Chapter 4, Ghost Fetus

Han Sheng wandered through the bamboo forest with a flashlight, yet he did not even catch a glimpse of a stray dog. Unlike crickets, stray dogs do not make sounds, so he could not rely on sound to locate them; he could only search with his eyes as he ventured deeper into the bamboo grove.

"It is a girl," the father said wearily

By the way, could this be the place where the parturient fainted, that desolate graveyard, the place where the malevolent energy invades the mother's womb and forms a ghostly fetus? Although Han Sheng has not yet treated anyone independently, he still has some knowledge of general pathology. Typically, the body's defense mechanisms of pregnant women are quite fragile, and various external cold, evil, and toxic influences can easily invade the maternal body, affecting the fetus. Graveyards generally have a heavier presence of malevolent energy, and pregnant women should completely avoid approaching them.

"Han Sheng, what are you laughing at?" Father looked at Han Sheng with some confusion

***

In a moment of urgency, Dr. Zhu took out a silver needle and simultaneously punctured the four major acupoints of the parturient: Qihai, Xuehai, Jimen, and Yingu, applying firm twisting of the needle. After a short while, the parturient's convulsions gradually ceased, but the subcutaneous bleeding spots continued to increase, causing Dr. Zhu to break into a sweat

Han Sheng jumped up, picked up the flashlight from the table, secretly found an empty bottle, and then excused himself to go to the restroom to slip out of the thatched cottage, arriving at the bamboo forest behind the house

At that moment, Han Sheng seemed to hear a long, hoarse sigh by his ear. He stood there as a gentle breeze brushed past, accompanied by the rustling sound of the bamboo forest swaying. Perhaps it was an illusion; in the dead of night, in a desolate graveyard, who could possibly be there, he thought

The woman has numerous bleeding spots on her lower body, her skin is swollen, and she is on the verge of death. Her husband is crouched in the corner with his hands on his head, weeping incessantly

Han Sheng saw the joyful expression on his father's face, and he felt very happy in his heart as well. "Qing Nang Jing," you truly have not let me down

Oh, I see," Han Sheng replied, stepping back into the kitchen to look at his medicine jar

Han Sheng was filled with great joy as he stealthily approached his prey. Just as he was about to strike, he suddenly felt a slight unease in his heart, sensing that something was not quite right. He paused and looked around, only to find himself in a desolate graveyard.

Thank you, Doctor Zhu, you have saved her and her daughter. The man repeatedly expressed his gratitude, not even bothering to wipe away his tears

Inside the thatched cottage, Dr. Zhu paced back and forth in the room. He had just administered the decoction to the parturient and was now waiting to see the results. This young Han Sheng claimed he was going to relieve himself, but the medicine he was supposed to be preparing was left unattended, and he still had not returned. It seems this child lacks the qualities necessary to be a doctor, leaving me without a successor.

Wow... the sound of a baby's first cry came from inside the room

"It's nothing, Dad. I suddenly feel that when a doctor saves a dying patient, there is an indescribable joy in his heart," Han Sheng exclaimed sincerely

From now on, one's destiny will be changed by the "Qing Nang Jing"

The bright moonlight streamed through the window, and Han Sheng lay awake, not feeling the slightest bit drowsy

For every poison, there must be an antidote within a few zhang. A parturient woman who is unable to give birth, harmed by the yin energy of this grave site, would ideally seek out an antidote nearby to counteract it. The essence of traditional Chinese medicine over the past few thousand years is precisely the mutual generation and restriction of the five elements, as well as the balance of yin and yang

"Han Sheng, is the medicine ready? Hurry and bring it here." The voice of his father interrupted Han Sheng's reverie.

In those years, the divine physician Hua Tuo probably stood at the prison gate, gazing at the shooting stars in the sky, lamenting with a heart full of compassion for the world, reflecting on the helplessness of his unfulfilled aspirations in life

A faint sound of "sizzle" was heard as a small black dot swept overhead, flying into the mist. It was a soil dog! Han Sheng knew that the mole cricket had wings and could fly briefly, so he hurriedly chased after it.

Han Sheng was unaware that during his unconsciousness in the ancient tomb last night, dozens of white cordyceps mycelium had already penetrated his body through his nostrils. The thousand-year-old white cordyceps is the nemesis of the most toxic red corpse qi in the world, and the ordinary black corpse qi is utterly incapable of harming him.

Han Sheng secretly smiled to himself, recalling that there was a prescription in the "Qing Nang Jing" specifically for treating ghostly fetuses. Why not give it a try? With this thought in mind, he closed his eyes and made an effort to remember the composition of that prescription

Dr. Zhu rushed into the inner room and was astonished to see the parturient's bare lower body convulsing uncontrollably, with punctate cyanotic bruises appearing on her skin. This is bad; it indicates rupture of the subcutaneous capillaries. How could this happen? He had never encountered such a situation before.

The sound reached Han Sheng's ears like celestial music, and he jumped up, rushing into the room like a gust of wind

The mother reclined partially against the headboard, joyfully cradling her newborn baby, unaware that she had just survived a life-and-death ordeal.

