Chapter 25: This is a Divine Doctor!
The Maeda family migrated from An District in Mino Province, and it has been over seventy years since they pioneered in Kaito District, Owari, spanning five generations. They have built five castles, established one shrine territory, and nine villages. They have successively managed several villages of the Oda family, reclaimed a large amount of fields, and driven away countless fierce beasts and thieves. It can be said that they have considerable prestige in the Odaigawa River basin of Kaito District, and are a truly powerful local lord.
Therefore, even though he was just the fourth son of the Aragiko Maeda family, and still a young man who had just come of age and was not yet fully grown, Maeda Toshiie’s words still carried weight. He didn’t even need to beat the villagers into submission; simply by vouching for Yuan Ye and stating that they could find him if anything happened, the villagers immediately believed him, which was a hundred times more effective than the endless talk of Jikuro and the bald Jubei.
Well, even Jikuro and Jubei were not entirely convinced that Yuan Ye would truly “charge a low fee.” They were unsure if he genuinely intended to do good deeds and felt quite uneasy. Their persuasion for the villagers to seek medical treatment was never definitive, so the effect was as one might expect.
Now, with Maeda Toshiie’s guarantee, everything was naturally fine. The villagers began to visit for medical treatment in small groups. Although they were still somewhat fearful and hesitant, they at least no longer worried that Yuan Ye would suddenly draw his sword and attack them, or that he would raid their homes after treating them.
Maeda Toshiie was very satisfied with this, feeling he had repaid Yuan Ye to some extent. He exchanged pleasantries, arranged a time for a formal visit, and then left with A Mei and A Song.
Yuan Ye also began to get busy, treating villagers from morning till night, working until he was drenched in sweat.
He had to be drenched in sweat. Not only were there more patients than he had imagined, but many also had chronic illnesses that had lasted longer than his own age, with one illness compounding another, and then another. Even a seasoned traditional Chinese doctor would have to scratch their head, let alone him, a hastily trained Mongolian doctor who had only skimmed the Barefoot Doctor’s Manual twice.
Initially, he would secretly enter rooms to consult books when he couldn’t diagnose the illness. This evolved to placing the book aside and openly picking it up when he couldn’t diagnose, and finally, he simply treated patients while looking at the book. In the Modern Era, he would have been beaten to death by the patients’ families. However, in the Japanese Medieval Period, the villagers only dared to watch him with awe as he frowned and flipped through “barbarian books.”
They either blamed themselves for having rare illnesses that troubled the kind and benevolent Lord Yuan Ye, feeling deeply remorseful; or they believed their illnesses were so severe that even the exceptionally skilled Lord Yuan Ye had to consult books, which terrified them half to death.
Through practice comes true knowledge; a thousand readings are not as good as one attempt. Although Yuan Ye’s diagnoses were often muddled and extremely rudimentary, his medical skills improved by leaps and bounds. In less than ten days, the “twenty-eight common pulse conditions” that had confused him while reading now felt familiar, and he could roughly discern them with a greatly reduced error rate.
As for other conditions, such as “eleven common parasitic diseases in the south,” he saw them all within three days. Perhaps due to the poor hygiene and cooking methods of the era, all the villagers suffered from parasitic problems to some extent. Even Yayoi, a young girl who seemed very clean, had parasites in her stomach.
Previously, Yuan Ye had only read books and had no direct understanding of various diseases. He had completely failed to notice Yayoi’s intestinal parasitic problem. It was on his first day of business when he found someone with chronic back and arm pain, with no external injuries or other symptoms, which left him utterly perplexed. He spent the entire night poring over the book several times, meticulously scrutinizing every word, before realizing it could be caused by ascariasis.
Coupled with the subsequent appearance of various other parasitic problems, he finally understood why Yayoi looked like a little refugee and had a weak constitution. It was highly likely she had also contracted some parasitic disease, and wasn’t simply suffering from malnutrition.
Fortunately, parasitic diseases were not difficult or rare ailments, and the book offered over a dozen methods to deal with them.
After discovering the prevalence of this disease, Yuan Ye did not hesitate. He immediately selected a prescription from the book and began preparing and distributing medicine. Umeboshi pills were used to stabilize pain and expel worms, while Coptis and Cortex Phellodendri pills were used to drive out and expel parasites. These had remarkable effects on most internal parasites.
The prescription was extremely simple and very cheap. Umeboshi, Coptis, and Cortex Phellodendri were common and inexpensive medicinal materials, not costing much. The effects, however, were immediate. As long as one was willing to take it, 99% of the time it would expel parasites and resolve worries.
