Chapter 14
Chapter 14 – Troubling Zhang Jiao
Zhang Jiao sat on the main seat in the main hall, receiving Hua Tuo and his family . They debated about the medical terms and treatment from their experience .
Zhang Jiao was a Taoist and his healing technique came from Taoist teaching . They believed in Yin-Yang and the elemental inner force of men could affect the general health of a person, and emotions were also associated with the internal organs .
Thus, they believed that if a person could maintain positive emotion and mentality, such as love, gentleness, kindness, and happiness, they would not succumb to general illness easily .
In turn, stress and negative emotions were considered harmful to a person health in the Taoist teaching .
Taoism also possessed wide variety of healing techniques and medicines, such as herbs, pills, alcohol, tea, oil, massage, decoction, acupuncture and etc .
Meanwhile, Hua Tuo's medicine knowledge base was from Buddhist teaching .
In Buddhist teaching, there was a law of cause, effect and consequences, AKA Karma . The sickness of a patient had its root, and the cause could always be explained . There would be no such thing as a sickness that popped up out of nowhere without a source .
They also had similar healing technique like Taoism, such as herbs, diets, therapy and etc .
Hua Tuo was an open-minded person when it comes to the medical practices . He absorbed every kinds of techniques of other teaching like a sponge, and combined it into one of his own .
Both Zhang Jiao and Hua Tuo chatted and laughed for an hour . Then Hua Tuo realized he had forgotten his purpose of this visit .
"Right, I've forgotten what I've come here for . My apologies, teacher Zhang . "
"No worry, no worry . It's been a while since I last had a good chat with someone on the same field . Take your time . "
"Haha, thank you teacher Zhang . But I've come here to discuss about something else . Come, Shi'er, greet teacher Zhang . "
For an hour, Hua Shi sat there listening to the conversation in patience . She was threaten by Hua Tuo that if she played truant or didn't follow his order then she would be disowned .
Hua Shi had no choice but to comply . A 16-year-old single girl could not possibly survive alone in this era, unless she had a death wish or wanted to be ravished and ended up working as a prostitute in the future .
Without Hua Tuo's backing, Hua Shi had no confident that she could rely on her special skill or her knowledge to survive by herself at her current age .
"Hua Shi greets teacher Zhang . "
Hua Shi stepped up and greeted Zhang Jiao . Her mother had dressed her up like a noble young lady for this occasion .
Zhang Jiao nodded, observing Hua Shi from head to toe . His eyes flickered a moment and returned its calm .
"Good girl, I heard you came here with teacher Hua yesterday?"
"Yes, we bought a few boxes of soap from young master Zhang yesterday . " Hua Shi replied .
"Hoh? All of you were here yesterday?"
"Yes, we couldn't find you here yesterday so we visited young master Zhang first . Please forgive us for our inconsideration . " Hua Tuo explained .
Zhang Jiao touched his beard . He fell into deep thought . He was already aware of Tong's secret soap business and other goods he collected in his warehouse .
Tong started acting on his own without consulting him since he was five . Zhang Jiao was worried as he didn't know how to be a good father . He was too busy teaching his disciples and performing duty as a healer in this village and the surrounding .
Therefore, he left Tong alone, believing that he was lonely and wanted something to do to kill times . However, times proved him wrong .
Every year, Tong always did something strange that broke the common sense of a child . For example, he ordered his servants to gather or buy materials in bulk with his pocket money, such as olive oil and Gui Flower seeds . Then Tong cooped up in his room, experimenting something smelly .
Two years later, Tong snatched the main hall, moved away all furniture and flooded the room with strange flowery-odor oily brown liquid . Tong claimed that he needed a place with even-floor or it would be ugly . Then after a week, all the liquid was solidified and was cut into several hand-size block, and Tong's soap was revealed to the family .
After that day, Zhang Jiao allocated two buildings for Tong to manage his own business .
Then last night, Tong snuck out of the resident and came back injured .
Zhang Jiao had no idea why Tong went out at night and what Tong's connection with the death of five children and two guards was .
And now Hua Tuo suddenly introduced his daughter to him . It wasn't hard to guess what Hua Tuo planned to do next if it was during normal time .
But this time the matter was very sensitive . Hua Tuo and his family came to see Tong yesterday and the incident happened soon after . It was too suspicious! This was too much for a coincidence!
Zhang Jiao was afraid that Hua Tuo might have a connection of the incident last night, or Hua Tuo schemed to harm his son by using his daughter .
Zhang Jiao didn't have any solid proof to confirm his conjecture, so he chose to wait and see Hua Tuo's next move .
"Teacher Zhang, how about it? What do you think of my daughter?" Hua Tuo asked .
'Figured . Trying to offer your daughter to become someone's wife?' Zhang Jiao scoffed in his mind .
