Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 428 Chinese Classical Studies
Old Fang paced back and forth in the study, his brow furrowed. "Should I find someone to protect Yu Xin and the others?"

“No need, someone’s already here,” He Yuzhu said.

"You mean Tiger and the others?" Old Fang asked.

"Ah."

“Okay, as long as there are people, it’s fine.” Old Fang nodded.

He Yuzhu didn't ask about the matter again, and Lao Fan would definitely handle it properly.

To He Yuzhu's surprise, a few days later, Xu Damao returned to Beijing from the Special Economic Zone.

After entering the courtyard, he greeted He Daqing, Chen Lanxiang, and others, then pulled He Yuzhu into the study.

"Brother, do you still remember when you asked me to get involved in traditional Chinese medicine?" Xu Damao's expression was more serious than usual.

"I thought you'd given up and lost all that money. Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" He Yuzhu said with a smile.

Xu Damao said, "I can't attend to that now, but I haven't forgotten your instructions, including the medical equipment."

"You started your own factory, how come I didn't know?"

"Hehe, I don't have that much capital. I didn't waste that money back then; I spent it all where it was needed, but it wasn't under the Yellow River Group, and you are the legal representative of the company."

"Uh, how come I didn't know?"

"Well, I haven't really paid much attention to it over the years. They've been dealing with their daily lives many times."

"Did you win or lose?"

"Each side has its strengths and weaknesses, mainly in terms of patents."

"Tsumura Pharmaceuticals?"

"Brother, you know them?"

"Yeah, they came up with some kind of traditional Chinese medicine, but I haven't had the time to deal with them."

"Brother, what are you planning to do?"

"Tell me why you came all this way. Don't tell me you're just bored."

"How could that be? If it weren't something important, I wouldn't have had time to come back. Several time-honored brands that we cooperate with this year have come to inspect us. On the surface, it's an exchange, but all they ask are the details of the formula and the origin of the raw materials."

"That can't be right. I remember they started doing this before my first trip back to China."

"After I came back, I acquired a lot of equipment and technology, but I didn't ask for management rights. I just invested all of it in technology and capital."

"So you mean they didn't get many things done before?"

"That's why I said you're my brother; you know it without me saying a word."

"You little brat, you want a beating, don't you?"

"No, no, I'm too old for you to take a beating," Xu Damao hurriedly waved his hand.

"Humph."

"Then I'll continue, I'll continue."

He Yuzhu sat up straight in his chair, tapping his finger on the table: "Get to the point, what exactly did they do? What cards do you have in your hand right now?"

Xu Damao also put away his joking expression and said seriously, "They are mainly working on two things. First, they are poaching our master craftsmen, offering high prices, trying to take away the processing techniques and key methods of several proven prescriptions. Second, they want to control the upstream, sending people to several traditional producing areas, such as Minxian and Fuyang, to negotiate exclusive sales with the locals, trying to cut off the source of high-quality medicinal materials."

"And the results?" He Yuzhu asked.

"The old masters are being closely monitored by the established brands we cooperate with, and they have strict family rules, so there haven't been any major problems yet, but two quick-thinking apprentices have left. The source of the medicinal herbs is more troublesome. They offer high prices for exclusive sales and have promised to introduce their planting techniques, and some places are already tempted."

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment: "What's the current situation with those factories you invested in before?"

"Most of them are still alive, and a few are doing quite well. For example, the modernization and quality improvement project of Angong Niuhuang Wan in cooperation with Tongrentang, and the large-scale standardized production of Dingkun Dan in cooperation with Guangyuyuan, have both been successful, and the product quality is very stable. We also have a stake in a Henan-based medicinal herb processing plant. Their low-temperature processing equipment is unique in China, but the scale has never been large enough. In addition, as you instructed us in the past, we have supported several GAP medicinal herb bases in southern Yunnan and Guizhou Province, so we have some raw materials in hand."

Regarding patents, you mentioned earlier that you've clashed many times. What are the specifics?

"It mainly revolves around the secondary development and dosage form improvement of several classic prescriptions. They hold patents registered overseas and are trying to restrict us from developing new dosage forms in China, such as Chinese medicine injections and concentrated granules. We have joined forces with Chinese medicine universities and several research institutes and are also applying for patents. We have fought many invalidation and opposition lawsuits, with both sides winning and losing, so it's a stalemate."

He Yuzhu nodded, then said, "Just defending won't work; we have to fight our way out. Their base of operations is still here. We have two advantages that they can't match in the short term."

“Brother, tell me.” Xu Damao sat up straight.

"First, genuine, authentic medicinal herbs and traditional processing methods. This cannot be achieved simply by recruiting a few master craftsmen or buying herbs for a few years. Second, a vast domestic market with a high level of trust in traditional Chinese medicine and clinical data. This is what they have been dreaming of."

He looked at Xu Damao: "You have a few things to do next. First, integrate the Chinese medicine companies, research institutes, and GAP bases that we have invested in or controlled, and establish a 'Yellow River Traditional Chinese Medicine Development Alliance' to share resources and work together to address external challenges. Second, work with ministries and industry associations to promote the establishment of stricter standards for the control and traceability of Chinese medicinal materials, and solidify the concept of 'authentic' through standards and laws. Third, increase investment and use modern drug research methods to clarify the effective components and mechanisms of action of our key products, publish high-quality papers, and apply for international patents. We want not only the domestic market, but also to go global in the future."

