Chapter 165: The Superior Physician Heals the State

On the Qin–Chu border the great armies gradually massed, and the smell of war thickened by the day, while far away in Xianyang within the passes, Li Xin was completing the ceremony to pledge his troops before marching.

Amid the pealing of bells and drums, Li Xin's four-horse war chariot crossed Ba Bridge and began to advance eastward; tens of thousands of young men from within the passes would muster at Hangu Pass and await this General Li, who was commanding a great army in the field for the very first time.

Among the crowds seeing Li Xin off on the northern bank of the Wei River, the Palace Physician-in-Chief Xia Wuju, his temples already flecked with white, merely sat in his light carriage and watched the scene from a distance. He did not join the cheering; prompted only by a physician's occupational instinct, he shook his head at those fine young men of the Pass who were slowly receding into the distance, their hearts brimming with lofty ambition.

"How many of them, I wonder, will die of wounds, sickness, and sword-cuts…"

In his thirty years in Qin, he could no longer remember how many times he had watched a great army march east; naturally he had also grown accustomed to seeing, after the wars, crippled and maimed soldiers with severed limbs and broken legs being carted back to Xianyang.

"Today is a rest day; I need not take my shift at the palace. I shall go home. Wujiu has probably been waiting for me at home for quite some time."

After instructing the driver to head home, Xia Wuju closed his eyes. He did not know when it had begun, but the population of Xianyang kept growing, the accents in the city grew more and more mixed, and the road home from the outskirts grew longer and longer — much like the road he himself had traveled all these years.

Xia Wuju was not a native-born Qin; he was a man of Hann, a distant clansman of the line of Queen Dowager Xia, who had been married to King Xiaowen of Qin many, many years ago.

Although their cadet branch was descended from nobility, they had taken up the art of medicine, and so from his youth Xia Wuju had longed to enter Qin. In other respects Qin could not compare with the Central States, but in medicine it stood alone. Over several centuries, renowned physicians had emerged in Qin in droves, their skill bordering on the Dao and their art reaching the divine, leaving behind many tales and legends in the annals of the feudal lords.

As far as Xia Wuju knew, Physician Huan of Duke Huan of Qin's era and Physician He of Duke Jing of Qin's era had each been invited by Jin to treat Duke Jing of Jin and Duke Ping of Jin respectively. By then Qin and Jin were no longer bound by "the bond of Qin and Jin" but were hostile states in constant conflict; that Jin would invite physicians from an enemy state to treat its own ruler shows how renowned Qin physicians were abroad…

In the time of King Huiwen of Qin, Physician Qu had traveled to Qi and "lanced a boil" for King Xuan of Qi, curing him the moment his hand touched the ailment, for which King Xuan of Qi was deeply grateful.

After the death of the last Bian Que and the dispersal of the Physician School, Qin had clearly become the region with the most advanced medicine under Heaven, and Xia Wuju's heart yearned for it. So he came to Qin at the age of twenty, just when Queen Dowager Xia's son, King Zhuangxiang of Qin, succeeded to the throne, and the Xia clan had plainly become Qin royal in-laws. Relying on this connection, Xia Wuju was able to study under a famous master and also obtained a post as an imperial physician in the Xianyang Palace.

Queen Dowager Xia was very fond of this kinsman of hers; whenever the old lady fell a little ill, she would ask for Xia Wuju by name to take her pulse, and then she would chatter on and on about family matters…

But there were some things that Xia Wuju dared not respond to; not only did he not dare speak — he wished he could cover his own ears and not hear them at all!

For instance, the whispered gossip about Zhao Ji and Lü Buwei, about the young King of Qin who had succeeded to the throne, and about the King of Qin's younger brother, who was also Queen Dowager Xia's most beloved grandson, the Lord of Chang'an…

Fifteen years ago — Xia Wuju remembered it vividly — in that year, a comet visited Qin three times, bringing immense panic, and many believed that heaven was about to split and the earth to rend.

In the end, nothing happened; the comet's disappearance merely took Queen Dowager Xia's life with it.

What followed were several years of chaos. The last pillar of the Hann Xia clan as Qin in-laws, the Lord of Chang'an, Chengjiao, actually rebelled. Queen Dowager Zhao seized the chance to direct Lao Ai in a massive purge, and Xia Wuju was also thrown into prison at that time.

Only several years later, when the faction of Queen Dowager Zhao and Lao Ai was also crushed for plotting rebellion and attempting regicide, was he finally released.

Together with many other released prisoners, he waited in trepidation for the King of Qin's judgment.

The King of Qin actually still remembered Xia Wuju's name; he did not drive him away, but kept him on to continue working in the Qin palace.

"Wuju is skilled in pediatric medicine. When I was a child, he once treated me, and the illness vanished as soon as the medicine was applied. Now I too have an eldest son. Xia Wuju, you shall stay."

