“Wen Lie, you’re forcing your two uncles to break in!”
Xiahou Dun clasped his hands together, his knuckles cracking with a series of pops… He was at a loss, visiting his second brother’s home, only to be blocked by this brat Cao Xiu!
And Cao Gong won't see him? Impossible… If he, Xiahou Dun, wanted to see his second brother, he saw him the moment he decided; no one could stop him.
As it happened, Xiahou Dun’s temper flared, and he was about to barge in…
“Yuan Rang!” Cao Cao directly called out to stop him… “Do not be rash at Duke Lu’s residence!”
Uh… Xiahou Dun was bewildered. Was he being rash?
He felt that… Cao Xiu was the rash one for daring to block him.
Then, Cao Cao quickly walked over to the medical officers…
The medical officers had their backs to Cao Cao, dispensing medicine while discussing their insights. After all, Lu Yu had only taught them once, and while they remembered much of it at the time, they soon forgot. This time… as they discussed, many things came back to them.
“I recall Master Lu mentioning that when one catches a chill and falls ill promptly, it is called Shang Han (cold damage illness). If it doesn't develop promptly, what was it called?”
“This one, I remember! If it doesn’t manifest promptly, the cold toxicity hides between the skin and flesh of the body. If it breaks out in spring, it becomes Wen Bing (warm disease). If it breaks out in summer, it becomes Shu Bing (heatstroke illness). Shu Bing has the highest heat and is more dangerous, ten times more severe than Wen Bing!”
“This explains it! Even in this scorching summer, some people are suffering from this fatal Shang Han illness, all because of catching a chill in winter, with the cold toxicity lingering. We… we thought it was the miasma of summer at the time? Truly… too naive! As expected, hearing Master Lu speak is better than ten years of study!”
Once the topic turned to Lu Yu, it was evident that these medical officers’ eyes were filled with undisguised admiration!
In this era, being able to cure Shang Han illness brought immense impact!
It was almost equivalent to the Kingdom of Dragons receiving news that someone could cure cancer – it would be the focus of global attention!
Sigh…
Cao Cao let out a breath. The more he listened, the more profound it felt…
According to them, it seemed that Yu’er not only possessed medical skills but also… his medical expertise was so high that these physicians were willing to become his disciples.
Good heavens, how high must those medical skills be?
“Excuse me for a moment…” Cao Cao spoke…
The medical officers turned around upon hearing him, only to see Cao Cao.
They recognized Cao Cao and immediately cupped their fists. “Greetings, Governor Cao!”
“No need for formalities…” Cao Cao waved his hand… “I would like to ask, the master you speak of who taught the cure for Shang Han illness is…”
“Reporting to Governor Cao, it is Duke Lu…” the medical officer replied truthfully. “This morning… we rushed to the Dragon Soaring Camp. More than sixty soldiers there were suffering from Shang Han illness… We had already given up, but Duke Lu enlightened us with some medical principles… We felt there was some logic to these principles and tried to treat them. Indeed… more than forty out of the sixty Shang Han patients were cured!”
“Duke Lu’s medical skills are divine. We are immensely impressed… Therefore… we took Duke Lu as our master!”
Amazing!
Despite having thought so in his heart, the medical officer’s words still made Cao Cao’s heart flutter repeatedly…
Heh heh… At this moment, Cao Cao truly didn’t know whether to laugh or not?
Impressive, Yu’er!
Impressive, Sister-in-law!
Cao Cao was filled with emotion… Cai Yan, his virtuous sister-in-law, had truly raised such an outstanding son for him!
He understood military strategy, assessed situations, knew human hearts, grasped yin and yang… and now he was also skilled in medicine?
For a moment, Cao Cao even felt… Yu’er was not just a person, but almost a mythical figure! Such an exceptional son? Could he, Cao Cao, have fathered him? He didn't deserve it…
But then again…
While innate talent was one aspect, Yu’er’s encounters over the years were also a contributing factor!
Since Yu’er knew the method of cure… Cao Cao’s eyes narrowed. Couldn’t they just have Yu’er treat Xi Zhicai?
As soon as this thought arose…
Unexpectedly, the medical officer’s words poured a basin of cold water on him.
“Alas… it’s just a pity. Master Lu’s medical skills are superb, but… his grandmother, on her deathbed, forbade him from practicing medicine. Otherwise… otherwise, those seriously ill patients would surely be easily cured!”
Speaking of this, the medical officer shook his head helplessly. “It is only our fault… it is only our fault that we are untalented. Master Lu’s theories on treating Shang Han illness are quite obscure and difficult to understand… We have disgraced the sect. We, with our limited talents, have truly disgraced the sect!”
Oh… Grandmother?
Cao Cao’s body trembled slightly?
