Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

The bedroom remained quiet. Old Wang slept soundly, his breathing more even and deep than before. The pallor on his face had faded somewhat, revealing a faint rosy hue, and his condition had stabilized considerably. Grandma Wang stayed by his bedside the entire time, her gaze fixed on her husband, her eyes still filled with anxiety. When the two entered with the medicine, she quickly and quietly stepped aside, holding her breath and not daring to make the slightest sound to disturb the patient.

Xingbao bent down and carefully supported the back of Wang Lao's neck, gently elevating his upper body with the blankets to adjust his sleeping position, making it easier to feed him the medicine and avoiding the risk of choking. Guixiang squatted by the bed, steadily holding the warm medicine bowl in one hand and a clean spoon in the other, scooping out a shallow spoonful of medicine and gently bringing it to Wang Lao's chapped lips, slowly letting it flow down his throat.

Old Wang was in a deep sleep, swallowing weakly and slowly, each sip of medicine being swallowed very lightly and slowly. The siblings were very patient, spooning the medicine spoonful by spoonful, step by step, with gentle and steady movements, without rushing or being impatient, being careful throughout the process, for fear of disturbing the weak and listless old man if they used too much force.

The entire bowl of medicine was fed to him without spilling a drop. Gui Xiang took a clean handkerchief and gently wiped away the remaining medicine stains from the corners of Old Wang's lips. Xing Bao then gently laid the old man down, carefully tucking in the four corners of the blanket to keep him warm and prevent him from catching a chill from the night wind.

With everything settled, the siblings both breathed a sigh of relief. They exchanged a glance, then turned to Grandma Wang, who was standing by the bedside, and softly comforted her, "Grandma Wang, Grandpa Wang has finished his medicine. This medicine mainly calms the mind and regulates his Qi, gradually relieving the pent-up emotions in his heart and soothing his exhausted spirit. Please stay by his side and let him sleep well with the help of the medicine. He can rest and recuperate, and as his strength recovers, his health will gradually improve."

"Okay, okay, thank you for your hard work, you two children." Grandma Wang nodded repeatedly, her heart finally settling down, and responded softly.

Seeing that Old Master Wang was sleeping peacefully and breathing calmly, the siblings decided not to disturb him any further. They quietly left the bedroom, closing the door behind them. They then headed towards the main room to report back to their master, informing him that the medicine had been administered properly.

As the medicine took effect in the bedroom, people gradually calmed down, but the main room remained shrouded in a dark and somber atmosphere. Several village elders, their faces ashen, continued to sternly admonish the young and strong men in charge, their words sharp and incisive. These men, who normally enjoyed the village's conveniences and lived peacefully, always shirked responsibility when faced with difficult, laborious, and potentially offensive tasks like conscription, grain requisition, or mediating disputes. All the burdens, both internal and external, weighed heavily on the shoulders of Old Wang and the other elders. This large village, which should have been supported and its responsibilities shouldered by its young and strong, was now left with only a few old bones struggling to keep up. Now, with Old Wang's exhaustion and sudden illness, the village's dire situation—a lack of young and strong men willing to take responsibility and shoulder burdens—was utterly exposed. The village elders were filled with disappointment and questioned repeatedly, saying that the village had painstakingly cultivated these young people in their prime for many years, yet not one of them had the responsibility or the courage to step forward and share the burden for the village.

The stern admonition from the master in the main hall still echoed in their ears, the room heavy and oppressive. Xingbao and Guixiang emerged from the bedroom, hesitant to approach their master. After a long while, their master's gaze swept across the room, finally landing on the two standing by the door. He asked in a deep voice, "Xingbao, have you two given Old Master Wang his medicine?"

Xingbao quickly stepped forward, his posture upright, and replied softly and steadily, "Reporting to Master, we have already fed Grandpa Wang his medicine for a while. The old man is sleeping soundly now, and his breathing is much smoother."

The master nodded slightly, his expression softening, and said in a calm tone, "Very good. Then I will go in again to examine him and take his pulse to confirm that the medicine has entered his body and that his Qi has been released, so that I can be completely at ease."

As soon as he finished speaking, the master walked towards the bedroom. Xingbao and Guixiang followed closely behind, their steps slow and deliberate, not daring to make a sound. The lecturing in the main room abruptly stopped, and all the young men and village elders sat quietly, no one uttering a word. The entire courtyard was so quiet that only the faint sound of the wind outside the window could be heard, and everyone anxiously awaited the results of the follow-up examination.

Stepping into the bedroom, a tranquil stillness enveloped them. Old Master Wang was still fast asleep, his brows and eyes much more relaxed, no longer displaying the previous furrowed brow and worry. His chest rose and fell evenly and deeply, his breathing warm and steady. Seeing her master enter again, Grandma Wang quickly rose and stepped aside, her hands gently clutching the hem of her clothes. Her eyes held an undisguised mix of apprehension and anticipation as she whispered, "Doctor Yang, please trouble you to take another look."

The master gently raised his hand to signal her to relax, then slowly walked to the edge of the bed and sat down. He lightly lifted his fingertips and placed them firmly on Old Wang's withered wrist, concentrating intently to carefully observe the rise and fall of her pulse. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; only the old man's long, steady breathing echoed softly.

After a moment, the master slowly withdrew his fingers, his expression completely relaxing, and his tense brows softened with a touch of gentle confidence. He spoke softly, reassuring the anxious Grandma Wang beside him: "Don't worry, your pulse has returned to normal. The medicine you just took has cleared all the stagnation in your body, your mind has returned to normal, and your blood and qi are gradually stabilizing. There is no danger whatsoever."

He leaned down to carefully examine Old Wang's face and continued to gently instruct him: "He is currently in a deep sleep after exhausting his energy, which is the best time for recuperation. There is no need to deliberately wake him up. Just let him sleep soundly until his mind and spirit are fully nourished. When he wakes up, his appetite and energy will gradually return. Afterward, he only needs to take the herbal decoction on time every day, rest quietly, and avoid disturbing him or getting angry. In three to five days, he will be able to sit up slowly, and after half a month of rest, he will be largely recovered."

Grandma Wang, who had been on tenterhooks all day, finally felt relieved. Her eyes reddened slightly as she nodded repeatedly in gratitude: "Thank you so much, Mr. Yang, for your miraculous rescue. Thank you for your trouble. We will take good care of him and make sure he doesn't suffer any shock. He can rest peacefully."

The master nodded slightly, then turned to the brother and sister beside him, and whispered his instructions: "You two remember this: most elderly people's fainting spells are not due to acute illnesses or sudden onset of disease, but rather to accumulated worries leading to illness and exhaustion of mental energy. The body's Qi and blood are most susceptible to long-term stagnation and mental strain from working day and night. Treating illness requires not only using medicine to regulate Qi, but also calming the mind and nourishing the spirit. This is the principle that a doctor treats the mind before treating the body."

"Disciples will remember Master's teachings." Xingbao and Guixiang bowed and responded, silently keeping these medical principles in mind.

After confirming that Old Master Wang was safe and sound and did not require constant monitoring, Master quietly rose, gently closed the bedroom door to shut out any noise, and turned back to the main room. The moment the door closed, all eyes in the main room turned to him, their anxiety, anticipation, and trepidation all focused on Master, awaiting the final result.

The master stood in the center of the main room, looking around at the silent, bowed heads of the village youths. His tone was calm, yet his words were clear and resonant as he told everyone, "Old Wang's pulse has stabilized, his Qi is flowing smoothly, and his life is not in danger. He only needs to take two more doses of medicine and rest quietly for a few days to gradually recover."