"Old Master Song has already taken his pulse—the pulse is likely slippery and moderate. You've also examined his mouth: his tongue should be reddish with a white, greasy coating at the root, and his gums are bleeding," Ling Yu said calmly.
Song Minghui was astonished. Ling Yu hadn't even seen the patient, yet he could describe the symptoms so accurately.
"This condition is known as 'excess above and deficiency below,' also called 'heat above and cold below.' But nowadays, many physicians only understand the surface, not the root. Very few can truly see through this illness," Ling Yu continued.
"Exactly!" Song Minghui nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with excitement. "Then tell me, how should this illness be treated?"
"Since Old Master Song has already seen through this illness, the prescription should be Scutellaria (6g), Coptis (6g), Rhubarb (3g), and Prepared Aconite (12g). The rhubarb should be soaked in boiling water for ten minutes to remove residue, and the prepared aconite needs to be decocted over low heat for forty minutes. Then, mix it with the previous three-ingredient decoction, warm it, and take it together," Ling Yu elaborated confidently.
The excitement in Song Minghui's eyes grew even stronger, and he was utterly amazed inwardly. "True heroes emerge among the young!" he exclaimed.
Beside them, Song Zheng looked at the prescription his grandfather had written and couldn't help but gasp in surprise—Ling Yu's words matched it exactly!
"To my knowledge, this is the only prescription that can cure this illness. Xiao He, what is the method you mentioned that can take effect quickly?" Song Minghui asked curiously.
"Acupuncture. The results are immediate. I wonder if I could borrow your fine needles, Old Master Song?"
"Of course!" Song Minghui immediately instructed others to fetch the needle pouch.
Once the needle box was brought, Ling Yu asked the man to remove his outer clothes and lie face down on the sickbed. Then, holding three fine needles in each hand, he swiftly inserted them into points on the man's back and waist.
"The Six Harmonies Divine Needle technique?" Song Minghui couldn't help but exclaim. This technique was said to place extremely high demands on the practitioner and carried great risks. It was almost lost to time, yet the young Ling Yu could perform it so skillfully.
The onlookers also marveled in awe. Although they didn't understand Ling Yu's needle technique, the spectacle of using six needles simultaneously with both hands was highly impressive.
About ten minutes after the needle technique was applied, the pain in the man's back and the coldness in his lower body had significantly reduced, and his complexion gradually became rosier.
"A miracle doctor! The Jishi Hall truly has miracle doctors!" the man exclaimed. Having suffered from this illness for so long, the sudden relief made him feel as if he were completely cured.
Hearing this, Song Minghui sighed and shook his head with a look of shame. It was clear who had won today's contest.
By the time the man stood up, he felt no discomfort whatsoever. His body seemed filled with energy, vibrant and entirely transformed, as if reborn.
With a thud, the man's wife suddenly knelt before Ling Yu, choking back tears. "Miracle doctor, thank you for saving my husband's life!" she said, pulling her husband down to kowtow to Ling Yu.
"This won't do, this won't do," Ling Yu quickly helped the couple up, then took Song Minghui's prescription and handed it to them. "To be safe, follow Old Master Song's prescription and decoct one dose when you return home. That will ensure a full recovery."
Song Minghui smiled wryly. He knew the patient was already cured and didn't need any medicine. Ling Yu said this merely to spare his pride. His admiration for Ling Yu grew even more.
The onlookers were also thoroughly impressed by Ling Yu and eagerly asked for his contact information for future reference.
After everyone had left, Song Minghui took Ling Yu's hand and said, "Xiao He, in my old age, I've never admired anyone as much as I admire you today. I am in utter awe. Tonight, I'm treating you to dinner—you must grant me this honor."
"You flatter me, Old Master Song. Your medical skills are already divine. I still have much to learn from you," Ling Yu said humbly.
In the end, Ling Yu couldn't refuse Song Minghui and stayed for dinner. Wei Gongxun, in a hurry to go home and decoct medicine for his wife, left after getting the prescription.
During the meal, Song Minghui repeatedly praised Ling Yu, while Song Zheng, sitting beside them, looked grim. He felt as though Ling Yu were the grandson, and he himself an outsider.
After three rounds of drinks, Song Minghui finally said, "Xiao He, to be frank, I have a favor to ask."
"Please go ahead, Old Master Song."
"I'd like to ask you to treat my niece—my eldest daughter's daughter," Song Minghui said with a sigh.
Ling Yu was surprised. Song Minghui's medical skills were so exceptional, yet he still needed to seek Ling Yu's help?
"You jest, Old Master Song. If you can't cure an illness, I'm afraid I won't be able to either," Ling Yu said with a bitter smile.
"My sister is sick? Grandpa, are you joking? My sister is perfectly fine—what illness could she have?" Song Zheng exclaimed in disbelief. He knew his older sister well; aside from her cold demeanor, she had no health issues.
"Xiao He, you must help me with this," Song Minghui completely ignored Song Zheng.
"Could you describe her symptoms, Old Master Song?" Ling Yu asked curiously.
"Ah, it's hard to explain. It's better for you to see for yourself when you meet her," Song Minghui said, his face clouded with worry, not seeming to joke at all.
"Very well. Since you've asked, I won't refuse. When would your niece be available?" Ling Yu asked, intrigued by Song Minghui's hesitation.
"She's not in Qinghai right now. I'll bring her over once she has some free time. My niece is strong-willed, just like her mother. She runs her own company," Song Minghui said with a hint of pride. "She's planning to open a branch in Qinghai soon."
"Good. Please notify me when the time comes," Ling Yu said.
