Thug Extortion, Attempting to Learn Medicine

Master Hu, whose full name was Hu Jiao, was a thug who prowled these streets.

Relying on his nearly two hundred pounds of weight and brute strength, he swaggered about all day, constantly bullying the neighborhood. A month ago, he had even beaten a grandfather and grandchild to death.

Shen Han had no family or friends, so naturally he was one of Hu Jiao's extortion targets.

"Heh heh, not enough!"

But after taking the hundred coins, Hu Jiao still did not let Shen Han go. His scarred, fleshy face nearly pressed against Shen Han's. "You brat, the Dragon King asked me to pass along a message. Starting now, you'll pay an extra hundred coins every month!"

What Dragon King bullshit!

Of course Shen Han knew perfectly well that all of it was merely Hu Jiao's excuse.

Every month since his transmigration, Hu Jiao had extorted a hundred coins from him. He had not even the strength to truss a chicken, and he had failed to learn martial arts, leaving him no way to resist. He could only spend money to avert disaster. Since he had started doing odd jobs at the medical hall half a month ago and earned five hundred coins a month, that bastard naturally wanted to increase his squeeze.

"What, you don't want to pay?"

Hu Jiao stared at Shen Han with a cold smile.

His mountain-like body stood there, radiating an overwhelming pressure.

"No, no, Master Hu, please don't be angry. These hundred coins are my tribute to the Dragon King."

Shen Han took out another hundred coins.

A wise man submitted to circumstances. Before he had the ability to kill Hu Jiao in return, he had to bow his head when the time called for it.

"Hahaha, good. At least you know what's good for you! Remember, be more proactive next month. Don't make me come chase you for it!"

Hu Jiao snatched the copper coins from Shen Han's hand and strode away with great swagger.

"Take care, Master Hu."

Once Hu Jiao had gone far away, Shen Han clenched his fists.

He had only received the medical hall's five hundred-coin monthly pay yesterday, yet two hundred coins had been stripped from him first thing this morning. It was simply outrageous!

Once my martial arts are accomplished, I'll make him repay it ten thousandfold!

Thinking that, he took out the Bronze Mirror.

No matter what happened outside, the mirror remained calm and placid. The clone within showed no sign of fatigue, diligently practicing the Basic Fist Technique. Its movements flowed without pause, its fists whistling with tiger-like force.

But now a problem arose.

Shen Han pondered it. Over the next month, the three hundred coins he had left would be enough for an ordinary person if spent frugally. But the clone needed to train in martial arts. In a single day, it consumed nearly half a month's rations for an ordinary person. This little money could not possibly satisfy the clone's appetite for martial training. Without enough food, its cultivation would be interrupted. What was he supposed to do?

He hurried to the Hanging Pot Medical Hall.

The medical hall was located on the north side of Three Rivers County. It occupied a vast area and employed around a hundred people, enjoying a modest reputation within the county.

After wolfing down the breakfast allotted to him in a few bites, Shen Han quickly headed to the medical hall's plaza.

There were around thirty other servants like him, all young men. Everyone stood neatly in a row.

Before them stood a middle-aged man.

That middle-aged man was Qian Cheng, the medical hall's old steward. "Roll call begins now. Zhang Yong."

"Here."

"Li Xunshan."

"Here."

This was a daily procedure at the medical hall. Servants differed from physicians and apprentices; their tasks were not fixed, and their work was usually assigned on the spot after roll call.

Supervisor Qian was thoroughly familiar with the routine and swiftly assigned duties to every servant.

There were countless trifling matters at the medical hall: hauling, sorting, cleaning, deliveries, purchasing, and more.

Before long, all the servants had received their assignments.

"Um... Supervisor Qian, what about me?"

Shen Han alone had not been assigned anything, leaving him puzzled.

Qian Cheng said seriously, "Feng Hao, the apprentice at Clinic No. 8, has returned home to attend a funeral. Little Shen, for these next five days, you don't need to do miscellaneous work. Go help Physician Huang Tie at Clinic No. 8."

