Family Interests

The news first broke in the People's Daily and was reprinted by newspapers across the country; government agencies were the first to receive the word. Then, through radio broadcasts reaching the township and commune levels, the news spread within a few days from major cities to remote, small localities.

That afternoon, after the Zhu Medical Hall closed, Zhu Fujiang leaned on his cane and led the clan elders in high spirits to the main residence in Sanqing Lane. Upon seeing Zhu Shian, Zhu Fujiang laughed heartily: 'Back in early spring, you said that a towering tree would eventually grow, its branches spreading and its prosperity rising.

You were absolutely right, my dear girl.' When Zhu Fujiang entered, Zhu Shian reached out to steady him: 'It has only just begun, and you are already this happy, Elder?' 'Hahaha, the beginning of all things is the hardest, but once the start is made, everything else will fall into place naturally.' Zhu Fujiang held Zhu Shian's hand, unwilling to let go: 'You are the lucky star of our Zhu Family.

The year is not even over yet, and your words have already come to pass.' The other clan elders following behind Zhu Fujiang chimed in with praises for Zhu Shian; ever since she returned, everything in the Zhu Family had taken a turn for the better. 'We thought it was a tremendous joy that you, our dear girl, led us to open the Zhu Medical Hall this year, but who would have thought the situation would change so rapidly?

Heh, we can do even better.' 'We just came from the pier, and those young people selling food and peddling small wares are no longer hiding; they are hawking their goods openly. Oh, the bustle of it—it just makes one feel happy inside.' 'Most of the small vendors near the pier are young people who returned to the city last year but couldn't find work.

Once the market opens up and those shops in the county that were shuttered reopen, it will be even livelier.' 'When can we get our permits? Once we have that Business License, we should reopen the shops in Sanqing Lane that were closed down.' When asked about the permits, no one was quite sure.

Zhu Shian had heard Lu Wen mention it yesterday, so she said: 'The official Business License probably won't be issued until after the New Year, but those who want to do small business can apply for a temporary permit at the county government, and then exchange it for an official one once the provincial authorities issue clear documents.' 'Oh, is the response that fast?

The higher-ups haven't even issued the documents yet, and the county dares to issue us temporary Business Licenses?' The clan elders were astonished; in the past, the county leaders would never have dared to be so bold. Zhu Shian explained: 'County Magistrate He Zaiming has no strong backing, so he wouldn't dare make such a big decision on his own.

The reason our county is reacting so quickly this time is because the city leaders have made the call, saying we must keep up with the trends of the era and not fall behind the coastal cities.' Er Gupo, sitting at the lower seat of Zhu Fujiang, said: 'The outside world is more flexible than we are here.

When I went out to procure medicinal herbs, I heard people say that besides Zhejiang, places like Beijing and Guangdong are also issuing temporary permits; it is not considered a novelty.' Zhu Changfeng asked: 'What kind of shops are allowed to open? Are there regulations for this?' 'That is not clear, but I have heard that among the individual households who received temporary Business Licenses, there are those selling tea, cutting hair, and making clothes—all sorts of things.' In the past, besides the Zhu Medical Hall, Sanqing Lane housed over twenty shops, including raw herb shops, medicinal wine shops, pastry shops, teahouses, restaurants, grocery stores, and incense shops.

If all these could reopen, Sanqing Lane would be bustling once again. Zhu Changfeng said: 'Let us put the other shops aside for now; let us first have Elder Brother Zhu Changkun apply for a temporary permit for the Eight Treasures Cake shop.

If we stop selling pastries at the Zhu Medical Hall, I dare say the medical hall will certainly be half as quiet as it used to be.' Hearing Zhu Changfeng say this, Zhu Changfang, Zhu Zheng, and others who worked at the Zhu Medical Hall all laughed. When the ancestors of the Zhu Family built the Zhu Medical Hall, they built it quite spaciously.

Given the permanent population of Zhenshan County, even if there were many sick people during the change of seasons, the County Hospital would share the burden; the medical hall should never have been as crowded as a vegetable market. The reason the medical hall was so crowded was mainly because it also sold pastries.

Every day, when the pastries came out of the back workshop and the fragrance drifted out, a crowd of people would squeeze into the medical hall. It would have been fine if those people had just bought their Eight Treasures Cake and left, but to comply with regulations and avoid trouble, they had to go through the process of having a doctor write a prescription.

This not only increased the workload for the three doctors in the medical hall but also delayed the time for patients who truly needed medical treatment. In October, after the Peng Family members left Zhenshan County, Zhu Shian had wanted to take the opportunity to stop the pastry business, but after she stopped, people asked about it every day.

Since some of those asking for pastries truly needed dietary therapy, the pastry business was resumed in a half-reluctant manner. Zhu Changfeng sighed: 'Before our medical hall sold pastries, I did not know there were so many wealthy and idle retired elderly people in our county.