As the saying goes, "When drinking with a close friend, a thousand cups are too few." Ling Yu, meeting a medical master he deeply admired like Song Minghui, ended up drinking more than usual. By the time he returned home, Jiang Yan was already asleep, but the bedside lamp was still on for him.
Ling Yu glanced at the makeshift bed on the floor, then lay down on the bed.
"It smells nice," he chuckled to himself. This was the first time he had lain on this double bed.
"You're back? Why did you drink so much?" Jiang Yan, awakened by him, sat up and looked at him.
"Tonight, I'm sleeping on the bed!" Ling Yu declared with a hint of bravado, pointing at the ceiling.
"Okay," Jiang Yan replied. She got up, fetched him a glass of water from the living room, placed it by the bedside, and then took her pillow to sleep on the floor.
Ling Yu was suddenly angered by her action. The emotions he had suppressed for days erupted in that instant. He rolled over onto the floor, pinning Jiang Yan beneath him.
"Do you hate me that much?"
"Ah!" Jiang Yan let out a short cry, glanced at Ling Yu, then turned away, gripping the bedding tightly as if to dig into her palms.
Feeling Ling Yu's warm, alcohol-tinged breath, she was terrified. She wanted to push him away and call him shameless, but she couldn't. She was his wife, and whatever he did was within his rights.
She had known this day would come eventually and had tried to prepare herself mentally, but she still couldn't accept Ling Yu in her heart. Not hating him was already her limit.
"If you're so resentful, why did you marry me? Why make us both endure this torment?" Ling Yu laughed self-deprecatingly, finally voicing the words he had suppressed for so long, aided by the alcohol.
If Jiang Yan hadn't married He Jiarong, he would surely be much freer now. He was a man, with needs and attractions, and he too wanted to experience a passionate romance. But he couldn't—he already had a wife.
What made it even more painful was that his marriage was in name only, and to make matters worse, his wife was breathtakingly beautiful.
Although the alcohol had numbed his body somewhat, he could still feel the woman beneath him—slender, firm, warm, and full, her fragrance intoxicating.
Up close, her face was exquisitely perfect, flawless even to the most critical eye.
He didn't know what he truly felt for this woman.
Hate? But she was his wife.
Love? Yet he had returned so late, and she hadn't even called, as if they were strangers.
Jiang Yan remained silent, her head turned aside, two silent tears streaming down and dripping onto the pillow. She seemed to have anticipated what would happen next. She closed her eyes, silently accepting the moment.
"You must be beautiful when you smile. It's a pity I've never seen you smile."
But in the end, Ling Yu only chuckled softly, wiped the tears from her face, and returned to the bed.
"You have the right to do anything. I... I can cooperate," Jiang Yan said, her voice trembling, even fearful. But she felt she had to say it. She knew the current situation was unfair to He Jiarong.
"I won't do anything. Not until you let go of him."
Ling Yu smiled dismissively, though he felt an inexplicable pang in his heart.
Had he fallen for this woman?
Impossible. It was just his desire to conquer, he told himself vehemently.
Hearing this, Jiang Yan's heart shuddered. She looked at Ling Yu on the bed in astonishment. She had never told him about someone else in her heart—how did he know?
She wanted to ask how he knew, but Ling Yu was already lightly snoring.
What she didn't know was that if someone harbored another person in their heart, no matter how well they hid it, it would eventually show.
Two days later, at the urging of his daughter and wife, Jiang Jingren reluctantly donated the "Mingqie Tie" to the Qinghai Museum, renowned as half the kingdom of the cultural relic world.
After appraisal by top domestic experts, the "Mingqie Tie" was highly likely to be an authentic work of Wang Xizhi. Even if not, it was at least a pre-Sui Dynasty copy, unparalleled in its fidelity and preservation.
The entire nation was stirred, and countless people wanted to see this a rare and precious object .
Under immense pressure, the Qinghai Museum announced that the "Mingqie Tie" would not be displayed for three months, citing the construction of a dedicated exhibition hall to curb the excitement.
However, the donor, Jiang Jingren, received special privileges. The Qinghai Museum awarded him a medal and gave him five lifetime passes, allowing him and his friends and family to visit and view the "Mingqie Tie" and other collections anytime, free of charge for life.
Jiang Jingren instantly became a celebrity in Qinghai's antique circle, even overshadowing Tang Zongyun. Visitors flocked to his door daily, and overwhelmed, he had to turn them away.
Due to his outstanding contribution, the municipal government specially approved a two-level promotion for him, raising him from deputy division level to deputy department level.
Elated, Jiang Jingren knew all this was thanks to his son-in-law. He changed his previous attitude, showing Ling Yu exceptional warmth and strongly urging Ling Yu and Jiang Yan to hurry up and give them a grandson.
But after that night, Jiang Yan and Ling Yu felt somewhat awkward around each other, rarely communicating.
Ling Yu even regretted it somewhat. If he hadn't drunk so much, he wouldn't have said those things.
One morning, Ling Yu was awakened by a phone call before he had fully slept. It was Shen Yuxuan.
"Hey, Jiarong, where are you? I have something important to tell you!" Shen Yuxuan's voice was urgent.
"I'm at home," Ling Yu said drowsily. Suddenly, he remembered that when they met, Shen Yuxuan's forehead had looked dark, suggesting possible disaster. Had it come true?
He sat up abruptly and asked urgently, "Did something happen to you?"
"I'm fine, but the Guanyin statue you gave me... it's... ah, it's hard to explain in a few words. Let's meet and talk," Shen Yuxuan said, sounding quite panicked.