Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1172 Famous Doctors of the Capital, Let's Change History! (Bonus Chapter of 6 Chapters for Monthly Tickets)

Fang Yan thought for a moment and said to Lao Hu:

"Then let's not go now. I'll go there after I finish my rounds, so let's go together."

Old Hu thought for a moment and nodded:
"it is good!"

"Then I'll prepare a gift first."

The two then split up; Fang Yan went to check the rooms, while Lao Hu returned to their accommodation at Xiehe Hospital.

After Fang Yan finished checking the rooms, Lao Hu had also prepared gifts.

These were the two bottles of red wine and a silk scarf that Li Chengzhu had given him before.

This way, gifts for Editor-in-Chief Xia and his wife Lin Yin were all taken care of. Fang Yan should have contributed some as well, but Lao Hu didn't care about that at all. As soon as Fang Yan came downstairs, he immediately called him to go to the Huaxia Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

It's a three-kilometer distance, and it's a straight line; it only takes a short drive.

It was a little past seven in the morning, which was breakfast time here. Fang Yan and his group parked their car and saw many people going in and out of the cafeteria.

"Most people are eating breakfast right now. Shall we go to the cafeteria or the publishing house's office?"

He said in dialect:

"Let's go to Editor-in-Chief Xia's office. There are too many people in the cafeteria, and it wouldn't be good if they saw us carrying gifts."

Old Hu nodded, and then the two headed towards the publishing house.

I encountered many acquaintances on the street who greeted me in their local dialect.

"Director Fang! Good morning!" A professor with gray hair, carrying an aluminum lunchbox, stopped and looked at Fang Yan with a broad smile, clearly having heard the news.
"Dean Zhao mentioned that you're here today to organize that big project on ancient books from Nanyang? He said you might need us old-timers to lend a hand, so just let us know!"

His eyes were eager, clearly showing his interest in participating in this cultural project, which was led by the local dialect and received attention from the military region.

Fang Yan nodded immediately upon hearing this.

"Hello, Dr. Fang!" Another researcher, who looked younger, also came over, his tone inquiring.
"Have you finalized the specific division of labor for the Nanyang Ancient Books project yet? Dean Zhao said this is a large-scale project, and we're all eagerly awaiting the assignments."

This makes no attempt to conceal the anticipation and enthusiasm for participating in the dialect-led project.

"It seems Dean Zhao has done a great job with the publicity," Old Hu said to Fang Yan.

One after another, many people greeted him, making Fang Yan feel that he was receiving too much attention today.

However, upon reflection, it makes sense. Contributing to this important project is both an academic advancement and an accumulation of experience for most people, since it is intended as a gift to celebrate August 1st.

"Comrade Lao Hu is here too!" Someone else saw Lao Hu next to Fang Yan and nodded in greeting.

Old Hu is no longer a stranger at the research institute. Many people know about his collaboration with Fang Yan and the company that provides financial support to the institute.

Old Hu smiled and nodded, then said to Fang Yan:

"Look, people are even greeting me!"

Just then, two assistants walked by, carrying enamel mugs filled with millet porridge and chatting as they went. They stopped and smiled and nodded when they saw Fang Yan.
"Good morning, Director Fang. Are you going to see Dean Zhao?"

"He's in his office!"

The implication was that they already knew he was going to start the project on ancient books from Southeast Asia today.

"I'll go see Editor-in-Chief Xia at the publishing house first, and then I'll go see Dean Zhao later," Fang Yan replied to the two with a smile.

The two suddenly realized what was happening and said to Fang Yan:

"Editor-in-Chief Xia just left the cafeteria and should be in his office by now."

Fang Yan suddenly realized, and then he and Lao Hu quickened their pace and walked in that direction. They encountered several people who greeted them along the way, and Fang Yan felt as if Dean Zhao Xiwu had issued a hospital-wide notice.

Next, Fang Yan found Editor-in-Chief Xia, who had just finished breakfast and was making himself tea.

They were somewhat surprised to see Fang Yan and the others arrive.

"Why are you here so early? It's only a little past seven!"

The dialect responded:
"I just received a clear response from Director Liao this morning. He fully agrees with your 'returning experts' list proposal!"

