Chapter 3, The Classic of the Green Bag
Doctor Zhu asked me to come and pick up the medicine said the man, panting, holding a note in his hand, which was the prescription written by my father
A humanoid figure covered in white hair lies quietly in the coffin
Han Sheng read to this point, and could not help but feel blood rush to his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Mahuoshan," this is indeed the formula that countless renowned physicians and wandering doctors have dreamed of for centuries. He knew that the mandala flower, also known as the datura, is widely distributed in the wild across the country, and this ordinary herb actually has such marvelous uses.
Han Sheng gripped the iron shovel tightly, inserting the shovel head into the gap of the coffin lid and pressing down forcefully. With a creaking sound, the decayed wooden boards could not withstand the prying force and shattered. After clearing away the broken wood chips on top, he grabbed a flashlight and shone it into the dark, hollow coffin.
"Father." Han Sheng felt a pang of sorrow in his heart, momentarily at a loss for words
After a couple of hours, they arrived at the home of the parturient. The thatched house was nestled among a grove of moso bamboo, with an oil lamp illuminating the interior, and shadows occasionally flickering in front of the window
As the raindrops fell softly from the night sky, the grave pit had been completely filled, leaving no trace of the ancient tomb that had stood for a thousand years. Han Sheng wiped the sweat from his face and finally let out a sigh of relief
The malevolent energy in this graveyard is quite formidable, capable of suppressing the positive energy of noon to cause harm, which is indeed rather peculiar. I often heard my father speak of the effects of the feng shui of yin houses on human physiology, and it seems that this time it has proven to be true
Should I tell my father that I have obtained the "Qing Nang Jing"? Han Sheng recalled the letter from the master of the ancient tomb and ultimately decided not to say anything for now. Since the person entrusted the scripture with certain requests, I should adhere to them. Integrity is the foundation of being a person
Han Sheng continued to read with great dedication, neglecting both sleep and meals
"Ghost fetus," the father said softly
The cloth bag was opened layer by layer, revealing before Han Sheng a stack of yellowed paper slips, with a blue ruler lying diagonally at the bottom of the box. The paper was thick and coarse, filled on both sides with tiny handwriting, and the topmost slip began with the hastily written words "Qing Nang Jing".
The woman in labor is having her second child. The day before yesterday at noon, she went to the fields to deliver food and fainted in a desolate grave site in the mountains. Since then, she has remained in a coma, and her amniotic fluid has ruptured, showing symptoms of imminent labor. Dr. Zhu arrived and tried many methods but was unable to revive the woman. The fetus has entered the birth canal, yet the head is not presenting, leaving the entire family in a state of extreme anxiety
At this moment, the big yellow dog Benben began to bark lightly. Someone stood at the gate of the courtyard and shouted loudly: "Doctor Zhu, the team has notified that today each family will start relocating graves."
The rain grew heavier, striking the bamboo leaves with a rustling sound. Han Sheng placed the wooden box into a cloth bag containing 27 pieces of hand bones, and, holding a shovel, made his way back in the dark. The will-o'-the-wisps in the bamboo grove had already vanished, and as he felt his way forward, he occasionally bumped into thick bamboo, causing a large number of raindrops to scatter down.
He lit the oil lamp and, without having time to remove his soaked clothes, eagerly took out the wooden box from the cloth bag and held it under the oil lamp to examine it closely
Han was filled with excitement and completely ignored Benben's unusual expression. Upon entering the west room, he found that his father had indeed not returned.
"What, is it not born yet?" Han Sheng inquired
Is this the "Qing Nang Jing"? I remember when I was studying, the textbooks mentioned that papermaking technology first appeared during the Western Han Dynasty, using a type of hemp paper. However, the paper used for the "Qing Nang Jing" in front of me is not made from hemp, but is likely the bark fiber paper improved by Cai Lun. During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, warlords were in control, and the common people were displaced, making paper a scarce commodity among the populace. Hua Tuo, imprisoned, could only gather a few scraps of paper, and in order to save space, he wrote this scripture in tiny characters, making it impossible to bind it into a book. It seems that these dozens of rough and shabby pieces of paper must undoubtedly be Hua Tuo's handwriting from that time.
