Tang Dynasty: Saving Lives and Helping Others, Li Lizhi Falls for Him

For the next few days, Shen Chang'an continued his routine without fail—providing free medical consultations in the morning, making house calls in the afternoon, and cultivating at night.

The people outside Chang'an City had long been accustomed to the presence of this young doctor. Every day at dawn, long lines would form in the open space, all in an orderly fashion.

Shen Chang'an always kept candied fruit and sweets in his medicine box, especially for children who refused to take medicine; when he encountered elderly people living alone, he would leave them a few extra doses of medicine without taking a penny.

Life was simple yet fulfilling.

That morning, Shen Chang'an was taking the pulse of a peasant woman when a commotion suddenly broke out among the people queuing up, making it much more lively than usual.

"Have you heard? The eldest princess in the palace has had her marriage called off!"

"Which eldest princess?"

"Who else could it be? It's His Majesty and the Empress's eldest daughter, Princess Chang Le!"

"Really? Wasn't she supposed to marry the son of the Changsun family?"

"Who knows? Anyway, the news came from the palace that the marriage was called off. His Majesty also gave the Changsun family a lot of rewards—gold, silver, silk, estates, and servants—it's said they filled several carts!"

"The Changsun family is so powerful, would they really tolerate this humiliation?"

"You don't understand. Not only were they not wronged, they actually gained even more imperial favor. I heard that Lord Changsun was even promoted. This isn't a broken engagement; it's clearly an act of imperial favor!"

"Tsk tsk, we common folk don't understand royal affairs..."

……

Hearing these casual conversations, Shen Chang'an paused slightly in the silver needle in his hand.

Princess Chang Le... Li Lizhi, the eldest daughter of Li Shimin, unexpectedly had her engagement canceled.

As for the reason for the cancellation of the engagement, Shen Chang'an knew the answer.

It must have been those words he spoke in the teahouse that day that reached Li Shimin's ears through Li Chengqian.

Emperors are often suspicious, preferring to believe the worst rather than the worst. They sent people to investigate, and indeed, the dangers of consanguineous marriage were confirmed.

So they went along with it and dissolved the engagement.

As for the compensation and promotions given to the Changsun family, these were merely appeasement measures—preserving the dignity of the imperial family without alienating Changsun Wuji.

Li Shimin's balancing act was indeed brilliant.

Shen Chang'an shook his head slightly, no longer thinking about it.

Those matters of the imperial court were too far removed from him. He now had only one focus—to accumulate merit and establish his foundation as soon as possible.

He snapped out of his reverie and continued administering acupuncture to the patient.

As the silver needles were inserted into the acupoints, the vital energy flowed, and the patient's brows gradually relaxed.

"Next."

……

In the past few days, in addition to providing free medical consultations, Shen Chang'an also took the time to prepare a systematic treatment plan for Li Chengqian.

He searched through the medicine cabinet and spiritual plant space, and also checked the pill formulas he had exchanged through the system, finally deciding on a "three-pronged" strategy:

Firstly, acupuncture can unblock the meridians.

Li Chengqian's illness stemmed from a deficiency of both the spleen and kidneys, as well as insufficient qi and blood.

Acupuncture can unblock meridians and regulate qi and blood, making it the most direct and effective method.

Shen Chang'an selected five acupoints: Zusanli, Guanyuan, Qihai, Shenshu, and Pishu, and performed acupuncture twice a week to warm and nourish the internal organs with the "Qingmu True Qi".

Secondly, the decoction is taken internally.

The century-old He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) he redeemed from the system finally came in handy.

He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) nourishes the liver and kidneys, strengthens muscles and bones, which perfectly suits Li Chengqian's symptoms.

Combined with other herbs such as Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (processed), Angelica sinensis, and Ligusticum chuanxiong, this makes a "Spleen-Strengthening and Kidney-Nourishing Decoction".

One dose per day, decocted in water and taken warm, for seven consecutive days.

Thirdly, it strengthens the body through guided exercises.

Li Chengqian has been practicing the Six-Syllable Breathing Technique for several days, and it is said to be quite effective.