He Yuzhu said too much at once, and Xu Damao couldn't remember it all. He quickly took out his notebook and listened and took notes at the same time. When he heard the last part, his eyes lit up: "I understand, brother. We can't just follow their rules to fight a patent war. We have to bring the battlefield to our areas of strength. If we grasp the standards, the source, and the clinical practice, then their traditional Chinese medicine will be like a tree without roots."

“That makes sense. Also, let’s talk to those established brands. If they need funding or technical support, Huanghe can give them priority. Tell them that they can’t keep their secret recipes to themselves anymore; they need to stick together.”

"Okay, I'll get started as soon as I get back." Xu Damao rubbed his hands together, eager to get started. "Now we have a direction. Let's give this little brat a good fight!"

"Don't rush. If you do this, what about the electronics company?" He Yuzhu said.

"Hehe, just let Yaozong manage that side."

“You’re willing to give up all that hard work you’ve put in over a decade, all of which you built up bit by bit,” He Yuzhu said.

"To be honest, I'm reluctant to part with it, but I think this is more meaningful."

He Yuzhu was silent for a moment before speaking, "Is this really your purpose for coming here? Make your request, and I'll compensate you."

"Brother, don't you consider me your brother?"

"Get lost. I don't consider you a brother. I wouldn't have looked for you when I went to Hong Kong."

"Actually, there's really no need. My whole family is in the Yellow River area. Xiao'e and Xiao Hui are both managing a lot of things. To be honest, I'm a bit behind in technology, so it's better to stick to what our ancestors left us."

"Is this what you really think?"

"Brother, do I need to hide anything from you? I treat you like my own brother."

“Once you’ve thought it through, that’s fine. As for the funding, prepare your business plan and get it done by your sister-in-law. If we’re going to do it, let’s do it the best,” He Yuzhu said.

"That's exactly what I've been waiting for. I didn't have time to deal with those bastards before, but this time I'm going to teach them a lesson," Xu Damao said excitedly.

After several more days of running around Beijing, Xu Damao's excitement gradually faded as the complexities of reality overwhelmed him.

When he returned to No. 95 Nanluoguxiang that day, the streetlights were already on.

He Yuzhu was watching a few teenagers practice horse stance in the yard. When he saw him come in, he waved for the children to go play by themselves and then walked over.

"Look at your face, did you run into a snag?" He Yuzhu offered him a cigarette.

Xu Damao took the cigarette, lit it himself, took a deep drag, and exhaled a smoke ring before saying, "Brother, these old brands are really tough to crack. I went to talk to some of the master craftsmen at Tongrentang, and they were very polite, but when it came to sharing recipes and standardizing processes, they just laughed it off, saying things like 'the rules of our ancestors can't be broken,' and 'the heat and feel can't be quantified.'"

He took another drag of his cigarette and continued, "Guangyuyuan is somewhat interested in cooperating on the development of new dosage forms, but they are overseen by pharmaceutical companies and the Light Industry Bureau, with layers of approvals and complicated procedures. As for those state-owned pharmaceutical factories, it goes without saying that the factory directors shake their heads like rattles when they hear that their existing production processes and profit structures are going to be altered, afraid of taking responsibility and offending people."

He Yuzhu listened quietly, not surprised.

He patted Xu Damao on the shoulder: "That's normal. These are old rules that have been around for decades or even centuries. Do you expect people to share their most treasured secrets with you with just a few words?"

"What should we do then? We can't just sit here and wait, can we? Their little one won't wait for us." Xu Damao said anxiously.

"Let's try a different approach." He Yuzhu led him toward the study. "Start with the easy stuff first. Don't go straight for their core secret recipes and master craftsmen. Begin with what you share common interests with, where there's less resistance."

The two entered the study and sat down.

He Yuzhu continued, "Xiao Rizi is our ultimate competitor. Every time-honored brand has a different recipe, so they are not competitors in themselves. There is also the issue of patent registration. If they have recipes, why don't we have them too?"

As he spoke, He Yuzhu took out a stack of photocopies from the drawer.

Xu Damao flipped through it, his mouth agape.

"Brother, where did you get all of these?"

“Don’t worry about where you got them. To be honest, we could do this without cooperating with them, but we don’t want their tradition to end. These are just the stepping stones,” He Yuzhu said.

"Brother, no wonder you asked me to do this in the first place. I thought you only had a few formulas and wanted to set up a small factory to make some money."

"Bullshit, do you think I'm short of that little bit of money?" He Yuzhu said.

“I didn’t know before, but as Huanghe grew bigger and bigger, I realized your strength, brother.”

“Is this enough? If not, there’s more!” He Yuzhu said.

"That's enough, that's enough. I won't show them everything. I'll just organize the table of contents and summary. By the way, why are all these photocopies? Where are the originals?"

“The original documents are either shares or rare books; they’re all cultural relics. They can’t just be taken out like that,” He Yuzhu said.

"Yes, yes, how could I forget that? It's safest to leave it in your hands, brother."

"No need to flatter me, you go first. If it's not enough, I have more, just as much as this," He Yuzhu said.

"Now I'm even more confident. There must be a lot of these techniques that have been lost to time."