They treat our medical hall as a pastry shop, coming every day right on time to buy pastries, and they do not even find it troublesome.' Zhu Changzhen added: 'Some old ladies even order dishes, saying they want to eat yam cakes tomorrow. If you say you do not have them, they immediately retort that they are ill and need the yam cakes to be cured tomorrow.' Unable to hold it in, everyone burst into laughter.

Zhu Fujiang said to Zhu Changkun: 'Go to the county committee tomorrow and inquire about how to handle that temporary permit. Once you have inquired, we will get yours handled first.

Once the permit is issued, the first storefront on the left after entering the archway will be handed over to you for selling pastries.' The first storefront after the archway was originally a pastry shop. Before it closed, it was operated by the grandfather of Zhu Changkun and Zhu Changfang.

The six stove openings in two rows in the back courtyard of the shop were all built for steaming pastries, and the various molds for making them were still there; they could be used directly after a wash. Zhu Changkun hurriedly said: 'Elder Fujiang, please rest assured; once the shop opens, I will certainly manage it well.' 'Your temperament is like your grandfather's—steady and hardworking.

I am certainly at ease with you doing things.' After saying this, Zhu Fujiang remembered that he could not decide this matter, so he hurriedly asked Zhu Shian: 'Dear girl, do you agree?' Zhu Shian is the head of the Zhu Family and the heir to this side of Sanqing Lane; the houses and shops in Sanqing Lane are all hers, and she must nod for them to be rented out to anyone.

Zhu Shian had no objections; she smiled and said to Zhu Changkun: 'Sell your pastries well and do not waste your skills.' Zhu Changkun stood up and bowed respectfully to Zhu Shian: 'Thank you, dear girl.' With Zhu Changkun making a start, other clansmen who wanted to rent shops in Sanqing Lane to do business took this opportunity to ask Zhu Shian for a definitive word.

The Zhu Family has passed down the profession of medicine for generations, and Zhu Shian's understanding of the clansmen was mainly in the field of medicine. Only now, as everyone happily told her what kind of shop they wanted to open, did Zhu Shian realize that there were many talented people among the Zhu Family clansmen.

There were carpenters who could make furniture and wood carvings, potters who could shape pots and fire ceramics, bamboo weavers who could make bamboo hats and baskets, paper makers who could make paper, and others who could cook, paint folk door gods, or knew everything about tea...

In every family and household, one could always find a capable person. The houses in Sanqing Lane, except for the main residence where Zhu Shian lived, were all constructed with a shop in the front and a courtyard in the back, just like the medical hall.

Although the houses varied in size, there were only twenty-eight houses and shops in total, which was not enough to go around for so many people. Zhu Shian said: 'You all know how many shops there are in Sanqing Lane.

If every family comes to me to rent a shop, it certainly will not work. You go back and discuss it; for example, for items like ceramics, bamboo weaving, and cabinets or tables, there is no need for each of you to rent a single shop.

You can sell them together; that way, there might even be more buyers coming in to look at the goods. What do you think?' The families pointed out by Zhu Shian thought about it carefully, and it was indeed so.

Seeing that everyone had taken her words to heart, Zhu Shian said: 'Let us set a three-day limit. If you have decided to rent a shop within three days, come to the main residence to sign up.

If there are fewer people signed up than there are shops, then they will all be rented to you. If there are not enough shops, then we will select from the list of those who signed up.' The conversation reached this point, and it was almost enough.

It was getting dark outside, so if it was not an important matter, they would talk about it tomorrow. Zhu Shian said to Zhu Fujiang: 'It is not easy to take a boat when it is dark.

Since you are old, do not bother going back to the village; just stay here.' 'Good, I will stay, but I will not stay with you, old man; I will go stay with Zhu Shouxin and Zhu Shouguang.' Ever since Elder Shouxin and Elder Shouguang came to the medical hall to practice, they had been living in Sanqing Lane.

The two of them did not bring their families to Sanqing Lane, and living alone felt lonely, so they had been living in the same courtyard for these days. Recently, the clansmen preparing for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Selection Examination in the city on the 26th had also been living with them.

Zhu Fujiang probably had something to say to Zhu Shouxin and the others, so Zhu Shian did not force him to stay. Except for a few older clan elders, the young people who wanted to stay overnight could just stay in any house in Sanqing Lane, and those who did not want to stay could go back to the village themselves; after all, they were young and strong and not afraid of the cold wind on the river in winter.

'Let us go now.' Zhu Fujiang stood up, and the other clansmen followed him out. Zhu Shian saw the group of clansmen to the main gate and did not close the door until they had walked far away.

After sending the clansmen off, she went to the back courtyard, where Zhu Fengqin had set out the dinner, and called for Zhu Shian to wash her hands and eat. Zhu Shian washed her hands and sat down; tonight they were having vegetable and egg noodles.

