Less Than Lofty Medical Ethics

Chang'an City; once you entered the bustling crowds, even the government officials would have difficulty finding you accurately.

Zhang Xuezhou wasn't worried at all after he escaped, and he wasn't afraid of the woman's revenge.

The other party was even injured, so they wouldn't bother to hunt down someone who was homeless and sleeping on the streets.

"Cousin, getting up early doesn't help!"

In the dead of night, Zhang Xuezhou dragged him along, and they found a good location in the West Market, but Rong Tianding felt it had no effect.

They've been calling out since dawn, but not a single patient with broken arms or legs has come seeking treatment.

Standing among a group of uncles and aunties selling vegetables and millet, Rong Tianding felt that doing business was too difficult.

He nibbled on the millet cake he had bought, feeling that he hadn't earned any money, but had spent a lot.

"It's normal for us to have no reputation and no business when we first arrive," Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said, "You don't know how I used to run a stall in Shu County. I had an endless stream of patients and countless amounts of money. Life was good back then."

Zhang Xuezhou recounted his past experiences.

He did indeed do very well in Shu County. Through Dong Zhongshu, he befriended the county governor Wen Weng and also got to know Zhao Liang, Master Zhao, and others. This led him to earn enough wealth to buy a house in Chang'an City in just a few days.

To Zhang Xuezhou's disappointment, there was no wealthy man in Chang'an City like Master Zhao who had the discerning eye to recognize talent.

Even though he found a good location in the West Market, and there was a pharmacy nearby, he still didn't see any customers who met his criteria.

Rong Tianding is right. Most people don't get sick, and by the time they do, they're almost dead.

If even pharmacies aren't doing well, it's even more unbearable for businesses like his that specialize in treating sprains and bruises.

Zhang Xuezhou could only encourage Rong Tianding, telling him not to be discouraged, as things would only get better for them in the future.

"Maybe I'm just too unlucky. Good things never happen to me; only the most unfortunate things do!"

Zhang Xuezhou kept this in mind while loudly shouting.

He had to shout out his wares; he also carried a bag to store his goods. Rong Tianding, on the other hand, carried a cloth bag, but once the money in the bag was used up, it was gone, and his savings wouldn't last more than a few days.

They've all ended up sleeping on the streets, and in a few more days they won't even be able to afford food.

Zhang Xuezhou definitely didn't want to fall into an even worse situation, so it's no surprise that he was working hard to attract customers.

"Come and see if you need medical help! It's a sprain... a bruise! Our family secret recipe is a cure for sprains and bruises, it stops bleeding instantly!"

Zhang Xuezhou drew out his voice, creating a unique style amidst the rising and falling cries of vendors, and his voice carried far and wide.

But shouting is one thing, doing business is another. After a while, he lowered his voice and placed a stone slab in front of him.

"You've suffered a sprain or bruise!"

Then Rong Tianding took over and started shouting.

"Cousin, cousin, we have a customer!"

As the sun set in the afternoon, Zhang Xuezhou began to ponder which street to sleep on when he heard Rong Tianding tugging at his clothes with great joy.

"Where can I find business?" Zhang Xuezhou asked anxiously.

"I just saw a girl go to the pharmacy," Rong Tianding said happily.

"What does it have to do with us that they went to the pharmacy?" Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said, "Besides, they didn't break any arms or legs!"

"That girl isn't an ordinary girl. She was carrying a short sword; she might have injured an arm or a leg before going to the pharmacy!"

After Rong Tianding finished explaining his guess with a smile, he saw that Zhang Xuezhou didn't quite agree, so he took a few dozen more steps and then squatted down outside the pharmacy to call out to customers.

My cousin is much more shameless in business than I am!

Zhang Xuezhou always thought he was thick-skinned and had a low bottom line when it came to doing things, but he never expected Rong Tianding to be even more shameless—he was practically robbing a pharmacy of its business.

Zhang Xuezhou wasn't optimistic about this, but to his surprise, Rong Tianding actually brought the woman who came to see the doctor with him.