What a divine grandmother…
If they truly had a grandmother, he, Cao Cao, would be most interested! The key was… their grandmother, Yu’er’s master, had the same seniority as him, Cao Cao!
“Ahem…” Clearing his throat, Cao Cao pressed further, “Is Duke Lu unable to treat patients?”
“Precisely! Grandmother’s dying wish… this method of treating Shang Han illness is passed down to males, not females. Passing it to Master Lu already goes against ancestral teachings; he absolutely cannot act to save people anymore.” The medical officer nodded.
“Then… what is he doing in the study?” Cao Cao continued to ask…
“We reckon that, with Master Lu’s benevolent heart as a physician, he must be in the study summarizing this method of treating Shang Han illness into a book for us dull disciples to study repeatedly! In this way, we can live up to his esteemed reputation, and he can account for himself to his grandmother! Master Lu also taught us today to be noble people, pure people, people detached from vulgarity.”
This…
Cao Cao’s eyes fixed…
Not to mention, Yu’er went to the study with the virtuous sister Cai Yan.
They certainly weren’t there for any “shameful” activities. As for… summarizing and writing a medical book, that was very possible.
In that case, it was indeed not appropriate to disturb him now that he needed to concentrate fully!
However… not disturbing Yu’er didn’t mean not disturbing Yu’er’s disciples… They had learned something from him, and it seemed that those with mild symptoms could be easily cured.
And Xi Zhicai’s Shang Han illness… strictly speaking, it was only recently discovered and hadn’t progressed for long. Cao Cao felt… it shouldn’t be serious, at least not yet.
“Follow me for a moment!”
With this thought, Cao Cao immediately gave instructions…
Ah… the medical officers hadn’t figured out what was happening yet.
“Go and treat someone for me!” Cao Cao continued, his thoughts meticulous. He added a sentence: “It’s alright with your master; I’ll send someone to tell him, and he won’t blame you.”
Uh…
The medical officers were still a bit dazed. The key was that their master hadn’t allowed them to leave here!
Unexpectedly, Cao Cao grabbed one of their arms… and together with him, he mounted his horse, pulling the medical officer onto the horse as well…
As he mounted, he shouted, “Yuan Rang, grab the other one! Back to the medical office!”
Oh… Oh…
Xiahou Dun was clueless, but his elder brother Cao Cao had set the example, so he followed suit… mounting a horse with another medical officer.
In Cao Cao’s view, calling for a carriage would take too much time; there was no time to spare! They rode off together on horseback!
“Giddy up…”
“Got it, got it…”
With the neighing of the warhorses, the four people on two horses quickly disappeared down the quiet street.
Cao Cao’s horse was named Jueying (Shadowless); when it ran, not even its own shadow could be seen. Moreover, in winter… there were few people on the streets, just like a thunderclap!
The medical officer on the horse would never have imagined that he would be sharing a warhorse with Governor Cao!
Moreover… he seemed to be in Cao Cao’s embrace… In fact, because the horse was running too fast, he felt something pushing against him from behind, which was quite uncomfortable and awkward!
Fortunately, Cao Cao didn’t care…
In less than fifteen minutes, the four people on two horses had arrived at the medical office.
Cao Cao pulled the medical officer towards the back hall of the medical office, shouting as he ran, “Zhicai, Zhicai… you’re saved! I’ve brought medical officers to save you!”
This proclamation…
The entire medical office exploded. Countless Shang Han patients and the physicians present all crowded around…
Saved? The incurable Shang Han illness could be saved?
… How could it be saved?
Then… how should it be saved?
While they were watching, the two medical officers had already begun their diagnosis of Xi Zhicai using observation, listening, inquiry, and palpation…
“It seems… the symptoms are not complicated and are quite similar to the first case Master Lu examined at the Dragon Soaring Camp this morning…”
“Precisely…”
Instantly, Lu Yu’s teachings surfaced in their minds.
“If a patient has fever and headache, body aches, aversion to cold, vomiting, and diarrhea, this is ‘Huoluan’ (cholera) among Shang Han illnesses!”
“Huoluan is primarily characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. After the vomiting and diarrhea stop, if the fever reappears, accompanied by aversion to cold and a weak pulse, and also diarrhea; if the diarrhea stops, it indicates depletion of bodily fluids, and should be treated with Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang!”
Now…
These two medical officers had long regarded Master Lu’s medical principles as divine!
And… this patient in front of them was simple to cure.
Only needing “Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang”…
This was considered one of the simpler cases among the patients they had treated today, and they were familiar with the procedure.
“I’ll go get the herbs…”
“I’ll go prepare the decoction!”
Under the gaze of Cao Cao, Xiahou Dun, Xun Yu, Xun You… and a host of patients and physicians, these two medical officers were inexplicably full of confidence!
