At the Ye family residence, Ye Bowen’s face was extremely grim. He looked at a man before him and asked coldly, “Is what you said true?”
“Young Master, it’s true. That Li Se entered Miss Tang Xi’s room late at night and stayed for several hours,” the man replied.
Ye Bowen was furious. He knew Li Se and Tang Xi had a complicated relationship. But knowing Tang Xi came from a prominent family, he believed she wouldn't be reckless before marriage. Yet, Li Se staying in her room for two to three hours made it hard not to make certain assumptions! Being cuckolded, this was a definite case of it!
With a bang, Ye Bowen slammed his fist onto the table, cracking the wooden surface. As a man, being cuckolded was the most unbearable thing. However, a moment later, a sinister smile appeared on his face. “Make arrangements. I will host a banquet with Tang Xi tomorrow and invite Li Se!”
“Yes!” the man acknowledged.
The night’s events caused Li Se to oversleep. Not only him, but Zhang Aimin and Huang Shanshan also looked listless when they woke up.
“Say, Se, you’re quite energetic at night. Didn’t you go out to meet a woman yesterday?” Zhang Aimin asked curiously. Logically, Li Se going out in the middle of the night must have been for a rendezvous with some beauty. After such an event, he would surely be exhausted, yet he had been active all night.
Huang Shanshan yawned, “You disturbed my sleep. I need to sleep more…” She promptly fell back asleep.
Li Se said apologetically, “I couldn’t help myself when I saw you two yesterday.”
Zhang Aimin chuckled, “There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. When the other sisters return, I doubt you’ll be able to avoid being completely drained.”
“Alright, drain me to your heart’s content then,” Li Se shrugged indifferently.
It was now around ten in the morning. Zhang Aimin headed to the company, while Li Se and Huang Shanshan went to the clinic. However, as soon as they arrived, someone from the opposing clinic, Miaoshou Tang, appeared.
“Heh, kid, I’ll give you a chance now. Apologize for our Miaoshou needling technique, or you’ll regret it!” The visitor was none other than Ji Chun, as arrogant as ever.
“Get out now, or you’ll regret it!” Li Se pointed towards the door.
Ji Chun sneered, “Let me tell you, my teacher is back today. If you don't apologize, my teacher wants to compete with you in a medical duel!”
“I’m ready anytime,” Li Se stated calmly.
“Just you wait!” Ji Chun left quickly. However, not long after, he returned, this time accompanied by Yang Wen and an elder with snow-white hair.
“Is that Wen Heqia, the Imperial Physician?” someone recognized the white-haired elder.
“It really is him. He’s the one who runs Miaoshou Tang. Though their prices are a bit steep.”
“I never thought I’d see the man himself. He used to treat high-ranking officials.”
“What is Imperial Physician Wen Heqia doing here?”
“Could it be a medical duel?”
“…”
Many people began to murmur.
“Elder Wen, this is the fellow who slandered our Miaoshou needling technique as flawed!” Yang Wen said.
“Teacher, he must be taught a lesson!” Ji Chun added fiercely.
Before Wen Heqia could speak, Li Se interjected, “The Miaoshou needling technique inherently has flaws, am I wrong?”
At these words, everyone present was stunned, unable to believe what they had heard. Who was Wen Heqia? He was a former Imperial Physician, and his Miaoshou needling technique was renowned throughout China. Yet, here he was, being told his technique was flawed. Such audacity!
“You have such courage! With my teacher here, you still dare to say the Miaoshou needling technique has flaws?” Ji Chun berated.
Wen Heqia’s expression also turned grim. His rise to the peak and becoming an Imperial Physician was attributed to his Miaoshou needling technique. Although he had retired, he knew well that his technique was undoubtedly a top-tier needling method. Now, being called flawed by a young whippersnapper was intolerable.
“You say my needling technique has problems?” Wen Heqia sneered. “You’re young, yet you’ve opened a Chinese medicine clinic, which already smacks of deception. Now you dare to publicly accuse my technique of having issues. Very well, very well. I have only one request for you: an public apology, and close down your clinic. Someone like you is not fit to practice Chinese medicine!”
“Well said!” Ji Chun shouted.
Yang Wen scoffed, “To dare to show off in front of Elder Wen, you truly don’t know your place. Now, do as Elder Wen says: apologize publicly, and then close this clinic. Do you hear me?”
Some of the onlookers began to mock Li Se.
“How amusing. He actually dares to question Elder Wen’s needling technique. At such a young age, to speak so boastfully?”
“I suspect he’s just a clown, trying to leverage Elder Wen to boost his own fame and attract more business. Young people these days don’t take the right path. In the field of Chinese medicine, improving one’s medical skills is paramount; everything else is superficial.”
“Look at his age, barely in his early twenties. What medical skills can he possibly have? He just wants to ride this wave of fame, make a quick buck, and run. He doesn’t care about patients’ lives.”
“The world is indeed cold…”
“…”
One after another, accusations against Li Se arose. In matters of Chinese medicine, people clearly placed more faith in Wen Heqia. Even those unfamiliar with Chinese medicine understood that the older one is, the better their medical skills become. As for a Chinese medicine practitioner in their early twenties, they were likely charlatans. It was precisely because of the many impostors that the reputation of Chinese medicine had suffered.
“Apologize publicly? And then close down?” Li Se laughed, a smile of disdain. “Elder Wen, I believe you’re becoming more muddled with age. I say your needling technique has problems, and you want me to shut down my business and apologize publicly? Who do you think you are? Or do you believe that because you were once an Imperial Physician, you can use your status to suppress others?”
“Presumptuous!” Ji Chun retorted. “Who gave you the courage to speak to my teacher like that? Apologize to my teacher immediately, or you will regret it!”
“What, trying to suppress people with your status?” Huang Shanshan said coldly.
“Does this concern a woman like you?” Ji Chun blustered.
*Slap!*
Li Se raised his hand and slapped him. “This is my woman, and you have no right to point fingers here!” He was too lazy to argue with Ji Chun and directly addressed Wen Heqia.
“Elder Wen, is it? You know yourself whether the Miaoshou needling technique has flaws. Now, please leave my clinic. I still have patients to see!”
“I won’t see you out!”