Chapter 1576 Extra: The Duke of Jin is very busy (Part 2)
"Uncle Tan?"
A hint of confusion appeared on Zheng Yu's face.
He had worked in the Censorate back then and had impeached Qi Shan, so he would naturally know about the family background and general connections of this former high-ranking official. It seemed that Prime Minister Qi did not have any relatives with the surname "Tan". Strangely, after regaining his memories of his past life and carefully reviewing his present life, he unexpectedly discovered that Qi Miao had an "Uncle Tan" with whom he had frequent contact. The two communicated frequently, and the charity hall received several letters every day.
Zheng Yu also retrieved letters for Qi Miao twice.
He was the sender on both occasions.
Zheng Yu asked Qi Miao in a low voice, "Is he also having trouble finding a wife?"
What he really wanted to say was, "Don't mistreat the elderly."
Since he's of the same generation as Qi, he's probably approaching sixty. If "Uncle Tan" is a scholar with a literary heart/a martial artist with a brave spirit, that's fine, as he's in his prime. But if he's an ordinary person, half of his body would be buried... At his age, he can't withstand any more hardship.
Qi Shan: "..."
Qi Miao feigned a cough: "No, that's not it."
Given Uncle Tan's situation, it's impossible for him to marry and have children; there's still a chance he might be a reincarnation. However, what Qi Miao was referring to just now wasn't "Uncle Tan is a worrying old man," but rather: "Uncle Tan is busy with the Holy Temple's medical examiner assessment, preparing for the Fourth Battle."
Uncle Tan has been corresponding with her frequently lately, seeking advice on exam techniques. Judging from the content of his letters, his mental state seems somewhat unstable recently. Qi Miao fully understands this. She herself only managed to pass the Medical Academy exam with great difficulty, thanks to a confluence of favorable circumstances and the support of her teacher, Dong Dao, and several other medical professionals who took turns providing private tutoring. Even with fewer of those support, she would have had to fight three or four times.
There's a rumor circulating in the Temple of Medicine that a 20th-rank Marquis belonging to the Temple of Military Affairs took the Temple of Medicine's assessment three times back in the 16th year of Yanhuang. And up until this year, the Temple of Medicine hasn't produced any more people from the Temple of Military Affairs. What does this mean?
This suggests that the Marquis of Che estimated that there would be four, five, or even six battles.
The entrance examination for the Temple of Physicians is held once a quarter.
Theoretically, it's possible to have four matches in a year.
Even those at the 20th rank of Marquis are repeatedly rejected by the Temple of Medicine, let alone someone like Uncle Tan with such a special case. Uncle Tan, in particular, wants to complete the assessment before his reincarnated self reaches adulthood at eighteen, otherwise he will have to start all over again to accumulate the qualifications to enter the Temple of Medicine.
That's at least fifteen years.
Just thinking about it is enough to make one despair.
Even someone with Uncle Tan's personality was almost driven crazy.
This is also one of the reasons why Qi Shan suddenly asked for annual leave.
Thanks to that damned Yu Hai, Tan Qu has maintained an inhuman state all these years. This has resulted in half of his true spirit being trapped in the original body of Qi Shan, while the other half has undergone the six realms of reincarnation and been reborn normally. Qi Shan once thought of taking away his reincarnated half of his best friend and raising him, even if it meant paying an exorbitant price to buy him from his parents in this life. But in the end, it was just a thought, because his parents in this life loved their child very much. Even when the child showed signs of intellectual disability at the age of three or four, the parents never gave up on him.
His other close friend, Uncle Tan, whom Qi Miao mentioned, began to specialize in medicine. After the patients on the isolated island regained their normal human abilities, he led this group of special individuals into seclusion in the deep mountains, preventing them from being disturbed by the outside world and ensuring that these more than ten thousand people would not endanger the outside world.
Tan Qu already had a certain medical background.
He learns very quickly and was able to make independent clinics in his third year of medical school.
From then on, he traveled far and wide, providing free medical consultations and medicines to people everywhere. He did not discriminate based on the patients' wealth or social status; he would not charge any consultation fee as long as the patients came to his home for treatment. The only condition he had was that they remember his name—Tan Qu, Tan Lezheng.
The goal is to become a renowned medical sage who will be remembered in history.
This goal sounds a bit far-fetched.
However, Tan Qu is putting his words into action and working towards this goal.
Not only did he pass the Kang Kingdom's medical licensing exam, but he also fought his way through a field of highly qualified physicians to enter the Medical Bureau. Last year, a region in the southwest experienced flooding during the rainy season. Despite immediate disaster relief efforts, a small-scale epidemic still broke out afterward. Tan Qu went directly to the sealed-off epidemic area to take charge; due to his special physical condition, no one was more suitable than him. Both his character and medical skills were recognized.
Many physicians in the medical department were waiting for him to accumulate enough qualifications for the temple's examination and become true physicians. Ordinary doctors could only treat and save lives with the most basic medical skills, while physicians had access to a wider range of fields and a more diverse range of medical techniques.
