Chapter 24

（Sanno is so weak, I'm also being overshadowed, please give me recommendation votes to get on the list!!）

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Rokuro wasn't suffering from appendicitis. If it were severe, surgery would be required, which isn't something a half-trained doctor like Sanno could handle...

Fortunately, Rokuro's condition was due to long-term malnutrition, leading to a weak digestive system. After arriving in the county town and eating full meals, his digestive system couldn't handle the sudden change, causing food stagnation and gastrointestinal dysfunction. He was already very uncomfortable but, being well-behaved and understanding, he knew the family had no money for a doctor, so he endured it without complaining.

However, this was just the trigger. The real cause of Rokuro's illness was the binge eating from the day before. In Western medical terms, it was due to indigestion causing a high intestinal obstruction, leading to a significant loss of potassium in the body. The loss of potassium can cause weakness and paralysis in the limbs, and if not replenished in time, it can even be life-threatening.

When Sanno explained these medical conditions in as straightforward a language as possible, he saw a mix of belief and doubt in his father and brother's eyes—belief from Jiro, and doubt from Chen Xiliang.

"Even if you don't believe me," Sanno said firmly, "can you at least boil a pot of red sugar ginger water for Rokuro?"

Of course, in this era, red sugar ginger water was the go-to remedy for minor illnesses. Even if it didn't cure the illness, it wouldn't harm anyone.

Soon, a steaming pot of red sugar ginger water was brought in, and the older brothers coaxed Rokuro to drink a large bowl. Strangely, after drinking it, he stopped shivering and moaning and was able to sleep soundly.

Seeing this, the father and brothers naturally gained more confidence. Chen Xiliang was greatly surprised, "Could it really not be appendicitis?"

"Of course not," Sanno shook his head. "Although he has a fever, chills, and abdominal discomfort, if it were appendicitis, Rokuro would be rolling on the ground in pain. Instead, he feels bloated and weak, which is due to gastrointestinal stagnation and the loss of some... vital energy." He paused, "Red sugar ginger water can quickly replenish this vital energy. As for the bloating, chicken gizzard can be used, and it works very well."

"Is chicken gizzard the yellow skin inside a chicken's stomach?" Chen Xiliang asked.

"Yes," Sanno nodded.

"Can these two things really cure Rokuro's illness?" Chen Xiliang, impressed by Sanno's detailed explanation, couldn't help but believe him.

"This is just a symptomatic treatment," Sanno shook his head again. "To treat the root cause, we need to use the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Benefit Qi Decoction)."

"Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang?" Chen Xiliang looked puzzled. "I've never heard of it."

"Oh..." Sanno thought for a moment. The famous Jin dynasty physician Li Dongyuan wouldn't be born for another hundred years. "I have no choice, my brother needs it."

Without further ado, he wrote a prescription, listing ten herbs including Astragalus and Codonopsis, each with different dosages. He said confidently, "If you get the herbs and take them for seven days, it will cure the root of the problem."

This finally convinced Chen Xiliang that his son truly had medical skills. He was baffled—how could one fall in the water and suddenly know how to read, cook, practice medicine, and gamble? Could there be a deity in the water, or did he have some extraordinary encounter?

This absurd thought wasn't a joke; he genuinely believed it, as there was no other way to explain his son's sudden enlightenment—like a sudden enlightenment in Buddhism.

However, since it concerned his youngest son's life, he couldn't be careless. "What's the difference between your Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and the Da Bai Hu Tang (Great White Tiger Decoction)?"

"Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang is a tonic to nourish and tonify the middle and raise yang. Da Bai Hu Tang is a purgative to clear heat, which is the opposite," Sanno sighed. "There are too many examples of quacks killing people, but I won't harm my brother."

"..." Chen Xiliang fell silent, pondering for a long time. Seeing the sky brighten, he finally got up and went out.

About half an hour later, he returned with a bag of herbs, looking at Sanno strangely. "The apothecary has never seen this prescription."

"This is a warming tonic. Even if it doesn't cure the illness, it won't harm anyone." Sanno took the herbs and went to boil them. Chen Xiliang, wanting to say something but holding back, sat there in a daze.

Just as he was hesitating whether to let Rokuro take this unknown medicine, there was a knock on the door. "Excuse me, is this the Chen family?"

Jiro quickly opened the door, and two scholars, one wearing a blue silk robe and the other a green Taoist robe, both in their thirties, holding white fans, stood at the door.

"Ah, it's my uncles. Nephew greets you." Jiro bowed deeply and then turned to call, "Father, Uncle Song and Uncle Su are here!"

Chen Xiliang, tidying his clothes, came out and was surprised to see them. "Old Quan, Churen, what brings you here!"

"You left without a word that day," Old Quan, who was Su Xun from Meishan, said with a stern face. "You didn't even register for the imperial examination, so I naturally came to look for you."

"Please, come in quickly."

Seeing the dilapidated house and the strong smell of medicine, Su Xun felt a pang of sadness and stopped his accusatory words, entering the courtyard with Song Fu.

In the main room, Su Xun saw Rokuro lying in bed. "Your son is sick?"

"Yes, he had an acute illness last night, but he's much better now," Chen Xiliang said, inviting them to sit at the table and pouring water. "We don't have tea, so please drink some plain water."

"No rush." Churen, Song Fu, was a friend they met during their travels. He had learned martial arts on Mount Qingcheng since childhood and only started studying literature at the age of twenty-five. Mount Qingcheng was known as the "Source of Martial Arts," and Song Fu was not only skilled in martial arts but also in medicine. He went to check Rokuro's pulse and, after a moment's thought, said, "The child has gastrointestinal dysfunction and qi stagnation. I'll give him a massage when he wakes up."

