Chapter 56: Mu Ying: Your Majesty, There is a Miracle Doctor

Gu Cheng and Sun Shiba turned slightly pale. This was an imperial post messenger; if he fell to his death, he simply died, and the master would not bear much responsibility. Yet now they insisted on intervening. If the man could not be saved, they would likely be implicated.

Standing opposite them was a military official of the second rank, the Vice Commissioner of the Grand Military Commission. Such a person was undoubtedly a high-ranking official of the court, holding military power in his hands!

Doctor Wang wore an expression of indignation. Seeing that Chen San remained motionless, he sneered, "The man is already dead, why bother with such tossing about? Vice Commissioner, is it truly fitting for this person to so desecrate a corpse?"

The young Vice Commissioner did not speak, merely watching Gu Zhengchen, whose clothes were soaked through with sweat. For a person to push themselves so desperately to accomplish something, it was impossible that he was deliberately defiling a dead man!

A pair of bright eyes revealed calmness and wisdom.

Suddenly!

An exclamation rose from among the commoners, and the young Vice Commissioner took two quick steps forward.

Gu Zhengchen watched as Chen San slowly opened his eyes, his strength draining away as he fell backward. Sun Shiba and Gu Cheng hurriedly stepped forward to catch him.

Chen San blinked, feeling his lips extremely dry. Remembering his mission, he shouted, "Urgent military dispatch, make way for the unrelated!"

Yet his voice was hoarse and weak, and a single sentence brought a dull ache to his chest.

Wei Sheng crawled over, looking at Chen San, who had "returned from the dead," and wiped away his tears. "Chen San, you, you..."

Doctor Wang looked at this scene in astonishment, his face filled with disbelief.

The commoners marvelled even more.

"How do you feel?"

The young Vice Commissioner leaned over to look at Chen San.

Just as Chen San tried to get up, he felt as if his chest had been struck by someone. Pulling a document from his bosom, he said, "I only feel some pain in my chest, nothing serious. Vice Commissioner, a victorious dispatch! Marquess of Gongchang Guo Zixin and Marquess of Linjiang Chen De advanced to the mouth of Dalahai, encountering the Tartars. They severed over six hundred heads, captured alive more than seven hundred deputy commanders including Xingdu, and seized over a thousand cattle, sheep, and horses!"

"Good, go and rest now. Wei Sheng, take good care of Chen San."

The Vice Commissioner accepted the victorious dispatch document.

Wei Sheng helped Chen San up and said a few words to him. Knowing that Gu Zhengchen was his savior, Chen San knelt on the ground to show his gratitude.

Gu Zhengchen panted heavily, smiled with difficulty, and glanced at the frightened old man. "He is an elderly man with limited mobility; do not blame him for this matter."

Chen San nodded. To have reclaimed his life was already a great stroke of fortune.

After Wei Sheng and Chen San departed, the Vice Commissioner looked at the sweating Gu Zhengchen. "I am Mu Ying. May I ask the honorable name of the divine physician?"

"It's you?"

Gu Zhengchen was somewhat surprised.

"You recognize me?"

Mu Ying was slightly taken aback, having no impression whatsoever of the person before him.

Gu Zhengchen smiled bitterly.

Mu Ying, the future Marquis of Xiping! The Mu family of Yunnan were his descendants! Yet at this moment, he was not yet the Marquis of Xiping.

This man could be said to be one of the three closest adopted sons of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, the other two being Zhu Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong. As for Zhu Yuanzhang's other adopted sons, such as Zhou She, Bao'er (Ping'an), Jingangnu, and Mai Lü, they were merely used as trusted confidants rather than treated as family.

Li Wenzhong was Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew, Zhu Wenzheng was Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew, while Mu Ying was Zhu Yuanzhang's only non-blood-related and most deeply valued adopted son. Even before Zhu Biao was born, when Mu Ying was eight years old, he had become the adopted son of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, treated as their own flesh and blood.

"I have heard of your great name. I am Gu Zhengchen. Greetings, General Mu. I am no divine physician, merely an ordinary scholar."

Gu Zhengchen barely managed to stand and bow.

