Top-Class Insight: Start with Basic Fist Techniques - Chapter 49:
Chapter 49: Promotion to the Rank of Imperial Physician! Old Friends Visit the Clinic!
Translator: Daoist6fubtiW
Time flew by, and a few days had passed.
The pharmacists and Imperial Physicians of Miaoshou Garden had all returned, and the turmoil at the Xu family’s village had subsided.
Lu Changsheng continued his usual routine, conducting clinics in the Miaoshou Garden.
One day, a manager named Zheng from Miaoshou Garden’s higher management came to the pharmacy with a big smile.
“Which one of you is Lu Changsheng?” he asked.
Lu Changsheng raised his head, looked at the manager, and responded, “I am Lu Changsheng. Do you have some business, Mr. Zheng?”
“Congratulations, Dr. Lu! Starting today, you are an Imperial Physician at Miaoshou Garden, and you can officially hold clinic sessions. As per our custom, an Imperial Physician receives four taels of silver per month, plus a commission from the pharmacy.”
Many of the apprentices in the pharmacy were astonished.
How could Lu Changsheng become an Imperial Physician so quickly? After all, it had been less than two years since he had entered Miaoshou Garden.
In just two years, he had transformed from a beggar into a respected Imperial Physician.
“Thank you, Manager Zheng,” Lu Changsheng quickly composed himself. After all, he had anticipated this outcome.
With Master Wu Jing personally vouching for him, there was no way Miaoshou Garden would disregard Wu Jing’s face.
“Changsheng, you have graduated.”
“Remember, a physician should treat patients as if they were their own parents.”
Wu Jing offered some advice to Lu Changsheng.
“All thanks to Master Wu’s excellent guidance,” Lu Changsheng bowed deeply to Wu Jing.
“Dr. Lu, under Miaoshou Garden’s umbrella, we have several pharmacies, and you can choose one to hold your clinic sessions. You should choose wisely because the location of the pharmacy will significantly affect your monthly commission. A prime location brings in a substantial income, while a remote one means less commission,” Manager Zheng reminded him.
Most physicians wouldn’t receive such guidance, but Lu Changsheng was different as he was Wu Jing’s disciple.
Out of respect for Wu Jing, Manager Zheng wanted to be helpful.
Lu Changsheng examined the map of the pharmacies handed to him by Manager Zheng. Each pharmacy had only one Imperial Physician, but they required at least two Imperial Physicians to be on standby to handle any unexpected situations.
Even at Wu Jing’s pharmacy, there was a second Imperial Physician, although they often went unnoticed because of Wu Jing’s reputation.
Lu Changsheng didn’t particularly care about the commission. He had a decent amount of silver himself. Besides, Miaoshou Garden paid him four taels of silver per month, which was a generous salary.
In a typical courtyard in Nanyang City, the monthly rent was around forty taels of silver.
Being an Imperial Physician for a year could easily afford him a new courtyard. The benefits of this position were undoubtedly generous.
No wonder so many apprentices were desperate to become Imperial Physicians. The perks of being an Imperial Physician were even better than those of the martial guardians of Miaoshou Garden.
Since he wasn’t too concerned about the commission, Lu Changsheng chose a pharmacy that was relatively close to Miaoshou Garden but slightly off-center from the heart of Nanyang City.
“I choose this location,” Lu Changsheng declared.
Lu Changsheng had selected his position.
He chose a slightly more remote location, ensuring that there wouldn’t be too many patients, preventing him from being too busy to practice his martial arts.
As long as there were patients, it would be enough. He didn’t need too many.
Being an Imperial Physician was merely a formal title for Lu Changsheng. His true identity was that of a martial artist aspiring to reach the pinnacle of martial arts.
“Are you sure about this location?” Manager Zheng inquired with a hint of surprise.
But he believed that Lu Changsheng understood his point, and since Lu Changsheng had made his choice, he refrained from further persuasion.
“Very well, Dr. Lu, you will start your practice at ‘Miaoren Hall’ tomorrow.”
Lu Changsheng nodded in agreement.
Subsequently, Wu Jing granted Lu Changsheng a day off to rest and prepare for his new role.
Lu Changsheng realized that working at the pharmacy required a team, so he decided to bring along some familiar faces to make things easier.
He approached Zhang Huan and directly asked, “Zhang Huan, would you be willing to work with me at ‘Miaoren Hall’?”
“Willing, I’m absolutely willing,” Zhang Huan enthusiastically responded.
