Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 144 The First Sage of the Medical World? A Madman in Prison!
The earliest microscope was invented in 1590, just nine years after the ninth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign.

However, these "flea glasses," made by Dutch eyewear craftsmen, can only magnify up to three to nine times.

It wasn't until nearly a hundred years later that Leeuwenhoek invented a microscope in its true sense.

Zhang Yunxiu's version of the microscope was made using the techniques of Leeuwenhoek.

Glass is still a rare material, and developing a microscope requires not only manpower but also ample funding.

Fortunately, Zhang Yunxiu has no shortage of either of these qualities.

The capital city has no shortage of highly skilled craftsmen, and Zhang Yunxiu has no shortage of money.

Of course, in order to bring the microscope to fruition a hundred years earlier, Zhang Yunxiu made things difficult for the artisans in the capital.

This tiny lens, less than one centimeter in diameter, cannot be ground using ordinary techniques.

This version of the microscope can magnify nearly 300 times, and although it can show changes in yeast, it is still somewhat difficult to see.

If the bacteria are even smaller than yeast, they will be even harder to see.

However, by observing the changes in yeast reproduction, we can already provide substantial evidence for the existence of the micro-world.

At this moment, Li Shizhen was completely dumbfounded. Afraid of damaging the equipment, he gently held the microscope upright and couldn't help but take a step back.

His lips moved, his snow-white beard trembled, and he couldn't help but feel a little excited as he spoke.

He recalled countless experiences of repeatedly testing drugs, even at the cost of damaging his own health, just to find out if a prescription was feasible.

However, he could never quite grasp the key points, and some prescriptions were sometimes effective and sometimes ineffective, which gave Li Shizhen a great deal of headache.

He then thought that the reason why drugs such as allicin are effective is simply because they kill certain microorganisms such as yeast.

Therefore, I took a detour in my previous research on medicine, which is why I couldn't find the right method for so long!

From this perspective, many of the theories in those ancient books are riddled with errors!

Why has the field of medicine made no progress over the past thousands of years?
Why do people today have to rely on ancient books and rack their brains to find the lost works left by their predecessors?
It's not that people today are inferior to those of the ancients, but rather that the medical profession has fundamentally gone down the wrong path!

In the past, Li Shizhen had some wishful thinking when reading the Wanli Xinbao, but now, with the facts laid bare before him, his heart was utterly shaken.

"The vast world contains the Dao, both large and small. We use the Dao of the microscopic to observe the microscopic, and use the four qi and five flavors to regulate the human body and the microcosm. We use the true form of the microscopic to observe the great meridians of heaven and earth!"

"Hahahahahaha!"

Li Shizhen kept backing away, letting out a burst of maniacal laughter. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the microscope, uttering mad words.

"How could such microorganisms exist in this world! I have read countless medical books and ancient texts for decades, traveled all over the country, and read so many books, yet I was completely unaware of this!"
Without breaking free from the limitations of the physical eye, how can one perceive the profound truths of the universe?

If I had known about this microorganism earlier, why would I have been so frustrated for so many years without finding a solution!

In fact, Zhang Yunxiu was already used to such surprised reactions.

When microscopes first appeared in the laboratory, everyone, including Yuan Zongdao, Yang Jishi, and Luo Xian, reacted strongly.

However, it is not even half as good as Li Shizhen's.

Li Shizhen immersed himself in medicine for many years, wanting to practice medicine and save lives, but he could never grasp the essentials. He traveled all over the country, not only to find the true "way of medicine".
After a life of wandering, I unexpectedly found myself seeing the true microcosm through Zhang Yunxiu's eyes.

Others may not know, but Li Shizhen, who had been immersed in medicine for many years, could not possibly be unaware of the important role of the "microscope" in medical and pharmacological research.

From then on, medical practitioners no longer found themselves aimless and directionless when studying pharmacology.

Everything will be traceable!
Having wandered for most of his life, Li Shizhen was already nearing sixty when he finally encountered this "microscope." How could he not go crazy!
If only we could have met sooner!
Thinking this, tears welled up in Li Shizhen's eyes. He suddenly realized that he had been doing all this for nothing.

His lips trembled, tears welled up in his eyes, and he slumped down in front of the lab table, muttering to himself.

"My life's work, half a lifetime's effort, has vanished like a mirage."

"The title of 'Medical Sage' sounds like a mockery!"

