Chapter 52 I've Waited Thirty Years
"Doctor Jiang, don't you know that Physician Que has come to my Liujiang County?" Old Master Lü completely ignored his troublesome son and sighed leisurely, "I have recorded the confusion I have encountered on my medical journey over the years. I just hope that one day I can meet Physician Que. If I can get some guidance from him, my life will be complete."
"Since this miracle doctor is right here with us, why didn't Elder Lü go and ask him?"
Jiang Nuanzhi glanced at the twenty-odd booklets piled beside him. She felt that offering a few pointers was probably not enough; if he asked all these questions, it would take him a year or two to give guidance, wouldn't it?
Old Lu sighed again, looking lost and dejected.
Young Master Lü rolled his eyes: "Why didn't you ask? He doesn't see patients during the day anymore. He just shamelessly goes to every post station and inn every day to ask if anyone has seen the miracle doctor. My old man has gone to every inn in Liujiang County, but he still couldn't get a single piece of information."
Old Lu suddenly wiped his eyes with his sleeve and sobbed, "I'm afraid this old man is destined to never meet the divine physician Que in this lifetime."
Jiang Nuanzhi silently handed a handkerchief to Old Master Lü: "Does it have to be this Doctor Que?"
"Of course!" Old Master Lü nodded solemnly: "Dr. Jiang, you don't know, but I met Doctor Que once before. Back then, Doctor Que wasn't the national doctor of our Great Jing."
It was quite a coincidence, actually. It was in that grove of trees in front of your Apricot Blossom Village that I was bitten by a snake while gathering herbs. I happened to meet the miraculous healer, Magpie, who was very kind and treated me. It was because of him that I resolved to become a good doctor.”
Young Master Lü said leisurely, "But I heard from my mother that when you went into the mountains that time, the silver pouch was taken by this Magpie Doctor."
"Outrageous!" Old Master Lü glared at him. "How can you doubt Doctor Que like that? Doctor Que mistook that silver pouch for his and took the wrong one!"
The legendary physician Que was handsome and refined, with an air of otherworldly grace in every gesture. How could he possibly care about my silver pouch? If he truly wanted money, I would certainly offer him even more.
It's such a pity, we'll never have the chance to meet again.
Jiang Nuanzhi: "Since this miracle doctor is still in our county, there should still be a chance to meet him."
Hearing what Elder Lü said, Jiang Nuanzhi rejected her earlier guess.
I had initially wondered if this miracle doctor was the old man I'd encountered. Now, I think it probably isn't. He's anything but handsome and dashing.
And he's so afraid of insects. He's definitely not cut out to be a doctor.
Old Master Lü shook his head: "Doctor Jiang, you don't understand. Doctor Que is a national physician, the only one in our Great Jing who enjoys the salary of a third-rank imperial official under the title of physician. He was personally appointed by the late emperor, and there is only one like him in history."
As he spoke, he sighed, "It's a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for him to come to a small place like Liujiang County. My Lü family has fallen on hard times and was exiled to Liujiang County in our early years. No descendant of the clan can leave unless they die."
I waited thirty years, and finally the miraculous physician Que arrived in Liujiang County, but I missed my chance. At my age now, where would I find another thirty years?
His mottled hands trembled slightly as he stroked the stack of yellowed booklets. He randomly pulled one out, moistened his fingers with saliva, and shakily turned the pages, one after another, the handwriting dense and intricate.
He squinted slightly, bringing the booklet closer and then moving it away several times before finally putting it down in frustration: "It feels like it was written a few years ago, so why can't I see it clearly now?"
"If you can't see it, don't bother looking. What do you want to see? I'll read it to you." Young Master Lü casually snatched the booklet from his hand and read aloud: "Today, a patient with severe intestinal colic had been in pain for three days. Acupuncture was performed on the body, targeting points such as Shangjuxu, Lanwei, Tianshu, and Quchi. Moxibustion was also applied to the lower right abdomen with ginger. The condition did not improve. Bloodletting was then performed on the right pulse, and Baohua Powder and Chenxiang Pills were administered. The condition still did not improve. The patient's abdominal pain became unbearable, and he died the following morning."①
As he continued speaking, Young Master Lü gradually fell silent.
Little Baozhu couldn't understand what everyone was saying, but she was extremely sensitive to emotions. She quietly tugged at Grandpa Lü's hand and patted it comfortingly: "Grandpa Lü, don't be sad."
Grandpa Lü breathed a sigh of relief and patted Xiao Baozhu's head again: "Good child, Grandpa Lü isn't sad. That happened twenty-three years ago, I've long forgotten about it."
