Three Kingdoms: Domination of the World

Mrs. Wu held the baby in her arms and accompanied Suo Chao all the way to the gate of Xuyi City.

"Mother! Don't send me off!"

"I'll write home often!"

"Little bastard! Don't forget to send a message back!"

"I will! Mother! I've put a lot of delicious food in the room, remember to eat it!!"

.......

Suo Chao and Huang Gai, leading their horses, walked further and further away. For a long time, they stared at the small figure disappearing into the horizon.

Donghai County.

Suo Chao headed west.

"Brother Gongfu! After all these months of national treasure hunt, have you found anything special?"

"Young Master! I dug up a lot of good wine and meat!"

"Ha! Aren't there any martial arts techniques?"

"No! Otherwise, all the good stuff would be broadcast on the world channel."

Suo Chao frowned. It was indeed a bit strange! I hadn't heard any news from the World Channel in the past few months. But then he turned around and thought, most of the Three Kingdoms celebrities were born around 175 AD, so many of them hadn't grown up yet.

The two men rode to a town. Zhangjia Town bordered the state of Pengcheng, not far from Xuyi County. The epidemic there wasn't particularly severe. County Magistrate Sun had dispatched physicians to the surrounding area to administer medicine, with Suo's Clinic providing the herbs. This model proved quite effective. While treating the patients wouldn't require much time, Suo Chao planned to stay a day or two.

Suo Chao found an empty spot on the street and set up his stall. He had prepared all the items before his trip, so they wouldn't be too cumbersome on horseback. He set up a cloth banner in front of his stall and began to shout.

"Knowing astronomy from above and geography from below!"

"It can cure all diseases and bring people back to health!"

It was quite unusual to see a five-year-old kid selling things like this. Soon the stall attracted a crowd of onlookers.

The people were all skinny and lifeless, their eyes dull. But they still had some strength. As they walked, each one of them, armed with a simple treasure map, dug everywhere. It seemed they had found a lot of food, otherwise they wouldn't have the energy to eat melons.

"Little kid! You're so arrogant! I don't believe it!"

"Why don't you show me what's wrong with me?"

"If your diagnosis is inaccurate, I'll tear you down! Hahaha!"

"Well! I see you're sick and don't even know it!"

"If you lose your place, your life will be shortened and not be well known!

"What do you mean?"

"It means that your yin and yang are out of balance, your yang energy is insufficient, and you are at risk of premature death!"

"Do you have frequent sex but never enjoy it?"

The bearded man blushed and said apologetically.

"Sorry! Please save me, little sir!"

"Never mind! I have a warming tonic prescription here!"

"Ingredients: 7 baht cinnamon, 3 baht salt, 13 taels chicken liver, 15 baht wine. Simmer for 2 cups of tea! Drink the soup and eat the meat!"

"Also, please exercise moderation in sex! Otherwise, even the gods can't help you!"

"Okay! Thank you, doctor!"

The bearded man took the prescription, paid the consultation fee, and ran away without looking back! The people in front of the stall were furious!

"Haha! He's too embarrassed to face anyone! He ran away!"

"This young gentleman is quite capable!"

"Little sir, please help me take a look too!!"

"Don't push, I was here first!"

"Folks! Don't worry! Everyone has a chance!"

.......

Suo Chao practiced his Feihe magic needles and practiced treating patients on the street for a day. He felt aches all over his body. As dusk approached, Suo Chao was packing up his stall and preparing to leave when a young man called out to him.

"Young sir! You claim to know astronomy and geography!"

"Could you tell me my fortune?"

The man was about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a silk scarf on his head, seven feet tall, with a long face and a broad forehead, dressed like an elegant scholar.

Suo Chao looked the man up and down and said with a smile.

"Your Excellency will surely hold a high position in the future! Your Excellency is in Jiangdong!"

"Is this true?"

"Of course I do. Sir, you will have a similar experience to that of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi in the future!"

"Young sir, what do you mean by that?"

"The secret of heaven cannot be revealed. If you tell it before the time is right, it will be useless! Are you right, Brother Zibu?"

Zhang Zhao was stunned. He hadn't expected this young man to know his name. Suo Chao said nothing more until he saw Huang Gai approaching with his horse. The two of them left without looking back.

"Little brother! It's getting dark today! Why don't you stay at my house for a night?"

During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, agriculture was emphasized over commerce. There were no commercial inns, and post stations required official documentation to stay. Suo Chao planned to camp outside the city for the night, not wanting to bother anyone else.

"Thank you, Brother Zibu! We have other things to do. We'll come and bother you again when we have time."

"That's a deal, ha!"

