"Brother Han is right."
Another middle-aged man stood up, his voice filled with emotion. "Now, if we want to obtain a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner's license, we must have authorization from their Sima family. To get one authorization document, we have to pay them thirty thousand. Everyone, judge this! Isn't the Sima family engaging in a monopoly by doing this?"
"This is too much! The Sima family is completely going against our ancestors' teachings, leading our path of Traditional Chinese Medicine entirely onto a path of capital," another agitated physician shouted as he stood up.
"Exactly. If we let the Sima family continue to control the Chinese Medicine Association, in thirty years, no, in twenty years, society will completely phase out our Chinese Medicine, and then all Chinese people will no longer believe in it."
"Therefore, we must find a way to stop all of this now, otherwise, when we are old, we will have no face to meet our ancestors!"
"Yes..."
For a moment, everyone's emotions erupted, their discussions all pointing towards the Sima family.
It was evident that the Sima Hongyun incident a few days prior was merely a catalyst. The Sima family's decades of control over the national Chinese Medicine Association and their underhanded actions had long caused widespread discontent, though people dared not speak out.
Now, finally, a leader dared to stand up and loudly denounce the Sima family, giving everyone a glimpse of hope.
"Therefore..."
Seeing the crowd's high spirits, Gu Yuanbai, holding the microphone, shouted loudly, "We must re-establish a Chinese Medicine Association that is bright, correct, unselfish, and dedicated to the revival and flourishing of our Chinese Medicine!"
"Good, well said..."
At once, everyone in the hall was swept up by Gu Yuanbai's passionate fervor. They all rose and applauded excitedly, the applause echoing through every corner of the conference room...
However, at this moment, the conference room door was pushed open.
Under the escort of Weng Dehai and Ye Hongzhang, a small, thin elderly figure appeared. His hair was entirely silver, his face covered in wrinkles and age spots. Yet, the old man's eyes gleamed, and he was full of vigor. Dressed casually, he walked in with his hands behind his back.
Though he appeared to be an old man in his eighties, he was actually over a hundred years old. However, his overall aura was incredibly powerful, clearly indicating he was no ordinary elderly gentleman.
"Presumptuous!"
The old man was Gu Shiren, a true titan in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He was from Beijing and, in the 1960s, his reputation was no less than that of the Divine Physician Ghost Hand and Sima Boyong. However, Gu Shiren had retired years ago.
Although he was now an elder of the National Chinese Medicine Association, he rarely concerned himself with the association's affairs. He had long since lived in seclusion, enjoying the peace of his twilight years.
Unexpectedly, yesterday, Sima Yutang personally invited him out of retirement, stating that Gu Yuanbai was establishing his own faction and intending to rebel against the Chinese Medicine Association!
As one of the founding members of the National Chinese Medicine Association's first echelon, Gu Shiren was naturally angered by this news, so he had his grandson, Gu Zichen, bring him to Huadu.
"Gu Yuanbai, this is treasonous!"
Gu Shiren, his small frame moving purposefully towards Gu Yuanbai on the main stage, walked with great strides. Amidst the astonished expressions of everyone present, Gu Shiren, his emotions running high and his finger pointing at the equally astonished Gu Yuanbai, berated him, "Tell me, why did you do this? Is it because I didn't keep you in Beijing back then, so you decided to set up your own faction?"
"Old... Teacher..."
Finally, Gu Yuanbai reacted. Looking at the short, imposing Gu Shiren, he hadn't expected Sima Wentang to truly bring him out of retirement.
"Elder Gu..."
Jiang Yichun, Sun Yutang, Ding Huixiang, Meng Kang, Wei Datong, and Zhang Fenglin, standing on the stage, also reacted. They looked at the suddenly appearing Gu Shiren with shock, never expecting that this retired titan of Traditional Chinese Medicine would appear at this very moment.
Wan Yunting was also surprised, as Gu Shiren's reputation was indeed renowned. He was a contemporary of his master, the Divine Physician Ghost Hand. Although his fame was not as great as his master's, it did not diminish his far-reaching reputation.
At the same time, Wan Yunting also knew that Gu Shiren had once followed his master!
Seeing Gu Shiren suddenly appear and then pointing at Gu Yuanbai on the stage, questioning and scolding him vehemently, instantly doused the high spirits of the crowd like a basin of cold water, forcing them to calm down.
"Gu Yuanbai, get down here."
