Chapter 83: What

"Your gaze looks strange, huh."

In the carriage, Fang Chongyong noticed that Anaye's eyes seemed to carry scrutiny and doubt.

"Um, my father told me yesterday that I can't inherit the medical hall; at most I can only open a pharmacy."

Anaye said dejectedly.

A medical hall and a pharmacy may sound similar at first, but the underlying complexities cannot be summed up in a few words. In the Tang dynasty, moving from a medical hall to a pharmacy was essentially a drop in social rank.

"If opening a medical hall were that easy, the suitors who come to your house would have already broken through the threshold. Wouldn't gaining both wealth and status be wonderful?"

Fang Chongyong said slowly.

A poor boy courts a medical officer's daughter, masters medicine, wins a beautiful wife, then opens his own medical hall and becomes an Imperial Physician, and so on.

Such a story is fine to imagine, but it can't happen in these times.

The High Tang was prosperous, yet the invisible barriers and ceilings between social classes were everywhere, omnipresent.

To open a medical hall you must have a "business license"; obtaining that license requires taking the imperial examination's "Medical Section" or the Grand Medical Office's professional test.

At minimum, you must have studied at the Imperial Academy and possess a certain professional background—such as a family tradition of practicing medicine—to be eligible for a business license.

These are intangible social thresholds and one guarantee of a medical officer's status. They are a powerful force rooted in society; not just anyone can break them, even Ji Ge's imperial edict would have little effect.

Hearing that, Anaye was startled, as if recalling something, then gave a wry smile and said, "You're good at everything, but you speak too bluntly."

She knew from a young age that her face was stunning enough to kill. Yet strangely, even though her father was a high-status medical officer, no suitor ever came to propose.

Now that she thinks about it, only a military household could marry her, and her father would certainly disapprove. Moreover, anyone without a medical officer's "license" cannot inherit the medical hall; if the hall is downgraded to a pharmacy, it will still fall to the same social tier.

Matching families is a very practical marriage issue. Anaye's situation is: the families of men her father deems unworthy, and the families her father approves of would never take a girl of Western Huji blood as a primary wife.

"I've treated a wound for a Xin army officer; he's already the youngest military envoy in the entire Hexi region, and now he's approaching his thirtieth year."

"How old are you this year, and how could you become a deputy military envoy?"

Anaye asked curiously.

"Actually I'm still a court Inspector-General of the Thousand Cattle Guard, Grand General, and Provincial Staff Officer, acting as the White Pavilion Army's military envoy. I don't even know how many official posts I hold."

Fang Chongyong sighed helplessly.

To him, titular positions are merely for drawing salary. Actual positions are even worse; each one is a nightmare of trouble.

Take, for example, the deputy military envoy of the White Pavilion Army. Though it's a minor post with no real duties, he must solve practical problems to keep good relations with that group. Running from White Pavilion Sea to Liangzhou City wears the inner thighs raw and torn.

"Looking at you, I feel becoming an official is pretty easy."

Anaye couldn't help but exclaim.

I heard this kid in front of me is a year younger than her, yet already holds multiple posts.

"Never mind, they're all useless."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand, unwilling to tell Anaye that his father is Fang Youde, Military Governor of Youzhou. Everything he has now is spoon‑fed by his father; without him, he's nothing.

"Um..."

Anaye hesitated.

"Hm?"

Fang Chongyong noticed that Anaye was talking more today.

"I want to go to Chang'an to study medicine."

Anaye said through clenched teeth.

"In our Great Tang, physicians can basically be divided into three categories: those explicitly recognized as doctors, those only with writings or titles, and those who understand medical theory but don't practice it as a profession. Only the first type can practice medicine directly."

Nevertheless, obtaining official recognition is essential. Without a government license, it's almost impossible to escape a tangle of troubles.

In Chang'an, places to study medicine include the Grand Medical Office under the Court of Rites, the Pharmacy Bureau under the Department of Palace Affairs, and the Medicine Repository under the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace. The first does not accept female physicians; the latter two do, but essentially only to serve the court, and they may never marry.

If admitted, the school is guarded by palace eunuchs, and the conditions are akin to those of palace slaves.

Of course, a female physician might be noticed by a saint or a royal noble and become a consort or the like. Then her status changes and she is no longer a physician. In short, once you step in, there's virtually no chance of leaving the palace.

"This path is narrow and hard; have you really thought it through?"

Fang Chongyong finished, and saw Anaye's pretty face flushing red and white, her wheat‑colored long hair trembling, her water‑like blue eyes filled with terror.

Women studying medicine are only to treat noblewomen in the palace, and might even become consorts if noticed?

Anaye simply wants to inherit her father's medical hall; before boarding the carriage today, she intended to study in Chang'an, return with a medical hall "license", and practice medicine within Liangzhou City.

