Chapter 1: Even Circumcision Leads to Time Travel?

In the fifth month of late spring, outside Shangyang City, the capital of the Great Liang Kingdom.

The lingering glow of the setting sun outpaced a convoy escorting medicinal supplies along the official road.

Jiang Yunzhou, seated on the lead blue‑maned horse, wore a face as still as water, pondering the problem that had troubled him for three days:

How did getting circumcised cause me to time‑travel?

I was a medical student who had done years of grunt work for my advisor without ever earning a co‑authorship on a paper.

After barely making it to near graduation, I accidentally discovered that the hospital's recent string of medical accidents were actually caused by unqualified pharmaceutical companies secretly collaborating with my advisor.

I therefore promptly gathered evidence of their wrongdoing and, overnight, wrote up the materials to report them.

To celebrate taking down this medical scourge, I decided to get circumcised.

It symbolized cutting off the filthy thing that restricted my growth and development.

But I never expected that, after the needle went in, I would wake up already in a carriage heading to the capital of Great Liang, with new memories flooding into my mind.

Jiang Yunzhou, who had grown up since childhood in Dream Marsh City of Mist Prefecture, was an orphan picked up by Jiang Enji, the proprietor of Jian'an Hall.

Twenty years ago, Jiang Enji adopted me and taught me martial medicine; after his death, because his ninth younger sister opened a medical clinic in Shangyang City, I came to the capital to pay respects to my kin, as per his dying wish, and also to deliver the precious medicinal materials.

At the same time, my master Jiang Enji, on his deathbed, told me that something closely tied to my origins was kept with his old friend in the capital, Minister of Justice Dong Yun, and that I should bring a letter to retrieve it.

Sitting on the horse, organizing my thoughts, I heard a passing girl softly exclaim beside me:

"Which family's young master is that? He's so handsome."

"Wow! Really? Shh shh shh! They're looking over here."

What a handsome face: features warm and smooth like jade, eyes deep as a lake, lips pale and teeth bright, hair black as lacquer, strikingly elegant in his bearing; dressed in a blue robe, he seemed like a divine being.

Alas, this handsome face of mine has never found a use from childhood to now......

Because the skill my master Jiang Enji taught me is the Pure Yang Child Technique.

To keep my pure yang energy abundant, I have these years avoided all contact with women.

When training, I also frequently took large amounts of tiger‑and‑wolf medicines.

But upon reflection, what does that have to do with me?

I'm a time traveler, and I have no obligation to continue practicing the Child Technique.

In my previous life I was busy only with experiments, having no time for lowbrow vulgar pleasures; this life I must absolutely not repeat the same mistake.

After twenty years of practice, can't I finally enjoy myself?

According to Great Liang's martial arts evaluation system, someone like me who has only cultivated inner strength but cannot yet systematically apply it in specific techniques is merely a lowest‑rank ninth‑grade martial artist.

In martial‑valued Great Liang, for ordinary people the three orthodox paths of cultivation—martial, Buddhist, and Daoist—are the only legitimate ways.

Outside the orthodox, everything is heterodox; for a medic like me, if I don't early choose an orthodox path, I'll normally top out at seventh rank.

In medicine, my master Jiang Enji passed down to me a fragment of the Set Needle Technique, entitled Record of the Yin‑Yang Mysterious Needle.

Unfortunately, as my master said, this needle technique only has the "yang" half‑volume; yet even with just that half, he was regarded as a divine doctor in the locality.

Beside him rode a gaunt old gray horse, its rider—Uncle Hu, thin‑bearded with goat‑like whiskers—raised his hand and said:

"Yunzhou, we've arrived!"

Uncle Hu's original name was Hu Wei; in his youth he was a martial swordsman, gravely wounded and saved by Jiang Enji, and later, to repay the debt of his life, he retired to the jianghu as a retainer at Jiang Enji's side.

Of course, that's his version.

Jiang Enji's version is: this brat couldn't pay his medical fees and had no travel money, so he simply decided to stay put.

Unlike the strict Jiang Enji, Steward Hu is more or less an old playmate of Jiang Yunzhou, and many jianghu tales I've heard come from him.

