Chapter 22 Treating Women's Ailments

“Auntie, we really haven’t farmed before. I do recognize the vegetables, but I never imagined that these tiny vines would bear such large melons.”

Aunt Luo didn’t realize that while she was chatting with Chun Nuan about melons and vines, Chun Nuan’s mind was actually occupied with the medicinal properties, contraindications, and methods of consumption for these melons.

For example, when she mentioned winter melon, Chun Nuan instinctively recalled its effects: clearing heat, generating fluids, and promoting urination; bitter melon, on the other hand, clears heat and summer heat, nourishes blood and qi, strengthens the kidneys and spleen, and benefits the liver and eyesight...

Her thoughts were worlds apart from Aunt Luo’s.

Fortunately, she had already made it clear that her words were just for fun.

“That’s right. Let me tell you, don’t be fooled by the few vines here. If you manage to grow these few plants well and take good care of them, you’ll have more vegetables than you can eat.”

“Alright, thank you, Aunt Luo.”

This neighbor’s warmth melted Chun Nuan’s heart.

She was about to take the vines over to Chun Ning for planting.

But Aunt Luo followed her.

“Oh, I just remembered, since you folks haven’t farmed before, these melon vines are quite tender. If you’re not careful, they’ll break easily. Come, I’ll teach you how to plant them.”

“The holes for melon vines need to be big. Once the vines are planted, you have to fertilize them. Also, Chun Ning, clear the weeds from the edges of the field and pile them on the open ground. When they dry, burn them into ash to make fertilizer. Put a handful of ash in each hole; the melons will grow very well.”

“When planting these seedlings, be very careful not to damage the roots. Just pick up some soil and press down to cover the roots.”

“The holes for the melon vines need to be spaced out because the vines grow very vigorously; if they’re too close, they won’t spread well.”

“Plant these melon vines along the edge of the field. When the vines grow, you’ll need to build trellises for them.”

“For eggplants and chili peppers, the holes should be a bit closer together than for melons. Yes, just about that far apart.”

Rather than simply teaching them, Aunt Luo ended up helping with the planting.

After all the melon vines were in the ground, Aunt Luo massaged her own waist.

“Oh, this back… It’s because when I had my youngest child, I didn’t rest properly during confinement, and it left a chronic illness. Even doing light work causes this aching pain like my back is about to break.”

“You should rest more,” Chun Nuan said, feeling a bit guilty.

“Aunt Luo, how exactly does your back hurt?” Since she had helped her, Chun Nuan felt she should offer some kindness in return.

“You just can’t bend over. If I bend to work, it swells and aches. In winter, I have to wear thick clothes; otherwise, the cold wind stings and the pain lingers.” Aunt Luo sighed, “Being a woman is hard. Once you catch this confinement sickness, there’s no good day after that…”

“Oh dear, what am I saying to a young lady like you?”

Suddenly realizing that Chun Nuan was still unmarried, Aunt Luo thought better of telling her about her cold hands and feet, constant sneezing and coughing that caused urinary leakage, and the persistent smell of urine she felt on herself... It was better not to burden her with such messy troubles.

Besides, she was not the only one with these symptoms; many of the village women quietly confided the same.

In truth, Aunt Luo wondered if the beautiful wives of the Xiao family suffered the same ailments.

After all, they had many children — rumor had it each woman bore four on average — and any woman who has given birth likely faces such problems.

“Aunt Luo, it’s nothing. I learn from everything I hear,” Chun Nuan said, blushing with a smile.

She was genuinely not just curious; she wanted to help this warm-hearted neighbor.

“That’s right, hearing more is always good,” Aunt Luo hurriedly agreed. “Chun Nuan, let me tell you, when you get married and have children, you mustn’t overwork yourself during confinement. You have to rest well. Don’t be like us, holding babies, washing them, and washing soiled cloths, all in the freezing cold winter. Even a healthy person can’t bear it, let alone a woman recovering from childbirth. We didn’t observe the proper precautions — it’s a sin…”

Aunt Luo launched into her rambling. Chun Nuan caught the important point.

“You mean laughing, coughing, or sneezing causes urinary leakage…” She lowered her voice at the last two words, mindful that Chun Ning and Chun An, two little boys, were nearby.

“Yes,” Aunt Luo sighed. “Honestly, I’m not a fussy person, and I keep myself clean, changing clothes often. But I don’t know what happened. After giving birth to my youngest, only a few years ago, this is what I’m stuck with. I’m so sloppy even I dislike myself.”

“Aunt Luo, don’t blame yourself. This isn’t sloppiness; it’s an illness.”

“What?”

Aunt Luo was startled.

“I can eat, sleep, run, and jump — how can I be ill? Don’t scare me.”

“Aunt Luo, let me take your pulse.”

“Ah?”

Aunt Luo stared blankly as Chun Nuan placed her hand on her wrist.

“Chun Nuan, do you really know how to diagnose? Can you treat this kind of illness?”

Aunt Luo was skeptical. For medical care, one must see a doctor, and in nearly forty years of life, she had never seen a female doctor.

“I learned a bit from my grandfather, but not much. I just happen to know about your condition.”

Indeed, Chun Nuan specialized in women’s ailments.

Years ago, when her grandfather discovered her passion for medical texts and her aptitude, he guided her to focus on gynecology. He even borrowed ancient books from the imperial library for her to study.

In this era, many women fell ill, but only the powerful families could afford doctors. Midwives usually handled childbirth, but they only managed natural births; difficult deliveries often ended in death for mother and child.

Her grandfather was skilled at stopping bleeding, but even in the capital’s wealthy households, women sometimes died from postpartum hemorrhage because their families refused male doctors to save them.

If noblewomen faced such risks, poorer families’ daughters-in-law had it even worse. Childbirth was a gamble between life and death.

Her grandfather was heartbroken and urged her to learn as much as possible to save lives someday, if she could.

Therefore, Chun Nuan was most proficient in diagnosing women’s diseases.

“Well, then…” Aunt Luo, hearing Chun Nuan attribute her knowledge to her grandfather, was stunned. She had thought Chun Nuan was joking, but now seeing her seriously taking her pulse and saying she understood the condition, it must be real. “Can this illness be cured?”

She didn’t want to die.

Her son was unmarried, her daughter unwed. Without their mother, the children would suffer terribly.

“Auntie, don’t worry. I’ll prescribe some medicine for you. Take it for a while, then we’ll reassess and adjust the treatment. At most, five courses of medicine should cure it.”

“Really?”

Aunt Luo found it hard to believe.

Could this Xiao family girl really diagnose illness?

Would she need to buy the medicine to take?