"I didn't expect that old immortal Xiao Renliang would also come out of seclusion!"
The speaker was Ma Debao, a renowned master physician in the Beijing traditional Chinese medicine community. He was a loyal dog of the Sima family, dressed in a thick gray cotton gown with a coat over it. He was in his sixties, the vice chairman of the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, and a professor at the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Accompanying him was Feng Yuanliang, the vice president of the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In his fifties, he had climbed to this position with the help of the Sima family. He was portly, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and his lecherous appearance made him look like a mere figurehead. He nodded in agreement, "Just relying on Xiao Renliang and Gu Shiren, those two old geezers with one foot in the grave, to try and overthrow our Sima family? They're dreaming."
"That's right."
Others following them nodded in agreement. However, Ye Linkai raised an eyebrow and said, "But I heard that Wan Yunting has some connection with the Kong family?"
Another local Beijing TCM practitioner also nodded and said, "At the banquet hosted by the Ouyang family last night, Kong Jingguo reportedly came uninvited. Some people are saying it was for Wan Yunting!"
"Impossible!"
Ma Debao glared and retorted in a deep voice, "What is the relationship between the Sima family and the Kong family? Don't forget that Master Yong was a close friend of the previous generation patriarch of the Kong family."
"Moreover, I heard that Kong Jingguo appreciates Wan Yunting's calligraphy. It's absolutely impossible for the Kong family to abandon the Sima family because of this!"
"Well, Professor Ma is right..."
The others listened and nodded in agreement again. After all, everyone in the local TCM community knew that Sima Boyong had held the position of chairman of the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Association for decades without decline, precisely because of his relationship with the Kong family, which demonstrated the strong bond of mutual interests between the Kong and Sima families.
Therefore, the Kong family would absolutely not give up on the Sima family so easily, unless the higher authorities wanted to move against the Sima family!
However, at this moment, someone broke their confident demeanor, saying in a low voice, "I heard that Master Yong left Beijing today!"
"What, Master Yong has left Beijing?"
Upon hearing this news, Ma Debao, Feng Yuanliang, Ye Hongzhang, Ye Linkai, and the others' expressions changed drastically. They glared at the young TCM practitioner who spoke. Feeling nervous under their gazes, he timidly nodded and said, "Someone saw Chairman Sima and the others first escorting Master Yong to the airport, and then they came here to attend the conference."
"Impossible, how could Master Yong leave Beijing at this time? This is absolutely impossible!" Ma Debao's eyes widened, his heart agitated, unwilling to believe that Sima Boyong would leave Beijing this morning.
"Where did the news come from? Is someone deliberately spreading rumors?"
Vice President Feng Yuanliang glared and questioned the young man sternly. Ye Hongzhang and Wei Xiuqi, who were present, were unwilling to believe it.
If it were true, wouldn't it confirm the rumors from yesterday that the Kong family had abandoned the Sima family and taken a liking to Wan Yunting, the new star of TCM?
After all, yesterday someone had seen Wan Yunting entering Kong Jingguo's mansion with a scroll, which led to rumors that Kong Jingguo favored Wan Yunting and wanted him to establish the Lingnan Traditional Chinese Medicine Association with Gu Yuanbai to replace the Sima family's Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Association!
This news was spreading with vivid details, making the TCM practitioners who supported the Sima family uneasy. Now, hearing that Sima Boyong had left Beijing at this time made these people even more unsettled, and some had already begun to quietly plan their fallback options.
"It can't be true, right? Otherwise, why haven't Chairman Sima and the others arrived yet?"
Someone behind Ma Debao said cautiously, causing Feng Yuanliang, Wei Xiuqi, and the others to shudder. They turned to look at Ma Debao, starting to feel guilty.
At this moment, on the other side, Gu Shiren and Xiao Renliang, Gu Yuanbai and Zhang Fenglin also heard the news of Sima Boyong leaving Beijing. Instantly, their hearts were filled with excitement, and they couldn't help but laugh, "It seems Sima Boyong has run away in fear!"
Wei Datong glanced at Ma Debao's group in the distance and sneered, "Perhaps even Sima Wentang and his group dare not come?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people appeared from the parking lot. It was Sima Wentang, leading his son Sima Xuanyu and disciple Yao Xiangming, striding towards them with expressionless faces. Feng Yuanliang's eyes lit up upon seeing them, and he, along with Ma Debao's group, quickly rushed to meet them, "Chairman Wentang, you're finally here..."
Sima Wentang looked at their awkward and flattering expressions and said expressionlessly, "I apologize, everyone. I was sending my father to the airport just now, which caused a slight delay."
Upon hearing this, Ma Debao and Feng Yuanliang's hearts jolted. Sima Boyong had indeed left Beijing at this time!
"Don't worry, my father is just going to South Korea for some business and will be back soon," Sima Wentang said calmly, his sharp gaze seeming to see through the little thoughts of these people.
"Oh, so Master Yong is going abroad on business. That's good, that's good..."
Wei Xiuqi and the others chuckled awkwardly, each already contemplating their own hidden agendas.
Sima Wentang ignored them and turned towards Gu Shiren, Xiao Renliang, and Gu Yuanbai. However, he did not see Wan Yunting. He said, "Elder Gu, Elder Xiao, it's getting late. Let's enter the hall and take our seats to commence the conference."
Gu Shiren and Xiao Renliang exchanged glances and nodded without saying anything.
Sima Wentang said no more, turned, and entered the hall entrance with his son Sima Xuanyu and his group.