Unlike my master Jiang Enji, who only taught me to save lives, Uncle Hu has always taught me only how to kill.

Jiang Yunzhou stretched lazily on horseback, his eyes flashing with a wolf‑like green glow, and said:

"Finally, we're here."

Uncle Hu seemed to notice something, smiling as he reminded:

"Yunzhou, the capital Shangyang City is different from Mist Prefecture—talented people and auspicious lands, beautiful women like clouds; you'd better be able to resist temptation."

Seeing Uncle Hu's expression, one could tell he was experienced; I wondered whether this old fellow had once come to Shangyang City to indulge in pleasure‑seeking in his youth.

Jiang Yunzhou spoke righteously:

"Uncle Hu! Am I that kind of person?"

"Am I the sort of person who gives up sensual pleasures for cultivation?"

"Since I have a chance to live again, of course I want to live freely according to my own principles!"

"With integrity intact, what's wrong with being greedy for wealth and fond of beauty?"

After the carriage squad gained permission from the city gate guards, it marched straight into the city without any preamble, forcing the already crowded capital streets to reluctantly part and make a narrow lane leading to the heart of Great Liang.

——————

On the north side of Outer City Cheng Hua Avenue stood an ancient wooden building in a corner of the bustling market.

Its bare, unpainted sign bore only the three forceful characters "Cang Medical Hall".

In the room by the window on the second floor, a lovely young woman in the prime of her youth sat at the desk writing medical notes.

A pale‑green gauze dress wrapped around her allure, a water‑blue silk soft‑gauze ribbon at her waist tied into a butterfly knot, her black hair adorned with a silver pin shaped like a tiny lingzhi; her apricot‑colored eyes fixed on the medical text, sometimes her jade‑like fingers flew across the page, sometimes her red lips bit the pen.

She was the proprietor of Cang Medical Hall, known by the nickname "Hai Tang Medical Official," Shen Qingu.

Deng deng deng!

The maid Bai Zhi ran upstairs, caught her breath, and knocked before entering, saying:

"Miss, the aide sent to check the city gate has returned, but still no sign of them."

Shen Qingu set down her brush, walked to the window, and slightly furrowed her brows, a mature woman's worry showing in her expression.

"The letter arrived half a ten‑day period ago; by rights it should have arrived by now."

Bai Zhi leaned in, curious, and said:

「Miss, how come I've never heard you speak of this young master of our house? 」

Shen Qingru sighed:

「My elder brother was the best at medicine among his peers; he served in both the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Ministry of Justice, but he was stern‑minded, offended some court officials and jianghu forces in his youth, got tangled in an officialdom scandal, and likely brought trouble to the family, so he left the Shen clan, retired to Mist Prefecture, and changed his name to Jiang Enji. 」

At that time I was still very young; I heard these things later from my elders. Because my elder brother left the clan, the family forbade anyone from visiting or mentioning him. I only went to see him once when I was young, accompanying a trip to the south to procure medicine. Although he was old‑tempered and eccentric, his reclusive life was fairly peaceful.

「Oh oh, what is this adopted nephew of yours like? 」

Seeing Bai Zhi's eager look, now that she had just come of age, Shen Qingru lightly tapped her forehead and said:

「Don't get your hopes up—he's four years younger than me. When I saw him as a child, his skin was dark, his hair messy and tangled, he chubby‑cheeked, holding his round face there memorizing the acupuncture point chart, nervous and mistakenly calling me, his little aunt, 'little auntie'. 」

A flicker of disappointment crossed Bai Zhi's eyes, and she quickly masked it, saying:

「No, Miss, I was just asking about his medical skill; if it's good, I could have him sit in consultation. 」

「What are you thinking? He's only twenty; he's probably just started on the medical path. When he arrives, let him first study properly under the teachers. 」

「Yes, yes, yes—there's no one with looks and talent unmatched like yours, Miss. 」

「Flattery. 」

Just as they were speaking, the shop assistant downstairs knocked on the door and reported:

「Manager, Sir Wei of the Imperial Medical Bureau has arrived. 」

「Oh? 」

As Shen Qingru said, the old Blue Medicine Pavilion was sealed off precisely because it was implicated in an officialdom scandal, and the former owner soon passed away.

