Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 40 Miraculous Medicine (Please continue reading)

into the night.

Zhang Xian went to the craftsmen from the Guo family and asked them to help him make some tools.

However, some of these items involved metalware, so he also sent two craftsmen back to Zhen Ding.

Brewing wine is not difficult, nor is distilling spirits. Zhang Xiangen, who was born in a small county town, grew up in the countryside. When he returned to his hometown as a child, he often saw villagers distilling rice wine.

That can be done with just two iron pots.

Moreover, compared to the strong flavor of baijiu (Chinese white liquor), distilled rice wine is clearly more suitable for this era.

After finishing his many tasks, it was already past midnight. Even the iron-willed Zhang Xian couldn't stay up any longer. After inspecting more than a dozen infected old cows, he went to wash up and go to sleep.

The dozen or so infected cows now are new recipients. The ones that were infected earlier have recovered within ten days and are no longer susceptible to reinfection. So, he had no choice but to exchange them with others.

Thanks to his current reputation, when he goes to trade old oxen with others, he usually only needs to add a few dozen coins for fodder, and people are willing to trade with him.

Of course, only wealthy farmers and powerful merchants dared to do this.

I slept fitfully all night.
-
The next day.

"It's been all over the place these days. Is it really true that there's a way to eradicate smallpox in Zhen Ding? Does anyone know?"

In the restaurants and eateries, merchants and diners chatted as they passed by.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and exchanging toasts, some people inevitably started boasting.

"Of course it's true! I saw it with my own eyes when I was selling goods in Zhengding a few days ago. Almost all the wealthy families in Zhengding tried it. If this method were fake, why would those wealthy families bother with it?"

"Wow, if this is true, then the doctor can truly be called a contemporary miracle doctor."

"Indeed, I heard that the doctor initially treated the youngest son of the Guo family in Zhending for lung disease, a disease that left all the doctors in Zhending helpless."

"Once I've finished selling all the goods I have, I'll definitely take my family with me. These days, you never know when we might get caught up in the smallpox epidemic."

"Really! Then, brother, could you please take my family with you when you go?"

"Haha, what's the big deal? We'll go together then."

"Brother, you are so generous! Come, let me offer you a toast."

All sorts of rumors spread rapidly to all corners of the world through the mouths of merchants and travelers, growing wider and wider with each passing day.

The makeshift stalls under the taverns provided a place for passersby to rest and sold some food.

A man was resting there with a young child.

The man's temples were still white, his eyes were sharp like a hawk's, and he wore a gray linen robe that covered his iron frame. His shoulders were as broad as a horizontal sword, and he carried a sheathless ring-pommel sword with old bloodstains visible on the blade.

He reached out and stroked the child's head; the calluses on his hands were as thick as copper coins. Three bronze arrowheads at his waist jingled softly with each movement. He leaned against a pillar and ordered some hot porridge for his son, while he himself ate half a cold pancake with cold water. With each swallow, he swallowed half a lifetime's worth of memories.

The conversation above reached his ears. When the man heard about the lung disease, his eyes widened like a tiger's. He looked down at the child and said, "Xu'er, don't move. Let your father go and check it out."

"Cough cough... Father, Xu'er won't run around." The man felt extremely sorry for his young son's pale face. He used his calloused, thick hands to tenderly wipe the porridge stains from the corner of his son's mouth: "Xu'er is the most well-behaved."

Having said that, he strode up the restaurant, found the source of the sound, and intended to ask more questions.

Over the years, he has sought out skilled doctors in several states to treat his young son, who was born with a chronic illness, but unfortunately, all these years have been in vain.

This was his last attempt to try his luck in Chang'an, but he didn't expect to hear some things when he arrived.

Upon reflection, he realized he had indeed heard these words frequently these days, but he had been preoccupied with his young son's illness and had no time to attend to anything else. After confirming the result of the merchant's oath several times, the man made up his mind.

"Thank you for your understanding, brother. If we are destined to meet again, I will definitely have a hearty drink with you."

"Oh well, never mind." The merchant looked a little unhappy that his drinking mood had been ruined, but he could tell that the eight-foot-tall man in front of him must have encountered something at home to be so anxious. He waved his hand and said, "What I said is all what I saw with my own eyes. If there is really an illness at home, then don't delay and go quickly."

"It's about five or six hundred li from here to Zhengding, it's quite a journey."

"Thank you!" The man clasped his hands in a salute and was about to go downstairs when he heard the merchant say again, "Brother, you have an extraordinary bearing. May I ask your name?"

The man turned and bowed again: "Huang Zhong of Nanyang! Huang Hansheng!"
-
Peach Blossom Spring.

Another ten days or so of smallpox vaccination and treatment were conducted. In the vast town of Zhending, Zhang Xian treated almost every well-known and respected doctor.

As more and more scions of wealthy families recovered, his reputation as a miracle doctor grew even stronger.

Nowadays, even the most skilled doctors in Zhen Ding have to address him as "Master Zhang".

The reason was simple: after inoculating the powerful families of Zhending with smallpox, he taught all the doctors the complete method of smallpox vaccination.

His unconventional approach to diagnosis and treatment surprised many doctors and even sparked a debate within the medical community.

Of course, the result of the diagnosis cannot be changed, but this diagnosis has greatly benefited all the doctors, both big and small, in the Zhen Ding medical community.

All the doctors treated Zhang Xian with the respect due to a teacher.

He did not refuse, only saying that if anyone wanted to learn the smallpox vaccination method, they could go to his Taoyuan. There was no need for formal apprenticeship; they only needed to practice medicine in Taoyuan for five days after completing the course.

Many people followed his words, and within two days, as many as a hundred physicians came to Taoyuan to study.

Zhang Xianquan welcomes all patients, but he has made it clear to the professor beforehand that he must devote himself fully to the consultations during the five-day consultation period.

The doctors, of course, gave them every possible guarantee.

Zhang Xian chose to trust them, and didn't even write a contract. He only made a schedule and arranged the more than one hundred doctors in order.

He then led these doctors through everything from the initial safety precautions for smallpox vaccination to the final taboos to be observed during the inoculation process, teaching them everything with utmost care.

Although the smallpox inoculation method sounds a bit mysterious, it is not complicated for these doctors who have spent half their lives dealing with epidemics.

The only complicated part was that Zhang Xian had to explain and interpret the principles of smallpox treatment carefully, word by word.

Fortunately, the support of a Level 3 medical certification allowed him to explain it.

That's right, his medical level is level three.

As the sons of the powerful families in Zhending recovered one after another, a flood of medical experience came rushing towards him like a tidal wave.

In just a few days, he gained nearly tens of thousands of medical experience points, which boosted his medical level to level three. With just a little more, he could directly reach level four.

[Medical Grade: 3 (41237/50000)]

Sub-skill: Herbal Knowledge 2: You possess herbal knowledge of almost all medicinal herbs and can clearly understand the medicinal effects and corresponding therapeutic effects of each herb.

Diagnosis: Through observation, you can determine the condition and type of illness of the observed person with a high probability.

Good Medicine 2: Medicines that you develop, prepare, and prescribe will increase the effectiveness of treatment by 10%.

Miracle Medicine: Miracle medicine recipes unlocked. Currently available miracle medicines to configure include (Strength Pill, Swiftness Pill, Wisdom Pill).

(End of this chapter)