Chapter 21: The Infertile Lion of Hedong

  Mrs. Wen came from a family of officials and indeed had some insight, and was able to see the difference in Shi Wei's diagnosis.

  In this traditional Chinese medicine, there are four diagnostic methods: looking, smelling, asking and taking the pulse (also known as cutting), with pulse diagnosis as the core, and the other three diagnoses as supplementary. The "Su Wen" says: The subtlety is in the pulse, it cannot be neglected. The "Za Bing Lun" also says: Distinguish the evidence by the normal pulse, treat the disease according to the pulse evidence, which shows the importance of pulse diagnosis.

  However, in the medical skills passed down by Shi Wei's family, the so-called sequence of looking, smelling, asking and feeling the pulse is actually considered a lower-level method. When diagnosing, one should first feel the pulse and not ask questions first. Without asking questions, there is no worry about being biased towards a particular diagnosis, and only when one knows nothing can they force themselves to concentrate quietly and carefully examine the pulse phenomenon.

  After finding out the disease, use the remaining three diagnoses to mutually reflect and supplement each other, thereby obtaining the most dialectical basis for establishing treatment guidelines.

  This is the method of cutting pulse before, which is a special diagnostic method summarized by Shi's family based on their ancestral experience.

  Although this method is ingenious, it seems unreasonable to ordinary people, and Shi Weiping rarely uses it. This time, facing the insightful Madame Wen, he made an exception and used it intentionally.

  Shi Wei knew that Madame Wen would definitely have doubts, and he was using this unusual method to suppress the contemptuous attitude of the Wen family towards him.

  At this time, Shi Wei didn't explain much either, and said lightly: "Each family has its own learning, madam doesn't have to be surprised, I don't know if madam is willing to let me diagnose and treat you or not."

  Shi Wei's calm and collected demeanor, set against his bizarre methods, instantly piqued Wen Shi's curiosity. She hesitated for a moment, her tone slightly less scornful: "Alright, you're the doctor, do as you please."

  "Then please ask the lady to lie on her back, straighten her wrists, palms up, and place them at shoulder level."

  Mrs. Wen in the mosquito net did as she was told, just as she was hesitating, Shi Wei suddenly lifted up the edge of the mosquito net and sat down on the bed, stretching out both hands to feel for Mrs. Wen's wrists.

  Wen's family was startled and said in a panic: "It is enough to take the pulse outside, why come in? You must not be rude."

  He glanced at Wen Shi and saw that she was plain-looking, with nothing special about her. With such a face, she actually thought he would be rude to her, how ridiculous.

  "Madam, you misunderstand. I need to cut the pulse on both of your hands at the same time. If you don't sit down, how can I get started?" Shi Wei explained calmly and slowly.

  "Two pulses beating as one?" Mr. Wen was shocked again.

  This method of pulse diagnosis and treatment was only developed after the Song Dynasty, so at that time it would have been unheard of.

  The pulse of a person has many opposing images, such as floating and sinking, slow and rapid, smooth and rough, empty and full, long and short. If it is excessive or insufficient, only by comparison can the distinction be clear and obvious to the touch, with both hands feeling the same way, making it easy to compare left and right. This is a simple and clear method.

  Shi Wei revealed another unusual move, and Wen's curiosity grew heavier. Gradually, he thought to himself that although Shi Lang was young in age, his methods were extremely strange. Could it be that he truly possessed some extraordinary skill?

  Under the persuasion of Gradual Birth, Madame Wen suppressed her curiosity and allowed him to enter, patiently letting him take her pulse.

  After a brief moment, Shi Wei had gained some advantage and relaxed his grip.

  "Can this illness be cured?" Mr. Wen hastily asked.

  "Madam, since you know that diagnosis involves 'looking, listening, asking and feeling' four methods, I have just taken her pulse, how can I make a judgment based on this alone?"

  Wen was rebuked with these words and could only say: "Then what's to be done next, I'll follow Shi Lang's orders."

  Shi Wei first observed her tongue color and facial features, then asked her if she felt any discomfort in her body, how regular her menstrual cycle was, what the color of her menstruation was like, and so on.

  Mrs. Wen dare not conceal, all as is and speak the truth, speaking of herself these years waist pain like breaking, four waists are not warm, do not think of food and drink, spirit is not refreshed, and after menstruation period, color is light and quantity is less, also accompanied by lower abdomen cold pain want to cut off.

  After this round of questioning, Shi Wei's face had already shown a confident expression.

  For many years, the Wen family had invited many doctors, and every time they were diagnosed by them, they saw a helpless expression. This kind of expression from Shi Wei, she still saw it for the first time.

  Wishful thinking, Wen also couldn't care less about the county magistrate's wife's tender feelings, and hastily asked: "Shi Langzhong, what exactly is wrong with me?"

  "Madam, your pulse is fine and slow, your tongue is pale with a white coating. Considering the various symptoms you described earlier, I believe you are suffering from kidney qi deficiency and coldness, as well as insufficiency of the Chong and Ren channels, which has led to infertility."

  Mr. Wen was overjoyed when he heard this and hastily asked: "Then can my illness be cured?"

