Chinese medicine: from rural hospitals to top three hospitals in Kyoto

Zhuang Qiwen and Yu Shiyun arrived in Kyoto almost one after the other.

The finals of the competition were held in Kyoto, and the organizers naturally arranged accommodation for all participants at a hotel not far from the venue. The hotel was not luxurious, but it was clean and tidy.

Coincidentally, Zhuang Qiwen and Yu Shiyun were assigned to the same floor.

When Yu Shiyun encountered Zhuang Qiwen in the corridor, she was clearly taken aback.

Yu Shiyun had already learned about Zhuang Qiwen's name and deeds through the internet, and she held this senior, who also came from a humble background but had superb medical skills, in high esteem.

When the two were in the same district during the semi-finals, Yu Shiyun saw Zhuang Qiwen from afar.

"Dr. Zhuang... Dr. Zhuang?" Yu Shiyun asked uncertainly, her Mandarin with a heavy Haizhou accent sounding soft and sweet.

Zhuang Qiwen stopped and looked at the young woman in front of him, whose eyes were clear yet tinged with a hint of timidity. He nodded and gave her a gentle smile: "You are... Yu Shiyun from Haizhou?"

"it's me!"

Yu Shiyun was flattered that Zhuang Qiwen knew her, and quickly bowed, saying, "Dr. Zhuang, I have read about your deeds and admire you very much!"

Zhuang Qiwen waved his hand and said in a calm tone, "No need to be polite. We are both contestants and can learn from each other. Your results are very good. You ranked fifth in our district, which is very impressive."

Yu Shiyun blushed slightly and whispered, "It was just good luck. There's still a lot to learn. Dr. Zhuang, you're the real expert. You came in first in the preliminary round and then first in the semi-finals."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two, despite their significant age and experience differences, shared a background of not having formal training and having achieved their current success through their own efforts, which naturally fostered a sense of mutual appreciation between them.

"Good luck in the finals...." Before parting, Zhuang Qiwen said to Shiyun, his eyes filled with encouragement.

"Go Dr. Zhuang!" Yu Shiyun nodded vigorously, and the anxiety she felt from coming to this unfamiliar metropolis seemed to have dissipated considerably.

They all knew that the final stage brought together the nation's top TCM experts, especially the highly respected Elder Xiao Jingyun, who stood like a towering mountain before all the contestants. To stand out was an incredibly difficult task.

But now that we've come this far, there's no reason to back down.

.......

While the contestants were actively preparing for the finals, the group that had previously held a secret meeting reunited in a private club in Kyoto.

"Old Xiao has already arrived in Kyoto. This final is sure to be very exciting." The official from the health system, surnamed Zhang, was clearly looking forward to watching the spectacle.

Upon hearing this, pharmaceutical representative Mr. Wang smiled with satisfaction: "Good! With Elder Xiao's intervention, let's see how arrogant Chen Yang can be! A mere brat, does he really think he can establish his own school just because he's gained some empty fame? What a joke!"

A Mr. Li, an expert wearing gold-rimmed glasses, adjusted his glasses and said cautiously, "Old Xiao is highly respected, so it's naturally safe for him to step in. However, Chen Yang is indeed a man of genuine talent and should not be underestimated. Especially in the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine and the diagnosis and treatment of some difficult and complicated diseases, his thinking is unconventional and he often does unexpected things."

"Professor Li, there's no need to boost others' morale."

Mr. Wang scoffed dismissively, “Old Master Xiao has immersed himself in the Treatise on Typhoid Fever his entire life, and his application of classical formulas is masterful. He is a true master, the foundation of traditional Chinese medicine. Chen Yang’s fancy tricks are nothing but illusions in the face of absolute strength. I heard that Old Master Xiao has a very low opinion of Zhuang Qiwen and Yu Shiyun.”

Official Zhang nodded: "Yes, Elder Xiao has privately expressed his concerns, believing that overemphasizing 'real combat' and 'breaking the rules' while neglecting theoretical inheritance and standardization will lead to a break in the inheritance of traditional Chinese medicine and even breed quacks. His participation in this competition is also with the intention of correcting the wrongs."

"That's right!"

Mr. Wang clapped his hands and laughed, "At the finals, all Mr. Xiao needs to do is ask Chen Yang questions under the guise of seeking advice on case analysis or treatment plans, pointing out the 'irregularities' in Zhuang Qiwen's or Yu Shiyun's treatment approaches, and that will be enough to give Chen Yang a hard time."

"If Chen Yang shows favoritism, it would be biased and unfair; if he handles the matter impartially and negates the person he personally promoted, then he would be contradicting himself! Haha, brilliant!"

Professor Li pondered for a moment and said, "I still need to remind Elder Xiao to be careful with his methods, after all, the Wen family is behind Chen Yang..."

"So what if it's the Wen family?"

Mr. Wang curled his lip: "Old Wen has a special status, so he should be more careful about his influence. How could he openly protect his grandson-in-law and suppress senior doctors? Academic disputes should be decided by each party's ability."

Official Zhang finally made the decision: "Alright, we just need to keep this in mind and not interfere too much. I trust that Mr. Xiao will handle it properly. We just need to observe the situation and, if necessary, ensure that the 'standardization' of the final competition is emphasized."

"Moreover, Mr. Xiao is not actually one of us, and everyone should be aware of that."

The group exchanged smiles, raised their glasses, and drank together, as if they could already see Chen Yang looking disheveled and disgraced at the finals.

.......

Three days before the final, Chen Yang's office at Kyoto International Medical Center.

Xun Jiahong and Lin Yi arrived together, both with somewhat solemn expressions.

"Master, there are some unpleasant rumors circulating outside," Xun Jiahong said bluntly.

"Oh? What rumor?" Chen Yang gestured for them to sit down and asked.

Lin Yi continued, "Rumor has it that the reason you insisted on helping Zhuang Qiwen and Yu Shiyun advance was because they had privately expressed their intention to become your disciples after the competition, thus becoming members of the 'Yang Shen' lineage."

"They also said that the real purpose of holding this competition was to recruit talents and strengthen their own power, and that the so-called 'fairness and impartiality' was just a fig leaf."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang raised an eyebrow, his face showing no anger but rather a playful smile: "This rumor is quite convincing. Anything else?"

Seeing Chen Yang's composure, Xun Jiahong said anxiously, "Master, please don't take this lightly! This rumor is circulating widely among some contestants and invited guests, and it's having a very bad impact on your reputation. Especially Elder Xiao, I heard he's quite dissatisfied with it, thinking you're too eager for quick success and have an ugly attitude."

Chen Yang smiled and said, "They are right. This medical competition is aimed at recruiting talents. If there are suitable candidates, I will also consider taking them on as apprentices. There is no problem with that."

"Director Chen, that's true, but..." Lin Yi reminded him, "If this gets out, it won't have a good impact."

Chen Yang waved his hand: "When I, Chen Yang, accept disciples, I value character and virtue first, and then talent and comprehension."

"If they truly intend to accept, and they pass my test, why shouldn't I? If they have no such intention, would I force them?"

Chen Yang paused for a moment and then said, "Let's spread this around and let everyone know. Besides, it was already announced that the outstanding people from this year's Medical Competition would be admitted to the Kyoto Medical Center. What's there to be afraid of?"

“Actually, you don’t need to worry too much. If Elder Xiao makes Director Chen lose face this time, even without rumors, it will be troublesome for Director Chen. If Elder Xiao is convinced by Director Chen, the rest will fall apart on their own,” Gao Anliang said from the side.