"She'll grow up into a fine lady alright . I'll be jealous of any man who can gain your daughter's favor . "
"You see, teacher Zhang . We visited young master Zhang yesterday and Shi'er took a liking to him . Now that Shi'er is about to become of age and young master Zhang is about the same age as Shi'er . Young master Tong also doesn't seem to have a fiancé yet . . . "
'I figured as much, you wanted to give your daughter to Tong'er . ' Zhang Jiao thought .
"How about it teacher Zhang . Don't you think that Shi'er is a good match for young master Zhang?"
Zhang Jiao chuckled in his heart . If Hua Tuo had made this offer in other day then he would have accepted it without thinking . However, there was an exception . No one could touch a single hair of his son today!
"This matter should be decided by the children themselves . It is their future we are talking about . We have no right to decide it for them . "
Zhang Jiao refused . His voice and stance was firm . His face also showed an indifferent attitude .
'Hmm?'
Hua Tuo was surprised . He didn't expect Zhang Jiao to refuse it .
Hua Tuo and Hua Shi didn't know about Tong's injury . So they didn't know why Zhang Jiao didn't take the bait .
But Hua Shi was delighted . She already checked her HUD map and saw Tong's location . She confirmed that the otherworlder was 100% Tong . When she heard that she didn't have to marry Tong anymore, she felt like a mountain was lift away from her chest .
"Then how about having Shi'er and young master Zhang talk to each other about his matter . Maybe they like each other but didn't have a chance to be alone together . " Hua Tuo attempted again .
But Zhang Jiao frown . This old fox was shameless, shoving his underage daughter to his son without caring . What kind of father was he?
"I'm afraid that it will be impossible for today . My son is currently resting . He had an accident last night and needed rest . "
'An accident?' Hua Tuo thought .
'Was it related to the Heavenly mission Shi'er was talking about?'
'She said that Zhang Tong fought with four other apostles and lived . '
'If that's true then he might have an injury . And Zhang Jiao is keeping it a secret . '
'Interesting . ' Hua Tuo smiled in his heart .
"Shi'er, why don't you show teacher Zhang your magic?"
Hua Tuo decided to reveal his trump card . He wanted to shove his daughter into Tong's hand no matter what .
"Magic?" Zhang Jiao was surprised .
Hua Tuo glared at his daughter, gesturing her as if he was telling her 'Do it, or else' .
Hua Shi was helpless . She did what father told her to .
"[Medical Gift]"
Hua Shi activated her skill, scanning Zhang Jiao and his health . After the scanning was completed, she closed her eyes and digested the information which were poured into her brain .
Hua Shi opened her eyes and looked straight at Zhang Jiao, then pointed her finger at an empty plate on the table on the side of Zhang Jiao . Bright light shined from Hua Shi's index finger and beamed onto the plate, and two medicine pallets appeared out of thin air .
"This is my skill [Medical Gift], I can diagnosis an illness or an injury of a person and create medicines out of thin air or give you a treatment solution if the illness or the injury cannot be cured with medicines . "
Zhang Jiao's eyes opened wide in shock for a couple seconds before returning to normal . Zhang Jiao had seen Tong's abnormal constitution when he treated Tong, and he had seen many street parlor tricks before . So he didn't surprise much .
'Weird trick . But it looks real . ' Zhang Jiao thought .
"Teacher Zhang, have you been suffering stomach ache three days ago?" Hua Shi asked .
"!? . . . Yes . " Zhang Jiao nodded .
"Did you feel like you lost an appetite? You felt full even though you ate very little? Sometimes you felt nauseous before you had a meal? You felt burnt from the inside of your lower chest? You thought you need to go to the toilet but once you got there, nothing came out? You belched a lot yesterday? You …"
A series of diagnosis from Hua Shi went on and on . Zhang Jiao's eyes were opened wide again . Everything she said was spotted on!
Hua Tuo, who was beside his daughter, was surprised as well . He couldn't detect anything unusual from Zhang Jiao after an hour of chatting .
"What you are suffering right now is called 'gastric ulcers' . There's a small wound in your stomach . It was caused by teacher Zhang yourself for not properly had meal on time . Your stress and your over-drinking habits also contributed to the small wound . "
"Since the wound is still small and there is no infection yet, the treatment is simple . You can just swallow the medicines on the plate after a meal . I'll create more tablets for you . It should last you for a week . If you still feel pain or feel anything unusual, call me immediately . "
Zhang Jiao stared at Hua Shi, speechless . He couldn't digest the information . Everything seemed gibberish to him .
Then Zhang Jiao thought about his son's knee injury and his weird constitution . He suddenly had an inspiration .
"Teacher Hua, do you mind if I borrow your daughter to see my son for a while?"