A divine healer, a general, a young marquis! Who can rival them!

The grandeur of the Sun residence far surpasses that of the Zhou residence.

The mansion had three courtyards, with flying eaves and bracket sets, and a pair of white marble lions stood in front of the gate. Yang Hu followed Steward He through several courtyards before finally arriving at the main room where the old master was recuperating. Qin Ying disguised herself and followed behind, her eyes lowered, but she secretly memorized the layout and escape routes along the way.

Inside the main room, everything was in complete chaos.

Old Master Sun lay half-reclined on the couch, his face flushed red, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his hands pressed tightly against his lower abdomen, groaning softly in pain. A group of people surrounded the bed: anxious family members and two helpless old doctors. One of the doctors, with a white beard, was shaking his head, whispering something to the young master of the Sun family—nothing more than "confirming his critical condition and preparing for his funeral."

Yang Hu stepped forward, first pressing the old man's pulse, then gently pressing his high, hard, drum-like lower abdomen. The old man gasped in pain.

"Grandpa, is this little water completely unable to urinate, or is it just a little bit dripping out?" Yang Hu asked.

"Not a...not a drop left," the old man answered with difficulty. "It's so swollen...so swollen it's about to burst."

I understand now.

This is urinary retention, a critical condition where the bladder is blocked. The bladder is full of urine but cannot be expelled, causing severe abdominal distension and excruciating pain. If left untreated, the stagnant qi will rise upwards, potentially leading to death. The city doctor's diagnosis of "urinary retention" is correct, but he only knows how to use laxatives to slowly prolong the condition. However, the illness has progressed to this critical stage; the laxatives will cause the patient to bloate before they even take effect. A faster and more direct method is needed to open the blocked urinary tract.

"It's not an incurable disease," Yang Hu said in a deep voice, which calmed the panic in the room. "It's the waterway downstairs that's blocked by foul air. Once we open the waterway and drain the water, the person will recover."

"Really...really can it be opened?" The young master of the Sun family asked, his voice trembling.

"Yes. But this illness cannot be delayed; it must be treated immediately."

Yang Hu said no more. He first took out silver needles and steadily inserted and manipulated them on several acupoints on the old man's lower abdomen, such as Guanyuan and Zhongji, and on his legs, such as Sanyinjiao, to guide the stagnant Qi downwards. He then asked someone to bring warm salt, stir-fry it, wrap it in cloth, and apply it to the old man's lower abdomen to warm and unblock the lower abdomen.

"Can acupuncture and hot compresses really open the ducts?" The white-bearded doctor frowned, half doubting and half disbelieving.

"That's not enough," Yang Hu said as he performed acupuncture. "His lower body is too tightly closed. The ancients had a method for treating this urinary retention called 'lifting the lid of the pot'—like a teapot, if the small hole on the lid is blocked, the water can't be poured out; if you clear the hole, the water below will naturally flow smoothly. Since his lower body is closed, I first opened up his lung qi. Once the upper body is cleared, the blocked water passage below will also loosen."

As he spoke, he took another feather and gently inserted it into the old man's throat to induce nausea and release the lung qi in the upper burner; then he prescribed another formula to clear the lungs, promote circulation, warm the yang, and transform qi, which he quickly decocted and forced down the throat.

Acupuncture, massage, topical application, and soup.

Before the time it takes to eat a meal, the old man, who had been pressing his lower abdomen and curling up in pain, suddenly shuddered.

"Ah... I've let it out..."

The subordinate quickly handed over the toilet, and a burst of water gushed out, finally releasing the pent-up frustration that had been building up for two days.

That towering, hard belly, like a big drum, gradually deflated and became soft and limp.

The old man let out a long breath, and his dark red, aged face slowly regained its color; the hand that had been clenching his lower abdomen finally loosened, and he collapsed onto the pillow as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

"They're out... God! They're out..."

The heartbeats of everyone in the room calmed down and settled in their throats.

Disguised as a young apprentice, Qin Ying, who had been watching everything from behind, silently observed the scene. She had seen many desperate acts of fighting with knives in the military camp, where warriors risked their lives. But this young doctor, with just a few needles and a clever method, had pulled back an old man who had been bloated to death and whose condition had been pronounced as fatal by the old doctor in the city.

The deeper you look into those skillful hands, the more unfathomable they seem.

The young master of the Sun family knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly to Yang Hu, saying, "Thank you, thank you, sir." The two old doctors who had diagnosed the patient with a critical illness (abdominal distension and hardness) and prepared for his death were so ashamed that their faces turned red. Doctors who had been practicing medicine for decades had actually treated a life-threatening emergency as a death sentence. They were so frightened that they quickly left.

"It's not completely clean yet. Don't hold your urine, don't get cold, and don't get angry. Take that prescription to soothe your lower abdomen. If the illness flares up again, it won't be as serious," Yang Hu instructed. "If there's any swelling or urinary retention, treat it immediately without delay. I've left you some medicine and several emergency treatment methods, and I've explained them to you in detail."

The Sun family's admiration for this young doctor has evolved from initial skepticism to complete acceptance and deep gratitude. The young master even presented a generous reward, with piles of cloth and coins.

Yang Hu simply collected the fees that were due and politely declined any excess.

He now knew very well that what this courtyard lacked was not money.

The old man was pulled back from the brink of death by a young doctor in his early twenties.

A wealthy and influential local gentryman, who came from a family of registrars and had extensive connections, solemnly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the young man—a gesture that carried great weight.

"I will always remember Dr. Yang's great kindness." The old man leaned against the pillow, his breath was weak, but his eyes were clear. "Although I have not been involved in worldly affairs these past years, I still have some connections in and out of the city, among officials. If Dr. Yang ever has any difficulties in the future, just ask me."

These words were quite insightful. Yang Hu's heart skipped a beat, but he still smiled and thanked him.

When Qin Ying sat back in her sedan chair, few people could see through her little scheme in her disguised expression.

Seeing that Yang Hu's expression was calm, she said, "The meaning behind this old man Sun's words is somewhat subtle."

"Yes." Yang Hu said slowly, looking at the increasingly dark scenery outside. "He said, connections in official circles. An old man who has been retired for many years and doesn't care about worldly affairs just uttered these words. No matter how deep the claws in the west of the city are, they are still some shadowy agents. But the Sun family is so well-established, with disciples and old friends all over the officialdom. If they put in a good effort, that would be a different kind of help!"

As he spoke, a deep glint flashed in his eyes. "Of course! Whether this assistance is a blessing or a curse, whether it's real or fake, we still can't see clearly, but in any case... tonight's treatment not only cured one person, but also helped us dig out an unexpected crack in the ever-expanding and denser web of this city."

The wheels rumbled and clattered until they reached the east of the city.

The lights that used to shine at Master Sun's place in the west of the city are now completely out of sight.

However, after that night, when the young man from Yang's family in the east of the city, who had survived the brink of death, was able to cure an elderly man in the Sun family who was on the verge of death due to illness, within the next two or three days, the reputation of Doctor Yang spread throughout the city.

This time, Yang's reputation was no longer limited to the eastern part of the city; everyone in the city truly knew his name.

His fame truly transcended that street in the east of the city; he was truly renowned throughout the entire city!