As the two sat down to eat, Zhu Fengqin said: 'You must think carefully about the shop matter. It is fine if there are enough to go around, but if there are not, you must think carefully about who to rent to and who not to; if you do not handle it well, you will offend people.' 'If I offend them, then so be it.

It is my shop; can I not decide who to rent it to?' 'You cannot say it like that. Are you not counting on selecting doctors from the clan to practice in the medical hall?

The relationships within the clan are deeply intertwined. If you do not handle the shop matter well and offend people, will they agree to come to the medical hall to work?' Zhu Shian took a sip of noodle soup and joked: 'If you want to avoid offending people, it is easy to solve.

When everyone wants to rent a shop, then rent it to whoever offers the highest rent.' Zhu Fengqin hurriedly shook her head: 'You cannot do that. Although the shops in Sanqing Lane were inherited by you, in the end, they are the houses of the Zhu Family.

Charging high rent is not conducive to the unity of the clan. When your grandfather was alive, he also kept the ancestral rules; as long as it is a clansman renting a shop, the rent is only thirty percent of the market price.

You must not break the rules.' 'Alright, you do not need to worry about this. Do you believe me? Regardless of the shop or the rent, they will discuss it among themselves when they go back and will not put me in a difficult position.' The beginning of all things is hard; the shops in Sanqing Lane are just a start for the clansmen.

If they really earn money and the policies become more relaxed, they will naturally find ways to buy their own commercial properties, and by then they will move out of Sanqing Lane. Zhu Shian saw it clearly; Sanqing Lane was just a safety net for the Zhu Family clansmen.

'Feng Niang, there should be quite a few people in our clan who have houses and shops in the county, right?' 'They did have them before, but later it was not peaceful, was it? They were afraid that the shops and houses could not be kept, so many people exchanged their properties for money and saved it, moving from the county to the village to live.' Speaking of houses, Zhu Fengqin added: 'There were also those who did not have time to sell their houses back then.' 'Whose family?' 'Wu Shenpo's family.

Her family has a courtyard on East Street, with three main rooms and eight side rooms. Now there are three families living in that courtyard.

A few years ago, it was said that they were rented to them to live in, and they paid two or three yuan a month to the Subdistrict Office, and the Subdistrict Office then gave it to Wu Shenpo. In the last few years, even that little rent is not being paid.' 'The Subdistrict Office rented out the courtyard?' 'Indeed, let alone an empty courtyard; in those years, anyone who had an empty room in their house was targeted by someone.' 'Do they not care after renting it out?' 'They care, but they cannot do anything about it.

Just like Wu Shenpo's family, there are many families whose houses were first rented and then occupied by several households. Last year, someone mentioned wanting to take back the courtyard they had rented out.

We were still in the countryside and had not returned when this trouble happened. We did not see that scene, but it is said that those families threw tantrums and refused to move out, even saying that the Subdistrict Office was forcing them to die, jumping into the river, or hitting their heads against the wall—they really had no shame.' 'Sigh, although the deed for that courtyard is still in Wu Shenpo's hands, it will probably be difficult to take the courtyard back in the future.' Zhu Fengqin said: 'Just wait, there will be more trouble to come.' While Zhu Shian and Zhu Fengqin were talking privately about the houses and shops, Zhu Changfang and her brother Zhu Changkun were also talking about renting a shop.

'Brother, Elder Fujiang and the dear girl have already decided on your pastry shop, and it will certainly not change. It is uncertain whether other people in the clan can rent a shop.

If anyone in the clan mentions the shop matter to you, do not answer.' Zhu Changkun said helplessly: 'I am at such an age; can I not know this little thing?' Zhu Changfang snorted softly: 'Besides the shop matter, there is the matter of buying grain, and whether to hire people to work in the shop.

If people in the clan ask you, what will you say?' Zhu Changkun received a salary for working in the medical hall, and the rice, flour, grain, oil, and medicinal herbs needed for making pastries were all provided by the medical hall. If he lacked anything, he just asked Zhu Changfeng for it, and he did not have to worry about anything himself.

It would be different when he opened his own pastry shop in the future; he would have to buy everything himself. By then, he would have to think carefully about whose goods to buy and whose not to, and at what price.

Zhu Changkun said: 'I will leave the matter of buying grain to our mother to manage. As for hiring people to work, there is no need, right?

If I am too busy, I will just have your sister-in-law come to help.' Knowing that her elder brother had a plan in mind, Zhu Changfang did not say anything more. She smiled and said: 'Brother, do it well.

Once the pastry shop earns big money in the future, bring Father and Mother to the city to live. Anyway, the courtyard behind the pastry shop is spacious, and the whole family can live there.' Zhu Changkun thought the same; if he could make a living by doing business, he would not have to go back to farming, as farming was really too hard.

