coobybook Chapter 251 Apprenticeship
Chapter 251 Apprenticeship
In the blink of an eye, half of June has passed.
The workshop Ru Yue had been dreaming of would still take some time to complete, but the preliminary preparations were already in full swing. With the experienced and reliable Uncle Wei helping her manage the business, Ru Yue didn't have to worry too much.
Meanwhile, preparations for the clinic were also progressing smoothly, and it would be open to the public in three to five days. The assistants and manager had already been found, but the crucial position of the head doctor remained unfilled.
Fengying knew that her daughter's medical skills were superb and extraordinary, but with such a young girl in charge of the clinic, could anyone really trust her to treat patients? Looking at Ru Yue, who remained calm and composed, Fengying couldn't help but smile bitterly, wondering why she was becoming more and more like Aunt Qin.
At dusk that day, Ru Yue summoned An Er, who had been hiding in the shadows. She pulled a meticulously folded paper crane from her sleeve and carefully handed it to An Er, instructing him solemnly, "This paper crane must be delivered to Grand Tutor Qin Zhengqing by noon tomorrow. There must be no delay!"
An Er took the paper crane with both hands, looked at it carefully, then saluted Ru Yue with a fist, and replied, "As you command!" After that, his figure flashed and disappeared into the night as quickly as a gust of wind.
The following afternoon, sunlight streamed through the window lattice into the elegant room of Qinxiang Garden. A gentle breeze ruffled the white gauze curtains, making the entire room seem dreamlike. Ru Yue sat upright on a sandalwood chair by the window, gently cradling a cup of steaming hot tea, savoring it leisurely.
Before her lay an exquisite mahogany desk, spread with snow-white rice paper and a variety of colorful paints, brushes, and other tools. She sometimes frowned in thought, sometimes sketching with swift movements, clearly absorbed in designing the next season's ready-to-wear collection for "Nichang Yuyi."
Her calm and composed demeanor seemed to blend seamlessly with the surroundings, appearing even more otherworldly amidst the lingering aroma of tea, like a tranquil and beautiful painting. Even Fengying, who stood quietly waiting nearby, could not help but stare in a daze, secretly admiring her daughter's beauty, like a fairy descended from the earth.
Ru Yue seemed to sense Feng Ying's gaze. She gently raised her head and glanced at the hourglass beside her. She saw the sand slowly flowing down. Half of the time had passed without her noticing.
The corners of her lips suddenly rose slightly, revealing an almost imperceptible smile.
She put down the teacup in her hand, stretched out her jade hand and gently tapped Fengying's forehead, and said with a coquettish smile: "Silly girl, why don't you cheer up quickly, the guests are about to arrive!"
Fengying was startled by the sudden knock, and instantly came to her senses. She looked at Ruyue with a puzzled look on her face, and asked in confusion, "Miss, when did you invite guests? How come I didn't know anything about it? And who is this guest?" Then, her big eyes blinked at Ruyue, full of curiosity.
Ru Yue only smiled slightly and didn't answer her question directly. Instead, she reached out and tapped Feng Ying's forehead again, saying unhappily, "Don't ask so many questions. You'll know the answer soon." Then, she lowered her head and continued to focus on the task at hand.
Just then, a slight knock on the door suddenly sounded, breaking the original silence in the room.
"Knock knock knock...Excuse me, is this Miss Meng inside?" A deep and rich male voice came from outside the door.
Fengying's eyes widened upon hearing the voice, her face filled with astonishment. She had never expected that the person coming was actually a stranger! And judging by his voice, he seemed quite old.
Seeing this, Ru Yue nodded slightly to Feng Ying, signaling her to go open the door and welcome the guests. Although Feng Ying still had many questions in her mind, she still walked quickly to the door and gently opened it...
The partition door was gently opened, and two old men with very different appearances stood outside the door, one fat and one thin. They were dressed in ordinary clothes, but one could tell from their temperament that they were not ordinary people, and the astonishment in their eyes could not be concealed.
The two old men did not immediately step into the private room, but stood quietly outside the door, staring at the little girl standing behind the tea table not far from them.