Old Hu followed closely behind, shaking the net bag in his hand, revealing a wine bottle and a silk scarf box inside. He took over the conversation, his face displaying the warm smile typical of a businessman:
"Well, good news should be seized upon! Director Liao has spoken, letting you go all out in the negotiations!" He carefully placed the net bag on the corner of his desk. "I'll leave the things here for now; it's just a small token of my appreciation."

Editor-in-Chief Xia's eyes swept over the gifts, and a smile appeared on his face:
"Mr. Hu, you're too kind."

Lao Hu said:

"A small token of my appreciation: a bottle of wine for you, and a silk scarf for your loved one. Thank you for helping me with the list yesterday; I'll need you to go through the trouble of contacting people again today!"

"Hey...you...oh dear, you're too kind! This isn't some chore, it's all for work." Editor-in-Chief Xia habitually tried to push him away.

He said in dialect:

"Keep it. Old Hu is particular about this. Please respect the customs of our overseas Chinese friends."

Editor-in-Chief Xia then smiled and readily agreed.

Then, Fang Yan recounted the phone call she made that day to him. After listening, Editor-in-Chief Xia said:

“I knew it! Director Liao is a sensible man; handling this according to the rules is best for everyone.” He said to Fang Yan:

"What were his exact words?"

Fang Yan knew he needed to confirm the boundaries of his leader's instructions.

Fang Yan nodded, his tone certain:

"His exact words were: 'Now that the list is ready, let Editor-in-Chief Xia go ahead and make the contacts, and go all out in the negotiations! Make sure to select people with excellent character and whose expertise is truly relevant. Once both sides have confirmed their intentions, compile a list of specific candidates and their circumstances as soon as possible and report it to me.'" Fang Yan imitated Director Liao's slightly accented tone, "He will directly transfer the subsequent transfer procedures to Vice Minister Li to handle, ensuring a seamless transition."

Editor-in-Chief Xia listened with a thoughtful expression. This was more supportive than he had expected. He wasn't afraid of the fabricated dialect; he had that much trust in them. After a moment's thought, he made his decision:

"Good! That's it!"

“I’m afraid that Director Liao will think there’s a problem with the procedure and misunderstand it as poaching or stealing credit.”

“That’s good. The regular army will be the main force, and I, as an unofficial scout, can retire successfully. I’ll give you the list as soon as it’s finalized, and then you can report it to Director Liao.”

"I stayed up all night last night to sort out the list of people who can come back as soon as possible," he said, getting up to rummage through the bookshelf and pulling out a manila notebook. "There are just a few minor details left to verify, and then we can start making contact immediately!"

Fang Yan immediately pressed for details, as time was of the essence for him:

"In your opinion, how long should it take to initially communicate with these experts and confirm our intentions?"

He needs a timetable.

Editor-in-Chief Xia sat back down, glanced at his notebook, and pondered his answer:

"Most of the people on the list left Beijing back then, and their desire to return is written all over their faces. As for the people in Shaanxi, I'm familiar with Director Qian. If I send a telegram or make a phone call, I estimate I'll get a definite answer in a day or two. As for the people in other places, it will take a little more effort, but at most three to five days, and I'll get definite news from them all!"

Fang Yan and Lao Hu exchanged a glance, both seeing satisfaction in each other's eyes. Fang Yan said:
"Great! The sooner the better. Director Liao also said we need to hurry! The research institute urgently needs manpower to get things moving."

Editor-in-Chief Xia closed his notebook, full of fighting spirit:

"Okay! I'll get started right away! Shall we split up? You guys need to hurry up and go to the research institute, right? After you come back, we still need to arrange accommodation for them and jobs for their families. You need to discuss it with your superiors first. I'll let you know as soon as I've sorted things out here!"

As he spoke, he picked up the telephone receiver on the table, ready to make the call.

Fang Yan nodded, then said goodbye to Editor-in-Chief Xia and left with Lao Hu.

Next, I'm going to see Vice President Zhao, and I'll take this opportunity to tell him about the arrangements I need to make after the staff returns.

After Lao Hu finished his business here, he had other things to do. Before leaving, he said to Fang Yan:

"If the work arrangements are difficult, our Chaoyang Dongba and Shahe area factories still have positions available. After the production line is upgraded, we will need more personnel, and we can arrange some positions at that time."

"I know!" Fang Yan nodded, but he didn't want his family members to work in the factory unless absolutely necessary, otherwise they would be difficult to manage.