With so many people watching, they couldn’t tarnish their master’s name!
…
…
Chenliu Commandery, Cai Residence, Study.
“Volume Two, Shang Han Cases.”
Lu Yu was reciting the *Shang Han Za Bing Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases) with his eyes closed.
“Method for diagnosing diseases based on the four seasons, eight festivals, twenty-four solar terms, and seventy-two hou…”
Lu Yu’s speaking pace was not fast, trying his best to match Sister Zhao Ji’s writing speed.
At this moment, Cai Zhao Ji, dressed in a cyan-green gown, sat elegantly. Her calm and pretty face and exceptionally sharp eyes were fixed on every word on the bamboo slips!
Her writing speed was very fast, yet her handwriting was meticulous. This was the Flying White script, a type of seal script, passed down from her father Cai Yong. In this era, besides Zhong Yao, who was personally taught calligraphy by her father, only she, Cai Zhao Ji, as his daughter, could write in such a style.
Because she deliberately increased her writing speed, Cai Zhao Ji’s current speed was more than double her usual—her brush moved like flying!
Cai Zhao Ji deeply understood the importance of the medical principles Yu’er was reciting…
Therefore… she dared not slacken.
For a time, her tranquil and poised exterior formed a striking contrast with her vigorous brushstrokes!
If viewed from afar… her writing posture was extremely beautiful, like a purple lotus blooming in the mortal world, pure and elegant, unstained by dust!
“The six qi, host and guest, the third chapter of *Shang Han Za Bing Lun*… Jueyin gives birth to Shaoyin, Shaoyin gives birth to Shaoyang, Shaoyang gives birth to Taiyin!”
Lu Yu’s voice continued…
Recalling was never an easy task, especially for medical principles that he couldn’t fully comprehend. Lu Yu tried his best to be accurate with every word he recited…
Because he knew that in medicine, even the slightest mistake could lead to extremely severe consequences!
As the saying goes, a great physician is awe-inspiring!
—Volume One (Upper) Pulse Diagnosis Method, Volume One (Lower) Pulse Flattening Method, Volume Two Shang Han Cases, Volume Three Six Qi Host and Guest…
Lu Yu recited them almost in one breath…
Because of the need for recollection, these two volumes and three chapters alone took nearly two hours.
Slight beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.
“Brother Yu… do you want to rest for a bit?”
Cai Zhao Ji finished writing the last word and freed her hand to wipe Lu Yu’s forehead with a silk handkerchief, her heart filled with concern…
In fact, her hands were also very tired, but… she dared not stop. She was afraid of missing any medical principles that Brother Yu had painstakingly recalled.
She wanted even more for the Shang Han patients outside the door to be cured as soon as possible.
Cai Zhao Ji had been a kind-hearted woman since childhood, always thinking of others and rarely for herself.
Sigh…
He let out a long breath.
“Let’s continue… no need to rest. While the ideas are clearer now…”
He replied, and Lu Yu suddenly remembered that Sister Zhao Ji seemed very tired too… He was reciting, and Sister Zhao Ji was writing, thousands of characters, and on bamboo slips at that; it wasn’t easy.
“Sister Zhao Ji, why don’t you rest for a while? I’ll write it down directly!”
Lu Yu said…
“No need.” Cai Zhao Ji managed a weak smile. “I’m not tired at all; this is much easier than transcribing ancient texts…”
It’s hard to believe she wasn’t tired. Cai Zhao Ji didn’t want her younger brother to worry.
“Let’s continue, I’m really fine…”
Cai Zhao Ji slightly wiped her fingers with a damp handkerchief. The cool water could make her fingertips more agile and sensitive.
“Alright… let’s write two more volumes!”
Lu Yu let out a soft breath and closed his eyes.
—“Third Volume… Yin Yang Da Lun states: The qi of spring is mild, the qi of summer is hot, the qi of autumn is cool, and the qi of winter is icy. These are the sequences of the proper qi of the four seasons.”
—“In winter’s severe cold, all things hide deeply. If the gentleman is meticulous, he will not be harmed by the cold. If he is exposed, he will be called injured by cold. Those injured by the qi of the four seasons can all cause illness.”
Lu Yu continued to recite, and Cai Zhao Ji continued to write…
This pair of siblings seemed to have forgotten time and space, completely engrossed in this.
Unknowingly, the two had stayed in the study for a full four hours!
Finally… the first five chapters and the first four volumes of the *Shang Han Za Bing Lun* were completed…
“Where is General Cao Xiu?”
Lu Yu called out towards the door…
“This subordinate is here!”
Before long, Cao Xiu entered the inner room.
