Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 667 "The Wind Syndrome Is Difficult to Awaken"

Logically, since Li Liting had suffered a stroke and fainted, everyone should have taken him to the inner quarters of the main hall to recuperate. However, after a flurry of activity, not a single official, high or low, among those present brought up this point.

The crowd simply set up a reclining chair, lifted Li Liting onto it, and then returned to their seats. All this commotion in the yamen's main hall didn't even disturb Li's wives and concubines in the inner quarters.

"Judge Zhang." Jin Dadian, the deputy general in charge of guarding the city gate, broke the brief silence. "Now that Prefect Li is unable to exercise his authority, it is up to you to act on his behalf. Should the city gate be opened or closed tomorrow morning?"

“Yes, Judge Zhang.” After Jin Dadian finished speaking, the first person to chime in was surprisingly the eunuch who always fawned over Li Liting. “It’s getting late, please give me some advice!”

Zhang Ning'en glanced at the other prison warden, but quickly looked away. "Has everyone seen that proclamation?"

Kim Dae-jeon immediately realized that Jang Ning-eun was trying to change the subject, so he opened his mouth, ready to force Jang Ning-eun to make a statement. But before that, Choi Jung-won, the head of the local gentry standing next to Lee Ri-jeong, raised the scroll of "Proclamation for the Protection of Joseon" high: "Who hasn't seen it yet?!"

“I haven’t seen it yet.” Near the exit of the lobby, a young country gentleman raised his hand in response.

“I haven’t seen it either,” another local gentry member chimed in. Soon, all the gentry in the hall who hadn’t seen the manifesto raised their hands.

"Chief Cui, could you please circulate this proclamation to everyone?" Zhang Ning'en was still hunched over, but his posture was no longer as listless as before, like a wilted eggplant.

"Damn it," Jin Dadian cursed under his breath, leaning back awkwardly in his chair. He knew the topic had been steered away and he couldn't force his way in any further; he could only wait until everyone had read the manifesto before looking for another opportunity.

“Alright.” Cui Zhongyuan glanced at Jin Dadian, then turned and walked to the young gentry who had raised his hand first. “Pass it down after you’ve read it. I’ll warn you beforehand that the contents are horrifying, so please be prepared.” Despite his words, there was no surprise or fear on his face.

“I know.” The young country gentleman nodded. “Didn’t Prefect Li shout before he fainted? He said His Highness was… by the Emperor.”

"Alright, so you're the only one who heard that? Take it and read it quietly." Cui Zhongyuan shoved the manifesto into the young gentry's hands, then walked over and stood next to Zhang Ning'en.

“Chief Cui,” Zhang Ning’en glanced at the corner where the stool was usually left empty, then looked up at Cui Zhongyuan. “Why don’t you have someone bring a stool over?”

"I want to stand for a while, just to wake myself up." After saying this, Cui Zhongyuan mouthed to Zhang Ning'en, "Don't say anything later."

“Okay!” Zhang Ning’en nodded emphatically. “Then you can stand there.”

Li Liting's earlier scream, along with the rumors that had been circulating widely in the capital region for the past two years, especially in the last month, had already prepared everyone to some extent. Therefore, after the proclamation had been circulated, no one was "shocked and alarmed." On the contrary, many local gentry showed relaxed expressions after reading the gentle words and strict orders in the latter half of the proclamation.

The emperor only questioned the king's crimes and did not extend his anger to the entire Joseon Dynasty, so the people of Joseon could continue living their lives as usual.

The moment the proclamation "Judge Chen" returned to Cui Zhongyuan's hands, Jin Daedian immediately spoke. Unfortunately, before Jin Daedian could ask any questions, Chen Ning'en forcefully interrupted him with a high-pitched, almost screaming voice: "Everyone has read the proclamation, and you must all have your own opinions! General Jin! You're so eager, you must already have a plan!"

“Yes! Jin Biejiang, you’re in charge of the gate, so tell us your thoughts first.” Hu Wanhu chimed in even faster than Cui Zhongyuan.

For a moment, all eyes in the hall were focused on Jin Dadian's face, except for the professor who had been rebuked by Jin Dadian at the beginning, who was still lost in thought.

The first move was a shock! Jin Dadian's blood pressure spiked. He barely managed to steady himself and cleverly changed the subject: "How about we wait for the doctor to come and examine Prefect Li before we talk about it?"

"Very well! The night is still long, and the Li family envoy might wake up at any time." Chen Ning'en had no intention of forcing Jin Dadian to take a stand; he was content as long as he could keep Jin Dadian in check. Because whatever stance Jin Dadian took would only be a suggestion. Too many suggestions would force someone to make a decision.

