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

Inside the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Chang'an City.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Shen Chang'an put down his chopsticks and took out a wooden needle case from his medicine box.

"Young master, it's time to administer the acupuncture."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Shen!"

Li Chengqian immediately sat up straight, rolled up his sleeves, and exposed his forearms.

Shen Chang'an opened the needle box, revealing nine silver needles neatly arranged, gleaming with a cold luster in the sunlight streaming through the window.

"Today's acupuncture technique is different from last time. We need to select five acupoints: Zusanli, Guanyuan, Qihai, Shenshu, and Pishu."

As Shen Chang'an spoke, he wiped the silver needles with alcohol. "Young Master has already seen Zusanli and Guanyuan. Qihai is an important acupoint for replenishing Qi. Shenshu and Pishu are on the back, so Young Master needs to turn around."

Li Chengqian turned around as instructed, facing away from Shen Chang'an.

Shen Chang'an unbuttoned the back of his outer robe, revealing his back, and traced his fingers down the spine, quickly finding the locations of the Shenshu and Pishu acupoints.

"Young master, you may feel a little soreness, please relax."

The silver needle was inserted.

The True Qi of Green Wood was slowly injected through the needle, nourishing Li Chengqian's spleen and kidneys.

Li Chengqian gave a soft "hmm" and did not cry out in pain.

After Shen Chang'an finished administering the five needles in sequence, he asked Li Chengqian to remain still while he sat down to the side and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he got up and pulled out the silver needles one by one, pressing the needle holes with cotton balls.

"How are you feeling, young master?"

Li Chengqian stretched his body and his eyes lit up: "I feel a warm feeling in my lower back and abdomen, like I have a hand warmer in my hand. I used to always feel soreness in my lower back and weak legs, but now I feel like I have energy."

"This is the effect of warming and nourishing the meridians."

Shen Chang'an put the silver needles into the needle case, then took out a celadon medicine bottle from the medicine box and handed it to Li Chengqian. "Young master, this is the 'Spleen-Strengthening and Kidney-Nourishing Soup' that I have prepared. There are seven doses in total. Take one dose daily, decocted in water and warm. I will come back for a follow-up visit in seven days."

Li Chengqian took the medicine bottle and carefully put it away.

"Dr. Shen, should I continue practicing the Six Healing Sounds and the Eight Pieces of Brocade?"

"Of course. The key to this method is consistency; it should be done once in the morning and once in the evening every day without interruption."

Shen Chang'an then took out a folded piece of paper from the medicine box, unfolded it, and on it was written a detailed recipe in neat small regular script. "In addition, this is a dietary therapy list that I have prepared for you, young master. Your diet should be light and easy to digest, with more foods that strengthen the spleen, such as yam, lotus seeds, barley, and red dates, and less oily and cold foods."

Li Chengqian took the recipe, glanced at it, and nodded: "Dr. Shen has thought of everything."

"You're too kind, young master."

Shen Chang'an packed his medicine kit, stood up, and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

"Please wait a moment, Physician Shen." Li Chengqian quickly called out to him, took out a brocade bag from his sleeve, and handed it over with both hands. "This is the consultation fee, please accept it, Physician Shen."

Shen Chang'an took it, weighed it in his hand, and found it to be quite heavy. He didn't open it to look at it, but put it directly into his sleeve.

"Thank you, young master."

"Dr. Shen, see you again in seven days." Li Chengqian personally escorted him to the door, bowing respectfully.

Shen Chang'an returned the greeting and turned to go downstairs.

As I stepped out of Zuixianlou, the sun was shining brightly, and the surface of Qujiang Pool shimmered.

He touched the brocade pouch in his sleeve, secretly making plans in his mind.

Li Chengqian's treatment is on track, and Empress Zhangsun's follow-up visit is scheduled for a few more days.

I wonder if Empress Zhangsun will come next time, or if someone else will come with her.

As for the consultation fee given to him by Li Chengqian, he scanned it with his divine sense and knew that the brocade bag contained a gold ingot.

Gold cakes from the Tang Dynasty were mostly round, with a slightly concave back and often had engraved or stamped marks on the surface.

The piece in his hand weighed about half a pound, which is equivalent to about eight ounces of gold.

According to the prices during the Zhenguan era, one tael of gold could be exchanged for about eight strings of cash, so eight taels of gold would be sixty-four strings of cash.

Considering that a ninth-rank official's monthly salary at the time was only two or three strings of cash, this consultation fee was equivalent to two years' salary for a low-ranking official.

Li Chengqian's lavish spending demonstrates how highly he regards him.

Shen Chang'an put the brocade pouch into his sleeve, his face remaining calm, but he already had a plan in mind.

He didn't actually have much of a desire for money.