Zhang Yunxiu stepped forward to help Li Shizhen up. He hadn't expected the other party to react so strongly and was a little worried about his mental state, so he quickly reminded him.

“Mr. Dongbi, there’s no need for that. While this method is indeed miraculous, traditional medical practices weren’t entirely without merit.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, Li Shizhen's eyes lit up, and he pounced on Zhang Yunxiu and grabbed him.

"Zhang Tongzhi! This is not a magic trick, is it? The Buddhist scriptures say that a small space contains a world, and a single leaf contains enlightenment. This is true, isn't it?"

Seeing that the other party was about to go astray, Zhang Yunxiu quickly corrected him.

"Mr. Dongbi, you are mistaken. It is not a matter of a world within a small area. Yeast is yeast, and bacteria are bacteria. They also have life, but their bodies are extremely small, so they can only be seen through this microscope. There is no world within this small area, but there are hundreds or thousands of microorganisms similar to yeast!"

But Li Shizhen still turned his head and stared blankly at the microscope, muttering something to himself.

"The path of medicine is like a galaxy; only now do I realize that even the smallest firefly contains the universe!"

Seeing that the "Medicine Saint" was about to have his Dao heart shattered by his own accidental actions, Zhang Yunxiu quickly called out to Yuan Zongdao.

"Quickly go and get the petri dishes containing penicillin and allicin, and show them to Mr. Dongbi so he can see what's going on."

"And the medical records we use every day."

"Oh, and bring the research papers too!"

Soon, stacks of documents were laid out in the research room.

Li Shizhen didn't hold back at all; he read it with great eagerness, becoming more and more astonished with each reading.

But those real medical cases finally brought him back to reality.

Finally, Li Shizhen turned his gaze to the two petri dishes that had also been brought, and looked at Yuan Zongdao and said.

"Young sir, may I take another look at this germ?"

Yuan Zongdao glanced at Zhang Yunxiu, and after receiving his approval, he quickly began to operate.

Just as in the previous steps, Li Shizhen observed the effects of allicin and penicillin on Staphylococcus aureus under a microscope.

Of course, under a microscope with only 300x magnification, Staphylococcus is obviously not very clear. You can only see many dense dots, and some are even blurry.

Even so, by observing these specks and the changes in the petri dish, Li Shizhen was still able to understand how allicin and penicillin acted on these pathogens.

Li Shizhen gradually calmed down. He looked at the petri dish where a clear ring had appeared and couldn't help but turn around and ask excitedly.

"Is this how allicin, which can cure pharyngitis, is made?"

Zhang Yunxiu corrected him again, saying, "Mr. Dongbi is wrong. Allicin is used to treat inflammation and prevent bacterial infection. It has no special effect on bald worms and is only an adjunct treatment."

"Can mere adjunctive treatment really save countless lives?" Li Shizhen said with piercing eyes.

Zhang Yunxiu was somewhat taken aback; it wasn't wrong for the other party to interpret it that way.

To put Li Shizhen's mind at ease, he added a sentence.

"Modern medicine is indeed miraculous, but without the foundation of traditional medicine, it is like water without roots. You should be happy to see the wonders of the microscopic world!"

Using modern medical research methods, supplemented by traditional medical techniques, we categorize and summarize medical books and classics from thousands of years ago, extracting their essence and discarding their dross.

Zhang Yunxiu's words immediately brought a glimmer of light to Li Shizhen's eyes.

His emotions finally calmed down, and he let out a heavy sigh.

“Alas, these are the heartfelt words of Magistrate Zhang.”

Then, Li Shizhen's eyes were filled with hope and longing as he looked at the research equipment.

His current mood is somewhat like that of an undeveloped child who has married a beautiful bride, sighing in vain.

You can sense that there are endless principles and knowledge here, but you can't understand them all immediately.

After looking at the penicillin culture dish, Li Shizhen couldn't help but ask.

How does this compare to allicin?

Zhang Yunxiu replied, "Compared to allicin, penicillin can treat a wider range of diseases, such as lung abscess, febrile diseases, and sore throat, all of which can be directly cured and are remarkably effective."

"It really has such miraculous effects?"

Li Shizhen had completely believed Zhang Yunxiu's words, and he spoke with an expectant expression.

"When will it be usable? If this thing can be made, I wonder how many people it could save. Zhang Tongzhi would then be known as the greatest sage in the medical field throughout history!"