His father and mother were so old, and he could not bear to see them work so hard. Just after dinner, Xu Zhong was boiling hot water to prepare for washing his face and feet.

While he was tending to the fire in the stove, he listened to his wife and brother-in-law talking about opening a shop. After they finished talking, Xu Zhong worriedly said: 'Is it stable to open a shop at this juncture?

Do not let it be forbidden again after a few days.' 'It will not happen. The dear girl and the clan elders are not stupid.

If this matter were not stable, they would not have mentioned it at all. Besides, Lu Wen is the Magistrate's wife, and she said there is no problem, so this matter must be certain.' Zhu Changfang said to Xu Zhong: 'Just now at the main residence, many people were scrambling to rent shops in Sanqing Lane.

I originally wanted to rent one too, but then I thought that my elder brother had already taken one shop, and it would not be appropriate for me to rent another, so I did not mention it.' 'What would our family rent a shop for?' 'You are stupid, of course, to open a restaurant!

Your cooking skills are so good; if you come out to open a shop, you will certainly earn more than the salary you get at the Renmin Restaurant.' 'Fortunately, you did not mention it. If you ask me, it is still stable to work at the Renmin Restaurant, with a guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood.' Zhu Changfang rolled her eyes: 'You only have this much ambition.' Zhu Changkun hurriedly said to Xu Zhong: 'She just has a bad mouth; do not listen to her nonsense.

If I had a formal job like you, I would not be thinking about opening a pastry shop myself.' After talking to Xu Zhong, Zhu Changkun said to his sister: 'Changfang, you are not allowed to talk to Xu Zhong like that in the future.' Zhu Changfang ignored her brother and turned to call her two daughters over to wash up.

Xu Zhong smiled at Zhu Changkun: 'Brother, do not worry about us. My relationship with Changfang is very good, and we will not have conflicts because of such small things.' 'As long as the relationship is good, that is fine.' Zhu Changkun still wanted to explain for his sister: 'She just has a fierce mouth, but her heart is good.' Xu Zhong naturally knew what kind of personality his wife had, so he smiled and nodded.

After the Zhu Changfang family finished washing up and went to sleep, in another courtyard not far away, Zhu Changming and his wife had not yet slept. Zhang Hui said to Zhu Changming: 'Everyone wants to rent a shop to do business.

Should I also rent a small shop to do something?' 'What do you want to do?' Zhang Hui was very annoyed: 'If I knew, would I still ask you?' Zhu Changming smiled: 'Look at you, you are completely looking for trouble for yourself. Do you just do it because you see others doing it?' 'The clan elders all say it is good to open a shop, and everyone is scrambling to open shops to do business.

Could it be bad?' Zhu Changming did not argue with her and only said: 'The shops in front of our family's courtyard will certainly be rented to clansmen to do business when the time comes. When that happens, you can see how others run their businesses.

If you still want to do it after seeing it, we will discuss it again.' 'It will be too late by then; where will there be any shops left to rent to me?' 'If there are no shops in Sanqing Lane, then go find other shops outside to rent. If we cannot rent one, then we will buy one.' Zhu Changming said: 'Our family's savings are certainly enough to buy a shop.' Zhang Hui heard his subtext: 'Why, do you not want me to rent a shop in Sanqing Lane?' 'Well, it is not very appropriate.' Zhang Hui did not speak, looked at him, and made a gesture of listening attentively.

Zhu Changming picked up the kettle and poured half a cup of hot water for himself. He said: 'Ever since I was sensible, I have followed my master to learn medicine.

Before I came of age, everything I ate, used, and lived in was provided by my master, and many of the things my master gave me were allocated to him by the clan. Compared to other clansmen, I have already received many benefits from the clan, so there is no need to compete for this little benefit with the clansmen in the village who are looking for a way out at this time.' Zhang Hui thought about it, and it was indeed the truth; being greedy for small gains was quite annoying.

'Forget it, our family is doing okay, so we will not get involved in this matter.' Although Zhang Hui said she would not get involved, the next morning, after finishing the housework, after Zhu Changming went to work and her son went to school to study, Zhang Hui closed the door and went to the main residence.

As soon as Zhang Hui entered the door, she heard someone talking in the small side courtyard next to the shadow wall. At this time, it should be the person on duty today boiling soup for the children.

Zhang Hui went in and smiled: 'What soup are you boiling today?' Wu Shenpo pointed to the half-spine bone tied with straw rope and said: 'Today we are stewing bone soup.' 'Bone soup is good; it is nutritious, and drinking this in winter is good for the body.' Zhang Hui rolled up her sleeves to help wash the pot.

