Episode 67: Luoyang
Tang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong finally arrived in Luoyang.
“Just how far does this city stretch?” Tang Mujin wondered aloud.
“I have no idea. It’s overwhelming,” Dan Seolyeong replied, equally awestruck.
Back when they were leaving Zhongjing, a merchant had once told them, “If you’ve seen Chang’an and Luoyang, you’ve seen half the world.” At the time, Tang Mujin dismissed it as an exaggeration. But now, standing in the heart of Luoyang, he realized the merchant hadn’t been far off.
Tang Mujin had seen his share of large cities. Chengdu was the largest in Sichuan, and Zhongjing was renowned for its size and beauty. Yet, even if he combined all the cities and towns he’d visited, they wouldn’t match the sheer scale of Luoyang.
“They say Chang’an is even bigger than Luoyang. Can you believe that?” he mused.
The two of them wandered through Luoyang, feeling like country bumpkins. Their wide-eyed gawking might have seemed comical, but no one paid them any mind. Luoyang was full of people just like them, newcomers trying to take it all in.
“Where should we go first?” Dan Seolyeong asked.
“Let’s follow the old man’s advice and check out the Sima family or the Huashan Sect’s Luoyang branch,” Tang Mujin suggested.
“Which one first?”
“Let’s try the Sima family. It’s probably better to become a guest there than at the sect.”
They asked for directions and headed towards the Sima family estate. As they walked, Tang Mujin noticed the city was teeming with martial artists. Everywhere he looked, there were people with swords at their waists or carrying strange weapons he’d never seen before. He even spotted someone with an iron brush, a weapon he’d only heard about in stories.
“This place has everything,” he thought.
When they reached the Sima family estate, two imposing guards in pristine uniforms stood at the gate. As Tang Mujin approached, one of the guards, with a neatly trimmed beard, asked, “What brings you here, young man?”
“I was hoping to find a place to stay with the Sima family,” Tang Mujin replied, his voice lacking confidence.
“A place to stay?”
“Yes, as a guest…”
The guard with the beard scrutinized Tang Mujin. “He looks about twenty, fair-skinned, and his hands don’t have many calluses. Either he doesn’t know how to use a sword, or he’s just started learning.”
His eyes fell on the sword at Tang Mujin’s waist. The scabbard and hilt were plain wood, with no decorations, not even the usual horn tip. And he had a young girl with him.
“Trying to impress a girl, are we?” the guard thought, amused. He didn’t find it annoying; everyone goes through that phase.
But as a guard, he couldn’t just let anyone in. He glanced at Dan Seolyeong and lowered his voice. “Do you have any special skills?”
“I know some medicine, a bit of swordplay, and a little about metalwork and carpentry…”
The guard sighed inwardly. “A jack-of-all-trades, master of none,” he thought. “Do you belong to any family or sect?”
“I’m from the Tang family in Sichuan. No sect.”
“Do you know anyone in the Sima family?”
“No, but an old man I know told me to come here.”
“And who might that be?”
“Yi Chong, the Eccentric.”
The guard’s expression turned stern. “Young man, you shouldn’t throw around the names of famous martial artists lightly.”
The Sima family guard had seen many young people get into trouble by falsely claiming connections to martial artists. He suspected Tang Mujin might have only met Yi Chong in passing.
Tang Mujin felt wronged but knew it was hard to prove his connection to Yi Chong. He considered showing the medical book Yi Chong had given him but doubted it would help. Drawing his sword to demonstrate his skills was out of the question; it would only cause a scene.
Seeing Tang Mujin hesitate, the guard smiled kindly and spoke loudly enough for Dan Seolyeong to hear. “You have useful skills, but unfortunately, the Sima family isn’t taking in guests at the moment. Please try again another time.”
Tang Mujin retreated, feeling embarrassed, while Dan Seolyeong watched him with a playful grin.
Instead of heading to the Huashan Sect’s Luoyang branch, Tang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong found a clean inn to settle in. They took separate rooms, and money wasn’t a concern. Yi Chong had forgotten to take back the money pouch he’d entrusted to Tang Mujin, which was filled with silver coins.
“With this much money, I don’t need to worry about being a guest anywhere,” Tang Mujin thought, feeling relieved.
Dan Seolyeong, sitting on a chair, asked, “So, what’s the plan now?”
“We came to Luoyang to broaden our horizons. I’ll find a clinic to work at and learn more about medicine.”
Tang Mujin had always been proud of his family’s medical skills, but Luoyang’s vastness humbled him. The city’s healers must have treated countless ailments.
