Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

A haggard-looking woman sat nearby, watching over her child, tears welling up in her eyes.

Upon seeing Zhu Han enter, the woman was initially taken aback, but then, as if grasping at a lifeline, she abruptly stood up, knelt on the ground with a thud, and cried out:

"Doctor, please save my child! He's been sick for days, and it's getting worse. I don't know what to do..."

Zhu Han quickly stepped forward to help the woman up and gently comforted her, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, let me check on the child first." As he spoke, he walked to the bedside, gently felt the child's pulse, and his brows gradually furrowed.

"How is the child's diet on a daily basis?" Zhu Han asked while carefully examining the child's symptoms.

The woman wiped away her tears and said, "We're poor, there's nothing good to eat, so the children eat coarse grains with us, and sometimes we don't even have enough to eat..."

Zhu Han understood that the child had suffered from long-term malnutrition and had also contracted an epidemic, leaving him extremely weak.

He pondered for a moment, then took out some precious medicinal herbs from his medicine box and began to prepare the medicine.

"Boy, go and fetch some clean water," Zhu Han instructed. The boy responded and hurriedly ran out to find water.

While preparing the herbs, Zhu Han said to the woman, "Sister-in-law, besides medication, we also need to pay attention to the child's diet. Once the child is better, try to give him something nutritious to eat, even just a bowl of hot porridge can help him regain some strength."

The woman nodded repeatedly: "Doctor, I've written it all down. I'll do anything to save my child."

A short while later, the boy returned with a bowl of water.

Zhu Han carefully fed the child the prepared herbs, and then used water to wipe the child's forehead and body to cool the fever down.

After doing all this, Zhu Han stood up and said to the woman, "Sister-in-law, the child's illness needs to be treated slowly. I will come to examine him every day for the next few days, so don't worry."

The woman was moved to tears and was about to kneel down and kowtow, but Zhu Han quickly stopped her: "Sister-in-law, there's no need for that. This is my duty as a doctor."

After leaving the thatched hut, Zhu Han and Tongzi immediately headed to the next one.

That day, they traveled almost the entire village, treating dozens of patients.

As darkness fell, night enveloped the entire mountain village.

Zhu Han and Tong Zi dragged their weary bodies back to their temporary lodging. It was an abandoned old house; though simple, it at least provided shelter from the wind and rain.

The boy plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. "Your Highness, I'm exhausted today, but seeing that those patients can be saved makes it all worthwhile."

Zhu Han sat down to the side, rubbing his sore shoulders, and said, "Tongzi, this is just the beginning. The epidemic in the village is not yet fully under control. We will have to continue tomorrow."

The boy nodded: "Your Highness, rest assured, I'll follow you, no matter how tiring it is."

Just then, there was a sudden burst of noisy footsteps outside.

Zhu Han and Tong Zi stood up alertly, only to see a group of people carrying torches walking menacingly toward them.

The leader was a physician dressed in magnificent official robes, with an angry expression on his face.

"Who are you? How dare you practice medicine here without permission? Don't you know that this violates government regulations?" the physician shouted.

Zhu Han calmly stepped forward and said, "We only stepped in to help because we couldn't bear to see the people suffering from the epidemic. Although government regulations cannot be violated, human lives are at stake, how can we sit idly by?"

The medical officer sneered, "Hmph, stop with the sweet talk. You've been practicing medicine on your own, disrupting the government's epidemic prevention order. You must come with us!"

As he spoke, the physician waved his hand, and several constables behind him stepped forward to seize Zhu Han and the boy. The boy was terrified and his face turned pale. He hid tightly behind Zhu Han.

Zhu Han, undaunted, said loudly, "Wait! I have a secret letter in my hand, personally sent by the Crown Prince, which proves that our trip is to assist in epidemic prevention, not to treat patients privately."

The physician was taken aback, then said, "Hmph, don't try to intimidate me with the Crown Prince. I want to see if this secret letter of yours is real or fake."

Zhu Han took out a secret letter from his bosom and handed it to the physician.

The physician took the secret letter and examined it carefully by the light of the torch. As he looked, his expression gradually became serious.

"This...this is indeed the Crown Prince's handwriting..." the physician murmured to himself.

Zhu Han seized the opportunity to say, "Your Excellency, the epidemic is severe and the people are suffering terribly. We should work together to fight the epidemic, instead of blaming each other and delaying the opportunity to treat the people."

The physician was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "You're right, I misunderstood you. However, although you're trying to save lives, you should still consult with the authorities to avoid causing unnecessary trouble."

Zhu Han cupped his hands and said, "The physician is right. We will definitely pay attention in the future."

The physician returned the secret letter to Zhu Han and said, "In that case, you may continue to practice medicine here. If needed, the government will provide some assistance."

