Chapter 408: Qin Zizhou's Entrustment

After pondering for a while, Ji Yuan finally looked up at the sky. Carried on a gentle breeze, a paper crane flapped its wings and flew towards him. It soon landed on Ji Yuan's shoulder, pecked twice at his lapel, and then slipped into the brocade pouch on his chest.

“You’ve worked hard. Rest now; it’s time for me to rest too.”

It had been quite some time since he last slept. The most comfortable place to sleep, of course, was his own home. Even though it was already dawn, Ji Yuan wanted to go back to his bed for a while.

The long-unseen bed was as comfortable as ever. Everything was perfect, except for a slight musty smell from the sheets and bedding in the cupboard—a minor issue that Ji Yuan resolved with a quick flick of his hand.

The people of Ning’an County always kept the same routine. Even in winter, with much less time spent tending fields, the county residents still rose early.

Only Ji Yuan remained asleep until late morning, showing no signs of waking even when the sun was high. The little paper crane, however, after a night’s rest, had once again emerged from the brocade pouch, slipped through the door crack, and was now strolling around the courtyard outside.

In the small courtyard, there were rustling sounds—a group of little characters whispering, or rather, softly bickering.

Because Master Ji Yuan was sleeping, even these little characters instinctively lowered their voices, afraid of disturbing his peaceful slumber. As a result, Ji Yuan slept straight through until noon.

Around noon the next day, Ji Yuan comfortably turned over in his bed, then sat up.

He let out a relaxed yawn and stretched, finding it a form of enjoyment.

After getting dressed and stepping out into the courtyard again, Ji Yuan felt completely refreshed, perhaps just from the psychological effect of a good night’s sleep in his own home.

He went out, had some braised noodles at Sun’s Noodle Stall, and then strolled around the town. Ji Yuan was experiencing his hometown in his own way.

Of course, he also had some business to attend to, entrusted to him by Qin Zizhou. So, after a leisurely walk, he headed north of Ning’an County’s main street, towards the renowned Jiren Hall in the county.

Upon arriving at Jiren Hall, Ji Yuan saw the elderly Doctor Tong Xian still presiding. Patients came periodically, not only from Ning’an County town but also from more distant villages and towns.

It wasn't until Old Doctor Tong had finished prescribing calming medicine for the last pregnant woman that he finally had time to stop for lunch.

“Master, it’s time to eat. I’ve kept Li’s wontons warm for you!”

A middle-aged man standing nearby timed it perfectly. As soon as his master finished with the patient, he hurried to the medicine stove outside the door and opened a large clay pot.

Amidst the rising steam, the man glanced at Ji Yuan, who was watching from the street outside. He mumbled something in confusion, then focused on the contents of the pot.

Inside wasn’t medicine soup, but a bowl of large, hot wontons. The man, whose hands were calloused and accustomed to the winter cold, was unfazed by the hot edge of the clay pot. He reached directly into the gap, retrieved the bowl of wontons, and quickly carried it inside.

The man brought the large bowl of wontons with a spoon and placed it next to Tong Xian’s consultation desk.

“Master, eat it while it’s hot. As doctors, we should especially prioritize eating on time, and it’s almost past noon today.”

However, the man noticed that his master wasn’t looking at the steaming wontons, nor was he looking at him.

“Step aside.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, I said step aside!”

Tong Xian was in his seventies or eighties, but his strength was considerable. While other old men in Ning’an County would likely be nearing their end, he pushed his sturdy apprentice aside with a shove, his gaze fixed on something outside the pharmacy.

Seeing this, Ji Yuan couldn’t help but smile. It seemed Doctor Tong had not only inherited his master Qin Zizhou’s medical skills but also fully embraced his way of preserving health.

After clearly seeing Ji Yuan approaching Jiren Hall, Tong Xian instinctively stood up from his seat.

“Mister Ji?”

Tong Xian’s voice held a hint of disbelief, and he even rubbed his eyes. Meanwhile, Ji Yuan had already entered Jiren Hall and bowed respectfully.

“Doctor Tong, what sharp eyes and good memory you have! In Ning’an County, you are truly the first person to recognize me at a glance.”

Upon hearing the calm and steady voice of confirmation, and seeing Ji Yuan’s appearance and graceful demeanor, Tong Xian, as if waking from a dream, quickly returned the bow.

“Mister Ji, it really is you! Actually, it’s not that I have good eyesight; it’s because an old man from Tianniu Village who came to see me last night said that you might have returned. So, seeing someone who looked similar, I couldn’t help but take a closer look!”

Tong Xian looked around, then pulled over a chair.

“Mister Ji, please sit down, quickly. Have you eaten? I have a bowl of wontons here, from Li’s, and although they’ve been reheated, they should still taste good.”

“No, no need. I’ve already eaten, braised noodles from Sun’s. Doctor Tong, please eat quickly. Your apprentice is right, one should eat on time!”

