Chapter 70: Difficult Disease

  Gong Zhili and Mingfeng arrived in a carriage, which was an emerald-green eight-treasured phoenix carriage.

  Still spacious with three people on board.

  The curtain of the carriage window was lifted, and the strong wind that came in when the horse was walking reduced the heat by more than half.

  Chen Jing asked Ming Feng and Gong Zhi Li: "Who is really sick? What's going on, you guys tell me..."

  "It's our family elder's paternal uncle." Ming Feng replied to Chen Jing, "The doctor said it was a stroke."

  Yang Zhi Zhou often played chess with Chen Jing, and in his words, he showed extra appreciation for Chen Jing. Ming Feng knew this, so when he spoke to Chen Jing, there was a hint of politeness, and the seriousness from before had been put away.

  "Stroke?" Chen Jiong's eyebrows slightly furrowed.

  Apoplexy is a difficult disease to cure, even in later generations, it is not easy to cure.

  He thought for a moment and looked at Gong Zhili.

  Gong Zhi left and told Chen Xuan in detail: "It's been five days since the illness started. At first, it was a headache and numbness in the legs, but yesterday vomiting and convulsions began, followed by brief fainting spells. The doctors in Mingzhou are also confused, everyone has different opinions, and no one can come up with a reliable method.

  "I told Old Master Yang that I had met someone in Wang County who was a rare talent and could be invited to take a look. Old Master Yang asked who it was, and I mentioned the case of Xi Wen's illness and your name. Old Master Yang then said, 'Hurry up and invite him, Chen Zhong is my junior friend, I trust him.'"

  Gong Zhi said this with a tone of envy that was hard to conceal.

  "I am indeed acquainted with Mr. Yang." said Chen Jing.

  He didn't say much about his friendship with Yang Zongbao.

  Yang Zhi Chou rarely talks about his own private affairs, even in casual conversations that aren't about chess, he would discuss the customs and people of Wang County, or even passersby, the water of Yu Yuan River, or the weeping willows by the riverbank.

  Chen Jiong could hear a few hints of Bianjing accent in his speech that he intentionally tried to conceal.

  Yang Zhi Zhou must have been retired and returned to his hometown, previously serving as an official in Bianjing. As for what kind of official he was, whether a first-rank high-ranking official or a fifth-rank minor official in the capital, Chen Jing had no way of knowing.

  Chen Jing didn't plan on getting involved in officialdom, so he also wasn't interested in listening.

  "Mr. Gong, can you tell me more about your condition..." Chen Jiong shifted the topic and continued to ask about the patient's condition.

  Gong Zhili had a small reputation in the city of Mingzhou, and whenever a large family invited a doctor, he was always included. Even if he wasn't the main doctor, when they encountered a difficult case, they would inevitably invite him to diagnose it.

  He was ill for three days and was invited over.

  Many illnesses, he also repeated the diagnosis of previous doctors.

  The doctors in Mingzhou unanimously believed that Mr. Yang was suffering from a stroke. Even in later generations, with the advancement of medical science, strokes are still difficult to cure.

  So now in this era, stroke is a terminal illness.

  An experienced and skilled doctor, knowing that there was no hope of recovery, directly told the family members and refused to continue treatment; while those who were eager to try, wanted to take the opportunity to show off and get in touch with the Yang family, their medical skills and ethics were not up to par, and the Yang family did not allow them to try.

  In recent days, all the famous doctors in Zhejiang have been invited.

  Gong Zhili also hesitated for a long time before recommending Chen Jing.

  What shocked Gong Zhi the most was not that Chen Jing cured Xi Wen, but that Chen Jing used his medical skills to intimidate Meng Yanju, scaring him so much that he fled in disarray.

  Gong Zhili still can't figure out what disease Meng Yanju had and how Chen Jing diagnosed it. This matter has been stuck in Gong Zhili's mind all along.

  He tried to recommend Chen Xuan, but unexpectedly Old Man Yang said that he knew Chen Xuan, which made Gong Zhi more bold and speak many good words about Chen Xuan.

  "...he's unconscious, convulsing, and his mouth is already twisted to the left. He must have had a stroke." Gong Zhi asked Chen Jiong again, "Master Chen, do you have any insight into strokes?"

  "Stroke is hard to cure." Chen Jiong sighed, "And it's already the fifth day, which makes it even harder. I also can't say what experience I have, and need to see the patient again before making a diagnosis."

  Gong Zhi nodded slightly.

  Chen Jiong paused for a moment, then asked Gong Zhili: "Gong Daifu, is it easy to get Cow Bezoar in the medicine market of Mingzhou?"

  Angong Niuhuang Wan is one of the three treasures of traditional Chinese medicine, and it has a miraculous effect in treating apoplexy.

  Especially for coma caused by stroke, An Gong Niu Huang Wan is needed even more.

  This medicine was invented by people in the Qing Dynasty, so it definitely didn't exist at that time. Chen Jiong's grandfather used to work at the Imperial Hospital of the Qing Dynasty and had obtained the prescription and preparation method from a friend. The Chen family never made a profit from this medicine, but as a traditional Chinese medical family, they knew how to prepare it.

  That prescription is not passed on to outsiders. This was the agreement between grandfather and his friends back then. The apprentices of my grandfather and father have never seen it, they only told Chen Jing.

  Chen Jiong himself has also formulated it twice as a special supply, with better efficacy than those on the market.

  The preparation of Angong Niuhuang Wan naturally requires the use of Niuhuang. Niuhuang, regardless of the era, is extremely expensive, with a price surpassing that of gold.

  Ordinary families can't afford it.

  If it were in the capital city, Chen Xuan would not have asked this question. However, in Mingzhou, at this moment, it's uncertain whether he can be found.

  If you can't find bezoar and waste time, even the best medical skills will not work.