Looking at Old Master Lü like this, Jiang Nuanzhi felt as if a stone was pressing on her heart, making her feel suffocated.
It's as if I'm seeing one person after another like Elder Lü, dedicating their entire lives to exploring this path of traditional Chinese medicine.
He is often misunderstood, often criticized for being stubborn, and often accused of being a quack doctor who can't even cure appendicitis.
But it seems that generation after generation will always stand up, carrying this legacy, and move forward step by step.
Shaking her head to clear her mind of these complicated thoughts, she said, "Old Master Lü, I have a way to treat colic."
A sudden glint of light flashed in Old Lu's previously dim eyes, and his voice trembled slightly: "Doctor Jiang, is this really true?"
Jiang Nuanzhi smiled and said, "I'll write down the detailed treatment method for you later."
"Also, don't think too much about it. You can't go out, but you can write a letter to the divine doctor. Just spend some money to have someone send it to the capital."
Old Lu was stunned: "I never thought of that."
Jiang Nuanzhi smiled and said, "If you don't get a reply to one, send two. If you don't get a reply to two, send three. Doctor Que will eventually see them."
Old Master Lü slapped his thigh and exclaimed excitedly, "Doctor Jiang is truly insightful!"
Jiang Nuanzhi nodded with a smile: "If you can't see it clearly, then we can have Young Master Lü write it for you."
Old Master Lü nodded repeatedly. He was a man of action, and immediately began searching for paper and pen in the carriage, typing away at Young Master Lü, urging him to finish the book as soon as possible.
Young Master Lü sat in the carriage, looking at Jiang Nuanzhi with a resentful expression, as if he had aged several years in an instant.
This sight made Xiao Baozhu giggle.
Jiang Nuanzhi couldn't help but chuckle.
The carriage traveled quickly and soon entered the county town.
Jiang Nuanzhi, with Xiao Baozhu by her side, set up her stall at the intersection of a street lined with post stations.
It's simply a matter of turning two baskets upside down on the ground, laying a white cloth over them, and then arranging the packaged instant noodles and wound medicine one by one.
The price was already written down beforehand and simply placed on top.
The best wound medicine costs one and a half taels of silver per bottle. Buy two bottles and get one free. Actually, she only had nine bottles in total; she had no more than that.
Instant noodles cost 18 coins per pack, buy two packs and get one free.
Jiang Nuanzhi originally wanted to order 20 coins, because the plain noodles in town cost 12 coins a bowl, and they only sold it for 18 coins when they added sliced meat and side dishes.
This price is too high, I'm afraid it won't work. Let's just set it at eighteen, which works out to twelve per pack, and we can still make a profit.
They arrived at just the right time, when everyone was out and about. However, everyone only glanced at them and then left, no one asking any questions.
Jiang Nuanzhi wasn't in a hurry. She had brought an earthenware pot with her today, filled it with water from home, and even carried firewood. She started a fire and began boiling water.
If you're selling food, how can customers buy it if they can't see what you're selling?
Before long, the water boiled. Jiang Nuanzhi's eyes lit up when she saw several burly men who looked a little tired walking towards her.
He immediately took a flatbread, poured on the seasonings, and poured boiling hot water over it, instantly releasing a rich aroma.
"Noodles, delicious noodles."
The men passing by glanced in this direction, and some were already drooling, but they didn't stop at all and went straight into the city.
Jiang Nuanzhi's lips twitched. Well, she knew it wouldn't be that easy. But she wasn't discouraged and continued to call out with her hands behind her back.
"No cooking skills required, quick and easy, a bowl of noodles in spring is better than heaven, it's so delicious!"
"Mother! I've found a guest, look!"
Just as they were shouting enthusiastically, they saw Little Pearl leading over a small boy dressed in fine clothes, with a face as beautiful as jade.
Jiang Nuanzhi swallowed hard. She remembered that her daughter had been playing in the mud behind her earlier.
However, by this time, the mud in her hand was already being held by the little boy.
Then look at her daughter; around her neck hangs an enormous gold necklace that's almost blinding. The necklace is adorned with gold locks in the shape of auspicious symbols of fortune, prosperity, and longevity, with a piece of warm, white jade inlaid in the center. It's clearly no ordinary item.
Jiang Nuanzhi: Little Baozhu, is there anything I don't know about you?
Young Master Lü, furiously writing: Does anyone still remember me? Does anyone still remember who came up with this terrible idea?
Mr. Lü: I'm happy to write a letter to my idol.
One day, a renowned doctor saw a room full of letters and fell into deep thought.
① Part of the information is from Baidu.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