Zhu Fengqin brought two buckets of water from the back courtyard and asked her when she saw Zhang Hui there: 'It is not your turn today; why did you come?' 'I have nothing to do at home, so I came to help.' Zhu Fengqin smiled and said: 'You had nothing to do at home a few days ago; why did you not come?

You, you must have another purpose for coming today.' 'It is still Feng Niang who understands me.' Zhang Hui leaned closer and asked in a low voice: 'Has it been decided who to rent the shops to?' 'Not yet. The clan elders went back to the village early this morning.

I think this matter of renting shops will have to be discussed by the clan before it is reported to the dear girl.' Wu Shenpo felt that this was how it should be done: 'The shops and houses belong to the dear girl. The dear girl is giving benefits to the clansmen; there is no reason to ask the dear girl to intervene and do the work of offending people.' Zhu Fengqin also felt that it should be this way.

Everyone was very excited last night, and the conversation led to Zhu Changkun, which was fine, but the remaining quotas should not be asked of the dear girl; the clan should have a set of rules first before reporting to the dear girl. 'The clan elders still know how to handle things.

Early in the morning, instead of waiting for the clansmen to come to the main residence to find the dear girl, they took all the clansmen from the village back.' 'That is for sure. If they were really confused and could not tell good from bad, they would have been replaced by smart and capable people long ago.' Zhang Hui listened to Wu Shenpo and Feng Niang for a long time, and they were all talking about the clansmen from the village side.

Both of them seemed to assume that the families in Sanqing Lane were not involved in this. In fact, it was not just the residents of Sanqing Lane who were not involved; Zhu Changfeng, Zhu Changzhen, Zhu Zheng, and others who were favored and focused on by the clan would not sign up.

Even if their families wanted to open a shop, they could go outside and spend more money to rent one, but they could not come to Sanqing Lane to rent a shop. After working for more than an hour in the morning and finishing seeing the patients in line, there was a little leisure time.

Zhu Shouguang came out of the consultation room to stretch his hands and feet. Zhu Shouguang went to the door of Zhu Shian's consultation room and said: 'I have a word for you.' 'Please speak.' Zhu Shian put down the prescription in her hand.

'In a family like ours, we must promote smart young people who can take on responsibilities for key training, and we must also try our best to take into account fairness. Once you have figured out these two points, everything else is a small matter.' Zhu Shian naturally understood; one does not worry about scarcity, but about inequality.

Zhu Shouguang smiled and said: 'You are a smart child; I was just saying a word in vain.' 'I know you are worried about the Zhu Family. Please rest assured; I can guarantee to you that at least while it is in my hands, the Zhu Family will get better and better.' Whether a person can be trusted does not depend on age, but on whether they are reliable in doing things.

Although Zhu Shian is young, in Zhu Shouguang's eyes, she is a very reliable and responsible person. Since she is willing to guarantee it, Zhu Shouguang certainly believes her.

It is not just Zhu Shouguang who believes in Zhu Shian without doubt, but also the couple He Zaiming and Lu Wen. He Zaiming knew that there would be a big move from above when he went to the city for a meeting a few days ago.

This big move would completely change the situation, and those who had been suppressed would probably rise up soon by taking advantage of the east wind of this change. He Zaiming thought carefully for two days.

He thought about himself and also thought about his friends and relatives in his heart. He came to a conclusion: among the people he was related to, the one with the most hope of riding the wind and rising was the Zhu Family.

He privately told his wife: 'If I had been sent to Nanjiang County as the county magistrate at the beginning, I would certainly have been able to seize the east wind of this reform and achieve results. At my current age, I could still go up one step.' It was a pity.

Lu Wen said: 'Old He, it is not that I look down on you, but at that time, you were able to come to Zhenshan County to be the county magistrate because you picked up a leak. Nanjiang County is not Zhenshan County.' Nanjiang County is an important county along the Yangtze River, and now a railway has been planned.

After the railway is built, Nanjiang County will become a land and water transportation hub, and it will not be difficult for the county to become a city. 'Sigh, the opportunity was right in front of me, but I missed it.

I feel a bit regretful in my heart.' 'The current county magistrate of Nanjiang County took office in June last year. After he took office, his key work was to sort out the land and water transportation system within Nanjiang County.

At the end of last year, he even wrote a work report and submitted it to the city. We did not understand it at that time, but looking back now, he knew that Nanjiang County would have a railway when he took office.

This was preparing in advance.' Lu Wen smiled and said: 'He is a person who was chosen long ago. Knowing this, do you still think the opportunity was missed by you?' It was not missed; it was that the opportunity was never yours to begin with.

Once the words were spoken, he felt he did not deserve to complain. He Zaiming felt it was quite meaningless. The benefits of Nanjiang County belonged to others, and He Zaiming could only try his best to manage his own one-third of an acre of land.

