Luoyang
Tang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong arrived in Luoyang.
"…Just how far does Luoyang stretch?"
"I don't know. I can't even grasp it."
Back when they left Chongqing and spent their days on the boat, a certain merchant had once said: "If you've only seen Chang'an and Luoyang, you've seen half the world already."
At the time, Mujin had dismissed it as boastful nonsense. But now that he had actually set foot in Luoyang, he realized it was no exaggeration.
Up until now, Tang Mujin had seen many large cities.
Chengdu was the largest city in Sichuan, and Chongqing was famous for its grandeur and beauty.
But neither Chengdu, nor Chongqing, nor even all the little towns he had passed through combined, could measure up to the sheer scale of Luoyang.
They say Chang'an is even bigger than Luoyang. How could that even be possible?
Tang Mujin and Dan Seolyeong wandered through Luoyang like a pair of country bumpkins.
The way they kept craning their necks and gawking about was laughably conspicuous, but no one thought it strange—because there were countless others just like them in Luoyang.
"Where are we going first?"
"Let's do as the old man said—head either to the Sima Clan or to the Huashan Sect's Luoyang branch."
"Which one first?"
"To the Sima Clan. Better to enter a great clan as a retainer than a branch sect, don't you think?"
They asked directions along the way and set out toward the Sima Clan's residence.
As they walked, Mujin couldn't help but notice how many people in Luoyang looked like martial artists.
Everywhere he turned, there were people with swords at their waists. Some carried bizarre weapons he couldn't even name.
He even saw someone carrying an iron stylus. Mujin had heard such a weapon existed, but this was his first time seeing one.
Every kind of person imaginable is here.
At last, they reached the gates of the Sima Clan.
Two guards with imposing builds and neatly-kept attire stood watch before the great gate.
As Mujin approached, one of them—a bearded man whose facial hair was neatly groomed—spoke.
"What business brings you here, young man?"
"I've come seeking temporary lodging with the Sima Clan."
"Lodging?"
"Yes. As a retainer…"
Mujin's voice lacked confidence, and his expression carried a trace of embarrassment.
The other guard turned his head slightly and stifled a laugh.
The bearded guard gave his fellow a stern glance before looking Mujin up and down.
About twenty years old. Fair skin. Hands not too calloused. Either a novice with the sword, or someone who's only been learning a short while.
His eyes shifted to Mujin's belongings. The first thing that caught his eye was the sword at Mujin's waist.
The scabbard and hilt were plain wood, with not a single ornament. There wasn't even a cow-horn tip on the sheath, which most swords had.
And to top it off, he'd brought along a young girl.
Probably just a greenhorn trying to look good in front of the girl he fancies.
The guard didn't find it distasteful—everyone went through such a stage.
But as a guard, he couldn't just let anyone stroll inside. He glanced briefly at Seolyeong before lowering his voice and asking,
"Young man, do you have any special skills?"
"I've studied medicine, I can handle the sword a little, and I've picked up some blacksmithing and carpentry…"
A textbook case of someone dabbling in everything but mastering nothing. The guard pressed further.
"Which clan do you belong to? Or from which sect did you learn the sword?"
"I am of the Sichuan Tang family. But I have no sect."
"And do you have acquaintances within the Sima Clan?"
"None. But an elder I know told me to come here…"
"And who might that be?"
"Goiyi Chung ."
The sudden mention of a famous name made the guard's expression tighten, like an older brother chastising a younger one.
"Young man, we can overlook many things. But you mustn't throw around the names and titles of martial figures carelessly."
The Sima guards had seen it countless times—reckless youths trying to claim ties with martial artists they had barely brushed shoulders with, just to gain benefits, only to get caught in a lie.
True, Goiyi had indeed visited the Sima Clan recently. Perhaps this boy had seen him in passing.
Of course, Tang Mujin was innocent.
But he found it difficult to argue back at length. It was clear the guard spoke out of genuine concern, and besides, Mujin had no solid proof of his connection with Goiyi.
I could show them the medical book… no, that won't work. No one would believe some nameless tome is Goiyi's legacy.
The next thought was to demonstrate his mastery of the Heart-Soul Sword. But could the guard even recognize it? And he certainly didn't want to draw his blade in front of the many passersby.
To draw steel at the gates of a great clan could lead to serious trouble. Even if things went smoothly, he'd only make a spectacle of himself.
Mujin hesitated for a long while, until the guard gave him a kindly smile and said loudly enough for Seolyeong to hear,
"You possess useful skills, but alas, the timing is unfortunate. The Sima Clan is not accepting retainers at the moment. Please return another time."
Mujin awkwardly stepped back. Seolyeong looked at him with a mischievous grin.
***
Instead of going to the Huashan Sect's Luoyang branch, Mujin and Seolyeong found a clean inn and unpacked their belongings. Naturally, they took two rooms. Money was no concern.
In fact, Mujin discovered more than one money pouch among his things. In his haste to leave, Goiyi had forgotten to take back the pouch he had entrusted to Mujin.
Finding the silver inside plentiful, Mujin's spirits rose at once.
With this much money, there's no need to swallow my pride as some clan's retainer.
Seolyeong, perched on a chair, asked,
"So, what now?"
"We came to Luoyang to broaden our horizons. I should find a good physician here, lend a hand, and learn medicine."
Until now, Mujin had taken pride in the Tang family's medical knowledge.
But in vast Luoyang, he naturally grew humble. How many countless ailments must its people have suffered? How many countless cases had its doctors treated?
