Chapter Thirty Qi Huang's Mysterious Book

  "Alright, you speak." Tang Xiao Feng said with a smile as he gazed at the mysterious old man lying on the bed. Chu Tian Jin slowly closed his eyes, exhaled slowly, and began to tell a legendary story that would benefit Tang Xiao Feng for the rest of his life.

  "My ancestral home is Suzhou, and I come from a well-known martial arts family in the Jiangnan region. I also have some knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine. In modern terms, it means that our family combines martial arts with medical skills, and many of my relatives practice medicine to make a living. However, because of this, we have always been looked down upon by other martial artists and are not considered to be part of the upper echelons."

  "Our family has a traditional secret recipe for medicine, which can enhance one's physical constitution and the effects of washing meridians and moistening bones. Long-term use also has the effects of strengthening tendons and bones, benefiting life and prolonging years. This is a medical record of our family, as well as a mysterious book of Qihuang. It is also like other noble families, only passed down to males, not females, and only to the eldest son in the family."

  "Wait, wait, you're saying that after taking your medicine, one can wash away their past experiences and live forever?" Tang Xiao Feng listened to the martial arts-like story and felt that the old man was probably not fully awake yet. "Haha," Chu Tian Jin burst out laughing at his words, "My family's secret recipe is a traditional Chinese medicine, not some kind of magical elixir. Although my country's 5,000-year-old traditional medical heritage is vast and profound, it also cannot change the natural order."

  "In the third year of Jianwen, it happened that the 27th generation heir of the Chu family, Chu Yixuan, was in charge. One day, six people came to seek medical treatment, and judging from their accents, they were from the capital city. The leader was a young nobleman, dressed in the most luxurious attire, with an air of grandeur about him; at first glance, it was clear that he was not an ordinary commoner, but rather a member of the nobility or officialdom. However, between his eyebrows, there was a faint dark energy, clearly caused by excessive indulgence."

  "After a conversation, Yixuan found that the young man was well-read in poetry and books, had great ambitions, and occasionally showed heroic emotions of governing the country and pacifying the world. Yixuan couldn't help but feel curious about his identity, but with five attendants present, he didn't dare to ask, so he whispered the cause of the illness in his ear."

  The young man was overjoyed when he heard this, and hastily asked what method could cure him. Mr. Yixuan said it was a secret recipe passed down from his ancestors and couldn't be shown to outsiders, so he wanted the young master to follow him to the inner chamber. Although the five attendants had difficult expressions on their faces, they didn't dare go against their master's intentions.

  "In the inner chamber, the two of them chatted for a while longer. Then, Yixuan Gong asked him questions. The young man did not hide anything and turned out to be Emperor Huizong Zhu Yunwen in disguise, who had traveled incognito to Jiangnan. In 1401, which was also the fourth year of Jianwen, Yixuan Gong was summoned to serve as a physician at the Imperial Hospital and became a fifth-rank official. Due to his family's generations-long tradition of medicine, he was also bestowed by Emperor Huizong with the position of managing the Hui Min Medicine Bureau and the Sheng Yao Ku."

  The Imperial Hospital was established in the 22nd year of Hongwu (1389) and renamed from the Medical Officer's Office. It had one Chief Official, with a rank of Grade 5; two Deputy Officials, with a rank of Grade 6. The subordinate institutions included the Benevolent People's Pharmacy and the Raw Medicine Warehouse, as well as workshops for making medicinal pastes, pills, powders, and granules. The Chief Official of the Imperial Hospital was in charge of medical affairs, assisted by the Deputy Officials. Their duties included: 1. Collecting, identifying, and storing medicinal herbs. The Raw Medicine Warehouse was where the Imperial Hospital collected medicinal herbs; it also had a pharmacy, also known as the Imperial Pharmacy, which collected medicinal herbs according to quotas set nationwide.

