Chapter Fifty-Four: Miraculous Hands Restore Spring, Longevity Prolonged

As she finished her laundry duties and reached the street outside the magistrate’s office, she was suddenly dazzled by a burst of golden light from within the compound. Looking up, she saw a yellow banner, five feet square, fluttering atop a mast that soared eighty feet into the air. Its entire surface shimmered with golden radiance, while blood-red script was inscribed in strange runes.

Han Chong now revealed himself, his invisibility technique rendered useless. The passersby, startled by the sight, regarded him with alarm and quickly scattered out of his way. As he distanced himself, the golden radiance of the yellow banner faded, though it still fluttered in the breeze. Han Chong felt a chill in his heart; no wonder the magistrate seemed untouched by evil forces—such a treasure, capable of subduing demons and terrifying spirits, was displayed openly. Even before he could infiltrate the compound, he had been detected.

Should he attempt to force his way inside, he sensed the banner would surely attack him, and even the king of demons would not escape unscathed.

Where had this banner come from? Was it bestowed by the Imperial Astronomer’s Office, or issued by the Great Feng Dynasty itself?

Unable to enter, Han Chong could only wander the streets with the crowd, his brow furrowed in deep thought. Suddenly, a commotion caught his attention. He drew near to investigate and found a notice posted, flanked by guards.

It announced that the magistrate’s fourth son had suffered a broken leg. Any physician able to cure him would be rewarded with one hundred taels of gold.

An idea formed in Han Chong’s mind. Changing his appearance, he tore down the notice and followed the guards toward the magistrate’s residence.

The yellow banner remained undisturbed as he passed, its protective magic untriggered. Through three corridors and nine courtyards, he finally reached the rear hall, where he saw an official as plump as a rat, reclining in the main chamber. The official glanced at Han Chong and waved for the guards to bring him inside.

Within, the magistrate’s fourth son howled with pain upon his bed, surrounded by anxious servants and five or six helpless physicians. When Han Chong entered, unremarkable in his white scholar’s robe, the others merely shook their heads, unimpressed.

With a faint smile, Han Chong approached the bed. His hands shone with white light as he pressed upon the broken bone. The fourth son’s cries ceased at once, and he turned to stare at Han Chong in disbelief.

Han Chong gripped the injured limb, murmured quietly as though channeling energy, and beads of sweat appeared on his brow. In less than an hour, the fourth son could already lift his leg, weeping with gratitude.

The fat magistrate, upon hearing the news, hurried in, astonished and overjoyed. With a broad smile, he ordered one hundred taels of gold to be brought forth and placed on the table.

“May I ask the name of my young friend?”

“My humble surname is Han; my personal name is Yuan.”

“My young friend, your medical skill is truly extraordinary. Would you consider serving as the physician for my household? I assure you, you will be well rewarded.”

“Ah, many thanks, Magistrate, but I have an elderly mother at home and fear I cannot easily come and go.”

“Ah, that is easily solved. Here, take this command token. With it, you may freely enter and leave the residence; no one will dare stop you.” The fat magistrate produced a small brass token and handed it to Han Chong.

“Thank you, Magistrate. I am willing to serve your esteemed household.” Thus, with little effort, Han Chong had infiltrated the magistrate’s residence, making his investigation far more convenient.

“Steward, see that Doctor Han is properly settled and cared for.” A lean steward bowed and led Han Chong to a side courtyard.

“Steward, what is that yellow banner atop the mast in the courtyard? Why is it suspended there? It seems most peculiar.”

“Ah, Doctor Han, you may not be aware. In our Great Feng Dynasty, demons and ghosts are commonplace. To protect officials from evil influences, the court distributes consecrated golden plaques and blood-inscribed imperial banners. Even though Yun Prefecture is a lesser region, we have been granted one such banner. It repels demons and nullifies all sorcery. Moreover, our master, as the head of a prefecture, is endowed with the dynasty’s fortune—impervious to poison and unharmed by evil arts,” the steward replied with pride.

“Well, it seems my medical skills will find little use in the magistrate’s residence.”

