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

Outside Chang'an City, at the foot of Shaoling Plain, spring is gradually intensifying.

As dawn broke, Shen Chang'an awoke in his quiet room.

He sat cross-legged on the futon, slowly exhaling a breath of stale air, and felt that the Green Wood True Qi in his dantian had become even more abundant.

"I'm just one step away from the seventh level of Qi Refining."

He opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them before disappearing.

These days, he accumulates merit by providing free medical consultations every day and practices meditation without ceasing at night.

Although the spiritual energy gathered by the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Array is not as dense as that of the spiritual plant space, it is more stable and lasting. In addition, with his solid foundation, his progress in cultivation is visible to the naked eye.

"At this rate, I should be able to break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining in another half month. After that, I can exchange for some pills to aid cultivation. Once I get the Foundation Establishment Pill, I can then attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."

Shen Chang'an stood up, stretched his limbs, and pushed open the door to go out.

In the courtyard, the water lilies in the stone vat have sprouted tender green buds, and several koi carp swim in the water.

The green bamboo rustled in the morning breeze, and the air was filled with the fragrance of soil and grass.

He filled a basin with clean water, washed up, and then went into the kitchen.

People eat for food.

As a soul that traveled from the 21st century, Shen Chang'an has an almost obsessive pickiness about food.

His idea is: the ingredients can be simple, but they must taste good.

The meal Li Chengqian hosted at Zuixianlou a few days ago featured top-quality ingredients—fine mutton, tender perch, and succulent roasted duck.

However, the cooking methods were crude and the seasonings were monotonous, which wasted good ingredients.

"Self-reliance leads to abundance!"

"Food I cook myself always tastes better!"

The kitchen was small, but the stove was polished to a shine, and the dishes were neatly arranged in the cupboard.

Several bundles of firewood were piled in the corner, and several strings of dried cured meat and herbs hung above the stove.

Shen Chang'an tied on his apron and began to get busy.

He first scooped out two bowls of flour, added water to make dough, and covered it with a damp cloth to let it rest.

Then I took a few scallions and a piece of ginger from the vegetable basket, washed them, and chopped them finely.

Then, he took out two pickled cabbages from the jar and cut them into thin strips.

Firewood was added to the stove, and the flames licked the bottom of the pot.

He scooped a spoonful of lard into the pot, and after the oil was hot, he added minced scallions and ginger to sauté until fragrant. Then he added shredded pickled cabbage and stir-fried it. The sour and fragrant aroma immediately filled the air.

Add a ladle of water, cover the pot, and simmer.

On the other side, he took out the rested dough, rolled it into a thin sheet, and cut it into thin noodles.

After the sauerkraut soup boils, add the noodles and stir them with chopsticks.

Then I took two more eggs out of the cupboard, cracked them on the rim of the bowl, and the egg liquid slid into the pot, instantly forming white egg flowers.

Finally, sprinkle with chopped green onions, drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil, and it's ready to serve.

A bowl of steaming hot sauerkraut and egg noodles, paired with a dish of homemade pickled radish, is simple yet delicious and visually appealing.

Shen Chang'an placed the food on the table in the main room and ate with great relish.

The noodles are chewy, the soup is tangy and refreshing, and the eggs are tender and smooth.

One bite, and your mouth is filled with fragrance.

"Yes, this is what people should eat."

He finished his meal in a few bites, even drinking the soup clean, before finally putting down his bowl with satisfaction, clearing away the dishes, picking up his medicine box, and heading towards the free clinic stall.

……

Just after dawn, a long line formed in front of the free clinic booth.

Shen Chang'an sat behind the wooden table, taking pulses, prescribing medicine, and administering acupuncture to the people one by one.

Life was uneventful, but he found joy in it.

Among the people queuing today, several men who looked like merchants were whispering among themselves.

"Have you heard? There's fighting again in the west."

