Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 9 That's not how Father taught us!

The morning air was slightly cool, and a thin layer of light enveloped the courtyard.

Jiang Yi was only wearing a single shirt, his feet planted in a horse stance, and he moved gracefully according to the diagrams in the old book.

Although the movements were not fast, they were very steady, revealing a serious and meticulous spirit.

The two boys beside him were also gesturing along.

Jiang Ming was older and his posture was stiff, his arms were taut like wooden sticks, and he would occasionally glance at his father.

Jiang Liang is still young, with short legs and an unsteady center of gravity. He wobbles after only standing for a short while, like a puppy learning to walk.

Jiang Yi didn't say much.

Seeing that his eldest son's shoulders were hunched, he stepped forward and gently pressed down on them, signaling him to relax his shoulders and drop his elbows.

The child's stance was severely skewed, so I squatted down and gently helped him up.

The movements were extremely patient.

Liu Xiulian leaned against the door and watched.

Thinking back to a few days ago, her husband secretly practiced his kung fu in the house, his movements so clumsy that it was unbearable to watch.

Now, when he teaches the children, he is very methodical and quite competent.

She couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile, her eyes crinkling.

Before the laughter had even finished, footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard. The rhythm was unhurried, but the footsteps sounded familiar.

Doctor Li arrived, his medicine box slung across his shoulder. As he stepped through the door, the soles of his shoes made a crisp, dusty sound.

Jiang Yi didn't even bother to wipe his sweat before telling the two boys to continue practicing. He then hurriedly went to greet them and invited them into the house.

Doctor Li didn't say much today. He put down his medicine box, sat down, and went straight to take Liu Xiulian's pulse.

He placed his fingertips on the wrist pulse, closed his eyes, and his expression calmed down.

After a moment, he nodded slightly, his tone flat:

"The pulse is steady and the pregnancy is going well, so there's nothing to worry about."

After saying this, he wrote several more doses of herbal medicine as usual to strengthen the body and stabilize the pregnancy.

Hearing this, Jiang Yi felt a little more at ease.

Doctor Li took out several packets of medicine from his medicine box and bent down to count them.

Jiang Yi then helped Xiulian back into the house to rest, leaving the door half-closed.

When I came out, the water on the stove was already hot, and the tea leaves were freshly dried from the past few days.

He found a rough porcelain bowl, soaked the ingredients, and personally handed it to Doctor Li.

The old book on the table was still there. Jiang Yi casually picked it up, flipped to the last few pages, and handed it over with both hands.

"Brother Li has a keen eye and solid medical skills."

His voice was low, carrying a hint of probing.

"I don't know if this thing is reliable or not, so I'll have to trouble you to take a look."

Doctor Li took it, squinted at a few lines, and stroked his goatee with his finger.

His face showed little expression, and after reading it, he slowly said:
"It's a prescription from the government, aiming for balance and harmony, and it's quite appropriate."

His tone was lukewarm, and he paused here.

His gaze shifted from the page to Jiang Yi's face, a slight gleam appearing on his face:
"However, a prescription is one thing, but getting the medicine, decocting it, and taking a bath... there's a lot more to it than that."

He held up a finger and tapped it on the page:

“Take this herb ‘Scrophularia’ for example. Whether it’s grown in the ground, wild in the mountains, one or two years old, or twenty years old stock from an old pharmacy, the price difference can be three to five times.”

"This stuff is all about the right combination. If you use the best main ingredient, you can't use inferior ingredients for the others. If you replace them all with old ingredients, then this whole pot of soup is made with money."

He took a sip of hot tea, savored it slowly, and added:
"It's not that we can't use it, but if we want to use it properly, we have to consider our financial situation. We need to be able to support the people and also have the financial resources."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's lips curled into a slight smile, a hint of probing in his expression:
"So... if I choose some with more reasonable prices, how much silver would it cost?"

Li Lang knew exactly what was going on in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face, still looking down at the page.

It was as if he had carefully counted each of those medicinal herbs in his mind.

After a moment's hesitation, he finally spoke, his voice still unhurried and deliberate:
"I know the quality of some old medicinal herbs in the shop, so I'll charge you based on the cost price."

