that the shop had been cleaned and the medicine cabinet positions rearranged, it appeared much more spacious. Master Hu looked around and was quite surprised: “Changqing, your shop looks much more pleasing than before.”

Du Changqing smiled: “Just tidied up a little.”

“Not bad,” Master Hu was very pleased. “It seems you took to heart what I said last time—quite an improvement.”

Du Changqing smiled apologetically.

Master Hu looked toward Lu Tong again: “This one…”

Du Changqing smiled: “This is the new resident physician my nephew invited back. Your tea is…”

“Nonsense!”

Before Du Changqing could finish his sentence, Master Hu suddenly stood up and scolded: “How can an ignorant woman practice medicine as a resident physician?”