Chapter 55: The Young Master’s Life

Zuo Gui returned to the room with his hands behind him and sat down. He examined the pulse and tongue again, then considered.

“It has been freezing these last few days. She may have caught cold-damp on the journey back, producing water overflow from yang deficiency. Let us try True Warrior Decoction.”

He took paper and brush from the chest and wrote out Zhen Wu Tang. The original formula contained no cinnamon twig, but cinnamon twig always headed his prescriptions, and this was no exception.

True Warrior Decoction was a classical formula from *Treatise on Cold Damage*, used to warm and transform water-dampness. By warming yang and promoting urination, it chiefly treated retained water-dampness. Cinnamon twig was not part of it, but could both promote water movement and free yang, so adding it did no harm. Judging by the tongue, this modified version was reasonably suited to the symptoms.

From the recent cases, Shaoyang knew his father prescribed cautiously. He avoided excessively drastic or dangerous remedies. Even if this decoction achieved little, it should at least do no harm. With no plan of his own, Shaoyang could only try it.

He dispensed the modified prescription and decocted it himself. Since the old woman remained unconscious and unable to drink, he slowly administered it through the crane-spouted pot. Then they waited.

News spread that the father-and-son travelling physicians had come on New Year’s Day. The villagers were touched. Those with ailments came for treatment, those without came to watch, and even people from neighbouring villages gathered outside Auntie Li’s house.

Her son set up a table and two stools in the open space for them to see patients.

Most had colds or coughs, which Zuo Gui could generally manage. By the time they finished, it was evening. He calculated that the fees due would come to nearly forty wen and felt pleased.

He had reckoned that thirty wen a day would cover their costs; anything more was profit. Leaving aside the twenty-odd wen Shaoyang had brought home at noon, the afternoon’s work alone had already paid its way. If every day brought as much, rent and living expenses would no longer be a worry.

Still, they could hardly raise the outstanding four thousand one hundred within half a month through travelling practice alone.

For now, however, Auntie Li’s condition occupied him more than the debt. As he treated the other patients, he kept watching the house. Each time the man observing her came out, his dejected expression made Zuo Gui more uneasy.

While helping his father, Shaoyang kept turning the case over in his mind. He thought about it all afternoon and remained baffled.

Peilan had gone into the mountains to cut wood. Her family lived in hardship: her father dead, her mother’s lame leg preventing normal work, three younger siblings still only children. They depended entirely on her farming and, in the slack season, selling firewood.

The Jia family whose child they had treated were Laohuai Village’s only landlords. Some villagers owned no land and rented fields from them, paying rent from their harvests. Peilan’s family were among their tenants.

Master Jia had heard as soon as the physicians arrived. He came in person, but, finding them busy, did not interrupt. Instead he left Steward Jia nearby to attend them.

When they finished, the steward bowed.

“Physician Zuo, young physician, my master has prepared a modest meal and invites you to take a little wine.”

“It is New Year’s Day,” Zuo Gui replied. “We ought not to intrude. Please convey our thanks.”

The steward grew anxious and bowed repeatedly.

“My master says you have worked hard to visit our village on the first day. He has not properly thanked you for saving our young master. Whatever the day, I must bring you both. If you refuse, I cannot answer to him.”

His sincerity persuaded Zuo Gui. Auntie Li had shown no improvement; they would probably have to remain overnight to observe her. With the Jia family’s help, their work would be easier. He thanked the steward and agreed.

First he checked the old woman. She remained unconscious. He stroked his beard, at a loss. When her relatives asked what to do, he dared not change the prescription at random and could only say they should wait.

Shaoyang took her pulse and examined her tongue too. Finding no sign of improvement, he felt deeply discouraged. He followed his father and the steward to Master Jia’s house.

The feast was ready. They were invited to sit, and the old gentleman with the walking stick whom they had seen before—Master Jia’s father—urged food and wine upon them warmly.

After several rounds, Master Jia clasped his hands towards Zuo Gui.

“This meal serves two purposes. First, on behalf of everyone in the village, young and old, I thank you for coming to treat us on New Year’s Day. Second, I thank the young physician for saving my son last night. I will never forget it.”

Father and son stared at him in surprise.

“My son was in town last night,” Zuo Gui said. “He did not come here. How could he have saved your boy?”

“My son developed another high fever and convulsions. Fortunately, the young physician gave me two emergency pills yesterday and said they could help if that happened. I gave him one, and indeed the fever fell, the convulsions stopped and he recovered. Was that not saving his life?”

Master Jia raised his cup.

“When you offered them yesterday, I thought he was cured and the pills unnecessary. I accepted only because you were so kind. Yet that very night we needed one. Without those pills, my son might already… Ah! He was fortunate to meet the two of you and escape disaster. Let me drink to you in thanks.”

Both physicians silently thanked their luck. They raised their cups, made modest replies and drank.

Master Jia slapped his thigh, his expression hardening.

“I thought Doctor Ni was skilled. When my family or I were ill before, we went to him and recovered, but those were only diarrhoea, colds and headaches. Faced with a serious illness, he proves useless! He thumped his chest and declared the boy cured, yet the moment we returned home, it happened again. Without the young physician’s foresight, Huimin Hall would have cost him his life.

“From now on, I’ll consult only Guizhi Hall. And I’ll tell everyone. They should be warned away from that famous but useless establishment—unable to cure little illnesses and killing people with serious ones!”

Zuo Gui chuckled awkwardly but made no answer. He did not wish to seem to kick a man when he was down. He also knew how patients could be. Cure them, and everything about you was wonderful. Fail once, particularly in an important case, and they denied you any ability at all. Master Jia was praising him extravagantly because they had cured the boy. If they failed, he might be the one cursed.

After railing at Huimin Hall, Master Jia resumed his smiling hospitality and pressed several more cups on them. Then he turned to Zuo Gui.

“Your prescription is clearly the effective one. Would you examine my son carefully again and make sure the illness is rooted out? Cure him, and I shall reward you handsomely.”

Already a little dizzy, Zuo Gui hastily clasped his hands.

“No more payment, please. The fee you have already given us is far more than enough, even for further treatment.”

Master Jia was delighted. Having the physicians dine with him had chiefly been a way to obtain another examination for his son.

He had thought Doctor Ni’s treatment had removed the illness at its root. Instead, they had returned home on New Year’s Eve only for the boy’s convulsions to recur that night. Had he not happened to visit Guizhi Hall to give thanks and received the emergency pills, his son might have died. The thought had frightened the whole family.

At night the town gates were shut. On New Year’s Day, clinics customarily did not see patients. By morning the child was lively again, and one emergency pill remained, so they had decided to wait until the second day, then go to Guizhi Hall.

Unexpectedly, at noon came word that father and son had arrived to treat their tenant Li’s mother. Master Jia immediately sent the steward to wait until they had finished and invite them over, precisely so they could examine his son.

“So you agree to treat him, Physician Zuo?” he asked eagerly.

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