I did not know if this young friend would be willing to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau to achieve great ambitions
“Su Ting, follow this prescription and brew the medicine. You had to force him to eat something. If he could not eat ordinary food, then first make him take sugar-salt water.” More than half of the young man’s face was covered by a cotton gauze mask. He wore a narrow-sleeved white robe hastily sewn by the mansion’s maidservants overnight. Having checked each patient in the isolated infirmary at the rear courtyard, he walked up to the last patient. That patient suddenly jerked upright and vomited a mouthful of clear liquid. He hastily stepped aside and told the servants to use lime powder for disinfection, then finally raised his eyes to ask his disciple beside him, “Which prescription do you think should be used for this person?”
Likewise dressed, Su Ting hurriedly put down his paper and brush. He came forward to look at the tongue and feel the pulse, then used the method Yu Jinnian had taught to press on the abdomen. Afterward, he wavered uncertainly and withdrew, speaking in a low voice, “In Su Ting’s opinion, perhaps we should use… the Detoxify and Invigorate Blood Decoction?”
“Speak louder!” Yu Jinnian furrowed his brow, questioning him, “You are a physician. Why should you reverse the question onto me?”
“It was the Detoxify and Invigorate Blood Decoction! Master!” Su Ting immediately stood straight and spoke in a loud voice. After speaking, he looked at Yu Jinnian, trembling, afraid he had said something wrong.
“Write it down.” Yu Jinnian said nothing more, turned around, and walked out. Overhead, the sky appeared dim; layers of gray clouds pressed down. Behind him came the wails of the sick, and before him lay the anguished cries of the injured. In the courtyard, someone had set a brazier aflame to burn scraps of fabric at any time. Watching the leaping flames, he stood there lost in thought.
It had been more than ten days since the outbreak of the epidemic in the capital. According to Shi Xing’s investigations, there were quite a few refugees with the same symptoms both inside and outside the city, including those in the Great Mercy Temple. Most of them had fled from Chunan Prefecture and the surrounding flood-stricken regions. Some people had died on the road before reaching the capital, while others carried belongings of the deceased into the capital and then contracted the epidemic, causing the illness to start spreading. At first, many medical halls had only treated it as diarrhea, but by the time they realized it was indeed an epidemic, the disease had already begun to spread throughout the city.
Su Ting had written the prescription and came out, seeing Yu Jinnian standing dazed in the courtyard, so he stepped forward and handed him the prescription to review, speaking softly, “Master, why not rest for a bit? You have not slept peacefully for several days because of this. It can’t go on like this.”
Yu Jinnian lowered his head to examine the prescription; relief filled his heart. Though Su Ting could not excel at reading or composing essays, he truly seemed to be a promising seedling for practicing medicine. Back during the Bai Haitang incident, he had already discerned Yu Jinnian’s underlying prescription at a glance. Now, after only half a year of study under him, his prescriptions were already showing promise… The only problem was that time had been too short. If there had been more time, Su Ting could have even practiced independently.
He took a brush, made slight adjustments to the dosage of some medicines in the prescription, and handed it to a servant to be brewed. People passed by hurriedly, and Yu Jinnian sighed, then asked Su Ting, “Do you know how many people might die from this epidemic?”
Su Ting was taken aback by the question. It was his first time experiencing such a large epidemic. Previously, he had only read about the horrors of epidemics in books and could not answer for a moment.
Yu Jinnian then asked, “Has little Haitang been settled properly?”
Su Ting nodded, “Following what you said, Tang’er, Ah Chun, and the others, along with the wet nurse, were all escorted to Tucheng in the northwest. That is the wet nurse’s hometown. Though the journey might be bumpy and far, it is better than staying in the capital right now.”
Yu Jinnian felt somewhat relieved and removed the white robe and mask he wore, tossing them into the brazier. The scarlet flames licked the cloth and consumed it in an instant. A young servant hurried over, bringing in a little eunuch in grayish-blue attire, who handed him an invitation. He accepted it in puzzlement, and Su Ting also took a look, exclaiming, “Lord Wen invited you to treat someone?”
Yu Jinnian did not recognize this man, but he knew from Su Ting’s glowing eyes that this was no ordinary person. Sure enough, Su Ting looked on in admiration and said, “Lord Wen was the Grand Mentor to His Majesty. He possessed extraordinary learning and demeanor, having successively guided three sovereigns. Even the current Minister Min had once been Lord Wen’s student. Though Lord Wen has now retired from court duties due to his advanced age and only holds the nominal position of Grand Mentor, he is still greatly trusted by the emperor.”
