Chapter 119: The Recovery of the Dou Matriarch

"This condition cannot be cured!" Yun Hao dared not deceive anyone regarding such a matter. If something were to go wrong, given the temperaments of the Li family, dreaming of escaping unscathed would be just that—a dream. Only a fool would talk about human rights with the Li family; if the Lady Dou were to pass away, one might not even be able to remain a human being.

"Brother Hao, even you cannot cure her?" Yun Hao's words sent the Li father and sons into a chorus of wailing. It was evident that Li Yuan held a truly deep affection for Lady Dou. Li Jiancheng and Li Er were both shedding tears, and even the servants wore expressions of profound sorrow. It was clear that as the matriarch of the Li household, Lady Dou was held in very high esteem.

"This condition cannot be cured; it can only be managed. She must not get cold or overheated, and she must be kept out of the wind. The rooms must be ventilated periodically, and bedding and household items must be changed and aired out frequently. One must be especially cautious during the spring and autumn seasons. When the weather is poor, she should not go out, especially in the spring when willow catkins and pollen are in the air." Yun Hao repeated word-for-word what doctors in the future had told him.

Asthma is actually related to allergies, the most severe trigger being pollen. Thus, spring is generally the most dangerous time for asthma sufferers.

"Brother Hao, do you mean that as long as it does not recur, she will be fine?" Li Er keenly grasped the main point.

"Yes! Basically, as long as it does not recur, she will be fine. Additionally, try to keep blankets or similar items out of the room. Those things can trigger the Lady's symptoms. Also, there must be no smoke or fumes in her room. Remember this! Remember this well!" Items like blankets were breeding grounds for dust mites. Yun Hao had just noticed that Lady Dou's room not only had carpets on the floor but also tapestries on the walls. She was even covered by a pelt of some unknown animal, and in the dead of winter, without ventilation or airing out—good heavens, this was a paradise for mites.

"Very well! You all heard him, replace everything in the Lady's room. The quilts must be aired out every day. If anyone neglects this, look out for your legs!" Upon hearing Yun Hao's words, Li Yuan immediately issued orders. The servants nodded like chickens pecking at grain, all understanding that if this task was not performed well, a simple broken leg would be the least of their worries. If things went wrong, their corpses might just end up in the mass graves outside the city.

Yun Hao tried his best to recall the medicine he had taken, but back then, he had mostly taken Western medicine. In this era, however, where could one find such things? He had no choice but to suggest some minor folk remedies, such as pear-boiled water or a bowl of radish juice in the morning. As for how effective these would be, that would depend on the grace of Heaven. History books stated that Lady Dou died young, and Yun Hao suspected it was due to this very asthma.

Yun Hao spoke a sentence, and Li Jiancheng and Li Er responded to each one. However, they were somewhat stumped by his folk remedies. Radishes were easy to come by—you could build a mountain of them—but pears were difficult to find in the dead of winter.

"If there are no pears, snow lotus will do. The Tianshan snow lotus from the Western Regions would be best." Yun Hao had only heard that snow lotus could treat asthma. When he was sick, he couldn't have possibly obtained such a thing. But for the Li family, it shouldn't be a problem; sparing no cost, even thousand-year ginseng would be obtainable.

"Li Fu, quickly contact the merchant caravans from the Western Regions. As long as they have Tianshan snow lotus, acquire it—get as much as you can." Li Jiancheng immediately called his steward. Over the years, he had made many friends in Longyou through his connections in Hedong. Getting some snow lotus was no problem for him.

"Understood!" The fellow named Li Fu scurried off as if he had been shot.

"Father! Elder Brother! Mother feels much better after drinking the radish juice and has already fallen asleep." Li Xiuning walked out of the bedroom and reported Lady Dou's condition to Li Yuan. While drinking radish juice could not cure asthma, it at least made Lady Dou more comfortable. Presumably, she had been exhausted from the earlier commotion.

Li Yuan’s eyes lit up; Yun Hao truly had effective methods. Usually, after one of Lady Dou’s attacks, she wouldn't be able to sleep for days, often waking up coughing in the middle of the night. Today, after Yun Hao’s care, she had actually fallen asleep. This demonstrated the brilliance of Yun Hao’s skills, and his trust in the young man deepened further.

"Reward him! Your estate has geothermal heat; I shall grant you another one hundred acres of land outside Jinyang City so you can support your tenants." A physician with such brilliant skills must be kept. Li Yuan spared no expense to win him over, waving his hand to grant another hundred acres.

Since there was a patient, Yun Hao could not return home. He had Li Er send word to the Yun family estate, and Yun Hao took up residence in the Duke's mansion.

Perhaps it was indeed the mites that had been the culprit, for three days later, Lady Dou's condition began to improve significantly. Suddenly, Yun Hao's reputation in Jinyang City soared. Even Wang Wei and Gao Junya sent gifts. In this age, having a friend with excellent medical skills was vital; after all, who doesn't suffer from a headache or fever now and then?

In just three days, the gifts Yun Hao received piled up to fill an entire room.

"Being a doctor is truly lucrative!" Yun Hao looked at the room full of gifts, his eyes shining, his salivary system instantly highly active. Doctors in the future who took red envelopes were nothing compared to this! Had they ever received agate the size of a human head or coral as tall as a person? I have! Hmph, beat that!

His petty bourgeois nature was on full display. If Yun Hao had known about kickbacks from medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, he probably would have banged his head against the door a few times. Damn it, no one makes money like those wearing white coats.

Zhang Miao Ke was a woman who knew how to handle things. Knowing Lady Dou was unwell and could not digest meat, she kept fresh vegetables and fruits flowing into the Duke's mansion. It wasn't just for Lady Dou; even Li Jiancheng's household received them. Zheng Guanyin, who was as gentle as a Bodhisattva, would smile whenever she saw Yun Hao. Within the Duke's mansion, Yun Hao had become a figure who could walk with his head held high; no one with any sense would dare provoke him.

Pears were hard to preserve, and Yun Hao didn't have any on hand, but he did have apples. After peeling and coring them, he boiled them in water with a dash of rock sugar—it was the perfect food. Every morning, Lady Dou would have a bowl of radish juice and a bowl of boiled apples. Her complexion gradually became rosy, and her lips regained their color. Most importantly, she could go out for walks and sit in the sun when the weather was nice.

Sunbathing was Yun Hao’s suggestion. Lady Dou was only in her forties; staying in the room all day would cause problems. Apart from the asthma, she might develop other ailments from being cooped up. Sunlight has a natural way of cleansing the spirit, especially the lazy winter sun shining on one’s body—it was incredibly comfortable.

Li Xiuning served her mother day and night, while Zhangsun and Zheng Guanyin visited daily to chat and lift Lady Dou’s spirits. After half a month, Lady Dou had recovered for the most part. Seeing this, Li Yuan mentally patted himself on the back. Keeping this lad Yun Hao had been the right move!

"Brother Hao, there is something I would like to discuss with you." One day, while he was checking Lady Dou's pulse, she suddenly spoke to him.