"It's hard."

Zhang Yunxiu spoke the truth.

"The development of this penicillin is more complex and cumbersome than that of allicin, and requires more experiments. Each step of its preparation and purification is difficult to achieve with current technology."

The research center has only made progress for a little over a month, and in my estimation, it will take at least another five years before it can barely meet the requirements for clinical trials.

The preparation of penicillin is not as simple as just finding a few citrus fruits and scraping off the green mold; doing that would be tantamount to suicide.

In actual history, even in the 20th century, when penicillin was discovered, and the industrial technology level was far superior to that of the Ming Dynasty, it still took more than ten years of research and development before it was officially launched for clinical trials.

Therefore, even if Zhang Yunxiu possessed all the information obtained in later generations, it would not be something that could be accomplished overnight.

Upon hearing this, Li Shizhen's expression clearly showed some disappointment, but he still perked up and said.

"Not to mention five years, if it can be developed within ten years, it will be a great achievement that benefits all people!"

He seemed unsatisfied, his earlier frenzy completely gone, and instead, he became eager to try it out.

"Does Magistrate Zhang have any other items that I may see?"

Zhang Yunxiu squinted and stared intently at Li Shizhen.

"It's getting late, Mr. Dongbi, don't you plan to find a place to settle down?"

“No need to rest.” Li Shizhen didn’t catch Zhang Yunxiu’s implied meaning. “I’m in excellent health; I just want to witness the wonders of modern medicine!”

He thought about it for a moment, then felt something was amiss, and said with a serious expression.

"If Magistrate Zhang does not despise me, I, Li Shizhen, may also become your disciple."

Zhang Yunxiu was speechless. Why did he take on so many disciples?
The people in the Imperial Medical Academy were already enough of a nuisance for him; adding Li Shizhen on top of that would only make things worse.

He shook his head and said, "My Renmin Medical Clinic has always welcomed all who come. As long as they are compassionate doctors, they can be taught modern medical techniques."

This kind of medical skill is bound to be constantly innovated and advanced. Zhang Yunxiu has so much advanced knowledge in his head, so naturally he wouldn't want to keep it to himself. It would be best to pool everyone's wisdom and efforts.

Li Shizhen looked embarrassed, as if he couldn't quite bring himself to say it: "Since that's the case, then this old man..."

Zhang Yunxiu thought he was being long-winded, so he spoke simply.

"Mr. Dongbi will then join my Renmin Medical Clinic and gradually learn modern medicine. I believe that with Mr. Dongbi's talent, he will be able to improve traditional medicine using modern medical methods!"
This is no less significant than the compilation of the "Compendium of Materia Medica"!

"I wouldn't dare! I will certainly treat him with the respect due to a student."

Li Shizhen said this, but his face was flushed with joy. From the moment he saw the microscope, he never wanted to leave Renmin Medical Clinic!

Zhang Yunxiu thought for a moment and couldn't help but bring it up.

"However, there is something that requires your attention in the near future."

"Oh?" Li Shizhen was somewhat puzzled. "Does Magistrate Zhang have an incurable disease?"

"It's not that it's incurable," Zhang Yunxiu said with a sigh.

"I have devised many treatment methods, but my subordinates are all good-for-nothings who are simply incapable of implementing them."

“Zhang Tongzhi’s subordinates are all former imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy, aren’t they?” Li Shizhen asked, somewhat puzzled.

Zhang Yunxiu exhaled and then spoke calmly.

“My father, Zhang Shuda, has long suffered from this intestinal disease, which cannot be cured. I think I should emulate Hua Tuo’s bone-scraping therapy and cut it to cure my father permanently.”

However, these imperial physicians were a bunch of cowards, and when they heard that it was to treat my father, they were all terrified.

After much thought, only Mr. Dongbi is capable of undertaking this great task!

Upon hearing this, Li Shizhen froze instantly, feeling an urge to flee.

Beizhen Fusi.

The Imperial Guard's prison.

The once outstanding Minister of Rites, Xu Xuemo, has now become a homeless dog.

His hair was disheveled as he knelt on a pile of straw soaked in sewage, repeatedly kowtowing to the official in a scarlet robe before him.

“Zhiqing, everything I said is true. The White Lotus Cult was all done by Yang Sizhi. I have already written down the charges against him. You can go to my steward. He has a lot of evidence of Yang Sizhi’s contact with the White Lotus Cult!”