The little eunuch who delivered the message added that Lord Chen from the Imperial Medical Bureau recommended it. Yu Jinnian thought hard and finally remembered this Imperial Physician Chen—he was the very one who had once treated the second young master Min’s arrow wound at the palace in the Hot Springs Valley.
Yu Jinnian took the invitation, turned back, and gave a few instructions to Su Ting and the others. He then carried his medicine chest and followed the little eunuch who had come to fetch him, heading to Lord Wen’s residence.
On the way, he inquired from the little eunuch who served Lord Wen, gradually coming to understand the situation: Lord Wen’s little grandson had also developed vomiting and diarrhea. He had apparently been treated by several renowned physicians in the capital previously, but the illness repeatedly recurred and would not heal. It had already lasted for over two weeks. Now that an epidemic was spreading in the city, Lord Wen’s old madam, who doted on her grandson, felt deeply worried and feared it might also be the epidemic. So she specifically requested medical help.
Yu Jinnian was still quite young and wore clothes of fine elegance. Moreover, because of his connection with the hereditary lord of the Li family, there had been some not-so-pleasant rumors circulating. In recent days, he had also gained a reputation for compassionate medical care by aiding a large number of refugees. Many wounded who were refused by other medical halls knew to seek help at the Sanyu Pavilion, and some who entered the city heard about it as well. Hence, he was currently at the center of attention. Quite a few servants at Lord Wen’s residence recognized him too. Seeing him enter the mansion, they whispered and chattered.
Lord Wen looked quite elderly, seemingly in his sixties, hair at his temples white, deep lines etched across his brow, sitting on a couch together with a luxuriously dressed elderly woman, presumably the old madam. They softly consoled the child in bed. When Yu Jinnian approached, he dared not presume formality, saluted properly, and reported his name. Impatiently, Lord Wen waved off the courtesies and told him to examine the child quickly.
After washing his hands, Yu Jinnian rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward to examine.
The child, about ten years old, was fair and plump, clearly cherished. Yet at the moment, he was tormented by his illness, his cheeks slightly flushed, uneasy and irritable, one hand pressing his belly as he moaned in pain. Yu Jinnian sat by the bed, carefully feeling his pulse while pondering. Suddenly, the young master groaned and rose up, vomiting a few mouthfuls of filth into a basin by the bed.
A maid went to remove the foul bucket, but Yu Jinnian said, “Wait,” and bent down to check—he saw threads of blood mixed in the watery vomit, which looked quite clear, suggesting it might be related to the epidemic. But looking more closely, he found some puzzling details. He asked the maid, “Were all his vomits like this? How often did he vomit?”
She hurriedly replied, “Not exactly. The young master has no appetite. Whatever he ate, he threw up. Early on, it even had a sour odor, but now that he has eaten less, all he can vomit is sour water. As for how often, it’s hard to say—sometimes it happens every once in a while, and sometimes he goes half a day without it. But he often complains of a stomachache right before he vomits.”
A stomachache, vomiting… Yu Jinnian swiftly searched his memory for illnesses. Suddenly recalling one, he quickly turned back and loosened the child’s collar, baring his chest. He exclaimed, “Ah!” as if he suddenly understood. Immediately, he decided on the course of action. Then he instructed the maid to loosen the child’s trouser legs, and sure enough! On the young master’s chest were a few purplish-red hemorrhagic spots, while on the insides of both thighs and around his buttocks, they clustered densely, some patches merging together, which looked rather alarming.
Yu Jinnian asked, “Did he have these rashes before?”
The maid repeatedly shook her head. “Never, never! My young master’s health was very good before.”
Madam Wen took one look at the rash and nearly fell back in fright.
“It is not the current epidemic, nor is it dysentery,” Yu Jinnian instead let out a breath, relieved, and said, “It is just the ‘grape epidemic.’”
The hall instantly fell silent; Old Lord Wen and Madam Wen both turned around to look at him. “Grape epidemic?”
Yu Jinnian said, “Previously, when I entered the residence, I saw how the maids and pages were all in a panic, saying Young Master Wen had the epidemic, so I was somewhat biased from the start. This epidemic’s vomiting and diarrhea would flare up rapidly and cause frequent vomiting of wash-water-like matter, which did not match the young master’s symptoms, so I felt puzzled. Just now, after taking a look at the young master’s legs and buttocks, I saw purplish-red hemorrhagic spots on both thighs, the color like grapes, precisely the characteristic of the ‘grape epidemic.’ His crying was because of abdominal pain. If it involved the spleen and stomach, then it would be natural for him to have vomiting as well.”
