Upon seeing Xiaolian, Fang Mingda lowered his head and said with a bitter expression, "I can't abandon my master. He raised me. His children and grandchildren haven't been around all these years, and I'm the closest person to him. He treats me like his own grandson. I must stay by my master's side and fulfill my filial duty."
"What about me?" Xiaolian's face turned cold as she gritted her teeth and suppressed her anger.
Xu Zifan looked back and forth between them, frowning as he asked, "What's going on with you two?"
The courtyard was only so big. They were arguing in the study when their family rushed over to ask what was wrong. Fang Mingda took a deep breath, suddenly bowed to Xu's father and mother, and, still bowing, loudly proclaimed, "Uncle, Aunt, I love Xiaolian. Please marry Xiaolian to me. I will cherish her like a treasure and treat her well for the rest of my life!"
The study fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop. Xiaolian couldn't contain herself, her face flushing crimson! Seeing everyone staring at her, she lowered her head, covered her face, and ran into her room. Xu Zifan, seeing this, understood perfectly well. Thinking about it, they were renting a room at Fang Daming's house, seeing each other all the time—wasn't it a perfect opportunity to take advantage of their proximity?
Furthermore, Fang Mingda was like a half-apprentice to him, always by his side. When he taught Xiaolian how to prepare medicinal herbs, he would also teach Fang Mingda. The two of them probably discussed things with each other in private, so they naturally had more contact. The young man and woman spent every day together and both liked medicinal herbs, so it seemed... they were quite a good match.
Xu Zifan glanced at Fang Mingda, "Stand still first." Then he looked at his parents, "Father, Mother, are you aware of this?"
Xu's father and mother exchanged a glance and nodded. Xu's mother hesitated and said, "Your father and I are happy to see this happen, but aren't we moving to the prefectural city? If Mingda doesn't go, then... then how can we do it?"
Seeing that his parents were satisfied with Fang Mingda, Xu Zifan felt that this was not a big deal. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Let's all think about this. Whether it's the prefectural city or a town isn't important. In the future, when life gets better, we may not settle down there. The most important thing is people. Aren't our eldest and second eldest sisters still in the village? Our eldest and second eldest brothers can't come with us either. Hmm... Father, Mother, Mingda and I will talk. You go and see Xiaolian."
Xu Zifan took Fang Mingda out, Zheng Zixuan helped him tidy up his study, while Xu's mother went inside to ask Xiaolian for her opinion. Xu Zifan led Fang Mingda past the three clinics in town and asked, "What do you think of Jishetang now?"
"Jishetang is already the number one clinic in town, all thanks to you, Brother Xu." Fang Mingda said with a hint of disappointment, "After you leave, it will probably go back to the way it was before."
Xu Zifan chuckled. "You've studied medicine with Doctor Tong for many years, yet you can only treat common minor illnesses, which isn't enough to support Jishetang. Have you ever thought about what will happen to Jishetang when Doctor Tong gets old and he no longer has the energy to manage it? Can you let your master watch Jishetang close down?"
Fang Mingda has been following Xu Zifan for nine months. In addition to learning medicine, he has also learned how to conduct himself in society. He has become much more mature and steady. Hearing this, he felt very ashamed. "It seems that I am just born without the knack for this. No matter how hard I try, I can't grasp the essence of it."
Xu Zifan nodded. "But when I was performing surgery that day, you got the hang of it very quickly and were even more helpful than the other doctors. You weren't afraid at all when facing the surgical scene. Very few people can be as calm and composed as you on their first time. You have a talent for this. I can teach you, but you have to come to the prefectural city with me."
Fang Mingda was about to refuse when Xu Zifan stopped him, looking at him intently. "Mingda, a good man should support his family, not only be filial to his elders but also love his wife and children and achieve something. You said yourself that Doctor Tong treats you like his own grandson; he certainly hopes you will excel in medicine. Even if you don't inherit his mantle, your abilities should be sufficient to take over Jishetang. You have talent; stay by my side for two, three, or at most five years. By then, your master will still be vigorous, and you can return to be filial to him. That would be much better than wasting five years by his side. In these years, your life with Xiaolian will be stable, and we can let her go wherever you want. Otherwise, if we rashly marry Xiaolian to you today, your parents in the prefectural city won't be at ease, and Xiaolian will be panicked at suddenly being so far away from her family. Would your life be better then? What do you think?"