Later generations all switched to other trades, but because Shen Qingru was still young, exceptionally talented, and keenly interested in medicine, the elders made an exception and passed on their medical skills to her.

After Shen Qingru completed her medical training, she opened this Blue Medicine Clinic in hopes of restoring the Shen family's medical reputation.

Unfortunately, times have changed; the name "Blue Medicine" is hardly known anymore, and everything must start from scratch.

However, Shen Qingru is quick‑witted; she took advantage of Shangyang City's lack of female physicians to focus on treating women, gaining some recognition while also building her own unique network of female confidantes.

Even the Imperial Medical Bureau purchases some female‑specific secret formulas and prepared medicines from the Blue Medicine Clinic; this Wei Zongluo, Sir Wei, is the bureau's purchasing medical officer, a rank of eighth grade.

Shen Qingru lifted her skirt and went downstairs to the rear hall, where she saw a kindly old man in a purple robe sipping tea.

「Sir Wei. 」

「Manager Shen. 」

「It's not yet the day for month‑end purchases; Sir Wei, what brings you here for a visit? 」

「Alas, to be frank, I've heard that the Imperial Medical Bureau may suspend purchasing prepared medicines from you, so I came specially to inform you. 」

Shen Qingru's beautiful eyes widened in alarm as she said:

「Oh? Why is that? 」

「I've heard that Commissioner Zhou of the Imperial Medical Bureau says your prepared medicines' efficacy has never been tested. 」

「If they doubt the potency, they should notify for testing—why the sudden halt without notice? 」

「Let me add a few words: in jianghu parlance, Commissioner Zhou comes from the Flourishing Longevity Pavilion…」

The Flourishing Longevity Pavilion, after the Blue Medicine Pavilion was shut down, became the foremost medical house in the jianghu, with branches throughout the Nine Provinces and also the largest supplier of medicinal goods to the imperial court.

It not only boasts extensive connections at court, but also wields great power in the jianghu, backed by major clans such as the Chu family of Ji Prefecture.

Its original pavilion head, Chu Tianxiong, is the chairman of the capital's medicinal guild, which was supposed to guarantee quality and fair prices for patients but has now become a tool for his own enrichment.

To practice medicine in Shangyang City, the capital, one cannot do without the Flourishing Longevity Pavilion's approval.

But Shen Qingru paid no heed; on one hand she refused to go with the flow, and on the other, according to the elders in her family, the Blue Medicine Pavilion's closure might have been orchestrated by the Flourishing Longevity Pavilion.

Now having the Imperial Medical Bureau refuse to purchase prepared medicines from her is clearly a show of force by the Flourishing Longevity Pavilion.

Shen Qingru lightly clenched her fist, suppressing her anger, and said with a smile:

「If that's the case, there's nothing to be done—thank you, Sir Wei, for the private notice. Bai Zhi, pack two boxes of the fresh, high‑quality gastrodia from Shu Prefecture for Sir Wei. 」

「Manager Shen, you're too polite. 」

Shen Qingru had just walked with Wei Zongluo to the entrance when she heard someone shout at the Blue Medicine Clinic's door:

「It's Sir Wei! Quick! Bring him inside! 」

Looking toward the sound, she saw a woman in a light‑red flying‑fish uniform standing at the door, waist‑belted with a goose‑feather dagger, heroic and spirited, with bright eyes and white teeth, sword‑shaped brows and phoenix eyes, a strand of black hair falling over her brow, her expression radiating heroic vigor—she looked like a banner officer of the Pacification Office.

The red‑clad female banner officer was turning to help her companion, a similarly dressed man, into the clinic.

Ugh!

Before Wei Zongluo could ask what was happening, the man being supported in spat out a mouthful of filthy blood.

Shen Qingru frowned at the color of the blood‑spittle on the ground and said:

「Is he poisoned? 」