Chapter Eight: Mission Accomplished

"Whether I have the capability or not remains to be seen. However, I have encountered such ailments quite often back in Changdu, and I have certainly gained some insight into how to treat them." Jia Ping'an ignored Steward Hu and looked directly at the General, speaking with a calm, composed expression.

He offered no guarantees because there was no need to.

He believed that, given his words, reason and circumstance would compel Hu Buyun to let him try. Otherwise, if word of this were to spread, it would only damage the General's reputation. Moreover, those who offer guarantees at the drop of a hat only appear superficial. Jia Ping'an did not want to leave such an impression; one's persona is, after all, very important.

"A fine claim of 'some insight.' Very well, I shall allow you to try. But let us be clear: if you truly cure her, I will double the consultation fee. But if you fail... humph!"

Hu Buyun did not finish the thought, but the implications were clearly severe. At the very least, in this small corner of Ningguta, if he wished to target someone, that person would have a hard time living a peaceful life.

"Thank you, General." Having achieved his goal, Jia Ping'an knew when to stop and bowed respectfully.

"Go on and try. If you succeed, I shall reward you handsomely." Hu Buyun did not soften his tone despite Jia Ping'an's courtesy; his voice remained tinged with anger.

But this was merely a facade. A man of his stature had long since learned to hide his emotions. In truth, Hu Buyun’s impression of Jia Ping'an was not entirely negative. As a military man, he admired those with grit. The fact that Jia Ping'an dared to provoke him proved he was at least a man of courage. That alone was enough to earn him a measure of respect.

Of course, empty talk would not suffice. If it turned out that Jia Ping'an’s medical skills were mediocre, this slight favor would turn into disdain for a young man’s arrogance. If that happened, Jia Ping'an would find it difficult to do anything in Ningguta, let alone seek help from the General's residence.

"Very well." Jia Ping'an seemed oblivious to these considerations. Hearing he was permitted to proceed, he stepped forward to the side of the couch.

The old lady sat upon the bed, looking utterly exhausted. She had heard the previous exchange; in the past, she might have said something. But now, after coughing throughout the night and the morning, her strength was spent, and she had not a word left to say.

Jia Ping'an reached out to take her pulse, performing the gesture with practiced ease, though in reality, he knew nothing of medicine. While he had inherited this body and supposedly possessed some knowledge of pharmacology, it was purely theoretical. If faced with an actual patient and asked to diagnose by pulse, he would be completely lost.

Traditional medicine is one of the treasures of the East, requiring years of arduous study and practical experience to master. To call Jia Ping'an a novice in this field would be an understatement. He might know how to treat a surface wound—having seen enough to mimic the actions—but internal medicine was beyond his reach.

Yet, he had to feign expertise. He could not simply admit ignorance and then prescribe water from his spiritual spring. Even if he wanted to, he had to consider whether the General would allow it. Besides, if water alone could cure her, how would he explain its source?

The spiritual dimension was his greatest secret. Even his father, Jia Fanghao, would never hear a word of it, let alone an outsider like Hu Buyun. Fortunately, Jia Ping'an had watched many doctors check pulses and knew how to mimic the motions.

After pretending to examine her pulse with an expert air and then closely observing her complexion, he performed the standard "look and feel" of a diagnosis. He then asked, "What have other doctors said? Do you have the prescriptions they provided?"

"We do." Steward Hu Shoufu, standing to the side, quickly responded and retrieved the prescriptions from the table.

As he handed over the papers, Hu Shoufu added, "The doctors all say this is a cough caused by the extreme cold, brought on by the change in weather. They claim that once spring arrives and the weather warms, the symptoms will naturally subside."

"I see." Jia Ping'an carefully studied the prescriptions, asking, "So the condition improves when the weather is warm and clear?"

"Yes. In previous years, the old lady’s illness would lighten once the thaw began, and by summer, the symptoms would basically disappear," Hu Shoufu replied readily. He hoped deep down that Jia Ping'an could truly cure her; as the one who introduced him, his own standing before the General would improve.

