Xu Chang Prefectural Office.
To Liu Bei and the others, they marveled at Zhu Yuanzhang's poverty-stricken origins, were astonished at the immense difficulties he faced when founding his dynasty, and felt joy that the land of Yanyun had ultimately returned to China.
But above all, what they felt most was an unusual sense of deep satisfaction.
Satisfaction that the Han legacy they had forged would ultimately find continuation. Satisfaction that for China, this Hongwu surpassed even Emperor Guangwu in relation to the Later Han.
For Kongming in particular, there was also satisfaction in the triumph of a peasant uprising.
By comparison, the two starkly different portraits of Zhu Yuanzhang stirred little curiosity among them.
They only reminded Liu Bei of one matter:
"Once affairs of this year are settled, we too should commission our portraits."
"So that we do not end up like this Emperor Hongwu, with many false depictions circulating."
While they chatted about where to celebrate the New Year—whether to go to Ye City for festivities, return to Luoyang for New Year's Eve, or visit Hefei to invite Sun Quan for a gathering—they also joked about the later generations' commentary displayed upon the light screen. Pang Tong had already begun imagining, now that Cao had been destroyed and success achieved, what wondrous posthumous title later ages would bestow upon this Kongming of perfect talent and virtue.
Throughout this process, however, Cao Cao dearly wished to sigh again and again:
My Ye City. My Hefei.
It was precisely because of this that thoughts of his son stirred him even more restlessly. He resented that the boy had not sooner fallen into Liu Bei's hands and been sent here, where he could properly discipline him.
As for Cao Zihuan maneuvering troops, first taking Mengjin, then capturing Luoyang, sealing Hangu Pass, and repeatedly striking at the capital so that Liu Bei could not defend both ends—Cao Cao would rather believe that he himself could leap up from here and fight Yun Chang for three hundred bouts before exhausting and capturing him alive.
Yet as he lifted his head to watch, he clearly saw several lines of text float forth:
> Zhu Yuanzhang: I fear the loss of my wife. Anxiety grips me deeply; I can scarcely sleep at night. Thus I hope to request the assistance of worthy physicians.
Zhu Yuanzhang: I have summoned Imperial Physician Dai Sigong here. The Empress is also present to observe. I only ask that the Emperors and sages spare neither words nor instruction.
Liu Han: This minister is a Hanlin Medical Officer of the Great Song, serving as Attendant Pharmacist by imperial command, offering what little strength I possess.
Sun Simiao: What illness does the Empress have? Let Imperial Physician Dai recount every detail without omission.
Sun Simiao: Is Divine Physician Zhang also present? Come and examine together.
Within the Xu Chang office, Liu Bei immediately showed regret.
"Unfortunately, fearing stray arrows might injure Divine Physician Zhang, he did not accompany the army this time."
Pang Tong unconsciously shook his neck. Though thorough preparations had been made and fighting had already subsided, merely hearing the words "stray arrows" made him instinctively uncomfortable.
"To cross a thousand years and exchange medical insights to treat illness—Divine Physician Zhang would surely not decline."
"Why not write a note declining for now, and promise that in three months' time Divine Physician Zhang will certainly be here as well?"
Unexpectedly, before his lord could decide, Kongming stepped forward without hesitation.
"It is no matter. Liang also knows a thing or two. I can offer counsel in place of Divine Physician Zhang."
Pang Tong was startled.
"I recall at Longzhong you only had a rudimentary grasp of medicine…"
Before Pang Tong could finish, Kongming replied frankly:
"At that time I had merely dabbled in medical studies. It is the same now."
"However, I have since read Divine Physician Zhang's manuscript of the Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases. Though it is not yet finalized, I have gained much."
"Determining the illness precisely may be difficult, but offering suggestions in his stead should present no great issue."
Watching Kongming eagerly join the remote consultation for the Great Ming Empress upon the light screen, Pang Tong and Liu Bei exchanged a glance and smiled wryly.
