Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1252 The tide of the times is rolling forward, Feng Shui talk and the long-unseen Jin Wubing (two-in-one chapter)
After Fang Yan and the others finished their dinner, my mother even took the food Fang Yan had prepared to visit Wang Huiyuan.

As for Lao Tao, Lao Hu arranged for him to stay in a room at the Yanjing Hotel, as originally planned.

At first, Lao Tao was quite happy, but after finding out the cost of booking a room, he immediately became unhappy, saying, "It doesn't matter where I sleep, I'd rather sleep in a latrine with this money."

The thought of the money made him feel the pinch, but there was nothing he could do. Old Hu had already paid for a week's room, so Old Tao had no choice but to move in. As for Little Tao, he originally wanted to go back to the room arranged by the research institute, but his father dragged him to the Yanjing Hotel to sleep.

They say that the more people there are, the less they will lose.

The people on night watch are from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Under Lao Tao's guidance, they are strictly monitoring Wang Huiyuan's condition.

If there's anything, just call Lao Tao.

The Yanjing Hotel is less than a kilometer from here; you can get here in no time.

After everything was arranged, Fang Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Old Zhu is going back to Nantong tomorrow, and Fang Yan still needs to prepare some gifts for him to take back with him.

Anyway, we have a lot of stuff at home, so choosing a gift isn't difficult.

I packed several items for him and Chen Youqing, and then added some local specialties from Beijing prepared by other family members, filling several travel bags to the brim.

Their train is at 10 o'clock tomorrow. After Fang Yan finishes checking the rooms, he will come back to take them to the station.

I'll invite Meng Jimin along too.

As for Master Haiteng, his two disciples finally got some rest. Fang Yan arranged for them to stay at his home, and the two of them fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow, clearly exhausted from the recent period.

Master Haiteng went to check on his nephew Fan Changting's current residence. Yuan Qingshan had not yet returned, and Old Fan arranged for his uncle to rest in his dormitory that night.

The old monk was different from Master Zhu; he believed in taking things as they came and had no plans whatsoever.

Now I can do whatever I want. I was interested in Li's movies promoting Chinese martial arts, so I came all the way from Hangzhou.

Later, after he and Fang Yan revived Wang Huiyuan from her coma, he went to discuss scriptures with other monks in the capital.

Now that he's heard Lao Hu's grand ambition, he's staying with Fang Yan and his group, intending to accomplish this. As for what will happen next, he hasn't thought it through yet.

Fang Yan was extremely envious of his mentality.

Fangyan has received news from Zeng Luquan that the personnel from the Northeast will arrive tomorrow.

After seeing Old Zhu off, I had to go and receive them. There were nine people coming this time, and the dialect was enough to assign them new tasks.

I wonder if there are any tough guys among them?

Fang Yan thought of Helian Zhang again, and Director Sun who had arranged for him to come.

Oh... Director Sun has been replaced.

He is no longer in that position.

In addition, Fang Yan hasn't been paying attention to news from Japan these past few days. He called Dean Zhao Xiwu to inquire, but the dean said he hadn't received any news either.

Fang Yan wondered if Kobayashi Ichiya had failed his mission.
According to local dialects, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical never dared to compete with Tsumura Pharmaceutical for market share in the past.

Did the butterfly effect not stir up history?

Despite thinking this way, Fang Yan still asked Lao Hu to find out about the situation in Japan and figure out what Kobayashi Kazuya was up to.

Fang Yan is quite willing to compete with Tsumura if he can get in.

……

The next day arrived quickly, and everyone felt much more relaxed now that they no longer had to keep an eye on Wang Huiyuan.

Fang Yan called the inpatient department early in the morning to inquire about yesterday's situation. They said everything was normal and that Wang Huiyuan had woken up around 5 a.m. and went to the toilet.

Right now, I'm in my room chatting with my husband and daughter.

Fang Yan was relieved and started her morning exercise.