The dust on the wooden box had been washed away by the rain, revealing a dark red texture; this was a rosewood box. The box was heavy, without any folds or locks, functioning as a sliding lid box, with the edges of the sliding grooves sealed with sealing wax to serve the purpose of moisture resistance and sealing. Han Sheng tried to pull it open but found it unmovable, so he got up to find a small knife in the kitchen, and under the light, he carefully pried away the sealing wax bit by bit. ... He sat upright, took a deep breath, and then cautiously slid open the lid ... Han Sheng tried to pull it open but found it unmovable, so he got up to find a small knife in the kitchen, and under the light, he carefully pried away the sealing wax bit by bit. ... He sat upright, took a deep breath, and then cautiously slid open the lid ...
Han Sheng hurriedly hid the scriptures and went out the door, where he saw a middle-aged man drenched in sweat. He recalled that this was the family member of the woman who had come to seek medical help yesterday.
"Alright, wait a moment, I will go get the medicine right away." Han Sheng took the prescription, quickly gathered the medicine, packed it up, and stepped out of the room
Under the moonlight, those white tentacles swayed as they extended from the coffin, continuing to ascend into the air. Upon witnessing this, Han Sheng was greatly alarmed and hurriedly set down the wooden box, grabbing a shovel to desperately fill the pit with soil, covering those white creatures.
Upon entering, Han Sheng saw his father with dark circles under his eyes, wearily leaning against the bamboo chair, as if he had aged significantly overnight
The journey to the postpartum woman's home requires traversing seven to eight miles of mountain road. Fortunately, the moon is bright and the path is clearly discernible, making the walk relatively swift. Along the way, the person provided a general overview of the postpartum woman's condition.
Han Sheng hurriedly placed the "Qing Nang Jing" into the box, tucked it under the bedding, then rubbed his eyes and walked out the door
Inside the box, there is a white linen bag that appears to be made of coarse material. On top of the bag lies a yellowed piece of paper with dark brown handwriting. Han Sheng carefully picks up the paper and holds it under the oil lamp; it turns out to be a letter, written in a regular script with a vigorous and ancient style. Having read some old medical texts since childhood, he can roughly recognize the content, which states:
He looked up at the sky; thick clouds were drifting in from the northwest. He thought to himself that he needed to hurry.
Since childhood, he had heard from his father that the "Qing Nang Jing" was said to be authored by the renowned physician Hua Tuo during the Three Kingdoms period. At that time, he was imprisoned in the death cell of Xuchang, the capital of Wei, by Cao Cao. Knowing that his life was coming to an end, he compiled his lifelong medical knowledge into a book titled "Qing Nang Jing" and entrusted it to a jailer, hoping it would be passed down to future generations. The jailer secretly took it home, but unexpectedly, his wife, fearing repercussions, set it ablaze. Unfortunately, the medical knowledge of this great physician was thus lost to history, and Hua Tuo was known by the single character "Fu".
The surroundings were pitch black, and one could not see their own fingers. Han Sheng pressed the switch of the flashlight; the filament glowed red for a moment and then went out, the battery had finally run out.
Engrossed in reading as if in a trance, I was unaware that the rooster had crowed three times and that the sky had already brightened.
***
In the autumn of the thirteenth year of Jian'an, the Prime Minister executed Xu Fu in Xuchang. Xu Fu entrusted a copy of the "Qing Nang Jing" and a yin-yang ruler while in prison, stating, "Whoever obtains this scripture can save lives." I am a person from the southern mountains of Wuyuan, Huizhou Prefecture, and I now instruct future generations to bury this scripture with me. If this scripture is seen again in the future, the one who obtains it should use it to help the world, and must not speak of its origins. Furthermore, parents and children must also not mention it. Remember, do not betray Xu Fu's trust. In the winter of the seventh year of Wei's Huangchu.