After saying goodbye to Lao Hu, Fang Yan went to Dean Zhao Xiwu's office.

I knocked on the door and went in, and I already found that there were quite a few people inside.

Upon closer inspection of the dialect, one could see that there were also Mr. Cheng Xinnong, Mr. Wang Boyue, Mr. Wang Wending, Mr. Qian Boxuan, and Ms. Tu.

"They're here!" Dean Zhao Xiwu greeted Fang Yan.

He spoke in dialect:

“I’ve notified you about the personnel. Anyone who isn’t too busy with work right now can come and participate in your project.”

"Some of them should arrive this morning, and some more this afternoon."

Old Cheng said to Fang Yan:

"The main problem is that we were notified yesterday that we have to do it today, and many people still have work to hand over."

"Has the school given any notification?" Fang Yan pointed to the neighboring Capital University of Chinese Medicine, where there are quite a few professors.

"Those who aren't participating in the marking should come around nine o'clock," Dean Zhao Xiwu said.

Fang Yan suddenly realized, and at that moment Dean Zhao Xiwu asked Fang Yan again:

"How's it going with your attempt to contact your master?"

The dialect responded:
"Except for my Master Luo, who is away at his hometown providing free medical services and can't come, everyone else will be here."

"They might also call some other people."

"They should arrive around noon."

Dean Zhao Xiwu nodded, then said to Fang Yan, "Let's go to the office first, the place where you repaired the Imperial Medical Formulas Collection last time. According to your previous plan, divide the tasks into groups for today."

After he finished speaking, he reminded him:

"By the way, did you bring the ancient books with you?"

Fang Yan nodded and said:

"I brought it, it's in the car in the parking lot."

"Let's go then!" Dean Zhao Xiwu stood up and beckoned everyone to go downstairs.

Fang Yan then brought up another matter concerning job arrangements.

“Dean Zhao, there’s something else I need to discuss with you,” Fang Yan said in a low voice as he walked toward the door with the crowd. “The ‘returning experts’ that Editor-in-Chief Xia contacted should be finalized within a week. After these people return, we need to make arrangements for their family resettlement and housing allocation in advance. Director Liao said that we should come up with a plan first so that he can apply for resources from the ministry.”

Zhao Xiwu paused, turned to look at him, and after a moment's thought, said:
"There are a few vacant old dormitories available, though they're small. A two-bedroom apartment can be squeezed in. As for the families' work... the research institute's logistics and library departments are short-staffed, so could they go there temporarily?"

“I’m afraid it won’t be enough,” Fang Yan added. “There are more than ten experts on the list, and their families alone number more than ten. There are quite a few people who need jobs. Lao Hu mentioned that his factory in Dongba can absorb some of them, but I’m thinking of keeping the families within the research institute system as much as possible so that it’s easier to take care of them.”

Cheng Xinnong interjected from the side:

"Several departments in hospitals, as well as the university of traditional Chinese medicine, are always short-staffed in their canteens and administrative offices. I'll go and talk to Yuchuan. If all else fails, let these family members learn how to dispense medicine in the hospital's pharmacy. With the connection of being a family member of an expert, it shouldn't be a big problem."

Zhao Xiwu thought for a moment but couldn't come up with a better solution, so he said:

“A temporary arrangement is fine. We’ll try to coordinate the rest. I’ll have the administration department clear out a few rooms for housing. If that’s not enough, we can borrow two temporary rooms from the neighboring hospital. Please compile the information of the family members of the experts and clearly indicate their previous jobs so that I can coordinate accordingly.”

The dialect response was:

"I'll have someone go to Editor-in-Chief Xia's office this afternoon to make a copy."

After saying that, he reminded him:
"Oh, right, there's also the issue of children's schooling. Could you perhaps contact the nearby primary and secondary schools to discuss this?"

“That’s easy,” Wang Wending laughed. “Our own unit has schools; we can get it done with just a mention. If it’s a school in another district, we can get a letter of introduction from the research institute; it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Zhao Xiwu made the decision:
"It's settled then. Housing, work, and schooling must all be arranged properly for them. These people have come back with skills, and we can't let them be distracted by family matters."

He looked at Fang Yan and said:

"You focus on the ancient books, and I'll take the lead in settling the families. I guarantee they'll be able to settle down comfortably once they return to the capital."

