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

The air in the corridor outside the ward was so stagnant it was as if it were frozen, and even time seemed to be frozen in this suffocating silence.

The stark white light poured down from above, casting long, distorted shadows on everyone, a manifestation of their inner anguish.

Xiao Jingyun stood there alone, his back no longer straight, like a stone sculpture that had aged ten years in an instant, all his energy and spirit drained away.

He was no longer the revered medical master who commanded respect in the examination hall, quoting classic texts and commanding great respect; now he was just a bewildered old man watching helplessly as he misjudged and nearly pushed his patient into an abyss of no return.

He and Chen Yang arrived at the hospital one after the other after receiving the news, but they could only watch like outsiders, separated by that cold glass, as Chen Yang inside used all his skills to slowly and painstakingly turn the crisis he had created back on track. Every second of waiting felt like being slowly simmered over a low flame.

Chen Yang finally pushed open the ward door and came out, his forehead covered with fine beads of sweat. Two consecutive hours of high-intensity acupuncture and precise command of the rescue had exhausted him greatly, and his brows showed undisguised fatigue.

There was no questioning, no mockery, not even a trace of smugness. In Chen Yang's eyes, there was only a deep weariness, as if it could absorb all sounds.

"Old Xiao!"

Chen Yang stepped forward, forcing a smile, still maintaining his respect: "When did you arrive, sir?"

Xiao Jingyun's expression was as complex as an overturned palette, his eyes were cloudy and had lost their usual sharp insight.

When he received the news, his first reaction was that it was impossible, absolutely impossible!

how come?

He knew the patient's condition inside and out; he had meticulously considered every symptom and every detail. The prescription he gave was also perfectly tailored to the illness, with a strict and precise combination of ingredients. How could it possibly have triggered such a crisis?

However, the cold reality shattered all his hopes like a hammer blow; the patient had indeed run into trouble because of the prescription he had given.

After arriving at the hospital, Xiao Jingyun rushed into the doctor's office and, with trembling hands, looked through the patient's medical records and medication history.

The written record was crystal clear, showing that the patient's medication was taken strictly according to his doctor's orders, without any other unnecessary treatments.

This last glimmer of hope, that "perhaps it was for some other reason," was completely shattered.

Frankly speaking, in such a competition, there are very few participants who receive the same treatment as Xiao Jingyun, earning the complete trust and unwavering skepticism of patients' families. After all, it's a competition; it's impossible to truly treat patients' lives lightly. Supervision and review mechanisms are always in place.

But Xiao Jingyun is different. He is a renowned doctor with decades of experience. Not only do the judges treat him with respect, but even the patients' families feel extremely lucky and grateful to have Xiao Jingyun personally treat them.

In the eyes of many patients who firmly believe in traditional Chinese medicine, especially those who trust senior doctors, Chen Yang, a rising star with a large following and high popularity, is probably no match for veteran doctors like Xiao Jingyun, who have accumulated a lifetime of experience and expertise.

Xiao Jingyun's reputation is genuine and has stood the test of time.

Many people know his name but find it difficult to get a consultation. How could the patient's family not cherish and be happy to have such an opportunity?

The complete trust they offered was now like the hottest embers, scorching Xiao Jingyun's conscience.

Unfortunately, Xiao Jingyun was too eager to win this time. The competitive spirit hidden beneath his composed exterior subtly influenced his judgment when facing Chen Yang, a formidable junior, leading him to choose a more daring and risky remedy.

Xiao Jingyun's lips moved a few times, his chapped lips trembled slightly, and it felt as if a hot iron was stuck in his throat, burning and suffocating him.

In the end, all the words, all the thoughts of defending himself, all the complex and unspeakable emotions, were reduced to a strained, almost inaudible breath squeezed out from between his teeth: "Director Chen... how is the patient?"

"The situation has stabilized for now."

Chen Yang said calmly, "The danger period has been temporarily passed, and my life has been half pulled back from the brink of death."

"half……"

Xiao Jingyun murmured the two words repeatedly, his body swaying uncontrollably. He subconsciously reached out and grabbed the cold wall next to him, barely managing to stand still.

Throughout his life as a doctor, he saved countless lives and received numerous accolades. Yet, he had never experienced pushing a patient to the brink of death. For him, the word "halfway" was a more cruel disgrace than utter failure, a stain that could never be erased from his lifelong reputation.

Qiu Yimin and Feng Huanzhang also gathered around, their faces equally grim, as if covered in a layer of ashes. Qiu Yimin opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, wanting to say something to defend Xiao Jingyun, or to ease the suffocating atmosphere, such as "everyone makes mistakes" or "the illness is complicated."

But under Chen Yang's calm yet penetrating gaze, all the prepared words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Facts speak louder than words. Their previous high praise for Xiao Jingyun and their disapproval of Chen Yang's "overly critical" and "young and impetuous" attitude now turned into invisible slaps, each one crisp and loud, striking their own faces and causing a burning pain.

"Old Xiao..."

Chen Yang spoke again, his tone still revealing no obvious emotional fluctuations, but every word was crystal clear, carrying immense weight in the silent corridor.

"The patient's tongue appearance, with its subtle peeling, was not accidental; the faint pulse, with its subtle signs, was also not without reason. The liver and kidney functions were on the verge of collapse, and the body's vital energy was like a candle flickering in the wind. Indeed... it could not withstand the powerful cleansing effect of such a potent remedy as Zhenwu combined with Tingli Dazao."

"Supporting the body's vital energy and consolidating its strength to maintain a glimmer of hope is sometimes more urgent than using strong medicine to attack the pathogen."

Chen Yang had already made these remarks in his previous comments. Now, bringing them up again is no longer an academic discussion or debate, but an irrefutable conclusion that has been verified by blood and danger.

"Although treating serious illnesses requires strong medicine, it depends on the circumstances."

Xiao Jingyun closed his eyes, and the last trace of color drained from his face, turning it as pale as paper.

His mind flashed back to his confident and eloquent self during the evaluation that day, which overlapped with the mess inside and outside the ward at this moment and Chen Yang's tired but determined eyes.

After a long while, Xiao Jingyun slowly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with unprecedentedly complex emotions: belated shock at Chen Yang's accurate insight, waves of fear that surged up when recalling the patient's critical condition, and deep shame for his own stubbornness...

In the end, all of this turned into a long and heavy sigh, as if all the strength had been exhausted: "I'm getting old... In the end, I'm just... all talk and no action, stubborn and opinionated... Director Chen, I've learned a lot."

The word "I have learned a lot" coming from Xiao Jingyun, a renowned and highly respected elder, carried immense weight.

It not only means that in the face of irrefutable facts, Xiao Jingyun lowered his proud head and admitted the correctness of Chen Yang's judgment, but also that he publicly admitted his major mistake and personally shattered the halo he had maintained throughout his life.