Chapter Eight: The Convulsions of Childhood

Once his goal had been achieved, Li Zisheng no longer bothered to maintain his act. He deliberately let his body go limp, feigning the look of a celestial child who had already departed. His grandmother, mother, and a host of relatives hurried forward to catch him in their arms.

The villagers, still awestruck and lost in the lingering sense of the miraculous, barely had time to collect themselves before Li Zisheng broke free from his grandmother’s embrace. Standing tall and straight, he made his way to the center of the Jiang family’s courtyard.

Meeting the crowd’s reverent gazes, Li Zisheng could not help but marvel inwardly: bestowing himself with a distinguished identity was more effective than any other stratagem.

“Old witch, cease your reckless prattle, lest you bring calamity upon yourself,” he said, pointing a small finger at Granny Wang, who instantly shuddered.

The village head hurried over. “Little Sheng, just now—?” He dared not say more, looking expectantly at Li Zisheng and waiting for his word.

“Village Head, what happened just now is best left unspoken. The most pressing matter is that I have a way to treat both the Jiang family’s little girl and Zhang Madam’s grandson.”

Li Zisheng had no wish to tarry. Peering through the crowd, he saw the Jiang girl’s body convulsing, her eyes rolled back revealing only the whites. Unsure of the cause, he thought it best to examine her further.

“Uncle Jiang, quickly go fetch Doctor Zhang. Madam Zhang, please stop your fussing and bring your grandson here so I can take a look.”

Ignoring the rest, Li Zisheng noted that Granny Wang, realizing she could no longer stir up trouble, quietly slipped away. At this moment, none of the villagers looked down on Li Zisheng for being a mere seven-year-old—after all, he had claimed a mantle of authority for himself, and any unexplained matter could be laid at its feet. The village head promptly dispersed the crowd, staying behind himself.

Madam Zhang, not an unreasonable woman but only misled by Granny Wang, hurried home with her husband to fetch their grandson.

Li Zisheng carefully examined the two children. Both Zhang and Jiang’s little ones were in a stupor, their limbs oddly cold or warm. After feeling their pulses, he found them irregular and disordered.

“Madam Zhang, Madam Jiang, were your children like this when you brought them home?”

“No, no, Little Sheng,” they replied in unison. “When we brought Xiaoyan home, she was lively—more so than usual, actually, which was strange. She’s always been rather shy and quiet, except when playing with Zhang’s grandson. Who would have thought such misfortune could come of it?”

“And your grandson, Madam Zhang?”

“He was the same, running and shouting. I didn’t think anything of it until he suddenly collapsed and fainted.”

“Do they suffer any illnesses usually?” Li Zisheng asked.

“None at all,” they answered together.

“But Granny Wang made my grandson drink some yellow talisman water, claiming it would ward off evil spirits.”

“Nonsense,” Li Zisheng’s tone carried an unspoken authority that left Madam Zhang speechless.

Though not deeply versed in either Chinese or Western medicine, Li Zisheng’s background in pharmaceutical research gave him enough insight to recognize the symptoms. He quickly deduced that both children were suffering from a severe fright-induced convulsion—a sudden shock had left them in this state.

“Here’s what we’ll do. Madam Zhang, Madam Jiang, go to the pharmacy and fetch amber, cinnabar, and gold leaf. Then get arisaema, bamboo sugar, ginseng, poria, Chinese yam, licorice, calamus, uncaria, and abalone shell.”

He listed each ingredient and then gave specific quantities and costs to the village head, asking him to keep a record, since Li Zisheng had not yet formally studied the classics and could not reveal his literacy. The listeners, however, grew increasingly troubled—while some ingredients were common, gold leaf, amber, and ginseng were luxuries only the wealthy could afford. How could ordinary farmers bear such expense?

But Li Zisheng had anticipated this and signaled to the village head to speak privately.

“Village Head, Granny Wang has swindled the villagers for years and hoarded much silver. Let her bear all costs for this misfortune.”

“Agreed. I’ve long wanted to hold her accountable. This is the perfect opportunity to teach her a lesson.”

With that, Li Zisheng returned indoors.

“Madam Zhang, Madam Jiang, go fetch the medicine. If you’re short of money, go straight to Granny Wang’s house and take what you need—and remember, be firm,” he instructed.

The two women, dumbstruck by Li Zisheng’s commanding presence, followed his instructions to the letter and rushed to Granny Wang’s, regardless of whether demanding money would succeed.

“Village Head, please turn Zhang Madam’s grandson forward and pinch his philtrum. Sister Jiangling, press on Jiang Yan’s back and push firmly.”

“Little Sheng, why pinch the philtrum for one and not the other?” Jiangling asked, puzzled.

The village head pinched Zhang’s grandson as directed.

“Village Head, Sister Jiangling, I’ve checked their pulses—both are chaotic, but Zhang’s grandson is worse off and likely fainted earlier. So, we must first revive him by pinching the philtrum. Jiang Yan, having only just fainted, should not be stimulated in that way. Instead, push the blood along the meridians and soothe the liver and spleen.”

The village head and Jiangling, half-understanding, ceased their questions and followed his directions.

Meanwhile, Zhang’s grandfather felt awkward about entering the Jiang household, so he too hurried to Granny Wang’s home. Should she continue her nonsense, he was prepared to risk everything to make her pay.

Before long, Doctor Zhang arrived in the courtyard, led by Jiang Heng. He carried a medicine chest, sported a thin mustache, and wore a tall hat.

Upon entering the house, the village head and Jiangling made space for him at once. Seeing the two children with their eyes rolled back, Doctor Zhang quickly set down his medicine chest and took Jiang Yan’s pulse, twisting his sparse mustache with his other hand. After a short while, he shook his head, then checked Zhang’s grandson and sighed again, shaking his head once more.

Though Doctor Zhang himself seemed calm, his demeanor terrified the Jiang father and daughter and the village head.

“Doctor Zhang, what is the condition of the Jiang family’s little girl and Zhang family’s grandson? Please, stop shaking your head and tell us,” the village head, impatient by nature, could hold back no longer and asked directly.