Suo Chao and Huang Gai stayed in Zhangzhen for two days before continuing their journey westward.

Passing through Pei State, Suo Chao considered visiting the Xiahou family. However, he discarded the idea when he realized that Boss Cao's direct subordinates were all related relatives and would be difficult to win over.

"It seems that Doctor Hua is also from Qiao County, Pei State. Let's stop by and pay him a visit!"

Suo Chao and the other man asked along the way and finally found Dr. Hua's residence!

The winding paths lead to secluded places, birds are singing and flowers are fragrant. Doctor Hua's residence is located on the outskirts of Qiao County.

Hua Tuo's Residence. The courtyard is surrounded by various medicinal herbs.

"Is Dr. Hua home?"

A medicine boy opened the yard fence and answered.

"What do you want from our gentleman?"

"We are doctors from Xuyi County and would like to discuss medical skills with Mr. Hua."

"Please wait! Our master is resting!"

Suo Chao and Huang Gai waited from morning till sunset, and Huang Gai grew impatient.

"Sir, this Mr. Hua is so rude!"

"Young Master's medical skills are unparalleled! Why do you come here to get angry?"

"Brother Gongfu, please don't be rude! Mr. Hua's medical skills and kindness are what I have long admired."

Half an hour later, the boy came back to report that Mr. Hua wanted to see him. Suo Chao said to Huang Gai.

"Brother Gongfu, please wait outside! I can go alone."

Suo Chao followed the medicine boy into the living room. There appeared a thirty-year-old man, seven feet tall, with a long black beard and a cloth hat and turban.

"My dear friend, I've kept you waiting!"

"Hello, Mr. Hua!"

"I've heard that Mr. Hua is an outstanding doctor. We've known each other for a long time. I'm sorry to have the audacity to visit you today, Mr. Hua!"

"My dear friend, you are too kind! I already know your purpose. I am happy to discuss medical skills with you."

"Mr. Hua, what do you think is the right way to treat this disease?"

Hua Tuo stroked his beard and pondered.

"A while ago, two officials, Ni Xun and Li Yan, came to see the doctor at the same time. They both had headaches and fevers, and the symptoms of their illness were the same."

"I think Ni Xun should drive the pathogenic factors down, and Li Yan should induce sweating to cure the disease. But some people disagree with me."

"Oh! Mr. Hua, what do you think?"

"Ni Xun suffered from an external deficiency, and Li Yan suffered from an internal deficiency. According to this theory, we used different medications, and both of them recovered the next day!"

Suo Chao nodded approvingly.

"Mr. Hua! You can come up with different diagnoses for people with the same condition! This is a skill that distinguishes the true from the false, something most doctors struggle to achieve."

"Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes observation, listening, questioning, and palpation! We need to analyze the condition from multiple dimensions to prescribe the right medicine."

Suo Chao detailed the master-level theoretical knowledge of the four diagnostic methods of observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation. Hua Tuo listened with rapt interest. Much of the medical knowledge was new to him, and he was also quite confused. Suo Chao continued without pausing.

"Mr. Hua! I heard you also know acupuncture?"

"You're so kind, young man! I know a little bit about acupuncture."

"I think acupuncture is simple and surgery is magical!"

"Mr. Hua is right! Acupuncture can turn decay into something miraculous if the acupuncture points are targeted to the symptoms!"

"Surgery removes the lesion and prevents the disease from worsening. This is a move to sacrifice the car to save the driver."

Speaking of acupuncture law enforcement, Suo Chao described the first eight of the 36 Tiangang Soul-Returning Needles. Hua Tuo's eyes flashed with gold, and his body trembled as he looked at Suo Chao.

"My dear friend! This acupuncture technique is truly miraculous. I wonder who your master is?"

"Mr. Hua! Do you want to learn this needlework? I don't have any master."

"Ah? Are you serious, my dear? Are you really willing to teach me?"

"If you can agree to one of my requests, I am willing to teach you this needlework!"

"What do you want?"

"I have opened a clinic in Xuyi County. I hope Mr. Hua can go there and help me run the clinic."

"Well! I can't leave Qiao County for the time being, I need to think about it!"

"Okay, Mr. Hua! Please bring me some paper. I'll write these eight stitches for you."

"This! My friend, I won't accept any reward without any merit!"

"Sir, be virtuous! I believe this needlework will never be tarnished in your hands!"

"Thank you, my friend!"

Suo Chao passed on some of his soul-restoring acupuncture techniques to Hua Tuo, who was so grateful that he wanted to host a banquet in his honor. Suo Chao declined Hua Tuo's offer.

The two men left Hua Tuo's place and rode their horses westwards under the stars and moon, heading towards the land of Chen State.