For a cultivator, gold and silver are nothing but fleeting clouds.

But if he doesn't accept it, Li Chengqian might think he thinks it's not enough and send him an even more generous reward, which would be undesirable.

Those who cultivate themselves value clear thinking. If they take too many advantages for no reason, they will eventually have to repay them elsewhere due to karmic entanglements, which goes against their original intention.

"Let's use this gold coin to help those people who can't afford medical treatment."

Shen Chang'an secretly considered, "Subsidizing the cost of medicine during the free clinic, or providing winter clothes for elderly people living alone, would be good uses."

He carefully put away the brocade bag, slung his medicine chest over his shoulder, and left Zuixianlou.

The sun was shining brightly, and the surface of Qujiang Pool shimmered.

Shen Chang'an took a deep breath and walked towards the outside of the city.

I still have several patients to visit this afternoon.

……

For the next few days, Shen Chang'an continued his unchanging routine—providing free medical consultations in the morning, making house calls in the afternoon, and cultivating at night.

Life was simple yet fulfilling.

Before they knew it, the seventh day had arrived, the day agreed upon with Empress Zhangsun.

That morning, just as dawn was breaking, Shen Chang'an got out of bed.

He meditated and regulated his breathing in the quiet room for a while, circulating the Green Wood True Qi in his body for one cycle. Only after confirming that he was in peak condition did he get up to wash up.

The person I'm meeting today is no ordinary person.

Empress Zhangsun – the mother of the Tang Dynasty.

Although she was dressed casually and referred to herself as "a commoner" when they last met, how could Shen Chang'an not see the graceful demeanor that emanated from her very being?

Moreover, the fact that Crown Prince Li Chengqian personally accompanied her clearly reveals her identity.

"Everything that needs to be prepared is ready." Shen Chang'an checked the medicine box—the wooden needle box, several bottles of pills, and a small packet of ginseng slices—and put them all away properly.

He shouldered his medicine kit, pushed open the courtyard gate, and walked towards the free clinic.

……

Just after dawn, a long queue had already formed in front of the free clinic booth.

As usual, Shen Chang'an sat behind the wooden table, taking pulses, prescribing medicine, and administering acupuncture to each of the people. The people remained enthusiastic, calling him "Divine Doctor Shen" repeatedly.

But today, a small part of his attention remains focused on the distant future.

That was the very place where Empress Zhangsun had parked her carriage last time. Shen Chang'an wondered who would accompany Empress Zhangsun to her follow-up appointment this time.

Just after 9:00 AM, an inconspicuous blue-curtained carriage slowly drove up the official road and stopped in its usual spot.

Shen Chang'an glanced at it out of the corner of his eye, his hand holding the silver needle paused slightly, and then he continued to administer the acupuncture as if nothing had happened.

The carriage stopped, but no one got off immediately.

He extended his divine sense and discovered that there were three people sitting in the carriage—Empress Zhangsun, Li Lizhi, and a strange man.

The man was about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, with a burly build and a powerful stride. Even through the carriage curtain, Shen Chang'an could feel his imposing aura.

It was different from the murderous aura of a military general; it was a kind of domineering presence that came from someone who had long held a superior position, as if everything in the world was under his control.

Shen Chang'an's heart stirred slightly.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was only one adult man who could make Empress Zhangsun ride in the same carriage and have Li Lizhi sit quietly beside him.

Li Shimin was known as the strongest carbon-based life form of the seventh century.

That great emperor of all time was sitting in that inconspicuous carriage at that moment.

Shen Chang'an withdrew his divine sense, his expression returned to normal, and he continued to administer acupuncture to the patient.

He secretly rejoiced that he had always been cautious in his actions and had not done anything out of line.

Li Shimin did not rush to get out of the carriage, but instead lifted a corner of the curtain and observed the young doctor not far away through the gap.

The scene he witnessed was exactly the same as what Empress Zhangsun had described a few days earlier—

The young doctor sat behind a simple wooden table, his movements unhurried, his expression focused and gentle.

He carefully inquired about each patient's condition and took their pulse before either prescribing medicine or administering acupuncture, never being perfunctory.

What surprised Li Shimin the most was the attitude of that Doctor Shen towards his patients—

Treat everyone equally, regardless of social status.

He spoke with a smile to a ragged beggar; he spoke gently to a well-dressed merchant; he patiently coaxed a crying child by taking out candied fruit from his medicine box.

"No wonder the people call him 'Divine Physician Shen'," Li Shimin said in a low voice, lowering the carriage curtain.

Empress Zhangsun smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, now you know why I believed him, don't you?"

Li Shimin did not answer, but simply nodded slightly.

There was something more in their gaze than just scrutiny—curiosity.

How could a young man in his early twenties possess such medical skills and character?