“I don’t know the specifics either, you’ll have to verify it yourself,” He Yuzhu said.

"it is good."

"Is there something you forgot to do?" He Yuzhu asked.

"What? No, I don't think so."

"Have you handed over the duties? You've been gone for so long, aren't you afraid things will get chaotic over there?" He Yuzhu asked.

“When I came back, I put Yaozong in charge. Didn’t he tell you? Oh, he probably thought I would report to you.” Xu Damao added halfway through his sentence.

“Alright, you’ll be going back to the Special Economic Zone soon. It won’t take much trouble, but then you’ll probably be traveling all over the country. By the way, can your body handle it?” He Yuzhu asked.

"How could I not be able to handle it? I've been running around all these years!"

"Anyway, you took on this job yourself, so you can handle it as you see fit and choose whoever you want to hire," He Yuzhu said.

"no problem."

Xu Damao stayed in Beijing for two more days, carefully sorting and organizing the stack of photocopies He Yuzhu had given him, creating a detailed catalog and summary.

With these "stepping stones" in hand, he visited several time-honored brands again.

This time, he changed his strategy. Instead of just talking about cooperation and sharing, he directly approached experienced masters or managers who could make decisions and presented them with excerpts of non-core but valuable prescriptions and key points of the process.

"Take a look at this, the ancient refining record of 'Purple Snow Pill'. It mentions the special treatment of several auxiliary ingredients, which is a bit different from the current method. We have tried it in our laboratory, and the finished product does have a better color and solubility according to this ancient method," Xu Damao said to an old pharmacist with white hair and beard at Tongrentang.

The old pharmacist put on his reading glasses, examined the paper carefully for a long time, and gently stroked it with his fingers. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes: "These records are indeed much older. I've never seen some of these statements before. Mr. Xu, where did you get this?"

Xu Damao smiled and said, "We acquired them by chance. To be honest, we have some similar rare ancient books. What we at Huanghe want to do is not to steal your jobs, but to use these treasures left by our ancestors to preserve the roots of traditional Chinese medicine and do it even better. Now, some people outside are taking a little bit of what they've learned from us, changing it up, and trying to claim to be our ancestors. Can we tolerate that?"

The old pharmacist was silent for a moment, then sighed: "That's the principle, but the rules..."

“Rules are rigid, but people are flexible.” Xu Damao pressed on, “We don’t demand the sharing of core secret formulas. We only hope to cooperate on some standardized processes, medicinal material identification, and the development of new dosage forms. We will provide funding, equipment, and modern research methods. We will share the results, jointly apply for patents, and divide the profits according to our contributions. We have only one goal: to ensure that our good products are not outdone by outsiders using crooked methods.”

These honest words, coupled with the substantial "hard evidence" he possessed, moved many people.

After several days, Xu Daxu finally reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with the two time-honored brands and the Henan herbal medicine factory, deciding to start with a small-scale pilot project on process improvement and standard setting.

With initial results in hand, Xu Damao rushed back to the special economic zone to begin the handover of the electronics technology company.

He Yaozong was prepared for this. The two talked in the office for an afternoon, clarifying the various businesses, the core team, and the important projects underway.

“Uncle Mao, don’t worry about the traditional Chinese medicine side. I’ll take care of things here.” He Yaozong looked at Xu Damao and said sincerely, “Dad is right. That’s a more meaningful thing. If you need any support, just let me know.”

Xu Damao patted him on the shoulder: "I'm relieved to leave it to you. This is quite a large operation, so please keep a close eye on it." He paused, "Especially the projects that are being handled by the military. They were just transferred to Huagao Technology, and the processes are still being worked out. Keep a close eye on them and make sure nothing goes wrong."

"clear."

After the handover was completed, Xu Damao did not linger and immediately began to assemble his core team for the "Traditional Chinese Medicine Alliance".

He selected several key personnel from his long-time subordinates who were good at communication and hardworking. He also recruited several experts with research on industrialization and standardization from universities of traditional Chinese medicine and research institutes through connections.

As soon as the team was taking shape, Xu Damao led his people on a nationwide tour.

Our first stop was Henan Province, where a herbal medicine processing factory with its own low-temperature processing equipment was a key link in implementing standardization and improving processes.

Xu Damao stayed in Henan Province for more than half a month.

The herbal medicine processing factory did have a unique low-temperature processing technique, but its equipment was outdated, and the process parameters relied mainly on the experience and feel of the master craftsmen. As a result, the yield rate fluctuated greatly, and the production capacity remained low. Xu Damao's technical team worked with the factory's master craftsmen in the workshop, repeatedly experimenting and recording data, trying to transform those "heat control" and "feel" into controllable temperature, humidity, and time parameters.

The process was more grueling than expected.

Experienced technicians are skeptical of cold, hard instrument data, while younger technicians struggle to grasp the abstract, esoteric advice, leading to frequent friction.

“Mr. Xu, this won’t work!” The factory manager of the herbal medicine factory complained to Xu Damao, “Master Zhang is the pillar of our factory. If he quits, half of the business will have to stop immediately.”

Xu Damao handed him a cigarette and lit one for himself: "Old Wang, I understand. But have you thought about how many more years Master Zhang can work? If he can't take his skill to the grave, he can't just keep it in his head, can he? What we're doing now is 'photographing and archiving' his skill, so that good things can be passed down and the factory won't have to rely on the weather in the future. This is saving the factory and saving the craft."

