Could it have been missed?
At the time of setting the bone, had it not been set properly?
Doctor Feng had been setting bones his entire life, knowing immediately upon touching whether a bone was intact or fractured.
He couldn't possibly have made such a mistake.
He clearly remembered that the broken bones in that injured leg had all been properly set.
But what was happening now?
Could it be that his own pressing had caused the bone to break again?
That was even more absurd.
Could he really have missed this fractured bone? Was this why the lady had not yet recovered?
Doctor Feng suddenly felt his underclothes dampen with sweat, his mind went blank, his hand was still on the patient's leg, but his heart was devoid of any thoughts.
He had felt this sensation before, the first time he had touched a bone when learning the trade from his father.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
The maidservant at his side, including the middle-aged man standing nearby, asked anxiously.
What's wrong? What happened? Doctor Feng, looking somewhat ashen, faced these people who justified the destruction of his shop, believing he wasn't wronged.
He wanted to respond in this manner, but someone spoke before he could.
"It's okay, pain is a good sign, it means the lady's injury is healing," said Miss Jun.
Doctor Feng stared blankly at her.
Had she already found out? Otherwise, why would it be such a coincidence?
Asking him how to set the bone, but specifically not allowing it on another leg, insisting on demonstrating on the injured leg again, and then so coincidentally pointing out an issue upon pressing.
What did she mean?
"Doctor Feng, so this is where you press," Miss Jun said without looking at him, her expression serious as she observed the patient's leg. "Can pressing here completely set it right? I remember reading in Dong's Bone Setting Collection about a case where a bone heals and then splits. I'm not sure if the same pressing technique applies."
Upon hearing this, Doctor Feng felt as if a light had been turned on in his mind, suddenly feeling enlightened.
Dong's Bone Setting Collection was not exactly a medical text but rather a collection of interesting cases gathered by a doctor named Dong while practicing medicine. It did not specifically teach medical skills, but because it mentioned many rare and bizarre cases, everyone would read it, though most did not study it deeply.
Now that Miss Jun had mentioned it, Doctor Feng remembered, indeed there was such a case where the bone appeared undamaged at first but would fracture as other parts of the bone healed.
This situation was rare but not unheard of. If detected, it could be easily cured by simply resetting the bone.
But if it went undetected...
Doctor Feng's normally steady hands trembled slightly.
That leg would be ruined.
"Doctor Feng, is that right?" The voice of the young girl sounded in his ears again.
Doctor Feng snapped to attention, looking at Miss Jun with a complicated expression.
She, why wouldn't she say it outright? Why pretend to be ignorant?
Miss Jun looked back at him with a gentle expression.
Doctor Feng lowered his gaze, his hand slowly returning to the lady's leg. This time, he did not stop with a mere touch but pressed deeply into it.
"My technique is like this, I don't know about yours," he said, his voice still quivering, but it was a different kind of tremble from the angry one earlier.
As he pressed and massaged, the lady cried out in pain again, causing everyone in the room to tense up.
"Her leg isn't healed yet, and you're pressing randomly like this, is that okay?" the middle-aged man questioned.
After just a few moments, Doctor Feng withdrew his hands.
"Would Miss Jun like to give it a try?" he asked, not addressing the middle-aged man, but rather speaking quietly with his head bowed.
Everyone in the room turned their gaze towards Miss Jun with a look of anticipation.
Miss Jun shook her head.
"No need, my method of treatment is the same as his," she said.
Disappointment washed over the room instantly, and the lady on the bed began to cry.
"I don't want to live anymore," she cried, pounding the bed.
"Is there really nothing Miss Jun can do?" the middle-aged man asked urgently, "How can she endure this suffering much longer?"
"It won't need to endure much longer. I believe she will definitely improve in another three to five days," Miss Jun said.
The middle-aged man snorted.
"Three to five days, three to five days, that's what you always say." he complained, "How many three-to-five days have passed already?"
