72: Chapter 72 His miraculous medical skills resonated throughout the countryside

"Anlan Village's Yun Song has divine medical skills; for our village's long-standing, incurable ailments, he needed only a few doses to effect a cure!"

Such praise spread by word of mouth, and Yun Song's fame traveled far and wide.

The small Anlan Village became exceptionally lively from then on.

One could often see people from other villages, some carrying stretchers, some with bamboo baskets on their backs, or others carried in sedan chairs, rushing over in a panic to seek treatment.

The scene was bustling, with queues sometimes stretching far into the distance.

The reason for this was that Yun Song charged nothing for his consultations; it was completely free.

This made other doctors green with envy, as they watched people coming and going at Yun Song's place.

Meanwhile, their own medical clinics were deserted, and they felt incredibly bitter about it.

Unable to bear the jealousy any longer, the other doctors came to confront him.

They arrived with an aggressive Aura, threatening Yun Song to stop providing free medical care to the common people, claiming it broke the rules of the trade.

Facing this group of aggressive doctors, Yun Song picked up his mining hoe and performed a set of "Eight Styles of the Mining Hoe".

It scared them so badly that their eyes widened larger than copper bells.

From then on, they never dared to come and cause trouble for Yun Song again.

Day after day of saving the suffering, a strange change quietly occurred at the crown of his head, though he was completely unaware of it himself.

As time passed, for any matter in the village, big or small—even if someone's sow was having trouble giving birth.

Or a cow was having a difficult labor, or a hen was laying soft-shelled eggs—the owner's first reaction was always:

"Quick! Go invite Doctor Yun; perhaps he has a way!"

And Yun Song never turned anyone away; whether it was human illness or livestock issues, he did his utmost to treat them.

Because of this, many widows in the village secretly developed feelings for Yun Song, and to get closer to him, they would occasionally bicker and compete with one another.

Once, Widow Wang dressed up meticulously, pinning freshly picked locust flowers in her hair, and brought homemade pastries to find Yun Song.

It just so happened that Widow Li also arrived with a bowl of medicinal soup to see Yun Song.

As soon as the two met, their gazes were like blades, seemingly distilled in aged vinegar; they sized each other up, their words sharp and biting.

Before many words were exchanged, they actually rolled up their sleeves—you pulled my hair, I grabbed your clothes—creating such a chaotic scene that it wasn't until others rushed over that they were pulled apart.

One day, while he was examining the foot of Old Man Liu's mule, he happened to run into a group of matchmakers blocking his door.

The lead matchmaker, Matchmaker Zhang, lifted a handkerchief embroidered with mandarin ducks and tried to drape it over his shoulder.

"Doctor Yun, the Zhao family's daughter in the next village is exceptional at needlework."

"I heard you love locust flower cakes, so the family stayed up all night to bake three trays…"

Before she could finish, Matchmaker Li squeezed out from the crowd and shoved half a basket of farm eggs into his arms.

"The Liu Clan's Young Miss from the silk shop south of the city is a perfect match, and they are willing to offer double the bride price."

Yun Song looked helpless, surrounded by this group of overly enthusiastic matchmakers.

His wrists were tangled in handkerchiefs, the farm eggs rolled all over the floor, and he retreated repeatedly amidst the chaotic flurry of chickens and dogs.

"Aunties, there are patients waiting in the clinic; let's not discuss marriage for now!"

The old village chief was squatting in front of the medicine stove, tears streaming down his face from the smoke, waving a cattail fan frantically.

"Bang."

The lid of the medicine pot flew skyward, landing squarely on the head of Matchmaker Zhang, who had squeezed into the doorway.

"You old thing! Are you trying to kill me?" Matchmaker Zhang hopped on one foot while wearing the medicine pot, her pearl earrings shaking dizzyingly.

In the chaos, someone shouted: "The old village chief is also single!"

Everyone's gaze swept toward him simultaneously, scaring him so much that he hugged the medicine pot and hid inside the stove hearth, revealing only the back of his graying head.

Matchmaker Wang waved her round fan, unrelenting: "Doctor Yun, you aren't young anymore."

"The Liu Clan's Young Miss west of the city is well-educated and beautiful; you're sure to like her if you see her."

