Volume One, Chapter One: The Divine Doctor System of Time and Space—Zhu Yuanzhang Seeks Medical Aid

The fifteenth year of the Hongwu reign in the Ming dynasty, in the vibrant month of May.

In the imperial capital of Yingtian Prefecture, outside the grand and resplendent Eastern Palace—residence of the Crown Prince—dozens of palace maids, eunuchs, and four imperial physicians knelt on the ground, trembling in silence, not daring to raise their heads.

The founding Emperor of the Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, clad in a crimson dragon robe, paced back and forth in fury. He, the supreme ruler of the empire, was actually barred from entering the hall.

“Father, Xiongying has contracted smallpox, a highly contagious disease. Mother, not wanting the palace maids and physicians to be infected, is caring for Xiongying alone. I beseech you, for the sake of your imperial health, do not enter the hall,” said Crown Prince Zhu Biao, standing at the entrance with arms outstretched, gently blocking his father’s way.

“For the sake of Your Majesty’s health, please do not enter the hall,” everyone echoed in unison, still kneeling.

“No one is to follow me. Remain here, all of you. If anything should happen to my eldest grandson, you will all accompany him in death,” Zhu Yuanzhang declared, angrily sweeping his sleeve as he departed.

The eunuchs and maids who usually attended him were so terrified they dared not move, their heads bowed low to the ground. Zhu Yuanzhang was known for his ruthless decisiveness; just two years prior, during the case of Prime Minister Hu Weiyong, he had beheaded thirty thousand people, shocking the entire court.

Frustrated and alone, Zhu Yuanzhang wandered the vast palace when suddenly, on the dark-red palace wall, a flash of white light appeared. A circular moon gate materialized, with a stone plaque above it inscribed “Kangshou Medical Hall.” The vermilion doors were set with brass rings, their design elegant and refined.

Astonished by the sudden appearance of the medical hall, Zhu Yuanzhang approached, curiosity compelling him to push the door open and step through.

Inside was a small courtyard: one side lush with vegetables and vibrant flowers, the other planted with various medicinal herbs, with a pavilion where herbs were laid out to dry, perfuming the air with their scent. A meandering path of red brick wound through the middle, leading to a unique two-story building with white walls and blue tiles at the far end.

Entering the building, Zhu Yuanzhang found it immaculate. One wall was lined with boxes of medicine; another held hundreds of cubbyholes, each filled with different medicinal herbs. The room was furnished with objects he had never seen before.

A young man, attired in strange white clothes with short hair, lay asleep at the table, snoring softly.

“Ahem, is this the medical hall of the Immortal Realm? Is the divine physician present? I humbly request treatment for my eldest grandson’s smallpox,” Zhu Yuanzhang called out, affecting a cough.

The young man, tall and handsome, awoke slowly, rubbing his eyes. Seeing a man clothed in the distinctive red dragon robe of a Ming emperor, sporting a short beard and a powerful build in his fifties, he met his sharp gaze.

“This isn’t any Immortal Realm, just a medical clinic. Smallpox? You mean variola? That disease has long been controlled—I can treat it,” the young man replied confidently.

“If this isn’t the Immortal Realm, then who are you, and who was your master? How dare a mere youth make such boastful claims! To mock me is treason, punishable by death,” Zhu Yuanzhang questioned sternly.

“My name is Xia Jingtian, twenty-five years old. I graduated with a master’s degree in integrated Chinese and Western clinical medicine from Binhai Medical University. I am a licensed doctor—if I couldn’t cure smallpox, then all my years of study were in vain. And who are you, calling yourself ‘the Emperor’ and dressed in dragon robes? Are you some actor from a film crew who can’t get out of character?” Xia Jingtian retorted bluntly.

Xia Jingtian had learned medicine from his grandfather since childhood. After graduating medical school and obtaining his license, his grandfather passed away unexpectedly, leaving him to inherit their century-old medical hall. Once bustling with patients, it was now deserted, so Xia Jingtian spent his days on his phone or napping at his desk.

“I am Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty. I am the emperor. What is this ‘film crew’ and ‘actor’ you speak of?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked in confusion.

Xia Jingtian scoffed. The man before him certainly commanded presence and imperial majesty, far surpassing any actor’s portrayal on screen. As Xia Jingtian was about to retort again, a system interface suddenly appeared before his eyes.

[Congratulations, Xia Jingtian, on becoming the host of the Spacetime Divine Physician System.]
[You and the Kangshou Medical Hall are currently in an independent spacetime zone, able to connect with different eras of parallel worlds.]
[Historical figures may enter the clinic for treatment. Successfully curing patients will earn you merit points, which can be redeemed in the Universal Mall.]
[Mission issued: Zhu Yuanzhang’s eldest grandson is infected with smallpox and will die in thirty minutes. If the host successfully cures him, a reward will be granted.]

Stunned by the sudden appearance of the system, Xia Jingtian realized the man before him was no actor, but truly Zhu Yuanzhang, the legendary emperor who had once been a beggar and monk, later led armies to overthrow the Mongol Yuan, founded the Ming dynasty, and was hailed as a ruler for the ages.