Gu Shiren placed his hands on his hips and sternly rebuked Gu Yuanbai on the stage, "Explain to me clearly why you are doing this!"
Gu Yuanbai's brows furrowed. Facing the small old man before him, he remembered that Gu Shiren had been his teacher when he was studying in Beijing and had guided him for a period.
Gu Yuanbai greatly respected his mentor, Gu Shiren, and hadn't expected Sima Wentang to actually invite him.
"Teacher Gu, you have been in seclusion for sixteen years. The Chinese Medicine Association today is no longer the association you founded!"
Gu Yuanbai, having calmed down, met Gu Shiren's gaze from below and stated with a steady tone, "The current Chinese Medicine Association is controlled by the Sima family and has long deviated from the original intention behind your founding of the association. Therefore, I must consider the future path of Chinese Medicine!"
"You are quibbling for your own selfish desires!"
Gu Shiren glared, one hand on his hip and the other angrily pointing at Gu Yuanbai on the stage, saying without politeness, "Back then, I didn't choose to keep you in Beijing, and you've held a grudge ever since, unwilling to merely be the president of the Lingnan Provincial Association, is that right?"
Gu Yuanbai shook his head and sighed, "Teacher Gu, you know best what kind of person I, Gu Yuanbai, am. I have no complaints about your choice regarding me back then, nor would I make the current decision out of selfish desires!"
"If you knew what the Sima family is doing now, I believe you would also make the same choice!"
"Gu Yuanbai, stop making excuses. You simply want to be the chairman of the association yourself, and that's why you're instigating everyone to re-establish a Chinese Medicine Association," Ye Hongzhang, standing beside Gu Shiren, glanced at Gu Yuanbai on the stage with his old eyes and sneered, "Everyone understands your intentions, why hide them?"
"Heh heh."
Weng Dehai, on the other side, also sneered.
"Are you all making trouble with him?"
Gu Shiren then pointed at Jiang Yichun, Sun Yutang, Ding Huixiang, Meng Kang, and the others on the stage, as well as everyone standing below, and loudly reprimanded them.
For a moment, the entire hall fell silent. They were so berated by Gu Shiren that they didn't dare to say a word.
Even Gu Yuanbai fell silent, feeling a sense of helplessness in the face of his mentor's reprimand.
Wan Yunting, watching the silent Gu Yuanbai and the others who dared not retort to Gu Shiren, raised his eyebrows.
Just as everyone thought Gu Shiren's appearance would pour cold water on their efforts and kill the new Chinese Medicine Association in its cradle.
"Elder Mr. Gu!"
In the next moment, Wan Yunting spoke. He looked at Gu Shiren and said in a calm tone, "I'd like to have a private chat with you!"
This caused Gu Yuanbai, Jiang Yichun, Sun Yutang, Wei Datong, Zhang Fenglin, Ding Huixiang, and others to turn their heads to look at Wan Yunting. Below, Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, Dai Qiuyue, Song Sinan, Wei Renxin, Zhang Xiaoyu, and everyone else present also looked at Wan Yunting on the stage with surprise as he walked down and straight towards Gu Shiren...
"Young man, who are you?"
Gu Shiren's sharp eyes scrutinized Wan Yunting, who had approached him. He hadn't expected him to dare to speak at this moment; it was utterly rude.
"Elder Gu, he is a physician from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of Jiang Yichun Southern Hospital."
Weng Dehai pointed at Wan Yunting and introduced him to Gu Shiren, then shouted at Jiang Yichun on the stage, "Old Jiang, control your people properly. Anyone dares to speak nonsense in front of Elder Gu without knowing the rules."
"Exactly."
Ye Zhaohui, standing beside Ye Hongzhang, also took the opportunity to mock and sneer at Wan Yunting, "Elder Gu, you wouldn't know, but this person is also a rapist. He was just released from prison two months ago. I really don't know how such human scum is worthy of appearing before us!"
"Ye Zhaohui, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Qi Miaomiao, from a distance, couldn't stand it and shouted, "Yunting is now a hero who apprehended drug dealers for Huadu City! If you're ignorant, go read the news first."
"Indeed..."
Zhang Xiaoyu and Wei Renxin also chimed in, knowing that Ye Zhaohui was deliberately saying this.
However, Wan Yunting paid no attention to Ye Zhaohui or Weng Dehai. He directly unbuttoned his shirt, took out the dark green jade pendant he wore on his chest, and held it up for Gu Shiren to see, "Elder Mr. Gu, do you recognize this?"