"Cousin, look! The doctor's here!" Rong Tianding shouted, then smiled obsequiously at the woman, "My cousin's family has a secret remedy that cures all kinds of injuries, bleeding, and anything else!"

"Your secret recipe is quite remarkable. If it can cure my illness, I will definitely not be stingy with my money!"

The woman wore no makeup, yet her face was exceptionally beautiful, and her figure exuded youthful charm.

The other person was dressed in a light-colored plain robe, with a short sword at his waist. The hilt of the short sword had a hole punched in it and a silk thread tied to it, indicating that it could be thrown over short distances.

This type of short weapon is dangerous in close combat, but its throwing capability adds a layer of security, making it extremely suitable for women's self-defense.

Mastering this short sword technique is not easy, and some injuries are unavoidable.

Seeing the woman come seeking medical help, Zhang Xuezhou realized he had set up his stall in the wrong place; he should have gone to the vicinity of martial arts schools to hawk his wares.

He straightened his posture and quickly assumed the demeanor of a doctor.

"Where is the young lady injured?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"You're a doctor, how could you not even see where my injury is?" the woman asked, frowning.

"My secret remedy treats both internal and external injuries, but I see your limbs are healthy, your head is unharmed, and there's no bleeding. You're putting me in a difficult position," Zhang Xuezhou asked. "Or perhaps you have a family member who needs medical attention? Although I'm just setting up a stall here, I also offer door-to-door service!"

"Your medical skills are worse than that old man at the pharmacy," the woman shook her head. "He just glanced at me a few times, smelled my medicine, and then prescribed it for me!"

"You prescribe medicine after just a few glances and a sniff?" Zhang Xuezhou asked in surprise. "Isn't prescribing medicine so casually just quacking a quack doctor?"

"But the medicine he prescribed can indeed cure my illness," the woman said. "I only came to take a look because you were so attentive to me, I didn't expect you weren't even qualified to treat patients!"

"Whether the illness is cured or not depends on the treatment effect," Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said, "Observation and smelling are not important. What matters is that the treatment effect is immediate. Whether my diagnosis is genuine or not can be known with just one examination!"

"That's quite true!"

The woman finally nodded, no longer bothered that Zhang Xuezhou hadn't been able to pinpoint the location of her ailment using methods like observation and auscultation. Instead, she pointed to her abdomen.

This made Zhang Xuezhou ponder for a few seconds.

"Your illness isn't..."

He ultimately felt that women needed to be educated that menstruation was not a big deal, and that bleeding was normal during menstruation.

If he were to stop the bleeding with a single Taiqing Supreme Purity True Technique, that would be contrary to physiological principles.

"If you cure me, I'll give you an ounce of gold!"

Zhang Xuezhou hadn't even finished speaking his advice when he abruptly pulled it back.

His medical ethics are indeed lacking.

For the sake of the money, he had to take the job.

Even the best medical ethics can only be promoted after the patient's basic needs for food, clothing, and housing are met.

One tael of gold was equivalent to one string of cash, nearly one-tenth the price of an ordinary house in Chang'an City.

When faced with a rich girl like this, Zhang Xuezhou's medical ethics had long since vanished.

Despite being in this awkward position, Zhang Xuezhou was fortunate that his cultivation level was high enough to allow him to cast spells from a certain distance.

"Please sit down, young lady!"

Zhang Xuezhou sat upright, chanting incantations, his Law Power gathering between his fingers.

Once the Supreme Purity True Technique was fully activated, he reached out and touched it, then imprinted it on the surface.

When the woman uttered a soft exclamation, Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but feel a tremor in his heart.

He watched as his Law Power flowed continuously, and feeling the area around her abdomen, he realized that the bleeding she was experiencing after her period was a bit excessive.

It was as if he had been cut several times in his genitals, and he needed to heal the wounds.

If the woman hadn't been strong and healthy, Zhang Xuezhou felt that someone with her period would be in their coffin after just one round of menstruation.