So I was being sent to do odd jobs in a clinic.

The Hanging Pot Medical Hall had opened more than ten clinics. The physicians sat in them and treated patients, and the fees they collected were an important source of the medical hall's income.

Shen Han entered Clinic No. 8.

It was still early, and Physician Huang had not arrived yet.

Shen Han looked around. The clinic had an antique elegance and was swept so clean that not a speck of dust remained. A faint herbal fragrance permeated the air.

Suddenly, he noticed a row of bookshelves off to the side behind him.

The shelves were filled with all kinds of medical books. Every one of them was wrinkled and worn, clearly showing that Physician Huang consulted them often.

Shen Han's heart immediately stirred.

The clone in the mirror could practice martial arts according to martial arts manuals. Could it also study medicine according to medical books?

It was only natural for him to have that thought.

A medical hall servant earned only five hundred coins a month. With Hu Jiao's extortion on top of that, the remaining money was nowhere near enough to support the clone's food expenses. But if he became a physician's apprentice, the rules said his monthly pay could rise to two taels of silver, greatly easing the pressure.

But becoming a physician's apprentice was no easy matter. He had to understand basic medical knowledge.

So he wanted to give it a try.

"Let's try it..."

Shen Han immediately took a medical book from the shelf, pulled out the Bronze Mirror, and had the clone inside stop practicing its punches and turn to studying medicine instead.

Whoosh!

The medical book was taken into the mirror by the clone.

The next instant, the clone plopped down in the mirror and began turning the pages one by one with rapt attention.

Not long afterward, Physician Huang Tie arrived.

He was a small, thin old man in his sixties, with the air of an immortal sage. His reputation in the county town was quite good.

With the physician in place, patients also began lining up in a long queue outside the door.

Thus began the busy consultations. Under Huang Tie's direction, Shen Han ran back and forth, busy as a bee.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, noon arrived.

Shen Han had just finished the lunch delivered from the kitchen when the clone in the mirror tossed out that medical book.

"It already finished learning it?"

Shen Han was startled and hurriedly opened the panel to check.

Mirror Owner: Shen Han

Cultivation: None

Martial Arts: Basic Fist Technique (Beginner)

Skill: Medicine (Beginner)

A Skill category had appeared on the panel, and it was medicine—the very subject he had only begun studying that morning.

It seemed the clone's talent was not limited to martial arts practice.

In barely half a day, it had learned the obscure, difficult art of medicine to the Beginner level. Calling it Hua Tuo reborn would not be an exaggeration!

In an instant, medical knowledge took root and sprouted in Shen Han's mind like bamboo shoots after spring rain. Now, he could be said to rival apprentices who had studied for years. Treating ordinary illnesses and combining basic medicinal ingredients came as easily as turning his hand.

"Strike while the iron is hot!"

Shen Han immediately replaced it with another medical book from the shelf and had the clone continue studying.

"Little Shen, had you come into contact with medical theory before?"

That evening, after seeing the last patient, Huang Tie sipped his tea and asked Shen Han.

Shen Han shook his head. "I've never studied it."

Huang Tie praised him. "Then this is interesting. This is your first day helping out in the clinic, yet after only one morning, you could understand most of my instructions. By the afternoon, you could even help give patients some basic massage. It's simply unbelievable."

"It was all thanks to Elder Huang's excellent guidance."

"You're too modest, Little Shen. I have to say, perhaps you truly are excellent material for becoming a physician!"

"You praise me too highly, Elder Huang."

"Haha, you've worked hard today. Go home and rest early. Continue again tomorrow."

Huang Tie patted Shen Han's shoulder. "Work hard in the clinic these next few days. Later, this old man will put in a word with Master Han and have you promoted from servant to apprentice."

Shen Han was delighted. "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Huang."

Learning medicine had been the right choice. As long as he became an apprentice soon and his monthly pay rose to two taels of silver, he would have enough money to buy food for the clone.

As the clone trained in martial arts without interruption, my strength will rise with the tide. Before long, I'll be able to deal with that bastard Hu Jiao!