The strongest seedling growing in this one-third of an acre of land was the Zhu Family. His father-in-law once analyzed the advantages of Zhenshan County with him; if Zhenshan County wanted to have some development, the Zhu Family might be a breakthrough point.

In August, the fact that three people from the Zhu Family obtained the individual Medical Practitioner Qualification Certificate already proved the ability of the Zhu Family members in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In September, after the Zhu Medical Hall was opened, it cured many difficult and miscellaneous diseases.

Relying on a set of good medical skills, the reputation of the Zhu Medical Hall spread in a small range within a short period of time. The Zhu Family is a family that has been passed down for thousands of years and can be checked in the county annals.

This foundation, combined with the medical skills of the Zhu Family members, can completely become a name that makes Zhenshan County famous. If this matter is done, people outside will no longer say that Zhenshan County is a remote small county in the mountains, but a good place with beautiful mountains and clear waters and outstanding people.

He Zaiming had not yet thought about the follow-up development plan. After having a general idea, his attention to the Zhu Family reached a higher level.

Therefore, when Lu Wen saw the newspaper sent by the city, she would send a copy to Zhu Shian. The news Lu Wen sent was not sent in vain.

A few days later, the more than twenty temporary Business License applications submitted by the Zhu Family to the county committee office showed that the Zhu Family was very well-planned. In addition to the Zhu Family, several other families in the county also submitted temporary Business Licenses.

He Zaiming held a meeting to specifically convey the spirit of the city's documents, publicly praised the residents who were active and proactive in development, and said that if there were no problems after the temporary Business License was approved, it would be issued before the New Year.

Liu Xin also attended this meeting. After Liu Xin went home from work, she told the clansmen about the county committee's attitude towards the temporary Business License, and everyone was looking forward to the day they would receive the permit.

After a few days of busyness, it was already December 24th. The Zhu Family clansmen who signed up for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Selection Examination set off for the city early in the morning.

There were many Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners who signed up for this examination, and the examination arrangement had to follow the process. After the two-day examination, they would probably have to wait until the 30th to return.

Once these clansmen who took the examination left, and with less help from them, the medical hall was a bit busier these two days. However, what caused the medical hall to be busy was not that there were many patients, but that the weather was good these two days, and the old men and old ladies who were willing to go out came to the medical hall to line up to buy pastries again.

Zhu Changfang saw Old Man Liu wandering around the Medicine Cabinet with his hands behind his back. Zhu Changfang smiled and said: 'Are you not going to write a prescription for poor appetite today?' Old Man Liu laughed loudly: 'I see that the doctors are also quite busy, so I will not go to add trouble to them.' Old Woman Li, who was standing behind Old Man Liu, said to Zhu Changfang: 'The boy selling buns and fried dough sticks at the pier is shouting to sell them.

You should learn from others. You sell pastries, so just sell pastries; no one will care.' 'Old Woman Li, you said it yourself, it is selling pastries, but this is a medical hall!

It is not appropriate for you to run to the medical hall to buy pastries.' 'Then should I go and write a prescription for a bad stomach?' Old Woman Li stared. 'No need to write a prescription today.' Zhu Changfang could only say.

'Oh, I just said there is no need to write a prescription. You save trouble, and we save trouble.' Old Woman Li smiled and asked Zhu Changfang: 'What kind of pastries are made today?' 'Today we made sesame cakes and yam red bean cakes.

Everyone will line up to buy them in a while. Each person is limited to one jin, and it will stop when sold out.' 'When I came to buy last time, it was limited to two jin.

Why is it limited to one jin now?' 'This is a new rule. If everyone wants to buy more pastries, just wait a little longer.

After we get the Business License, we will open a pastry shop. By then, there will be no limit, and everyone is welcome to come and support the business more.' Old Man Liu smiled and said: 'It should have been done like this long ago.

Once the pastry shop is opened, we do not have to squeeze into the medical hall.' 'When will the pastry shop open? Which pastries will be sold?

My little grandson likes to eat Eight Treasures Cake; make more and sell them.' 'Make more yam cakes; my little girl likes to eat yam cakes.' 'When will that license thing be issued? Can your pastry shop open before the New Year?

I want to buy two jin of pastries to visit relatives during the New Year.' 'Sending pastries during festivals is both decent and practical. This is good.' A group of elderly grandfathers and grandmothers surrounded Zhu Changfang and asked questions.

Zhu Changfang could not answer them all with one mouth, until Zhu Changkun came over with the freshly baked pastries, and the old people surrounding Zhu Changfang ran away in a swarm, all lining up to buy from Zhu Changkun. Zhu Changfang was very thirsty at this moment, so she took the opportunity to pour herself a glass of water to drink.

'Shopkeeper, give me one jin of pastries.' 'Go line up over there to buy pastries.' Zhu Changfang looked up, saw a smiling face, and immediately laughed: 'Comrade Ding... Comrade Ding, why are you here?' The person who came was none other than Ding Mao.

