Li Man’er finished needling Xiao Ru'di's legs and then took silver needles to prick his head.
"Both of you, these acupoints on the head are the most crucial. You'd better come over and watch me perform the needling," Li Man’er said just as she was about to insert a needle. The two men immediately leaned closer, observing her technique intently.
Xiao Qiniang had initially been wary of Li Man’er. Now, hearing her voluntarily invite the two physicians to observe and learn, she felt she had been overly suspicious.
Although these two doctors were not as skilled as Li Man’er, they were still masters in the medical field. If Li Man’er had tried to play any tricks during the needling, they should have been able to spot it.
Xiao Qiniang relaxed. Little did she know that Li Man’er had already made her move. At that very moment, the fine needle had found its place within Xiao Ru'di’s acupoint. Naturally, she would not cause any further trouble or do anything that might arouse suspicion.
After another half hour, Li Man’er stopped and asked, "Have you both memorized it?"
The two doctors quickly replied, "We have memorized it all, though we still need to practice the needling techniques. Miss’s needle insertion is swift, her acupoint recognition is precise, and her techniques are unique. We are truly impressed."
Xiao Qiniang was somewhat surprised that the two individuals, who had been somewhat arrogant at first, were now completely subdued.
However, this was a good thing. The more capable Li Man’er was, the more beneficial it would be for their Xiao family.
She couldn't help but wonder where Xiao Qiniang and Xiao Ru'di got their confidence, as if Li Man’er’s entire skillset was meant to serve the Xiao family.
"It's alright. As long as you can accurately locate the acupoints and grasp the pattern, needling will not be difficult. General Xiao's leg injury will take some time to heal. You two can observe a few more times and then try your hand. I'll be here to watch, so nothing will go wrong."
The two were overjoyed and bowed deeply to Li Man’er, "Thank you, Miss."
Xiao Qiniang felt a pang of jealousy, but she controlled her expression well, at least Li Shu didn't notice her sour mood.
Li Man’er quickly hushed the two doctors, "You two need not be so formal. We are all physicians, learning from each other is not a big deal."
The doctor surnamed Zheng quickly said, "Young lady, you are mistaken. Needle techniques have always been secret skills passed down among physicians, even more so than prescriptions. Ancestral needle techniques are passed down to males, not females; to the eldest, not the youngest; to the legitimate, not the illegitimate. Even within a sect, techniques are only taught to the most trusted disciples, and not just anyone can learn them."
Li Man’er felt a bit dizzy from his constant talk of "passing down."
The slightly shorter Doctor Xu also chimed in, "Indeed. Miss Li’s willingness to impart her needle techniques to us without reservation is a sign of her broadmindedness. It’s laughable that I, like a frog in a well, even considered mocking you earlier."
"It was our shallow understanding," Doctor Zheng seconded.
Li Man’er quickly replied, "It's not as serious as you two say." She saw that Xiao Ru'di was sleeping soundly and quickly said, "Gentlemen, the General will wake up soon. You should take a short rest. You will also need to watch carefully when I remove the needles later."
The two men quickly agreed and went to sit aside. They held their notebooks tightly, flipping through them occasionally and muttering to themselves, engrossed in their own discussions.
Li Shu looked on with a sense of pride, like a doting father, his gaze towards Li Man’er different from before.
Li Man’er pretended not to notice and silently cursed him as a scumbag.
Xiao Qiniang never missed an opportunity to draw attention to herself around Li Man’er. She glided over and asked Li Man’er in a low voice, "Miss Man’er, why is my father sleeping so soundly?"
Her words carried a hint of suspicion.
Li Man’er was not offended. Instead, she patiently explained, "The General's leg is an old injury, difficult to heal. Whenever the weather changes, be it cold, seasonal shifts, cloudy skies, or rain, his leg must feel particularly uncomfortable and painful, right?"
"That's right," Xiao Qiniang replied. "It's a chronic condition. Whenever my father is in unbearable pain, we use hot towels or a warming pan to keep his injured leg warm."
"You did well," Li Man’er praised. "However, we are not doing that now, and yet the General is sleeping soundly. This clearly shows the miraculous effect of my needling techniques."
Xiao Qiniang was reluctant to admit it, but she had to concede that Li Man’er was far more accomplished than she was.
Not only was she more beautiful than herself, but she also possessed astonishing medical skills. Compared to Li Man’er, her own minor reputation in Mobei seemed quite laughable.
Capability? It was all just empty fame.
"Thank you, Miss Man’er," Xiao Qiniang quickly suppressed her inner emotions and thanked Li Man’er sweetly.
Li Man’er found the woman somewhat abnormal, shifting from icy coldness to fiery enthusiasm. She wondered how this young girl could have such a two-faced nature.
"It's just a small matter, no need for politeness. Besides, General Xiao has paid the consultation fee. For the sake of that chest of treasures, I would naturally put in my best effort."
Xiao Qiniang knew she was joking and didn't take it seriously.
"Also, your father previously endured thirst and neglected rest. These are great taboos of health preservation. You must urge him to change his habits, drink more water, and not stay awake all night."
"How did you know?" Xiao Qiniang asked. "My father suffers from insomnia. Sometimes when his leg pain is severe, he can’t sleep at all, leading to increasingly less sleep. Miss Man’er, is there a cure for this?"
Li Man’er began to withdraw the needles. "There is a cure. However, as Miss Qiniang has seen, I don't have time right now. Perhaps we can discuss it privately later."
"Alright!" Xiao Qiniang readily agreed and then signaled for Doctors Zheng and Xu to come forward and observe the results of Li Man’er's needling.
Needling requires skill in insertion, and removing the needles is no different.
To allow the two elder doctors to see more clearly, Li Man’er deliberately used a slow method to withdraw the needles, ensuring they could observe carefully and avoid mistakes.
The two men again watched and wrote, their expressions diligently focused, like school children studying in their youth.
Li Man’er handed all the needles to Liu Ya to be disinfected.
"Qiniang, please have someone bring more hot water. The General will need a bath shortly."
Xiao Qiniang could only nod and signal for them to expedite the task.
When the mistress gave an order, the servants had no reason to delay. Fearing they might lose their positions or be punished, they quickly got to work.
Before long, the bathtub and hot water were ready, and Xiao Ru'di had also woken up.
"General, please bathe yourself. A soak might bring you some benefits." Li Man’er handed a medicinal packet to Xiao Qiniang. "Place this in the bathtub."
Xiao Qiniang did not know if the packet would be effective, so she put it away for now, planning to ask about it later.