Chapter 69

"Abdominal pain disease... Jiang Xingchen wants to treat abdominal pain disease!" Zhao Zixiang was astonished beyond words! This was a terminal illness. Wealthy families could still maintain it with Cold Yuan Ice Flower, but for poor people, it was a death sentence. Many physicians had spent their entire lives traveling through mountains and rivers in search of medicine, but none had succeeded. Now, Jiang Xingchen actually wanted to...

"Does he have any confidence? Don't let him be like the other physicians who start off full of confidence but end up achieving nothing..." Zhao Zixiang couldn't help but doubt. Although Jiang Xingchen had invented catgut and a method for suturing wounds, he wasn't a physician. Treating a terminal illness was truly unbelievable...

"Father! Why does Brother Jiang need a corpse to treat abdominal pain disease?" Zhao Danqing asked in surprise.

"I don't know!" Zhao Zixiang stood up and said decisively, "No matter what, we must support him. Jiang Xingchen often has unexpected methods, and whenever he acts, he succeeds. This time, he might have a good grasp of the situation!"

"Even the Marquis has been asked to help. All the major pharmacies in the city should have received the Marquis's notice. Many physicians are watching this closely... If he fails, Brother Jiang's reputation..." Zhao Danqing said with some concern.

"What's the loss of reputation? If he really cures abdominal pain disease, it will benefit countless people!" Zhao Zixiang waved his hand and ordered, "Notify the pharmacy immediately to organize patient records and find information on abdominal pain patients! I will go to Green Mountain Village myself!"

"Yes!" Zhao Danqing responded and left, still worried.

In the Marquis's residence, Duke Beidai had a gloomy expression. Jiang Xingchen was a model set by Emperor Qiankun, and now he was almost a role model for the entire city. If this failed, other physicians would definitely spread rumors to tarnish his reputation, which would be a huge loss. It might even affect the Emperor's plans. He initially intended to ignore it, thinking that without a corpse, Jiang Xingchen would have an excuse for failure. But then he thought about the boy's pride and stubbornness and had no choice but to reluctantly ask the major pharmacies to help find the corpse Jiang Xingchen needed.

"This boy is really a headache. How can he be so troublesome? He has already achieved so much, yet he can't just rest for a while... Even Old Man Tang, why doesn't he know..."

At this point, Duke Beidai suddenly slapped his forehead and sighed, "How could I forget? This old man is a great physician and has been researching abdominal pain disease all his life. Everyone in the empire's upper echelons knows this! It's strange if he doesn't support it!"

Sighing, Duke Beidai walked to the door and looked at the still gloomy sky, a new worry rising on his face, "It hasn't been sunny for over ten days..."

At this time, in the major medical halls of the city, the physicians looked at the Marquis's order and all showed a disdainful smile.

"Treating abdominal pain disease, has Jiang Xingchen been blinded by his recent success? He wants to treat a terminal illness, is he crazy for glory... and he needs a corpse? What use is a corpse for treating abdominal pain disease? This boy is just talking nonsense!"

Doctor Cui from the Spirit Grass Hall laughed heartily, his recent gloom swept away. He ordered loudly, "Prepare the carriage and horses, I want to go to Duke Jiang's territory to see how he treats this terminal illness!"

"Yes!" The assistant responded and then asked, "Doctor Cui, should we spare the new assistant? He has been beaten several times already!"

"Since I'm in a good mood today, beat him one more time and then let him go!" Doctor Cui waved his hand.

"..." The assistant was speechless, his mouth twitching. Whether in a bad mood or a good mood, he still beats people. Is this even a life...

Not only the Spirit Grass Hall, but also the physicians from major pharmacies like Yellow Crane Hall all went to Green Mountain Village with the mindset of watching a joke. If Jiang Xingchen failed, they would definitely help spread the news. After all, this boy was so close to the Zhao family's pharmacy! As for the Marquis's order, they didn't take it seriously at all.

This matter only affected the medical community in Hongyuan City, and most people didn't know about it.

However, in other places outside Hongyuan City, this matter caused even greater shock.

Tang Chuxue received a letter from Old Man Tang, hesitated for a moment, and then wrote dozens of letters to send out. She knew that the old man had spent his entire life researching abdominal pain disease and didn't have much hope for this. But at the end of the letter, it was stated that Jiang Xingchen claimed to have a 60% chance of success, which made her release the information. She had an inexplicable trust in Jiang Xingchen, even for a terminal illness...

In a large mansion in the northern part of the capital, an old man with white hair and beard looked at the letter in his hand with a serious expression, "This old man still hasn't given up! A 60% chance, he really dares to say it... Who is Jiang Xingchen? I've never heard of him in the medical community! Zhao Zixiang in Hongyuan City is the only one with some reputation... But since Chuxue wrote, maybe the old man has really found something... Fine! I'll go and see how he treats this terminal illness..."