After a while, Master Haiteng arrived with Lao Fan. Master Haiteng planned to go on rounds with them today, firstly to check on Wang Huiyuan's condition, and secondly to see how his nephew was doing his daily work here.

Thanks to the special care provided by the dialect, Lao Fan is now a very famous acupuncture and physiotherapy therapist.

Aside from the dialect, he spent the most time interacting with these patients at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Many people had tried to recruit him to work as a private physical therapist abroad, but Lao Fan refused them all, mainly because he didn't want to be like Xiao Peng.

His idea was to stay in the country and focus on building the nation.

Old Fan was quite pleased to hear that Master Hai Deng had become a shareholder of the company, just like him, through technology investment.

Now the uncle and nephew can be considered to have found a powerful patron.

During breakfast, the voice on the loudspeaker rang out clearly:

“1978年8月16日至9月21日，组织部，分三批召开选拔优秀中青年干部汇报会……”

Fang Yan's chopsticks, which were holding pickled vegetables, paused in mid-air, instantly drawing attention.

Everyone else in the family also stopped eating their porridge, their eyes filled with thought.

The news broadcast ended quickly.

"This meeting is of great significance," Old Zhu said softly. "The country is in dire need of rebuilding and needs fresh blood in all aspects, especially in the cadre team. They need new vitality and new thinking to lead everyone to better carry out construction and development."

Father-in-law Zhu Guangnan nodded slightly, looked out the window, and slowly said:

"As you said, if young cadres can be selected and appointed, they can bring new ideas and new approaches, which will surely revitalize all undertakings."

Dad nodded at this point, and then said:
"The leader just emphasized that selecting outstanding young and middle-aged cadres is a strategic issue, and also pointed out that we must follow the mass line to select the right ones. This is a key point."

After speaking, he glanced at the young people present, and finally his gaze settled on the third son, Fang Yan, and the eldest son-in-law, Zhao Yuanchao.

He continued:
"The eyes of the masses are discerning. They know best which cadres are truly capable and responsible, and who actually do practical things for the people. By selecting cadres through the mass line, we can ensure that the selected cadres are reliable and effective."

Master Haiteng clasped his hands together, speaking in a calm tone:
"Only by selecting the virtuous and capable can the country move forward steadily. It is hoped that these newly selected cadres will all have the well-being of the people in mind, and like doctors treating patients, solve problems and bring benefits to the country and the people."

After speaking, he glanced at the dialect.

They lack political awareness regarding dialects; they weren't even informed by their superiors.
Could this matter have something to do with me?
Fang Yan's thoughts drifted away, recalling her work at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and how Lao Hu and I recruited talent for the company.

As the company develops, it will likely have to deal with these new managers.

Although the older generation still has powerful backers, ultimately those support will fall to the younger generation.

The broadcast continued, reporting on the conference's content. As people listened, they exchanged their views, discussing the conference's profound significance and its impact on the country's future development.

Fang Yan listened attentively to their words and also came to some conclusions.

Their team needs to seize the benefits of this policy of leading young cadres, promote the research and development and internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine, and at the same time, find ways to avoid the risks of changing perceptions, focus some of their energy on the domestic market, and start laying the groundwork for the later reform and opening up.

Of course, this point also coincides with what Lao Hu had previously told Master Hai Deng and Secretary Huang.

At the breakfast table in this courtyard, Fang Yan felt the tide of the times rolling forward, and this report meeting for the selection of outstanding young and middle-aged cadres was undoubtedly a key force driving the giant wheel of the times.

……

After breakfast, Fang Yan went to check on the patients.

The main purpose was to check on Wang Huiyuan's condition with everyone, and incidentally, to see the revised prescription by Lao Tao.

After Lao Tao's instructions yesterday, the revised prescriptions were prepared during the ward rounds.

At the end of the corridor of the special care ward at Peking Union Medical College Hospital is Wang Huiyuan's ward. On the coffee table in the room, there are two bowls of medicine that have just been warmed.