Factory Director Wang silently smoked his cigarette, saying nothing.

The turning point came in a crucial comparative test. Using Master Zhang's traditional methods and the same batch of medicinal materials prepared according to preliminary standardized parameters, third-party testing revealed that the standardized group slightly outperformed the standard group in terms of effective ingredient content and impurity control indicators, and the batch-to-batch stability was extremely high.

With the data laid out before him, Master Zhang stared at the report for a long time before finally sighing and saying to Xu Damao, "Mr. Xu, you guys handle it. I'll cooperate." His tone carried a hint of relief, but also a touch of reluctance.

Having overcome the challenge of the herbal medicine processing plant, Xu Damao left part of his team to continue refining the standards, while he immediately moved on to the next target—the Astragalus GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) base in Longxi.

Here, another battle has already begun.

The base manager, a dark-skinned middle-aged man surnamed Li, immediately began to complain to Xu Damao upon meeting him: "Mr. Xu, you've finally arrived! The people over there have raised the price again, almost 30% higher than the guaranteed purchase price we signed! They even promised to give us some kind of intelligent seedling greenhouse. Several cooperative members have been persuaded. If we can't get enough high-quality astragalus next year, we'll have to breach our supply contracts with the pharmaceutical company!"

Looking at the endless loess slopes in front of him, Xu Damao asked, "Old Li, can we afford the price they're offering?"

Old Li smiled bitterly: "We can afford to keep up, but what about other varieties once this door is opened? Besides, this is vicious competition. They're clearly burning money to squeeze us out first and monopolize the source."

Xu Damao pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No. They're burning money, we can't afford it, and there's no need for us to." He paused, "You just said they promised to provide intelligent greenhouses?"

"Yes, they say it can precisely control temperature and humidity, improving the survival rate of seedlings."

“This is a breakthrough.” Xu Damao narrowed his eyes. “Go and tell the commune members that we at Yellow River Alliance will not stop them from making money. It is their freedom to sell their medicinal herbs to those who offer higher prices. However, make it clear to the people who sign the contracts with them that all pharmaceutical factories and partners under the Yellow River Alliance will no longer purchase or use any medicinal herbs produced by ‘non-alliance certified’ smart greenhouses.”

Old Li was taken aback: "Will this work?"

Xu Damao sneered: "Tell the members, can those outside companies offer them high prices for a year, or even ten? Once they've squeezed out those of us who are doing our jobs honestly, won't they be able to dictate the prices? By then, if they want to turn back, the seedlings in the fields will have been replaced, and they'll have become reliant on the technology. They won't have a say in that anymore. What our alliance needs to do is establish a reliable traceability system from seed to finished product. Only medicinal materials that enter this system will be recognized as good medicines by major pharmaceutical companies and hospitals in the future. We need to have a long-term vision."

He then instructed, "In addition, make easy-to-understand booklets about our alliance's GAP standards and the traceability system plan that is currently being developed, and distribute them to every household. Let them weigh for themselves whether they want to seek short-term gains or work with us to build a long-term, profitable brand."

This series of combined measures helped stabilize the initially somewhat agitated production areas.

Many members realized that Huanghe was building a long-term, stable order, while the opponent's behavior was more like a one-off deal.

Just as Xu Damao was traveling around, struggling to integrate upstream resources and promote standards, pressure from overseas began to emerge. First, a research institute within the alliance involved in new drug development had its clinical trial application materials repeatedly rejected on the grounds of "insufficient data" and "unclear standards," bringing the approval process to a standstill.

Following this, two joint ventures that mainly exported concentrated Chinese medicine granules to Southeast Asia received surprise inspection notices from local health authorities, who imposed a series of extremely stringent new testing requirements that far exceeded the usual local standards, causing goods to be stranded at the port and losses to increase daily.

What troubled Xu Damao the most was that he received news through some special channels that some overseas industry associations were lobbying certain international organizations to include some commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs in the endangered or controlled species list on the grounds that "overexploitation is affecting the ecology".

If this move succeeds, it would be equivalent to directly cutting off international trade in many important medicinal materials.

“President Xu, this is clearly aimed at us.” The vice president in charge of external affairs of the alliance said with a serious expression, “They haven’t gained a clear advantage in the patent battle, so they’ve started resorting to these underhanded tactics.”

Xu Damao stood at the window of the temporary office, looking at the gray sky outside.

He recalled He Yuzhu's words: this competition has never been just about technology and the market.

He picked up the phone and called He Yuzhu in Beijing.

"Brother, here's the situation. They've started creating obstacles over there, from approvals to trade, and even the public opinion surrounding it."

On the other end of the phone, He Yuzhu was silent for a few seconds before asking, "What are you planning to do?"

“We definitely can’t win by fighting head-on; they’ve got the positions.” Xu Damao said. “I’m thinking of three things: First, ask Shuyi for help, using Huagao Technology’s connections with military hospitals to expedite the domestic clinical trial approvals for our key products, so we can solidify our foothold in the domestic market. Second, contact Yaozu and use his trading companies in Hong Kong and overseas channels to see if we can circumvent the blockades, or at least diversify the risks. Third, could we ask Chu Hong and Huizhen to use cultural channels to raise their voices? We can’t just let them smear us.”