***

The black corpse energy surrounded Han Sheng, continuously being absorbed by him, yet Han Sheng remained completely unaware, solely focused on capturing the scattered earth dogs. With swift hands and keen eyes, he caught three or four of them, then promptly tore off the wings and slender legs of the earth dogs, tossing them into a glass bottle filled with half a day's worth of river water

The winding path in the forest leads to a secluded area, illuminated by the beam of the flashlight, where crickets and longhorn beetles occasionally leap across the ground, and one might occasionally spot one or two toads crawling slowly, their eyes a vivid red

Dr. Zhu pried open the woman's mouth, and Han Sheng gently blew on the medicinal soup in the spoon before pouring it in. After finishing a bowl of medicine, Han Sheng returned to the kitchen and poured the dregs of the medicinal pot into the yard.

Indeed, that is why it is called 'Hanging the Gourd to Save the World.' Unfortunately, you do not apply yourself to learning. Alas, I see that the medical skills passed down through the generations of the Zhu family will come to an end with my generation.

The kitchen was empty, and an empty medicine jar was placed on the stove, likely indicating that the medicine had already been prepared and taken inside. Han Sheng poured out the dregs from the jar, then dumped the half-day-old Chen water and the dirt from his glass bottle into the jar, placing it on the stove to boil.

In a moment, Dr. Zhu was astonished to discover that the bruises on the parturient were gradually fading away

He pondered that there must be cut bamboo stumps in the bamboo grove behind the house, and that the cavities of those stumps would collect rainwater, which would be just like a small river. The native dog, scientifically known as the mole cricket, is abundant in the fields during the summer and autumn, and catching a few should be as easy as pie.

***

Han Sheng firmly grasped the bottle in his hand and, filled with enthusiasm, retraced his steps along the original path. Before long, he had already spotted the three thatched cottages.

Han Sheng unknowingly walked further and further, having already exited the bamboo forest. Ahead lay a small flat area, where numerous fireflies flickered with green light as they danced about. In the distance, the mountains appeared elusive under the moonlight, and a patch of white mist drifted in from somewhere, gradually spreading along the ground.

"That was close," said the father, sitting beside the table and drinking tea, addressing Hansheng.

Just as I was thinking, a shout came from inside the room: "Doctor Zhu, come quickly." It was the anxious voice of the woman's husband.

Before me lies a new grave, with grass on the mound only about an inch long. A thin stone slab stands at the front of the grave, and in the moonlight, one can faintly see the name of the deceased engraved on it: Grave of Shen Caihua. There is no date, nor the name of any relatives who erected the tombstone. It is strange that the family does not allow burial in the ancestral grave, yet has interred her in this desolate graveyard. According to local customs, this woman must have died under unusual circumstances

It is not necessarily the case; perhaps the student surpasses the master, Han Sheng thought

Indeed, not having traveled far, several bamboo stakes were discovered under the beam of the flashlight. Due to the long passage of time since they were cut, they were filled with yellow-brown rainwater, in which dozens of mosquito larvae were swimming. Han Sheng filled a small bottle, which should be sufficient, and next was to catch the local dogs

Han Sheng carefully poured the potion into a bowl and gently carried it into the room

That night, Doctor Zhu and his son stayed at the home of the parturient. After two consecutive days and nights of exhausting work, Doctor Zhu was truly fatigued and soon fell asleep, snoring shortly after getting into bed

"Han Sheng, quickly go and brew another pot." Doctor Zhu caught sight of Han Sheng and, not bothering to reprimand him, hurriedly instructed.

The native dogs appear hazily in the mist, while the ground ahead is cracked with a fissure, through which a large, dark mass of native dogs continuously enters and exits...

Looking at his father's relieved expression and the joyful, tearful face of the mother’s husband, Han Sheng could not help but be filled with tears as well

Han Sheng walked into the inner room and saw that it was already in a state of chaos. It turned out that the postpartum woman had vomited the medicine she had just taken all over the bed

At that moment, from the cracked earth beside the grave, a stream of black mist slowly emerged from the ground, enveloping Hansheng

Han Sheng has come to a realization, contemplating that this group of local dogs may indeed be the restraining force against the阴气, as mentioned in the "Qing Nang Jing"; there must be some truth to it

The graveyard is somewhat peculiar, as Han Sheng gazes at the soil dog in the medicine pot, which keeps rolling over as the water temperature rises. Some red threads float to the surface; these are the bodies of the larvae, specifically the young of mosquitoes. Could that long sigh be emanating from the cracks in the grave? But how could the dead possibly emit a sigh

***

"The Classic of the Green Bag," he thought, hoping to save this dying woman, as Han Sheng silently prayed in his heart

Han Sheng stood in the courtyard, gazing up at the night sky, where countless stars twinkled and the Milky Way appeared hazy, with a meteor streaking across the horizon, leaving behind a long tail.

According to the scriptures, the invasion of the fetus by evil yin is referred to as ghost illness. Using half of the river as a guide, this is derived from the stagnant water found in the bamboo fence or the hollow of a tree. Three live earth dogs are to be used, with their wings and feet removed, and then boiled in half of the river water for consumption. One dose is sufficient to eliminate it