Yun Song smiled bitterly and waved his hand. "Marriage is a major life event that shouldn't be rushed; I want to focus my mind on healing and saving people first."

But the matchmakers wouldn't give up, and Matchmaker Zhou interjected.

"Your medical skills are brilliant, and you are a kind person; any girl who marries you would be blessed."

"The youngest daughter of the teacher's family north of the city has outstanding talent; you two would be a perfect match!"

Matchmaker Zhang added fuel to the fire: "The young lady said that as long as she can marry you, she will take care of all the household affairs from now on."

Yun Song was so overwhelmed his head was spinning, and he had a sudden inspiration.

"The village needs to build a road to make travel easier for everyone."

"Whichever young lady gets this road built, I will consider getting to know her."

Upon hearing this, the young ladies looked troubled.

The Zhao family's daughter thought of the complicated tasks and was the first to back down.

The Young Miss from the silk shop was pampered and shook her head repeatedly.

Just like that, the difficulty of building the road made everyone give up their ideas, and Yun Song finally enjoyed a moment of peace.

Time flew like an arrow, and five years passed in the blink of an eye; the old locust tree at the entrance of Anlan Village had sprouted new buds five times.

The area in front of Yun Song's medical clinic was still as lively as a market fair.

A few paulownia wood tables and chairs had been polished smooth by the passage of time.

The medicine cabinets were arranged neatly, and the brass handles on the ebony drawers had been polished bright by thousands of hands.

The fragrance of herbs and the scent of daily life intertwined among the pillars.

At the medicine brewing station to the side, the clay pot bubbled and gurgled.

It often emitted wafts of bitter fragrance, becoming a place that guarded the villagers' health.

The matchmakers who had blocked his door all those years ago now had gray hair at their temples, yet they still tirelessly arranged marriages for Yun Song.

Only now, there was a new trick—which child could recite the 'Tang Tou Ge Jue' (Songs of Medical Formulas).

Which girl could identify twenty medicinal herbs—these had become the "hard currency" for matchmaking.

This day at noon, just after Yun Song finished treating a hunter's arrow wound, he saw dust billowing at the village entrance.

An eight-bearer sedan chair swayed to a stop in front of the clinic, and as the curtain was lifted, a gaudily dressed matchmaker tumbled out.

The matchmaker wore a crooked Phoenix crown, and in her arms, she held a crowing barred chicken.

"Doctor Yun! The Young Miss of the rice shop west of the city heard that you once delivered a chick for Old Wang's hen."

"She specially brought a hen that won't lay eggs for you to take a look at."

Before she could finish, a loud "boom" suddenly came from the backyard.

Everyone turned to look and saw that Old Man Liu's mule had kicked the wall of the medical clinic.

"My clinic!"

Just as Yun Song was about to rush over, he was pinned by the shoulders by three matchmakers simultaneously.

"Check the birth dates first!"

"The chicken is here; you must treat it first!"

"The clinic is a small matter, but a life-long commitment cannot be delayed!"

"Awoo—ugh, ah!"

The mule, perhaps feeling ignored, suddenly let out a long, loud cry.

"Noisy!"

"Slap."

I don't know whose embroidered shoe hit the mule's backside with precision.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang…"

The startled beast kicked more than a dozen times in succession.

"Crash."

Half the wall collapsed with a roar, and amidst the broken bricks and tiles, it buried all the various betrothal gifts the matchmakers had sent over the past five years.

Like the handkerchiefs embroidered with the character "Double Happiness" and silver locks engraved with Yun Song's name.

There was even a pearl-encrusted medicine grinder buried inside.

Yun Song curled up amidst the rubble, his hands carefully navigating through it.

Every time he pried away a brick or stone, a small cloud of dust rose.

Finally, his gaze fixed on a dust-covered package.

He lifted it gently, dusted off the thick layer of grime on the surface, and slowly untied the ribbon, revealing white silver.

An ancient, simple copy of the Spirit Guiding Art came into view; the old cover was yellowing, the ink marks were like blades, yet time had etched fine lines into it.

This Spirit Guiding Art had been sealed away for five whole years.