He Yuzhu said, "It's not appropriate for her to step in. This isn't something that China does anyway. I'll find someone to handle this."

"Okay, then I'll wait for your message."

"Don't stop what you're doing. Also, take a look at traditional Chinese medicine. It seems to be declining now. See if there's any way to revive it," He Yuzhu said.

"Brother, you really know how to give me something to do. This is much more difficult than making Chinese medicine."

“If it’s something easy, you don’t need to do it. You can just find someone else to do it,” He Yuzhu said.

"Just for what you said, I'll do it," Xu Damao said through gritted teeth.

“I’m here for you, don’t act like you’re going to war,” He Yuzhu said.

"The marketplace is a battlefield."

“Yes, then you charge forward, General Xu,” He Yuzhu said.

"Yes, sir!" Xu Damao replied.

Xu Damao hung up the phone and paced a few steps in the simple office. The loess slope outside the window looked particularly desolate in the twilight.

He convened the core team of the alliance and several policy research experts invited from Beijing overnight.

“Everyone knows the situation,” Xu Damao said without wasting any words. “The other side is setting up non-tariff barriers for us, trying to cut us off at the root. We need to speed up the domestic clinical trial approval process, and I will coordinate that. As for the trade barriers in Southeast Asia, we need to find out the details and find ways to circumvent them, or at least make it more costly for them to raise their standards than for us.”

An expert in charge of policy adjusted his glasses: "Mr. Xu, regarding the endangered medicinal herb list, we can work with relevant domestic nature conservation agencies and research institutions to prepare a scientific assessment report in advance, letting the data speak for itself. At the same time, we should also make our voices heard at relevant international conferences, and not let them unilaterally define it."

“Okay, you take the lead on this. Just tell me what resources you need.” Xu Damao took notes and then looked at the vice president in charge of production. “Old Wang, at the GAP base, the traceability system must be piloted as soon as possible. Don’t make it too complicated. First, make sure that information from the land to the primary processing stage is traceable, so that the members can see real benefits. Tell Old Li that the alliance can advance some funds to help cooperatives that are willing to join the traceability system upgrade their basic equipment.”

For the next few months, Xu Damao practically became a frequent flyer.

He flew back to Beijing and, through the connections introduced by He Yuzhu, contacted several influential military general hospitals, bringing several traditional Chinese medicines from several pharmaceutical companies within the alliance that had undergone years of clinical trials and were highly safe into the selection scope for special military supply medicines.

This has both accelerated the approval process and greatly enhanced the credibility of these products.

Meanwhile, Ho Yiu-cho has been making frequent moves in Hong Kong.

He used several offshore trading companies under Yellow River Investment Holdings to re-plan the logistics routes for Chinese medicine exports, redirecting some exports to Southeast Asia to Singapore for transshipment, and actively contacting powerful local Chinese businessmen to establish a new distribution network to diversify risks.

Regarding the promotion of traditional Chinese medicine, He Yuzhu, through the connections of Lao Fang and others, contacted several external publicity agencies and influential cultural scholars.

A series of articles and documentaries introducing the history, philosophical foundations, and modern scientific verification of traditional Chinese medicine have begun to quietly appear in overseas professional journals and media. Although not widely publicized, they are gradually eliminating the stereotype that "traditional Chinese medicine is unscientific" within certain circles.

Xu Damao continues to focus on developing his business in the domestic market.

He selected two provinces as pilot areas for the comprehensive traceability system, and cooperated with local governments to promote GAP standards, traceability information and the development of local specialty agricultural product brands.

The members discovered that medicinal herbs that had joined the "Yellow River Alliance Traceability System" not only had guaranteed purchase prices, but could also use a unified certification mark on their packaging, directly improving the product's grade and selling price.

Resistance still exists.

When pushing a time-honored pharmaceutical factory to automate its production line, several veteran workers jointly opposed it, arguing that machines could not replace the "keen eye" of human hands in selecting medicinal herbs.

Xu Damao did not force the implementation, but instead invited professors from the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine to conduct on-site testing with instruments, comparing the impurity rate and uniformity of effective components of medicinal materials after manual selection by experienced craftsmen and machine sorting.

When the data showed that the machine was more advantageous in removing foreign objects and ensuring batch stability, he sincerely stated again: "The machine is to save experienced workers' effort, transform the experience of 'keen eyes' into standards, and allow more apprentices to learn the essence. It is not meant to replace anyone."

The deadlock was slowly broken.

Seeing the tangible data and market feedback, more and more established brands and pharmaceutical companies are taking the initiative to reach out to the alliance and explore cooperation at different levels.

Following that, the Yellow River Traditional Chinese Medicine Development Alliance held its first annual meeting in Beijing.

In addition to member units, leaders from ministries and commissions, industry associations, and several masters of traditional Chinese medicine were also invited.

At the meeting, the first batch of technical specifications for full traceability of five medicinal materials and new quality standards for three traditional Chinese medicine preparations were officially released.

One of the invited masters of traditional Chinese medicine remarked during his speech: "The knowledge of our ancestors is valuable, but we can't let it lie dormant in the dustbin of history. We're on the right track by using modern methods to explain the principles clearly and to manage the quality. We can't let outside students hold our teachers back."