Seeing Fang Mingda deep in thought, Xu Zifan patted him on the shoulder. "I'm just helping you analyze things. Of course, there are many other things we haven't considered yet. Think about it carefully. Maybe you can ask Doctor Tong for his opinion. It's not like we're going to be separated forever. It's all good. We just need to find a way that satisfies both sides."
Fang Mingda nodded emphatically, sincerely thanked Xu Zifan, and then changed course to find his master. Xu Zifan, rarely able to wander alone on the streets, figured he had nothing else to do on his way back, so he strolled around leisurely. He hadn't gone far when Shaohua suddenly spoke up, "[500 meters ahead, Su Qianyun is inquiring about surgery at the clinic.]"
Xu Zifan paused, then found a stall and pretended to browse the items, [to eavesdrop on what they were saying.]
[good.]
The clinic where Su Qianyun worked used to be the best in town, but it had been overshadowed by Jishetang Clinic. Su Qianyun figured there was competition between them, and she thought asking the doctors there might give her some information. She was currently suffering from insomnia and was feeling restless, so she used the excuse of needing to regulate her body to see the doctor. She casually mentioned Xu Zifan's surgery, then seemingly unintentionally praised him, "Dr. Xu is really amazing! He's not even twenty years old, and his medical skills are already so high. I heard that patient couldn't be cured, but Dr. Xu dared to operate on him. He'll be the patriarch of surgery in the future, won't he?"
The patient had seen almost every doctor in town, including this one, and was naturally not very happy about it, but he maintained his composure and simply shook his head, saying, "Dr. Xu's medical skills are indeed superb."
"We admire you, Master Chao, but it's inappropriate to call you a founder of this art. Medical books record this type of surgical procedure. A thousand years ago, a renowned physician performed abdominal surgery to remove the spleen and kidneys; the anesthetic powder was formulated by that physician. Even the surgical technique performed by Doctor Xu that day was recorded in a foreign medical book, which said that a corpse had its lower right abdominal organs removed. Perhaps Doctor Xu was fortunate enough to see the detailed record and learned the technique."
The doctor was willing to tell Su Qianyun all this so that people would know Xu Zifan wasn't as amazing as they imagined. This kind of treatment had been successfully practiced by predecessors; learning from others and creating one's own are vastly different. There were also about twenty patients waiting to be seen in the clinic, and he was telling them this as well. Xu Zifan was about to go to the prefectural city, and winning back people's hearts and making his clinic surpass Jishetang was the most important thing.
Su Qianyun was stunned. She never expected that surgery could have been successful a thousand years ago. Wasn't surgery a form of Western medicine? She remembered that in novels, people would marvel at someone who performed surgery and call them a miracle doctor. Was it not like that in ancient times? Or was this world different? This was not any dynasty she was familiar with, nor was it part of the history she had studied. Even in the history she knew, she didn't know if surgery existed in ancient times. For a moment, she didn't know how to determine whether Xu Zifan was a time traveler or not.
Disregarding politeness, Su Qianyun asked directly, "I've never heard of this method before. It's recorded in medical books, so how come no one but Doctor Xu can cure that patient?"
The doctor's expression darkened. He glanced at Su Qianyun a few times, but noticed that she didn't seem to be deliberately provoking him. Instead, she seemed eager to know the details. He then suppressed his anger and said, "Ordinary medical books only mention this treatment briefly, but don't record the specifics."
A doctor nearby, fearing that these words might be misinterpreted as jealousy of Xu Zifan, quickly smoothed things over, saying, "I suspect that Dr. Xu may have found some rare and unique medical text to learn such exquisite techniques. Throughout history, very few people have mastered this kind of medicine, meaning it's not easy to learn or succeed at. Dr. Xu must be exceptionally intelligent to have learned it. If I have the opportunity, I would like to learn a thing or two from him."