“Thank you, Dr. Lu,” Zhang Huan expressed his gratitude, ecstatic about the opportunity.
All his previous efforts had not been in vain. Even though he was an apprentice, there were distinctions among apprentices. Once he joined Lu Changsheng at the new pharmacy, he would become Lu Changsheng’s right-hand man. Even as an apprentice, Zhang Huan’s future would be quite prosperous. “Very well, make sure to prepare well. Don’t be late for your first day at ‘Miaoren Hall’ tomorrow,” Lu Changsheng advised. Zhang Huan assured him that he wouldn’t be late and expressed his gratitude once again. Afterward, Lu Changsheng left the pharmacy.
The following day, Lu Changsheng went directly to Miaoren Hall.
In Nanyang City, nearly all pharmacies with the “Miao” character in their name were under the Miaoshou Garden’s umbrella.
“Dr. Lu, you’ve arrived.”
“I’ve already tidied up your workspace.”
Zhang Huan, who had been running out from Miaoren Hall, said respectfully.
Lu Changsheng nodded. Zhang Huan was quick, clever, and diligent. Early in the morning, he had already cleaned up Lu Changsheng’s workspace and even prepared a pot of hot tea on the table.
“You’re attentive,” Lu Changsheng expressed his satisfaction. He glanced at the table next to him. There was another doctor from Miaoren Hall.
Beforehand, Lu Changsheng had already gathered some information. The other doctor was named Wang Ru Hai, in his forties, and had been with Miaoren Hall for over a decade. He was considered a senior Imperial Physician.
Soon, a middle-aged man arrived.
He sat at the position of an Imperial Physician.
Lu Changsheng immediately recognized the man’s identity and stood up, initiating a greeting. “Is this Dr. Wang?”
“I’m Lu Changsheng, the new Imperial Physician at ‘Miaoren Hall.’ Please guide me in the future, Dr. Wang.”
Wang Ru Hai also stood up and returned the courtesy. “Dr. Lu, there’s no need for formalities. You’re the only disciple of Wu Lao, so you must have received his true teachings. 1’11 be looking forward to learning from you.”
Lu Changsheng now had a sense of Dr. Wang’s character; he was humble and amicable. Such a person would be easy to work with. As they worked together at Miaoren Hall, they wouldn’t have any disputes.
After some pleasantries, they both took their seats.
Patients began arriving.
Despite being in a slightly remote location, Miaoren Hall was an old and well-known pharmacy, attracting regular customers from the neighborhood. The number of patients was considerable.
Lu Changsheng had officially started his solo practice.
Time flew by, and another month passed.
The weather became increasingly cold, and the number of patients at Miaoren Hall gradually increased. Despite his young age, Lu Changsheng had received extensive training under Wu Jing, and he had gained the trust of patients over the past month. He had now firmly established his position at Miaoren Hall.
Even if there were some difficult cases, Lu Changsheng couldn’t handle them, he would consult his master, Wu Jing. There were no major issues.
One day, Lu Changsheng received a female patient. She wore a tight red robe, revealing an exquisite figure, but her face was veiled, concealing her identity.
However, Lu Changsheng immediately recognized the patient’s identity: Li Hongzhuang.
Surprisingly, this familiar face, Li Hongzhuang, had returned to Nanyang Prefecture. Lu Changsheng wondered why she had come back, considering she had left a while ago.
However, Li Hongzhuang didn’t seem to recognize Lu Changsheng, as he had worn a black mask and disguised himself when he had been in her presence before.
“What seems to be the problem?” Lu Changsheng asked.
“I might have sustained some injuries,” Li Hongzhuang hesitated but eventually replied.
“Injuries?” Lu Changsheng placed his fingers on Li Hongzhuang’s wrist, examining her pulse. “Your organs are injured, and your qi and blood are deficient. I assume you’re a martial artist, right?”
“Yes, I am a martial artist, and I accidentally injured myself,” Li Hongzhuang explained.
Lu Changsheng merely smiled, not probing further. Organ injuries didn’t typically result from martial arts practice; they were usually caused by physical violence. Judging from Li Hongzhuang’s condition, she had likely reached the Organ Refining Realm, or her injuries wouldn’t have endured this long.
“It’s a minor issue; the organ injuries are not severe. 1 will prescribe some medications for you to recover after a period of rest,” Lu Changsheng promptly wrote a prescription.
“Thank you, Doctor,” Li Hongzhuang sighed in relief. She bought the prescribed medications and left in a hurry..