"You know, he's the dean, so he gets things done really fast," Fang Yan nodded with a smile.

"I'm relieved to hear that."

Next, Fang Yan went to the parking lot, retrieved the ancient book, and then went to the large conference room where the "Imperial Medical Prescriptions Collection" had been restored.

There are already quite a few people inside.

When they saw Fang Yan arrive with the ancient books, they all greeted him warmly. Now everyone knows that this was an event where Fang Yan led everyone to build up their seniority and reputation.

They greeted everyone with a smile, regardless of their dialect.

People continued to arrive, including those from the school: Fang Yaozhong, Liu Duzhou, Jin Shiyuan, Ren Yingqiu…

Fang Yan said to Dean Zhao Xiwu:
"With so many of us, we can't afford to paralyze the operation of the organization, can we?"

Zhao Xiwu was taken aback, then laughed:

"Haha, you're overthinking it... Relax, this whole operation has been running for years. I know how to handle things that are important but not completely shut down."

Fang Yan nodded.

Later, Master Lu Donghua arrived, along with some doctors from Xiyuan Hospital.

For example, Chen Keji, an expert in ancient books, is also there.

They went straight to Fang Yan's place and asked him about his plans for the day.

"We'll start with an opening speech, then divide into groups, and then work according to each group, roughly the same as the grouping for restoring ancient books," Fang Yan replied.

As more people gathered, they started chatting with each other, talking about Fangyan's event and what Fangyan had done at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine last time. They said that this event was definitely larger than the one in Guangzhou, and that they would do an even better job.

There's already an implicit sense of comparison between them.

Around nine o'clock, Master Jiao Shude arrived with a group of people—the Central Health Care and Medical Traditional Chinese Medicine Group, genuine personnel from the Imperial Medical Academy.

This completely shocked everyone.

The discussion was lively and varied:

"Wow, they've all come!"

"This is also Director Fang's mentor..."

"Wow, that's some serious influence!"

“Not just Director Jiao, look at the people behind him,” someone nudged his companion with his elbow, “Mr. Qin Bowei! Mr. Wang Mianzhi! They are true successors of the Imperial Medical Academy. Last time at the annual meeting of the Chinese Medicine Association, I wanted to ask him a question about pulse diagnosis but I didn’t dare to go up to him.”

"Director Fang's favor is outrageous," a lecturer who had just come from the university exclaimed in astonishment. "Our research institute has invited Professor Qin to give lectures several times, but he always declined, saying he was 'not feeling well.' Yet today he actually came on his own initiative..."

“What do you know?” the old researcher next to him scoffed. “How many of these ancient books from Southeast Asia involve court medical cases? The secret manuals in the hands of those people in the Imperial Medical Academy might be more complete than any of the ancient books we’ve ever seen. They’re here to support Fang Yan, and also to search for treasures!”

Someone in the back of the crowd whispered, "I heard that the health team secretly copied a copy of the booklet compiled in Guangzhou last time and took it with them. If the Beijing version is done well this time, it might even make it into the leader's library!"

"The things in Director Fang's hands are all treasures."

"Then we'd better step up our game!" someone immediately chimed in. "We can't let those people from Guangzhou outdo us. How could we, the men and women of Beijing, possibly lose to the south?"

The crowd murmured amongst themselves as Fang Yan went up to greet them.

After getting to know these bigwigs, Jiao Shude formally introduced Fang Yan as his apprentice.

Fang Yan greeted these bigwigs respectfully.

For a moment, I couldn't help but feel a little envious of Li Zhengji. Apart from Fang Heqian, everyone else here was his mentor, a key talent being groomed by the Imperial Medical Academy...

The others present looked at Fang Yan with curiosity. This young man had become very famous in the past year, and they had heard his name from various sources.

Li Zhengji, in particular, had a very high opinion of the dialect.

You have to understand that Li Zhengji is already a genius among geniuses, and I've never heard him praise his peers like this before.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, and with most of the staff in place, Dean Zhao Xiwu began to speak.

"Ahem," Zhao Xiwu cleared his throat lightly. Without using a microphone, his loud and clear voice carried a steady sense of power, instantly drowning out all the other noises.

"Comrades! Is everyone here?"