Su Qianyun was somewhat dazed. Two doctors in succession had said the same thing; it seemed surgery did indeed exist in ancient times. She had previously suspected Xu Zifan was a time traveler because he had changed his personality and become more diligent. Later, seeing him undergo surgery, her suspicions returned. But after hearing the two doctors' words, her suspicions seemed unfounded. She carefully recalled Xu Zifan's various behaviors over the years, and there seemed to be no trace of a time traveler. He was incredibly kind to Xu's parents and Xiaolian, and even took special care of Xiaolan and Xiaohe. If he were a time traveler, would he be so attentive to his adopted family? Besides, Xu Zifan had never mentioned any modern words in his daily speech.
Su Qianyun had asked everything she wanted to know. After her doctor's visit, she returned home with a furrowed brow, still unable to confirm whether Xu Zifan was a time traveler. After all, there was no evidence to prove it, and she couldn't very well just confront Xu Zifan directly! Xu Zifan thought Su Qianyun would test him in person, but to his surprise, she didn't go to the Xu family home again. She felt a little evasive. If Xu Zifan wasn't a time traveler, that would be fine, but what if he was? What could she do? Threaten him with it, spread it around the streets, or anonymously report him to the authorities as a monster?
She made so many snacks that didn't exist in this era; if Xu Zifan were a time traveler, he would have seen through her long ago. Exposing Xu Zifan would expose herself as well, wouldn't it? Besides, who would believe her? Although there were some feudal superstitions in ancient times, if she claimed that "Doctor Xu" and "Scholar Xu" were time travelers from the modern era, people would just think she was crazy! She has the original owner's memories, and Xu Zifan's recollections of his childhood are flawless. Even if he were a time traveler, she has no evidence and can't even cause a scene.
What she found most unacceptable was that if Xu Zifan was a time traveler, he must have transmigrated after falling into the water, arriving later than her, yet he was doing so much better than her. How could she accept that? Thinking back to her past smugness, she felt a burning pain on her face. Rather than believing that Xu Zifan was a time traveler, she could accept that he was just an ancient native who was a little smarter than others.
Su Qianyun was torn between thinking he was a time traveler and not. Then she realized she had offended Xu Zifan long ago, and the better he treated her, the worse it was for her. She felt like a sword was hanging over her head, and if Xu Zifan ever wanted to get rid of her, she wouldn't even have the ability to fight back. She felt extremely insecure in the Xu family, unable to win over Zheng Zixuan, and without any other suitable patrons. Within days, she looked haggard, losing her previous vitality.
Xu Zifan didn't know what she was thinking, but he was always cautious and unafraid of anyone's questioning. Given his and Su Qianyun's status, he had nothing to fear. After he finished packing what he needed to take from home, Fang Mingda also made up his mind and decided to go to the prefectural city with them. He was determined; his motivation was to complete his studies and return as soon as possible, and he was determined to work extremely hard.
Xu Zifan bought ten mu of land each in his eldest and second eldest sisters' villages and leased it to them. The land was tax-free; he only took 20% of the harvest as filial piety towards their parents, keeping the remaining 80%. This significantly increased their income, and their in-laws, seeing the money, treated them well. He also provided his eldest and second eldest sisters, their husbands, and their husbands with medicine to help them conceive soon.
Divorce, remarriage, or separating from the family are all unrealistic. In ancient times, it was actually better not to separate the family. The eldest and second eldest sisters were not the heads of the household, and it would be very difficult for them to separate. So, this was all he could help with for the time being. He had a slight sense of proportion; he still had to remember the principle that a little kindness is appreciated, but excessive kindness breeds resentment. Unlike Xiaolian, who had been influenced by him and learned a skill, they were just ordinary farm women who only wanted to be good wives and mothers and knew some household chores. What Xu Zifan was taking care of them was enough to make their lives more comfortable.
In the future, if their family members are ambitious, for example, by starting a business...
He could still help with things like the children's education, and this gradual approach would be good for everyone. Moving to the prefectural city at this time not only gave them financial backing but also created distance; distance is a virtue, and less contact was sometimes better.