Many diseases that ordinary doctors consider incurable are not considered serious illnesses by them. If Tan Qu could enter the Temple of Medicine, he might be able to make greater contributions to the study of the Temple of Medicine's classic texts. As a result, this newcomer to the Medical Bureau failed to enter the temple three times and was preparing for a fourth attempt.
Dong Dao: "..."
He knew a little about the relationship between this seemingly ordinary doctor with no background and the Duke of Jin's mansion. Tan Qu's importance to Prime Minister Qi was comparable to that of Qi Miao and Su Shang in the Duke of Jin's mansion. So he hesitated whether he should take the initiative to go to the doctor's house to tutor him. Perhaps it would be effective?
"Whoa, what's wrong with Tan Jun?"
Dong Dao knocked on the quiet courtyard that Tan Qu had rented to prepare for the exam.
As soon as the courtyard gate opened, a pale and lifeless face was revealed.
Tan Qu's eyes were vacant and unfocused, and he moved about like a ghost, making Dong Dao think that he was dead. Ah, that's not quite right, Tan Qu really wasn't a real living person. Tan Qu opened the door without saying a word, took a couple of steps into the house and suddenly came to his senses, as if he had just noticed that there was a living person, Dong Dao, beside him: "Why is the medical order here? Come in and sit down."
Looking at the white paper and black writing scattered on the ground, with nowhere to step, Dong Dao reluctantly picked up an empty spot and sat down: "I heard that Mr. Tan had taken leave, and I was wondering if you were not feeling well, so I came here to visit you. If there are any inconveniences in your life, Mr. Tan can tell the medical department."
The relationship between Tan Qu and the Duke of Jin's mansion was not made public.
Dong Dao, being sensible, did not point it out.
They simply regarded Tan Qu as an ordinary medical practitioner.
"It's not that I'm struggling financially... it's that my medical skills are lacking, and I haven't been able to obtain permission from the temple yet..." Tan Qu rarely showed a bit of frustration, his head slightly lowered, but his spirits were still quite good, and he shouldn't have lost his determination after a few setbacks.
Dong Dao laughed and said, "The Temple of Medicine is very strict in its entry. It has the highest threshold among all the temples. It is quite normal to fail a few times. If all those mediocre people who cannot enter other temples were to study medical books for more than ten years and gather hundreds or thousands of patients, they could easily become physicians. Then it would not be impossible for quack doctors to run rampant in the world. Medicine is a matter of life and death."
In Dong Dao's view, failing dozens of times is normal.
Tan Qu is someone he highly regards.
Dong Dao also didn't want him to ruin his future because of his impetuousness.
Well, most importantly, Tan Quzhen has become one of the Medical Bureau's own people. He and Jun Qiao are now the Medical Bureau's two biggest benefactors and powerful backers. In the future, they will be able to secure the greatest possible benefits, resources, and protection for the medical community in the imperial court. Dong Dao is guaranteed to profit.
Tan Qu humbly drank the bowl of chicken soup.
"The doctor is right."
Dong Dao smiled and pointed to Tan Qu's disheveled appearance, which showed he hadn't rested or groomed for seven or eight days: "Now that you know, why don't you go and wash up properly and get some sleep to refresh yourself? With such a unkempt appearance, people who don't know the situation might think something bad has happened to Tan Jun's family."
Tan Qu touched his hair bun.
The smile was tinged with embarrassment.
He bowed and excused himself, instructing his servants to prepare hot tea and pastries for Dong Dao, while he went to quickly wash up. When he returned, Dong Dao was gone, replaced by Qi Shan and his daughter Qi Miao. Qi Miao was tidying up a pile of papers, while Qi Shan idly glanced at the increasingly messy handwriting. Hearing footsteps, the father and daughter looked up simultaneously. He asked, "Why did the physician leave?"
Qi Miao said, "Teacher has two lectures tomorrow."
Tan Qu sighed, "I am truly ashamed that the Imperial Physician still took the time to care for me despite being so busy. How could I possibly have the face to look so haggard after only three defeats... Yuanliang, Junqiao, you couldn't have come all this way because you were worried about me?"
Qi Shan countered, "Otherwise what?"
Qi Miao: "Uncle Tan, don't worry. Father has already asked the Emperor for half a year's annual leave, so he can stay here for the next few months."
Tan Qu chuckled and said, "I'm not a student in the courtyard. Parents have to accompany me outside the courtyard for monthly and final exams. You two go back."
Originally, the entrance exam was his responsibility alone.
The two of them made things even more stressful for him.
Qi Shan is not one to listen to people.
"It's not just for the medical examination. Have you forgotten what time it is? There are only a few months left until the eighteenth year of Yanhuang." Tan Qu is the most special among the true spirits of the "Investiture of the Gods." He was reincarnated with only half of his true spirit. This resulted in his physical body and intelligence being obscured after reincarnation, making him a born mentally challenged child. However, as he grew older, this half of his true spirit became stronger and stronger, unconsciously attracting the other half of his true spirit that still exists in the world, which is Tan Qu in front of him.