Mu Ying did not believe it. "If you are not a divine physician, how could you make a dead man live again?"

Gu Zhengchen shook his head. "A person having no breath and no pulse does not mean he is already dead. If timely rescue is administered within a short time after fainting, he may be brought back."

"A divine physician!"

"I am not..."

Gu Zhengchen, Gu Cheng, and Sun Shiba...

"Then how do you explain it?"

"I..."

Mu Ying looked Gu Zhengchen up and down and said softly, "Would the Divine Physician Gu be willing to enter the Imperial Hospital?"

Gu Zhengchen widened his eyes. "You want to kill me?"

Mu Ying was puzzled. "How so?"

Regaining a bit of his strength, Gu Zhengchen said helplessly, "I can't even tell the difference between Coptis chinensis and other herbs, let alone the Imperial Hospital. Make the slightest mistake, and that's the morgue. If General Mu has nothing else, I will take my leave."

Mu Ying stepped forward to block his path, thought better of it as somewhat improper, and withdrew his hand. "Since Divine Physician Gu can bring people back from the dead and possesses miraculous medical skills, could you leave your place of residence? When I have leisure, I will certainly call upon you."

Gu Zhengchen looked at Mu Ying, who lacked arrogance and was quite courteous, smiled, and said, "Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, you can come to find me at Baoyuan Inn. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, go to the Jurong County Yamen to find me."

Mu Ying opened his eyes wide. "The Jurong County Yamen?"

"By imperial grace, appointed as the Magistrate of Jurong."

Having spoken, Gu Zhengchen bowed and prepared to leave.

Watching him leave, Mu Ying called out, "Your physique is far too weak. Given the opportunity, I will teach you martial arts to strengthen your body, and you can teach me your medical skills of saving lives. How about that?"

Gu Zhengchen stopped in his tracks, turned back to look at Mu Ying, and asked, "Do you think I am a one-in-a-million martial arts prodigy who can achieve mastery in seven days?"

"Uh..."

Black lines streaked across Mu Ying's face. With a physique like yours, calling yourself a martial arts prodigy—even a good-for-nothing is stronger than you.

Gu Zhengchen turned around, raised a hand, and shouted, "I like eating fish."

Mu Ying smiled. Watching Gu Zhengchen depart, he took the victorious dispatch document and entered the palace to seek an audience.

Huagai Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang was reminiscing with Liu Bowen, chatting about the stormy years of the past.

Liu Bowen finally felt a long-lost sense of care and importance. After some discussion, he could not help but advise, "Your Majesty, relocating the capital to Zhongdu is by no means the absolute best choice. I am old, and these words come from the depths of my heart, entirely without selfish motives."

An expression of gloom replaced the joyful look on Zhu Yuanzhang's face. "Do you know that the palace city, the forbidden walls, and the palaces of Zhongdu are already completed? Next year the outer city walls and the Imperial Academy can be constructed, and within three years Zhongdu can be finished! Countless resources have been expended, and now you advise Me to stop?"

Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang, who clung stubbornly to his own view, Liu Bowen sighed inwardly. "Your Majesty is the sovereign of the Great Ming Dynasty, not the sovereign of the Huaixi clique. Bringing honor to one's ancestors lies in the lintel of the door; why must you insist on relocating the capital to Fengyang?"

Clap!

Zhu Yuanzhang slapped the desk and stood up, shouting angrily, "Liu Ji!"

Liu Bowen hurriedly knelt. "Although Your Majesty's old servant is rash, he considers the ten-thousand-generation foundation of the Great Ming. I beg Your Majesty to forgive my crime..."

"The foundation of ten thousand generations?"

The anger that Zhu Yuanzhang had intended to vent suddenly vanished, replaced by a flash of yesterday's conversation with Gu Zhengchen in his mind.

For the immortality of the dynasty and the eternal extension of the state's fortune!

Liu Ji was not a bad person. On matters of great principle, he harbored no selfish motives, and his judgment of the current situation was sometimes even more precise than his own. He possessed terrifying statecraft and a wise gaze!

Fengyang did indeed possess inherent flaws.