That was the reason the King of Qin kept Xia Wuju. Wuju was overwhelmed with gratitude, and for all these years he had attended the eldest prince, Fusu, with tireless devotion; at the slightest sign of illness, he would immediately snatch up his medicine chest and dash to the prince's side. Gradually, besides Fusu, Xia Wuju was also often summoned by the King of Qin to practice medicine at his side. After the King passed thirty, burdened as he was with heavy affairs of state, he would from time to time suffer ailments, and there were very few physicians he could trust.

Attending upon his sovereign, Xia Wuju grew even more cautious; in the palace hall, he hardly dared to draw a loud breath — until that audience two years ago.

The medicine chest in his hand came smashing down hard upon the assassin Jing Ke, who was chasing the King of Qin! The medicinal ingredients inside that chest — poria, angelica root, and the like — scattered all over the ground, and also paved a road to wealth and rank for Xia Wuju…

Two hundred yi of gold, and promotion to Palace Physician-in-Chief — Xia Wuju had made it, and his disciples rose along with him. Those who once could only treat patients of the Eighth Order could now enter the homes of the Ninth Order; all this was thanks to Xia Wuju.

Among Xia Wuju's several disciples, Chen Wujiu was one of the less successful. Even now, relying on the wound powder Xia Wuju had passed on to him, he could only treat centurions and five-hundred commanders in the army. In Xia Wuju's view, Chen Wujiu was neither his son-in-law nor particularly gifted, and his achievements in this life would probably be limited.

But just at this moment, Chen Wujiu had given Xia Wuju a great surprise, making Xia Wuju look upon this unpromising disciple with new eyes…

…

By the time Xia Wuju returned home and changed into a loose everyday robe, a servant came to report that Chen Wujiu was indeed already waiting in the reception hall.

Xia Wuju, however, thought for a moment and said, "Let him come directly to the inner chamber to see me…"

When Confucians describe a disciple's learning, they often use the phrases "ascending the hall" and "entering the inner chamber"; is this not also a reflection of the closeness between a disciple and his master?

In the past, Chen Wujiu had been merely an inconspicuous one among Xia Wuju's seven or eight disciples, permitted only to "ascend the hall." But now, Xia Wuju was letting him come directly to the inner chamber. This overjoyed Chen Wujiu. Upon entering the inner chamber, he prostrated himself before his master and knocked his head on the ground, saying, "Greetings, Master. Has General Li's great army been sent off?"

"Mm."

Xia Wuju took the pottery cup, rinsed his mouth with water, and answered only with a vague grunt. Chen Wujiu knocked his head again and said, "That being the case, has Master also submitted that proposal to the King, so that General Li can put it into practice at the front?"

Xia Wuju spat the water from his mouth into the bronze basin.

"That, I have not done."

He beckoned and had someone bring over a silk document, which he handed to Chen Wujiu.

The moment Chen Wujiu saw it, he realized — was this not the very silk document on which he had racked his brains to refine Heifu's proposal on "battlefield medical aid" and then passed it on to his master, asking him to review it and submit it to the King? Why was it still here!

Xia Wuju said, "I had indeed carried this silk document in my bosom when I stood before the King and General Li, but after much thought, I still did not submit it."

Chen Wujiu looked somewhat agitated and asked, puzzled, "Did you not, Master, specially recall me from Wei, have me demonstrate the bandaging and bleeding-stopping method offered by that platoon chief, and then praise it endlessly? And when you read our joint proposal on battlefield medical aid, did you not also greatly approve, calling it a fine policy to save lives and govern the state?"

Xia Wuju nodded. "That proposal is excellent. Besides saving the wounded and the dying and encouraging soldiers to fight without worries for what they leave behind, it can also greatly elevate the standing of us physicians in Qin."

The renowned Qin physician Yi He once said: "The superior physician heals the state; the next, heals the person; the inferior physician heals the illness."

Truly so. Now that Xia Wuju had already attained wealth and rank, he could not help harboring some thoughts of leaving his name in the annals of history. Relying solely on that medicine pouch he threw at Jing Ke was not enough; he wished even more to leave his name as a physician, to become a "superior physician."

This proposal was a fine opportunity. Once implemented, it would surely be a sweeping reform. Physicians would be responsible for training personnel specialized in emergency bandaging, who would then be assigned to the army; this would undoubtedly increase the power of him, the Palace Physician-in-Chief.

Xia Wuju affirmed the foresight of that proposal, but judging from his understanding of his disciple Chen Wujiu, Wujiu probably could not have come up with such a fine idea; most of the credit likely belonged to that Anlu County platoon chief called "Heifu."

Chen Wujiu grew even more perplexed. "That being the case, now that the King has sent General Li to lead the campaign against Chu and the flames of war have been rekindled in the east, is this not precisely the moment for this proposal to show its full worth? Why then…"

"Because there is not enough time."