One bowl contained the antidote prepared by Lao Tao, and the other bowl contained the protective medicine adjusted according to his requirements.

Both prescriptions have been adjusted based on the original ones.

The medication wasn't very effective yesterday, so Lao Tao increased the dosage.

As soon as Fang Yan and the others came in, they saw Lao Zhang and his daughter Zhang Li eating breakfast, which was from the cafeteria. Wang Huiyuan hadn't eaten yet; she was waiting to take her medicine.

The morning light shone through the thin gauze curtains and onto the medicine bowl. The antidote gleamed with a dark brown sheen, and a thin ring of medicinal oil clung to the rim of the bowl.

The modified version of the traditional Chinese medicine formula is light amber in color and has a sweet aroma of Zhejiang Ophiopogon japonicus, which contrasts sharply with the former's strong flavor.

With one side attacking and the other defending, they're now just waiting for Fang Yan and the others to arrive so Wang Huiyuan can drink it.

A group of people entered the room. Fang Yan greeted them and then asked:
"How did you sleep last night?"

Zhang Li said:

"I slept well. The environment here is even more comfortable than home. It's clean, tidy, and soundproof."

She really liked it here.

Old Zhang also said:
"It's great. There's someone watching outside all the time, so we don't have to worry. I haven't slept this comfortably in a long time."

"Aunt Wang, what about you?" Fang Yan asked Wang Huiyuan.

Wang Huiyuan said:
“I went to bed earlier than them and took your medicine. I slept soundly last night until five o’clock this morning, when I was woken up by the urge to pee.”

"Didn't you have nightmares?" Fang Yan asked.

Wang Huiyuan shook her head and said:

"No, I don't think I dreamed at all. I just slept straight through until I woke up."

By this time, Lao Tao had finished reviewing the medical records kept by the nurse. He gently stirred the antidote with a wooden spoon, the bottom of the spoon scraping against the inner wall of the earthenware bowl, making a soft "rustling" sound. At the same time, he spoke to Fang Yan:

"After reviewing the records, we found that after Comrade Wang took the medicine yesterday, his urine color became lighter in the morning and his lower back pain lessened, indicating that the stagnant toxins were moving downwards. However, his tongue coating was still pale yellow and greasy, which means that the dampness and turbidity had not been completely eliminated."

"So as long as there are no problems today, the last batch of ammoniac used tomorrow should be stir-fried with half a spoonful of aged rice. Aged rice can strengthen the spleen and stomach, and it can protect her spleen and stomach better than using salt water alone, so as not to damage her acquired constitution when attacking the poison." Hearing Lao Tao say this, Fang Yan asked the nurse to write it down so that the Chinese medicine pharmacy could prepare it later.

As long as you explain the method clearly, they will definitely be able to handle it.

Old Tao, a doctor in his fifties, is experienced and energetic. Fang Yan plans to have him help support the TCM department at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

At the research institute, all he needs to do is assign the tasks; Fang Yan has plenty of people to help with the research.

Fang Yan could tell that Lao Tao really wanted to achieve something. After all, in his own words, he had wasted most of his life. Although his ancestors had many secret recipes, he hadn't made a name for himself. Even though his son was the dean in XJ, it only sounded good. Only he knew the real situation.

Now that I've encountered dialects, I feel like my life is still changing.

As long as the dialect gives him a chance, Lao Tao and Xiao Tao will seize it firmly.

This is tantamount to making a statement: as long as Fangyan assigns them work, they will do their best and hope that Fangyan can give them more opportunities.

Old Tao felt that he didn't have many more opportunities to fight for his dreams in this lifetime.

We must seize this opportunity.