Shen Chang'an also taught him a simple set of Eight Pieces of Brocade – movements such as "Holding up the sky with both hands to regulate the three burners" and "Drawing the bow left and right as if shooting an eagle". It is effortless and can be practiced in any place. It can stretch muscles and bones and regulate qi and blood.

With a three-pronged approach, noticeable results will be achieved in as little as half a month or as long as a month.

Shen Chang'an carefully copied the prescription and the guiding diagram, put them in the medicine box, and checked the Green Wood Needle Box again to confirm that the silver needles had been infused with enough Green Wood True Qi.

Everything is ready.

……

The fifth day, early morning.

As usual, Shen Chang'an held a free clinic until 9 AM, then packed up his stall, slung his medicine box over his shoulder, and headed into Chang'an city.

Today is the day of my scheduled follow-up appointment with Li Chengqian.

The location remains the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

This time, however, the treatment was completely different.

As soon as Shen Chang'an reached the entrance of Zuixianlou, he saw Guo Hu, Li Chengqian's personal bodyguard, standing outside. Upon seeing him, Guo Hu quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"Dr. Shen, the young master is waiting for you in the private room on the third floor. Please follow me."

Shen Chang'an nodded slightly and followed Guo Hu upstairs.

The private room on the third floor had been changed to the largest one, with a wooden plaque hanging above the door that read "Lingyun Pavilion". As Shen Chang'an pushed the door open, he couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

Unlike the simple decor of the previous days, the private room was decorated with extra care today.

A brand-new brocade tablecloth covered the long sandalwood table, which was filled with a variety of dishes—roasted lamb, roasted duck, steamed sea bass, seasonal fresh vegetables, and several plates of exquisite snacks and fruits.

The tableware was also replaced with fine white porcelain, complete with cups, plates, bowls, and saucers.

The most eye-catching item is the copper pot in the center of the table, with a blazing charcoal fire underneath, the broth inside boiling and emitting a rich aroma of meat.

Li Chengqian was sitting in the main seat when he saw Shen Chang'an enter. He immediately stood up, beaming, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Divine Physician Shen, please have a seat!"

Shen Chang'an returned the greeting, took his seat in the guest seat, glanced at the dishes on the table, and said with a smile, "Young master, you are too kind."

"Of course, of course."

Li Chengqian personally poured a cup of wine for Shen Chang'an, saying, "Dr. Shen has gone to great lengths to treat me, so I have prepared this small cup of wine to express my gratitude."

Shen Chang'an picked up his wine glass and took a small sip.

The liquor is a fine Xifeng liquor, mellow and smooth, with a sweet taste.

But the dishes...

He picked up a piece of roasted mutton, chewed it, and shook his head slightly inwardly.

The ingredients are indeed of high quality—the lamb is tender, the duck is succulent, and the fish is fresh.

However, the cooking techniques were really mediocre; the roasting was a bit overdone, and the stewing wasn't cooked long enough.

The cooking techniques of the Tang Dynasty were much more rudimentary compared to those of later periods.

However, Shen Chang'an did not show it on his face and continued to eat with relish, chatting with Li Chengqian from time to time.

Li Chengqian was in a much better mood today than in the past few days. His complexion was rosier, and he spoke with much more energy.

When he asked about Shen Chang'an's background, Shen Chang'an remained vague, only saying that he had studied under a wandering physician, practiced medicine everywhere, and came to Chang'an by chance.

Li Chengqian didn't press for details, but instead took the initiative to talk about his physical sensations.

"Dr. Shen, I practice your Six Healing Sounds every day, and it really works. I used to feel groggy when I woke up in the morning, but now I'm much more awake. And those Eight Pieces of Brocade exercises you taught me, although the movements are simple, make me feel great all over after practicing them."

"It's good that you're persistent, young master." Shen Chang'an put down his chopsticks. "Restoring one's health is not something that can be done in a day; the key is to persevere."

"I understand." Li Chengqian nodded, his gaze sincere. "Dr. Shen, I entrust my health to you."

"Rest assured, young master."