CH 17

Ch17 - Blight

The translator has something to say: In this chapter, Liang Feng uses a made-up term to essentially describe germs, but one that sounds old-timey enough to not raise too many eyebrows. The best English equivalent the translator could come up with was “blight”

Physician Jiang got an eyeful of Yiyan, planted comically next to the door, as Lüzhu led him in, though he didn’t comment.

“How have you been feeling, Master Liang?” He asked cordially as he gave Liang Feng a once-over.

“Much better already, the fever’s receded as well. It’s all thanks to your prescription, Physician Jiang.” Liang Feng was genuinely grateful. He’d only taken the medicine for a day, yet his fever had been cured. It seemed rather effective.

“Even so, the process will be slow.” Physician Jiang reached out and carefully examined Liang Feng’s pulse. After a long while, he finally nodded, “The symptoms are under control already, but the powder’s effects have yet to disperse. Have you experienced any signs of pill spasm, Master Liang?”

Liang Feng blinked. What did “pill spasm” mean?

Lüzhu, however, replied, “Master’s always been cautious about using powder, it’s never happened before.”

Physician Jiang nodded, “If so, that’s excellent. From now on, you mustn’t use cold-food powder anymore. In the next few days, you may experience pill spasm, Master Liang. You must endure the affliction and resist the urge to use it.”

At this, Liang Feng realized that this so-called “pill spasm” probably referred to the withdrawal symptoms of cold-food powder. Those effects made it extremely difficult to quit opiate drugs. He’d seen quite a few people go to prison on drug charges; those who managed to rehabilitate themselves were few and far between. Still, there hadn’t been any noticeable reaction to coming off the drug so far. Perhaps cold-food powder wasn’t very potent.

Liang Feng didn’t have any objections, but Lüzhu went green. She timidly asked, “But then, what about cold damage? The last two heads of household, and the late madam, all died to illness….”

Physician Jiang shook his head, “The common people are ignorant, not knowing that the medicine must match the sickness. The original cold-food powder formula from the ‘Treatise on Cold Damage and Assorted Diseases’ was specially created to treat the ‘five strains and seven impairments.’ But after being altered, it became poison instead. Cold damage is a difficult disease, its symptoms often vary. How would one medicine alone be enough to cure it?”

Their conversation reminded Liang Feng that cold-food powder was known for treating cold damage. It made sense that people in this backwards era, where catching cold damage was nearly a death sentence, would use cold-food powder as a remedy … wait a minute! Liang Feng frowned. He recalled an idle conversation with a close friend who studied medicine. That friend had mentioned that the plague that had swept through the country in the last years of the Han Dynasty had a mortality rate that was strikingly similar to the bubonic plague. And, in the cold damage treatise that Zhang Zhongjing had written, there were many medicines that treated bubonic plague. In traditional Chinese medicine, febrile diseases also fell under the umbrella of “cold damage.” It just so happened that one of the symptoms of bubonic plague was high fever.

Could it be that the feared “cold damage” was related to the bubonic plague? Liang Feng paled. That was a fucking type one infectious disease! Even though he had general knowledge about disease prevention, he wasn’t a doctor; he didn’t know how to cure bubonic plague!

Liang Feng couldn’t help but ask, “Then, is there a way to treat cold damage?”

Physician Jiang glanced at Liang Feng and sighed, “My teacher spent many years searching for Zhang Zhongjing’s ‘Treatise on Cold Damage and Assorted Diseases.’ He found one book, ‘Treatment of Cold Damage,’ specifically addressing that sickness. If more doctors were well versed in it, there’d be no more need to fear that abominable plague.”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Liang Feng blinked at the wizened old doctor, realizing that he’d thought himself into a corner. He didn’t understand medicine and didn’t know any prescriptions. But, he knew the source of bubonic plague and knew what steps to take to control the spread of infectious disease. If the frequent outbreaks really were bubonic plague, then what would happen if he shared his knowledge with the medics of this era?

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Liang Feng’s heart started pounding. He made sure his expression didn’t fluctuate. He nodded, “You’re absolutely correct, Physician Jiang. To tell you the truth, I dreamed of the golden Buddha while I’d laid comatose from illness. He told me that all sickness has a source. If ordinary medicines have no effect, then cleaning their houses and driving away rats and insects can banish disaster and disease. After waking, I pondered for a long while: why was it that cold damage occurred mostly during summer and fall?”

No one in this era would be able to understand the idea of viruses or bacteria. Blight, on the other hand, was different. There’d long been legends of plague spirits, supernatural beings that brought sickness and ruin.

Physician Jiang paused, not quite understanding what he meant. Doctors tended to believe in Daoism; he didn’t have much familiarity with Buddhism and had never heard of ideas like “all sickness has a source.” He hesitated before replying, “Cold damage is the cold energy taken in during winter acting up in the summer. There are seasonal plagues caused by heat as well.”

