Chapter 1313: Chapter 1291: By the Way (Additional Chapter for the Reward from the Book Friend ’Manbao’s Ideal’)
Tang He and the others heard the servants reporting their arrival and purposely went to the entrance of the garden to greet them. When both sides met, they couldn’t help but show bright smiles on their faces.
Yang Heshu also wore a warm smile as Ms.Cui tilted her head to see, her heart relaxing, allowing a faint smile to appear on her face as well.
Yin Huo, slightly flushed, stepped forward to greet them politely.
Yang Heshu and Tang He were familiar with him. Of course, they had previously only regarded him as Yin Li’s son, knowing that his fragile health might prevent him from reaching adulthood.
However, while they were still in Mianzhou and Yizhou, they had received letters from Manbao detailing the complexities of their relationships. After returning to the capital, they had also learned that their acquaintance had deepened despite initial conflicts.
Tang He did not question Bai Shan and the two others about why they brought him along, but instead warmly welcomed him and inquired about his health condition.
Yin Huo responded that he was already much better.
As the group chatted, they headed further into the garden, with Madam Tang pulling Manbao and Ms.Cui to lag slightly behind.
Madam Tang glanced at the fox fur cloak she was wearing and smiled, "That cloak of yours is quite lovely."
Manbao replied, "The fox fur was a gift from the Empress."
"No wonder the fur is so pure," Madam Tang remarked with a laugh. "You’ve become quite the favorite in the palace."
Manbao shook her head. "It’s just because of medical treatments, though there have indeed been many rewards."
Although the palace members were not fond of gifting gold or silver, the fabrics and materials they sent were lucrative when sold.
However, Lijun no longer enjoyed helping her sell such textiles. She said those brocades were rare treasures not easily acquired even with money, and selling them when not urgently in need of funds was a loss.
In such matters, Manbao admitted she couldn’t match her expertise, so she handed over the fabrics to Lijun for safekeeping.
Manbao glanced sideways at Ms.Cui. Upon noticing her focused gaze on Yang Heshu walking ahead, she asked, "Madam Cui, I noticed that Lord Yang looks much thinner than before, and his complexion doesn’t seem great. Is he unwell?"
Ms.Cui immediately withdrew her gaze, nodding earnestly, "My husband hasn’t had a good appetite. Recently, he caught a cold as well. Thankfully, his body has always been strong, or else..."
Otherwise, colds can be quite dangerous.
"But he’s so busy with official duties that even being sick doesn’t allow him to rest. I was hoping to consult Doctor Zhou Junior to see if there’s any herbal remedy for nourishment."
"Medicine always carries some toxicity, even if only in part. If he’s already recovered, it’s better to avoid it," Manbao suggested after some thought and continued, "But he can have therapeutic cuisine instead."
Speaking of this, Manbao’s mood brightened as she said proudly, "I recently took on an apprentice. She’s a female physician and knows plenty of recipes for medicinal cuisine. I’ll find a few recipes for you so you can help manage Lord Yang’s health."
Manbao loved exchanging medical knowledge, and Ms.Doctor Liu, in turn, appreciated Manbao’s enthusiasm. Understanding her fondness for collecting various recipes, she was eager to share, beyond just medicinal prescriptions.
Medicinal cuisine, as a specialization of female physicians, was their forte. Not only was there an abundance of medical literature in the Imperial Hospital to explore, but even recipes collected by concubine households often needed their input to determine suitability and safety before consumption.
Through such exchanges, their collection of these recipes grew extensively.
Thus, even though female physicians might not be highly skilled in pulse diagnosis or prescription writing, when it came to managing health through medicinal cuisine, their expertise often surpassed the imperial physicians.
Manbao herself received a personally written "Comprehensive Medicinal Cuisine Manual" from Ms.Doctor Liu—a name Manbao coined because the recipes were scattered without categorization, all handwritten as part of her apprentice’s collection.
Manbao only skimmed through a few pages and hadn’t yet examined it in detail, but for someone like Yang Heshu’s condition, medicinal cuisine was a good option for recovery and wouldn’t harm the body—a great fit.
Upon hearing this, Madam Tang immediately responded, "Prepare one for me as well."
Manbao asked curiously, "Is County Magistrate Tang sick as well? His complexion seems glowing and robust, though."
"Nonsense!" Madam Tang interjected. "That’s just childish talk carried away by the wind. I’m asking for preventive measures."
Ms.Cui chuckled lightly and said, "Our brother-in-law’s health has always been better than my husband’s."
Madam Tang and Manbao never held back. She asked, "Are there recipes for maintaining our health too?"
Manbao asked, "What area would you like to manage?"
Madam Tang sighed and said, "As you know, my son is already grown up. I’ve always wanted to have another child, but I haven’t conceived in the past two years."
Ms.Cui perked up her ears to listen.
Manbao said, "Not being able to conceive is normal—County Magistrate Tang is very busy after all."
Madam Tang reached out to tap her forehead, "The way you talk, how will you ever find a husband in the future?"
Manbao muttered indignantly, "I’ll find one just fine without your worrying about it."
Ms.Cui gave a light cough and, red-faced, said cautiously, "Manbao, could you give me a check-up as well?"
She had been married for nearly a year but hadn’t seen any signs of pregnancy.
Manbao readily agreed, and so the trio gradually strayed from the main group, finding respite in a secluded annex near the garden.
This annex was typically used for guests to change clothes or rest. The servants trailing behind promptly laid out cushions, placed a brazier nearby, and soon the room was warm and cozy.
Manbao removed her cloak and handed it to the maid, catching a glimpse of white snow outside the garden. In the distance, her eyes spotted red plum blossoms blossoming against the snowy backdrop. She exclaimed with delight, catching the maid trying to shut the window, "Madam Tang, you have plum blossoms in your garden!"
Keke scanned the plum blossoms and noted the species differed significantly from those in their own world, suggesting Manbao should record it.
Madam Tang remarked, "...It’s just red plum blossoms—how could you be so excited? Close the window quickly; the wind will ruin it. You can admire the flowers later."
Ms.Cui added, "I heard you all enjoy venison. My husband and the others have set up a grill in a pavilion within the garden. Later, we can enjoy roasted venison while appreciating the plum blossoms."
Manbao’s eyes practically sparkled with joy, though she laughed self-consciously, "How embarrassing for you all to go to such lengths."
Madam Tang grinned, "You’re never embarrassed. Come over and check us already."
Manbao then proceeded to take their pulses.
Both women had subtle issues with cold constitutions, especially Ms.Cui, whose coldness was more pronounced, making conception difficult.
Manbao explained their problems and said, "It’s not a serious issue; I’ll write you both prescriptions later. Madam Tang will only need a few doses, but Madam Cui’s will require a longer duration to manage."
Madam Tang turned to Ms.Cui and asked, "Hasn’t your family had this checked before?"
Ms.Cui frowned, "We’ve had doctors look into it, but they all said there’s no major issue."
Manbao, misinterpreting her concern, quickly comforted her, "Don’t worry—it’s just a matter of difficulty conceiving, not something incurable. If you’re worried, I can provide acupuncture for several days alongside medicine. In about a month, you should see improvement, though continued medicine may still be needed for maintenance."
Ms.Cui realized Manbao hadn’t fully understood her exchange with Madam Tang but didn’t elaborate. She smiled slightly before nodding, "I’ll trouble you with that. There’s no need to come to my house; I’ll find you later."
She added with a smile, "Doesn’t Jishi Hall have rooms available on its second floor?"
Manbao lit up with happiness, "You’re willing to visit Jishi Hall for treatment!"