Chapter 370: Medical Consultation

After receiving authorization at the General Bureau that very night, Nan Wang reappeared before Fang Tangjing the following noon.

Fang Tangjing naturally had no idea what work Nan Wang had accomplished in that single short night; he simply followed his elder brother cheerfully to attend the "family banquet." It was only at this point that Fang Tangjing felt a slight twinge of surprise: Nan Wang had not mentioned a single word about the matter of starting a family the day before.

And Nan Wang naturally could not tell him that information like starting a family required prior approval before it could be disclosed. Fortunately, these issues had all been resolved by now. So not long after, Fang Tangjing met his new sister-in-law inside an American-style wooden house in a certain district.

The "Seven" Liu Niang who had once been kept in a cage by the salt merchant was now the mother of a two-year-old boy. With her short hair, unbound feet, and a bank uniform, Liu Niang had long since shed the delicate frailty of a caged bird, replaced by the capable efficiency and confidence unique to local women.

And when Liu Niang saw Fang Tangjing, dressed in a long robe and raising his fan, come forward to prostrate himself and kowtow, loudly proclaiming "Your younger brother pays respects to his sister-in-law," she could not help but cover her mouth and laugh heartily — it had been a very long time since Liu Niang had experienced this sort of Ming People mannerism.

After paying respects to the sister-in-law, host and guest sat down to prepare for drinking, and Liu Niang also promptly laid out on the dining table the dishes her family... had ordered from a restaurant.

As it happened, Nan Wang's family never cooked at home.

Ever since Nan Wang became a 007 with a mysterious and unpredictable schedule, he often did not eat at home. And Liu Niang, having been trained in literacy and painting by the old madam back in the day, was quickly trained in accounting after arriving in Dayuan, becoming a sorely needed bank employee.

Currently, Liu Niang was already the Audit Section Chief of the Imperial Reserve Bank, busy to the point of near-death every day; even her two-year-old son Bai was placed in a nursery. The couple simply had no time to cook. So the so-called family banquet Fang Tangjing ate today was, in truth, entirely dishes bought from a restaurant.

In fact, this was the lifestyle chosen by the majority: Ming People households forcibly reorganized by the Transmigrators had completely abandoned the old extended-family model. Certain black-hearted individuals intent on mining society's productive potential wished they could use women as men and men as beasts of burden — how could they possibly give households time to cook three meals a day?

Nurseries, daycare centers, elementary schools, middle schools, large mess halls... these facilities supporting dual-income workers now spread across every district, continuously increasing in number according to population ratios.

The mess hall model not only saved resources, reduced waste, and was cheap, but most importantly, it helped citizens save time... the trade-off was simply that the food's level of exquisiteness could not compare to one's own home.

However, this one point could be compensated for by eating out at restaurants on Sundays. Although there were no two-day weekends, the masters were, after all, merciful enough to give a day of rest. Moreover, before coming to Dayuan, the majority of immigrants had never actually eaten anything that could be called proper food; to them, the mess hall was already top-tier.

Nan Wang and his wife sat down with Fang Tangjing and began eating the family banquet.

Since both Nan Wang and his wife were advanced white-collar workers, the dishes brought to the table today were all expensive, substantial fare: braised beef, bamboo rat in generous oil, and sliced-skin roast duck.

What they drank was wine.

Wine was an alcoholic beverage the Transmigrators had been diligently promoting. In this era where grain was incomparably precious, promoting fruit wine consumption among the populace was something any competent government ought to do.

"What the superiors favor, the subordinates will surely pursue to excess." The Transmigrators now not only drank wine themselves in public settings, but also levied high alcohol taxes on all grain-based liquors. Thus, elite figures with sharp senses of smell like Nan Wang had long since been quietly altering their drinking habits.

After clinking glasses of blood-red "Cabernet" with her newly acquainted uncle, Liu Niang, who had received prior instructions, began eating hurriedly. After wolfing down a few bites, she slung her deerskin handbag over her shoulder, bid her uncle farewell, and then, to the click-clack of her wedge-heel leather shoes, rushed off in a whirlwind to work overtime.