As Xu Damao sat in the audience listening to these words, he recalled He Yuzhu's concerns about the current state of traditional Chinese medicine.

After the meeting, he made a special trip to visit several elderly, but still dedicated, renowned traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

Listening to their stories about the current predicament of TCM colleges emphasizing theory over practice and the difficulty for young doctors to access and understand traditional diagnostic methods, Xu Damao realized that this might be an even more intractable problem than the standardization of Chinese herbal medicines. Medicinal materials are the foundation, but what truly keeps TCM alive is "people," the medical principles and experience passed down from generation to generation.

He returned to the office and solemnly added a item to the new draft work plan: "Feasibility study on the 'Inheritance of Famous Doctors' Experience and Training of Young TCM Doctors' plan".

Xu Damao returned to Beijing and reported the preliminary results of the "Traditional Chinese Medicine Alliance" to He Yuzhu, but it also brought deeper concerns.

“Brother, we’ve finally managed to pry a little open in the area of ​​medicinal herbs and prepared medicines. But traditional Chinese medicine itself… faces even greater difficulties.” Xu Damao rubbed his temples. “I visited several senior doctors, and the situation is not optimistic.”

"Tell me about it." He Yuzhu poured him a cup of strong tea.

"The first thing is the inheritance. The old-fashioned master-apprentice system doesn't work anymore. Students in schools only learn the theory, but they can't grasp the essence or recognize all the medicines. After graduation, they have to learn from scratch when they enter the hospital. But how many master craftsmen have the time, energy, and willingness to pass on all their knowledge? Many of their unique skills are about to be taken to their graves."

“Secondly, there’s the qualification requirement.” Xu Damao sighed. “Nowadays, practicing medicine requires academic qualifications and exams. But some folk doctors, with their ancestral skills, have cured countless people, yet they become ‘illegal practitioners’ simply because they don’t have that certificate. A while ago, there was an old gentleman in the southwest whose family had been treating bone injuries for generations. He was reported and almost went to jail. On the contrary, some half-baked practitioners, relying on connections to get a certificate, are bolder than anyone else when prescribing medicine.”

He Yuzhu listened silently, tapping his fingers on the table. He wasn't entirely unaware of these issues, but Xu Damao's specific points made them seem even more pointed.

"Do you have any idea?"

“I would like to try to promote the certification of ‘apprenticeship education’,” Xu Damao said. “So that those who have studied under a master for many years can also have a formal status, at least so that they are not labeled as illegal. In addition, could we cooperate with a few universities of traditional Chinese medicine to set up a ‘clinical inheritance class’ and invite senior doctors to teach students and teach them something real?”

"The resistance won't be small," He Yuzhu pondered. "It's like taking away someone else's cake."

“I know,” Xu Damao nodded. “Someone will definitely jump out and say things like ‘standards cannot be lowered’ or ‘medical safety’. They’re really throwing around accusations.”

Sure enough, when Xu Damao began to use his connections to tentatively propose the ideas of "apprenticeship assessment and recognition" and "clinical teaching program for renowned doctors," opposition quickly arose.

The first to launch the attack was a professor surnamed Wang. At an industry symposium, he held a prepared statement and spoke with righteous indignation:
"The development of traditional Chinese medicine must adhere to scientific principles, standardization, and regulation! The current introduction of practitioner certification is a step backward! It will disrupt the education system and professional qualification system that we have worked so hard to establish! How can those who have not received systematic scientific education guarantee the quality of medical care? Who will be responsible if problems arise?"

His words drew some agreement. Another official in charge of the medical licensing examination also subtly stated, "The current examination system is a measure of fairness. If we make exceptions for a minority, how can we uphold fairness? And how can we protect the health rights of the vast majority of the people?"

These voices spread through the media and some internal briefings, casting a shadow over Xu Damao's efforts.

Xu Damao didn't rush to refute. He had his subordinates collect information and discovered that Professor Wang's published papers were mostly review articles with few clinical achievements, but he had spearheaded the development of many "guidelines" and "standards," and his students and associates were spread throughout the relevant fields.

"Brother, see this? This is a roadblock." Xu Damao handed the materials to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu flipped through the pages, a cold smile playing on his lips: "His position determines his perspective. Of course, someone in his position wants everyone to follow the rules he sets."

"What should we do? It's pointless to argue with him, and we can't win anyway."

"No need for a war of words." He Yuzhu put down the materials. "Just find an opportunity to let him show his weakness."

The opportunity soon arrived. At a symposium on the development of traditional Chinese medicine organized by a ministry, Professor Wang once again spoke at length, emphasizing the importance of "standardization," and using the "Guidelines for the Clinical Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations" that he led the development of as an example to illustrate how important standardization is.

The meeting included a Q&A session. A young scholar arranged by Xu Damao—actually a well-educated and quick-thinking PhD from within the alliance—stood up and asked a question in a humble tone:

"Professor Wang, thank you very much for your excellent report. I have carefully studied the 'Guidelines' you led the development of, which recommends three drugs (A, B, and C) for 'XX syndrome'. I would like to ask, according to ancient records and modern pharmacological research, drug D has a long history of use for this syndrome, and the level of evidence is not low. Why is it not included in the 'Guidelines'? What are the considerations? Is it due to insufficient clinical efficacy data, or are there problems with the safety evidence?"