Zhu Han said gratefully, "Thank you for your understanding, Physician. We will do our best to save more people."

The physician nodded and left with the constables.

Watching them leave, the boy breathed a sigh of relief: "Your Highness, that really scared me to death. Luckily, we had the Crown Prince's secret letter, otherwise we would have been in real trouble."

Light footsteps suddenly came from outside the door, followed by three knocks. Zhu Han looked up and said calmly, "Come in."

The door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man with a haggard face walked in, dressed in coarse linen clothes, his face full of anxiety.

As soon as the man entered the house, he knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling: "Doctor, please save my wife! She has been sick for three days and three nights, and she can't even drink water. She's about to die."

Zhu Han stood up, picked up his straw hat and put on his outer robe, and asked casually, "Have you consulted the village doctor?"

"I've already been to the doctor!" the man choked out. "But the doctor only glanced at her and left, saying it was an incurable disease and that we should prepare for the worst. But she's still alive, doctor. As long as she has a breath left, I can't give up."

Zhu Han's gaze darkened, and he nodded, saying, "Lead the way."

The night was deep as the two walked through narrow alleys, the muddy ground slippery, and the wind blowing from the river carried a chilly, damp air.

The house was at the far end of the village, with a dim oil lamp hanging outside, its light flickering in the wind.

The door was ajar, and a faint cough could be heard from inside.

Zhu Han pushed open the door and entered. The room was filled with a mixture of herbs and putrid smells.

A young woman lay on the bed, her face sallow, her lips cracked, and her breathing faint.

Her fingers were icy cold, her chest rose and fell slightly, and her heartbeat was barely audible.

Zhu Han stepped forward and took his pulse.

The moment his fingertips touched the pulse, his brows furrowed, and he said in a deep voice, "Cold has entered the middle burner, heat toxins have attacked the heart, and both qi and blood are weakened—this is no ordinary epidemic."

The man hesitated for a moment: "Then... can it still be saved?"

Zhu Han did not answer immediately, but turned to look at the medicine pot in the corner of the room.

The remaining dregs inside were black, indicating that a dispersing formula had been used, which was not only ineffective but also depleted her last bit of vital energy.

"What medicine did she take?"

"It was prescribed by the official doctor; he said it could reduce fever and dispel cold..."

Zhu Han sighed, "We've made a mistake. This woman's illness is not caused by external pathogens, but by internal damage. She has a mixture of cold and heat, and her qi and blood are exhausted. Administering more diaphoretic medicine would be tantamount to hastening her death."

The man, his face ashen, pleaded, "Doctor, I'd give my life if it could save her."

Zhu Han shook his head slightly and took out the needle pouch and medicine packet.

The silver needles gleamed coldly under the lamp. He said in a deep voice, "Fetch hot water, and prepare half a bundle of mugwort." The man hurriedly did as he was told. Zhu Han sat by the bed, his hands moving swiftly, the needles falling like rain.

"Clear the mind, invigorate the spleen, and gather yang energy—"

Each needle was placed precisely and steadily, causing the woman's chest to rise and fall slightly.

The incense burned, filling the room with warmth. Sweat dripped from Zhu Han's forehead, but he didn't stop.

About half an hour later, the woman let out a faint whimper, and her breath moved slightly between her lips.

Zhu Han took out his medicine bag, picked out a few herbs, crushed them, put them in a bowl, added hot water, and fed them to Zhu Han.

The man knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face: "Doctor, she...she can be saved?"

Zhu Han put down the silver needles, his expression calm: "Although the breath is weak, the life force is not exhausted. If the patient can wake up within three days after taking this medicine, he will be fully recovered."

The man choked back tears and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "I will never forget your great kindness!"

Zhu Han said nothing, but simply turned and left.

The wind blew through the alleyway, and the lights flickered. He stood outside the door, looking at the deep night, and slowly closed his eyes.

The next morning, Zhu Han returned to that household.

The woman was able to open her eyes slightly, and although her face was still weak, it had regained some color.

As soon as he entered, the man rushed to greet him: "Doctor, she's really better! She was able to drink porridge last night!"

Zhu Han smiled and nodded: "You still need to take the medicine for another seven days as prescribed. Don't be careless."

After saying this, he left behind a few tonics and turned to leave.

The boy was already waiting at the village entrance. Seeing him return, he hurried forward and said, "Your Highness, you barely slept a wink last night. Why don't you rest for a bit?"

Zhu Han shook his head: "The people's illnesses are not yet cured, how can we rest now?"

The boy sighed, took out some dry food and stuffed it into his mouth: "At least fill your stomach with some food first, you can't fall ill."

Zhu Han took the dry rations and was about to set off when he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the east of the village.

"Come quick! The Zhang family over there, the whole family is sick!"