Dan Seolyeong jumped up. “Then I’ll find a place to work too.”
“What kind of work?”
“There must be a skilled carpenter around here somewhere.”
Tang Mujin almost pointed out that a small girl like her might not be needed by a carpenter, but he held his tongue. In a city as vast as Luoyang, anything was possible.
“Alright, see you this evening.”
“Got it.”
They left the inn to pursue their separate paths.
Tang Mujin asked around and found a large clinic called Guiseong Clinic. It was twice the size of the Tang family clinic, with a sign above the door. The familiar scent of medicinal herbs wafted out, making him feel at ease.
It was an odd time of day, so there weren’t many patients. Instead, a short man brewing medicine in the courtyard approached him.
“Are you here because you’re unwell?”
“No, I’m not sick. I was wondering if you needed an extra hand.”
“Hmm. Follow me.”
The man led Tang Mujin inside, where a doctor who appeared to be in his forties was working. He seemed to be in charge, despite his relatively young age.
“Are you here because you’re unwell?” the doctor asked.
Before Tang Mujin could answer, the short man interjected, “He’s not a patient. He’s looking for work.”
The doctor examined Tang Mujin. “I’m Son Sung-gyeom. What’s your name?”
“Tang Mujin.”
“Have you read any medical texts?”
“I’ve read the ‘Inner Canon’ and the ‘Treatise on Cold Damage.’”
The short man, named Jong Sam, flinched. He had been working at Guiseong Clinic for seven years and had only recently finished reading the ‘Treatise on Cold Damage,’ which he was quite proud of.
Son Sung-gyeom instructed Jong Sam, “Ask him a question about symptoms and prescriptions.”
Jong Sam recalled a passage from the ‘Treatise on Cold Damage.’ “If a pulse is floating, urination is difficult, there’s slight fever and thirst that isn’t quenched by drinking water, what prescription should be given?”
The answer was a simple one: the Five Ling Powder. But the simplicity of the question made it tricky to answer confidently.
The Treatise on Cold Damage is a remarkable medical text, but it’s not without its flaws. Given its age, there are times when better treatments are discovered. This particular case is a prime example.
Father often prescribed Liangge Sanhuatang instead of Wuling San for such patients, while the old doctor preferred to use Liuwei Wan, combining it with acupuncture to treat internal issues.
“Wuling San? Liangge Sanhuatang? Liuwei Wan? Which one should I mention?”
Dang Mujin hesitated before asking, “Do I have to choose just one?”
“Of course.”
Dang Mujin fell into thought again. He decided to rule out Wuling San. There must be a reason they asked about one of the most basic prescriptions from the Treatise on Cold Damage.
Could the answer be Liuwei Wan, which the old doctor often prescribed?
No, he couldn’t be sure. The old doctor disliked the lengthy process of brewing decoctions, so he often opted for pills that were quicker to prepare.
Although the old doctor enhanced the effects with acupuncture, it seemed unlikely that Son Sung-gyeom or Jong-sam would use their internal energy to treat symptoms with acupuncture.
That left only one answer. Dang Mujin confidently replied, “Liangge Sanhuatang.”
He watched Son Sung-gyeom and Jong-sam’s expressions. They didn’t look too pleased.
”…Liuwei Wan is also good.”
That didn’t seem to be the right answer either. Dang Mujin quickly offered a third option.
“Wuling San is widely used as well.”
Jong-sam smiled contentedly.
“Guessing right on the third try. Looks like I’m still ahead. Even if he joins, my rank won’t be threatened.”
Son Sung-gyeom thought similarly.
“It seems he’s read the Treatise on Cold Damage, but not thoroughly enough. Still, he’s competent enough.”
Even Jong-sam, who had never read a medical text, eventually found his footing. But Dang Mujin seemed to have at least a partial understanding of the Treatise. He even had a neat appearance and seemed naturally diligent.
“Judging by how he can name the medicines, there’s no need to teach him from scratch.”
With skills like his, it would be a waste to send him to another clinic.
If they started him with some minor tasks and let him gain experience by brewing decoctions, he could more than pull his weight.
Pairing him with Jong-sam to thoroughly study the Treatise would be even better.
Son Sung-gyeom nodded with a gentle smile.
“Good. Rest today and come to the clinic tomorrow morning.”
Despite the mixed reactions, the acceptance was wholehearted. Dang Mujin bowed slightly, expressing his gratitude.
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
Son Sung-gyeom, who unexpectedly found a capable worker, Jong-sam, who moved up from the bottom rank at Gwisong Clinic, and Dang Mujin, who secured a job more easily than expected—all three were pleased.