Although the weather is still cold, the snow has been cleared from the streets and alleys of Yecheng, and shop vendors have resumed business. After years of war, Yecheng has become one of the most prosperous cities in the Han Dynasty.
A cloth shop in the south of the city was crowded with people, but these people were not buying cloth, but watching the excitement. I saw that all the sundries in the store had been moved away, and on the two wooden boards in the center of the store, there were lying a middle-aged man and woman foaming at the mouth.
"Oh, this is already the eighth time. What a sin!" sighed a man who was watching. This was a Central Plains-style spectator.
"Isn't it? What kind of disease is this?" Another young man suddenly trembled: "Could it be an epidemic!"
"Ah!" The people watching retreated one after another.
"No matter what the noise, please calm down!" shouted the old man standing aside, "listen to what the doctor said."
The doctor who was squatting on the ground for treatment was sweating all over his face. He had never encountered this strange disease before and could not diagnose the pathology at all.
And this was already the seventh and eighth patient. The previous six patients had already died of the illness, and there was nothing he could do.
Although it was a very cold day, the doctor wiped his sweat with his sleeve and said apologetically, "Bao Zhang Huang, I really can't diagnose the pathogenesis, so there's no way to prescribe medicine! I think you'd better hire someone else."
The elder surnamed Huang looked solemn: "Sir, you are already a famous doctor in Yecheng. Who else should we invite?"
"I'll go back and check the classics, and then discuss it with all my colleagues." The doctor stood up, shook his head, and left.
Just when everyone was at a loss, an old woman brought a middle-aged man in a robe. When the middle-aged man arrived, he made some gestures with his hands and feet, and chanted something in his mouth.
After a while, the middle-aged man in robes said: "This is an invasion of evil spirits. There are evil spirits hiding in this area. If we don't deal with it this morning, I'm afraid more people will be possessed by evil spirits."
The elder named Huang frowned, "What should we do?"
The middle-aged man in robes pondered for a while and said in a deep voice: "This evil ghost is very powerful. I'm afraid it will be difficult to get rid of. The only solution for now is to ask him to leave. That will require three animals to be sacrificed."
"That's all. Everyone go back and collect money to prepare." The elder ordered.
"Uncle Huang, why don't you report it to the officials and let them send medical officers to deal with it." Someone said.
"Oh, why do those officials care about the lives of common people like us? Don't bother!"
"What are you talking about? Didn't General Yuan give us many benefits after he came to power? He is a good official who cares about the people! If he knew about this, he would definitely send someone to deal with it." The man retorted.
"Is there any patient here? I have some medical skills, so I might as well come and treat you." A clear voice came from outside the door at the right time.
When everyone looked around, they saw two middle-aged men carrying bamboo boxes standing at the door, looking quite immortal.
"I wonder what the surnames of these two gentlemen are?" the elder said politely.
"Hua Tuo, a native of Pei State," said the middle-aged man who asked the question before.
Another middle-aged man with a long beard also raised his hand and said, "Zhang Ji from Nanyang."
"Ah! Are you two doctors?" the elder asked.
"We were all invited by General Yuan to come to Hebei to help people treat their illnesses." Hua Tuo, a tall man, replied.
Everyone didn't quite believe that they could cure the patient, but when they heard General Yuan's invitation, they were immediately in awe. After all, the villagers and common people are afraid of government land.
"Brother Zhongjing, do you invite me first?" Hua Tuo raised his hand and said humbly.
Zhang Ji smiled and said, "Brother Yuanhua, let's treat each patient individually."
The two looked at each other and smiled, each examined the patient, and after a while, they took turns to diagnose.
"Two gentlemen, can this be saved?" the elder asked.
"Hmph! It's an evil ghost attack. We can't save him without sending ghosts away." The magic stick in robe still laughed coldly.
"No, it's not caused by any evil ghost. It's just a very powerful poisonous insect that entered the body." Hua Tuo said loudly.