She didn't expect this road to be a dead end, at least not the one she wanted.

What Anaye doesn't know is that the Liangzhou Prefecture can also issue medical licenses, but the hard part isn't who issues the license, but the physician's own "diploma".

This is a shared interest of the entire medical class; no one is willing to open a backdoor.

To open a medical hall you must have a diploma; there's no inherent logic, it's simply a straightforward way to block certain people from entering the profession.

"Chang'an is so complicated."

Anaye let out a slightly fearful sigh.

After spending time together, she thought Fang Chongyong was really nice, without the airs of aristocratic offspring; whatever questions she had, he answered.

One could never guess that Fang Chongyong already holds considerable power as an official.

"Actually, it's not that there's no way; it's just that I don't have the energy to employ this method."

Fang Chongyong said slowly.

"What method?"

Anaye, excited, grabbed Fang Chongyong's hand and wouldn't let go.

"You should become a Taoist priest and practice medicine under the guise of a Daoist healer."

Fang Chongyong calmly withdrew his hand from her slightly rough palm.

"Simply put, this can be done in three steps."

First, you enter the Grand Medical Office as a male and study medicine; there are many classics and many daughters of bureaucratic families learning there. Their study and life are unhindered, but they cannot graduate.

Step two, after you finish learning, you are expelled, then you become a nun and a female Daoist.

Step three, I will find you a benefactor, have her vouch for you, to legitimize your medical skill. Then you can obtain a Daoist doctor qualification certificate and open a clinic.

The method he mentions is actually the path many bureaucrats' daughters take. These "female Daoist doctors" usually serve the families of the bureaucratic class. Truly opening a clinic and appearing publicly is as rare as a phoenix feather.

"The problem now is that I can't find such a benefactor."

Fang Chongyong spread his hands toward Anaye and said.

"At least it's far better than entering the palace directly."

Anaye exhaled in relief, feeling that Fang Chongyong's suggestion seemed quite reliable.

"Chang'an… isn't a place for someone like you; I think it's a dragon's pool and tiger's den."

Fang Chongyong sighed and continued to ask, "Why are you so obsessed with going to Chang'an?"

"Because my mother is in Chang'an. Back then a powerful noble took a liking to her and she went with him to Chang'an, so I must go to Chang'an and see what was so good there that made her abandon us!"

Anaye said through clenched teeth.

A woman being coveted and then taken away… seems to fit the way the Chang'an nobles operate. From Ji Ge to the young men of Wuling, they all seem to like that sort of thing.

Anaye, being a child, obviously doesn't understand her mother's past hardships; the orders of the nobles aren't something a border‑town physician can refuse.

Perhaps her husband is also in trouble now; it's too tragic.

Fang Chongyong felt uneasy and couldn't bring himself to tell Anaye these speculations.

"Your mother has started a new life; you shouldn't disturb her."

Fang Chongyong comforted Anaye.

Little did he know that Anaye had been opening her heart to him and Yan Yuesè along the way, even telling them what flowers and colors she liked. After hearing that sentence, she fell silent, said nothing on the road to Baiting Sea, and never showed a pleasant expression again.

…

After the Battle of Dafeichuan, Tubo, to block the Tang army from entering Menyuan via the Hexi Corridor, built a fortress at the strategic pass of Tiger Gully, stationed troops there, and constructed the Jinba Tai Ancient City. This occurred in the third year of Xianheng (673 AD), and Tubo named it "New City."

Thereafter, the Tang army in Hexi was in a complete strategic disadvantage; the Tubo forces, if they wished, could at any time descend from the heights into Dadouba Valley and cut off the Hexi Corridor. This could restrain the Great Tang's Hexi Military Governor's Office, Anxi Protectorate, and Beiting Protectorate, totaling over a hundred thousand troops!

The area south of Tubo's New City has become one of its war‑launching bases; if it is not seized, the Tang army in Hexi will have to garrison its forces along the Liangzhou line and cannot support the Western Regions.

Thus, Cui Xiyi chose this spot as the first stage of breaking the deadlock.

The Hexi forces selected three thousand youths under twenty as an independent unit, personally led by Chishui Army Envoy Wang Zhongsi.

Ten medical officers accompanied the troops, using the commonly found Tubo herb Soro Mabu (red rhodiola) mixed with small amounts of Codonopsis, Chinese yam, and Astragalus to make a prescription for urgent military needs. Soro Mabu is supplied in the Tubo army for the Zamp and senior officers' daily marches; the Tang army had long known this intelligence but, not understanding its significance, paid little attention.

After Fang Chongyong proposed the Yang Qi Theory, the Hexi Military Governor's Office urgently procured a batch of Soro Mabu and prepared a targeted prescription for "lung deficiency syndrome" to address special marching conditions.