Professor Wang was clearly taken aback by such a specific and incisive question. He paused for a moment, adjusted his glasses, and began to speak generally about "the rigor of the guideline development process," "expert consensus," and "the need for more evidence-based medicine."

The young PhD student persisted, pressing further: "To my knowledge, XX Hospital conducted a multicenter clinical study on drug D three years ago, which showed an overall effective rate of 85% and an adverse reaction rate of less than 1%. This study was published in the *Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine*. Did the expert panel refer to this study when developing the guidelines? If so, what are the reasons for not recommending it? If not, does this mean that our guidelines are out of touch with the latest clinical research?"

A barrage of questions, based on solid data and literature, left Professor Wang sweating profusely, stammering, and unable to give a coherent answer.

Whispers began to circulate in the room. Those present were all experts; they could immediately tell who was just talking nonsense and who had real substance.

Although the story did not spread widely, it quickly circulated within small circles.

Professor Wang's image as an "academic authority" has been questioned, and the credibility of the "standards" and "guidelines" he spearheaded has been greatly diminished.

The voices that had initially echoed his sentiments quietly fell silent.

Xu Damao seized the opportunity, ceasing his entanglement with such "authorities" and instead focusing on pragmatic progress.

He selected a traditional Chinese medicine university in the south as a pilot project and signed an agreement with the university to jointly establish a "Famous Doctors' Inheritance Studio".

Three retired renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctors, all in their seventies but with extremely rich clinical experience, were hired as specially appointed professors to lead ten outstanding senior students who were selected to pursue clinical studies.

The studio does not pursue a large number of published papers; the core assessment indicator is the students' clinical diagnostic ability and prescription skills.

The veteran Chinese medicine practitioners shared their decades of experience without reservation, including how to observe, listen, inquire, and palpate, how to balance the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, and how to deal with complex diseases.

At the same time, the alliance, together with several interested hospitals, is attempting to establish a "pilot unit for apprenticeship practitioners" to provide a legal clinical practice platform for those apprentices who have genuine expertise and have passed the joint assessment by the alliance and universities.

The process remains slow and controversial.

But the ice was finally cracked open.

When Xu Damao reported the progress to He Yuzhu, his tone was weary: "Brother, this matter may not see significant results for five or ten years."

“But someone has to do it. Medicinal herbs are the root, and traditional Chinese medicine is the soul. If the soul is gone, no matter how well the roots grow, it’s just withered wood.” He Yuzhu looked at the new gray hairs at his temples and patted his shoulder.

Xu Damao's pilot programs for "apprenticeship education certification" and "renowned doctors' clinical teaching" have, like a stone thrown into a seemingly calm lake, finally stirred up the expected strong ripples.

The first to launch an attack was a deputy director surnamed Wu within the health system.

In an internal meeting, he characterized Xu Damao's actions as "an attempt to interfere with the national medical talent evaluation system with the power of the people," using strong language.

"What kind of medical practitioner's license? This is tantamount to opening a door for illegal medical practice!" Deputy Director Wu tapped his finger on the table as he addressed the attendees. "What is the purpose of establishing the medical practitioner's examination system? It is to protect the lives and health of the people! Without systematic and rigorous modern medical education, without passing the national unified examination, what right do they have to treat patients? Who will be responsible if a medical accident occurs? This door must not be opened! Whoever opens it will be held accountable!"

These words quickly reached Xu Damao's ears through certain channels.

Unlike Professor Wang, this Deputy Director Wu wielded real power, and his opposition directly affected the filing and approval process of the pilot project in relevant departments, resulting in the indefinite postponement of a "pilot unit for apprenticeship personnel" at a cooperating hospital.

At the same time, a company called "Kanghua Pharmaceutical" also began spreading rumors within the industry.

This company has risen rapidly in recent years thanks to several aggressively marketed traditional Chinese medicines and health products, and its owner has a close relationship with Deputy Director Wu.

They claimed that the Yellow River Alliance's actions "disrupted industry rules" and "used outdated folk remedies to impact the modern pharmaceutical market." They even secretly contacted some media outlets to prepare a series of reports "exposing the chaos in folk traditional Chinese medicine," targeting several folk inheritors supported by Xu Damao.

The pressure suddenly increased.

“Brother, Deputy Director Wu is holding us very tight, and Kang Hua is also making underhanded moves.” Xu Damao found He Yuzhu again, his brows furrowed. “They’re trying to crush us. If the pilot unit isn’t approved, those apprentices who have been learning from their teacher for years still won’t be able to practice medicine legally. If the negative reports Kang Hua is preparing are released, the public pressure will be immense.”

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment and asked, "Is that Deputy Director Wu clean?"

Xu Damao snorted: "I've checked. His brother-in-law is a shareholder of Kanghua. Several of Kanghua's products were able to get approved quickly before, and it's said that it was all related to him. It's just that this guy is cautious, and there's no way to find any dirt on him openly."

“We don’t need any overt incriminating evidence,” He Yuzhu said calmly. “Given his position, it’s difficult for him to be completely clean. What about Kang Hua?”