"Is this street the only one affected by the disease?" Zhang Ji asked.
The elder was dubious and told the two of them the details. Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji went to the backyard to take a look around.
Finally Hua Tuo came out and said: "I'm afraid there is something wrong with the well. The families who are sick share a well. And the well water is relatively warm in winter. It is not surprising to be attacked by poisonous insects."
"Brother Yuanhua, who among us will prescribe the medicine?" Zhang Ji asked.
Hua Tuo took out a pen and paper. He said, "Each of you can treat one person with a prescription."
"Exactly what I want!" Zhang Ji also took out a pen and paper. He wanted to discuss and exchange ideas with Hua Tuo. After all, since ancient times, there is no first in literature and no second in martial arts. Medicine cannot be free from vulgarity either.
After a while, the two of them wrote out their prescriptions. The elder immediately asked someone to get medicine. After another half hour of busy work, the two patients were sent to the room to take medicine.
Zhang Ji and Hua Tuo sat in the shop and communicated, and the neighbors in the streets refused to leave, looking forward to the results.
Another half-quarter of an hour later, a young man ran out and said in surprise: "It's a good thing, it's a good thing. They vomited and defecated after taking the medicine, but they all woke up and can talk."
The elder stepped forward and said gratefully: "These two gentlemen are really miraculous doctors. There are many doctors in the city who are at a loss, so I just gave you this dose of medicine and you revived me. Thank you so much."
Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji both said they didn't dare, and then they prescribed warm and tonic medicine for the patient for follow-up treatment.
Zhang Ji sighed and said, "Now Zhongjing is impressed by Brother Yuanhua. The prescription I prescribed requires strong medicine like Garcinia, but Brother Yuanhua, the prescription you prescribed is ordinary garlic vinegar and other substances. It can be seen that the medical skills are much better than mine!"
Hua Tuo shook his head and said: "This is also a method learned from the countryside. Brother Zhongjing is good at some pathologies. We both have our own strengths. Brother Zhongjing must not be modest."
"I think these two gentlemen are both miraculous doctors in the world, comparable to Bian Que in ancient times." A clear and elegant voice came from outside the door.
Hua and Tuo looked around and saw a group of well-dressed people standing outside the door. The young man who spoke among them was in his early twenties. He had a handsome and elegant appearance but still had a heroic spirit. He could tell at a glance that he was an extraordinary person. This man was none other than Yuan Xi, the overlord general of Hebei.
"Two gentlemen, this is my general." Liu Ye came out from behind and said.
"Ah!" The two people reacted and quickly saluted. When the people nearby heard this, they couldn't help but panic, not knowing how to deal with it.
Yuan Xi smiled and said without hesitation: "This is not the place to talk. How about we go to the post house where you two are staying to talk."
After saying that Yuan Xi and others took Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji back to the post house in the south of the city, Liu Ye also ordered the post house clerk to prepare a banquet.
Xu Sheng and others also temporarily stayed in the post house. Yuan Xi invited everyone to join in the banquet. He was extremely polite to Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji.
After the banquet, Hua Tuo asked: "May I ask General Yuan to ask me and brother Zhongjing to treat his illness? But I see that the general is healthy and clear. He does not look like a sick person. Please clarify the confusion, general."
"My brother-in-law, Zhen Yu, has been ill for a long time, and I would like to ask two gentlemen for diagnosis and treatment." Yuan Xi said and pointed to Guo Jia, "My boss, Guo Fengxiao, also gets sick from time to time. I would like to ask these two gentlemen to take a look."
Hua Tuo stepped forward to take Guo Jia's pulse, and after a while asked: "Has Guo taken Taoist golden elixirs before he became a member?"
"That's true. I was weak and sick when I was young, and my family asked for pills to take." Guo Jia answered truthfully.
Hua Tuo shook his head and sighed, "The disease has penetrated into the skin. If it is not treated, I will be sad for forty."