The little girl wore a pale blue half-sleeved skirt, the fresh, elegant color accentuating her already charming and dainty figure. She wore no jewelry, only a light blue ribbon tied in her hair. When the breeze blew through the room, the ribbon danced with the wind, swaying gracefully through her bun, as if even the sweltering heat had become cooler and more pleasant because of her presence. Only her eyes remained the same clear, shimmering peach blossom eyes they had first met.
The thin old man in cloth suddenly burst into laughter and joked, "Miss Meng, I didn't expect it was really you! Hahahaha, if I let you walk on the street like this, I'm afraid I wouldn't dare to recognize you at all!" His laughter was hearty and loud, echoing throughout the room.
Ru Yue walked out from behind the exquisite and elegant tea table with graceful steps and bowed to the two people in front of her.
A faint smile like a blooming spring flower appeared on her lips, and her voice was crisp and pleasant, like a yellow oriole singing in a valley: "How are you, gentlemen? I am too presumptuous to invite you two in such a special way today. I hope you can forgive me!" After that, she gently turned sideways, made a gesture of invitation, and led the two into the beautifully decorated private room.
At this time, the slightly plump old man's gaze fell on Ru Yue, with a hint of surprise in his eyes, and he couldn't help but exclaimed: "Miss Meng's style is really different from the past! Compared with a year ago, she has become more graceful and beautiful. I didn't expect that I would have the chance to see the girl again in the capital. It is really a great blessing in life." As he spoke, he raised his arm slightly, and seemed to casually support Ru Yue, but his eyes revealed a bit of shrewdness and scrutiny.
He changed the subject and asked casually, "I just wonder how the young lady knew my true identity?"
Ru Yue was prepared for the fat old man's questioning. She knew he was suspicious of her, but so what? If she had truly feared suspicion, she wouldn't have taken such a risky move.
Ru Yue didn't respond to the fat old man's question, only smiling faintly, as if she hadn't heard him at all. She calmly turned around, gently raised her bare hands, picked up the teapot on the table, and skillfully and gracefully filled the two of them with fragrant tea. For a moment, the fragrance of tea filled the air, and the entire private room was filled with a light and elegant scent.
"Taifu Qin went to Mengjia Village in a big way to look for medicine. Did he really think that no one knew your identities? Ru Yue almost lost her life because of this. No matter what, she should know who implicated her and what happened!" Ru Yue was not annoyed, but she also gave the fat old man a cold shoulder.
The fat old man felt a slight chill in his heart. As the prime minister of the dynasty, and an able minister that the emperor relied on, he was used to hearing all kinds of flattery. He did not expect that such a little girl would not hesitate to speak bluntly. Wasn't she looking for him because she wanted something from him?
But Ru Yue had already said this, and for a moment he was at a loss for words. If he really engaged in a tit-for-tat argument with this little girl, not only would he lose his composure, but he would also be seen as someone who would burn bridges after crossing them. After much thought, he could only give a few helpless and bitter laughs and let it go.
The thin old man who had been silent the whole time took over the conversation at the right moment, laughing and scolding, "Hahahaha, Old Qin, you, don't always show off your court manners all day long, it's really boring! Don't delay my chat with this little girl!"
The two old men were none other than the imperial tutor Qin Zhengqing and the genius doctor Shen Zhongtian, who had gone to Mengjia Village a year ago to seek the resurrection grass.
You have to know that Qin Zhengqing, as the current Imperial Tutor, spent his days in the court, witnessing all sorts of distinguished families. He had initially assumed Ru Yue was a country girl, too delicate and charming to be considered noble, but their brief encounter completely changed his mind. This girl, with her bearing and demeanor, could easily be considered a member of the royal family.
The three of them drank tea and chatted about their experiences over the past year. It could be said that most of the time it was the two elders asking questions and Ru Yue answering them. After all, she had changed a lot over the past year.
Ru Yue briefly talked about her situation over the past year, and did not hide the purpose of her search. She only concealed the past between Chu Ning'an and the Wu'an Marquis Mansion.
She paused for a moment, then looked at Shen Zhongtian with a firm gaze and said earnestly, "Mr. Shen, I dare to ask you to come out of retirement and take charge of my small clinic for a while. If you have any requests, please feel free to tell me. As long as it is within my ability, I will not refuse." Ru Yue did not beat around the bush and asked sincerely.