  A stroke is something you can't wait for.

  "Bezoar?" Gong Zhi thought for a moment, "It's possible. This medicine is too expensive and hard to get. Unless it's a special case, the pharmacy wouldn't normally stock it. A big pharmacy should have some."

  Angong Niuhuang Wan has not been invented yet, so the use of Niuhuang can be replaced. The drug that replaces it is much cheaper.

  "Ming Feng, once you arrive at Mingzhou City, can you notify someone to find Cow Yellow as soon as possible?" Chen Jing turned his face to Ming Feng and said, "The faster the better, the more the better."

  "Mr. Chen can rest assured." Ming Feng nodded in response.

  Gong Zhili then asked Chen Xuan: "Sir Chen, why is it necessary to use cow bezoar?"

  "For now, I'd rather not say, but I've also seen the patient. Just preparing for now." Chen Jing smiled slightly.

  He had not yet arrived in Mingzhou, and he ordered someone to find this medicine, which shows that this medicine is very important, even Mingfeng can hear it. But when Gong Zhili asked him, he refused to say more, so the usage of this medicine was a secret.

  Gong Zhi smiled and left, his mind clear, no longer asking questions.

  Every medical family has a few secret recipes that cannot be known to outsiders as inheritance. Gong Zhili doesn't have one, he is a half-road apprentice.

  The Chen family is not a medical family, but unexpectedly Chen Jiong has one.

  Gong Zhi had been speculating that Chen Jing had a secret recipe. Even if it was just speculation, he couldn't help but feel a little envious.

  This child is a genius! At such a young age, his medical skills are superb and beyond ordinary people; he also has his own secret recipe, I don't know where he learned it from.

  It's absolutely impossible for him to learn the secret formula from a medical book. Even if he apprentices with a master, he still won't be able to learn it. It's a tradition passed down within each family and not taught to outsiders.

  This made Gong Zhili even more curious about Chen Jing. If he said that he had studied medicine on his own again, Gong Zhili wouldn't have believed him.

  The horse carriage rushed forward and after four hours, it finally arrived at Mingzhou.

  It's already midnight.

  In the midst of summer, it was just after midnight, and the night market in Mingzhou was bustling with activity. The sound of silk and bamboo music could be heard from afar. Carriages passed through the marketplace, causing pedestrians to scatter. The aroma of roasted deer meat wafted through the air, entering the carriage.

  Chen Jing had been riding in the carriage for so long that his bones were a bit loose, and he didn't feel hungry either.

  In this era, going on a long trip is like being punished once.

  Passing by Dong Street Night Market, I soon arrived at the entrance of Yang's mansion.

  Two large red lanterns hung high, casting a warm glow that illuminated the entire area in front of the distant gate. Two young servants dressed in green robes stood at the entrance, looking up with anticipation.

  Two people hurriedly came forward as they saw the horse carriage approaching.

  Chen Jiong jumped off the car, rubbed his waist and stretched his muscles, only then did he feel that the bones in his body were back in place.

  "Go and tell them to send someone to the pharmacy in town to find cow bezoar, the more the better!" Mingfeng led Chen Jing and Gong Zhi into the house, still remembering Chen Jing's instructions, said to the young servant.

  The young servant listened to Mingfeng's words and hastily agreed.

  Chen Jiong quickly followed Ming Feng into the inner courtyard of the Yang family's residence.

  They soon arrived at the main house upstairs.

  The upstairs is also brightly lit, but it's quiet and still, with only the occasional chirping of crickets in the corner.

  Ming Feng directly led Chen Jing and Gong Zhi into the house.

  The main hall of the courthouse was packed with people, and Yang Zhi Zhou sat in the front row. Among them were several women, and at the back, a few young children also sat down. Everyone's face was sorrowful and silent, their heads bowed, only looking up when they heard footsteps, all eyes fixed on the person entering.

  "Has the leader arrived?" Yang Zhi Zhou's face was gloomy, with dark shadows under his eyes. He hadn't slept for several days. As people age, once they don't rest well, their old age shows immediately.

  Chen Jiong felt that Yang Zhi Zhou looked much older than when they last parted ways.

  "Old sir." Chen Jiong bowed to him.

  The several men sitting beside Yang Zhiqiu all stood up and paid their respects to Chen Xing. They must have been Yang Zhiqiu's nephews or sons.

  Chen Jie returned the courtesy.

  "Yang is my old friend. No need for formalities, let's take a look at the patient first." Yang Zhōu stood up and said to everyone. He turned around and walked towards the inner room.

  "Mr. Chen, after you." The others said to Chen Jing, letting him go first.

  Chen Jiong didn't stand on ceremony either and followed Yang Zhiou into the inner chamber.

  The patient lay in bed, falling into a coma. His temples were white, about sixty or seventy years old, slightly chubby. His face was pale, his eyes tightly closed, but his eyebrows were furrowed, as if he was suffering greatly even in his sleep.

  "Yang Zhijiu beckoned with his hand and said, 'Chen Jiong, come and take my pulse.'"

  Chen Jiong said, then walked forward and sat on the brocade stool in front of the bed, starting to take the patient's pulse.

  The patient was in a coma and couldn't be asked about the situation, so they could only observe and diagnose the illness. The patient's pulse was fine and rough. The more Chen Jiong felt the pulse, the more serious his expression became.

  After feeling the pulse, he got up and held the patient's head in his hands, touched it, and then asked Yang Zhihou: "Old gentleman, didn't the patient say that their headache was splitting, especially here?"

  He pointed to his left occipital lobe.

  "Yes." A man in his forties hastily replied, "Father said he had a headache, and it was exactly the location that the divine doctor pointed out..."

  Chen Jie's heart suddenly sank.

  This is not just a stroke, but a hemorrhagic stroke!