“Kanghua is even worse!” Xu Damao perked up. “They have several flagship drugs that are advertised with outrageous claims, like ‘curing rheumatism’ or ‘effective in three courses of treatment,’ but the actual effects are far from satisfactory, yet the prices are ridiculously high. Moreover, some patients’ families have reported serious adverse reactions after using their drugs, but they were ultimately silenced by paying them off. We are currently collecting evidence on this matter, but the victims are afraid of getting into trouble and are hesitant to come forward.”

"The evidence must be solid, and the people must be protected," He Yuzhu instructed. "Since they want to use public opinion, then we'll play along with them."

Xu Damao understood immediately.

Upon returning, he did two things: First, he instructed his subordinates to continue gathering in-depth evidence of Kanghua's problems, especially by finding and persuading the families of two victims who had experienced severe adverse reactions from using its products but had been coerced into signing confidentiality agreements. They provided detailed medical records and bank transfer receipts, and he promised absolute protection. Second, through a systemic individual with a past grudge against Deputy Director Wu and known for his integrity, he seemingly casually passed on clues about Wu's connection to Kanghua to the disciplinary inspection system, which was searching for a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, in response to Kanghua's prepared report "Exposing the Chaos of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Folk Practices," Xu Damao instructed the alliance's public relations team to prepare a more detailed report. This report not only addressed potential accusations but also highlighted how companies like Kanghua exploited policy loopholes, exaggerated their claims, and reaped exorbitant profits, seriously damaging the reputation of traditional Chinese medicine and the interests of patients.

This material was precisely delivered to several authoritative media outlets that were known for their investigative reporting and that were competitors of the media outlets that had contact with Kang Hua.

Subsequently, a lengthy article titled "Is it about healing the sick and saving lives, or about making money and taking lives? — Unveiling the truth behind Kanghua Pharmaceutical's exorbitant profits" began to circulate among some intellectuals and people who are concerned about medical and health issues.

The article objectively compares the huge gap between Kanghua's product advertising and actual efficacy, and questions its high price.

This unexpected blow caught Kang Hua completely off guard.

The media outlets that had originally intended to speak out for them immediately retracted their articles and began to follow up on Kang Hua's issues.

Some of the victims' families, whose cases had been suppressed, have become bolder as the situation has changed and have begun to contact the media to accuse Kang Hua.

Public opinion reversed instantly.

Kanghua Pharmaceutical's reputation was ruined, drug sales plummeted, and its stock price crashed.

Deputy Director Wu immediately fell silent.

He abruptly severed all overt contact with Kang Hua's brother-in-law and no longer explicitly opposed the previously stalled "mentorship pilot" project, his attitude becoming ambiguous.

Xu Damao seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire.

Through an alliance, he joined forces with several highly respected masters of traditional Chinese medicine who were also members of the CPPCC or NPC to submit a joint proposal entitled "Suggestions on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Improving the Pilot Management of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners".

Shortly afterward, at an important meeting, the leadership clearly expressed its support for exploring legal practice paths for those who practice under a mentorship system.

After overcoming the obstacles, Xu Damao's "Famous Doctor Inheritance Studio," a collaboration with a university of traditional Chinese medicine in southern China, was finally launched smoothly.

He didn't pursue formalities but focused on substance: the three renowned veteran Chinese medicine doctors he hired were no longer young, but had extremely rich clinical experience. The ten carefully selected students were more like clinical assistants than students, learning to copy prescriptions, identify medicinal materials, and study the classic diagnostic methods of observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation.

Xu Damao once went to observe it.

In the consultation room, an elderly gentleman surnamed Ye was treating a patient with intractable insomnia.

The old man placed his fingers on the patient's wrist, closed his eyes and concentrated for a long time. After carefully examining the tongue coating, he slowly said, "Your illness is not simply due to excessive heart fire, but rather liver stagnation transforming into fire, which scorches the heart yin, accompanied by spleen deficiency and dampness. The medicines you took before were mostly heavy sedatives and calming agents, which treated the symptoms but not the root cause, and instead damaged your spleen and stomach."

He turned to the students beside him: “The pulse is wiry, thin, and rapid, especially on the left Guan position; the tongue is red with a yellow, greasy coating and cracks in the middle. What is this condition? How should it be treated?” The students pondered intently and discussed in hushed tones. Master Ye patiently guided them, explaining the pulse and tongue appearance, the pathogenesis, and the prescription strategy. He explained how to balance the proportions of herbs for soothing the liver, clearing heat, nourishing the heart, and strengthening the spleen and resolving dampness. He even detailed the impact of the authentic selection and processing requirements of each herb on its efficacy.

Xu Damao watched quietly from the side, inwardly impressed: This is true inheritance of traditional Chinese medicine, not just theoretical talk, but transforming abstract theories from classical texts into concrete clinical wisdom through real-life cases. The "Pilot Unit for Apprenticeship Practice" established by the alliance's joint hospitals has also begun accepting apprentices who have passed rigorous assessments, allowing them to practice legally under supervision.

The process remains slow, and the controversy continues.

But the ice has broken, and a glimmer of dawn is appearing.

As for Deputy Director Wu, his whereabouts are unknown after the interview; perhaps he's hiding somewhere under a fence.

Kanghua Pharmaceutical was investigated for suspected false advertising and commercial bribery, and soon became insolvent and declared bankruptcy.

(End of this chapter)