The Martial Doctor

"Old sir, take the medicine back and follow my instructions for taking it. In three days, you should see some improvement. However, for full recovery, you’ll need to continue the treatment for a while longer..."

"Thank you, Mr. Lin!"

These chronic illnesses in the elderly are exceedingly difficult to treat; the body’s functions have aged, and recovery is much slower compared to younger individuals.

If a person could maintain a perpetually healthy state, wouldn’t that mean immortality? But how is that possible? Even the most powerful in this world have lived only a little over two hundred years, according to records, not counting legends.

As to whether it truly exists, no one knows.

Pengzu lived to eight hundred, supposedly, but who has seen it with their own eyes? There are definitely aristocratic families that have lasted for a thousand years, so witnessing it isn’t hard, is it?

Therefore, immortality is impossible. Becoming an eternal old monster, living the same loop over and over would be quite wearisome.

Living a splendid life for these few decades is enough. Why long for so much more? If one lived that long, and all your loved ones passed away—unless you’re heartless and utterly disconnected emotionally—who could bear it?

Lin Miao asked himself and figured he probably couldn’t do it.

So, live as well as you can, live a splendid life. Having no regrets in this life is plenty.

"Mr. Lin, I came here last year. Could you take a look at me again?" A pregnant woman, supported by a maid, entered the consultation room.

"All right, let me see your tongue coating?"

Lin Miao glanced, noticing her tongue was slightly red at the tip with a greasy white coating. He then asked, "Have you caught a cold recently? You don’t look so well."

"Yes, you’re right. I accompanied my husband to visit relatives a couple of days ago, came back late, and probably caught a chill," the woman nodded. "I’ve been feeling unwell since, achy all over, so I came to see you."

"Hmm, you’ve caught a bit of a cold, but it’s not a big issue. You’re pregnant, so take extra care of your body and try not to catch a chill." Lin Miao nodded, signaling to his senior sister to conduct an examination. The pregnancy is showing, and if the baby were lost, it would be a pity.

Some examinations Lin Miao wasn’t quite able to do himself, and fortunately, having his senior sister there made things much easier.

After the examination, Sun Youwei nodded to Lin Miao, indicating the fetus was fine, which put him at ease. He prescribed some medication for her husband to get.

Next.

"Mr. Lin, my bottom hurts, and I have bloody stools..." A middle-aged man entered, his clothes clean, with delicate, well-maintained hands—clearly not a laborer.

Hearing "bloody stools," Lin Miao knew it was serious, so he immediately had him remove his pants so he could check the bloodstains.

The blood was bright red, not like it had come from within, but more like it was smeared on?

Lin Miao straightforwardly had him lie on the examination table, roll over, and lift his buttocks, drawing a curtain for privacy—it wasn’t a dignified sight, and his senior sister couldn’t see.

Though she was a physician too, she was nonetheless a girl and not yet married to him. Seeing an adult man’s privates would be an eyesore for her.

"This..." Seeing the ruptured hemorrhoid pearls, Lin Miao instantly understood the situation.

This patient likely developed hemorrhoids from prolonged sitting—an ailment that affects nine out of ten men, especially those who work at desks.

This man’s pale complexion suggested he wielded a pen, but judging from his attire, he probably wasn’t an official—most likely a clerk of some sort.

At such an age, pursuing the imperial exams was hopeless; the exams in this world were unlike those in my understanding of exams.

Studying medicine, being older might mean more experience and a relative ease in passing physician exams. But the imperial exams, once past thirty, left almost no chance.

Even if you passed, you wouldn’t be given an important position—mostly a trivial post ensuring a life free of want. Advancing would require extraordinary talent or backing, otherwise no hope.

Can’t study, yet aspire to govern the people or enter the central administration to aid the court—it’s a tall order.

"Mr. Lin, is it a terminal illness?"

"Well..."

"Mr. Lin, it’s okay. Just tell me, I can handle it," he said trying to be brave, though his lips quivered.

"If you want a quick solution, one cut would solve it. If you prefer slower, more troublesome methods, that’s possible too."

"Mr. Lin, tell me, how many days do I have left?" The patient burst into tears at once.

"How many days... Not today, you’ll need a few days before we proceed with surgery..."

"Surgery?"

"Yes, you have hemorrhoid bleeding, not from internal bleeding, a minor issue. I’ll arrange a time for a small excision, then rest at home for a few days and you’ll be fine," Lin Miao said. "Of course, surgery isn’t the only option. I need to mix some ointment which I don’t currently have. You can also use herbal baths to alleviate pain temporarily."

"Mr. Lin, will the surgery hurt?"

"Not too much. I’ll administer anesthesia so it shouldn’t hurt. However, prior to surgery, you’ll need to clear your bowels and abstain from food. So it’s not feasible now," Lin Miao explained. "I’ll first conduct a rectal exam on you."

"Oh..."

Moments later, a deeply pained scream echoed from the consultation room.