In another large mansion in the capital, a thin, middle-aged man, like a bamboo pole, was also reading the letter in his hand, frowning and lost in thought.

"This isn't the first time Old Man Tang has tried to conquer abdominal pain disease, but a 60% chance is the first time he's said it! Chuxue wrote personally, so it's somewhat reliable... But why does he need a corpse? I can't figure it out... And who is Jiang Xingchen? Is he related to the treatment of this disease..."

"Anyway, I have to go and see! If he can really treat abdominal pain disease, it will be a great benefit to the empire..." But as he said this, he shook his head, finding it hard to believe.

"Someone! Prepare the carriage and horses, and bring my medicine box. We're going to Duke Beidai's territory... Order the pharmacy to carefully search for patient records, and if they find a recently deceased abdominal pain patient..."

Almost at the same time, all the major territories in the empire received Tang Chuxue's letters! The lords knew about Old Man Tang's achievements and just shook their heads with a bitter smile. Although they didn't believe it, they weren't too surprised.

But when the news reached the physicians, it immediately caused a stir! They didn't know about Old Man Tang's glorious history, as he was only famous in the upper echelons and didn't have his own pharmacy. Most people below didn't know about him! Therefore, when they heard about a 60% chance of curing abdominal pain disease, everyone was eager to criticize.

"This is nonsense. Why does he need a corpse to treat a terminal illness... I don't believe it at all, and a 60% chance!"

"Having the lord issue an order, this person must have a big background, but how can he be so overconfident and talk nonsense!"

"Exactly! Even if you boast, be more realistic. Needing a corpse is completely off the mark!"

"Anyway, we have to give the lord an answer. We'll still look for the corpse! But I want to see how they have such confidence! If it's just talk, I won't be lenient and will spread the news to see how they can face people. Medicine is not a joke!"

"Well said! Let's go together..."

In no time, physicians from all major territories were on their way to Hongyuan City, over a hundred of them.

Old Man Tang probably never imagined that his letter would cause such a reaction. His intention in saying there was a 60% chance was just to make the pharmacies realize the importance and search for the corpse with all their heart.

Jiang Xingchen didn't know about this situation. After returning to the village, he gave Xiao Wu 10,000 yellow crystal coins to buy more cotton clothes and charcoal from the nearest town.

The soldiers left after delivering the grain and didn't stay overnight in Green Mountain Village! Xiao Wu and the others had been staying at the lord's residence. Although the villagers invited them to their homes, they refused and squeezed into a few rooms for two days!

The lord's residence wasn't very large, about 700 square meters, smaller than their house in Hongyuan City! However, without a backyard, there were still many houses in the entire residence. Besides the three main rooms, there were two side rooms on each side.

After walking around the residence, Jiang Xingchen directly connected the two side rooms on the left with a door! Then he turned the two rooms into a large dormitory, building fire pits on both sides and leaving a walkway in the middle. This way, the two rooms were enough to accommodate the entire mercenary group.

The two rooms on the right, one was used as a kitchen, and the other was prepared for Du Roshan and Du Xiner.

As for the old man, he naturally lived in the three main rooms with Jiang Xingchen!

After making the basic arrangements, Jiang Xingchen began to lead the villagers in renovating the houses! It was winter, and the ground was frozen, so house renovations were impossible. Moreover, with heavy snow blocking the mountains, materials were hard to transport. What he needed to do was to build the fire pits first! Otherwise, the villagers' mud houses would be hard to survive in such a severe winter.

When building the fire pits, both the villagers and the mercenaries were surprised, not knowing what the duke was up to.

Three days later, when they first sat on the fire pits, everyone showed expressions of great surprise. They had never imagined that winter could be so warm.

"What kind of brain does this boy have!" The old man had already seen the fire pits in Hongyuan City, but seeing the whole village benefit, he couldn't help but sigh.

"Your Grace! Although the fire pits are warm, they use a lot of fire! You've already bought grain, and now..."

Grandpa Fu was excited as he spoke. The duke not only gave each household charcoal but also cotton clothes! They, as commoners, rarely wore cotton clothes!

Jiang Xingchen smiled and waved his hand, interrupting Grandpa Fu, "If you can't eat or stay warm, how can your bodies be healthy? How will you have the strength for spring plowing next year... When the grain yield increases, I'll get it all back!"

Grandpa Fu nodded repeatedly, but he knew in his heart that what the duke said was simple, but in reality, it wasn't that easy. He was the best at accounting in the village and understood that even with increased grain yields, it wouldn't catch up to the duke's expenses...

On the fourth day after returning to the territory, Jiang Xingchen was standing on a hill, looking around, listening to Shiwazi introduce the farmland situation when Zhao Zixiang arrived.