Imperial Tutor Qin and Divine Doctor Shen exchanged a glance, their gazes meeting in the air, sparks seemingly igniting. In just a fleeting moment, they could already sense the other's intense interest. Despite this, neither of them immediately offered a definitive answer.
"How long do you want me to help you? And why did you choose me to work in your clinic?" Doctor Shen was straightforward, without any twists and turns, and he would not keep the unknown things in suspense.
"A year at most, half a year at least. You don't have to see patients every day, just come to the clinic every few days." Ru Yue wasn't that greedy. If she and A Ling weren't so immature, and she wasn't so eager to get things done, why would she have found such a big Buddha to worship? "As for why I came to you? Hehe, Mr. Shen's medical skills are world-renowned. I came to you because I want to use your name to quickly make my clinic famous!"
Having lived two lives, Ru Yue's understanding of human nature is truly remarkable. She knows that truly capable individuals like Divine Doctor Shen detest those who are scheming and calculating. Therefore, the best way to deal with such individuals is to be frank and transparent, explaining everything clearly without excessive embellishment or concealment. Furthermore, she was originally planning to capitalize on Divine Doctor Shen's fame, so it would be better to admit it openly; it would actually win his favor.
Perhaps it was because they had seen so many people who were meticulous and cunning in their daily lives that they were a little overwhelmed when they suddenly encountered such a frank and direct person. They didn't know how to respond for a moment. However, even if they agreed to it so easily, they still felt a little reluctant.
Divine Doctor Shen looked at the quirky little girl with great interest and asked curiously, "Little girl, you only asked me to come and see you occasionally, and the time is only a short year or two. But what do you plan to do when I'm not around?"
Hearing this, Ru Yue's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing an elusive smile.
She first looked Doctor Shen up and down slowly, then slowly said, "Mr. Shen, please don't get angry easily. It's not good for your health. All medicines are toxic. Tianma Gou Teng Drink can only provide occasional relief, but don't use it too often."
As soon as he finished speaking, the two old men present showed surprise on their faces.
Doctor Shen was deeply shocked. He had never imagined that this young woman could see through his hidden illness with just a simple inspection. He had never mentioned this dizziness to anyone, but he had never expected the young woman to be able to identify it. It seemed that this young woman's medical skills were truly extraordinary!
Taifu Qin was also stunned. He couldn't believe it. Could the normally healthy Doctor Shen really be suffering from a hidden illness? Could it be that Ru Yue had really seen all this?
"What should I do when I feel unwell?" Doctor Shen put away his smile, his eyes were deep and solemn, and he asked slowly with a tone of inquiry and profound meaning.
His usually amiable face now looked particularly serious, as if there were endless mysteries hidden behind this question.
“Eat less sweet, salty and greasy foods on a daily basis. As you get older, you should cultivate your mind and temperament. If you feel unwell occasionally, you may want to press the Taichong, Quchi and Yongquan acupoints (this diagnostic method is a literary fiction and does not have the function of Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment. If you suffer from such diseases, it is recommended to seek medical attention in time).” She spoke calmly and clearly, as if she had already mastered these medical principles.
Ru Yue knew that in this world, only by being outstanding could one earn the true respect and admiration of others. Without exceptional qualities, even the most sophisticated people could not make up for the disadvantages of lacking talent.
These words left Qin Taifu present dumbfounded, his face filled with astonishment.
He stared at Ru Yue and Doctor Shen with suspicion, wondering whether this little girl was just talking nonsense or making up stories, or whether she really possessed such superb medical skills that even the famous Doctor Shen was convinced by her.
His eyes kept moving back and forth between the two people's faces, eager to catch a clue from their expressions or subtle movements, but in the end he found nothing.
At this moment, Qin Taifu, who had always been praised as the pillar of stability in the court, had lost his usual calm and unshakable composure because of his inner doubts and confusion.
Divine Doctor Shen was genuinely astonished by Ru Yue's abilities. He remained expressionless and said solemnly, "Little girl, to be honest, I don't seem to have much reason to help you. What do you think?" He smiled slyly, "Well, I'm not against it if you agree to it. However, if you want to become my disciple, then me helping my apprentice run the shop is another matter. Don't you agree?"
After saying that, he crossed his arms over his chest and waited calmly for Ru Yue's response, with that unfathomable smile on his face.