"Indeed..." Chen Xiliang said resentfully. "A quack said it was appendicitis, but fortunately, we didn't listen to him!"

"The symptoms are indeed similar to appendicitis, and it's hard to distinguish when the illness is severe," Song Fu looked at Chen Xiliang in surprise. "Brother Gongbi, you also know medicine?"

"Not me," Chen Xiliang, who never lied, said, "It's my son."

"Oh, Jiro is that good?"

"Not Jiro, it's Sanno," Chen Xiliang said hesitantly.

"Sanno, he's only ten years old..." Song Fu's mouth dropped open.

"He's not even ten yet," Chen Xiliang said, embarrassed. "He said it wasn't appendicitis and prescribed red sugar ginger water and chicken gizzard. He's now boiling the herbs in the kitchen."

"Really, what nonsense..." Song Fu shook his head, but after hearing Sanno's prescription, he nodded frequently. "This is actually correct. Red sugar ginger water tonifies the middle and benefits qi, and chicken gizzard treats indigestion, with excellent results."

"Tonify the middle and benefit qi..." Chen Xiliang realized. "The prescription he gave is called Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang."

"Let me see." Song Fu extended his hand, and Chen Xiliang handed him the prescription on the table.

Song Fu studied the prescription, his expression becoming increasingly serious. Finally, he sighed, "With this prescription, one can stand firm in the medical field for a hundred years!"

"Ah..." Chen Xiliang was amazed by such a high evaluation.

"Have you seen this prescription before, Churen?" Su Xun asked.

"No," Song Fu shook his head.

"Then how do you know it's good?" Su Xun pressed.

"A good prescription must have a balance of the sovereign, minister, assistant, and messenger herbs," Song Fu pointed to the prescription. "In this prescription, Astragalus is the sovereign, tonifying the middle and raising yang, nourishing life to correspond with heaven; Codonopsis, Atractylodes, and licorice are the ministers, tonifying the spleen and stomach to correspond with humanity; Citrus peel regulates qi, and Angelica nourishes blood and harmonizes the camp as the assistant; Bupleurum and Cimicifuga assist Codonopsis and Astragalus in raising clear yang as the messenger. From a pharmacological perspective, it is impeccable."

"This, just a lucky guess?" Chen Xiliang was speechless, never imagining that Sanno's prescription had such depth.

"With so many herbs, each with different dosages, it's impossible to guess. It takes decades of hard work or a born genius to come up with such a well-structured prescription," Song Fu said, his expression strange. "Is this really from a ten-year-old child?"

"Why guess? Just call him in and ask," Su Xun interrupted.

Jiro went to bring Sanno in. In fact, Sanno had already heard their conversation. Under the strange gazes of the three adults, he felt uneasy... They wouldn't think I'm a monster and burn me, right? He had always read that the first thing a穿越者 (穿越者 means "time traveler" or "穿越者" in this context) should do is hide their abilities, and he was being quite conspicuous.

"Sanno, I have a question. Where did you get this prescription?"

"I, I don't know, it just came to me," Sanno, no longer as impulsive as the night before, started to act innocent.

"Nonsense, why doesn't it come to me?" Su Xun laughed and scolded.

"Right, why doesn't it come to me?" Sanno's big eyes almost choked Su Xun.

Song Fu questioned him further and finally sighed, "There are indeed those who can learn without a teacher!"

"Of course," Su Xun said matter-of-factly. "In ancient times, Gan Luo became a prime minister at twelve, and Zhou Yu led troops at seven. In our dynasty, Wang Wenzheng, Yang Wenzheng, Song Xuan, and the current Prime Minister Yan, as well as the recently risen two, are all prodigies beyond the imagination of ordinary people."

"Old Quan, you didn't finish your sentence," seeing his eager defense, Song Fu teased. "How could you forget your two sons?"

"..." Su Xun's face turned red, but he said proudly, "Of course, my two sons only need to read once to understand the essence of ancient and modern successes and failures, naturally surpassing ordinary people!"

Sanno's eyes widened, his mind filled with only two words: "Old Quan"? Uncle Su is Old Quan? Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Xiaomei's father? Yes, this is Sichuan Meizhou, the hometown of Su Dongpo. Uh, our Qingshen County is also where Su Dongpo had his first love...

His heart raced, and he wanted to jump up and ask for an autograph and a photo! He was more excited than when he saw his own father!

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Sanno was indeed overthinking. The Song Dynasty, unlike the strict and conservative Ming and Qing Dynasties, was a free and romantic era that highly praised child prodigies. Since the reign of Emperor Taizong, a special examination for child prodigies, the Tongzi Ke, was established. "Any child under fifteen who can understand the classics, write poetry, and compose essays can be recommended by the state to the imperial court, where the emperor personally examines them." During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, Song Shou, Yan Shu, Jiang Gai, Li Shu, and Cai Baiqi successively passed the Tongzi Ke and were granted the same status as jinshi or xueji. Among them, Cai Baiqi from Fujian was the youngest, only three years old, and Emperor Zhenzong held him in his arms, happily composing a poem: "The mountains and waters of Fujian are rich in talent, and a three-year-old prodigy has emerged in this prosperous era!"

Prodigies are the auspicious signs of a prosperous era... Emperor Zhenzong must have thought so.

Compared to those who passed the jinshi at three and became officials at five, his ability to diagnose illness at ten was indeed weak.

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Rolling on the ground for votes!!!

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