Chapter 14 – Troubling Zhang Jiao
Zhang Jiao sat on the main seat in the main hall, receiving Hua Tuo and his family. They debated the medical terms and treatment from their experience.
Zhang Jiao was a Taoist and his healing technique came from Taoist teaching. They believed in Yin-Yang and the elemental inner force of men could affect the general health of a person, and emotions were also associated with the internal organs.
Thus, they believed that if a person could maintain positive emotion and mentality, such as love, gentleness, kindness, and happiness, they would not succumb to general illness easily.
In turn, stress and negative emotions were considered harmful to a personal health in the Taoist teaching.
Taoism also possessed a wide variety of healing techniques and medicines, such as herbs, pills, alcohol, tea, oil, massage, decoction, acupuncture and etc.
Meanwhile, Hua Tuo's medicine knowledge base was from Buddhist teaching.
In Buddhist teaching, there was a law of cause, effect, and consequences, AKA Karma. The sickness of a patient had its root, and the cause could always be explained. There would be no such thing as a sickness that popped up out of nowhere without a source.
They also had similar healing technique like Taoism, such as herbs, diets, therapy and etc.
Hua Tuo was an open-minded person when it comes to medical practices. He absorbed every kind of techniques of other teachings like a sponge and combined it into one of his own.
Both Zhang Jiao and Hua Tuo chatted and laughed for an hour. Then Hua Tuo realized he had forgotten his purpose of this visit.
"Right, I've forgotten what I've come here for. My apologies, teacher Zhang."
"No worry, no worry. It's been a while since I last had a good chat with someone on the same field. Take your time."
"Haha, thank you, teacher Zhang. But I've come here to discuss something else. Come, Shi'er, greet teacher Zhang."
For an hour, Hua Shi sat there listening to the conversation in patience. She was threatened by Hua Tuo that if she played truant or didn't follow his order then she would be disowned.
Hua Shi had no choice but to comply. A 16-year-old single girl could not possibly survive alone in this era unless she had a death wish or wanted to be ravished and ended up working as a prostitute in the future.
Without Hua Tuo's backing, Hua Shi had no confidence that she could rely on her special skill or her knowledge to survive by herself at her current age.
"Hua Shi greets Teacher Zhang."
Hua Shi stepped up and greeted Zhang Jiao. Her mother had dressed her up like a noble young lady for this occasion.
Zhang Jiao nodded, observing Hua Shi from head to toe. His eyes flickered a moment and returned its calm.
"Good girl, I heard you came here with teacher Hua yesterday?"
"Yes, we bought a few boxes of soap from young master Zhang yesterday." Hua Shi replied.
"Hoh? All of you were here yesterday?"
"Yes, we couldn't find you here yesterday so we visited young master Zhang first. Please forgive us for our inconsideration." Hua Tuo explained.
Zhang Jiao touched his beard. He fell into deep thought. He was already aware of Tong's secret soap business and other goods he collected in his warehouse.
Tong started acting on his own without consulting him since he was five. Zhang Jiao was worried as he didn't know how to be a good father. He was too busy teaching his disciples and performing duty as a healer in this village and the surrounding.
Therefore, he left Tong alone, believing that he was lonely and wanted something to do to kill times. However, times proved him wrong.
Every year, Tong always did something strange that broke the common sense of a child. For example, he ordered his servants to gather or buy materials in bulk with his pocket money, such as olive oil and Gui Flower seeds. Then Tong cooped up in his room, experimenting something smelly.
Two years later, Tong snatched the main hall, moved all furniture away and flooded the room with strange flowery-odor oily brown liquid. Tong claimed that he needed a place with even-floor or it would be ugly. Then after a week, all the liquid was solidified and was cut into several hand-size blocks, and Tong's soap was revealed to the family.
After that day, Zhang Jiao allocated two buildings for Tong to manage his own business.
Then last night, Tong snuck out of the resident and came back injured.
Zhang Jiao had no idea why Tong went out at night and what Tong's connection with the death of five children and two guards was.
And now Hua Tuo suddenly introduced his daughter to him. It wasn't hard to guess what Hua Tuo planned to do next if it was during normal time.
But this time the matter was very sensitive. Hua Tuo and his family came to see Tong yesterday and the incident happened soon after. It was too suspicious! This was too much for a coincidence!
Zhang Jiao was afraid that Hua Tuo might have a connection of the incident last night, or Hua Tuo schemed to harm his son by using his daughter.
Zhang Jiao didn't have any solid proof to confirm his conjecture, so he chose to wait and see Hua Tuo's next move.
"Teacher Zhang, how about it? What do you think of my daughter?" Hua Tuo asked.
'Figured. Trying to offer your daughter to become someone's wife?' Zhang Jiao scoffed in his mind.