Xu Zifan also exempted Xu Dalang's family from taxation on their land, but didn't buy any more for them. Cai Shi grumbled a bit, but Xu Zifan ignored her, only offering them some health treatments. In ancient times, the birth of a son or daughter was indeed considered different, a situation the social environment couldn't change, so Xu Zifan tried his best to help them in this regard. With tax-exempt land and a skilled doctor and scholar in the family, Xu Dalang's family's status in the village rose.
After settling everything at home, Xu Zifan bought a carriage and took his family to the prefectural city.
The prefectural city was far more prosperous than the town, and there were many more good doctors there. Xu Zifan was very humble upon his arrival, and he humbly asked for advice when he encountered problems he didn't understand. He was not arrogant because of his previous fame, and thus won the praise of many people. Some doctors were wary of him because they were too proud to admit his mistakes, while others appreciated his skills and discussed medical techniques with him. In short, he made many friends among the doctors in the prefectural city and benefited greatly from it.
Six months after arriving in the prefectural city, he married Zheng Zixuan, and at the same time, Xiaolian also married Fang Mingda. The two happy events were held at the same time, and many people came to celebrate. The scene was lively and festive. The two elders couldn't stop smiling all day long, holding Xu Zifan's hand and saying that they were already very satisfied.
After marriage, Zheng Zixuan, as a married woman, had much more freedom than a young girl. When Xu Zifan rested, the two of them would go hunting and gathering herbs in the mountains, enjoying themselves immensely. The elders remarked that the Zheng siblings were truly siblings, even sharing similar interests. They would sigh whenever Zheng Chuan was mentioned, but it was common for soldiers to disappear without a trace, and they could only hope for Zheng Chuan's safety.
Later, Xu Zifan pretended to exchange two letters with Zheng Chuan, telling them that Zheng Chuan had rescued a damsel in distress and been chosen as her husband, and they had settled down. Since Zheng Zixuan had already married Xu Zifan, Zheng Chuan was quite relieved. The two places were far apart, and he was working in the army, so he wouldn't come back, but would meet again when he had the chance.
This reason was perfectly reasonable, and the family members not only didn't find it inappropriate, but were also happy that Zheng Chuan was doing well. The whole story of Zheng Zixuan dressing as a woman was completely covered up, leaving no room for further exposure. Su Qianyun, however, secretly cried for a long time after hearing the news. Zheng Chuan was doing well, just as she had imagined. It was a pity that the hero who saved the damsel in distress wasn't her; she wasn't the leading lady at all. The girl he saved was Zheng Chuan's leading lady.
Su Qianyun realized her true status, but this marked the beginning of her suffering. If she wasn't the female lead, without any special advantages, what was the point of her transmigrating to ancient times? There were no computers, no cell phones, no novels, no TV dramas, not even lights. Why was she living in ancient times?
Originally, she had been doing very well, always seeing herself as the leading lady, confident and proactive, eventually becoming a wealthy businesswoman. But now, due to Xu Zifan's influence, her mentality has collapsed, creating a butterfly effect—like the famous saying, "Mindset determines everything." She lacks confidence and initiative, is extremely resentful of her current life and Xu Erlang, yet dares not divorce and remarry, unable to escape this situation. How can she possibly live a good life?
She and Xu Erlang ran that small restaurant in that town. They neither made much money nor lost much money. They were better off than the villagers, but still worse off than many people in the town. They lived an ordinary life like that.
Xu Zifan spent several years in the prefectural city, learning everything he could, and even managed to pass the imperial examination, bringing honor to his family once again. He then planned to go to the capital, where there were more excellent doctors and he could learn even more. Over the years, he taught Fang Mingda all the Western medical treatments available in this world. Fang Mingda studied diligently and learned very well, and Xiao Lian also made some progress in pharmaceutical preparation. When Xu Zifan decided to go to the capital, the two of them decided to return to their town to care for Doctor Tong in his old age and help manage the Jishetang pharmacy.