"That Han possesses Kongming is Han's good fortune."
Liu Bei laughed wholeheartedly.
---
Huagai Hall, Yingtian Prefecture.
Dai Sigong's earlier excitement had long since faded. Now, facing the countermeasures and questions appearing upon the light screen, while following instructions to conduct a general diagnosis of the Empress's health, he was already overwhelmed with busyness.
Even so, stray thoughts unrelated to medicine occasionally surfaced in his mind.
A Hanlin Medical Officer of Song. Sun the Medicine King of Tang. Zhuge Wuhou of Han.
Such disparate yet renowned figures assisting him together in treating the Great Ming Empress.
Even if one were to recount such an experience, who would believe it?
In Dai Sigong's view, the Song Hanlin Medical Officer's understanding of pharmacology was penetrating and of immense benefit to him.
As for Zhuge Wuhou, though some insights were comparatively simple, when speaking of pulse patterns and methods of regulation, even he had to take the advice seriously. He had never imagined that a Han chancellor from a thousand years ago would be so familiar with medicine.
Most crucial, of course, were Sun Simiao's opinions. Beyond routine diagnosis and treatment, this Medicine King spoke fluently about the body beneath the skin, even asking whether there were instruments that could assist in examining internal signs.
All of that still lay within normal bounds. Yet whenever Sun or Zhuge upon the screen exclaimed—
"You of the Ming era are separated from us by a thousand or several hundred years. Has there truly been no new insight into this illness?"
—Dai Sigong found himself speechless.
He had seen His Majesty's mighty army that swept aside the Hu Yuan. Compared with the armies recorded by earlier literati, he could clearly see that the Ming soldiers were more than a tier stronger.
But compared with former dynasties, had Ming medicine advanced by more than a tier as well?
Recalling certain colleagues in the Imperial Medical Bureau who could scarcely write characters straight, Dai Sigong could only fall silent. He even faintly suspected that the deaths of the Empress and Crown Prince mentioned on the screen might perhaps be connected to some incompetent physicians within the bureau.
With a silent sigh, Dai Sigong almost immediately wished to petition His Majesty to select capable talent for the Imperial Medical Bureau and implement a system of promoting the excellent while dismissing the inferior.
But upon turning his head and seeing the distressed and bewildered officials of the Bureau of Astronomy on the other side of Huagai Hall, he immediately remembered that his colleagues were much like those officials—fixed in their hereditary registration.
If he were to advise His Majesty, it would be tantamount to rejecting the hereditary medical household system. Yet only moments ago the light screen had lavishly praised His Majesty. Would such action not be somewhat ungrateful? Could policies established by such an unprecedentedly wise sovereign truly be mistaken? Even Dai Sigong himself was uncertain.
---
For Zhu Yuanzhang, his considerations were far simpler. He only saw lines of dense text—so many that reading them was difficult—streaming across the light screen, as though several people were fiercely debating. Meanwhile Dai Sigong hurried back and forth, repeatedly approaching Empress Ma to question, observe, or take her pulse.
As the text on the screen gradually fell silent, exhaustion and sweat were evident upon Dai Sigong's face. Fortunately, there were results.
According to Sun Simiao's opinion and Dai Sigong's diagnosis, no hidden disease symptoms were presently visible upon Empress Ma. Ultimately, following the joint opinions of Sun Simiao and Zhuge Liang, they would first regulate and nourish the somewhat frail Empress's body, observing constantly to prevent future trouble.
"As for His Highness the Crown Prince, he may suffer from fatigue-related illness. Regarding this, Zhuge Wuhou has provided detailed arrangements, including strengthening the body through the Five Animal Exercises; maintaining balanced and moderate diet; combining labor and rest to ease the mind; climbing heights to raise the breath; riding horses to open the spirit; and…"
Zhu Biao immediately felt a headache coming on.
Zhu Yuanzhang, however, was deeply gratified.
"Biao'er, why do you not thank Marquis Wu at once!"