“That’s not entirely the case. While the magistrate himself is well protected, his family and staff are still vulnerable. Our master is a cautious man, always seeking absolute security. Just last month, the Princess, a descendant of King Ying, was struck by a heart ailment. Despite consulting countless famed physicians and exhausting all remedies, she died unhealed. Our master visited to pay his respects and returned deeply shaken. Now, with his son’s leg recently broken, had it not been for your miraculous hands, he might have been crippled for life.”

Han Chong smiled. “It was merely a fortunate coincidence, nothing more.”

That night, Han Chong returned to his assigned quarters, where he met with Ning, Wu, and the others. He had not yet found the local branch of the Pavilion of Omniscient Mechanisms, but in a tavern overheard that anyone seeking it must first find a scar-faced beggar.

As night was falling, he could not search further and resolved to try again the following day.

Over the next three days, Han Chong tended the fourth son’s recovery daily and often encountered the fat magistrate, whose anxious demeanor betrayed a troubled heart.

“Magistrate, your son’s leg is nearly healed. With some rest, he’ll be able to walk again.”

“Doctor Han, your skills are truly miraculous. I am deeply grateful.”

“It was only an external injury; I am competent in such matters. But internal ailments are not so easily treated.”

“Oh? Doctor Han, are you able to treat heart conditions?”

“Heart ailments require remedies of the heart. External medicines can only address the symptoms, not the root.”

“Doctor Han, please come with me.” The magistrate led Han Chong into a private chamber and closed the door.

“These days, I have felt an unease in my heart. Please examine me.”

Han Chong’s interest was piqued. Outwardly, the magistrate showed no signs of illness, yet he suffered as the Princess had. No wonder he was so morose and reclusive.

“When did you first experience this discomfort, Magistrate?”

“It began a month ago. By rights, as a fourth-rank official, I enjoy the protection of the court’s fortune—free from illness and impervious to evil—yet now I am beset by a heart ailment. It is most strange.” The magistrate’s face was gloomy, the space between his brows darkened.

“Have you ingested anything unusual?”

“I have not.” He lay down and presented his wrist for Han Chong to take his pulse.

Han Chong frowned. How could a man in good health suddenly develop a heart condition? He placed three fingers on the magistrate’s wrist. In the Earthshade Medical Arts, pulse diagnosis was included. Focusing his spirit, he found nothing amiss.

Shaking his head, Han Chong said, “Magistrate, your pulse is steady and strong. There is no sign of illness. Perhaps this is a matter of the heart—has anything troubled you?”

The magistrate’s expression darkened further. “If I must speak of troubles, recently there have been uprisings in the surrounding counties, and some threaten to attack Yun Prefecture. But the city’s four gates are heavily fortified. Moreover, each quarter is guarded by one of the four Grand Commandants, all masters of the Celestial Realm. Even an army of one hundred thousand would find it impossible to breach our defenses. I should have no cause for worry.”

Han Chong’s eyebrows rose. All the prefectural troops were concentrated in the city, and the Grand Commandants were experts of the Celestial Realm—a level above innate masters, said to be able to defeat entire armies single-handedly. No wonder the fat magistrate was unconcerned by the unrest.

“Doctor Han, have you mastered the art of alchemy? It is said that in the capital, there are alchemists who can craft elixirs to extend life by one or even several centuries.”

“I am somewhat familiar with the art, but it requires years of dedication, rare spiritual herbs, and the finest alchemical furnaces. Such conditions are found only in the capital.”

“And these elixirs—do they have any side effects?”

Han Chong’s heart skipped a beat. Clearly, the magistrate had taken some illicit or counterfeit medicine but was unwilling to say so outright.

“Other types of elixirs may have unusual effects, but those meant to prolong life are essentially nourishing and should cause no harm.”

The magistrate’s heart tightened, his eyes bulging—he realized he had been deceived.

“Is there any remedy?” he asked urgently, grasping Han Chong’s hands.

“In all cases of poison or foreign substances, the original recipe or a sample is needed for analysis. Guessing blindly would be foolish.”

The magistrate slammed the table in frustration, sighing heavily and filled with regret. It seemed he had taken some rare elixir, only to feel unwell afterward.

“Doctor Han, you may go.”

“Take care, Magistrate.”

With such a critical matter, the magistrate still sought to conceal the truth. Clearly, this was no ordinary secret. Han Chong could do nothing but take his leave.