Xiahou Yuan followed the group through the rear hall with great interest. His first impression was that this place looked nothing like a medical clinic.
There were poultry and livestock of every kind. In two of the cages, there were even monkeys.
If he had not known beforehand, Xiahou Yuan would have assumed this was some sort of eatery.
However, something about these animals was clearly wrong.
Farmers always boasted that their livestock was lively and healthy. That much, Xiahou Yuan knew.
But the creatures in these cages were different. Some, like the chickens and ducks, were listless, as though stricken by plague.
Others, like the monkeys and dogs barking madly from behind their cages, were so frenzied it was as if they were possessed. Xiahou Yuan had no doubt that if the cages were opened now, these beasts would immediately lunge at them.
In any case, he could not spot a single animal here fit to be sent into a kitchen.
The savage gleam in the eyes of the rabid animals irritated Du Xi. The sickly appearance of the poultry made his heart pound. He swallowed and said,
"Divine Physician Zhang, this…"
Zhang Zhongjing did not waste words. He turned back and said calmly,
"All the animals here have consumed Five Mineral Powder."
Xiahou Yuan immediately burst out laughing.
The laugh was somewhat ill timed, but no one seemed to care.
Du Xi scanned the cages back and forth. Zhang Zhongjing's gaze followed the same path, until he stopped at a duck cage and pointed.
"The Five Mineral Powder fed to the animals in this cage is identical in every detail to what you take."
"One animal takes two doses a day. Three qian per dose."
"Today is the sixth day. Yesterday, one animal already died."
As he spoke, Zhang Zhongjing recalled Hua Tuo's death. A smile without any warmth curled at the corner of his mouth as he stared straight at Du Xi.
"Perhaps these ducks lack the fortune to enjoy immortality. General Du is different. If you continue taking it on schedule, the day you lighten your body, avoid death, and ascend is surely not far off."
"Or perhaps General Du would like to try the A-1 Five Mineral Powder?"
That smile sent a chill through Du Xi. Cold ran up from his tailbone straight to his head. Even the shoulder and neck that had itched days ago now seemed to ache faintly.
Panicked, Du Xi stumbled back two steps. The Five Mineral Powder he had snatched back from the child earlier now felt scalding hot in his hand. He could no longer hold it and dropped it to the ground.
The paper unfolded, and the powder he had spent a fortune on scattered everywhere.
Zhang Zhongjing and Jian Yong both silently stepped back, trying to keep their distance from the powder.
Zhang Zhongjing failed, because Du Xi suddenly grabbed him.
"Divine Physician Zhang. This thing… is it truly poisonous?"
At this point, even Zhang He could not help speaking up.
"General Zixu, if you do not trust Divine Physician Zhang, why ask again and again?"
Five Mineral Powder had not yet become popular in Ye or Xuchang. It circulated only among famed scholars like Du Xi.
Military men all avoided it. Partly because this was nothing new.
The earliest records dated back to the time of Emperor Wen of Han. The physician Chunyu Yi had already documented cases of people trying to consume it to become immortals, only to have their bodies erupt in sores and die.
People might not know the details, but they at least knew it had nothing to do with strengthening the body.
And frankly speaking, this thing did not prey on the poor. Generals who had money spent it on fine horses, sharp blades, and solid armor to win greater merit. No one wasted fortunes seeking this.
Thus Xiahou Yuan watched with great interest, while Zhang He spoke mainly to keep Du Xi from embarrassing himself further.
Once they returned to the inner hall and sat down, Du Xi had regained control of his emotions. He pondered briefly and asked,
"Divine Physician Zhang summoned me here to understand the toxicity?"
Zhang Zhongjing shook his head.
"The toxicity has already been made perfectly clear through the animals."
This made Xiahou Yuan snort with laughter again, prompting Du Xi to glare at him.
Earlier, Du Xi had been too unsettled to notice. Now he understood perfectly why Xiahou Yuan kept laughing.
Zhang Zhongjing continued, undisturbed, his words clear and direct.
"I called you here to understand the addictive nature of this substance. Animals cannot speak."
Du Xi was surprisingly straightforward now. He nodded.
"Exposing its toxicity is a kindness to me. I will tell you everything I know."
Then, curiosity crept in.
"The A-1 Five Mineral Powder prepared by the divine physician. Does one die immediately upon taking it?"
Of course not. Zhang Zhongjing shook his head.
"That was the child's nonsense. The monkey has consumed A-1 Five Mineral Powder for five days already, yet shows no signs of weakness."
"To die from it, at least half a month more would be required."
This was the truth. Zhang Zhongjing could hardly explain that the formula came from later generations and had been carefully refined so that its early toxicity was not obvious.
As for why chickens and ducks died faster from weaker powder while monkeys and dogs showed no weakness after consuming stronger doses, Zhang Zhongjing suspected it was related to differences in qi and blood. Much like certain plant poisons that hardy men could consume unharmed, but which proved fatal to women and children.
The explanation was too complex to convey in a few sentences.
Yet this only hardened Du Xi's resolve.
"Divine Physician Zhang. Could you give me two doses of the A-1 Five Mineral Powder?"
Zhang Zhongjing and Jian Yong both raised their eyebrows in shock. Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He spoke at the same time to dissuade him, convinced the poison had already affected Du Xi's mind.
But Du Xi's attitude was firmer than ever. He insisted that if even monkeys could not be killed by it, two doses would surely not harm him.
Unspoken in his heart were two thoughts.
What if this divine medicine only worked on humans?
What if the divine physician was truly mistaken?
Zhang Zhongjing, however, simply took out his little notebook again and began recording with interest.
After half a day without consumption, the patient loses clarity of mind. He believes he weighs gains and losses rationally, yet to observers he is merely impatient, reckless, eager to take risks. He desires the powder, then abruptly calculates life and death.
Thus the addictive nature of this formula is already evident.
After writing this, Zhang Zhongjing felt a quiet realization dawn.
If a Yingchuan scholar like Du Xi could become mentally unstable from the weaker powder, then those consuming stronger variants would become far more frenzied upon withdrawal, surpassing even the monkeys. Let alone the opium of later generations.
After all, Zhang Zhongjing had heard of Du Xi. Whether it was decisively ambushing Xiahou Yuan from behind to negotiate surrender and preserve his life, or openly scolding Lord Xuande daily to cleanse his own reputation, Du Xi had always shown measured advance and retreat.
Compared to that, his current gambler-like obsession made him seem like a completely different person.
So Zhang Zhongjing added another note.
Long-term consumption inevitably alters temperament. The patient himself remains unaware.
As for Du Xi, who was still chattering endlessly about obtaining more Five Mineral Powder, Zhang Zhongjing said nothing further. He waved in two guards and ordered them to haul Du Xi away, lock him in the woodshed, and bar the door.
Then Zhang Zhongjing held his notebook and turned his gaze toward Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He, a thoughtful look on his face.
"I have heard that the great clans of Ye and Xuchang all favor Five Mineral Powder. General Xiahou must be well acquainted with this matter."
"Would you explain it?"