Seolyeong hopped up from her chair.
"Then I'll look for work too."
"What kind of work?"
"There's bound to be a skilled carpenter somewhere."
Would any carpenter truly need the hands of a small girl like Seolyeong? Mujin almost said so, but held his tongue. In a city as immense as Luoyang, such a carpenter or two might well exist.
"Then, let's meet back here by evening."
"Got it."
They parted ways and left the inn.
***
Mujin asked around and soon found a large clinic.
It was easily twice the size of the Tang Family Clinic, with a plaque above the gate that read: Guísōng Clinic .
The air beyond the gate was thick with the scent of Chinese angelica root, instantly putting Mujin at ease despite the unfamiliar surroundings.
Perhaps because the hour was off, there were no patients waiting.
Instead, a stocky man brewing medicine in the courtyard approached Mujin.
"Where do you hurt, young man?"
"I'm not ill… I was wondering if you might need an extra hand."
"Hmm. Follow me."
The man's demeanor shifted in an instant as he led Mujin into the consultation hall.
There, a physician who looked to be in his early forties sat at the head of the room. From his bearing, he was clearly the head of the clinic—though younger than Mujin had expected.
The physician asked,
"Where does it hurt?"
Before Mujin could answer, the stocky man interjected,
"He's not a patient. Says he's looking for work."
"Hmm."
The physician studied Mujin's appearance. His skin wasn't darkened from labor under the sun, meaning he was probably literate.
"I am Son Sunggeom. And you are?"
"My name is Tang Mujin."
"Have you read any medical texts?"
"I've read the Inner Canon (Neijing) and the Treatise on Cold Damage (Shanghanlun)."
The stocky man who had brought Mujin in flinched.
His name was Jong-sam. Before entering Guísōng Clinic seven years ago, he could already read a little, but he had never studied medical texts.
While working odd jobs at the clinic, he had, little by little, studied the Treatise on Cold Damage. Only recently had he finished reading it, and he had been quietly proud of that achievement.
Seven years was not an especially long time to finish the Treatise on Cold Damage. Many spent over a decade struggling with it.
For the Treatise was far more difficult to read than ordinary books. Not only did it contain many rare characters, but its contents were also heavily condensed.
To truly master it, one first had to read several other books, then study the Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jingui Yaolüe) alongside it. In many regions, simply being versed in the Treatise was enough to earn the reputation of a fine physician.
And now, out of nowhere, a young man appeared, claiming to have read both the Treatise and the Inner Canon.
At this rate, Jong-sam's standing in the clinic might be in jeopardy.
Son Sunggeom gave an order.
"Jong-sam, test him. Pose a question about symptoms and prescriptions."
Jong-sam racked his brain for a passage from the Treatise.
"If the pulse is floating, urination is difficult, there is slight fever, and thirst that isn't relieved by drinking water—what should be prescribed?"
A brief, simple line from the Treatise. The answer: Wulingsan (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria).
Yet the question was deceptively tricky.
The Treatise was an excellent text, but not a perfect one. Being so ancient, some of its prescriptions had long since been replaced by better ones. This passage was a classic example.
Mujin's father, for instance, would often prescribe Lianggesanhuatang (Cool the Diaphragm Powder) for such cases. Goiyi, meanwhile, had favored Liuweiwan (Six-Ingredient Pill) combined with acupuncture to regulate the interior.
Wulingsan? Lianggesanhuatang? Liuweiwan? Which should I say?
Mujin hesitated, then asked,
"…Must I give only one answer?"
"Of course."
Mujin fell into thought again. He quickly ruled out Wulingsan. This was one of the most basic lines in the Treatise. There had to be a reason they chose it.
Then could the right answer be Liuweiwan, Goiyi's choice?
But no—he couldn't be certain. Goiyi disliked spending time decocting herbal soups, so he often prescribed pills that could be prepared quickly. He also combined them with acupuncture for better effect.
But it was unlikely that Son Sunggeom or Jong-sam would apply acupuncture infused with inner energy.
Which left only one safe answer. Mujin spoke with confidence.
"Lianggesanhuatang."
He studied their expressions. Neither looked satisfied.
"…Liuweiwan is also effective."
Still not right. Mujin hurriedly added a third answer.
"Wulingsan is, of course, also widely used."
Jong-sam smiled with relief.
Three tries to land on the answer? Clearly I'm the better man. Even if this boy joins, my standing won't slip.
Son Sunggeom's thoughts ran along similar lines.
It seems he really has read the Treatise, but not thoroughly enough to have mastered it. Still, that's more than adequate.
Even Jong-sam, who had once never touched a medical text, had managed to become useful in time. Mujin, though incomplete in his studies, seemed to have at least read through the Treatise. His upright demeanor and earnest nature were also plain to see.
He already knows the names of prescriptions. There's no need to teach him entirely from the ground up.
With a little experience, he could become a capable hand.
And if Jong-sam were tasked to guide him carefully through the Treatise, all the better.
Son Sunggeom gave a warm nod and smiled kindly.
"Very well. For today, get some rest. From tomorrow morning, report to the clinic."
Despite the lukewarm reaction earlier, the acceptance was swift and generous. Mujin gave a respectful bow with clasped fists.
"Thank you. I will see you tomorrow."
"Good."
Thus, Son Sunggeom found himself an unexpectedly promising helper, Jong-sam was relieved not to be last in rank anymore, and Tang Mujin secured employment far more easily than he had imagined.
All three left with satisfied hearts.