There were many types of seasonal plagues, such as malaria and influenza. Traditional Chinese medicine had, since antiquity, viewed plague as a type of tainted air that was propagated by the changing of seasons or through breath. That was why the concept of quarantine had emerged very early.

Liang Feng solemnly shook his head, “It is not seasonal plague, it’s merely that blight manifests in the wilderness, hibernating underground in the winter and clinging to rats and small creatures come spring. It spreads throughout the cities on the backs of these animals. Louses and ticks bite the rats then suck the blood of humans, inflicting the blight upon them.”

The idea that disease could be transmitted through blood was yet unknown to the doctors of this time. Physician Jiang frowned, “Preposterous! Plague is caused by turbid air, how could it afflict humans through rats?”

“People consume grains, as do rodents. People give live birth, as do rodents. Is there really such a difference?” Liang Feng sighed again, “Physician Jiang, you’ve surely come across many sufferers of cold damage, perhaps you could recall if, near their homes, there were dead rats or small animals? If so, then I fear that blight does indeed exist. Perhaps Buddha’s intention in imparting the scripture and the knowledge of blight was to enlighten the people.”

Worship of the supernatural was rampant during the Han Dynasty and only got worse during the Wei/Jin period. No one had the confidence to outright deny tales of communing with deities through dreams, much less a tale as fantastic as Buddha conveying scripture through a dream. Physician Jiang instantly shut up and asked cautiously, “Master Liang, the scripture you refer to….”

Liang Feng smiled faintly, “Controller Wang didn’t mention it? I had once dreamed the sound of Sanskrit sutra while I lingered near the point of death: the ‘Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra.’ This is the message that I must entrust you to deliver to Controller Wang.”

He took out the letter he’d written and sealed the day before and gave it to the physician.

Seeing as he’d written out a missive, it meant he wasn’t lying! Physician Jiang slowly received the letter. He was familiar with Wang Wen and could ask him to learn the truth. He also knew that Wang Wen was a fervent enthusiast of Buddhism. He suspected it was precisely because of that phenomenal dream that he’d been sent to treat a waning fifth-order marquess. Although, this was no small matter. He wouldn’t believe him fully just from that short exchange.

After remaining silent for a long while, Physician Jiang finally put away the missive and nodded, “I will carefully investigate the matter of blight. If there is indeed such a thing, I will seek further guidance from you.”

“It would be a deed of great merit, to find the source of blight. You are free to seek me out, Physician Jiang,” Liang Feng smiled in agreement.

If this old man had even a little drive to seek knowledge, it would be easy to confirm the fact that the plague spread through blood. Then, he could share with him the basics of disease prevention. Summer, that time when flies and ticks multiplied in droves, was fast approaching. Reducing the death toll of the plague even slightly would be a commendable accomplishment.

Physician Jiang nodded. Whether or not Buddha entered his dreams, it was rare and remarkable that a noble, who was himself gravely ill, would care to search for the source of cold damage and attempt to mitigate the common people’s plight. At the sight of Liang Feng’s haggard form, Physician Jiang was spurred to add, “I also implore you, Master Liang, to take care of your health. If any problems arise, you can send someone to Tongdi to find me.”

Physician Jiang handed Liang Feng a name card. Distinguished doctors were like distinguished scholars. Not just anyone could call on them. With that name card, Liang Feng would be able to send a messenger to the Jiang Residence to summon assistance. It was a lifesaver in this disaster-stricken, plague-riddled era.

Liang Feng solemnly received the name card. With matters weighing on his mind, Physician Jiang didn’t dally any longer. He bade farewell and went on his way.

After he’d completely vanished from sight, Lüzhu dumbly asked, “Master, you dreamed of Bodhisattva?”

It was because Buddhism flourished in Bing Province, thanks to all the foreign tribes, that even a young girl like Lüzhu had heard of Bodhisattva.

Liang Feng nodded slightly, “Of course, otherwise, how could I have woken from a coma?”

Some mysterious power had dragged him out from the grasp of death. Even the staunchest atheist couldn’t outright deny the existence of miracles anymore. Not to mention that he was relying on the fable that “Buddha had entered his dreams” to bolster his status in this era. Since people believed it, he figured he might as well turn it into a protective halo. He didn’t object to the idea of pretending to be some sort of incarnation if that’s what it took to spread knowledge that didn’t belong to this time.

The servant girl’s gaze grew even more fervent. She clasped her palms, “Truly, the virtuous are blessed! I’ll light incense to pray for your fortune every day, master!”

Liang Feng chuckled helplessly. That consideration could be put off yet. He hadn’t even decided which buddha had visited his dreams.

Then, they heard a servant report outside the door, “Master, Retainer Tian requests an audience.”