"She'll grow up into a fine lady alright. I'll be jealous of any man who can gain your daughter's favor."
"You see, teacher Zhang. We visited young master Zhang yesterday and Shi'er took a liking to him. Now that Shi'er is about to become of age and young master Zhang is about the same age as Shi'er. Young master Tong also doesn't seem to have a fiancé yet ..."
'I figured as much, you wanted to give your daughter to Tong'er.' Zhang Jiao thought.
"How about it teacher Zhang. Don't you think that Shi'er is a good match for young master Zhang?"
Zhang Jiao chuckled in his heart. If Hua Tuo had made this offer in other days then he would have accepted it without thinking. However, there was an exception. No one could touch a single hair of his son today!
"This matter should be decided by the children themselves. It is their future we are talking about. We have no right to decide it for them."
Zhang Jiao refused. His voice and stance were firm. His face also showed an indifferent attitude.
'Hmm?'
Hua Tuo was surprised. He didn't expect Zhang Jiao to refuse it.
Hua Tuo and Hua Shi didn't know about Tong's injury. So they didn't know why Zhang Jiao didn't take the bait.
But Hua Shi was delighted. She already checked her HUD map and saw Tong's location. She confirmed that the otherworlder was 100% Tong. When she heard that she didn't have to marry Tong anymore, she felt like a mountain was lift away from her chest.
"Then how about having Shi'er and young master Zhang talk to each other about his matter. Maybe they like each other but didn't have a chance to be alone together." Hua Tuo attempted again.
But Zhang Jiao frown. This old fox was shameless, shoving his underage daughter to his son without caring. What kind of father was he?
"I'm afraid that it will be impossible for today. My son is currently resting. He had an accident last night and needed rest."
'An accident?' Hua Tuo thought.
'Was it related to the Heavenly mission Shi'er was talking about?'
'She said that Zhang Tong fought with four other apostles and lived.'
'If that's true then he might have an injury. And Zhang Jiao is keeping it a secret.'
'Interesting.' Hua Tuo smiled in his heart.
"Shi'er, why don't you show teacher Zhang your magic?"
Hua Tuo decided to reveal his trump card. He wanted to shove his daughter into Tong's hand no matter what.
"Magic?" Zhang Jiao was surprised.
Hua Tuo glared at his daughter, gesturing her as if he was telling her 'Do it, or else'.
Hua Shi was helpless. She did what father told her to.
"[Medical Gift]"
Hua Shi activated her skill, scanning Zhang Jiao and his health. After the scanning was completed, she closed her eyes and digested the information which was poured into her brain.
Hua Shi opened her eyes and looked straight at Zhang Jiao, then pointed her finger at an empty plate on the table on the side of Zhang Jiao. A bright light shined from Hua Shi's index finger and beamed onto the plate, and two medicine pallets appeared out of thin air.
"This is my skill [Medical Gift], I can diagnose an illness or an injury of a person and create medicines out of thin air or give you a treatment solution if the illness or the injury cannot be cured with medicines."
Zhang Jiao's eyes opened wide in shock for a couple seconds before returning to normal. Zhang Jiao had seen Tong's abnormal constitution when he treated Tong, and he had seen many street parlor tricks before. So he didn't surprise much.
'A weird trick. But it looks real.' Zhang Jiao thought.
"Teacher Zhang, have you been suffering stomach ache three days ago?" Hua Shi asked.
"!? ... Yes." Zhang Jiao nodded.
"Did you feel like you lost an appetite? You felt full even though you ate very little? Sometimes you felt nauseous before you had a meal? Did you feel burnt from the inside of your lower chest? You thought you need to go to the toilet but once you got there, nothing came out? Did you belch a lot yesterday? You …"
A series of diagnosis from Hua Shi went on and on. Zhang Jiao's eyes were opened wide again. Everything she said was spotted on!
Hua Tuo, who was beside his daughter, was surprised as well. He couldn't detect anything unusual from Zhang Jiao after an hour of chatting.
"What you are suffering right now is called 'gastric ulcers'. There's a small wound in your stomach. It was caused by teacher Zhang yourself for not properly had the meal on time. Your stress and your over-drinking habits also contributed to the small wound."
"Since the wound is still small and there is no infection yet, the treatment is simple. You can just swallow the medicines on the plate after a meal. I'll create more tablets for you. It should last you for a week. If you still feel pain or feel anything unusual, call me immediately."
Zhang Jiao stared at Hua Shi, speechless. He couldn't digest the information. Everything seemed gibberish to him.
Then Zhang Jiao thought about his son's knee injury and his weird constitution. He suddenly had an inspiration.
"Teacher Hua, do you mind if I borrow your daughter to see my son for a while?"