If external forces intervene and prevent the fusion of the two halves of the true spirit, the final result will be damage to the true spirit, and neither half will benefit. Tan Qu hasn't been going out to practice medicine recently because he feels that his mental state is not right, and he has been weak for longer than normal. He has a premonition that one day he might really fall into a deep sleep and never wake up again. Even if he does wake up, he will no longer be "him".
No one can guarantee when "he" will regain his memory.
Qi Shan took her annual leave for this very reason.
I can only feel at ease when I see everything going smoothly with my own eyes.
Tan Qu was a bit overwhelmed. He covered his face with the manuscript paper that Qi Miao had arranged and wailed softly, "Yuan Liang, don't mention it."
Qi Shan: "If we don't mention it, it ceases to exist?"
Qi Miao chuckled: "Uncle Tan."
Tan Qu covered her face and said, "I can't pass the exam."
Qi Shan was worried that the fusion of the two halves of the true spirit would cause problems, and that any mistakes in the process would affect Tan Qu. However, Tan Qu was only focused on the Medical Temple exam. If he couldn't obtain the Medical Temple's entry qualification before the fusion, and had to wait until his reincarnated body regained its memories of its past and present lives to accumulate the qualification again, how long would that take?
Qi Shan sighed, "Hmph, now you know how to complain? How did Tan Jun dare to make such a bold statement back then that he would master all subjects? He's only hurting himself now, and he's too busy complaining."
In fact, before Kangguo standardized the training of medical personnel, most physicians were generalists, knowing a little about everything, and their skill levels varied greatly. After the intervention of the Medical Temple, physicians would choose a corresponding specialization based on their expertise in treating difficult and complex cases.
Tan Qu is an exception among them.
He didn't want to specialize in one area; he wanted to specialize in all subjects.
Qi Shan had secretly worried back then that Tan Qu's choice would likely cause him trouble entering the Temple of Medicine, and years later, his guess had indeed come true. Tan Qu muttered, "Yuan Liang is so domineering; ordinary people can't even complain or cry out in pain."
Qi Shan pretended not to hear clearly.
"What bad things are you saying about me?"
Without hesitation, Tan Qu replied, "No."
Speaking of which, his close friend is now an "elderly" man in his sixties. At that age, he could be someone's great-grandfather in an ordinary family. But he still has the temper of a young man and can't tolerate the slightest complaint. If you mention his age, his face darkens even more.
What's wrong with being in your sixties?
It is the age for hard work and striving.
At that moment, Tan Qu noticed out of the corner of his eye that Qi Miao was covering her mouth with a strange expression. He was stunned for a moment, then remembered something, quickly snatched the manuscript Qi Miao was looking at, hurriedly put the things away while nervously muttering, "Not suitable for children, not suitable for children."
Qi Shan's curiosity was piqued: "What is it?"
They tricked the other party into giving them the goods with a few feints.
Before Tan Qu could stop him, he read it quickly.
Qi Shan joked, "Well done, your skills haven't diminished at all."
"Save me some face in front of the younger generation."
Qi Shan asked, "How old is this junior you're talking about?"
They're not some clueless child who's a few years old or a teenager.
Qi Miao: "...The rumors are actually true..."
What rumor is it?
Rumor has it that her father was skilled at writing erotic novels in his younger days, and Uncle Tan was good at drawing erotic illustrations. Considering that the two have switched names and identities, it means that the one who actually draws erotic illustrations is her father, while the one who writes erotic novels is the current Uncle Tan. This outrageous rumor originated from a secondhand trading market in Huangting, where a down-on-his-luck scholar took out a fire-avoidance diagram passed down in his family and put it up for sale.
This is a masterpiece!
It was also listed at an extremely high price.
The exorbitant price attracted a crowd of onlookers eager for a spectacle. They inquired with the seller about the artist's identity, to which the seller mysteriously replied: "This is a rare and unique piece of calligraphy, a collaboration between Prime Minister Qi and a friend!"
[The painting is quite good, but you claim it's by the current Prime Minister Qi... Brother, are you out of your mind? If Prime Minister Qi finds out you've falsely accused him, you might get arrested and given a beating.] However, this gimmick was indeed eye-catching, and the number of onlookers increased several times over in no time.
The seller also revealed the source of the image.
Absolutely genuine!
This picture was once an illustration for a wildly popular erotic novel.
These are now considered rare and discontinued merchandise.
Given how outrageous the rumor was, it eventually reached Qi Miao's ears. She didn't take it seriously at the time, treating it as a joke, and naturally didn't bother to verify its veracity with her two elders. Little did she expect that this gossip was actually true! Qi Miao's expression suddenly became subtle.
Tan Qu: "...I'm too ashamed to face anyone."
Fortunately, the knocking sound at the courtyard door at that moment rescued him.
"Dr. Tan, Dr. Tan, please save my life."
The woman's voice outside the courtyard sounded very familiar.
Tan Qu couldn't care less about anything else for a moment. He grabbed his medicine box and carried it on his back. He didn't forget to explain to Qi Shan and the other person in a deep voice, "She is my mother in this life. Why is she here? Has something happened in the family?"
(σ)σ:*☆
No one should remember this dark history of Tan Qu and Qi Shan from their childhood.
(End of this chapter)
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