  "Old man's imagination is quite rich, probably because he watched too many TV dramas." Tang Xiao Feng listened more and felt like the old man was making up stories. The old man loved to talk, and he didn't want to interrupt him, so he just smiled and listened, pretending to be amused by the old man's tales.

  The Jianwen Emperor and his trusted ministers, Qi Qin and Huang Zicheng, secretly plotted to reduce the power of the princes. The kings of Zhou, Dai, Qi, Xiang, and Min were successively demoted or killed. Yuxuan Gong had an opinion on this but was powerless to do anything. The Jianwen Emperor used border defense as a pretext to transfer away the elite troops of the Yan King, preparing to eliminate him. As a result, the Yan King Zhu Di launched the Jingnan Campaign under the suggestion of Yao Guangxiao, using the name "clearing the emperor's side". He eventually occupied Nanjing, and the Jianwen Emperor disappeared in a fire at the palace. Zhu Di was victorious, and the Jingnan Campaign came to an end. Zhu Di abolished the Jianwen era and continued to use the Hongwu calendar, changing the fourth year of Jianwen to the 35th year of Hongwu, and the next year changed the era to Yongle. At the same time, he ordered the restoration of all laws and official systems that had been changed during the Jianwen era. In the first year of Yongle, Zhu Di ascended the throne as the Chengzu Emperor. Yuxuan Gong retired due to illness and wanted to return to his hometown but his family members were scattered in the war and he could only settle down in Ying Tian.

  "It's too fake." Tang Xiao Feng couldn't listen anymore, he was skeptical in his heart but couldn't say it directly, "Your ancestral medical skills are so powerful, why don't you donate the medical book to the country? And how come you have no children?" Chu Tianjin heard this and her eyes turned red, tears streaming down.

  "I originally had a son and a daughter, with one grandson. My grandson was beaten to death in the factional armed struggle of the Red Guards, and later his opposing faction somehow dug up the fact that my ancestors were imperial physicians during the Ming dynasty, and both of my children were arrested on charges of being feudalistic guardians."

  "My son was beaten to death, my daughter was tormented by over a hundred Red Guards for three days and nights until she died. My wife couldn't bear the blow and took her own life twenty-nine years ago. Now only I'm left, this old bones barely clinging to life, why should I donate to the country?"

  "Unintentionally, I asked about the old man's heartache, making him so sad. Tang Xiao Feng felt guilty, 'Grandfather, sorry, I...I didn't know...Since it's like this, we two have such a good fate, probably heaven's will. From now on, I'll take care of you, we're not relatives, but better than relatives.'"

  Chu Tian wiped away a tear, "Child, you have this heart, I haven't misjudged you. My time is almost up, and I won't need your care anymore. You possess a doctor's benevolent heart, I only hope that you can pass on our family's traditional medical skills again, so as not to let the Chinese medicine that our ancestors devoted their hearts and souls to come to an end."

  "Don't say that, you look so good, how could...""I've been taking medicine all my life, and I'm still very clear about my own body. Haven't you heard of 'hui guang fan zhao'? Most people only have it for a short while, but because I've been taking medicine regularly, I've prolonged that time."

  "I've been living in this world for a long time, but it's already lost its meaning. I just haven't found someone worthy of entrusting things to yet. Don't say any more nonsense, remember that I live at No. 1, Lane 5, Red Star Street. In my bedroom, behind the cabinet, there is a movable brick in the wall with a sandalwood box inside. Bring it to me." The old man said and handed over a set of keys, Tang Xiao Feng hastily took them and memorized every word the old man had just said.

  Chu Tian finished speaking, as if he had finally handed over the last thing, and lay down with a relaxed face. "You go quickly, I want to rest for a while, I'm a bit tired."

  "Leaving the hospital, 'this is a bit too absurd.' Looking at the key in his hand, Tang Xiao Feng didn't know what to do. 'The old man didn't have to deceive me, did he? He really does have some differences from ordinary people. Forget it, go help him bring over the box.'"

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