Few villagers had received any education and were still in a state of considerable ignorance. Although a simple deworming was unremarkable and would be considered trivial in the Modern Era, with any medical student able to find dozens of flaws in such a method, to the villagers, the fact that it produced immediate results and could cure the illness on the same day made him a divine doctor!
Even when Yuan Ye treated patients with acupuncture, his hands were so clumsy that he accidentally caused several people to have crooked mouths and eyes, even drooling, but in the villagers’ perception, he was still a divine doctor!
Yuan Ye’s “Mongolian Doctor’s Plan for Survival and Establishment” was a huge success!
In less than ten days, his reputation in Hibitsu Village and surrounding villages rose from “indifferent” to “respected,” even approaching “worship.” The trend was very encouraging. If it were depicted as a K-line chart, Chinese stock investors would weep upon seeing it – it had risen, it had finally risen, and it was a continuous daily limit increase. These eight years had not been in vain. He had said long ago that investing in stocks would definitely make money, but you didn’t believe him. Now, who dared to call him a foolish retail investor!
Originally, when villagers saw him from afar, they all seemed to have practiced Turtle Divine Skill, avoiding him as much as possible. If they couldn’t avoid him, they would cower and pretend to be dead, never approaching him, for fear of being attacked. But now, as Yuan Ye went to the mountain in the morning, villagers along the way had finally come back to life. They actively greeted and saluted him, and would spontaneously help him gather herbs. When they found any rare wild game, wild vegetables, or river fish in the wilderness, many would secretly place them in Yayoi’s yard to improve his diet for free.
For instance, he planned to build two sheds in Yayoi’s yard to serve as a pharmacy and clinic. He had intended to hire people to do the work, but as soon as he finished discussing it with Jubei, the entire village came. They brought their own materials and, with much bustling, helped him build the sheds. Not a single person mentioned money from start to finish.
Laboring people are indeed simple, and Japanese laborers are no exception. He did indeed give them some money as promised, or radishes and buckwheat when he had no money, and nothing when he had neither. The villagers, though they didn’t say it, remembered it all and were repaying him in this manner.
Even Yayoi’s family became genuinely close to him, their fear and apprehension almost disappearing. The subtle sense of distance between them was gone.
At this point, Yuan Ye could responsibly say that he and his foolish son had truly established a foothold in Hibitsu Village. Now, as long as the Aragiko Maeda family didn’t try to harm him, even if a large group of mountain bandits or river pirates attacked, the villagers would gather like they were defending the village, raising rows of bamboo spears to help him fight the enemy, rather than handing him over to save themselves from disaster!
Now, he could sleep more soundly!
…
The “Mongolian Doctor’s Plan for Survival and Establishment” was proceeding smoothly, and Yuan Ye, as a “Mongolian Divine Doctor,” became even more enthusiastic. His medical skills also improved daily. In just over ten days, he had acquired the demeanor of a seated physician.
He slightly closed his eyes, felt the pulse, and observed the recovery of the patient’s leg ulcer. Then, he gently instructed, “Hmm, there’s no need to worry too much. Severe pain is normal. The illness had been delayed for too long, and the lesion was too large. To cure it now will naturally require enduring some hardship. I will prescribe a few more poultices for drawing out toxins and dampness for you to apply. One plaster a day. Come back to see me after you’ve used them all, and we’ll assess the situation. There shouldn’t be any major problems.”
“Yes, Lord!” The patient did not hesitate. He responded verbally, then knelt and kowtowed to Yuan Ye. Both in terms of obedience and the doctor-patient relationship, this would make modern doctors cry.
“No need for this. Go and get your medicine!” As a well-educated modern youth, Yuan Ye himself was unwilling to kowtow to others. Since he would not want others to do to him what he would not want done to himself, he did not need others to kowtow to him. However, this was the custom of the era, and he could not stop it.
The patient went with Yayoi to the pharmacy shed to get the medicine. Various eczema and festering sores were also common rural diseases. Yuan Ye had brewed several types of detoxifying plasters to have on hand. The patient received them, and could simply heat them up and apply them at home, without him needing to worry further.
As for the medical fees, this patient was poor. Last time, he had given two loads of firewood, and this time was no different; he brought back a large bundle. Yuan Ye had no shortage of firewood for the past few days.
“Next!”
After this patient left, Yuan Ye sat in the “consultation room” and began calling out numbers. However, there was no response after he called. He called out twice more, still no response. Puzzled, he lifted the straw curtain to check the “waiting room.” It was actually a bamboo shed divided into two rooms. He was quite a clean person and didn’t want patients entering his living quarters, so he had built this small clinic with straw and bamboo.
The structure was framed with bamboo, with thick straw curtains hung around the sides. With a stove burning, it wasn’t too cold and was quite functional.