The crowd panicked and scattered, with cries and screams filling the air. Zhu Han immediately quickened his pace.

In Old Zhang's courtyard, seven or eight people lay on the ground, three of them barely breathing, and the smell of herbs still lingered from the cooking fire inside the house.

Zhu Han immediately noticed something amiss and asked in a deep voice, "Did anyone come to deliver medicine last night?"

A woman answered tearfully, "It was sent by the government's medical officers. They said it was a standardized prescription that all patients should take... but not long after drinking the medicine, people fainted."

Zhu Han frowned, picked up a packet of medicine residue from the ground, and rubbed it between his fingertips, causing it to change color instantly.

"This medicine contains aconite and prepared aconite root, which are originally used to dispel cold, but if it is mistakenly combined with licorice, it will immediately become poisonous."

The crowd gasped in shock. The boy's face also changed: "Your Highness, isn't this a deadly poison?"

Zhu Han said in a deep voice, "The pharmacology may not have been carefully examined, and there may have been oversights, but the error in this prescription is not a coincidence."

He turned and instructed the boy, "Go and summon the physician from last night. I want to get to the bottom of this."

Before long, the physician he had seen the night before rushed over, looking anxious: "Your Highness, I heard someone has died?"

Zhu Han asked in a cold voice, "Who prepared the medicine you sent last night?"

"It was prepared by the pharmacists of the government according to the prescription... The prescription came from above, and I dare not change it without authorization."

"But did you test the medicine?"

The physician was taken aback, speechless. Zhu Han's gaze was as cold as a knife: "To treat a doctor without verifying the medicine is tantamount to murder."

The physician turned pale and knelt on the ground. The surrounding crowd gathered, and weeping filled the air.

Zhu Han's gaze swept over the kneeling physician, then looked at the patients lying haphazardly in the courtyard. His voice was low but clear: "This is not the time to assign blame. Saving lives is the priority."

The physician was overjoyed and hurriedly got up, but stumbled a few steps due to nervousness.

Zhu Han turned and walked into the room, beginning to carefully examine the symptoms of each patient.

He would sometimes lean down to listen to his breathing, sometimes gently press his pulse, his brows furrowed, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

"Boy, bring me paper and pen," Zhu Han ordered in a deep voice.

The boy quickly fetched paper and pen, and Zhu Han wrote down a prescription, handing it to the physician: "Go quickly to get the medicine according to this prescription, and bring it here immediately after it's decocted. Remember, the dosage of each ingredient must be precise, without the slightest error."

The physician took the prescription as if it were a priceless treasure and hurriedly left.

Zhu Han continued to work in the courtyard, instructing villagers to move patients to well-ventilated areas and ordering people to boil water for fumigation.

His movements were swift and orderly, as if he were racing against death every moment.

"Your Highness, will this prescription work?" a villager asked cautiously, his eyes full of worry.

Zhu Han looked up, his gaze firm: "This prescription is for aconite and prepared aconite root poisoning. It uses licorice to detoxify and is supplemented with other medicinal materials to regulate qi and blood. It should be effective. But the key is timeliness. If it is delayed any longer, it may be difficult to reverse the damage."

Upon hearing this, the villagers nodded in agreement, a glimmer of hope igniting in their eyes.

Zhu Han then turned to the boy and said, "Go and stand guard at the village entrance. As soon as the physician arrives, bring him in immediately."

The boy accepted the order and left, while Zhu Han continued to work in the courtyard.

He would sometimes comfort the patients' families, sometimes instruct the villagers on how to care for the patients, and sometimes personally feed the patients water and wipe their bodies.

His figure moved through the courtyard like a solid barrier, protecting every fragile life.

Before long, the physician hurriedly returned with the prepared medicine.

Zhu Han took the medicine bowl, tasted it himself, and only after confirming that it was correct did he instruct the physician and villagers to feed the medicine to the patient.

He stood aside, carefully observing each patient's reaction, ready to adjust the treatment plan at any time.

Time passed second by second, and the effects of the medicine gradually became apparent.

The patient, who had been unconscious, began to breathe faintly, and his complexion gradually improved.

Zhu Han's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, revealing a tired yet relieved smile.

"Your Highness, you are truly a miracle doctor!" A villager knelt down excitedly and kowtowed repeatedly.

Zhu Han quickly helped the villager up, shaking his head and saying, "A doctor's heart should be benevolent, that's how it should be. But this incident cannot be completely resolved by medical skills."

The villagers looked puzzled upon hearing this.

Zhu Han sighed and continued, "Although this case of aconite and prepared aconite root poisoning was caused by a mistake in the prescription, it reflects a deeper problem. The procurement, storage, and preparation of medicinal materials must all be strictly controlled at every stage; the slightest carelessness could lead to disaster." (End of Chapter)