"Do you like eating meat and dislike exercise? This case of hemorrhoids is quite severe. I might manage the external ones, but for those inside, without surgery, it’s hard to treat. Consider this: a cut would solve it once and for all."

"Mr. Lin, can you give me some time to think about it?"

"Alright, I’ll prescribe a medicinal soup for you first. You can start by taking it, then use the residue to boil water, and use a cloth to wipe yourself down. It should improve your condition." Lin Miao nodded; considering surgery is something anyone should think over.

"Alright."

"Brother, hemorrhoids are quite common, especially among older seamstresses who sit for long periods. If there’s a way to cure it, it would indeed be a blessing for these patients," Sun Youwei said.

"There are ways to cure it, but even if removed, it can easily recur. Changing lifestyle habits is key. Cases like these are rare because they involve a patient’s privacy; some endure in silence due to embarrassment until the pain is unbearable. But, if I were to perform surgery, would you dare to watch?"

"Can I?"

"Of course, I’m just concerned about your modesty," Lin Miao replied.

Sun Youwei shook her head. "Don’t worry, I don’t mind. Learning a skill to heal and save lives is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Bring Xia Zhu in; I have a formula that can be made into an ointment for minor hemorrhoids and daily care. It needs to be done," Lin Miao instructed.

Before Sun Youwei could call for someone, Xia Zhu’s voice came from outside: "Mr. Lin, Ma’am, Mr. Pei’s servant is requesting to see you."

Pei Jian’s people?

Lin Miao felt surprised; Bai Feng had already led people to the Xue Family Manor, which should have nothing to do with him. Why is Pei Jian’s man looking for him?

"Mr. Lin, my master requests you to leave the city immediately!" The servant, recognized by Lin Miao, was unmistakable.

"What happened that Mr. Pei’s summons is so urgent?"

"Last night’s captured bandits began dying after waking today. The physician brought by Mrs. Bai diagnosed them as poisoned," the servant explained, "Mrs. Bai discovered they were poisoned with Qianji Powder, and without an antidote, none will survive."

"It doesn’t matter if they survive; they deserve to die anyway."

"But if they don’t survive, how will we find out their motives for the attack led by Scorpio on the Xue Family Manor?"

"But I’ve never seen Qianji Powder and have no antidote for it."

"Scorpio’s men weren’t poisoned, which means Scorpio has the antidote, but it was taken away by someone..."

Lin Miao instantly understood.

Scorpio was taken by him; if he doesn’t find him for the antidote, then who?

Scorpio must have the antidote, otherwise, why are his people unaffected? Or his people took the antidote beforehand.

"Sister, I’ll be back soon. Don’t wait for me tonight." Lin Miao instructed and left directly.

...

Once out of the city, Lin Miao first let the servant return to Xue Family Manor, while he went to Miao Manor.

Si Miaoxue and the other women were puzzled about Lin Miao’s return alone, only to find out Scorpio poisoned those men with Qianji Powder, evidently planning to silence them after accomplishing his goals.

Dead men can’t speak.

Scorpio’s move was ruthless.

As a doctor, unfamiliar with Qianji Powder doesn’t pose difficulty in finding the antidote, there’s Dongguo Sun after all; experienced, familiar with the ways of the world, and Qianji Powder is a rare poison, yet every poison has a cure.

Lin Miao didn’t know how Scorpio administered the poison, but to have done so silently, affecting all, is indeed a skill.

"Qianji Powder has a slight sweetness; if placed in food or drink, it’s undetectable. I suspect the poison was in the food consumed by these men," Dongguo Sun said, "The Qianji Powder was also concocted by Carefree Hall, renowned along with the Carefree Powder. Only Carefree Hall can prepare the antidote. Its preparation is complex, even with the recipe, making it difficult to produce. Luckily, you didn’t give them a chance to destroy the antidote, otherwise, none of those poisoned would survive."

"Has he spoken?"

"Not yet, it’s not that easy. I’m prepared to spend a long time on this," Dongguo Sun said, not wishing for secrets from Scorpio’s mouth, otherwise, he’d have sent him to see King Yama long ago.

"Hurry, his head is quite valuable."

...

The antidote was obtained, Pei Jian immediately arranged for it to be distributed and taken, without mentioning it came from Lin Miao.

After all, if Carefree Hall learns of this, Lin Miao will be in trouble.

Pei Jian understands the risks and won’t be the one to betray him.

"Thank you, Lin Chengde!" Pei Jian sincerely expressed his gratitude. Without Lin Miao, he likely wouldn’t have survived last night.

Yet some words couldn’t be spoken explicitly.

"Mr. Pei, you must hurry; I heard the Imperial Envoy has already left the capital and will soon arrive in Dongshan," Lin Miao laughed.

"Rest assured, Lin Chengde, my office will certainly turn this case into ironclad evidence." Pei Jian nodded, with such incontrovertible evidence, if he can’t solidify this case, he should abandon dreams of entering the cabinet and stop dreaming of becoming a minister.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!