Xia Wuju sighed. "Even if the King agreed, from implementation to rolling it out across the army would take at least three months to half a year. But the situation brooks no delay. General Li has already set out with his troops, and the army that previously attacked Wei is also waiting in place. This war will probably break out between the ninth and tenth months. Even if we began training immediately, there would not be time to assign personnel to every platoon."

Practicing wound-dressing techniques alone is not difficult, but organizing large numbers of people to learn them and extending the practice down to the army's grassroots units is no easy matter. If, in the end, money and effort were spent and the men were trained, yet in the end they were of no use in this war, would that not be fruitless labor?

What Xia Wuju worried about was not limited to this. There were some things he could not say plainly to Chen Wujiu, namely that, in truth, he did not have great confidence in Li Xin's campaign against Chu this time…

As the saying goes, clothes are not as good as new, but people are not as good as old. Over the past ten-plus years, Xia Wuju had no idea how many times he had watched the old general Wang Jian march out on campaign, and every time he had returned victorious. Whether the opponent was the tenacious Li Mu or the easily taken Yan army, he was always cautious; the more troops he led, the more prudent he became.

But Li Xin was different. This young man had never experienced setbacks, nor had he ever faced a well-matched opponent like Li Mu to test himself against. Thus, when deducing military plans on paper, there seemed to be no problems, but once the real fighting began, no one could say for sure.

Could this young general, known for his chariots and cavalry, truly command two hundred thousand troops well, and truly destroy Qin's greatest enemy in one breath?

So although Xia Wuju did not know the final outcome of this war, he could not help feeling that, on this expedition, Li Xin would at most take the Huai River's northern bank; to destroy Chu entirely? That would be very difficult.

"Wujiu, let me ask you: how does one become a renowned physician praised by all?"

Chen Wujiu raised his head somewhat blankly and recited a string of formulaic phrases Xia Wuju had taught him back in the day.

Xia Wuju, however, shook his head and said, "A renowned physician does not lie in how brilliant his medical skill is, but in strictly observing the Five Who Are Not Treated. First, the arrogant, rude, cunning, and unreasonable are not treated. Second, those who value wealth over life are not treated. Third, the suspicious and irresolute are not treated. Fourth, those too weak to take medicine are not treated. Fifth, incurable diseases are not treated."

"Given General Li's temperament, he favors swift attacks with chariots and cavalry and dislikes steady, methodical advances. Even if a proposal were offered, he might not necessarily implement it at the front. He falls under the category of the suspicious and irresolute."

"Furthermore, should General Li fail to achieve complete success, or even return in defeat, then the efficacy of battlefield medical aid would likewise fail to reach the King's ears. It could neither demonstrate the good of treating the wounded, nor prove that this policy can boost troop morale. Of what use would it be to the state? It would be like us treating a patient but failing to remove the root of the disease — not only would we receive no commendation, we might even be blamed for it instead…"

He patted the silk document on the table and said, "This plan requires sufficient time to prepare, and it must be placed within a battle that is absolutely foolproof. But the battle General Li Xin wants to fight is far from secure…"

When a physician obtains a good prescription, he cannot rush to administer the medicine. He must still simmer it slowly, and he must see whether the patient's constitution is suited to it.

"Let us observe further, let us wait a while longer! When the most opportune moment arrives, this old man will naturally present the plan to the Great King!"

…

Li Xin moved at extreme speed. He left Xianyang in mid-August, and by early September he had already reached Yangdi in Yingchuan Commandery.

Garrison troops and civilian laborers from Sanchuan, Yingchuan, Hedong, Shangdang, and Henei commanderies also assembled here, totaling one hundred thousand. Added to the one hundred thousand troops already deployed on the Qin-Chu border, the two hundred thousand men he had thumped his chest and guaranteed to the King of Qin were now all in place. The grain from the autumn harvest in each region had also been stored in the granaries; Aocang alone held over one hundred thousand dan of millet, and millet from Guanzhong was still being delivered in an endless stream — enough to keep the great army well fed…

The Chu side had likewise caught the scent that the Qin people were not coming with good intentions this time. After several attempts to negotiate through envoys ended in failure, the war faction led by Xiang Yan regained the King of Chu's favor and also began making war preparations, deploying heavy troops north of the Huai River. The two sides were at daggers drawn, a clash ready to erupt at any moment.

At the same time, in Yangcheng, Heifu learned that the Qin army's commander-in-chief really was Li Xin, and he cursed inwardly.

"I really have boarded a sinking ship. This battle looks like it's going to be a disaster…"

But the Commandant who had been dispatched to Yangcheng to command the five thousand troops from Nan Commandery gave Heifu a few glimmers of hope once more.

The Commandant was a distant clansman of Li Xin, named Li You. This man was the honored son-in-law of the King of Qin, having just married the King of Qin's eldest princess. He also had another identity.

"The son of the Commandant of Justice, Li Si…"

(End of chapter)