  Stone Flap under writing a: attached piece two moneys, Cassia twig two moneys, Mugwort one money, small Perilla one money, Angelica two moneys, Szechuan Lovage one money, Party Pinellia, Western Sand Ginger, Continue Break, Purple Perilla, Big Abdomen Skin two moneys.

  "This prescription, with Angelica and Cinnamon among the four ingredients, can warm the meridians and dispel cold, warming and supplementing kidney yang; Angelica sinensis and Ligusticum wallichii can nourish blood and promote blood circulation; Codonopsis pilosula and Amomum krervanh can supplement qi and support spleen to provide source of transformation. As for Dipsacus asper, Perilla frutescens and Abdominal skin, they have the effect of tonifying liver and kidney, dispersing cold stagnation. If a person takes this prescription, I think that within several months, she will surely become pregnant."

  Shi Wei said and handed over the token.

  At this time, Madame Wen was overjoyed and excited, with tears shining in her eyes. She hastily took the prescription from him and handed it to the maid, instructing them to hurry and prepare the medicine according to the prescription.

  Then she also couldn't care about the distinction between noble and humble, hastily got down from the silk bed to the ground, and saluted Shi Wei with a bow: "Thank you, Mr. Shi, if your medicine can cure my infertility, I will surely reward you with heavy gold."

  "Madam, I..." Shi Wei was thinking about how to ask Mrs. Wen to help him deal with the Ma Bo matter.

  At this time, Yāhuán suddenly came to report that Xīn County Magistrate had returned from the government office.

  "Wen said: 'Then I'll personally escort Stone to the gate, and on the way, I'll go see my old master and tell him about this, let him be happy for a while.'"

  The wound on Shi Wei's buttocks was inflicted by Xin Yi, and the month-long imprisonment was also due to this person's abuse of power. The current case of Ding Xiang is also closely related to Xin Yi. As for Shi Wei, he actually has an extreme aversion to this Xin Yi.

  For now, I'm not yet a match for him, although my exceptional medical skills have earned me quite the reputation in this region, but after all, I'm just a white-robed doctor, and facing the tyrannical Emperor of Qin, some restraint is still necessary.

  At this time, Shi Wei followed Madame Wen out of the attic and went straight to the front hall.

  In the front hall, County Magistrate Xin Yi, who had a somewhat refined and elegant air about him, was chatting with another person. That person was his precious nephew, Ma Bo.

  When Shi Wei saw that Ma Bo was also there, he couldn't help but feel a hint of cold smile: this kid really came at the right time.

  "Old man, how did you come back so early."

  Wen Shi went forward to greet him, and when he saw Xin Yi, he didn't even salute. Instead, it was Xin Yi who, seeing his wife like a mouse seeing a cat, hastily smiled and said: "I've been thinking of you, madam, so I came back early today."

  Shi Wei followed and walked forward, slightly bowing his hand, saying calmly: "A humble commoner has seen Lord Xin."

  "Who are you?" Xīn Yí glanced at this young man in plain clothes, and immediately put on that air of superiority again.

  As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Bo had already recognized him at a glance.

  Na Ma Bu didn't even have time to think about why this young man would appear in his uncle's mansion, and in surprise, he immediately stepped forward, pointing at him and scolding: "Uncle, this little bastard is the one I told you about, quickly order someone to capture him!"

  Xin Yi's face sank immediately, and he didn't expect that the guy who offended his precious nephew would come to his door, so he was ready to give an order to take him down.

  Just as he was about to speak, his wife suddenly shouted: "You scoundrel, how dare you be rude to Shi Langzhong!"

  This loud roar shocked the two cousins so much that they trembled all over, and after being shocked, they were even more surprised, really didn't know what kind of medicine Wen Shi had taken wrong, actually would cover up such a young man.

  "Aunt, what's going on..." Ma Bo was even more bewildered, unsure of how to react for the moment.

  It's time for Shi Wei and others.

  Seeing Ma Bo being scolded to the point of not knowing what to say, Shi Wei's mouth flashed a hint of complacency, and then he cupped his hands and sighed: "This humble commoner only has some minor misunderstandings with Master Ma in private, I hope the adults will calm down and not blame him."

  "What's going on here?" Mrs. Wen turned to Shi Wei, her expression becoming much more gentle.

  Shi Wei then told the story of Ding Xiang, and finally said with a hint of apology: "I was originally not daring to offend Master Ma, I thought of handing over that slave girl, but she refused to die. I thought that if someone died, it would be spread out and the neighbors would misunderstand that Master Ma forced her to death, which would damage Master Ma's reputation and also affect Mr. Xin's reputation, so I dared to refuse Master Ma."

  Shi Wei said with a smile, on the surface it seemed like he was admitting his own mistakes, but in fact he subtly criticized Ma Bo's arrogant and bullying behavior.

  Hearing Shi Wei's explanation, Madame Wen's face turned red with rage, and she glared at Ma Bo, scolding him severely: "I knew it was you again, relying on your uncle's protection to do evil things outside. You ungrateful thing, hurry up and apologize to Shi Langzhong!"

  "Let me apologize to him?"

  Ma Bo was shocked, his eyes wide with wonder, and he looked at his aunt in a daze, then glanced at the calm expression of the young man beside him. He racked his brains but couldn't figure out what was going on.