“You truly are Zhu Yuanzhang? How did you get here?” Xia Jingtian inquired with curiosity.

“I saw a flash of white light on the palace wall, and a moon gate appeared with a plaque reading Kangshou Medical Hall. I thought it was Heaven’s mercy, granting my grandson a chance at survival, so I opened the door and entered,” Zhu Yuanzhang explained.

Xia Jingtian walked out of the clinic and found himself surrounded by endless blue sky; all the surrounding buildings had vanished. Approaching the backyard’s moon gate, he opened it to find only a boundless void beyond. Frightened, he quickly shut the door and turned to Zhu Yuanzhang.

“You really entered through this door?” he asked, bewildered.

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw Xia Jingtian opening the door to the void, he walked over in confusion and pushed it open himself. What he saw was the familiar palace, with its pavilions and towers.

“Why, when I open the door, do I see the palace? This is truly wondrous.”

Curious, Zhu Yuanzhang stepped in and out of the moon gate, discovering he could move freely between the two worlds. Xia Jingtian hurried to the clinic’s main entrance—beyond it was still the void. Climbing to the rooftop, he saw nothing but emptiness all around. No wonder Zhu Yuanzhang had mistaken the clinic for some heavenly realm.

“Could it be that I’ve truly traveled with the clinic? But it seems I haven’t entered the Ming dynasty, but a void. Never mind, I should complete the system’s mission first,” Xia Jingtian resolved, looking down at Zhu Yuanzhang below.

He hurried downstairs, grabbing a mask and some alcohol.

“Why are you running about? What is this place? Can you really cure my grandson?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked anxiously.

“Your Majesty, it’s hard to explain right now—I can’t leave the clinic. Bring your grandson here, and I’ll treat his smallpox. But you must not have physical contact with him. Wear this mask to avoid infection. There’s not much time—if you don’t want your grandson to die, bring him quickly,” Xia Jingtian instructed, handing the mask to Zhu Yuanzhang, who stared at it in confusion.

After helping him put it on, Xia Jingtian used a spray bottle to disinfect Zhu Yuanzhang with alcohol.

“My wife is caring for him—will she be infected too? Can I bring her along?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked urgently.

Xia Jingtian, who often watched dramas and read novels at the clinic, remembered a TV series where Zhu Yuanzhang’s grandson died of smallpox, and Empress Ma, after caring for him, was also infected and soon passed away. Losing two loved ones in quick succession, Zhu Yuanzhang was plunged into grief and neglected court affairs for many days.

“Empress Ma is very likely infected as well—bring her too, and I’ll examine and treat them both,” Xia Jingtian replied.

Wearing the mask, Zhu Yuanzhang opened the moon gate and returned to the palace, hurrying to the Eastern Palace. Seeing him with a mask, everyone was astonished.

“Sister, I’ve found a doctor who can cure Xiongying’s smallpox!” Zhu Yuanzhang called out.

With a creak, the hall doors opened, and Empress Ma, dignified yet plainly dressed and visibly fatigued, appeared.

“Chongba, is this true? You’ve found a doctor who can cure smallpox? And what is that on your face? Why do you smell of alcohol? Are you drinking at a time like this?” she asked, displeased.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s birth name was Zhu Chongba; he adopted the name Zhu Yuanzhang after marrying Empress Ma, who had called him Chongba for nearly thirty years.

“This is called a mask, and I haven’t been drinking. Doctor Xia sprayed me with alcohol to prevent infection. Hurry and bring Xiongying—come with me,” Zhu Yuanzhang urged impatiently.

Without waiting for further questions, Zhu Yuanzhang entered the hall, strode to the bed, and, heart aching at the sight of Zhu Xiongying lying unconscious and covered in blisters, lifted him into his arms.

“Chongba, where are you taking Xiongying?” Empress Ma called, following close behind.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao, witnessing this, asked anxiously, “Father, let me carry Xiongying. You must not risk infection.”

Zhu Yuanzhang ignored him, quickly carrying Zhu Xiongying to the moon gate outside the palace. Empress Ma, astonished, exclaimed, “When did a door appear here?”

“Sister, open the door!”

Empress Ma pushed the door open to reveal a small courtyard and a two-story building with white walls and blue tiles. Stunned by the sight, she followed as Zhu Yuanzhang carried Zhu Xiongying into the courtyard, with Zhu Biao close behind.

With a bang, the vermilion moon gate slammed shut. The eunuchs, maids, and imperial guards who had followed were left exchanging bewildered glances. They passed by this palace wall daily and had never seen such a mysterious medical hall. One guard tried to push the moon gate but couldn’t budge it. Another climbed the wall to see nothing but the wall itself.

“There’s nothing behind the door!” the guard shouted from above.

The eunuchs, maids, and guards all looked at one another in confusion. The Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince, and Imperial Grandson of the Ming dynasty had all vanished without a trace through the mysterious moon gate of the medical hall!