Lu Yu handed the four volumes of bamboo slips written by Sister Zhao Ji to him… “Find someone trustworthy to make a copy… then give one copy to me, and I’ll trouble you to personally take the other copy to Changsha Commandery!”
Changsha Commandery?
Upon hearing this, Cao Xiu was stunned…
Why Changsha Commandery? After all, Yan Province was not close to Changsha Commandery, and it required passing through Jingbei and Jingnan… Even with a fast horse, it would take at least half a month to arrive.
None of this was a problem…
But why send this medical book to Changsha Commandery? It couldn’t be… that Young Master Lu wanted to help the local prefect overcome this Shang Han crisis?
“Young Master Lu… I…”
As Cao Xiu was about to voice his doubts…
Lu Yu’s words preempted him. “These are the first four volumes of the *Shang Han Za Bing Lun* that I recited and Sister Zhao Ji wrote. You will deliver them to Changsha Prefect Zhang Zhongjing, and after that… he will return with you!”
That’s right, Zhang Zhongjing at this time was indeed the Prefect of Changsha…
Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the “recommendation of filial piety and incorruptibility” system for selecting officials had been implemented. For every 200,000 households, one filial and incorrupt official was to be recommended, and the imperial court would appoint them to office.
Zhang Zhongjing’s father had served as an official in the court. Young Zhang was also the son of an official, naturally inheriting his family’s legacy. He was recommended as filial and incorrupt and appointed as the Prefect of Changsha.
However… only Lu Yu knew that his mind was not on this prefecture, but on solving the problem of Shang Han illness.
As for why?
This goes back to the fact that before this year, the Han Dynasty had already experienced five large-scale outbreaks of Shang Han illness!
And Zhang Zhongjing’s family was a large clan, with over 200 members. However, due to Shang Han illness, two-thirds of his clansmen had died from it in ten years!
Therefore, from a very young age, Zhang Zhongjing decided to dedicate himself to studying the diagnosis and treatment of Shang Han illness, determined to conquer the plague of Shang Han illness.
As for the Prefect of Changsha Commandery…
To others, it might have seemed important, but compared to this *Shang Han Za Bing Lun*, it was nothing!
However… how could Cao Xiu know all this?
Ah… ah…
His mouth opened wide…
Lu Yu’s words truly startled him. This was too outrageous. Not to mention… whether Zhang Zhongjing would come upon receiving just four volumes of books!
The key issue was that he was the prefect of a commandery! Would he really resign from his post and leave Changsha to rush to Yan Province?
This… this was too absurd!
“Young Master Lu… might it be a bit… a bit…” Cao Xiu spoke, wanting to question Lu Yu but not knowing how to. His words stumbled.
“Don’t worry!” Lu Yu smiled slightly. “Be sure to keep these four volumes of bamboo slips safe. When you reach Changsha Commandery, if Prefect Zhang asks you anything, tell him you know nothing. If he presses, tell him that someone in Yan Province will explain it to him!”
Speaking of this, Lu Yu stood up abruptly and patted Cao Xiu on the shoulder.
His tone was extremely confident.
“The divine physician Zhongjing will definitely come! He definitely will!”
He had him figured out… Lu Yu had completely figured out Zhang Zhongjing!
Of course, there was a reason for sending Cao Xiu.
This boy, after his father died in childhood, lived with his mother in Wu Commandery…
Yan Province was far from Changsha, but Wu Commandery was not far from Changsha…
Furthermore, Cao Cao raised his army from Chenliu, and Cao Xiu had come from afar to pledge allegiance, earning the praise of Cao Cao as a “thousand-mile steed.” This time, having the “thousand-mile steed” travel a thousand miles to bring someone back, this task was very familiar to him!
Seeing Cao Xiu still hesitating, Lu Yu winked at him.
“If you don’t go, I can send Commander Dian…”
At this, Cao Xiu cupped his fists. “I will go, this subordinate will go!”
“This subordinate will prepare now, find someone to transcribe, and set off tomorrow morning!”
“Good!” Lu Yu nodded. “Bring more brothers! Be careful!”
“Yes…” With a final reply, Cao Xiu withdrew from the pavilion.
…
Brother Yu… is this?
Cai Zhao Ji watched Lu Yu’s actions, but… she didn’t understand! What did Brother Yu mean by this?
Zhang Zhongjing?
Isn’t he… isn’t he a renowned medical sage!
In the Han Dynasty, anyone whose title contained the word “sage” must have considerable skill in medicine. Could a few volumes of medical books make him resign from his official post and come?
This… seems a bit strange, doesn’t it?
Cai Zhao Ji gently tapped her forehead with her slender fingers. She found that… the older Brother Yu got, the more… she, as his elder sister, truly couldn’t figure him out anymore.
However, it seemed that… Brother Yu from childhood was cuter.
…
…