His gaze swept across the room, lingering briefly on several respected elders and experts from the Central Health Bureau, where he nodded slightly in greeting. His gaze then fell upon Fang Yan, who stood beside him holding the precious ancient book.

"Thank you all for responding to the call immediately, putting aside your work, and gathering here!" Zhao Xiwu said, getting straight to the point.

"On behalf of the research institute, I would like to thank you all for your enthusiasm for academic pursuits and your sense of responsibility for revitalizing traditional Chinese medicine!" After these words, a round of applause broke out in the room.

"Today's meeting is a major event! A major event that will benefit the present and future generations!" Zhao Xiwu's voice suddenly rose:
"What you see before you is a collection of precious ancient books that our Director Fang painstakingly retrieved from overseas Chinese friends in Southeast Asia, especially from the Lin siblings of Yongchun Hall in Penang! These include medical records of febrile diseases in Lingnan during the late Qing Dynasty, secret manuscripts of Sichuan-style bone setting, and 'Illustrated Explanation of Zheng's Prescriptions for Traumatic Injuries and Life Extension,' among many others. They are all-encompassing and of immeasurable value! These are not just books; they are national treasures that have been lost overseas, the crystallization of the wisdom of our compatriots in Southeast Asia, and a manifestation of their patriotic spirit!"

"Why did Mr. Lin and his colleagues entrust these treasures to us from thousands of miles away?" Zhao Xiwu asked himself and answered, "It's out of trust! It's out of expectation! They hope that we can extract the essence from them, pass it on, and put it to good use!"

"Director Fang is leading this mission, and we must live up to this trust and meet this expectation!"

"I can tell you all that our goal this time is very clear: we need to produce a remarkable result within ten days before the 'August 1st' Army Day! The time is tight, the task is heavy, and the significance is great!"

"Therefore, everyone who was able to come did so at the last minute! The research institute appreciates this support!"

"This project is fully coordinated by Comrade Fang Yan. His abilities are evident to all. From compiling medical records from the tropical mountain jungles of southern China in Guangzhou, to restoring the Imperial Medical Prescriptions Collection we worked on recently, and negotiating and cooperating with various parties, he has truly made his mark! Director Liao personally selected him, and Director Jiao from the Health Bureau also took time out of his busy schedule to attend today. This in itself is the greatest support for Comrade Fang Yan and this project!"

When Mr. Zhao mentioned Jiao Shude and the experts from the Central Health Bureau, he highlighted the "high caliber" of the attendees and reiterated the significance of the project.

"The work ahead cannot be done blindly. With so many of us gathered here, efficiency is even more crucial. Before we began the task, Director Fang already had a well-developed framework. The collation and annotation of the original ancient texts are the foundation, the pharmacological analysis is the deepening, and the most critical aspect is the exploration of clinical compatibility protocols! This is the core of directly serving the military, serving the southern border regions, and serving our soon-to-be-established window for international TCM services!"

Zhao Xiwu clearly outlined the work content.

He then said:
"The specific group assignments and task allocations will be announced by Director Fang."

Fang Yan was taken aback upon hearing this.

What? I have to show my face for this?

At this moment, Zhao Xiwu nodded to Fang Yan.

Fang Yan knew that the leader was handing the limelight to him.

"Director Fang will carefully consider who will lead which area in each group. We must make the best use of everyone's talents and strengths!"

"Finally, let me add one more thing," Zhao Xiwu looked around the room, a competitive yet encouraging smile on his face, "I heard that some people are comparing us to those in Guangzhou this time? Everyone is determined not to lose to them?"

Some people in the audience smiled knowingly, and the atmosphere became lively.

"Comparison and competition are good things! They show that we are ambitious! But I want to emphasize that we should not only compete on speed, but also on quality, depth, and ultimate practical application value! Our colleagues in Guangzhou have done a good job and are our role models; we, the people of Beijing, are gathered here to set an even higher standard!"

"Let's work together to fully explore the value of these overseas Chinese cultural treasures!" Zhao Xiwu waved his hand forcefully, his voice loud and clear, "Let it not only be a generous gift for 'August 1st,' but also an important milestone on our road to the revival of traditional Chinese medicine! If we do it well, people will remember this for many years to come!"

"So... comrades, do you have confidence?!"

Upon hearing this, the audience fell silent for a moment, then erupted in a unified and resounding response:

"Have!"

P.S.: That's all for today. Please come early tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)