... After Liu Niang left, Nan Wang and Fang Tangjing, just the two of them, finally began drinking in earnest. After this, Nan Wang, aided by a slight tipsiness from the wine, slowly recounted the story of him and Liu Niang.

After listening to this thrilling elopement story, Fang Tangjing displayed a considerable degree of astonishment. This was not because of Liu Niang's appearance — the various grievances and entanglements between literati and courtesans were already a cliché in the Ming Dynasty; Fang Tangjing had seen too many outcomes, and Nan Wang's situation could only be considered standard procedure.

What Fang Tangjing had not expected was that Nan Wang had actually turned misfortune into a blessing because of this very incident, being rescued from pirates by the Transmigrators and thus embarking on a different path in life.

Before this, Nan Wang had only simply told Fang Tangjing that he had been recruited by "noble patrons." He never imagined that when the details were told today, there was actually a hidden chapter about being rescued from the jaws of death. So after Fang Tangjing fully digested this, he broke into a cold sweat on Nan Wang's behalf: "Elder Brother, you truly suffered — you nearly lost your life at the hands of sea bandits!"

"Ah, that day, fleeing for my life out to sea, your foolish brother had no other choice. Worthy Brother, you are unaware, but this Liu Niang was a virgin courtesan the salt merchant master had bought at great expense. Having committed such an act, your brother could not remain in Hangzhou for even a moment longer; I was no better than a stray dog."

"Heh heh, Elder Brother, you are still a man of fortunate destiny after all — it was fated that you should have this noble patron's aid!"

Hearing Fang Tangjing say this, Nan Wang also nodded repeatedly. After the two clinked another mouthful of wine, Nan Wang continued: "Worthy Brother, you know the name of that salt merchant master. On this return trip to Hangzhou, I must ask you to secretly make some inquiries and see what has ultimately become of Liu Niang's case."

Upon hearing this was the matter, Fang Tangjing could not help but thump his chest grandly: "Such a trifling matter is hardly worth mentioning. How about when I return, I petition our family master to step in and settle this matter once and for all?"

"There is no need for that." Nan Wang shook his head repeatedly at this. "On this matter, Worthy Brother need only help your foolish brother make some inquiries. As for the rest, your foolish brother has his own plans."

"So it shall be, then." Fang Tangjing nodded in agreement.

The recounting of old matters ended here. Nan Wang next prepared glass cups and a warm pot, and the two moved to the wooden walkway outside the wooden house's door. While drinking sobering tea and enjoying the light, refreshing cool breeze, they began to chat about the future.

Nan Wang first reviewed Fang Tangjing's previous work records. After this, he nodded, then told Fang Tangjing: upon returning, study the matter carefully with Master Huang, then send him the selected project and the results of the local research in Hangzhou, so that he could help arrange things on this end.

Fang Tangjing nodded repeatedly.

Then Nan Wang gave Fang Tangjing his mailing address in Dayuan: P. O. Box 76, Yunfei Road, Chikan District.

After this, Nan Wang again exhorted Fang Tangjing: be sure to choose a project that can establish a workshop in Hangzhou. That way, they could slowly wait for opportunities to receive technology transfers from this side. Once they possessed core technology in the future, Master Huang's enterprise could seize the chance to grow large.

Fang Tangjing naturally engraved his elder brother's words of wisdom upon his heart. He was now brimming with ambition, just waiting to return to Hangzhou and coax his family master into paying silver to start the enterprise.

The next moment, however, Nan Wang revealed a mysterious smile. He first beckoned Fang Tangjing to finish his tea, then the two went to the inner room to wash their faces and brush their teeth to remove the smell of alcohol. Once all this was done, Nan Wang took out a set of his own clothes from a camphor wood cabinet, tossed them to Fang Tangjing, and gestured for him to change into them.