Doctor Feng slowly rewrapped the salve, securing it with good-quality willow splints.
"I'll change the prescription. If it doesn't get better in three to five days, you won't need to come and smash my place, I'll close the door and take down my sign myself," he said, while picking up the paper and pen in the room to write the prescription.
His voice lacked the prior excitement, subdued as though drained of energy. After writing, he placed the pen down, bowed, and turned to leave.
The people in the room watched his retreating figure, then turned to look at Miss Jun.
"Miss Jun, look," the middle-aged man said, holding the prescription.
Miss Jun nodded at him.
"Doctor Feng will definitely cure it," she said, "You can be at ease, sir."
The middle-aged man sighed and waved his hand as a gesture to see the guests out.
As Miss Jun walked out the door, Doctor Feng was being surrounded by the townspeople.
"Doctor Feng, how is it?"
"Doctor Feng, has Miss Jun really been cured?"
Doctor Feng ignored them all, pushing through the crowd, and walked away; the townspeople then saw Miss Jun coming out, wanted to surround her, but didn't dare, as a carriage had already come to pick her up, accompanied by several formidable guards.
Jiuling Hall was backed by De Sheng Chang whose patron was the God of Wealth, boasting many influential subordinates.
The townspeople watched as Miss Jun departed in the carriage, reluctant to disperse and stood curiously guessing and discussing.
However, this conjecture didn't last long. Five days later, everyone learned the result because the person who had smashed Doctor Feng's clinic personally went to apologize to Doctor Feng, compensated for the damaged furniture, and presented a new signboard.
Thus, it was clear that Doctor Feng had indeed cured the patient after all.
"I told you Doctor Feng could cure her," a townsman indignantly said.
But this remark didn't receive any response; the onlookers found it somewhat strange.
"Miss Jun also said he could cure her," someone muttered.
This statement silenced the crowd.
Does praising Doctor Feng's skills also imply that Miss Jun was right, that she also is impressive?
"How can that be her being impressive? It's Doctor Feng who is impressive!"
"That's right, this time she said Doctor Feng could cure, which shows she has foresight, but what if she had said Doctor Feng couldn't cure?"
"So it goes back to what she said, but in the end, it was Doctor Feng who cured the patient, which means Doctor Feng is the most impressive."
That also made sense, the townspeople praised Doctor Feng again, sympathetic that he had unjustly endured grievances because of Miss Jun's words.
They discussed walking in to comfort Doctor Feng who had been wronged, but found that Doctor Feng was not in the hall.
It's unknown if it was because of this turmoil that he had gone home to rest.
At the Hundred Herbs Hall, Seventh Chen knew about this excitement immediately and, facing two assistants, smirked.
"Just as our Miss Jun said, she wasn't wrong," he said, shaking his head, "These people really don't know what's good for them."
At this, the two assistants made a noise and nudged him with their elbows.
"What? Don't follow me in this lack of manners," Seventh Chen frowned and said, "I am the Head Shopkeeper after all."
"Head Shopkeeper, that person has come," an assistant said.
Who? Seventh Chen looked up in surprise, only to see Doctor Feng standing at the door.
Ah, why has he come again?
Is he here to gloat?
Seventh Chen and the two assistants looked a bit tense. Miss Jun also walked out from behind.
"What's wrong?" she asked, then immediately saw Doctor Feng standing at the doorstep.
Before she could speak, Doctor Feng suddenly bowed deeply to her, a bow that touched the floor, then turned and walked away.
Seventh Chen and the two assistants were stunned.
"What does the old man mean by that?" Seventh Chen said.
Such a deep bow was reserved for showing the utmost respect to one's close mentors.
It was not just a thank you, but a show of respect.
But what had happened to make this previously antagonistic old doctor show such profound respect to such a young junior?
"Probably because I said he could cure it," Miss Jun said, handing over a freshly prepared box of medicinal pills.