Chapter 39: Fatty Meat

Before long, the legal advisor inside walked out and personally helped Feng Buji up.

Stroking his goatee, he laughed, "Hahaha, little Buji, Lord Li has been thinking of you all along. Do those clansmen still bully you orphans? How is the construction of the memorial archway coming along?"

Feng Buji said, "The clansmen no longer bully us; my sister and I are doing very well. The wooden pilings for the archway have been set up, and the stones are being delivered in succession..."

The legal advisor laughed heartily, "A clever child, even knowing to use the word 'succession.' Truly the descendant of Midwife Feng. The road of life is long; you must study diligently without ceasing, to bring honor to your eldest aunt and bring glory to the Feng family name..."

After expressing a few words of determination, Feng Buji departed.

The siblings then went to the adjacent prison cell to deliver several pounds of candy bought on the way to Warden Niu and the two female guards, thanking them for their past care of Feng Chuchen.

By the time these matters were finished, it was already noon. The group went to a noodle stall for lunch and then hired a donkey cart to head to Dechun Hall.

Old Doctor Fang was extremely shocked to see Feng Buji, whose face was now flushed with color and who had gained weight. After feeling his pulse, he was even more astonished.

"This child's asthma has improved by more than half. If this trend continues, a full recovery is not even out of the question."

Having practiced medicine for decades, he had never seen a case of asthma as severe as Feng Buji's; let alone a full recovery, most children with such a condition wouldn't live to adulthood.

Feng Chuchen smiled and said, "Indeed. In previous years, as soon as autumn arrived, my brother's coughing would intensify and his breathing would become labored. This year, not only has his asthma improved greatly, but his digestion has also improved significantly; he has gained over four pounds in this past month."

After discussing Feng Buji's condition, the two adjusted several of his medicinal prescriptions.

Afterward, they went to the new residence in Beian Ward to discuss the interior decoration and the making of furniture.

Opening the medical clinic was a secondary matter; they first went to the second residence.

Since this house was registered in Feng Buji's name, they decided to let Feng Buji live in the main house.

The western side room of the main house would house the memorial tablets of the eldest aunt and the couple, Feng Qiuen.

Feng Chuchen would live in the eastern wing, Auntie Wang in the western wing, Banxia and Shaoyao in the southern room...

They planned to cut a small door through the wall between the two houses to facilitate easy movement.

There was a carpentry shop in the first two alleys. Auntie Wang invited Carpenter Guo to the house to take measurements and discuss which pieces of furniture were needed.

The requirements for the wood and craftsmanship were not high; no intricate carvings were needed, just simple lacquer.

It would cost approximately twenty taels of silver, and Feng Chuchen paid a five-tael deposit first.

By the time these tasks were completed, it was already the hour of the Monkey. The group hired a donkey cart to return to Baima Village.

Since this place was not far from the Xihe Gate, they arrived home within an hour.

Feng Chuchen asked Auntie Wang to make a trip to the village tomorrow to spread the word that the family had spent their savings to buy houses.

She also began calculating her future in her mind.

Currently, the family only had about twenty taels left; she didn't know when she would save enough to open the medical clinic.

In any society, one cannot strike it rich by saving lives; that would violate a doctor's original intention and profane the title.

Furthermore, her most profitable skill, the Yin Divine Needle, was not something anyone could use.

Her eldest aunt had saved three hundred and eight people over twenty years, meaning only eleven or twelve people per year were destined to receive the Yin Divine Needle.

Since she did not perform midwifery, she would also miss out on sick children; the number of children she encountered who were eligible for the Divine Needle would be even fewer.

She would need to produce more Sophora Officinalis Repair Ointment to sell...

The next day, it rained, and the weather grew even colder.

The news of the Feng family buying houses in the capital spread through every corner of Baima Village like a biting cold wind.

There were those who were envious, those who were resentful, and those who felt a sense of loss.

Auntie Zhao, the wife of Village Head Zhao, and Madam Zhao, the eldest daughter-in-law of Merchant Zhao, came to the Feng house in the rain to pry for information. Both women looked displeased.

