Chapter 356: Forced by You
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The Kouchun Hall was located on the west side of Dongzhimen Street, amidst the hustle and bustle, yet maintaining a quiet and elegant atmosphere. Mingzhu didn’t need to show herself; Zheng Momo arranged everything and had someone open the side gate of the courtyard for the carriage to enter. They then discreetly led Mingzhu and her attendants into the hall through another quiet path.
Money can make the devil push the millstone, and Zheng Momo not only knew how to spend money but also knew how to deal with people. Mingzhu immediately received a warm reception from the most prestigious gynecologist at Kouchun Hall.
This gynecologist, named Tan Peng, was an old man with white hair and beard, looking kind and benevolent. He had practiced medicine in the capital for many years and had seen all sorts of rare occurrences. Therefore, when he saw Mingzhu being escorted in by a group of people, he didn’t find it strange, nor did he inquire about her background or name. He simply asked Mingzhu to sit down and then had her remove her hat, saying, “Don’t be offended, madam. If you want treatment, observation, questioning, and pulse-taking are all necessary.”
Mingzhu calmly removed her hat and instructed Zheng Momo and the others, “You all wait at the door.”
Zheng Momo didn’t dare to ask more and quietly bowed before leading Su Lan and the others out.
Tan Peng calmly examined Mingzhu for a while and then asked her to extend her wrist for pulse-taking, saying, “Madam, what’s bothering you?”
Although it was a sudden visit, Mingzhu, fearing deception, remained cautious. Since Tan Peng was not a familiar and trustworthy person, she was on guard, “I’m not feeling well anywhere. Please, doctor, take a look first.”
Tan Peng smiled and closed his eyes slightly, carefully feeling her pulse for a while before slowly saying, “Let me just say casually, madam, if there are any inaccuracies, please don’t blame me. If I’m right, please don’t hide it. Otherwise, the illness won’t be cured.”
Mingzhu nodded, “Please.”
Tan Peng, as usual, spoke in a roundabout manner before summarizing in plain language, “Madam, are you experiencing irregular menstruation?”
Although it wasn’t something Mingzhu wanted to ask about, it was somewhat related. To conceive, one needs sufficient qi and blood. Irregular menstruation or palace coldness can cause infertility, and Mingzhu was aware of this. Perhaps she did have some problems in this area. Mingzhu ambiguously replied, “You could say that.”
Tan Peng then asked her to extend her other wrist for pulse-taking and smiled slightly, “If I’m not mistaken, madam, you must be married, right?”
“Yes.” Mingzhu didn’t deny it. She came to seek treatment for infertility. What’s the point of coming if she wasn’t married?
Tan Peng then put on a mysterious face, “Don’t be in a hurry, and don’t take any medicine for now. Come back in a few days for another examination.”
Mingzhu instinctively felt that something was wrong but couldn’t articulate it. She hesitated, wondering, since powerful doctors can diagnose anything, and this doctor was not young and had seen a lot, he must have already guessed that she was here for infertility. Then, through pulse diagnosis, he found out she was menstruating, and he needed her to recover before treating her? Is that what he meant? Unable to resist, she asked, “Why wait a few days to come back?”
Tan Peng smiled, “You’re not in pain, are you? Nothing feels uncomfortable, right?”
He didn’t say anything, but as soon as he did, Mingzhu suddenly felt uncomfortable somewhere. She said, “I had a sudden sharp pain a couple of days ago, and my lower abdomen has been aching.”
Tan Peng stroked his beard and smiled, “So, wait a little longer and don’t take any medicine.”
Mingzhu sat dumbfounded for a while, feeling unable to understand the doctor’s meaning. Aren’t doctors supposed to prescribe medicine for patients who aren’t feeling well? How come, after hearing that she’s not feeling well, he told her to wait and not take any medicine?
Tan Peng was ready to send her away, “Madam, you seem to be a fortunate person. Don’t rush things; what’s meant to be will happen. Come back in a few days for a follow-up.”
A vague sense of joy suddenly surged in Mingzhu’s heart. What does this mean? She almost wanted to grab the doctor by his collar and ask him what he meant in detail, instead of beating around the bush like this. She restrained herself, pretending to be calm like Yuwen Chu usually did, and said, “Please make it clearer, Doctor.”
Tan Peng shook his head and refused to say more clearly, “There’s a reason for asking you to come back in a few days.”
Mingzhu was frustrated, loosening her fist and then tightening it again, back and forth. She decisively took out a plum blossom-shaped gold ingot that she had just stuffed in before leaving and slammed it hard on the table, her voice full of hostility: “Speak up!”
Tan Peng was startled by her actions at first, thinking that this delicate and beautiful young lady intended to kill someone. But when he saw the shining gold ingot on the table, his heart blossomed with joy. He put on a stern face and said, “What do you mean by this, young lady? I’m not someone who would act recklessly just for money.”
Mingzhu despised this kind of attitude the most. If you want money, just say so, and I’ll give it to you. But no, they like money and still pretend to be noble, making her seem so vulgar. Thinking everyone fears death, she lowered her voice sharply and asked the old man, “Sorry, but you forced me. If you don’t like money, could it be that you love knives? Should I take out a knife instead?”
Is this a female bandit coming in? He had just thought she had an air of nobility, different from ordinary people, even thinking she might be some extraordinary person from a noble family. It turns out he completely misjudged her. Tan Peng’s eye twitched, and he spoke the truth: “It’s not that I want to trouble you, young lady, but it’s still early days and I don’t have concrete evidence. It’s not easy to speak plainly.”
Just as expected! Mingzhu’s heart was bursting with joy, but she forced herself to pretend to retrieve the gold ingot: “If you keep hesitating, I’ll regret it!”
Tan Peng casually brushed his sleeve, conveniently covering the gold ingot underneath it. “If I’m not mistaken, young lady, you’re actually here for infertility issues. So, after carefully examining your pulse, I believe you may be pregnant. I also asked about your recent symptoms, which seem similar, but it’s still early days, so I dare not assert. Therefore, for caution’s sake, I suggest you remain calm and come for another consultation in a few days.”
After Mingzhu’s initial excitement, she began to feel a bit puzzled. With a blush on her face, she awkwardly said, “But this morning…” She couldn’t bring herself to tell the old man about the faint traces of blood she saw on her undergarments, so she resorted to a threat: “Don’t deceive me. If you dare to lie to me, I’ll tear down your Kouchun Hall!”
“Why would I deceive you? We have no grudges against each other,” Tan Peng sighed helplessly. “I’ve already said I can’t be sure, so I can’t just casually speak about it. You insist on pressuring me to say something, and now you’re causing a scene. What exactly do you want?” Reluctantly, he pushed the gold ingot back, “Take it, don’t come back looking for trouble later. Money matters are small, but damaging my reputation is significant.”
But Mingzhu couldn’t see the gold ingot anymore. She stood up dazedly, foolishly chuckled twice, and turned to leave. Who cares? Anyway, this news is good news. Just wait patiently, and everything will be known in due time.
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