Afterwards, Xu Zifan devoted himself to studying the medical skills of this world. There were countless excellent doctors in the capital, as well as imperial physicians and various medical books. Xu Zifan learned with an insatiable thirst, as if he had unearthed a treasure trove. His parents never dreamed they would live in such a large mansion in the capital, with maids, servants, and cooks employed. They could simply enjoy their comfortable lives. Zheng Zixuan had also given birth to two sons and a daughter, and they helped look after their grandchildren, living a life of immense joy.
They had lived in Beijing for over a decade. Xu Zifan's children had all grown up and gotten married, and his parents were getting old and frail. The elderly couple wanted to return to their ancestral home and be buried in the Xu family cemetery after their deaths, so Xu Zifan took his entire family back to the village. He had built a manor on the edge of the village a few years earlier, and they moved directly into the manor upon returning. There were fewer familiar villagers than before, but they still recognized some. Xu's parents were very happy just walking around the village and chatting with them.
The eldest son, second daughter, and three sisters often visited the elderly couple, bringing their children and grandchildren. On a day when everyone was together, Xu Zifan painted a family portrait, which he hung in the main hall. The elderly couple cherished the portrait, looking at it several times a day. Xu Zifan then bid farewell to the elderly couple in this village, giving them a proper burial in the ancestral graveyard. With this, his mission in this world was truly complete.
He treated his siblings to a meal. Xu Dalang, having passed the imperial examination and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), became much more confident. He seemed to feel that his older brother, being a Juren himself, couldn't be inferior, so he became more opinionated and assertive. In addition, the villagers and townspeople gave him face and took good care of him. Over the years, his family had acquired thirty mu of land and had also encouraged his youngest son to pass the Tongsheng (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations) and was now working hard to pass the Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations). They were living quite well.
With both Xu Xiaolan and Xu Xiaohe's parents-in-law gone, they had gained a voice and, with Xu Zifan's care, had moved to town and were doing even better than Xu Dalang. Xu Xiaolian, needless to say, was the best off among them. Xu Erlang, though he owned a small restaurant, often argued with Su Qianyun, leading an unhappy life. He hadn't raised his children well either, and was far from content.
Xu Zifan chatted with them for a while, which served as a farewell. Afterwards, he and Zheng Zixuan traveled around. Their children had settled in the capital and all returned there. There was nothing left for him to learn in the capital, and Zheng Zixuan also enjoyed the free and unrestrained life. The two traveled to mountains and rivers, treated difficult and complicated diseases, collected rare medical books, and sought out reclusive doctors to learn medical skills. Their life was both interesting and fulfilling.
Both were in excellent health; even at forty, they could still climb mountains and hunt, going wherever they pleased and finding endless enjoyment. During their travels, he cured many people, and his reputation as a divine healer gradually spread—a title Xu Zifan truly deserved. He and his wife traveled hand in hand until their hair turned white, having seen everything they could, before finally returning to their village manor.
The now-elderly Xu Zifan told Zheng Zixuan that he was fortunate to have married her; if she had been a delicate young woman, he wouldn't have been able to travel the world. Zheng Zixuan also told him that she was fortunate to have married him; if she had just married an ordinary man, she might have had to work hard to support her family and endure the disdain and contempt of others her whole life. How could she have lived such a happy and carefree life?
After they finished speaking, they smiled at each other, leaned back in the rocking chairs in the yard, closed their eyes, and basked in the sun, still feeling quite content.
Throughout his life, Xu Zifan collected many rare medical texts, extracting their essence and discarding their dross, adding his own experience and understanding to compile a medical classic, which he then passed down to the world. It is said that Hua Tuo was self-taught, and the ancient practice of hoarding out valuable knowledge destroyed many things. By spreading this medical classic, he hoped that more people could learn its essence and pass on the art of medicine from generation to generation.
Unbeknownst to him, his actions would etch his name into history and bring great blessings to his descendants. He gained much from this world and repaid it in his own way. Although life in the underdeveloped ancient world was fraught with inconveniences, he lived a fulfilling life and thoroughly enjoyed his trip to ancient times.
From being treated like an awful brother-in-law to becoming a legendary doctor, he is very content with this life.
After seeing Zheng Zixuan off, he closed his eyes and left this world.