Ding Mao smiled and said: 'The work over there is finished. I am about to return to the unit, and I passed by Nanjiang County, so I stopped by Sanqing Lane to send something to the dear girl.' 'What did you send?' Ding Mao was carrying a large cross-body bag.

He pointed to the things in the bag: 'I do not know. I am just bringing it for someone else, and I have always kept it in the bag without opening it to look.' Zhu Changfang glanced at the first consultation room and said: 'The dear girl is still busy right now.

I am afraid you will have to wait for her for a while.' Ding Mao saw that Zhu Shian was busy, so he did not go to disturb her. Ding Mao said familiarly: 'Arrange a room for me to rest.

I will find her after she is busy.' 'That is easy.' Zhu Changfang waved and called Zhu Xilan over, and said to her: 'Comrade Ding is a guest of the dear girl. The dear girl is not free right now, so you take Comrade Ding to the main residence to find Feng Niang.' 'Okay, alright.' Ding Mao waved his hand: 'Thank you, thank you.

I will go first; you all be busy.' Ding Mao lifted his feet and followed Zhu Xilan away, not noticing that Zhu Shian looked at him from afar. Ding Mao has been running outside for almost a year, right?

Coming back at this time, is the Action Team finished? 'Doctor Zhu, my name is Zuo Xiang. I was introduced by Doctor Zhu Changming of the County Hospital.

I have had headaches and could not sleep recently. He said that Acupuncture might have an effect on me.' 'Let me take your pulse.' Zuo Xiang, who was sitting in front of Zhu Shian, looked to be twenty-five or twenty-six years old.

Her eyes were dull, and there was blackness under her eyes; it seemed she had not slept well for a long time. Zhu Shian also thought she was not sleeping well, but as soon as she took her pulse, Zhu Shian found something wrong: 'Have you had a miscarriage in the last few months?' Zuo Xiang nodded: 'I got pregnant in June, and by October, it was four months.

My belly did not look big, and my family was worried, so they took me to the County Hospital to find a doctor to check my belly. After the doctor checked, he said it was a dead fetus.' 'How did you feel after the induced labor of the dead fetus?

Have you not been able to sleep well since then?' Zuo Xiang recalled: 'It seems so, I do not remember very clearly.' Zhu Shian stood up, pulled the curtain of the consultation room, and told her to pull open her clothes: 'Let me look at your belly.' In winter, clothes are worn thick, and one cannot see anything through the cotton clothes.

After the patient exposed her belly, Zhu Shian saw the faint Yin Qi wrapped around her belly and knew what was going on. 'Doctor, does my headache and inability to sleep have anything to do with the dead fetus from the induced labor?' 'Well, it has something to do with it, but the problem is not big.

You go outside and sit and wait for me for a while. After I finish seeing the patients, I will give you Acupuncture. After the Acupuncture, the situation will improve.' 'Okay, I will listen to you.' After Zuo Xiang left, Zhu Shian recorded in her private case notes: The Yin Qi of the dead fetus does not dissipate and damages the mother's body; use the Golden Needle to pull out the root of the disease to eliminate it.

Among the patients seen in the morning, two needed Acupuncture, and both were female comrades. At lunch break, Zhu Shian told the two patients to go to the back Acupuncture room, and Zhu Xilan hurriedly followed to learn.

Zhu Shian's Acupuncture was fast and accurate. She usually left after finishing the needles and would not adjust the depth or position of the needles again.

Today, the patient who had an induced labor of a dead fetus was different. Zhu Shian adjusted the depth of the needles twice and came back to add two more needles after a while.

Zhu Xilan carefully looked at the sleeping patient and quietly felt her pulse. Strange thing, if you cannot sleep well, why would you do Acupuncture on the belly?

Zhu Qiu lifted the curtain and looked: 'Hey, what are you doing? Are you taking her pulse? What is wrong with this patient?' 'I do not know what is wrong?' Zhu Xilan said.

'You cannot feel it by taking the pulse?' 'Yes.' 'It does not matter; learn slowly. When we have experience, it will be fine.

By the way, I came to tell you that I just went to see lunch. There is the shredded potato with vinegar and chili that you like to eat at noon today.' 'You go eat first; I have to wait for the dear girl to come and take the needles.' 'Alright, then I will go first.

You hurry up.' After Zhu Qiu left, Zhu Xilan took the patient's pulse again. She still did not understand; this pulse condition had nothing to do with the belly, so why do Acupuncture on the belly?

Doing Acupuncture on the belly was one thing, but the dear girl also adjusted the needles twice. What kind of disease is this?

Zhu Xilan was even more confused. It was time to take the needles. Zhu Shian came in to take the needles and covered the patient with a quilt.

