The Shocking and Extraordinary Romance of the Great Sage

(6) Taking risks in search of medicine in Lingshan

Chapter 36 Getting to know Wu Chengen

Li Shizhen often said:"Qian's Family Instructions" principle:"If you want to build a beautiful family, you must establish good rules."

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From 1568 to 1570 AD, Wu Chengen was an official in Prince Jing's Mansion in Qizhou, and Li Shizhen's medicine hall was very close to Prince Jing's Mansion. He often went to Prince Jing's Mansion to practice medicine, and thus got acquainted with Wu Chengen. At that time, there were two people who were both devoted to writing. One was writing"Guicao Gangmu" and the other was writing"Journey to the West".

The two hit it off as soon as they met. Wu Chengen was not in good health, so Li Shizhen treated him. He also gave him the secret recipe of medicine and wine passed down from his ancestors and passed on the method of health preservation. The two often drank together and talked about poetry and songs. Wu Chengen deliberately asked about the thrills and monsters encountered during the medicine collection. Li Shizhen told about the surprising adventures, which inadvertently provided him with the material for writing"Journey to the West"…………

The two became close friends. Wu Chengen also compiled the story of the three naughty princes in Prince Jing's palace into"Journey to the West" after the changes.…………

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Shizhen and Axiang went into the mountains to collect medicine, but they encountered a sudden storm and did not return. Suddenly I saw magpies and birds busy in the wind and rain, and the great doctor was thinking about it...

There is a poem"Magpies and Birds" that praises:

Magpies and birds are not tired, and they peck branches and build nests diligently.

Flying from east to west, collecting dry firewood.

Don’t be afraid of getting wet in heavy rain, and don’t rest when the wind is against you.

If you encounter a bird enemy, turn around and pass over.

Hundreds of trees produce pests, which happen to be food.

No need for bowls, chopsticks, dishes, or cooking fires.

Clear water serves as a mirror that will never be broken.

There are gardens in all directions, so you can go and have fun wherever you want.

A long river is like a big vat, and a small stream is like a small pot.

You don’t have to lift a glass to quench your thirst at any time.

I don’t change my clothes all year round, and it’s too tiring to dress up.

Born with natural beauty, she is more free and easy.

If you don’t prepare any money when you set out on a journey, you won’t be tortured by poverty.

Free to come and go, plenty of fresh air.

Live in seclusion among the woods and spend the time at ease.

When couples raise offspring, who can say who will reunite.

After two hours, the heavy rain became lighter. Shizhen braved the rain to collect herbs. Axiang was not afraid of hardship. While they were picking, it was already dusk. Shui Guizi brought bamboo hats and coir raincoats, and the three of them hurried home on the muddy mountain road and went to their respective places.

In the early morning of the next day, there was a knock on the door. Shi Zhen thought it was a seriously ill patient coming to see a doctor, so she hurriedly opened the door, but it was Shangguan Jian's brother Shangguan Shen who came. Li Shizhen led him into the main hall and sat down. Shangguan Shen handed him a thick stack of prescriptions and said sincerely:"Shizhen, these are one hundred and six folk secret recipes, given to you!"

Shizhen was overjoyed and flipped through the stack of prescriptions. He smiled and said,"Oh, there are so many prescriptions... I've never seen them before, where did they come from?"

Shangguan Shen had a square face, red and black complexion, and was thinner than his brother Shangguan Jian. He said straightforwardly:"Hey, about half of them are from Folk collection; and the other half are all passed down from ancestors. The family of a young doctor has been a doctor for generations, and Shangguan Shen has been passed down to the next generation. It is already the fifth generation."

Shizhen was filled with surprise, as if he had found a treasure, and he still read page after page. Looking through. Seeing that the ancestral secret recipe paper was old and worn, he said:"It's rare, it's rare. It's hard to find even if you search all over the world. I really want to thank Dr. Shangguan." Shangguan Shen's brows were strong and he said harshly:"Thank you for something. Thank you." , it’s only right that I, Shangguan, should participate in thanking my great benefactor. That time I was put on death row and they said that I had killed someone because of Shi Zhen’s clarification of the medicine and my innocence, which saved my life. You were the great benefactor. I gave you money to thank you, but Sword Brother gave it to you, but you returned it. He said, Master Shizhen never accepts money as a thank you gift... This is difficult. After thinking about it... Oh, little brother, I know you I’m writing a book, and I’ve studied several of your books, and I’ve found them to be very effective, sublime, and profitable. I heard that great doctors are collecting folk secrets, so I’ll give them my knowledge. Please accept them."

Li Shizhen looked at the rising sun and said with great pride:"Dr. Shangguan received the award. Shizhen and I wrote mediocre medicinal books. I just feel that the explanations in the ancient herbal medicine that I have always believed in are confusing and improper classification."

Shangguan Shen sighed resentfully and said :"Oh, oh, there are a lot of mistakes in many medicine books. This doctor prescribed prescriptions and dispensed medicines according to those explanations, which delayed some patients. I hurriedly changed the prescriptions and prepared new medicines, and only then did I save a few lives."

Shi Zhen Yanran said:"Human life is at stake, and some of the herbal medicines worshiped by doctors are misjudged. Some important herbal medicines have not been written down, and some herbal medicines are unknown, making people suspicious. What is even more harmful is the fallacy. Please handle it accordingly. Tens of millions of patients have died, which has done a lot of harm to people."

Shangguan Shen nodded and said,"That's right. Some herbal medicines are written in a way that is inconsistent with existing herbal medicines, which is puzzling. The names are complicated, and there are many omissions, and loopholes often appear.. Especially in the several materia medica books compiled by people in the Song Dynasty, there were more omissions."

Shizhen felt sad and said:"Yes, the"Supplementary Materials on Materia Medica" compiled by Chen Zangqi of the Tang Dynasty is very useful in supplementing and explaining herbal medicines. It has unique advantages, but several Materia Medica compiled by the Song Dynasty were biased and deleted some of Chen's supplements. Tang people's secret recipes and herbal supplements are all effective, how can they be thrown away casually."

Shangguan Shen heard this, Full of anger, she clenched her little fists and said:"Write! Shizhen writes a close-up. Whatever you want me to do, I just tell you." After hearing this, Shizhen became more confident and said:"Hey, Shangguan, you can do it for me." Zhiqi also sent me these many secret recipes and biographies. They are treasures among treasures. You can't buy them with any gold or silver. They are priceless treasures."

Shangguan Shen said:"We treat each other with sincerity. Although I am not talented, I am willing to be inferior in terms of medical skills and medicine. It’s just a matter of beating the drum for Shi Zhen to write the real herbal medicine, the big herbal medicine, and the unprecedented handed down herbal medicine."

Shi Zhen smiled and said:"Why beat the drum? These one hundred and six folk secret recipes are hard-won and are the hard work of your ancestors. , it is also your hard work, and also the hard work of everyone, Shizhen, I thank you." With that, Li Shizhen bowed heavily. Exactly:

The time has come to repay kindness, and the secret recipe is worth ten thousand gold bars.

Far away in the horizon and close by, who is the great hero in Xinglin?