At the Gu family manor near Yukong Park, in a grand hall, a round dining table was laden with attractively presented dishes, accompanied by several bottles of fine wine.
Wan Yunting sat with Gu Yuanbai, Gu Shiren with Xue Dongshan, Liu Pingyi with Li Tiangui, and the cousins Gu Zichen and Gu Sinuo, all serving as companions. Gu Zichen rose to pour wine for everyone. Gu Shiren first raised his glass and smiled, "Come, welcome Young Wan to the capital. Let's have a drink together."
"Cheers..."
Everyone raised their glasses, toasted each other, and drained the wine in their cups. After setting down their glasses, Gu Shiren chuckled, "No need to be formal, everyone. Let's eat and chat."
"Alright..."
Wan Yunting nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and began eating the dishes without reservation. He then turned to Gu Yuanbai beside him and asked, "Old Gu, about the patient with the 'stinky fish syndrome' you mentioned, her condition is severe. Is there anything peculiar about it?"
"Mm."
Gu Yuanbai also nodded while eating and said, "This patient's condition is much more severe than other stinky fish syndrome sufferers. Furthermore, she seems to have been ill since childhood. Not only does she have stinky fish syndrome, but also depression and other ailments, which complicates treatment."
"Indeed."
Xue Dongshan added, "That girl from the Ouyang family, we actually examined her before. However, stinky fish syndrome is a very rare and difficult illness. We've consulted many ancient texts, but we haven't found any cures for it."
"Firstly, stinky fish syndrome is rare. Secondly, many ancient Chinese medical formulas have been lost or destroyed due to a hundred years of warfare. Thus, we are still unable to treat many diseases," Liu Pingyi agreed, nodding.
"That's why the inheritance of Chinese medicine is of utmost importance!" Li Tiangui sighed.
Wan Yunting, picking up on the problem, asked, "So, that patient has been ill since childhood and has sought out all the traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in the capital?"
"Yes."
Gu Zichen stated, "Not just traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, but the Ouyang family has reportedly searched all over the capital, and even sought out doctors and experts nationwide and internationally. They have all been unable to treat Ouyang Fanmeng's stinky fish syndrome!"
"I even went to see her with my grandfather last time. Thinking about the unpleasant odor she emits now makes me lose my appetite."
Wan Yunting looked stunned. Seeing Gu Zichen put down his chopsticks with a look of disdain, it seemed the girl named Ouyang Fanmeng's stinky fish syndrome was indeed very serious.
Although he had never encountered a patient with stinky fish syndrome before, hearing that all the traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and Western doctors in the capital could do nothing for her piqued Wan Yunting's interest. He wanted to see if the girl's stinky fish syndrome was truly that terrifying.
"By the way, Young Wan, I heard you also treated a patient with flaccid skin syndrome?" Gu Shiren suddenly asked.
Xue Dongshan and Liu Pingyi also looked at him. Gu Yuanbai had told them. Wan Yunting smiled and replied, "That patient's flaccid skin syndrome is not fully cured yet, but it should be about a month from now."
Gu Zichen exclaimed in surprise, "Flaccid skin syndrome is also a rare and peculiar disease. I didn't expect you to actually have a way to cure it."
Gu Sinuo, standing nearby, also fixed her gaze on Wan Yunting. "I read your thesis and treatment experience on palmar and plantar keratosis. It was very insightful."
"Mm, I read it too..."
Li Tiangui nodded and said, "Both flaccid skin syndrome and palmar and plantar keratosis are world-rare difficult diseases. It's unexpected that you have a way to treat these two peculiar illnesses. Young Wan, I am very curious, who did you learn your medical skills from?"
"Yes, at such a young age to possess such miraculous healing skills, it indicates that your master is no ordinary physician. We should know him, shouldn't we?" Liu Pingyi and Li Tiangui also looked at him, immensely curious about who could have taught such an exceptionally skilled disciple.
Gu Yuanbai paused his chopsticks while picking up food and turned to look at Wan Yunting. Gu Shiren quickly interjected with a laugh, "Old Li, Old Liu, don't be so eager to ask. When the time is right, I will naturally tell you."
Xue Dongshan's old face stiffened as he looked at Elder Gu and Gu Yuanbai, clearly, they knew.
Seeing that Elder Gu had spoken, Li Tiangui and Liu Pingyi felt it inappropriate to press further and changed the subject, continuing their conversation...
Gu Sinuo glanced at Wan Yunting. Although she had only heard of him from her grandfather, she had read his thesis on palmar and plantar keratosis on the forum. Gu Sinuo knew he was very skilled in medicine. If the timing were more appropriate, she would have loved to ask Wan Yunting some questions about medical techniques.
The dinner lasted until past eight in the evening. The elder gentlemen had a few drinks and were in high spirits. They heard that Wan Yunting's calligraphy was superb, having won the Lanting Award calligraphy competition this year and being hailed as "Wan the Calligraphy Immortal." At a charity auction, one of his calligraphy pieces fetched a sky-high price of 450 million. Therefore, Xue Dongshan and the others couldn't resist asking Wan Yunting to demonstrate his calligraphy on the spot for them to appreciate.
Speaking of calligraphy, Wan Yunting remembered Fan Liren. They had parted ways at Shao Xing, and he had said he would visit the elder when he came to the capital for the National Traditional Chinese Medicine Conference. It seemed he needed to visit Old Fan tomorrow if he had time, lest he find out he was in the capital and hadn't visited, and blame him.
"Good calligraphy, truly good calligraphy..."
In Gu Shiren's study, Wan Yunting wrote a piece in the Slender Gold style, which immediately earned high praise from Gu Shiren and Xue Dongshan.