Although it was said to be "bounded by the river in front and the Huai behind, with dangers to rely upon and waterways for transport," wedged as it was in the flatlands, it was actually indefensible. Moreover, Fengyang suffered alternately from drought and floods, with few years of peace; many of the commoners moved there found themselves in dire straits.

Just a few days ago, artisans had caused an uprising.

Fengyang, did I choose wrongly?

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said placidly, "Step down."

Liu Bowen was extremely surprised. The desk had been slammed—how did the reprimand right on the tip of the tongue just vanish?

Better to leave first.

After expressing his gratitude for the grace, Liu Bowen withdrew from Huagai Hall.

An attendant announced, "Your Majesty, Vice Commissioner Mu Ying requests an audience."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. Seeing Mu Ying bow, a smile appeared on his face. "Since you've entered the palace, once you finish speaking of official matters, go and visit the Empress and the Crown Prince."

Mu Ying presented the victorious dispatch document.

Having read it, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in satisfaction. "Good, very good."

Mu Ying said solemnly, "A few days ago, former Yuan Left Chancellor Huadu massed troops at Tianchi Mountain, attempting an incursion. Commander Chang Shoudao of the Taiyuan Garrison led cavalry in a night raid, slaying Huadu. Following that, Right Thousand-Household Feng Ming of Taiyuan recaptured Hequ County, Baode Prefecture, and other places. Now news of victory has come again from the Marquises of Gongchang and Linjiang. The frontier soldiers fought bravely and should be commended and rewarded."

"Rest assured, I will not shortchange them of the credit they are due."

With that, Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head to handle state affairs. Seeing that Mu Ying did not express gratitude and leave, he involuntarily raised his head and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Mu Ying began, "There is indeed one matter. Your Majesty, today when the post messenger Chen San rushed into the Hongwu Gate, he accidentally fell to the ground while avoiding the commoners. Doctor Wang went to treat him and declared that Chen San was already dead."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. "Post messengers transmit reports so that news flows smoothly. If they meet with accidents, they must be treated with generous compensation. I have noted it and will have the Ministry of War handle it."

Mu Ying hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the matter I wish to report is that this Chen San, after being pronounced dead by Doctor Wang, was brought back to life by someone."

"Oh, such a thing truly happened?"

Zhu Yuanzhang grew interested.

Mu Ying nodded gravely. "I saw it with my own eyes, right on the spot."

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and walked out from behind his desk. "Which divine physician was it? Grand Physician Sun Shouzhen?"

Mu Ying shook his head and said solemnly, "That person said his name is Gu Zhengchen, an unassumed magistrate of Jurong."

"Gu Zhengchen?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was greatly astonished, his complexion turning somewhat colorful. After two dry laughs, he said, "It's him again!"

Mu Ying asked cautiously, "Your Majesty knows this person?"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved a hand. "Tell me in detail."

Mu Ying then detailed what he had witnessed at the time, omitting not even Gu Zhengchen's remark about liking to eat fish.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. "What did Doctor Wang say?"

Mu Ying sighed. "He found it hard to believe and dared not speak of it."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the attendant. "Go, bring me the post messenger Chen San and Doctor Wang! Also, have Sun Shouzhen come as well."

The attendant acknowledged the order and hurried away.

Before long, Sun Shouzhen, Doctor Wang, and Chen San entered the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Doctor Wang. "Were you certain at the time that Chen San was dead?"

Doctor Wang was filled with dread. "Replying to Your Majesty, this petty person checked carefully; Chen San truly had neither breath nor pulse at the time."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Chen San, who was alive and well. "Is your body unharmed?"

Chen San did not dare to raise his head. "Replying to Your Majesty, this petty person only feels a slight ache in the chest, nothing amiss."

Sensing Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze, Sun Shouzhen walked over to Chen San. After taking his pulse, he withdrew his hand and reported to Zhu Yuanzhang, "Chen San's chest was merely pressed with great force, leaving a mild ache. Resting for five days should make him completely fine."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Sun Shouzhen, his gaze sharp. "Why did Doctor Wang judge him dead, yet Gu Zhengchen was able to save him? Could it be that such a miraculous art of bringing the dead back to life truly exists in this world?"