Listening to these details, Jia Ping'an realized this was what he knew as chronic bronchitis. Even in his own era, there was no perfect cure, and treatment was mostly symptomatic. But now, with the spiritual spring water, he was full of confidence.

"Bring me paper and a brush." With a plan in mind, Jia Ping'an was brimming with confidence and prepared to write the prescription.

Hu Shoufu was sharp and had everything ready; the moment the request was made, the brush and ink were presented. Having served a high-ranking leader in his previous life, Jia Ping'an had practiced calligraphy and was quite confident in his regular script. He began to write on a fresh sheet.

With a few swift strokes, after the original ingredients of peppermint, forsythia, ephedra, almond, licorice, and chrysanthemum, he added chuanxiong, angelica, ginseng, poria, and atractylodes. The added concoction was a variation of the "Eight Treasure Soup." It would not have much medicinal effect, but it served to distinguish his prescription from the others. After all, if everyone’s medicine was the same, why would his be effective while others' were not?

"Steward Hu, I must trouble you to gather these herbs. Also, I request that this prescription remain confidential. It is a secret recipe of the Jia family; I hope you understand." As he handed the new prescription to Hu Shoufu, Jia Ping'an deliberately added this warning.

Jia Ping'an actually detested the practice of hoarding knowledge. Because of this bad habit, many great discoveries had been lost to time. But without it, he could not explain why he could cure what others could not.

"Understood." Hu Shoufu’s expression remained unchanged. To him, such things were commonplace; he was long accustomed to it. Everyone protected their trade secrets, as it was often the foundation of their livelihood.

Hu Shoufu turned to leave, and Jia Ping'an returned to General Hu Buyun.

"Will your method work?" Seeing Jia Ping'an’s calm and collected demeanor, Hu Buyun found himself inexplicably gaining a sliver of hope.

"The pathology is not severe, but as this is a chronic ailment and the old lady has taken so much medicine over the years, her body has developed a certain resistance. Treatment will take time, and a permanent cure will take even longer."

Jia Ping'an did not intend to cure the old lady in one go. That would be too shocking, and it would not maximize his potential benefits. There was a big difference between a one-time thank you and long-term gratitude.

"A permanent cure is possible?" Hu Buyun’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. The previous doctors had all said the illness was difficult to treat and could only be managed. But now, Jia Ping'an claimed it could be eradicated. The contrast in their abilities was stark. The imperial physician from Changdu was indeed impressive; by comparison, the doctors of Ningguta were nothing but quacks.

"It is possible, but it will take time." Jia Ping'an offered him hope. Under his treatment, the old lady's cough would be greatly relieved, and as for when he would "completely" cure her, that would depend on his own circumstances.

Jia Ping'an was never a naive do-gooder, not now, and certainly not in his previous life. He had once held friendship for a classmate, only to be betrayed. With that lesson, his heart had long since grown cold and calculating.

"Good, good. As long as it can be cured, a little more time is expected." Hu Buyun did not know these thoughts, but the current result was already very satisfying. Of course, it was too early to celebrate; everything depended on his mother’s reaction to the medicine.

Before long, Steward Hu Shoufu returned with all the herbs. The government of Ningguta had its own pharmacy, and the Hu family had their own as well, so the ingredients were gathered quickly.

Once the herbs were collected, Jia Ping'an took them and, led by a servant, headed toward the kitchen where the medicine was to be prepared.

"General, should I send someone to keep an eye on him?" Seeing Jia Ping'an walk away, Steward Hu Shoufu whispered his request to Hu Buyun.

"No need for now. Everyone has their own hidden tricks." Hu Buyun shook his head. He did not care about the recipe; to him, the only thing that mattered was his mother’s recovery.

Once Jia Ping'an arrived at the kitchen, he dismissed everyone and began to decoct the herbs. He followed all the standard procedures. Half an hour later, when the medicine was nearly ready, he took out a water skin and poured a small amount of diluted spiritual spring water into the pot.

"Mission accomplished." After whispering this to himself, he called out to the kitchen entrance, "The medicine is ready. Come and get it."