The older generation of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners still maintained the habit of writing prescriptions with a brush, so they understood calligraphy very well. Although they couldn't compare to professional calligraphy masters, the calligraphy of old doctors like Li Tiangui was far more proficient than that of ordinary people.
Gu Sinuo, standing beside them, looked at Wan Yunting's Slender Gold style calligraphy. Although she didn't speak, she nodded in agreement, her admiration growing. She herself had studied calligraphy for a long time, especially under the guidance of her good friend Fan Qingzhu. Her calligraphy was definitely on par with that of master calligraphers.
However, upon seeing Wan Yunting's calligraphy, Gu Sinuo realized what a gap existed!
"Young Wan, when you participated in the calligraphy competition, you wrote a piece of cursive script that almost scared the judges to death. How about you write another piece of cursive script for us to admire?" Liu Pingyi said, getting excited.
Li Tiangui and Xue Dongshan chimed in, and Gu Yuanbai smiled beside them, naturally wanting Wan Yunting to showcase his talent and impress these Grand Masters of Chinese Medicine.
"Alright."
Wan Yunting naturally did not refuse. Taking advantage of the alcohol's effect, he picked up his brush, transforming it into a sword, and wrote a piece infused with sword intent and vital energy. Instantly, Gu Sinuo, watching from the side, widened her eyes. She saw an invisible aura emanating from his characters, making one's heart tremble violently, as if seeing someone wielding a long sword, dancing on the Xuan paper.
Suddenly, a long sword seemed to lunge towards her, startling Gu Sinuo. She involuntarily took a step back. Wan Yunting quickly stopped writing and reached out with his left hand to steady her arm, asking, "Miss Gu, are you alright?"
Gu Sinuo, regaining her senses, saw his large hand holding her arm. Her pretty face instantly flushed red. She quickly pulled away and shook her head slightly, indicating she was fine...
"The brush is like a sword, the characters carry intent, such robust sword intent!"
Gu Shiren's old eyes widened as he looked at the robust sword intent emanating from Wan Yunting's cursive script. He was not at all startled by the sword energy within the characters, for he too was a martial arts expert.
However, Xue Dongshan, Liu Pingyi, and Li Tiangui were startled by the characters infused with robust sword intent. The three of them trembled with shocked expressions, stammering, "No wonder that judge was almost scared to death. We were startled just by looking at it."
Wan Yunting, releasing Gu Sinuo's arm, felt a bit embarrassed. In fact, he had already restrained himself. If he had written the piece with the same unrestrained spirit fueled by alcohol as he had during the calligraphy competition, he probably would have truly scared someone to death with the sword intent, just like Yuan Deyou back then.
However, Gu Shiren and Gu Yuanbai possessed martial arts skills. Especially Elder Gu, Wan Yunting sensed a potent internal energy from him, suggesting he was likely at the Martial Dao Dan Jin realm.
Gu Yuanbai was at the late stage of the Martial Dao Hua Jin realm. However, their practice was for healing and saving people, not for being true national martial arts practitioners. Therefore, they usually only practiced qi and never martial arts techniques.
Around nine-thirty, Xue Dongshan, Liu Pingyi, and Li Tiangui took their leave. Gu Shiren, being older, also needed to rest. He instructed Gu Sinuo and Gu Zichen, brother and sister, to escort Wan Yunting and Gu Yuanbai back.
At the entrance of the courtyard, Gu Yuanbai smiled and said, "Alright, Zichen, Sinuo, you can go back now."
Gu Zichen nodded and smiled, "Then, Elder Gu, you should get some rest early. We'll be heading back now."
Gu Sinuo also glanced at Wan Yunting, not speaking, but nodded and turned to leave.
Watching them depart, Gu Yuanbai then said to Wan Yunting with a smile, "Young Wan, come sit in my room for a while."
"Okay."
Wan Yunting nodded and followed Gu Yuanbai back to his room to sit. He said, "I've already contacted the patient's father. I'll bring you to see her tomorrow."
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled, "Regarding stinky fish syndrome, I don't have much confidence."
Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow and said, "Young Wan, I hope you can do your best to think of a solution. After all, that patient is from the Ouyang family. Moreover, their family has sought out doctors all over the capital without being able to cure the girl's illness. If you can find a way to treat it, it would be beneficial for our trip to the capital!"
Wan Yunting understood the implication of Gu Yuanbai's words. He asked, "You want me to cure that patient as much as possible, so that we can hold our heads high at the National Traditional Chinese Medicine Conference?"
"Exactly."
Gu Yuanbai nodded. "Most people in the capital look down upon our Lingnan Traditional Chinese Medicine Association. They even say we are rebellious and are establishing our own faction, which will only lead to the decline of traditional Chinese medicine."
"If you can truly cure that girl from the Ouyang family and prove yourself, then no one in the capital will dare to underestimate us."
Wan Yunting nodded, but then chuckled bitterly, "Old Gu, you think too highly of me. If even you and Elder Gu can't cure it, I truly don't have much confidence."
"It doesn't matter."
Gu Yuanbai waved his hand, not wanting to put too much pressure on him. He smiled, "If it can't be cured, we'll think of other ways."
Wan Yunting raised his eyebrows, contemplating. After a moment, he nodded and said, "We'll go see the patient tomorrow. I'll try my best and think of a way."
"Good."
Gu Yuanbai nodded, stood up, and smiled, "It's getting late. You should go rest early too. We'll talk about these matters tomorrow."
"Alright, I'll be going back then. Elder Gu, you should also get some rest."
Wan Yunting stood up, said this, then turned and left. He encountered the butler, Lu Hong, greeted him, and returned to his own room. He immediately video-called Fang Yanxi to inquire about her well-being at home...