"Those Tuyuhun people are really restless. They attacked Lanzhou a while ago, but were repelled by the local troops."

"His Majesty was overjoyed and rewarded the border troops with many gifts."

"No matter how much reward you receive, it's earned with your life, so we're not envious. Speaking of which, isn't this the sixth year of the Zhenguan era? There's been quite a lot going on since the beginning of spring."

"That's right. Last year's heavy snow left so many families without food. It was thanks to the imperial court opening the granaries to provide relief that countless people would have died."

Shen Chang'an's ears twitched slightly as he listened to those words.

There was a war recently? And now the news has reached the city? That's probably because the Tuyuhun raided the border and plundered our supplies after the spring!

He paid little attention to the war against Tuyuhun and continued to focus on his medical treatment.

Just after 9:00 AM, a familiar carriage drove up from the official road.

Guo Hu rode ahead on horseback. After the carriage came to a stop, Li Chengqian lifted the curtain and stepped down.

Today he was dressed in a moon-white round-necked robe, with a jade belt around his waist, looking neat and smart.

His complexion was better than a few days ago. Although it was still pale, it had a normal rosy color, and the dark circles under his eyes had faded a lot.

"Dr. Shen!" Li Chengqian walked over with a smile and bowed.

"Young Master Li."

Shen Chang'an rose to return the greeting, glancing at the carriage behind him. "Are you here for a follow-up appointment today?"

"Exactly."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, and Guo Hu unloaded two brocade boxes from the carriage and placed them next to the consultation table. "My father was very satisfied with the last treatment I received from Physician Shen, and he specially ordered me to send this small gift to express his gratitude."

Shen Chang'an opened the brocade box, inside which were neatly arranged gold cakes and silver ingots, which, according to a rough calculation, were quite valuable.

He shook his head slightly in his heart—Li Shimin was indeed generous, but compared to the Foundation Establishment Pill and two thousand merits rewarded by the system, gold and silver were really not worth mentioning.

"You're too kind, young master."

Shen Chang'an closed the brocade box. "I will first examine you, young master. We can discuss these matters later."

"it is good."

Li Chengqian sat down at the consultation table and extended his wrist.

Shen Chang'an placed three fingers on the cunkou point, probed with spiritual energy, carefully examined it for a moment, and nodded.

"Young master's pulse is much better than last time. The radial pulse is no longer weak and thready, and the valvular pulse is also strong. This indicates that the spleen and kidney qi are recovering."

"Really?" Li Chengqian's face lit up with joy.

"I dare not speak presumptuously."

Shen Chang'an took out a green wooden needle box from his medicine chest. "I'll administer another acupuncture treatment today to consolidate the effects of the last one. I will adjust the prescription seven days from now based on the pulse."

Li Chengqian turned around as instructed, revealing his back.

Shen Chang'an removed the needles, disinfected them, and inserted the needles into the acupoints in one smooth motion.

Five silver needles were inserted into Zusanli, Guanyuan, Qihai, Shenshu, and Pishu in sequence, each needle infused with a wisp of Qingmu true qi.

Li Chengqian closed his eyes, feeling the warm current flowing through his body, a contented expression on his face.

"Dr. Shen,"

He suddenly spoke, his tone casual, "Have you ever thought about working at the Imperial Medical Bureau?"

Shen Chang'an paused slightly in his hand holding the silver needle, then continued applying the needle, his tone calm: "I hadn't thought of that."

"The salary at the Imperial Medical Bureau is not low."

Li Chengqian patiently persuaded, "Moreover, once you enter the Imperial Medical Bureau, you'll be an official appointed by the court, with rank and power—something ordinary people can only dream of. I have connections in the palace; as long as Physician Shen nods, I can arrange it for you."

Shen Chang'an inserted the last silver needle, gently twisted it, and said calmly, "I appreciate your kindness, young master, but my ambitions lie elsewhere, not in officialdom."

"So what are your aspirations?"