To reduce bodily burden, the Tang army for this expedition abandoned iron armor, using light leather armor instead, assigning two horses per person to ensure horsepower.

The Hexi Corridor (non‑mountainous) sits at about a thousand meters altitude, while Tubo's New City lies between three and four thousand meters.

After three days of forced march, Wang Zhongsi finally reached Tiger Gully.

At that moment, the hills were covered with wild grasses blooming with flowers. Along the sloping, winding road, the sides were dotted with a series of oddly shaped hills.

Each hill was low, yet the overall terrain rose upward. The landscape was both open and complex. The Tubo New City, perched on a flat mesa, stood on a nearby hill. From afar, its low walls seemed as thin as a fingernail.

It was a small city, but its altitude made it hard to assault.

Wang Zhongsi squinted, gazing at the Tubo New City on the nearby hill‑mesa, weighing whether to charge on horseback or have the soldiers climb.

The terrain of the steppe differs entirely from that of the official road; although both appear flat, marching across them is completely different.

Horses can stride the steppe as if on level ground, but people running there easily stumble, feeling pits and unevenness everywhere.

The Tubo New City commands an open terrain that blocks this wide, winding thoroughfare, so troops cannot be hidden; the Tubo garrison is not blind and a hard battle is inevitable.

The difference lies only in when the Tang army should strike!

"Wang Military Envoy, we can use a feint. At night send a hundred men with gongs and drums to make noise before the New City; when the enemy leaves, we retreat immediately; the Tubo will be confused and surely not dare to pursue."

Do this for three consecutive nights, and the Tubo will be unable to sleep.

If they dare to pursue later, our ambush will capture them all.

If they do not pursue, three days later we will assault the city by day; the Tubo, accustomed to our night harassment, will be fatigued by day and fall in a single battle!

Cui Qianyou, beside Wang Zhongsi, whispered a suggestion. This expedition was strongly recommended by De Kang Tai and Qiang, so Cui Qianyou also joined the ranks as one of the ten generals, overseeing a unit of five hundred men.

Cui Qianyou regarded it as his sole path to promotion!

After hearing the suggestion, Wang Zhongsi pondered silently, offering no objection, thereby indicating his stance.

Cui Qianyou, pleased, continued, "Wang Military Envoy, during the day we can graze half the horses on the mountain and swap them the next day.

Let the Tubo garrison grow complacent and look down on us; if we can lure them out of the city to seize horses, all trouble is avoided."

"Good, handle the night raid yourself. I will arrange the other matters."

Wang Zhongsi nodded slightly, saying he had already adopted Cui Qianyou's suggestion.

"Understood, I will see to it!"

Cui Qianyou, excited, clasped his hands and bowed, saying.

Since Hebei was unjustly stripped of his military registration by Fang Youde, Cui Qianyou thought his life was over, but unexpectedly a turn of events arose!

Achieving merit and establishing a career is now within sight!

…

"What is this?"

Fang Chongyong pointed at a barren shrub and asked Anaye.

"Isn't this just goji berry? You claim to know everything, yet you ask me?"

Anaye replied irritably; Fang Chongyong's good temper made her feel she could speak freely.

"Hey, I was just joking earlier; of course I know that's goji berry."

Fang Chongyong gave an awkward smile, waved his hand, and pointed to an unfamiliar plant nearby, saying, "What about this?"

"This is fennel; it can be used in cooking or medicine, but not for any major prescription."

Ana Ye also put away her petty temper and began to explain very professionally.

For a child who does odd jobs all day in the medical hall, practicing medicine and inquiring about herbs is her entire life, at least the vast majority of it.

"Fennel!"

Fang Chongyong pondered in silence.

This thing is useful, but it can't sell for much money. It's the same as goji berry.

Let's go, let's look elsewhere.

Fang Chongyong turned to leave, but Anna Ye suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

"The medicines here, and even those of all Hexi, cannot be sold at a price. I've been gathering herbs since I was young; I know every herb and its price better than anyone. Don't waste your effort."

Anna Ye begged Fang Chongyong, then went on: "Your leg has only just improved a little; why don't you rest a bit longer instead of doing something that will surely have no result?"

"Medicine and prescriptions are two different things. If you ever go to Chang'an to study medicine, this will be your first lesson. Only medical officials who can write prescriptions will be respected; if you merely dispense medicine, you'll only be able to scrape by at the bottom of this profession."

Right away I'll let you know what is meant by 'a prescription worth a thousand gold.'

I'll teach you for free, no charge.

Fang Chongyong waved his hand at Anna Ye and walked on by himself.

Anna Ye watched his back, suddenly feeling that this half-grown child was unfathomable, indeed profoundly mysterious to the extreme.

(End of chapter)