Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 71

Yu Ruhai glanced toward the courtyard and, upon seeing it was Village Head Zhang and his family, quickly smiled and explained, “That’s my fifth grandson’s wife. She has a natural talent for medicine and diagnosis, so I’ve taught her a few things.”

The villagers erupted with praise again. “Doctor Yu, you truly have a kind heart! Even willing to pass on your medical skills to a granddaughter-in-law you bought!”

Yu Ruhai kept smiling on the surface, but inside he was nervous that Yu Jiao might say something she shouldn’t. He quickly stood up and said, “That’s Village Head Zhang from a nearby village. He brought his son to me a while ago for treatment for epilepsy. Looks like they’ve come for a follow-up. I’ll go take a look.”

After Yu Ruhai left the room, the neighbor Wang Shi whispered to a woman beside her, “Doesn’t it seem like Old Man Yu’s skills have gotten better? He used to only treat headaches and fevers, but now he’s taking on serious conditions.”

The other woman responded quietly, “It is odd. Maybe the Yu family really did inherit some remarkable medical knowledge. Isn’t there a rumor that someone in their ancestry worked as an imperial physician in the palace?”

When they noticed Old Madam Yu looking their way, Wang Shi and the woman quickly changed the subject. “Sister Zhou, isn’t your grandson Jinyan planning to take the county-level exams this autumn?”

Old Madam Yu smiled. “Not just Jinyan Jinshu is taking them too.”

“Oh, I’m really envious. You have Doctor Yu as your husband, and now your grandsons are scholars too! What a family!” Wang Shi said with a bright smile.

Back in the courtyard, the air was warm with cheer as Yu Ruhai approached and greeted, “You’ve brought Qi’er for a follow-up?”

Village Head Zhang grinned. “Our Qi’er is doing much better now. This is my wife, Madam Qin. She came along especially to thank Miss Meng.”

Yu Ruhai glanced toward the courtyard. Seeing the others were still chatting and hadn’t noticed what was happening outside, he turned his attention back to Yu Jiao, who had just withdrawn her hand after checking the pulse. He asked quickly, “Well? Has the epilepsy been cured?”

Hearing that, both Zhang and his wife looked anxiously at Yu Jiao.

Yu Jiao gently patted Qi’s head and smiled. “The phlegm in his system has cleared. With another half month of moxibustion treatment, Qi’er’s epilepsy shouldn’t return. But you’ll still need to be careful, keep him warm and avoid cold or raw foods.”

Hearing this, both parents sighed in relief. Madam Qin was overjoyed and grabbed Yu Jiao’s hand excitedly. “Miss Meng, thank you so much. I don’t even know how to express my gratitude. Qi’er’s illness has weighed on me for years… I’m so lucky we met you…”

Yu Jiao smiled too. Being appreciated so sincerely by a patient’s family gave her a deep sense of fulfillment. “There’s no need for all this. Village Head Zhang already paid the consultation fee in full. Curing Qi’er’s illness was simply my duty.”

Village Head Zhang nodded emotionally. “In times like these, it’s rare to find someone like Miss Meng, so skilled and yet so humble. To have a doctor like you is truly a blessing for patients!”

Yu Ruhai, standing off to the side, felt his smile start to fade. Worried the noise might carry into the house and be overheard by the villagers, he quickly lowered his voice and said, “It’s difficult enough for a woman to practice medicine in this world. Just a bit of gossip could ruin her. You two should speak more cautiously, there are still outsiders in the house.”

Village Head Zhang remembered Yu Ruhai’s earlier warnings and understood how judgmental people could be toward women. Not wanting to cause harm to Yu Jiao’s reputation, he quickly fell silent and tugged on his wife’s sleeve. “Say less, don’t damage Miss Meng’s name.”

Madam Qin forced herself to calm down, though her hand still gripped Yu Jiao’s tightly, silently conveying the depth of her gratitude.

Yu Jiao glanced at Yu Ruhai, the corners of her lips curling into a faintly amused smile. She didn’t call him out for putting on a show to protect his pride but she clearly saw right through it.