Madam Wen still looked anxious and confused. She asked, “What is this grape epidemic? Is it serious?”
Yu Jinnian shook his head. “Please do not worry, Madam. Though it is called an epidemic, if grape epidemic is treated properly, it would not take a life. I will prescribe some medicine for the young master now. After taking it, these vomiting symptoms would be relieved within two or three days. As for the purplish rashes on him, if you wanted them to fully disappear, it might take half a month.”
He spoke as he lifted his brush and wrote down three qian of Danshen, plus half a qian each of Indigo and Sanqi powder, along with Zicao, Moutan Bark, and Cortex Dictamni to relieve his abdominal pain, then added small amounts of Muxiang and Corydalis for good measure. After repeatedly reviewing it, he handed it to a page to fetch the medicine.
Having written the prescription, Yu Jinnian thought that although the grape epidemic was not very common in Da Xia, it should not have been that difficult to treat. The Wen family had invited people before, yet for some reason they had not cured him. He thus could not help asking one more question: “Has the young master had anything unusual in terms of clothing or food lately? For instance, something he usually did not eat, or old clothes he usually did not wear.”
The maid thought for a moment, but really could not come up with anything. She sighed, “Previously, my young master had wind-heat illness. He had just recovered and had not yet even been lively for a few days. The old madam simply told the servants to make fish soup and shrimp balls, wanting to nourish him well. Who would have thought he would fall ill again.”
“Fish soup and shrimp balls?” Yu Jinnian grew vigilant. One major cause of grape epidemic was allergy, and fish and shrimp were common triggers. Besides, allergies differed from other illnesses; they were unpredictable. Something you ate today without problems might provoke an allergic reaction a few days later if your constitution changed.
“At the moment, the young master’s spleen and stomach were weak, and he had internal damp-heat. Stagnated fire breaking out externally led to these spots. That fish soup and shrimp balls were too rich, so best not to eat them for now.”
The reasoning was a bit far-fetched, only meant to fool someone who knew nothing about medicine. He worried that if Madam Wen learned it might have been her own bowl of fish soup or shrimp ball that caused her grandson to suffer so much, she would feel distressed. Therefore, Yu Jinnian kindly concealed it and added, “Your household could use red peony root, raw rehmannia, and honeysuckle, simmered together with honey to make a syrup for the young master. It would help regulate the spleen and stomach, detoxify, and nourish the blood.”
The maid hesitated. “But… but these were all medicines. I had no idea how to cook them…” In truth, she was afraid that if Young Master Wen developed a new rash after eating them, she would be reproached, so she did not dare to attempt it.
Yu Jinnian saw how troubled she appeared and thought he had to remain in the Wen household for a while anyway to observe Young Master Wen’s condition, so he might as well take on the task himself. Madam Wen, worried about her beloved grandchild, heard Old Lord Wen say it would be insulting to a physician to have him cooking in a kitchen. But Madam Wen lamented that she had only this one precious grandson, so they must care for him no matter what.
Old Lord Wen could not resist his wife’s wishes, and seeing that Yu Jinnian did not mind, he could only smile awkwardly and summon a servant to lead Yu Jinnian to the kitchen.
The Wen household basically had everything, and the few medicinal ingredients needed were not difficult to find. While someone was sent to fetch the herbs, Yu Jinnian decided it was all the same if he was waiting. He saw a pig leg bone left by the cook after trimming off the meat, took it, washed away the blood with warm water, crushed the bone membranes with a small hammer, then placed it in a small pot with hot water to simmer slowly. Pork had a mild nature, and pork bones further replenished the stomach and intestines; stewing them with the sour, cool Eclipta prostrata would strengthen the tendons and reduce internal heat, also stopping bleeding and nourishing the liver and kidneys.
Meanwhile, preparing another dish—the Silver Flower Rehmannia Honey Syrup—proved a bit more involved. He first boiled all the medicines, then patiently simmered them with the honey-refining method, repeating several times until it became a brownish-yellow syrup. Once cooled, it was sealed in a jar, ready to be taken whenever. It could cool the blood and detoxify, clear heat, and reduce spots, with a sweet taste suitable for children.
The maids in the kitchen watched him handle everything effortlessly, skillfully completing two medicinal dishes. Moreover, he used the black sesame and walnuts readily available in the household to make a roasted “spleen-strengthening fragrant tea.” Not only could the young master drink it, but someone of Old Lord Wen’s and Madam Wen’s years could also benefit.
