Volume 3: The Land of Jingchu Chapter 213 The Little Patient
One day, Ma Zhong got off work. He happened to have some abdominal pain and didn't want to go to the clinic. Anyway, as Bai Tu's personal guard, he was familiar with Hua Tuo and several of his disciples, so he wanted to go directly to the medical school to take a look.
As luck would have it, after entering the medical school and walking towards the "Hua Tuo Hospital", just as they were entering the door, someone else just happened to come out, and the two bumped into each other...
It was obvious that both of them were just walking faster, but... the person who was coming was really strong. With a flick of his shoulder, he actually knocked Ma Zhong down like a "returning goose flying into its nest"!
"Ouch!" Ma Zhong cried out in pain.
Seeing this, the visitor hurriedly supported him and said, "Ah! Sorry, sorry, I was in a hurry and didn't look at the road." He also saw that Ma Zhong was still wearing his daily armor, so he knew that he was a soldier and didn't want to cause trouble.
If it was another officer, there might be real trouble, but... Ma Zhongke had experienced the Pan Zhang case, and he was Bai Tu's personal guard. When he was in the Military Academy, he was subject to disciplinary regulations and had a lower tolerance for mistakes than ordinary troops. How could he act tough with ordinary people?
He doesn't want to go back and rebuild...
It was just because he was already in a stomachache and got hit on the butt, so he grumbled a few words in a low voice, but when he opened his mouth, he still said: "Ahem, you are here to see a doctor, I can understand your anxiety, but don't be so reckless in the future, this is just because I... have a strong body!"
The big man looked at him in surprise, as if he didn't expect that the quality of this young officer was quite high - the big man also heard the whisper, but... being able to behave politely was not easy. If he was a soldier under his command, the big man really wanted to promote him.
However, due to his special status, he could not say much in Jinling. He just apologized and left quickly.
Ma Zhong didn't take it seriously at first, he just sat there waiting for the doctor... and suddenly realized - even if his stomach wasn't feeling well recently, his legs shouldn't be so weak, right?
That big guy just now... was so strong?
And thinking about it this way, Ma Zhong recalled that the big man's eyes seemed to be bright, his hair and beard had turned gray, and he seemed to be quite old, but he was sturdy and a head taller than him. His facial features... He only took a quick glance and couldn't remember clearly, but those eyes left a deep impression on him.
Could he be a powerful general?
Ma Zhong was thinking about it in his mind. He would find out who the big man was and recommend him to his lord...
But... he actually came to see a doctor? Could it be that the guy who was as strong as an ox was also sick?
As personal guards, although Ma Zhong and others were paid very well, they usually had few opportunities to make military achievements. On the contrary, in this regard... ordinary captains certainly did not have the opportunity to directly recommend talents to their lords. Moreover, Ma Zhong recently wanted to transfer to the Bufeng Guards. Discovering and recommending talents was also one of the functions of the Bufeng Guards.
Knowing that Ma Zhong had arrived, Hua Tuo did not come out in person. His illness was such a minor one that did not require Hua Tuo's intervention. So Hua Tuo's disciple Fan A came to check on Ma Zhong.
Normally, he would just need to take the medicine, but Ma Zhong had also heard of Fan A's "Ashan Acupuncture Method", so he specially asked Fan A to give him acupuncture...
By the way, while lying down to get the acupuncture, Ma Zhong also asked about the big man just now. Ma Zhong believed that Fan A should have an impression of such a strong man.
"Oh, the person you saw was Huang Xu's father, right?" Fan A indeed had an impression.
"Huang Xu? Is he here to see his son? I didn't see his son. Could it be that he stayed?" Ma Zhong asked.
Although some rules were set when the medical school was first established, such as the privacy of patients, since the question was asked by Ma Zhong, the lord's personal guard who was about to be transferred to the Fengbuwei, there was no reason for Fan A to keep it secret.
"Well, the child is not very old, only thirteen years old, but his liver problem is very serious. He has liver congestion, liver inflammation, jaundice... There are some symptoms. The master even specially consulted Teacher Zhang to discuss it." Fan A said.
In the medical school, except for one's own "master", all other teachers are called "teachers" - Fan A is actually also the "teacher" of many medical students.
"How come you have liver problems at such a young age?" Ma Zhong asked puzzledly.
"It is indeed rare. Usually this happens only to people who have been in a bad mood for a long time or are older." Fan A said, shaking his head.
"Then who is his father? Did he settle in Jinling city?" Ma Zhong asked without getting bogged down in the medical field which he did not understand at all.
"No. His father left a large sum of money for treatment and asked us to treat him. From the looks of it... he probably won't come back to see him for a long time." Fan A said with some dissatisfaction.
Eastern Han Dynasty medicine has already known that liver congestion and liver accumulation are closely related to mood and alcoholism, so many imperial concubines and noble ladies are prone to this disease.
Huang Xu is definitely not an alcoholic, but he seems to be a bit introverted. As a father, he actually threw down the money and left... He does trust the reputation of the medical school!
Ma Zhong was a little disappointed when he heard this, but he thought that Huang Xu was still here, and neither the old man could escape, so he would see that big man again sooner or later.
After the acupuncture, Ma Zhong specifically asked: "Can I meet Huang Xu?"
"Well... let me see if he is receiving treatment." Fan A said as he went to the backyard. He came back after a while and waved to Ma Zhong.
Soon Ma Zhong saw Huang Xu, a child who looked younger than Cao Pi. His eyes were bright but dull and yellow, his face and hair were also withered, and his body was skinny and small. If he were in an ordinary family, he would probably not be able to survive.