At this moment, a young man hurried over from a distance. It was Wan Yunting. He glanced at the figures of Sima Wentang and Sima Xuanyu entering the hall and said apologetically to Gu Shiren and Gu Yuanbai, "Elder Gu, Elder Gu, I'm sorry, I'm late due to traffic."
"It's alright, we're just about to enter," Gu Shiren waved his hand and smiled. Then, he raised his old hand and introduced to Xiao Renliang beside him, "Young Wan, this is Elder Xiao Renliang."
Wan Yunting had already noticed this elder radiating a majestic aura and a profound presence. Upon hearing the introduction, he learned that this was the divine physician of the Central Plains, Xiao Renliang. He immediately clasped his fists and respectfully said, "Junior greets Elder Xiao."
Looking at Wan Yunting, a hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Renliang's eyes. He said, "Such a strong aura. What realm has your martial arts reached?"
Wan Yunting was surprised that this elder directly asked about his martial arts realm. He said, "Junior is not talented. I am at the intermediate stage of the Dan Jin realm."
"What, intermediate stage of Dan Jin realm..."
Suddenly, several TCM practitioners present who practiced martial arts looked at Wan Yunting with shock and disbelief, exclaiming, "How is it possible? To reach the intermediate stage of Dan Jin realm at such a young age! Could he be a legendary martial arts prodigy with extraordinary physique?"
Even Elder Xiao Renliang's old face was stunned. He stared at Wan Yunting with wide-open eyes and couldn't help but praise, "You truly are a martial arts prodigy. I, this old man, have practiced for most of my life and am only at the late stage of Dan Jin. For years, I've wanted to break through to Gang Jin, but no matter how I practice, I can't break through. I don't know if I'll be able to fulfill this wish before I die."
Wan Yunting smiled and said, "Elder Xiao's vitality is like that of a young man. You will surely reach that day."
"Haha..."
Xiao Renliang let out two hearty laughs and nodded with a smile, "Then I will borrow your good wishes, junior, to live to a hundred years old and break through to the Gang Jin realm."
"Elder Xiao, you'll be a hundred this year. I reckon you'll live to be two hundred," said a TCM practitioner who seized the opportunity to flatter Xiao Renliang with a laugh. However, he was met with a roll of his eyes, "What two hundred years? Then I'd be a monster."
"Haha..."
This remark made everyone burst into laughter. Ma Debao, Feng Yuanliang, Ye Hongzhang, and the others on the other side had somber expressions. They stared at Wan Yunting and Xiao Renliang with eyes like knives, snorted, and entered the hall...
At this time, in the vast university auditorium, which could accommodate thousands of people, there were over a thousand TCM practitioners from all over the country present today.
After all, the National TCM Conference was the grandest conference in the TCM community, and those who attended were all reputable individuals in the industry.
Of course, some people got in through connections. After all, in the Beijing TCM circle controlled by the Sima family, the atmosphere of corruption was like vines, which had long since corrupted the foundation. Those who climbed to this position by fawning and currying favor actually had very little substance.
Therefore, the National TCM Association had to completely change this situation this year!
On the stage, there were several long rows of tables and chairs covered with red cloth, with names on each seat. Sitting in the middle was naturally Sima Wentang, the chairman of the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, and beside him were two vice chairmen, Ma Debao and Tian Hongxin, both loyal followers of the Sima family.
Finally, there were the Four Great Imperial Physicians of Beijing: Gu Shiren, Liu Pingyi, Li Tiangui, and Xue Doushan, as well as other TCM representatives who had made significant contributions to the TCM community, and the representatives of various positions in the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Association sitting in a row behind them.
As for Xiao Renliang, Wan Yunting, Zhang Fenglin, Wei Datong, and Shen Tong, they could only sit in unassigned seats below the stage. Most people were just there to go through the motions.
However, this year's National TCM Conference was different, attracting TCM practitioners from all over the country. The attention was all focused on Wan Yunting and Gu Yuanbai!
Sima Wentang sat in the middle of the stage. After Ma Debao gave an opening speech, he handed the microphone to Sima Wentang. With an expressionless face, he scanned the group of people sitting in the front row below, including Xiao Renliang and Wan Yunting, before speaking, "First, I must welcome all my colleagues from all over the country for braving the cold and traveling thousands of miles to gather in Beijing for this year's National TCM Conference..."
After a string of official pronouncements, Sima Wentang began to summarize the events that had occurred in the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Association this year, such as the Sima Hongyun incident, supporting medical care in rural areas, and the dereliction of duty by Weng Dehai. Sima Wentang said righteously, "For these matters, it is indeed my dereliction of duty as Sima Wentang. I apologize to all my colleagues here."
Saying this, Sima Wentang stood up and bowed to the thousands of colleagues below, causing a stir of discussion...
"Heh, hypocritical."
Shen Tong, sitting beside Wan Yunting, sneered as if he had seen through Sima Wentang's mind.
Wan Yunting, Zhang Fenglin, and the others also smiled and continued to watch Sima Wentang finish his speech. He spoke of his dereliction of duty, seemingly trying to elicit sympathy or shift blame, which made Wei Datong and the others unable to listen. Others also shook their heads, while only those from the Sima family's faction, like Wei Xiuqi, applauded and shouted words of support for Sima Wentang.
This made Wan Yunting and his group sneer, crossing their arms and patiently continuing to watch Sima Wentang's performance.
But just as he was continuing his impassioned speech, making grand pronouncements about leading TCM to a path of revival, the hall doors suddenly opened. Yu Feng and another middle-aged man entered with Kong Jingguo. This instantly caused Sima Wentang, who was standing on stage with the microphone in his hand, to pause his speech, and his heart sank...