CH 5

C5 – “Ignorant” Ancients

Shan knelt down again and asked nervously, “Young master, didn’t I scare you?”

Tang Yue blinked and wondered, “What does this old man want from me if I’m afraid? Does he expect me to die to apologize?”

He hastily shook his head. “Don’t be afraid. Evil people deserve to be punished. Go and assist. Complete the task quickly and rest.”

“Alright.” He placed a bundle of straw over Tang Yue’s body and hastily departed the room with his knife.

The situation initially favored the palanquin man, but with Shan’s assistance, things became even more effortless. Tang Yue clutched the knife that he had used to slaughter the fish and felt a yearning for martial arts stir within him.

China’s martial arts were once vast and profound, but by the 21st century, they had essentially dwindled away.

Naturally, their martial arts were not as awe-inspiring as they were depicted in wuxia dramas. They couldn’t leap over rooftops nor utilize the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, but each movement was graceful and potent.

After nearly an hour, the black-clad man could no longer endure. Only a handful of people remained and struggled to hold on. With a whistle, they abandoned the corpses and fled.

“Don’t chase them anymore.” A gentle and neutral voice emanated from the sedan chair.

Tang Yue was a bit taken aback. Based on the voice, the individual inside the sedan chair seemed to be a child. Thus, he was apprehensive that something was amiss with the pair of feet he had observed.

The group fight had ended, and Tang Yue rose to his feet, stretching his arms and legs before proceeding to assist with cleaning up the aftermath.

On the palanquin man’s side, more than twelve guards had perished in the conflict. Two were in critical condition, while five had sustained minor injuries.

Tang Yue’s initial examination was focused on the two guards who were severely wounded. Regrettably, he shook his head, saying, “Their ribs are shattered and have punctured their lungs. It’s hopeless.”

Although this type of injury could be treated with surgery in contemporary times, Tang Yue stated that there was nothing he could do in their current setting.

The room fell silent. The people present knew what the outcome would be, yet no one pleaded with Tang Yue to save them.

Another patient with serious injuries had a deep stab wound to their abdomen, which had already caused internal organ damage and could not be salvaged.

The five patients with minor injuries were not as fortunate as they appeared. The most severe of the group had a fracture. In an era where even the slightest ailment could prove fatal, a fracture was already considered a grave injury.

Tang Yue used a blade to slit open the injured man’s pant leg, exposing his broken calf. He touched it gently and said, “It’s just a fracture. You’ll be fine.”

Everyone was speechless. “Fine?” they thought.

Tang Yue pondered to himself that if it were a comminuted fracture, it would be much harder to treat under the current conditions.

“Can someone fetch me some thin firewood? Make sure it’s clean, cut it evenly, and bring me a clean cloth. Don’t take too long, and be sure to boil everything in hot water,” Tang Yue instructed.

Everyone was stunned, watching as the young master treated the injured man’s wounds. Even many seasoned physicians would hesitate to attempt such a feat upon witnessing the severity of the man’s broken bones.

A serene voice emerged from the sedan chair, commanding everyone’s attention.

Glancing back at the palanquin, Tang Yue murmured, “That must have cost a fortune. His men are so badly injured they can’t even step out to inspect.”

Tang Yue secured the fractured wood onto the patient’s bones with fabric, advising him not to move or touch water for a month. He couldn’t get hold of plaster yet, so this was the best he could do for now.

For the other wounds, Tang Yue only needed to apply the powder and wrap them up with cloth.

Watching the haphazardly bound cloth, Tang Yue couldn’t resist and began meticulously rebandaging each wound, even tying a playful bow. “There you go, in a few days, you’ll be back on your feet.”

The husky man who had spoken to him distributed knives to the black-clothed men, then walked up to Tang Yue brandishing a bloody knife. “You’re a medical disciple, young sir? Your bandaging skills are impressive. How long have you been studying?”

Tang Yue raised two fingers, indicating that he had been studying for twenty years since he started college at nineteen, and had continued for another twenty years since his death.

“You must be a genius to attain such proficiency in two years,” the brawny man praised Tang Yue without restraint.

Tang Yue’s expression tightened, and he let out a snort but refrained from responding. He inwardly cursed the ancient people for their lack of knowledge.

Seeking shelter from the rain, Tang Yue hurried under the roof and proceeded to wash his hands. The brawny man who had just complimented him followed him and inquired, “Who is your Master, young sir? With just two years of learning, your skills are already remarkable. Master Ling is sure to regard you as a divine doctor!”

Tang Yue didn’t need to look into the man’s eyes to discern his motive. It appeared that the person in the sedan was gravely ill. Jutting his chin out, he replied with pride, “Self-taught!”

“This can’t be possible!” The burly man was skeptical. Observing Tang Yue’s tattered attire and slender build, and with only an aged servant accompanying him, he was convinced that Tang Yue did not hail from an affluent background. How could someone from such a family possess the ability to self-teach?

Practitioners of medicine in this world were typically raised by aristocratic families who spent a considerable amount of resources and funds to educate them.