After thinking for a while, Ji Yuan looked up at the sky. In a gust of wind, a paper crane flapped its wings and flew over. Soon it landed on Ji Yuan's shoulder, pecked at his clothes twice, and then flew into the brocade bag on his chest.
"You've worked hard. You take a rest. It's time for me to take a rest too."
After all, he hadn't slept for a long time. If he was to know where to sleep most comfortably, it would of course be his own home. Even though it was already dawn, Ji Yuan wanted to go back to bed and take a nap.
The long-lost bed was still comfortable as ever. Everything was fine except that the sheets and quilts in the closet had a musty smell. Ji Yuan solved this small problem by simply dusting them with his hand.
The work and rest schedule of the people in Ning'an County has always been like that. Even though it is winter now and there is much less time needed to take care of the fields, the people in the county still get up very early.
Only Ji Yuan was like "I sleep alone when the sun is high in the sky". He slept until the sun was high in the sky and there was no sign of him getting up. However, the little paper crane, after a night's rest, had once again crawled out of the brocade bag and through the crack of the door, and was strolling in the yard outside.
There were also some rustling sounds in the courtyard. It was a group of young students talking in low voices, or rather, quarreling in low voices.
Because the master Ji Yuan was sleeping, even these small words were subconsciously lowered in volume for fear of waking the master's sweet dream. As a result, Ji Yuan slept until noon.
Around noon of the next day, Ji Yuan turned over comfortably in his bed and then stood up.
"Huh..."
Sometimes it is a kind of enjoyment to yawn and stretch comfortably.
After putting on his clothes, he went out of the yard again. Perhaps it was just the psychological effect of having a good sleep in his own home, but Ji Yuan felt refreshed.
Go out, eat some braised noodles at Sun Ji Noodle Stall, and then take a walk around the city. Ji Yuan experiences his hometown in his own way.
Of course, apart from this, he also had some things to do, which were entrusted to him by Qin Zizhou, so after strolling around, he went around to the north of the central street of Ning'an County and went to the famous Jirentang in the county.
When he arrived at Jirentang, Ji Yuan saw that the elderly Doctor Tong Xiantong was still sitting in the hall. From time to time, patients came to see him. Not only were there people from Ning'an County, but there were also patients from distant towns and villages.
It was not until Doctor Tong finished prescribing soothing and calming medicine for the last pregnant woman that they had time to stop for lunch.
"Master, it's time to eat. I'm heating up Li's wontons for you!"
A middle-aged man nearby calculated the time accurately. After his master finished seeing the patient, he immediately ran to the medicine stove outside the door and opened a large casserole.
Amid the billowing steam, the man glanced at Ji Yuan who was watching this side from the street outside, muttered something in confusion, and then took care of the things in the pot.
There was no medicinal soup inside, but a bowl of hot wontons with big stuffing. The man had thick skin and tough flesh, and it was winter, so he was not afraid of getting burned by the edge of the casserole. He simply reached in through the gap, took out the bowl of wontons, and quickly carried it inside.
The man brought a large bowl of wontons with a spoon and placed it next to Tong Xian's examination table.
"Master, eat it while it's hot. As doctors, we have to eat on time. It's almost noon today."
However, the man discovered that his master was not looking at the steaming wontons, and then he discovered that his master was not looking at him either.
"Move aside."
"ah?"
"Hey I told you to get out of the way!"
Tong Xian is in his seventies or eighties, but he is still very strong. If it were other old men in Ning'an County, they would have been buried by now, but he pushed his strong body away and looked somewhere outside the pharmacy.
Ji Yuan couldn't help but laugh when he saw this scene. It seemed that Doctor Tong not only learned the medical skills from his teacher Qin Zizhou, but also the way of health preservation.
After seeing Ji Yuan approaching Jirentang clearly, Tong Xian subconsciously stood up from his seat.
"Mr. Ji?"
Tong Xian's voice contained a hint of disbelief, and he even rubbed his eyes, while Ji Yuan had already walked into Jirentang and bowed.
"Doctor Tong has good eyesight and memory. In Ning'an County, Doctor Tong is the first person who recognized Ji at first sight."
After hearing the upright and peaceful voice of confirmation, and seeing Ji Yuan's appearance and the manner in which he walked, Tong Xian quickly returned the greeting as if he had just woken up from a dream.
"Mr. Ji, it really is you! It's not that I have good eyesight, but I heard an old man who came to Tianniufang for treatment say last night that Mr. Ji might have returned. I can't help but take a few more glances at someone who looks like you!"
Tong first looked around and dragged a chair over.
"Mr. Ji, please take a seat. Have you eaten? I have a bowl of wontons here. They're from Li's. Although they've been heated up, they should taste pretty good."
"No, no, I've already eaten Sun's braised noodles. Doctor Tong, hurry up and eat. Your disciple is right. There is a time to eat!"