Auntie Zhao was very blunt, "Chen girl, you forget things far too quickly. My husband put in a lot of effort so that Midwife Feng could receive her honors. The honors have just been granted, and the memorial archway isn't even built yet, and you're already pulling away to leave? You are ungrateful."

Madam Zhao added, "Chuchen, you are young and city folk are cunning; they aren't as simple and kind as country folk. You are orphans; if you lived in the countryside, you would have neighbors like us to look after you. In the city, what will you do if you encounter thugs and bullies? You'll only be subject to bullying."

Feng Chuchen understood that Auntie Zhao was unhappy about their move.

She was afraid that once they left, they would take the honor of being the "Mother of a Thousand Infants" with them.

But why was Madam Zhao unhappy?

She wondered if Zhao Wei, who was not yet married, had his sights set on her. Then she thought that Zhao Wei had his head in the clouds and would never look at a country girl.

It must be something else.

Orphans, with money and glory—they were a piece of fat meat that everyone wanted to fight over.

Feng Chuchen explained, "We bought two houses in the capital. One is to rent out for some income, and the other is for occasional stays to make it convenient for my brother's medical treatments. This is our eternal home; we will spend most of our time here.

"We have always remembered the kindness of Uncle Zhao and Merchant Zhao. As for thugs and bullies, I am not even afraid of going to prison, so why should I fear them? If they push me too far, I will go to the yamen to beat the drum and seek justice..."

Only then did Auntie Zhao feel a bit better, forcing a smile, "You don't need to go to the County Magistrate; my husband can help you."

Madam Zhao was even more anxious. Her third son had always looked down on this girl; she needed to play matchmaker early so that the family wouldn't lose out. She cursed inwardly that her third son's ambitions were too high, as he was unwilling to accept someone as good as Feng Chuchen...

After the two left, Feng Chuchen lit an incense stick and a length of lamp cord.

In ancient times, medical diagnosis used "breaths" to measure time.

"One breath" refers to the total process of a doctor exhaling, inhaling, and the pause in between. How many breaths are in a minute determines how many times one breathes per minute.

Under normal circumstances, one minute is equivalent to eighteen breaths.

In her past life, through practicing pulse reading, Feng Chuchen had mastered breathing eighteen times per minute. Not only was her pulse reading precise, but she also didn't need to check the time when using a stethoscope.

But the novice Banxia and Auntie Wang needed it.

"Auscultation" was simpler and more direct than pulse reading; they could use it for prenatal checkups or during childbirth.

Once the incense burned out, Feng Chuchen quickly extinguished the lamp cord and marked it on an equally long cord.

She pinned one end of the cord to a small wooden board, leaving a length that would burn for exactly one minute, which was eighteen breaths.

In eighteen breaths, a heart rate of sixty to one hundred beats was normal.

Fetal heartbeats were different.

In the early stages of fetal heart formation, the rate is slower; monitoring the fetal heartbeat might yield sixty-five to seventy-five beats per minute. By eight weeks of pregnancy, it reaches about one hundred and twenty-five beats per minute. At eleven weeks, it reaches about one hundred and seventy-five. After the middle stage of pregnancy, it generally stays between one hundred and ten to one hundred and sixty beats per minute...

If the fetal heartbeat is found to exceed one hundred and sixty beats per minute during the middle stage of pregnancy, it may be caused by hypoxia in the fetus due to decreased amniotic fluid or placental or umbilical cord abnormalities. If the fetal heartbeat is below one hundred and twenty beats per minute, the intrauterine hypoxia is more severe.

In such cases, timely treatment is mandatory.

However, ancient medical conditions were limited, and treatment could only be attempted through medicine, acupuncture, or specific exercises.

There would be errors in timing with the lamp cord, so to prevent misjudgment, she would listen twice each time.

However, ancients had a talent for calculating time, much like how they could estimate the hour by looking at the sun and moon.

With time, she would naturally be able to practice until she could accurately calculate the time of eighteen breaths without looking at the cord.

Feng Chuchen grumbled inwardly; a transmigrator without a space or a system made everything a struggle.