While collecting the needles, Zhu Shian said to Zhu Xilan: 'Hurry up and eat lunch; you do not need to guard here anymore.' 'Oh, okay.' Zhu Xilan went out, and the curtain was let down. Zhu Shian pinched the formula and recited the mantra to disperse the Yin Qi attached to the Golden Needle.

Only after the Yin Qi dissipated did she collect the needles into the box. Zuo Xiang slept soundly this time, from noon until the medical hall closed in the afternoon.

If she had not been called up, she could have continued to sleep. When Zuo Xiang was awakened, she felt very comfortable all over.

Her belly was warm, and the soles of her feet, which had not been warm no matter how she slept these days, were also hot. Zuo Xiang said in a daze: 'The quilt in the medical hall is really warm.' Zhu Shian took the opportunity to take her pulse again.

Seeing that her pulse was normal, she said: 'Go home and sleep. You will certainly have a good sleep tonight.' 'Thank you, Doctor Zhu.' Zuo Xiang paid the consultation fee and left, not even taking a pack of medicine.

Zhu Xilan could not resist her curiosity. After the person left, she hurriedly asked: 'Dear girl, what disease does that patient have?

Why do you need to do Acupuncture on the belly if you cannot sleep?' 'Doing Acupuncture on the belly is because the root of her disease is in the belly.' Zhu Shian smiled and touched Zhu Xilan's little braid: 'This case is not easy to teach you. I will teach you next time when I encounter a suitable patient.' 'Alright.' The medical hall was closed.

Zhu Shian returned to the main residence from the back garden. She went to the guest room to find Ding Mao. Ding Mao was not in the guest room; he was in the kitchen chatting with Zhu Fengqin while cooking.

'Oh, the dear girl is done.' 'Done, sorry to keep you waiting for a long time.' 'It was indeed a bit long.' Ding Mao smiled and said: 'Since that is the case, the dear girl will take me for a turn in the Mountain Valley tonight, just as an apology for keeping me waiting for a long time.' 'Did you come to Zhenshan County to see the situation in the Mountain Valley?' 'Seeing the Mountain Valley is just by the way.

I am mainly helping others to bring you gifts and then asking you for some Talisman.' Ding Mao smiled: 'Guess, who is the one who sent you the gift?' 'Zhu Jin, or Mu Biao?' Ding Mao exaggerated: 'You are really able to calculate; this was calculated by you?' Zhu Shian rolled her eyes: 'Does this need to be calculated?

There are only a few people in the Action Team who have dealings with me. Among these people, those who would send me gifts can probably be guessed by elimination.' 'How can it be a guess?

It is clearly that you calculated it accurately.' 'Alright, stop flattering me.' Zhu Shian asked him: 'After Mu Biao's ancestral Magic Implement was lost, I heard that you are checking the preservation status of Magic Implement of various sects. How is the check going?' 'The situation is not bad or good.

The Xuan Sect people we contacted, most of their Magic Implement are well preserved. Of course, there are also those who lost them for various reasons.' Speaking of Magic Implement, Ding Mao went to the room to get the gift and gave it to Zhu Shian: 'The long wooden box is a gift from Mu Biao, and the short wooden box is from Team Leader Zhu Jin, saying it is to thank you for your help to the Action Team.

Take a look and see what they sent.' Zhu Shian opened the gift from Mu Biao and saw a stick as thick as a thumb, with a spell engraved on it. This stick looked very similar to the Water-Breaking Magic Staff used to suppress evil spirits in the river when working on the river.

Ding Mao took a look: 'Hey, it is not as good as Mu Biao's family heirloom.' 'You also said that it is someone else's family heirloom.' Ding Mao urged Zhu Shian: 'Quickly look at what Team Leader Zhu Jin sent you.' Zhu Shian's hand touched the wooden box, and a sense of intimacy suddenly arose in her heart for no reason.

The wooden box was opened, and a peach blossom hairpin was placed inside. Zhu Shian was stunned for a moment. This was the hairpin her master gave her when her senior sister reached adulthood in her previous life, and her Taoist name, Feiyun, was engraved on the head of the hairpin.

Ding Mao recognized this hairpin and clicked his tongue: 'Is this not something we brought back from the Xiong Mountain Ancient Tomb last time? Team Leader Zhu Jin sent you such a thing?

Compared to the Talisman you sent to the Action Team, it is not worth mentioning at all. Team Leader Zhu Jin is stingy.' 'Xiong Mountain Ancient Tomb?' 'Yes, it is in Hubei.

Although that Ancient Tomb is small, the burial objects inside are all Magic Implement. It is also strange. We all guess that the owner of that Ancient Tomb should have been a member of the Xuan Sect during his lifetime.' Zhu Shian held the hairpin tightly.

Did her senior sister finally fall in Xiong Mountain? Then she must make a trip.