Both the pork bone Eclipta soup and honey syrup required a fair bit of work. By the time he had finished them all, Young Master Wen had already taken the decoction. According to reports from the servants, the young master’s abdominal pain had lessened, and he looked less agitated, indicating that the medicine had matched his symptoms. Yu Jinnian rechecked the child’s tongue and pulse, confirming there were no other dangers, then finally relaxed and patiently instructed the maids on certain precautions.
After Young Master Wen took the medicine and woke up, he unexpectedly cried out that he was hungry. Madam Wen beamed with delight and, in that moment, did not even pay attention to Yu Jinnian. She personally served a bowl of pork bone soup to her treasured grandson.
Old Lord Wen asked someone to fetch his consultation fee and, at the same time, invited Yu Jinnian to sit briefly in the garden’s tea pavilion. This Wen residence, though small, was quite refined. Despite being in a bustling district, it did not feel noisy. Instead, it felt rather elegant, with various plaques inscribed with poems and words in the halls and pavilions, evoking a cultured air.
A page took the sesame tea Yu Jinnian had made earlier, brewed it, and poured cups for the two of them. The small pavilion instantly filled with a rich sesame fragrance blending with the mild aroma of tea leaves. Since ancient times, people said that long-term consumption of sesame could lighten one’s body and prolong life. Wrapped now in the curling tea scent, it indeed gave a sense of seeking immortality. Old Lord Wen held the small cup and, without showing his emotions, quietly observed the young physician before him, feeling quite satisfied in his heart.
Imperial Physician Chen, who had some ties to the Wen household, had praised this young physician endlessly when recommending him, describing the “Hot Springs Valley” matter in glowing terms. Hence, Old Lord Wen had already been somewhat curious about this young man, currently famous in the capital. Now, having met him, it turned out he really was someone with a measure of talent.
Recalling Imperial Physician Chen’s reminder, Lord Wen tentatively asked, “Little friend, your medical skills were truly wasted among the common folk. Would you be willing to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and realize your ambitions?”
Yu Jinnian smelled the sesame aroma in his cup, and his thoughts drifted back to last autumn, when he had steamed and dried sesame balls. Ji Hong’s figure was hazy in front of the steaming tray. Momentarily lost in thought, he did not respond until Lord Wen called “little friend” a couple of times, whereupon he startled awake and softly said, “Ah.” Hurriedly, he declined, “I appreciate your regard, Lord Wen, but I have a stubborn temperament and have grown used to roaming freely. I fear the Imperial Medical Bureau…might not suit me.”
The Wen family’s status was not necessarily very high, yet few could climb to it. Lord Wen thought that Imperial Physician Chen’s efforts were probably in vain, a pity that the other person did not appreciate it.
Lord Wen smiled. “Very well. If you entered the palace, at times you might not be able to fully display your talents.” He waved his hand, and the page who had been waiting for a while brought out a prepared consultation fee. “A small token of gratitude, please accept it with a smile, young sir.”
Yu Jinnian fixed his gaze on the small tray holding the consultation fee. He pondered for a moment, then suddenly rose and gave a deep bow.
Lord Wen quickly supported him, exclaiming, “Why do this?!”
Yu Jinnian bent slightly at the waist. “I will not accept your lordship’s consultation fee. I only hoped your lordship could tell me how things really were with the flooding in the south. My master went to Chunan Prefecture and has been unheard of for a month. Even the letters from our mansion sank like stones in the sea. Now the epidemic in the capital was mostly brought here by people from Chunan Prefecture. In the outskirts of the capital, countless have already died or been injured. The situation in the south must be unimaginable. I… I truly worry about him.”
Lord Wen said, “Are you referring to the younger one from the Ji family?”
A light shone in Yu Jinnian’s eyes. “Yes, does your lordship know of him?”
“I know a little. Though it might not be considered classified information, it’s just…” Lord Wen hesitated briefly, his gaze sweeping over Yu Jinnian’s anxious expression. He sighed inwardly and shook his head. “Very well, very well, I will tell you.”
He said, “Just as you stated, the south was hit by an epidemic. Once His Majesty learned of it, he took the matter extremely seriously, ordering everyone to treat it with all their might. Yet the flooding had not been resolved, and then an epidemic emerged, so it truly was like fighting on two fronts. The Ji family’s younger son went there initially to deal with the flooding, only to encounter this sudden epidemic. Now the south is littered with corpses and filled with lamentations, stoking widespread resentment. Chunan Prefecture was the hardest-hit region, where this epidemic originated. To lessen casualties in nearby counties and prefectures, the city of Chunan has already been sealed.”