There was no one in the “waiting room,” only A Qing, that “strange child,” silently sweeping the floor with her head down. Seeing it was her, Yuan Ye was momentarily speechless.
It was almost unbelievable. He and A Qing had been living under the same roof for a month, eating together every day, yet A Qing had not spoken a single word to him. Yuan Ye had completely labeled her as a “strange child,” and her uncommunicative nature had almost become a stereotype.
However, under these circumstances, Yuan Ye still forced himself to ask, “Um, are there no more patients?”
A Qing looked up at him with a cold gaze. As their eyes met, she immediately lowered her eyelids and continued sweeping the floor silently. She simply didn’t want to eat so much rice for free and was doing some work here. She didn’t know where the patients were or if there were any more, and couldn’t answer such questions.
The air became stiff again. Why would such a child exist in this world…
Yuan Ye became increasingly speechless. Fortunately, Yayoi returned at this moment, bringing him a bowl of hot tea and looking at him with great admiration. “Lord Saburo, please have some tea and rest!”
During this time, she had been helping Yuan Ye, acting as a temporary nurse. She had personally witnessed Yuan Ye diligently and conscientiously treating the villagers. Regardless of whether the patients were poor and dirty, or if their wounds emitted foul odors, he always treated them gently and with care.
Even when encountering villagers who spoke incoherently and couldn’t clearly explain their conditions, he showed no impatience, never scolded them loudly, nor slapped them. He was truly the most gentle person in the world.
It was truly unbelievable that he had treated over a hundred patients without hitting any of them!
She was deeply moved by this, feeling Yuan Ye was remarkable, so kind that a halo was almost forming behind his head. Now, she was exceptionally concerned about his food, drink, and living conditions, fearing he might be hungry, thirsty, or uncomfortable.
Yuan Ye didn’t understand what she was thinking and was oblivious. He thanked her, took the tea, and asked her in a tone of relief, “What’s going on today? Why are there no patients so early?” It was only the afternoon, and previously, he had been seeing patients until dark.
“That’s all who came today. There should be no more,” the little nurse Yayoi quickly replied. “Most of today’s patients were here for follow-up visits.”
“Is that so? That’s a bit of a shame. Are there really no more? People shouldn’t hide their illnesses. Go ask around the village later. If there are any, tell them to come quickly!” Yuan Ye was enjoying being a doctor, mainly because he hadn’t accumulated enough experience yet and wasn’t confident about treating his foolish son’s injuries. To his disappointment, the patients had all cleared out so early. Most of them were minor ailments. For serious injuries and illnesses, according to village tradition, they used to be carried out to the wilderness to fend for themselves, and there were none to be seen for the time being.
As for vegetative states, there was no mention of them. The village couldn’t support such patients, and he couldn’t even try to treat one to see the effect.
Hearing this, Yayoi was even more moved. She saw Yuan Ye as if he were bathed in a soft glow, feeling that he was radiating a hazy Buddhist light, possibly a reincarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva. Lord Yuan Ye was truly so kind, and so dedicated to his medical practice!
A Qing also looked up at Yuan Ye. Although her gaze remained cold, the faint hostility and disgust had almost completely dissipated.
Originally, like the villagers, she suspected Yuan Ye had some dark and despicable intentions, wanting to exploit innocent commoners under the guise of practicing medicine, wanting to suck their marrow dry. However, Yuan Ye had actually treated the villagers well. Not only had he not harmed the villagers, but he had even spent his own money.
This made her long-held beliefs waver, and she began to suspect that Yuan Ye might not be a bad person.
She was actually more extreme than A Man. A Man only thought all samurai were bastards, but she went further, believing all samurai deserved to die. She was born in a village head’s village in Omi, a small village of only a dozen households that hid in the mountains to escape annual tribute and labor. When she was six years old, the village was breached, and all its inhabitants were killed by the local lord. Even she, a child, was stabbed. It was only when A Man passed by and was searching corpses that she was found in a pile of dead bodies, thus saving her life.
Hating the house because of the crow, she harbored a deep-seated hatred for samurai, believing they all deserved to die. But now, looking at Yuan Ye’s kindness, this idea began to waver. She felt that Yuan Ye might not deserve to die and was likely a good person.
Of course, she said nothing, just glanced and lowered her head to continue sweeping. However, Yayoi, the temporary little maid, was more thoughtful and quickly comforted Yuan Ye softly, “This is very good, Lord Saburo. You also need to rest well. You have worked too hard during this period.”
Yuan Ye nodded and smiled at her, casting that slight regret aside.
That’s fine. One can’t rush things. Perhaps tomorrow someone will fall into a vegetative state. Just wait patiently!