Chen Ning'en didn't want to make a decision. Even if someone spoke up in advance to help him share some of the responsibility, he still didn't want to help Li Liting shoulder this burden that would only bring harm and no benefit.

"You, how could you..." The eunuch who always flattered Li Liting was anxious as the situation returned to square one. However, the head eunuch, Cui Zhongyuan, only asked, "Does Eunuch Shen have anything to say?" which made him sheepishly shrink back.

Shen Biejian did indeed support Li Liting, and even shared his fate to a large extent, but he still wouldn't risk being the "first to advocate" speaking up for Li Liting.

Shen Biejian glanced at Li Liting subconsciously and noticed that Li Liting's eyes seemed to move slightly. He didn't say anything, but slowly closed his eyes, as if to rest.

The atmosphere in the hall fell into an eerie silence, which lasted until the best doctor in Incheon Prefecture was half-dragged and half-pulled into the yamen by the yamen runners.

"Judge Chen, Professor Li, Chief Cui, what brings you all here?" The physician, carrying his medicine chest, entered the hall and, seeing the room full of local dignitaries, immediately trembled violently. "Prefect Li, could it be..."

"What are you thinking? Prefect Li has just fainted from shock. You should come over and take a look at him right away." Chen Ning'en immediately understood what the doctor was thinking.

"Good!" The doctor breathed a sigh of relief; he didn't want to be collecting corpses in the middle of the night.

The physician hurried to Li Liting's side, and had just placed his medicine box on the large table and was about to sit down to take his pulse when Jin Dadian's voice came over: "Physician Yang, is there any way to wake up Prefect Li as soon as possible?"

"..." Doctor Yang paused, "We'll have to see for ourselves to know."

"You have to come up with something. So many of us are waiting for him to take charge." Jin Dadian looked around, but no one met his gaze.

"No matter how urgent things are for you all, I still need to examine you before I can prescribe the right medicine." Doctor Yang sat down on the small stool brought by the yamen runner and gently placed two fingers on Li Liting's wrist.

"How is it!" Jin Dadian urged again shortly after. "When will you wake up?"

"Jin Dadian, that's enough!" Shen Biejian scolded. "What's the rush!" "If Prefect Li can't get up," Jin Dadian pouted, "then you, Shen Biejian, can come up with the idea."

"Hmph!" Shen Biejian had nothing to say, he could only roll his eyes and snort coldly to express his contempt.

For a short while afterward, no one spoke, allowing Physician Yang to concentrate on taking Li Liting's pulse and checking his breathing. However, the moment his hand left Li Liting's body, a voice immediately came through asking, "How is Prefect Li? When will he wake up?"

“Judge Chen.” Physician Yang looked at Chen Ning’en, ​​who had asked the question, and explained slowly with the proper manner of a physician: “Prefect Li’s pulse is steady, not wiry, not thin, not rapid, and his heartbeat is strong but not hurried, all of which are good signs. However, his breathing is disordered, his pupils are rolling upwards, there is no response when I pinch his philtrum, and his forehead seems to be somewhat dark.” Physician Yang then bent down to examine Li Liting’s complexion more carefully. “Of course, this could also be because it’s too dark.”

"Did he have a stroke?" Shen Biejian interjected.

“Just now, Judge Chen said that Prefect Li fainted because he was too frightened. I think this might be infantile convulsions,” Physician Yang nodded slightly, then stroked his beard and shook his head gently. “But in all my years of medical practice, I have never seen this kind of ‘wind sign.’ Someone, please hold Prefect Li’s chin for me. It would be best if someone else could hold the candle so I can examine his tongue. If the tongue is red, trembling, and has a yellow coating, then it should be infantile convulsions.”

"Hmph. Is he just faking it?" No one came out to help; instead, a voice drifted out from the shadows.

Doctor Yang stiffened and subconsciously looked in the direction of the voice, only to see a cluster of silent faces.

What's going on today? Physician Yang didn't know what had happened, but he could sense that, apart from Supervisor Shen, no one seemed to care whether Prefect Li was truly ill. And even if Prefect Li was genuinely feigning illness for some special reason, shouldn't he at least say it so openly? Wasn't the person who said this afraid of being targeted by Prefect Li later?

Just as he was wondering, an even more urging voice came over: "What's with all the nonsense! Forget whether it's real or fake, just tell me if he can wake up or not! If he can't wake up, Judge Chen, hurry up and make a decision. There are still many things to arrange, there's no time to hesitate, if we drag this out any longer it'll be dawn!"

"General Jin, you—" Doctor Yang looked at Jin Dadian and suddenly realized that this man had been urging him ever since he came in, and it wasn't the kind of urging that comes from "concern."