Xu Xuemo's lips were cracked and bleeding, and his eyes were filled with hope. He stared intently at the other person, climbed forward, and grabbed the other person's leg.

"Minister Yan! Your Excellency! You are the Minister of Justice, you must have a way. You still need to confess, right? I can confess everything!"

Xu Xuemo said with a ruthless glint in his eyes.

"All the trouble here was started by that Yang Keli. If it weren't for his instigation, he would have been a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is ruthless and cruel. He left a lot of documents in my house, and all his plans are recorded!"

He then looked up at Yan Qing, the Minister of Justice, and said with hopeful eyes.

"The truth about my crimes will come to light once the investigation is thorough! Minister Yan, you have always upheld justice, so I'm sure you will clear my name, won't you?"

"Humph!"

Yan Qing flung the other person away, glaring at them angrily.

"You actually know that I am upholding justice! Do you have even a shred of remorse? Are the children and women harmed by the White Lotus cult guilty? The refugees in the western suburbs are suffering terribly, yet you still wantonly cause trouble and incite public opinion for your own selfish reasons. Even if you are executed by slow slicing, it would not be a pity!"

Xu Xuemo was terrified. He climbed back over and hurriedly said...

"What does this have to do with me? It's all the fault of Yang Keli and Yang Sizhi! I was deceived by wicked people and went astray! Zhiqing! Don't you understand me?"

Minister of Justice Yan Qing's face was frosty. He avoided the other party, seemingly not wanting to get involved in anything, and said coldly.

“I have no connection with you. Yang Sizhi and Yang Keli cannot escape their crimes, and neither can you.”

"you--"

Xu Xuemo's expression instantly turned violent, and he roared.

Are you going to just stand by and watch someone die?

Yan Qing seemed unwilling to continue the argument. He flicked his sleeve and said something.

"Xu Shuming, if you are willing to reveal the mastermind behind this, and if you can honestly confess the details of the case, I may still be able to speak with Zhang Yuanfu and His Majesty to try to reduce your punishment. That's all I have to say. You'd better think carefully!"

After saying this, Yan Qing went straight out of the prison and left quickly.

Inside the imperial prison, the air was thick with the stench of decay and mold, and Xu Xuemo cried out again and again, sometimes angrily, sometimes sorrowfully.

"Yan Zhiqing! Have I ever lacked your care in the past? Why are you so heartless!"

"I can get out of here without your help!"

"You'll all die then! Hahahaha! You'll all die!"

After a long while, the footsteps gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor, and Xu Xuemo also lost the energy to continue making a scene.

However, he did not completely despair. When the prison fell silent, the tyranny on his face vanished, and his brows furrowed deeply.

He sat upright on the haystack, leaning against the wall, seemingly recuperating, his mind racing with thoughts.

After some time, footsteps could be heard again outside.

Xu Xuemo was somewhat surprised; the footsteps were clearly more steady, like those of a military officer.

A short while later, a man holding a candlestick carefully examined the prison.

Xu Xuemo frowned deeply, lowered his voice, and said with some displeasure.

"What is Vice Commissioner Liu doing here?"

Those who can enter the Imperial Prison must be of a high rank. The Minister of Justice just now was one, and the current Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the nominal Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, is also one of them.

Liu Shouyou looked at Xu Xuemo, whose hair was disheveled, and couldn't help but sigh.

"If I hadn't come soon, Minister Xu would have died with his eyes wide open in disbelief."

“That Zhang Shiyuan is extremely cunning! You should be careful!” Xu Xuemo said sternly.

"Being careful is no longer of any use," Liu Shouyou said with a smile, shaking his head.

Hearing Liu Shouyou's tone, Xu Xuemo's expression suddenly changed. He sensed something was wrong, stood up abruptly, grabbed the prison bars, and questioned the man.

"What happened! How is the sir? Didn't you promise to guarantee my retirement and return to my hometown?"

Liu Shouyou looked at Xu Xuemo with pity and said leisurely.

"Too late, too late."

"What do you mean by 'late'?! What exactly is Liu Siyun trying to say?"

Xu Xuemo felt increasingly uneasy, and he shook the iron fence so hard it made a loud banging sound.

Clearly, Liu Shouyou's appearance frightened Yan Qing more than Yan Qing.