The middle-aged physician standing nearby also scrutinized Ji Yuan, only now realizing who he was.

“You’re Mister Ji? Yes, of course you’re Mister Ji! You look exactly the same as you did back then, truly, you haven’t changed at all! Sir, please sit, sit!”

This physician, who was then a young man under twenty, had benefited from his association with Tong Xian, having eaten the fruits from the jujube tree in Ju’an Pavilion’s courtyard. As a pharmacy apprentice, he had also been influenced by Tong Xian’s teachings and thus knew more about Ji Yuan than most of the county residents who merely listened to gossip.

Ji Yuan sat down immediately. As a doctor, Tong Xian instinctively assessed Ji Yuan’s complexion. Seeing his excellent color, with no signs of aging, and skin from face to hands appearing full and vibrant, along with his full head of dark hair, he looked exactly like someone in the prime of life.

“Sir, you are truly a divine being!”

“Mister Ji, I’ll boil water for tea for you!”

The man beside them didn’t stand idly. After saying this, he hurried to the inner hall. Hot water was boiling in the medicine stove there, but it wasn’t ready yet, so he needed to add more fuel to get it hot enough for tea.

In Ji Yuan’s presence, influenced by his calm and serene aura, Doctor Tong’s initial excitement subsided. He continued eating while conversing with Ji Yuan.

“It must have been over a decade since I last saw you, Mister Ji.”

Ji Yuan had heard that phrase quite often recently, so he just smiled and nodded.

“Indeed, it has been a long time, so long that few people in Ning’an County recognize me anymore.”

“Hahaha, then you should have come to me first, Mister, I would have recognized you for sure!”

After saying this, Tong Xian ate a few more wontons, chewed, swallowed, and then spoke again.

“I used to hear people say that you had passed away in another town, and that your belongings had been entrusted to Duke Yin. I always said it must be a rumor!”

“Hahahahaha… Is that so?”

Ji Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. Such things could spread; rumors truly know no social boundaries or eras.

“Indeed, it was spread quite convincingly. They said you contracted consumption and passed away in a carriage on your way back home. They even claimed that after Duke Yin received your last letter, he dispatched someone on an urgent thousand-li journey to bring your remains back to Ning’an County, but unfortunately, they couldn’t be found…”

Ji Yuan listened, utterly dumbfounded.

“That detailed? When did this rumor start?”

So, just a hint can lead to a complete story being fabricated?

Tong Xian thought for a moment before replying.

“At least six or seven years ago. Two years ago, when Duke Yin returned to his hometown for ancestral worship, I hesitated about whether to ask him, but then I decided against it.”

Ji Yuan was genuinely amused, shaking his head and smiling.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t ask, Doctor Tong, otherwise Master Yin might get angry.”

“Let them be angry then! Find those gossips who fabricate stories and punish them; it would serve as a good lesson!”

Old as he was, Tong Xian’s sense of right and wrong remained exceptionally clear.

Having a good teacher to guide one’s path benefits a person for a lifetime, whether it’s in their livelihood or their character and virtue. This is the essence of ‘once a teacher, always a father’ – the responsibility of teaching by word and by example is fully demonstrated.

Thinking of Qin Zizhou, Ji Yuan took a scroll from his sleeve and placed it on Doctor Tong’s consultation desk.

“Mister Ji, what is this?”

Tong Xian looked at Ji Yuan, puzzled.

“Doctor Tong, your master Qin Zizhou and I had some acquaintance in earlier years. He once left some items with me for safekeeping, saying that I should pass them to his apprentices when the time was right. I have been wandering outside for many years, so now that I’ve returned, I shall give it to you.”

“My master’s things? He… why didn’t he give them to us himself?”

Doctor Tong first voiced his confusion, then quickly put the two remaining wontons from the bowl into his mouth. After wiping his hands with a towel nearby, he carefully picked up the scroll and began to unroll it little by little.

The scroll contained very few words but many illustrations of figures striking various poses, along with changes in gentle movements.

“Is this… martial arts?”

Tong Xian looked at the figures’ movements on the scroll and asked with doubt, but Ji Yuan shook his head.

“No, it’s not martial arts. It’s a health-preserving exercise derived from a lineage of Daoism. Unlike martial artists who practice diligently day in and day out, performing these stances every morning can provide excellent health benefits. However, persistence is key.”

Tong Xian gazed at the illustrated scroll, and after a long while, he asked,

“If this is effective, can it be passed on to patients?”

Ji Yuan thought for a moment before replying.

“Doctors can learn it. It’s not that patients can’t be taught, but how many ordinary people would be willing to spend half an hour on this every day? Unless their ailments are unbearable, few would even come for treatment.”

“Ah, you’re right. It seems this chart was sought by my master for us healers, for self-care!”