***
After an hour, Han Sheng finally stumbled back home
Two people hurriedly left the house, leaving the big yellow dog to guard it
I will go with you. Han Sheng is concerned about his father's health and wants to help
The person is in his thirties, of medium build, with a strong physique. Han Sheng recognizes him; this is Zhu Biao, the squad leader of Nanshan Village.
Han Sheng was taken aback; how could this ancient corpse, over a thousand years old, be covered in white hair? Upon closer inspection, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart as he realized that the white hair was actually growing! The fine, spider-silk-like white hair was heading straight for the gap in the lid. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a rectangular wooden box in the corner of the coffin, approximately thirty centimeters long, covered in a fine layer of dust.
Could it be that the long-lost "Qing Nang Jing" by Hua Tuo still exists in the world
As the day descended into dusk, the old man had still not returned
Under the oil lamp, Han Sheng trembled as he slowly unwrapped the bundle
"Alright, but your family needs to be more proactive, don't fall behind the revolutionary masses." Zhu Biao said with a smile that did not reach his eyes before turning and leaving
The above describes:
Hmph, the petty person, Han Sheng muttered to himself, because of his background, this Zhu Biao always picked on his father. His ancestors were doctors in the countryside, but during the land reform, they were classified as rich peasants. It is said that this was because his grandfather cured the illness of the Nationalist county magistrate, thus serving the reactionary class
What? Han Sheng does not understand
The large yellow dog began to bark again, and hurried footsteps echoed in the courtyard
The woman in labor fainted in the graveyard, surely it is the negative energy invading her womb, causing a disturbance in her nerves and prolonging the delivery. If this continues, I fear... sigh, you should go prepare the medicine first.
The main ingredient of Ma Fei San is the flower of the mandrake, also known as Feng Xia Er or Shan Qie Zi. It has a pungent, warm, and toxic nature. The mandrake flowers are harvested in autumn and dried in the shade. For medicinal use, one sheng is combined with four qian each of Cao Wu, Quan Dang Gui, Xiang Bai Zhi, and Chuan Xiong, along with one qian of Chao Nan Xing, and three qian mixed with hot wine for administration. This will render the person intoxicated and unaware, allowing for the opening of the abdomen and back to extract accumulations. If located in the intestines and stomach, it should be cut and washed beforehand to remove any ailments.
As the sky gradually darkened, Han Sheng lit an oil lamp, preparing to read by its light through the night
Han Sheng continued to read on, and what was described in the text convinced him that this was indeed the lost "Qing Nang Jing" that had been missing for over 1,700 years
Looking at the bubbles swirling in the medicine jar, are these ordinary medicinal materials useful? From my observations, my father also does not have a concrete grasp of this matter
The large yellow dog, Benben, did not behave as usual; it seemed to emit a low howl out of fear, trembling as it retreated into the corner of the living room.
Ghost fetus? Han Sheng arrived at the kitchen, pondering while preparing medicine.
"Father has gone to assist with a delivery, just wait for his return," Han Sheng informed him
The moonlight was hazy, and Han Sheng felt a slight itch in his nasal cavity. He casually wiped it a few times with his hand, breaking the mycelium of the white fungus, unaware of the fine, hair-like strands that were falling.
"It's troublesome; I just can't give birth, and I'm afraid to send her to the hospital. The mountain road is over ten miles long, and I'm worried my wife won't be able to handle it." The man turned red in the face, and tears were about to fall.
Han Sheng became increasingly astonished, cold sweat streaming down his cheeks
At this moment, his heart was pounding rapidly, and he cautiously extended the iron shovel to lift the wooden box. When he withdrew the shovel and grasped the wooden box, he noticed that the wildly growing white mycelium was nearly filling the coffin. There was no time to examine the wooden box closely, so he leaped up from the pit.