Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 77

In Taiyan, women were deeply bound by the doctrines of the Three Obediences and Five Virtues, valuing chastity and reputation even more than life itself. Such deeply ingrained beliefs couldn’t be overturned or liberated by just a few words.

Yu Jiao sat down on a stool to the side and spoke, “Very well. Since Miss Zhang is unwilling, I won’t insist on examining the affected area. But from here on, I ask that Miss Zhang answer all of my questions truthfully.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiuyue felt as though she had narrowly escaped a disaster. She stopped crying and, with her handkerchief still covering her eyes, gave a soft, “Mm.”

“What symptoms have you had? And when did they start?” Yu Jiao asked in a low, calm voice.

The handkerchief covering Zhang Xiuyue’s face trembled slightly. Eyes shut tightly, her hands twisted together in embarrassment. After a long pause, she finally whispered, “It’s been over a month now. I don’t know why… but one day, it just started itching. It was unbearable.”

Yu Jiao continued her questioning in detail, “Is the itching internal or external? Is there any odor? Have you scratched it? Is the discharge white, yellow, or green?”

Zhang Xiuyue answered each question, her face beneath the handkerchief blazing red like a fiery sunset. Her pearly teeth bit hard into her lip, and she looked as if she wished she could faint from sheer embarrassment.

Yu Jiao didn’t press her further and turned to Madam Zhang, asking, “Has anyone else examined her before? Any medicines used?”

Madam Zhang did not try to hide anything. “We invited a female physician earlier. She gave Yue’er a prescription, but it didn’t do much.”

“You didn’t apply anything directly to the affected area?” Yu Jiao followed up.

Madam Zhang shook her head. “No, we didn’t.”

Yu Jiao stood. “I’ll write the prescriptions now.” She slung her medicine box over her shoulder and headed toward the outer room.

Madam Zhang quickly followed and asked, “Miss Meng, can you cure my Yue’er’s condition?”

Yu Jiao answered calmly, “It should be treatable.”

With no other choice, Madam Zhang decided to trust her. Her attitude became even more courteous. “If you’re going to write a prescription, please find a way to keep it discreet. If the apothecary staff realize it’s meant to treat a woman’s private illness, I fear my daughter’s reputation will be ruined.”

Yu Jiao considered for a moment, then nodded. “That’s easy. I’ll write two prescriptions and blend the herbs together, no one will be able to tell.”

“That would be best,” Madam Zhang agreed, waiting patiently for Yu Jiao to begin. But to her surprise, Yu Jiao, still carrying the medicine box, opened the door and stepped outside.

Seeing this, Madam Zhang looked confused and called out from inside. Yu Jiao turned back and explained openly, “My handwriting is terrible. I need my elder brother, who came with me, to write the prescriptions.”

Madam Zhang immediately frowned, no way could a man handle her daughter’s prescription. She protested, “Miss Meng, we have a maid who’s trained in reading and writing. If it’s just a prescription, she can handle it. Why not have her help you instead?”

Yu Jiao had no objection. She returned to the room, and Madam Zhang quickly summoned the literate maid. Yu Jiao then dictated two prescriptions, one for detoxing the kidneys and enhancing yang energy, and the other for replenishing qi and blood. Between the two, all the herbs necessary to treat Zhang Xiuyue’s lower body condition were included, with everything properly dosed.

Soon, the maid had finished writing the prescriptions. Yu Jiao checked them over and handed them to Madam Zhang. “You can have someone pick up the medicine now.”

Madam Zhang gave the prescriptions to a trusted servant woman, instructing her to send a reliable young servant to fetch the herbs from the front courtyard.

Yu Jiao then had the maid write out two more prescriptions and handed them over. “This one must be decocted into a medicinal wash for the affected area. Use it externally for seven days. After that, switch to a full-body medicinal bath. The other one is for internal use, decoct and drink it. Once the herbs arrive, I’ll portion them out properly. Be sure not to mix them up.”

Madam Zhang memorized the instructions carefully. Seeing how meticulous and composed Yu Jiao was, she felt a growing sense of trust in her.