Chapter 80: The Flame Rekindled on Mars
Mox Hospital had become the talk of the city!
When Mox Hospital first began offering free treatment for foot ailments and fractures, many people were skeptical. After all, foot diseases were rare, hardly a concern for most clinics, and fractures were troublesome—one careless move could leave a patient with a lifelong limp, leading to endless disputes.
But when patient after patient recovered from fractures and left the hospital with no lasting injuries, the medical community of Chang’an finally sounded the alarm. The wolf was truly at the door.
Yet by then, it was already too late! The moment a veteran who had lost his leg stood and walked again with the aid of a prosthetic, the whole city of Chang’an erupted in astonishment.
“Divine Physician Hua!”
“Hua Tuo reborn!”
“Physician Hua’s skills rival those of the ancients!”
…
Soon, Old Master Hua’s fame spread throughout Chang’an, and Mox Hospital overflowed with patients.
As a result, many of the city’s other clinics were forced to close their doors. Old Master Hua seized the opportunity, actively recruiting skilled doctors, and within a short time the number of physicians at Mox Hospital tripled.
No longer merely an orthopedic specialty hospital, Mox Hospital transformed into a comprehensive institution, finally establishing itself firmly in the city.
More and more people began to notice that both the prosthetics and the plaster casts bore the mark of the Mo family’s craftsmanship. The collaboration between the Mo family and the medical profession had yielded incredible results.
All eyes turned to the main event of the Mo Art Exposition—the secret technique of keeping fish alive, and the ultimate mystery of oxygen. Whoever could unlock the secret of oxygen would be awarded ten thousand strings of cash, and the place to claim this prize was none other than Mox Hospital.
Today was the day of Zu Mingjun’s follow-up appointment. Accompanied by Mo Dun, he once again arrived at the ever-crowded hospital.
“Follow-up patients, this way, please!” called a security guard, deliberately letting his prosthetic show as he strode briskly to guide Mo Dun. This was none other than the veteran whose prosthetic leg had caused such a sensation in Chang’an.
“Thank you!” Mo Dun politely declined the veteran’s offer to lead the way, easily finding Old Master Hua’s consultation room.
“Old Master Hua, you really know how to advertise—using real people as living endorsements! No wonder the hospital is so crowded!” Mo Dun laughed as he pushed open the door.
“You flatter me, young master. I am not one to deceive. It’s just that after Liu Da received his prosthetic, he insisted on staying at the hospital. Every time he saw a patient, he would sing our praises. He disturbed quite a few people, so in the end, I had no choice but to let him stay on and help guide patients. But we made a pact: he’s not to actively promote the hospital,” Old Master Hua said with a wry smile.
“Good deeds are rewarded after all!” Mo Dun couldn’t help but admire Liu Da’s loyalty and gratitude.
Old Master Hua nodded. Liu Da’s story had deeply moved him, filling him with even greater confidence in Mox Hospital.
“Young Master Zu has made a full recovery!” After a thorough examination, Old Master Hua spoke with certainty.
Layer by layer, the bandages were removed, revealing a pristine white plaster cast. Physician Hua gently tapped it with a small wooden mallet. The cast cracked and fell away, exposing an unblemished ankle.
Zu Mingjun walked a few steps, awkwardly at first without the support of the cast, but soon he was walking as briskly as ever, as if nothing had happened.
“Thank you, Old Master Hua!” Zu Mingjun offered his heartfelt gratitude.
…
“Take care, young master! I won’t see you off any further,” Old Master Hua said, stopping a short distance from the main entrance.
“Oh? Are you worried about those waiting at the gate for their reward?” Mo Dun looked at Old Master Hua with a knowing smile.
Old Master Hua was instantly embarrassed, not expecting Mo Dun to see through everything.
“Well, let’s face it together! Today, we’ll settle all these messy matters once and for all!” Mo Dun declared, striding out of the hospital doors.
Watching Mo Dun walk out, Old Master Hua gritted his teeth and followed.
“Divine Physician Hua is coming out!” A cry went up as soon as Old Master Hua appeared, and a crowd quickly surrounded him.
“Divine Physician Hua, I’m here to claim the ten thousand cash reward! I’ve invented oxygen!” a middle-aged man dressed as a doctor shouted, holding up a sealed clay jar with pride.
“Divine Physician Hua, the oxygen is in my jar! I was the first to invent it!” shouted an old man who looked like a farmer.
“No, it’s mine! The oxygen is in my jar!”
…
In an instant, more than a dozen people claimed that their jars contained oxygen, each demanding the ten-thousand-cash prize.
“Everyone step back! No pushing!” Liu Da, supporting himself with his prosthetic, did his best to keep order.
“Divine Physician Hua, you’re not trying to cheat us, are you? Refusing to give out the reward?” the middle-aged doctor jeered.
“That’s right, hand over the prize!” the old farmer shouted.
“How can you be sure the gas in your jars is really oxygen?” Mo Dun called out loudly.
“Who are you?” the middle-aged doctor asked suspiciously.
“I am Mo Dun, the one who offered the reward. If you want the ten-thousand-cash prize, you’ll have to claim it from me,” Mo Dun replied.
“What! He’s the Mo family heir!” The crowd gasped in shock. The famous Mo Dun, celebrated throughout Chang’an for his innovations at the exposition, was just a youth before their eyes. Few present had actually seen him in person.
“How do you know our jars don’t contain oxygen?” the old farmer retorted.
Mo Dun smiled slightly, “I can’t be sure what’s in your jars, but a simple experiment will reveal the truth.”
A wave of unease rippled through the prize-seekers. Cold sweat broke out on many foreheads as they watched Mo Dun’s every move intently.
Mo Dun nodded to Zu Mingjun, who took out a fire striker, gently blew on it, and ignited it.
Zu Mingjun then set a thin wooden stick alight, placed it in a box, and carefully closed the lid.
“I believe oxygen is what keeps us alive—and what allows fire to burn! Watch closely: the stick quickly goes out in the box, which means it has used up all the oxygen in the air inside!”
He opened the box; a wisp of blue smoke drifted up, and the flames inside had long since died.
Mo Dun’s explanation was clear and easy to understand. Many in the crowd had considered similar ideas during their own research.
“So, I propose that the oxygen which sustains human life must also be able to rekindle a dying ember. Whoever’s jar of oxygen can revive this glowing stick, I will exchange it for the prize—no questions asked.”
Mo Dun took out a glowing ember from the box and handed it to Liu Da.
The results were disappointing for most: out of ten jars, nine had no effect at all—the ember remained dead, behaving as if surrounded by ordinary air. Among the failures was the boisterous middle-aged doctor.
Surprisingly, in the old farmer’s jar, the ember was instantly snuffed out.
The crowd burst into laughter, and the old farmer blushed deeply, feeling humiliated.
But just as everyone was gloating, Mo Dun’s next words stunned the entire assembly.
“Give this elder one hundred cash as a reward!”
A commotion broke out. Hadn’t the old farmer failed the worst? The ember was extinguished instantly! How could he deserve a reward?
“He failed too! Why give him a prize?” the middle-aged doctor protested.
“If there’s any chance of successfully producing oxygen, this elder’s odds are a hundred times better than yours!” Mo Dun said gravely.
To be able to collect a gas that completely lacked oxygen meant this old man was far ahead of the rest in sealing technique. If you can’t even achieve a proper seal, how could you possibly produce oxygen?
The farce ended swiftly, and everyone now understood the standard for oxygen: it must be able to rekindle a dying ember. For a long time to come, no one would be bothering Mox Hospital about the reward again.