Old Tao, holding the revised prescription from yesterday, explained it to the dialect:

“Yesterday, when Comrade Wang bent over, she said she felt ‘soreness,’ which means her blood and qi are just beginning to flow. Too much astragalus would actually trap the dampness and turbidity inside. But one gram of codonopsis, being neutral in nature and milder than astragalus, can steadily support the body’s vital energy, preventing the toxic herbs from depleting it too much. The stir-fried hyacinth beans I have here can dispel dampness without causing dryness, which is perfect for pairing with poria and atractylodes macrocephala to thoroughly clear out spleen dampness, allowing the medicinal effects to flow smoothly with the blood and qi…”

Fang Yan nodded repeatedly as he listened to Lao Tao's words, agreeing that his basic skills were solid and his work was flawless.

After he explained the medications for today to Fang Yan, as well as the changes he planned to make later depending on the situation, the medicine was at a temperature that was suitable for consumption.

First, she drank their bowl of medicine to counteract the poison, and Wang Huiyuan frowned as she downed it in one gulp.

After finishing the drink, I quickly rinsed my mouth with water.

"Does today's medicine still burn your throat like it did yesterday?" Old Tao asked Wang Huiyuan impatiently.

Wang Huiyuan thought for a moment and said:

"It's a little better."

Lao Tao made changes to the taste, and after receiving feedback, he nodded in satisfaction.

Next, we drank a modified version of the original prescription in the local dialect.

After finishing the medicine, Wang Huiyuan breathed a sigh of relief. The traditional Chinese medicine prescribed by Fang Yan was the most comfortable to drink.

After she finished drinking, Lao Tao and his son Tao Guangzheng began to take her pulse, one on each side.

The changes in Wang Huiyuan's pulse should be most noticeable at this time.

Old Tao said:

"The cun pulse is no longer floating, the guan pulse has less of a rough feeling, and the chi pulse has become more resilient."

"When the Qi and blood flow smoothly, the kidney Qi is strengthened!"

This is a significant improvement. Fang Yan also went to check it out, and indeed, the changes are much greater than yesterday.

Of course, it could also be because I got a good rest last night; sleep is a very important part of the body's repair process.

Wang Huiyuan herself felt that she was much better today than before.

Jokingly remarking, "Peking Union Medical College Hospital is indeed a blessed place."

This gave the old monk a topic to discuss, and he said:

"Perhaps Mr. Wang's illness was related to your house?"

Hearing the old monk's words, Old Zhang said:

"Didn't you say before that it was related to the Eight Characters (Ba Zi)? How come you're saying now that it's also related to the residence?"

Upon hearing this, Master Haiteng gently stroked his prayer beads with his fingertips, a mysterious smile on his face, and explained unhurriedly:

"The Eight Characters (Ba Zi) represent one's innate constitution, like the nature of a seed, determining the strength of its roots; the dwelling represents one's acquired environment, like soil and sunlight, influencing the seed's growth. The two complement each other, so how can they be discussed separately?"

He walked to the window, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard outside the ward. Several old locust trees grew lush and verdant, the morning light filtering through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows, and a faint fragrance of grass and trees filled the air.

"The windows of Mr. Wang's house face west, so it gets very hot in the summer and is a bit drafty in the winter, right?"

Old Zhang paused for a moment, then nodded: "That's right! The west wall wasn't insulated. In the summer, the afternoon sun would make the room feel like a steamer. In the winter, cold winds could seep in through the window cracks. Huiyuan and I often said, 'This room is so cramped.'"

Old Tao, having used their kitchen before, was very qualified to speak on the matter, and he immediately said:

"Especially in the afternoon, it's really unbearably hot."

“That’s right.” Master Hai Deng turned around, his tone still calm: “Traditional Chinese medicine talks about the harmony between man and nature, and Buddhism also says that ‘the environment is created by the mind, and the mind changes with the environment.’ The western sun is dry and hot, and if you live there for a long time, the dryness in your body will accumulate more and more; the draft in winter is cold and evil, and cold and evil can easily trap the qi and blood, preventing the stagnation and toxins from dissipating. Benefactor Wang already has stagnation and toxins in his brain. The dryness and heat attack upwards, and the cold and evil condense downwards. With the qi and blood blocked in the middle, how can the illness heal quickly?”