Liu Shouyou sighed heavily and said, "Minister Xu, it's not that I'm unwilling to help you, but unfortunately, it's all fate. If you don't die, how will anyone else survive?"

With a loud "boom" in his ears, Xu Xuemo was like a rooster with its feathers standing on end, trying his best to squeeze through the narrow fence.

"Liu Siyun! You treacherous bastard! You're deceiving me! The master would never betray me!"

You received benefits from Zhang Jiangling and Zhang Shiyuan, didn't you?
You scoundrel! You'll die a horrible death!

When Liu Shouyou saw Xu Xuemo acting crazy in prison again, he was not angry at all, but felt very sorry for him.

He sighed again.

"Is Minister Xu still putting up a stubborn resistance? Censors Yang Keli and Yang Sizhi have already confessed, and the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, and the Six Ministries have thoroughly investigated the accounts of the Ministry of Rites."

"And the abbot of Dajue Temple, as well as the servants and stewards of Minister Xu's residence."

"No, impossible! You're lying to me, you're deceiving me, trying to get me to sign and put my fingerprint on your document! What benefits did Zhang Shiyuan give you?"

Xu Xuemo stared wide-eyed, still unwilling to believe it, yet his body was already trembling slightly.

“Alas—” Liu Shouyou sighed. “If Minister Xu does not believe me, then so be it; I will not force him.”

However, I would like to remind Minister Xu that whether your mansion contains a vajra or scriptures, the evidence is irrefutable.

With the testimony of your steward, even if Minister Xu is unwilling to confess, it will be of no use.

"impossible!!!"

Xu Xuemo let out a roar, but his body still collapsed limply.

Liu Shouyou turned his body slightly away, seemingly unwilling to look at the other person, and almost imperceptibly, a hemp rope fell out of his sleeve.

Upon seeing the filthy hemp rope, Xu Xuemo's pupils suddenly contracted, and his whole body trembled. He looked at Liu Shouyou and uttered a hoarse voice from his throat.

"You beasts! Aren't you afraid I'll perish with you all?"

Liu Shouyou glanced at the other person but did not answer. Instead, he pointed to the mottled walls of the prison.

“There is absolutely no pen and ink; in the past, adults wrote their pronouncements in blood.”

He squinted at Xu Xuemo and said.

"I hope Minister Xu will leave some dignity for everyone. If Minister Xu is dignified, everyone will be dignified, and the Xu family will naturally be dignified as well."

If Minister Xu is not very respectable, we can help him maintain his dignity, but then the Xu family will…

Liu Shouyou seemed unwilling to say more, let out a soft sigh, and then turned and left from outside the prison.

Silence returned to the prison.

Xu Xuemo stared intently at the blood-stained hemp rope on the ground. The oil lamp outside the corridor flickered, and through its dim light, he could see his disheveled and haggard appearance reflected in the sewage inside the prison.

"Squeak~"

The rats in the cell slowly crawled past, sniffing the rope as if they were quite interested.

Xu Xuemo gritted his teeth, lunged forward fiercely, grabbed the rat, and twisted it hard with both hands, killing it instantly.

"Ha ha ha ha--"

He let out a maniacal, grotesque laugh, and bit open the rat's neck with his mouth, blood dripping down.

Holding the rat, Xu Xuemo climbed to the mottled wall of the prison, looked at the layers of faint writing, and a smile appeared on his lips.

Three days later.

The Wanli Emperor had just left the Cining Palace when he received news of the Northern Garrison Prison from the eunuch Zhang Cheng.

His face showed a mixture of resentment and relief as he stared blankly at the document.

"He got off easy."

Then, the Wanli Emperor threw the document back at Zhang Cheng and asked him questions.

"I ordered you to find Zhang Shiyuan and bring him to the palace. Has that been done?"

Zhang Cheng quickly replied.

“Zhang Tongzhi is already waiting for His Majesty in the Qianqing Palace.”

"Ah."

The Wanli Emperor nodded, glanced back at the Cining Palace with a somewhat solemn expression, and exhaled before speaking.

Let's go to the Qianqing Palace!

"Yes~"

The palanquin slowly rose and steadily headed towards the Qianqing Palace.

　The eyes were attacked by Staphylococcus aureus, but fortunately the author did not use allicin; chlortetracycline could be used to cure it.

　　I'll try my best to update more chapters tomorrow and the day after!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)