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墨書 Inktalez
Before Wang Dewang and Zhao Mingcheng arrived for their consultation, I received a call from Gu Fang.
On the other end of the line, a voice filled with tears sounded frantic.
" grandpa Li, my face... my face is completely swollen! Some areas have even developed sores! What should I do? You have to help me, please save me!"
"Minister Gu, please don’t panic. Take a deep breath and tell me what symptoms you’re experiencing. When did this start?"
I could hear her trying to calm her breathing, clearly attempting to regain her composure and dignity despite her high position.
"It started when I began taking the prescription you provided, along with dietary therapy. The effects were remarkable at first; my complexion improved significantly, and even my colleagues said I looked younger... But then... about ten days later, my body started showing some abnormalities. My menstrual cycle came early and was unusually heavy. I felt hot at night and sweated profusely..."
"Well, the initial effects of the medication you described are normal, and changes in your menstrual cycle aren’t unusual either; they are part of the overall adjustment process, so there’s no need to worry about that. What happened next?"
"Then, just in the last two days, my face began to swell. At first, it was just a small area... but within two days, it became completely swollen. There are sores at the corners of my eyes and on either side of my nose, with yellow pus... grandpa Li, what should I do? Should I stop taking the medication?"
I listened to her muffled sobs on the phone and pretended to be deep in thought, trying hard to keep my voice steady and devoid of amusement: "Minister Gu, please don’t be anxious. Your symptoms don’t sound like a reaction to traditional medicine; they seem more like an allergic reaction. Think back—have you eaten anything recently that could cause an allergy? I suggest you continue with the current herbal medicine and go to the hospital to check for allergens."
It seemed my words had a calming effect; Gu Fang noticeably relaxed on the other end of the line.
After reassuring her a bit more, I hung up.
Jizhi can soothe the liver and relieve stress while promoting blood circulation and dispelling wind, but it also has certain toxicity—especially when combined with Fuzi, which can further increase its toxic effects, particularly for those who are blood-deficient or weak in energy.
The health dish I highly recommended—Wu Mei Goji Stewed Yellow Fish— is delicious and can quench thirst while strengthening the spleen and relieving summer heat. However, when Wu Mei and seafood meet Jizhi and Fuzi, it leads to this unfortunate outcome for Gu Fang.
Given how much she values her appearance, losing it all must be more painful for her than death itself.
I steadied my mind and prepared to welcome the next patients; their appointment times were approaching.
Wang Dewang lay on the treatment table with silver needles inserted into key acupuncture points along his spine and calves. He looked revitalized.
" grandpa Li, your acupuncture and massage techniques are truly remarkable! After sticking with this treatment for a while, I can hardly feel any pain in my neck anymore, and my lower back pain has eased significantly—I feel like I've turned back ten years! Please take a look at my brother as well; he injured himself when he was younger, and his joints have always been uncomfortable."
I returned to my seat and looked up at Wang Dewang’s "brother"—Zhao Mingcheng. He appeared younger than the other three men, with sharp eyes and a habit of slightly raising his chin, giving off an air of arrogance that was quite off-putting.
When Zhao Mingcheng entered earlier, I noticed his movements were somewhat stiff—likely due to joint pain. Additionally, his complexion was dark yellow and dull, with noticeable skin discoloration around his eyes and dilated capillaries; these are signs of poor liver function.
His pulse confirmed my assessment. It seemed he had been quite a fighter in his youth but likely fell into heavy drinking as well; achieving some notoriety as a small-time gangster in Port City is no small feat.
I pressed on his knee and hip, saying, "Your osteoarthritis is quite severe, and the situation with your liver cirrhosis is also concerning."
Zhao Mingcheng lifted his chin slightly, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "Indeed, my joints have been hurting quite a bit lately. I'm not particularly worried about the liver cirrhosis; if it comes to it, I can always get a transplant."
"Oh? A transplant can indeed treat liver cirrhosis," I replied, lifting my eyelids to look at him. "It's just a matter of how long you'll have to wait for a matching liver."
Zhao Mingcheng chuckled lightly, "For others, that means waiting and suffering slowly. But for me, I can have one whenever I want."
Wang Dewang coughed heavily a few times and shot Zhao Mingcheng a warning glance. Then he turned to me with a smile and said, " grandpa Li, don't listen to his nonsense. Let's treat him first; it would be best to give him a shot that keeps him from talking so we can have some peace."
At this remark, all three of us in the room burst into laughter.
Now Gu Fang had already shown severe physical reactions. Based on my calculations, Chen Guiyuan wouldn't last much longer either. Fortunately, Wang Dewang and Zhao Mingcheng arrived early; after today, it was only a matter of time before they started to doubt me, so I needed to make good use of this treatment opportunity.
I had Zhao Mingcheng lie down on the treatment bed next to Wang Dewang and began the acupuncture. I focused on the Weizhong point, Shenshu point, and Zusanli point.
"It might hurt a little," I warned him as I inserted a needle deeply.
Zhao Mingcheng's body stiffened noticeably for a moment, and I used local massage techniques to help him relax as much as possible.
After finishing the acupuncture, I prepared a herbal remedy for Zhao Mingcheng to protect his liver and soothe it. I specifically added some Strychnos Nux-vomica for pain relief and Xanthium sibiricum to dispel wind and dampness.
"This medicine will benefit both your joints and liver disease," I said as I handed him the herbal package. "Make sure to take it consistently—once in the morning and once in the evening."
" grandpa Li, that health tea you gave me last time was really good. Can you get some more for me and my brother?" Wang Dewang asked.
I smiled at Wang Dewang and nodded, signaling my apprentice Xiao Liu to prepare more of the specially formulated health tea and deliver it to their car.
Early that day, Xiao Liu rushed in holding his phone excitedly to share some local trending news:
"[A senior executive from the Port City Red Cross Society suddenly fell seriously ill during a work report meeting.]"
I knew immediately that it was about Chen Guiyuan.
The weather was quite nice today—perfect for a stroll. After lunch, I arranged for Xiao Liu to watch the house while I headed alone to Port City Medical University Affiliated Hospital.
As the honorary president of the Port City Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, I had my connections and easily gained access to the intensive care unit.
Chen Guiyuan had fallen into a complete coma due to acute renal failure; his eyes were tightly shut, and he was connected to numerous tubes.
I silently watched him through the glass, Chen Guiyuan, knowing his time was running out.
Afterward, I went to the General Surgery ward and inquired at the nurse's station if Director Wang Dewang was available, claiming to be an old friend visiting the hospital for a check-up and wanting to see him.
A young nurse informed me that Professor Wang Dewang had fallen seriously ill and had been on leave for several days. It was said that he was suffering from severe Ankylosing Spondylitis and Spinal Hydrops, and he was now bedridden.
I thanked the young woman and calmly walked toward the hospital exit.
Just then, a young voice suddenly called out from behind me, "Excuse me, are you Old Mr. Li?"
I turned around to see a stranger approaching me with a smile. Just as I was about to speak, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my neck.
The young man supported me as my vision of his smile gradually blurred…
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