The second son asked, “Dad? Were you acting on purpose today?”
Yan Qiao replied, “Of course. Do you think someone like Shen Congyun is worth my attention? The one I truly care about is Gao-Yuan. Since he dared to come here, he couldn’t escape my trap. Now, not only will he dedicate himself to training Xiao Xun, but he’ll also teach us his secret recipes. Could there be a better deal than this?”
Yan Qiao felt triumphant. He sighed and added, “Besides, Xiao Zhi’s condition in bed truly needs someone to take care of her.”
Upon hearing this, Yan’s eldest son admired him and said, “Dad, you’re truly a master strategist.”
Yan Qiao smirked and said, “Don’t be fooled by Gao-Yuan’s exceptional medical skills. When it comes to scheming, he’s still far behind.”
----------------------------------------
Meanwhile...
Shen Congyun couldn’t stop wiping his tears.
Gao-Yuan turned to him and said, “Stop crying already. What will your son think if he sees you like this? Isn’t it embarrassing?”
Shen Congyun was so touched that his heart felt like it was breaking. He said, “Dr. Gao, why are you so kind to me? I… I really don’t know what to say. From now on, if you tell me to go east, I won’t head west. If you tell me to go south, I won’t turn north.”
Gao-Yuan chuckled. “It’s not that serious. But… I do have a favor to ask of you, Dr. Shen.”
Shen Congyun immediately looked at Gao-Yuan.
Gao-Yuan said, “I want you to serve as a training instructor for our health officers, specifically teaching your family’s external treatment techniques.”
“Huh?” Shen Congyun was stunned.
Gao-Yuan spoke earnestly, “I don’t think like others who dismiss external treatment as minor tricks. On the contrary, it represents the essence of traditional Chinese medicine: simplicity, efficacy, and affordability. Especially in a country like ours, which is still struggling, external treatments are even more precious.”
He continued, “If a leader were to visit someday and witness these techniques, they’d undoubtedly be impressed. That would be your moment to truly gain recognition. When it comes to external treatment, is there anyone better than you?”
Shen Congyun was momentarily dumbfounded.
Gao-Yuan added, “Of course, the downside is that some of your family’s techniques might spread outside. But on the other hand, if the Shen family’s external treatments shine everywhere, wouldn’t that be another way to carry forward your legacy? More people would learn about and remember the Shen family.”
Shen Congyun raised his hand and said, “Dr. Gao, you don’t need to persuade me anymore.”
“Hm?” Gao-Yuan was taken aback.
Shen Congyun replied, “No matter what you say now, I believe you. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll agree to it.”
Gao-Yuan smiled, “Thank you, Dr. Shen.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Shen Congyun, on the verge of tears again, said, “It’s me who should thank you. Ever since my family fell apart, I’ve endured decades of disdain and cold treatment. Dr. Gao, only you have treated me with kindness, making me feel the warmth of family again.”
Gao-Yuan sighed and said, “If only the age difference weren’t so big, I’d adopt you as my godson just to let you experience fatherly love.”
“Get out of here!” Shen Congyun pushed Gao-Yuan playfully, caught between laughing and crying.
Gao-Yuan smiled as well. Finally, the matter of Shen Congyun becoming a training instructor was settled.
----------------------------------------
Gao-Yuan was already planning for three years down the line. By then, the country would enter a period of extreme hardship. People wouldn’t even have enough to eat, let alone afford medicine. During such times, external treatments would become invaluable.
If the health officers could diligently practice external treatments for three years, they would be of great use when the time came. Gao-Yuan wasn’t just flattering Shen Congyun; he knew Shen had always wanted to catch the attention of influential figures. Three years later would be his opportunity.
In a time when people couldn’t afford healthcare, the fact that Shen Congyun had trained numerous health officers who could treat illnesses with just their hands would significantly reduce the burden on farmers and maintain their health in the simplest and most affordable way. How could such contributions go unnoticed or unpraised?
Without today’s events, Shen Congyun would likely never have agreed to this.
In the previous timeline, Shen Congyun only taught Gao-Yuan for three days before hanging himself. Even at the brink of death, he refused to pass down all his external treatment techniques to others. That showed just how difficult it was to convince him.
Now, at last, the situation had been resolved.
Gao-Yuan glanced back. Yan Xun, that lively boy, was hopping along at the rear. Gao-Yuan couldn’t help but smile. In this lifetime, he had finally taken this mischievous kid as his apprentice.
Not only had he eased tensions with the Yan family, but he had also resolved the conflict between Shen Congyun and the Yan family. Gao-Yuan was deeply satisfied. As always, he preferred fostering unity over sowing discord.
Oh, as for the secret recipe for using large doses of Aconitum...
Well, it wasn’t like he could publish it in a book or newspaper anyway. Otherwise, Gao-Yuan would have happily shared it with the entire nation’s medical community for discussion. So, he really didn’t understand why Yan Qiao was so adamant about swearing oaths. Was it even necessary?
Looking ahead, Gao-Yuan thought about Yan Zhi. She was gravely ill. In the previous timeline, her condition had worsened over time, eventually leading to her death. Gao-Yuan remembered vividly how Shen Congyun had been devastated, losing weight rapidly over a single week.
Later, Yan Kuan and Yan Ren had mentioned that their mother, Yan Zhi, had continued murmuring Shen Congyun’s name even on her deathbed. Yet, the two brothers could never forgive him.
Even after Shen Congyun hanged himself, they didn’t come to see him. At that point, the Shen family truly had no successors.
In that past life, Shen Congyun was already a scoundrel, but repeated blows drove him to complete despair, leading to his tragic suicide.
In that story, no one won. Everyone lost miserably.
----------------------------------------
Gao-Yuan glanced at Yan Qiao, who was struggling to suppress his laughter, and smiled himself.
This time, Gao-Yuan didn’t want things to end in chaos.
This time, he wanted everyone to win.
----------------------------------------
Yan’s fourth son was now exceedingly polite to Gao-Yuan, considering him his son’s teacher. Leading the way, he said, “Dr. Gao, my younger sister Yan Zhi’s room is just ahead.”
Gao-Yuan exhaled deeply, steeling himself. He knew the real challenge was about to begin. Whether this story could have a perfect ending depended on whether he could save Yan Zhi’s life.
Gao-Yuan asked the fourth son about her condition, “I’ve only heard that she’s gravely ill and bedridden. What exactly is her diagnosis?”
The fourth son explained, “It’s atrophy, or what Western medicine calls myasthenia gravis. When she was eight, she started showing symptoms like drooping eyelids. It took our grandfather a whole year to gradually restore her health. Oh, back when he was alive, our family was quite capable. Things only went downhill later.”
Gao-Yuan interrupted, “Stick to the medical details.”
The fourth son quickly replied, “Yes, yes. After recovering, Xiao Zhi was no different from an ordinary person. But over the past few months, her condition relapsed. She’s now completely bedridden, struggling to swallow, and today, even breathing has become difficult.”
“What?” Shen Congyun grew anxious.