"Child, can you tell your uncle your father's name?" Ma Zhong asked.
"My father...his taboo name is Yi, and he is a businessman." Huang Xu seemed a little taciturn.
"Businessman?" Ma Zhong was a little surprised.
As for the name "Huang Yi", Ma Zhong had no impression of it.
"Okay, you take good care of yourself in Jinling. When your father comes to see you, remember to tell your uncle." Ma Zhong said.
"Okay, but my father probably won't come. If I can recover, I will go home by myself." Huang Xu said after hesitating.
"What? Your father... is so busy? Where is your home?" Ma Zhong frowned.
"Yingchuan." Huang Xu didn't explain much.
"Well, then come and tell me, and I'll arrange someone to send you home." Ma Zhong hasn't given up yet.
But he didn't notice that after he turned around and left, Huang Xu muttered something, and judging from his mouth shape, it should be "sorry".
That’s right, Huang Xu lied.
He was not from Yingchuan, and it was impossible for him to ask someone from the General's Mansion to send him there. He was born in Nanyang, and his father was Huang Zhong, who was the General of the Central Army appointed by Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou. Now he was under the command of Liu Pan, Liu Biao's nephew and the prefect of Changsha!
Huang Zhong was thirty-five or thirty-six when he had a son, which is considered old age nowadays. However, Huang Xu was very smart when he was young, but after he turned seven, he was infected with a strange disease. Not only was he unable to practice the family's martial arts, but his life was even in danger...
In his early years, Huang Zhong always took Huang Xu to seek medical treatment, so although he had a lot of abilities, he achieved nothing.
A few years ago, Huang Xu's condition improved slightly, so Huang Zhong took him back to his hometown and found him a job in Jingzhou Prefecture. Although this miscellaneous title of "General of the Central Army" is becoming less and less valuable, it is still a middle-level military officer.
However, Huang Xu's illness was recurring, and he almost died last year. Fortunately, he managed to survive. A few months ago, Huang Zhong heard that Zhang Zhongjing was in Shouchun, so he wanted to go there. Recently, he learned that Jinling had established a medical college and a large number of famous doctors had gathered there, so Huang Zhong couldn't help it...
However, given the current relationship between the General's Mansion and Jingzhou Prefecture, anyone with a discerning eye can see that a war is imminent.
If news spread at this time that Huang Zhong appeared in Jinling and said he was treating a child... would anyone believe it?
Not to mention, if the people in the General's Mansion find out, there will probably be a lot of trouble!
Therefore, Huang Zhong found an excuse and went back to his hometown to attend the funeral of his second uncle, and then he took Huang Xu out and hid his identity all the way to Jinling.
Naturally, he would not stay long, and gave all the remaining wealth in his house to the medical school, just hoping to cure his son. However, Hua Tuo only promised him that he would do his best, and if he could not cure his son... he would have to come to collect the remaining medical expenses himself.
At the same time, Huang Zhong also told Huang Xu that if he could really recover one day, he should go back to Nanyang by himself.
Ma Zhong didn't know what was going on, and seeing that he couldn't find the big man for the time being, he gave up the idea - the General's Mansion now had a hundred thousand elite soldiers, a thousand generals, warriors like clouds, counselors like rain, and it was very stable, with a flying dragon riding on its face...but was it still missing Huang Yi?
…
"A-choo!" Bai Tu couldn't help but sneeze, suspecting that someone was cursing him behind his back.
However, this sneeze did not ease the awkward atmosphere. At this time, Chen Gong was arguing with Bai Tu with a frown on his face. Zhang Liao was also standing beside him, looking helpless.
The reason why Chen Gong was angry was not because of Bai Tu's sneeze, but because his naivety had come back again...
Now Bai Tu has received the position of general, and has declined the nine gifts for the first time. The second decree is still on the way, and Bai Tu is also preparing to attack Jingzhou... To be precise, he is urging Liu Biao to draw a clear line between himself and Yuan Ni and hand over Yuan Yao, Yuan Yin, and Huang Qi who have harmed the people excessively.
However, Liu Biao, as a relative of the Han Dynasty, was determined to harbor the rebels and collude with those who abused the people. He was even involved with Huang Zu, who murdered Sun Jian, the previous Marquis of Wucheng...
Therefore, Bai Tu inferred that it was very likely that Liu Biao did the same thing in Jingzhou.
Whenever he thought of the people of Jingzhou, who were living in dire straits and waiting for rescue by the Han army, as a great general of the Han Dynasty, Bai Tu felt heartbroken and filled with indignation, and was extremely angry!
Therefore, he decided on a grand strategy of the Western Expedition, determined to punish the criminals and cleanse the world, calling on the civil and military officials of Yangzhou to unite as one, persuading the righteous men of Jingzhou to abandon evil and follow good, and to draw a clear line with Liu Biao, who was poisoning the people and disregarding the court...
Sun Ce, who had been sharpening his sword and eager to avenge his father as soon as possible, had already led his troops to Chaisang to gather troops, preparing to attack Jiangxia and avenge both the national and family feuds.
Jia Xu was sent to Yiyang by Bai Tu to assist Jiang Qin, Chen Dao and other generals. They sent troops from Xinxi, crossed the Huai River, attacked Yuan Yao, and formed a pincer attack with Zhang Xiu in Wancheng.
There was no problem with these two routes, but Bai Tu and Chen Gong had a disagreement on whether to send out the third route...
