Yingniang's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.
Master Zhang hesitated for a moment before reaching out his hand.
"Alright."
Duoduo placed her hand on it without hesitation.
She felt the pulse beating beneath her fingers.
"Master, do you suffer from insomnia and nightmares? Have you been over-worrying, causing damage to your heart meridian?"
Duoduo stopped, looking at Master Zhang in slight surprise.
Master Zhang kept a straight face. "You can only stop after the diagnosis is complete. Are you done diagnosing? If so, write the prescription!"
Duoduo put away her surprised expression and placed her hand back.
"I'm sorry, I haven't finished yet."
This time, Master Zhang did not blame Duoduo.
Because what Duoduo said was correct.
As a doctor, Master Zhang knew his own body better than anyone else.
Moreover, he knew that he didn't have many years left to live.
There is an old saying: a healer cannot heal himself.
It wasn't that he didn't want to be cured.
It was that he knew treatment would be useless.
This was also the reason he agreed to the Prince of Pingyang's request to come and teach Duoduo.
He needed to leave something behind so that his trip to this world wouldn't be in vain.
If he took all his medical skills to the grave, he would regret it for eternity.
Duoduo's face also grew solemn.
Although she wasn't entirely sure, she felt that the Master's pulse did not seem like that of a normal person.
However, with her shallow knowledge, she couldn't figure it out just yet.
Duoduo withdrew her hand.
Master Zhang stopped stroking his beard.
"Finished? Have you thought about how to prescribe the medicine?"
Duoduo pulled a long face and shook her head.
Master Zhang's hand sped up as he stroked his beard.
"Master, you've already prescribed medicine for yourself, haven't you?"
"And the medicine you can prescribe isn't actually medicine!"
"Ouch!"
Master Zhang accidentally plucked out one of his beard hairs.
He glanced at the white hair in his palm and tossed it aside.
Then, he scrutinized Duoduo.
Duoduo looked back at him. "Master Zhang, did I say something wrong?"
Master Zhang slowly shook his head.
"Then could you diagnose what kind of medicine it is?"
Hearing Master Zhang's question, Duoduo immediately deflated.
"No, I just can't think of it, nor can I understand it."
Master Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.
"How did you determine it wasn't medicine?"
Duoduo looked up, her big eyes suddenly lighting up.
"Master, is it really not medicine?"
Master Zhang choked on his words.
"I am asking you, on what grounds do you say it is not medicine?"
"I taught you that under the heavens, anything that can save a life is medicine."
"Have you tossed my words to the back of your mind?"
Duoduo thought for a moment and nodded.
"Master, you are right. I was being too narrow-minded."
Master Zhang nodded.
"I told you before, medicine and poison are of the same family."
"Some things can harm people, but they can also save them."
"It depends on how the user applies them."
Duoduo had been hanging her head, listening to Master Zhang's lecture.
Hearing him speak, a flash of inspiration suddenly hit her mind.
"Master, I remember you mentioned a prescription that can paralyze a person and make them lose consciousness?"
Master Zhang looked at Duoduo with some suspicion.
"Yes, the ancient formula Mafeisan, which is brewed from many kinds of plants."
"Then is there any way to keep a person awake but unable to move?"
Duoduo looked at Master Zhang with a face full of anticipation.
Master Zhang habitually stroked his beard.
"When a person takes Mafeisan, their entire body will definitely lose sensation; it is impossible to remain awake."
"To remain awake while being unable to move, the only way is through needle sealing."
"Needle sealing?" Duoduo heard a new term.
"Yes, needle sealing."
"Needle sealing uses acupuncture needles on the relevant meridians to paralyze them, causing a loss of mobility."
Duoduo was overjoyed.
"Master, can you teach me how to do needle sealing?"
Master Zhang looked at Duoduo suspiciously. "Why does the Princess want to learn this?"
Duoduo's eyes darted around. "I'm just curious."
Master Zhang picked up a silver needle and gestured for Duoduo to hold out her hand.
He inserted the needle into Duoduo's hand, and she immediately felt her fingers lose sensation.
"Master, my hand can't move."
Duoduo was very excited, waving her little hand at Master Zhang.
Master Zhang pulled out the needle.
"If the needle is sealed for a long time, it will cause immense damage to the body. Therefore, it can only be sealed for the duration of one breath at most."
"Ah?" A disappointed expression appeared on Duoduo's face.
The duration of a single breath was far too short.
"Master, are there any other methods?"
Master Zhang stroked his beard.
"Even with poison, it is impossible to achieve both simultaneously."
Duoduo rested her chin in her hands, her little face scrunching up in worry.
If even Master Zhang had no solution, how could she help her father?
Her golden light could only save people, not harm them, right?
What should she do?
Duoduo grabbed a handful of golden light from the air. As she opened her hand, the golden light swirled around it and then merged into her palm.
Oh, her golden light could enter a person's body.
Then could she put Mafeisan into the exact location that needed to be anesthetized?
But how could she put the Mafeisan into the place that needed anesthesia?
It couldn't just drill its way in on its own like the golden light.
Drill?
Yes! Drill!
Duoduo clapped her hands together; she had figured it out.
Duoduo's sudden movement startled Yingniang, who was beside her.
Earlier, Master Zhang had stepped out, telling the two to rest for a while.
Duoduo had been lost in thought the whole time, and Yingniang hadn't dared to disturb her.
Duoduo's sudden clap made Yingniang jump.
"Duoduo, what's wrong?"
Duoduo snapped back to reality and gave Yingniang an embarrassed smile.
She looked around the room. "Where's the Master? Where did he go?"
"Master Zhang went to change his clothes. He'll be back in a moment."
"By the way, Duoduo, what were you thinking about just now? I called you for a long time, but you didn't answer me."
Duoduo looked sheepish.
"I was just thinking about something and got completely absorbed in it."
Master Zhang walked in carrying a stack of booklets, and Duoduo's eyes filled with eagerness.
"Master Zhang, could you give me the formula for Mafeisan?"
Master Zhang paused for a moment, then placed the thick stack of booklets in front of Duoduo.
"These are the medical records of the difficult and complicated cases I have encountered over the years."
"I specifically compiled them into these volumes for future generations to read."
"The Mafeisan formula the Princess wants is also inside."
"Actually, I was supposed to give you these booklets last time."
"I have already taught you the basic knowledge of pulse diagnosis."
"However, everyone's meridians are different."
"The pulse conditions for each illness are also different."
"For specific situations, the Princess will only gain experience by diagnosing more pulses."
"Merely studying is just theoretical; you must practice more to acquire further knowledge."
Duoduo looked at the thick stack of dozens of booklets on the table and opened her mouth wide.
"Are these all the illnesses the Master has treated? So many?"
Master Zhang stroked his beard.
"These are only the difficult and complicated cases. Ordinary illnesses were not recorded."
Duoduo opened the first page and was instantly captivated by the contents inside.
She completely forgot about the question she had wanted to ask just moments ago.