Guo Jiazhi frowned and said, "Mr. Hua is too alarmist. Guo's health has improved a lot in the past two years."
"Brother Yuanhua said that if the disease penetrates into the skin, it will not attack at this moment, but it will be fatal if it attacks in the future." Zhang Ji explained.
"Is it that serious?" Guo Jia was doubtful.
"Don't you hear that Duke Huan of Cai kept tabs on illness and refused medical treatment? Fengxiao, please listen to what these two gentlemen said." Yuan Xi also advised.
"Then how to treat it?" Guo Jia asked helplessly.
"I have a set of Daoyin skills called Wuqinxi that I can teach and practice with Guo. As long as you practice it diligently every day, take decoctions, and control your alcohol intake, I believe the disease will be cured." Hua Tuo said.
Guo Jia expressed his gratitude, and then Yuan Xi told the two of them that typhoid fever and plague were often prevalent in the army.
Zhang Ji had unique research on typhoid fever, so he explained to Yuan Xi the causes of epidemic diseases after the war and how to deal with them. Yuan Xi also asked the civil and military officers present to take notes carefully to prevent them from being at a loss when typhoid epidemics spread in the army in the future.
Subsequently. Yuan Xi also asked Hua Tuo to tell him the key to health preservation and disease prevention. He did not want his advisers and generals to die young.
"Haha, after listening to what these two gentlemen said, I realized that there is so much knowledge in treating and preventing diseases. We in Hebei lack doctors with such superb medical skills as these two gentlemen. I would like to ask you to serve as medical officers in Jizhou. I don't know if you two What do you think?" Yuan Xi directly stated the purpose of this time.
Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji looked at each other. Everyone shook their heads.
"My wish in the field is to travel around the countryside. I mostly treat people's illnesses. As for serving as an official, the general should find someone else." Hua Tuo declined.
"Zhong Jing is also a laid-back person. If he stays in one place and cannot contact more patients, how can his medical skills improve?" Zhang Ji also declined.
"But these two gentlemen are traveling in the Central Plains and other places. Aren't the people of Hebei also in need of the treatment of these two gentlemen? Aren't those patients today also patients?" Guo Jia helped.
The two were silent for a while. Hua Tuo shook his head and said, "I'm just trying my best as a doctor. I can't save everyone in the world, I can only treat local patients."
"Then treating the people in Hebei is also treating the people. Why should you treat one person favorably over another?" Yuan Xi said.
"I would like to stay in Hebei for a while and do my best for the local people." Hua Tuo replied. Seeing that he couldn't refuse, he had to find another way.
"Since the general is interested in him, Zhang Ji is also willing to stay for a while to do his part for the people of Hebei." Zhang Ji also replied.
Yuan Xi knew that they were making temporary excuses, but as long as they stayed for a while, he would have a way to tie them up forever. As for asking the two to teach as disciples, Yuan Xi found that it was impossible to achieve the effect. Because Chinese medicine is taught hand-by-hand from master to apprentice, it requires not only talent, but also temperament. Even the disciples trained by Hua Tuo are just ordinary doctors without ten or eight years of clinical experience.
Yuan Xi knew that Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji had no ambitions to serve as officials. Another reason why Hua Tuo was killed in history was that Cao Cao should not conquer the land. But if you use some tricks to deceive their little ones, it will not be difficult to keep them. Especially in the future, when fighting in the south, the soldiers are not acclimatized to the soil and water, which will breed typhoid plague. Zhang Ji is undoubtedly the best typhoid doctor.
After bidding farewell to Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji, and asking Xu Sheng to naturalize in the army, Yuan Xi and his entourage were about to leave the post house.
"Second Young Master, do you still recognize the old master after seven years of separation?" came a deep and calm voice.
Yuan Xi looked over and saw a man in robes in his early forties standing in the courtyard. The man in the robe has a long beard, and the whole person looks elegant and extraordinary.
"Are you Mr. Yuan Fang?" Yuan Xi said in surprise.
