"I—"
The young ger abruptly sat up from the bed upon hearing the diagnosis, stunned into speechlessness.
With trembling fingers, he touched his still-flat abdomen while staring incredulously at Ji Taoyu: "Little physician, are you telling the truth?"
Ji Taoyu nodded firmly: "The pulse of pregnancy is the most basic diagnosis for a physician, I couldn’t possibly mistake that."
"You’re already two months along. Nausea from greasy food, vomiting, and drowsiness are all normal. Don’t worry, just keep your mood steady and take good care of your body."
Ji Taoyu’s voice was soft and gentle, making it hard for the person outside the tent to hear.
The bearded man demanded anxiously: "Well? What's the matter?"
The young ger shielded his belly. He had thought he was infected with the plague and on the brink of death, but unexpectedly, not only was he unharmed, but he was also pregnant—a sudden stroke of luck.
Overwhelmed with shock and joy, he was momentarily at a loss for words. Hearing his husband’s voice at the entrance, he quickly waved him inside.
The bearded man immediately ducked into the tent, while Ji Taoyu stepped out.
Huo Shu took the medicine chest and led Ji Taoyu away: "Everything alright?"
Ji Taoyu shook his head: "He’s pregnant, just emotional, that’s all."
Huo Shu’s brow twitched slightly, seemingly surprised by the outcome, but he said nothing more. Since there was no issue, that was enough.
"Let’s head back."
They hadn’t gone far when the bearded man suddenly chased after them.
"Wait!"
Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu paused. The bearded man approached and gave them a martial salute: "Thank you."
"No need for thanks, it was just a small favor."
The bearded man said: "The little physician’s medical skills are extraordinary. I was blind not to see it earlier. Some of my brothers have been infected with the plague, showing symptoms exactly as you described. We haven’t been able to find a physician nearby, could the little physician take another look?"
Ji Taoyu pursed his lips. Diagnosing a pregnancy pulse was hardly proof of extraordinary skill.
But as luck would have it, he did know how to treat the current plague. Since he was already preparing prescriptions for the locals, giving them one wouldn’t hurt.
"I’ll have them brought out right away."
Ji Taoyu waved his hand: "No need."
The bearded man’s thick brows furrowed, thinking Ji Taoyu was unwilling to help.
The plague was no ordinary matter, it was understandable that people would avoid it. That was why their previous physician had fled after diagnosing the plague, fearing infection.
With men falling ill one after another and no physician found along the way, even the villages they passed were suffering. Though no one said it aloud, panic had long set in.
If they brought the sick back to Yuchang Prefecture, the entire stronghold might be infected.
But as the leader, he couldn’t abandon his brothers.
On top of that, his fulang had fallen ill, leaving him utterly overwhelmed.
Fortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm—a silver lining in this misfortune.
He knew diagnosis and treatment were two different things, but with no physicians in sight, Ji Taoyu was their only hope. No matter what, he had to plead for help.
Just as he was about to offer a hefty reward, Ji Taoyu pulled out a prescription from his medicine chest.
"Not long ago, some of our own were infected with the plague, which is why we’ve been camped here to recuperate. After taking the medicine, they’ve mostly recovered."
Earlier, the young ger’s severe discomfort was just morning sickness—he wasn’t infected. Thinking there was no major issue, Ji Taoyu hadn’t mentioned it.
"You already have a prescription…?"
The bearded man was stunned. He had expected the best outcome to be temporary symptom relief, never imagining they already had a complete cure.
It was like rain after a long drought, or spring wind in bitter cold!
"Our group is small, and we have limited medical supplies, we can only provide the prescription."
The bearded man immediately said: "No matter. We’ve brought our own medicine. If you could just help prepare the doses, we’d be grateful. If anything’s missing, I’ll find it myself."
It wasn’t a difficult task, so Ji Taoyu agreed.
The bearded man boomed: "Quick, bring the medicine chests for the physician to prepare the doses!"
"Brothers, we’re saved!?"
"Saved!"
Cheers erupted throughout the camp.
Huo Shu followed Ji Taoyu to prepare the medicine. The Wuyang bandits convoy had dozens of cargo crates, looming darkly in the night.
Several burly men were tasked with fetching the medical supplies.
"Not this crate, you fool!"
A heavy crate thudded to the ground, its lid slightly cracked but not yet opened when the bearded man kicked it shut.
The scent of cypress and pine briefly filled the air before fading. But Huo Shu’s sharp nose caught a faint metallic tang beneath the woody aroma. He said nothing, though he could guess what these people were transporting.
Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with them.
Still, it offered a glimpse into the current state of affairs.
Huo Shu’s brow tightened imperceptibly.
"There’s so much medicine! It’s almost as much as in Grandfather’s medical hall!"
Ji Taoyu’s exclamation snapped Huo Shu out of his thoughts.
The bearded man had hauled out three large crates of herbs, each big enough to hold four or five Ji Taoyus.
Inside were roots, flowers, and leaves of all kinds—enough to make Ji Taoyu’s eyes light up.
The bearded man said generously: "We bought these medical supplies in Lianping Prefecture to take back to the stronghold. Little physician, if any catch your eye, feel free to take them."
Though intrigued, Ji Taoyu didn’t rummage through their belongings. After selecting the herbs needed for the prescription, he handed them to the bearded man’s men and carefully explained the brewing method.
By the time they finished, it was already late. Ji Taoyu was drowsy—finally, he could rest easy.
Thank you for the update!!!
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