Fang Tangjing was utterly shocked on the spot!?

"Haha." Nan Wang first laughed heartily a few times, then told his worthy brother: he intended to take Fang Tangjing to the hospital for a medical consultation. Considering that Ming People often faced many inconveniences at the hospital, Fang Tangjing now needed a uniform change.

Once Nan Wang explained it this way, Fang Tangjing understood. So Scholar Fang cheerfully changed into Nan Wang's hoodie and trousers, and imitated him by tying his long hair into a ponytail and stuffing it into the hood.

Not long after, two figures of similar build and similar attire emerged from the district. They waited for the bus at the district entrance, rode directly to the terminal stop at Chikan Street, and then walked on foot to Chikan General Hospital.

The Grade A hospital of every plane of existence was always packed with people, and today was no exception.

After Nan Wang led his brother into the hospital, they did not go to the crowded front building, nor to the inpatient department, but went straight to an inconspicuous two-story building at the very back of the hospital.

Along this entire journey, Fang Tangjing, following behind, firmly remembered his elder brother's exhortation: just remain silent and wear a smile on your face.

Upon reaching the building's entrance hall, there was, as expected, a security checkpoint. Fortunately, Nan Wang's credentials were quite effective: the term "Technical Investigation Bureau" was on file with security personnel everywhere, so after realizing the visitor's identity was a dog spy, the guard quickly let them pass.

Dog spy Nan Wang led the utterly silent Fang Tangjing up to the second floor, and then in front of the office door at the very end, after once again producing his credentials to pass the personal bodyguard's checkpoint, Nan Wang gently knocked and opened the door.

The Transmigrator, the bald Master Miaoshu, Comrade Bai Shuchao, was at this moment inside the office, engaged in flirtatious banter with two nurses ING...

Upon seeing Nan Wang enter with a face full of smiles, Master Bai coughed once, his expression turning slightly stern, and opened his mouth to ask: "Who are you?"

"Hello, Director Bai, I am Nan Wang, from the Intelligence Bureau. Last time, I was the one who sent you that Japanese female nurse..."

"Oh... I remember now. Not bad, your Intelligence Bureau handles its assignments very well." Bai Shuchao nodded at this, then turned his head and shot a meaningful glance at the nurse beside him. After the nurse walked away, Master Bai then extended his hand, gesturing for Nan Wang to sit before him: "Speak, what's the matter?"

"Oh, it's like this: an elder suffers from a chronic ailment and wishes to seek some information from you, Director."

"Mm, I figured it would be something like this. Go on, what chronic ailment?"

"Foot pain; when it flares up, he cannot sleep at night..." Nan Wang was thoroughly familiar with Master Huang's condition and hurriedly began describing it to Master Bai.

"Alright, alright." Before someone could say much more, the Great Master interrupted: "This is called gout, a rich man's disease. That elder of yours surely loves eating seafood, like hairy crabs, and also loves to drink."

"Yes, yes, yes, Director, your foresight is divine — that is exactly the illness." Nan Wang nodded repeatedly. "May I ask, can this illness be treated?"

"Surgery. However, this illness cannot be covered by medical insurance; all consumables like anesthetics need to be billed through your Intelligence Bureau's accounts."

The next moment, Fang Tangjing, standing behind Nan Wang, swallowed his saliva. He saw the "laptop" that Nan Wang had mentioned during their walk over while giving him a heads-up: a shiny silver folding board, which when turned around, was a luminous glazed mirror.

Master Bai had by now turned the laptop around; the screen was displaying photograph after photograph of gout patients' swollen knuckles and joints, along with images of the white uric acid crystals removed after surgery.

After listening to the Great Master's illustrated explanation, Nan Wang had grasped seven or eight-tenths of an understanding of gout, and Fang Tangjing had also understood the most crucial part: his master's foot ailment was a trivial matter before this divine physician.

After this, Nan Wang, still wearing an ingratiating smile, inquired about the next symptom: years of childlessness.