He pointed to a piece of paper and said, "These few ingredients have to be sourced from outside, so the price will be higher."

"If you calculate it this way, one dose of medicine... will cost around five hundred coins." He paused, then added, "If you use it sparingly, it can be applied two or three times."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi, though already aware of the situation, couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly.

Five hundred coins is neither a lot nor a little; normally, a season's worth of soybeans would only earn enough for two doses of medicine.

Martial arts is definitely not a profession for the poor. The saying "the poor study literature, the rich study martial arts" is not without reason.

Although the family still had some savings, with their third child about to be born, how could they not leave some money as a safety net?

After a moment's thought, his face remained impassive, and he simply smiled and nodded.

"Brother Li, please take one dose first, and I'll test its effects later."

Knowing his temperament, Physician Li neither advised nor questioned him, but simply nodded in agreement.

He placed the several medicines for preventing miscarriage on the table, said that he would bring them over once the medicinal bath was prepared, picked up the medicine box, and went out the door.

The sunlight slanted in from outside, making the ink on the medicine paper appear slightly bluish.

Jiang Yi stared at the prescription, lost in thought for a moment, before finally letting out a soft sigh.

In the following days, the sun continued to rise in the east and set in the west, and the scenery remained ordinary.

However, the mornings in the Jiang family courtyard looked different.

The previously gentle and leisurely Five Animal Frolics has now been replaced by the stance training of the county magistrate.

The posture is simple and unadorned, emphasizing a firm foundation and deep breathing. It is quite upright when practiced, but it lacks a bit of leisure.

As the spring wheat in the fields was about to be harvested, Jiang Ming, having finished his studies, was suddenly free from constraints and became a frequent visitor to the back hills again.

The mountains and forests were overgrown with weeds, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone, though his mother grumbled a few times.

On this day, Jiang Yi stayed by the stove, preparing medicine for Xiulian.

While busy inside, he asked Jiang Ming to lead his younger brother to practice martial arts in the yard, as a way to keep an eye on the little one.

Before an incense stick had burned, a dispute broke out in the courtyard.

The voice wasn't loud, but the tone was stubborn.

Upon closer listening, it was Jiang Liang's childish voice shouting:
"No! No! That's not how Father taught us! You're wrong!"

The child waved his arms and legs wildly, pointing at his older brother's legs and pulling at his arm, sweat beading on his forehead in his anxiety.

His posture suggested that the stances he had learned from his father were the most inviolable rules in the world.

Jiang Ming, however, wasn't buying it. His voice was low, but it revealed the stubbornness of a young man:

"No, that's not true! I'm telling the truth! Don't talk nonsense!"

He stood ramrod straight, his feet rooted to the spot, refusing to budge no matter how his younger brother tried to pry him up.

There was a hint of impatience in his eyes, as if he couldn't stand his younger brother being too rigid and inflexible.

The fire on the stove was blazing, and the medicine was almost boiling. Jiang Yi frowned, put down the spoon, and went out of the house.

Seeing that the two boys' faces were red, they were still shouting at each other.

He didn't get angry, but raised his hand to stop the two of them:

"Alright, stop arguing."

He rolled up his sleeves, glanced around the room, and said calmly:

"Come on, practice that skill from beginning to end, and let your father see who is right and who is wrong."

After hearing Jiang Yi's words, the two stopped arguing and obediently took their stances in the courtyard.

The moment he struck that pose, his true skill was revealed.

Jiang Liang, that kid, is very meticulous and follows the rules strictly; his movements are extremely precise.

It was almost as if it had been traced from the pages of a book; it was no exaggeration to say that it was made from a bronze mold and iron template, clearly crafted by Jiang Yi himself.

On the other hand, Jiang Ming, though seemingly still using the same basic skills, displayed a noticeable difference in his every move.

No longer the rigid, lifeless posture described in books, with a turn of the foot and a drop of the shoulder and elbow, there is a touch more fluidity and ease.

It subtly carries a kind of agile, monkey-like strength, as if he had secretly incorporated the light and graceful spirit of the Five Animal Frolics.

The movements are fluid and natural, the postures seem unintentional, yet contain hidden meaning.

This contrasts sharply with her younger brother's upright and composed demeanor.

(End of this chapter)