The middle-aged doctor next to him also looked Ji Yuan up and down, and only then did he react.
"Are you Mr. Ji? Yes, of course you are Mr. Ji. You look exactly the same as you did back then. You haven't changed at all! Sir, please take a seat, take a seat!"
This doctor was not even twenty years old at the time, but he had benefited from Tong Xian's help and had eaten the fruit from the jujube tree in the courtyard of Ju'an Xiaoge. Also, because he was an apprentice in the pharmacy, he was influenced by Tong Xian and knew more about Ji Yuan's affairs than the common people in the county who were just there for fun.
Ji Yuan sat down directly. As a doctor, Tong Xian subconsciously looked Ji Yuan up and down and saw that he looked very good without any signs of old age. The skin from his face to his hands was plump, and with his full head of black hair, he looked like a man in his prime.
"Sir, you are truly a god!"
Tong first exclaimed in admiration, then picked up the spoon and took a bite of the wonton. After feeling hungry again, he ate several more in a row.
"Mr. Ji, I'll boil some water for you to make tea!"
The man next to him was not idle either. After saying this, he hurried to the inner hall. There was still boiling water in the medicine stove, but it had not yet started. He had to add some fire to make tea.
In front of Ji Yuan, under the influence of a peaceful and light atmosphere, Doctor Tong's initial excitement eased, and he talked to Ji Yuan while eating.
"I haven't seen Mr. Ji for more than ten years."
It was this sentence again. Ji Yuan had heard it a lot recently, so he just smiled and nodded.
"Yes, it's been a long time, so long that few people in Ning'an County recognize me."
"Hahaha, then sir, you should have come to see Tong first. He would definitely recognize you!"
Having said this, Tong Xian ate a few more wontons, chewed and swallowed them before speaking again.
"I've heard people say before that you passed away in a foreign land, and that your belongings were sent to Lord Yin by someone else. I said it must be a rumor!"
“Hahahahaha… there’s such a thing?”
Ji Yuan couldn't help but laugh. Such a thing could be spread. Rumors really don't discriminate between society and time.
"Yes, it was said that you had tuberculosis and died in the carriage on your way home. It was also said that after receiving your letter, Lord Yin sent someone to rush a thousand miles to bring your body back to Ning'an County, but it was nowhere to be found..."
Ji Yuan was stunned when he heard this.
"So detailed? When did this rumor come about?"
Can you really make up a complete story with just a little clue
Tong thought for a moment.
"It's been at least six or seven years. Two years ago, Yin Gong returned to his hometown to worship his ancestors. I was hesitant about whether to go and ask him, but after thinking about it, I decided not to."
Ji Yuan was really amused and shook his head and smiled.
"It's a good thing that Doctor Tong didn't ask, otherwise Master Yin might have gotten angry."
"If you are angry, then be angry. Find those gossipers who made up stories and punish them. It will teach them a lesson!"
Although Tong has grown old, he still has a clear sense of right and wrong.
Having a good teacher to lead the way will benefit you for a lifetime, whether it is in terms of making a living or improving your character and morality. Master, as the saying goes, once a teacher, always a father. The responsibility of teaching by words and deeds is fully reflected in this.
Thinking of Qin Zizhou, Ji Yuan took out a scroll from his sleeve and placed it on Doctor Tong's desk.
"Mr. Ji, what is this?"
Tong Xian looked at Ji Yuan in confusion.
"Doctor Tong, your master Qin Zizhou had some friendship with Ji in his early years. He once left some things to Ji and asked me to keep them for him. He said he would give them to his disciples when the time is right. Ji has been wandering outside for many years, so I will give them to you when I come back this time."
"Master's things? Why didn't he give them to us himself?"
Doctor Tong asked in confusion at first, then quickly put the remaining two wontons in the bowl into his mouth. After that, he took a towel beside him to wipe his hands, and then carefully picked up the scroll and opened it bit by bit.
There are very few words on the scroll, but there are quite a few pictures, showing a person standing in various postures, and some gentle movements.
"Is this, martial arts?"
Tong Xian looked at the actions of the little man above and exclaimed in confusion, while Ji Yuan shook his head.
"No, this is not a martial art. It is a kind of health-preserving exercise from the Taoist school. You don't have to practice martial arts day and month like a warrior. Just practicing these postures every morning will have a good effect on strengthening your body, but persistence is the key."
Tong Xian looked at the scroll of pictures for a long time before asking a question.
"If this is effective, can it be passed on to patients?"
Ji Yuan thought for a while before speaking.
"Medical practitioners can learn, and patients can learn, but how many ordinary people are willing to spend half an hour every day on this? If the pain is not unbearable, there won't be many people coming to seek medical treatment."
"Oh, that's right. It seems that the teacher found this picture for us doctors to treat ourselves!"