So he knew that he was up already? Tian Chang’s ears were rather keen indeed. Liang Feng nodded, “Send him in.”

“You’re up awfully early, master. Careful not to tire yourself out.” Tian Chang pretended not to see the stone-faced Jie standing by the door. He put on a toadying expression and ordered the people following him, “Hurry and move it all in.”

At his words, four serfs entered one after another, each one bearing a massive pile of bamboo scrolls.

“These are ledgers for last year. It took a whole night to sort them all out. I welcome you to look them over, master.” Tian Chang grinned smugly. He knew that Liang Feng didn’t have any servants capable of helping him check the ledgers. Maybe between reviewing all those records, training troops, and managing the estate’s finances, he’d tire himself to death in short order. Then, as a long-time retainer, it’d be only natural for him to assist the young new head of household.

Liang Feng blinked at the huge pile of “ledgers,” not because of the quantity, but because they were all damn bamboo scrolls! Ever since arriving in this era, he’d seen that everyone, the Li and Liang families included, used paper. Even if it wasn’t all that fancy, it was still right and proper paper! Who could’ve thought that the Liang Estates’ accounts were all written on bamboo?

Still, he didn’t let his thoughts show on his face. He nodded nonchalantly, “Put it on the desk then.”

Tian Chang began to direct the serfs, making sure the scrolls were all piled neatly on the desk. There were so many that they nearly covered its entire surface.

Once that was done, Tian Chang purposely made an idle remark, “If I may ask, master, when do you intend to allocate the grain this year? Now that Yan Sheng is gone, the craftsmen are all getting antsy. I implore you to resolve this matter soon, master.”

Liang Feng was, of course, aware he had four workshops. The Liang Estate had a self-sufficient economy, using much of what they made themselves and selling the extras. Was Tian Chang saying that not only weren’t the workshops making a profit, they actually needed to be subsidized? He nodded expressionlessly, “I will.”

Tian Chang’s expression spasmed at his brief and bland reply, though he didn’t continue that line of questioning. He nodded and said, “In that case, I’ll take my leave then. If there’s anything at all, master, just call for me.”

Naturally, Liang Feng had nothing more to say to him. He waved him away and let Lüzhu escort him out. Seeing that that sickly invalid was still so unfazed, Tian Chang quietly sneered. Did this indolent invalid who didn’t even know the price of firewood or grain comprehend how large the burden of cutting taxes and expanding the militia was? He thought too highly of himself!

After Lüzhu closed the door and turned around, she found that her master had already gotten up and walked over to the desk. He paid no mind to how dusty the scrolls were as he picked one up and started reading. Lüzhu rushed over and asked, “Master, how about I wipe them off first….”

Liang Feng shook his head. He asked unexpectedly, “Is paper very expensive?”

Lüzhu blinked, somewhat mystified, but she answered obediently, “Well that depends on the type of paper. The paper you use to write, master, is Zuo Bo Paper and Celi Paper, which the estate spends about thirty thousand on each year. Jute paper, which is more common, is slightly cheaper, but we use more of it, so it’s also about thirty or forty thousand each year.”

Paper alone cost them sixty or seventy thousand a year? Liang Feng had the urge to facepalm. He’d thought that paper was already in widespread use by the Jin Dynasty, who could’ve thought that it was still so expensive…. Wait. He put down the bamboo scroll and asked, “Is there a workshop in the estate that produces paper?”

“Yes, but it’s part of the woodworks, all they can make is straw paper,” Lüzhu answered embarrassedly.

Straw paper basically meant toilet paper. It was so low-quality that only those middling families would use it as writing paper. The truly powerful families probably didn’t even deign to let it touch their derrieres.

Liang Feng smirked, “Send for the heads of the woodworks and the paperworks, I have matters to discuss with them.”

The author has something to say:

Hahaha, guessed what they’re going to do? XD

Wang Xi was a famous doctor of the Wei/Jin era and was once the Imperial Physician Prefect of the Wei Dynasty. Not only did he restore Zhang Zhongjing’s ‘’Treatise on Cold Damage and Assorted Diseases,” he even authored《脉经》.

Zhang Changsha AKA Zhang Zhongjing was once the commandery administrator of Changsha, hence the honorific. The prescriptions he left were hailed as masterworks(?) (经方之称)

From the end of the Han Dynasty to the beginning of Wei was a time of severe plague. Years of war and the arrival of other ethnic groups spread the plague far and wide. The mortality rate was basically the same as the black death, somewhere around 30%~100%, and had very similar symptoms. It was just that medical science wasn’t developed enough to tell what the source of the disease was and its method of transmission, and they lacked medicines to combat it. It was because of that that cold-food powder became so popular. By the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the study of medicine had advanced enough that they could suppress the spread of disease, so cold-food powder slowly faded out of history.