Yuan Xi remembered that the man in robe in front of him was Zuo Ci whom he had met in Luoyang. Zuo Ci was only in his thirties at that time. He believed that he was successful in practicing Taoism and refining alchemy, so he went to Beijing to become a royal alchemist. But at that time, Emperor Ling's daily life was controlled by Shi Changshi, and Zuo Ci had no way to find a way out. Finally, Yuan Xi took advantage of the opportunity to accompany him in the palace and recommended this magician to Emperor Ling.
Zuo Ci was grateful and presented him with a volume, a unique "Guidance Technique" that was integrated with Fangzhong Technique. But not long after, Zuo Ci left Luoyang because he was not taken seriously, and there was no trace after that. Yuan Xi never thought that he would see him at the post house in Yecheng today.
"General. This gentleman came to visit some time ago. At that time, the general had not returned from the expedition, so I placed him here. I wanted to tell the general after I had dealt with Xu Sheng and Zhang Ji." Liu Ye explained.
"Second Young Master, would you like to go inside and talk? There are two old acquaintances from Xu County who want to see the general." Zuo Ci said.
Yuan Xi made an invitation gesture and led his entourage into the house with Zuo Ci. At this time, two men dressed as warriors in the room suddenly stood up and saluted.
"Master, do you remember that we met in Luoyang?" said a warrior.
Yuan Xi looked familiar, and Xu Chu from behind shouted: "It was the one who delivered meals to Master Wang back then."
The warrior blushed. He held his fist and said, "I am the one who was entrusted by the teacher to hand over two things to the young master."
"How long have you been out?" Yuan Xi asked.
"This is the starting point for the Young Master's crusade against Cao Cao. However, due to the war, the roads everywhere were blocked. We did not arrive at Yecheng until two months ago. At that time, Mr. Liu said that the Young Master was out on business and asked them to wait in the post house." the warrior replied.
The warrior took out two small bamboo tubes sealed with fire paint from his body, handed them over and said, "The teacher ordered that they be handed over to General Yuan Benchu and the Second Young Master. But General Yuan passed away, and these were all given to the Second Young Master."
Yuan Xi took out the cloth from the bamboo tube and immediately put it away after looking at it.
"You can collect some of the expenses and go back to recover your life!" Yuan Xi ordered.
The two warriors agreed and thanked them profusely.
"What's wrong with Mr. Yuan Fang, coming together with them?" Yuan Xi looked at Zuo Ci. This magic stick is still the same as before, and he doesn't seem to have aged at all.
"Old Taoist, I met them when we were crossing the river. Only after we came to Yecheng together did we know that they were looking for the second young master." Zuo Ci replied.
"Then Mr. Yuan Fang traveled to Hebei?" Yuan Xi asked doubtfully.
"Haha!" Zuo Ci smiled and said, "Taoists are at home all over the world, and I heard that there are many secluded and famous mountains in Hebei. That's why I came to Hebei. I happened to hear that the second young master was in charge of Jizhou, so I came to visit you. Old friend."
Why would he wait for two months if he didn't have something to do? Yuan Xi thought about it and immediately understood Zuo Ci's intention. Although Warlock Fang looked like a fairy at this time, he was still a mortal after all. They also need to eat and clothe themselves.
If not for a wealthy family. They also have to make friends with some powerful people and ask these people to help them make alchemy. This is also the reason why Emperor Wu was able to recruit so many alchemists. Alchemists like Zuo Ci, unlike hermits such as Tian Chou and Zheng Xuan, could farm on their own. Farming can be self-sufficient, but what about the consumption of alchemy materials?
After thinking about this. Yuan Xi smiled lightly and said: "Mr. Yuan Fang has come all the way, and I must do my best to be a landlord. You can stay here and tell them if you need anything, or you can come to the Prefectural Mufu to see me at any time."
Yuan Xi thought that Zuo Ci still had some abilities, so he might as well fully explore his usefulness.