"Doctor Yang." Chen Ning'en's face also showed obvious urgency. "Do you have any way to wake up Prefect Li as soon as possible?"

"What on earth is going on?" Doctor Yang couldn't help but ask. "Has something serious happened?"

"Why say so much? The sky is falling! We're just waiting for him to wake up and decide how to fix it!" Jin Dadian clenched his fists, extremely agitated. "Quickly wake up the Li family servant. Give him some effort, or even use some strong medicine, it wouldn't hurt!"

“It’s difficult to wake someone with a stroke. Even with great effort and strong medicine, I can’t guarantee that Master Li will wake up.” Doctor Yang looked around and, seeing no one objecting, opened his medicine box, took out a small ceramic bottle from the deepest part, and shook out a pill the size of a fingertip, showing it to everyone. “This is a famous prescription from the Heavenly Dynasty’s Medical Sage, Wan Mizhai, called Niuhuang Qingxin Wan, which is specifically for treating heat-induced convulsions and infantile convulsions. It has a remarkable effect on children. It’s slightly less effective for adults. First, get some water for Master Li to drink, then send someone to my house to get Arisaema, musk, and borneol for later use. Someone, please hold the candle, and I’ll prepare acupuncture and bloodletting.” As he spoke, Doctor Yang took out a small cloth package filled with fine needles from the medicine box.

"Bloodletting!" Shen Biejian shouted, and Li Liting seemed to tremble as well. "Isn't this going too far?"

“Bloodletting to clear heat is a common medical method for waking the mind and opening the orifices. Don’t worry, you can’t use too much. Just insert one needle into each of the twelve Jing-Well points and release a cluster of blood.” Doctor Yang took a deep breath. “But I still maintain that wind-related illnesses are difficult to cure. Even if you use these methods, I cannot guarantee that Prefect Li will definitely wake up.”

"Judge Chen, what do you say?" Jin Dadian looked at Chen Ning'en.

"Let's get started!" Chen Ning'en stood up, leaning on the armrest. He first shook his head helplessly at Cui Zhongyuan, then looked deeply at Li Liting on the recliner. "If Prefect Li still hasn't woken up by four in the morning, then we'll have to discuss and make a decision."

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The *Huangdi Neijing Lingshu* states: "The points where qi originates are called Jing, the points where it flows are called Ying, the points where it pours are called Shu, the points where it travels are called Jing, and the points where it enters are called He. The twenty-seven qi all travel through the five Shu points."

Traditional Chinese medicine likens the meridians to rivers, with blood flowing through them like river water. The phrase "where it originates is like a well" means that the initial source of the flow of qi and blood is like a well from which groundwater flows.

Well-points are mostly distributed at the ends of the fingers and toes. They are essential pathways for the flow of Qi and blood from the surface meridians to the internal meridians, and are closely related to the Qi and blood of the internal organs. Stimulating well-points has a strong effect on awakening the mind, reviving from fainting, opening the orifices, and relieving pain, and is often used for emergency treatment of various diseases. It is especially effective for acute conditions such as stroke and convulsions.

Extensive practice has proven that pressing or needling acupoints can quickly regulate the flow of Qi and blood and restore the patient's consciousness.

But Li Liting was clearly an "anomaly." All six major acupoints—Zhongchong, Guanchong, Shaochong, Shaoze, Shaoshang, and Shangyang—had been needled, yet Li Liting still showed no reaction. Physician Yang tried to administer medicine, but after much effort, he couldn't even pry open Li Liting's mouth. If it weren't for his still-breathing and beating heart, Physician Yang would have almost suspected that Li Liting was about to die.

"Phew!" Doctor Yang let out a long breath. "Take off your socks and prepare to pierce the foot well."

"What exactly happened to Prefect Li?" Supervisor Shen asked with concern.

"I told you long ago that he's unlikely to wake up from this illness!" Doctor Yang was somewhat irritated. So many powerful and influential people were watching closely. If Li Liting really didn't wake up or even died, the reputation of his family's century-old clinic would probably be ruined. "Quickly take off his socks. After the blood from the Six-Legged Well is drained, crush the Arisaema and Borneol and apply it to both sides of Li's molars to force him to talk!"

“Okay.” Jin Dadian and Chen Ning'en acted almost simultaneously.

"Report!" Just then, a piercing scream came from the direction of the government office.

"What is it now!" Chen Ning'en almost shouted.

"Someone from the capital has arrived, saying that there is an urgent order from the Ministry of War."

"Where is he?!" Chen Ning'en's eyes widened. Li Liting also trembled.

"Still outside the city."

"Then let them in!" Jin Dadian roared.

(End of this chapter)