Yu Jinnian sprang to his feet and exclaimed in shock, “Even if there is an epidemic in the city, there are still many people who have not fallen ill. With the flooding unresolved, food and clothing are in short supply, and mud and filthy water fill the streets. This is exactly the time they should relocate refugees. How can they seal the city now?! Doing so cuts off any escape for those still healthy within the city!”
Lord Wen sighed. “That is true, but since ancient times, whenever a major epidemic arose, six or seven in ten might die inside the city, and innumerable households were wiped out. If the city were not sealed at such a time, the epidemic would continue to spread, becoming an even greater catastrophe. However, little friend need not worry too much; though Chunan Prefecture is sealed, the Crown Prince remains in the south, and His Majesty will ultimately remember the bond between father and son.”
He was hinting to Yu Jinnian that, setting aside whether the Ji family was prominent, or whether Ji Hong’s life was worthwhile, the mere presence of the Crown Prince there ensured that it was not a hopeless situation. Frankly, even if the entire Chunan Prefecture were wiped out, as long as the Crown Prince lived, Ji Hong might yet follow him to safety.
But Yu Jinnian’s concerns did not lie in that direction. The epidemic had raged for more than half a month, yet there was still no news from the imperial envoys who had traveled south. If Ji Hong really had escorted the Crown Prince out, there should have been word by now; the lack of any word meant they were still in Chunan, held back by something. Moreover, people still did not understand the source of this disease or how it spread. Relying solely on the scant records in history made it extremely difficult to grasp the true nature of the illness, let alone prevent it.
Disease showed no mercy. As long as they did not know its source or transmission path, no matter how noble their status or how cautious they were in daily life, as soon as they were exposed in that high-risk environment, they could hardly be spared.
Just imagining it caused a chill to surge from Yu Jinnian’s soles, freezing him to the core.
Epidemics were also breaking out in the capital, but at least here, under the emperor’s eye, it was discovered early. Though there were casualties, it was still fewer compared to the south, not to mention the countless famous physicians and medical halls here, where everyone was on full alert. Chunan, on the other hand, was a different story. Yu Jinnian often read that, in times past, there was even a practice of burning diseased villages to eradicate epidemics completely. While they might not go to such inhumane lengths for a huge prefectural city like Chunan, he could not imagine any fewer deaths in reality.
Lord Wen continued, “A few days ago, a message arrived from the south, saying Chunan Prefecture was nearly out of medicines. All the physicians in the city were at their wits’ end.”
There was a sudden crash as Yu Jinnian accidentally knocked over a porcelain cup on the table. His face turned deathly pale. He took a deep breath to steady himself, but found he could not remain seated. He sloppily bowed and then left in a state of agitation.
“Where are you going?” Lord Wen called him back. Yu Jinnian kept his head half-lowered, stammering incoherently. Lord Wen answered for him, “To Chunan Prefecture, is that it? The capital’s scenery and splendor stretch for miles, and you already have Jinyouting and Sanyu Pavilion. With your skills, life here is carefree. Why go somewhere as perilous as Chunan, where nine out of ten might not return?”
Yu Jinnian turned back to look at him, lips pressed slightly together, his resolve growing firmer. “I have to save him.”
Lord Wen shook his head. “How will you save him? Chunan is almost out of both medicine and food. Do you know how many times the price of medicinal herbs has multiplied since this epidemic broke out? Even if you possess great skill, how will you cook without rice?”
“…” Yu Jinnian paused, realizing that was indeed a serious issue. Thinking quickly, he found it was not such an obstacle after all. “It is merely a matter of money. I can sell Sanyu Pavilion and Jinyouting, can’t I?”
Lord Wen showed mild surprise; he truly had not expected him to be so resolute, but then he smiled slightly, stroking his beard. “I have heard some rumors about you and that Ji family youngster, talk that practically offends good morals, but seeing you today, it differs greatly from those tales. Little friend, though I am old, I am not stubborn. The Ji family’s two sons and daughter all grew up under my watch, but this youngest one really gave me cause for concern. Now that there is Young Sir Yu, I can finally let go of that worry.”
Yu Jinnian stared at him in confusion.
Lord Wen said, “Since you do not care for my consultation fee, then let me give you something that might interest you. I see the consultation fee remains here untouched.” He waved to have the page carry it away, then smiled kindly. “The court is currently assembling a team of medical officials to head south, transporting medical supplies. They will depart in three days. One of Imperial Physician Chen’s medical clerks fell ill and returned home, so a slot remains open. Would you, little friend, be willing to serve once as a medical officer?”