Fang Yan's eyes lit up. The old monk's explanation coincided with the traditional Chinese medicine concept of "external pathogens causing disease." He added, "Master, what you say makes sense! In traditional Chinese medicine, the 'six evils'—wind, cold, summer heat, dampness, dryness, and fire—are all external pathogens. If the living environment is poor, these external pathogens can easily invade. Aunt Wang's glioma was already caused by stagnant toxins, and the long-term exposure to dryness, fire, and cold only 'helped' the stagnant toxins, making them even harder to clear."

Old Tao nodded in agreement: "When I treated patients in the countryside before, I also encountered many cases where 'the illness was relieved after moving to a different house.' There was a family who lived in a low-lying area, and their house was so damp that mold could grow all year round. The family members always had coughs and wheezing. Later, they moved to a higher slope, and they got much better without taking any medicine. Once the dampness was gone, the illness naturally lessened."

Wang Huiyuan suddenly realized what was going on and couldn't help but say, "So, the feeling that I always felt uncomfortable at home wasn't just my imagination? No wonder I don't feel so restless after moving here to the hospital, and even my breathing is easier."

Master Hai Deng smiled and nodded: "This hospital room faces south, with plenty of sunlight but not scorching, good ventilation, and lots of vegetation, which is a 'harmonious energy' that can neutralize the dryness and coldness in your body. However, this is only a 'supporting factor.' What can truly cure the illness is the medicine from Director Fang and Benefactor Tao, as well as your own mental strength." He then changed the subject back to the "Eight Characters" (Ba Zi): "Your Eight Characters have an 'excessive fire' element, which makes you prone to dryness. Living in a west-facing house is like 'adding fuel to the fire.' Benefactor Zhang's Eight Characters have a 'heavy earth' element, which can help you block some of the dryness. That's why you two have supported each other over the years, and your condition hasn't deteriorated too quickly."

Old Zhang listened with amazement: "Master, you've hit the nail on the head! I've been married to Huiyuan for almost twenty years. Whenever she gets dizzy, I stay by her side, and she says, 'I feel more at ease.' I didn't know there was such a reason?"

“Buddhism speaks of ‘cause and condition’, and the same applies to healing.” Master Haiteng put his hands together in prayer. “Medicine is the ‘cause,’ environment is the ‘condition,’ and mental effort is the ‘effect.’ Now that the medicine is right and the environment is favorable, you can relax and stop thinking about ‘whether the illness can be cured.’ Instead, think more about ‘what to do after the illness is cured.’ Your Qi and blood will naturally flow more smoothly, and the medicine will be more effective.”

Others speak of these things cautiously, but the old monk is different; he doesn't shy away from anything and says whatever he wants.

They are not afraid of being called feudal superstition at all.

After listening to this, Wang Huiyuan needed to go to the toilet again.

Fang Yan noticed that when she got out of bed, she didn't ask anyone for help; she only asked Zhang Li to help her to the toilet after she got out of bed.

When Zhang Li returned from using the toilet, she reported that she had black stool again.

This indicates that Lao Tao's current version of the medicine has achieved the same effect as the previous treatments by Fang Yan and Tao Guangzheng, and the reaction is not as strong as theirs.

The next step is to observe the toxicity.

After checking her tongue coating and pulse, I felt she was still in a normal state. I told the on-duty medical staff in my local dialect to observe her carefully and make a record.

Then they prepared to go home to see Zhu Liangchun off at the train station.

As soon as Fang Yan went downstairs, she ran into an acquaintance she hadn't seen for many days.

"Brother Fang!"

"Jin Wubing?!"

This kid has been out of touch for over half a month since he said he was going to join the China Zhi Gong Party.

Now that it suddenly came to mind, Fang Yan remembered the matter of selecting young cadres that morning.

"What are you doing here? Where have you been these past few days?" Fang Yan asked him.

Jin Wubing chuckled and said to Fang Yan:

"I came to see you. I just got back from Guangzhou. My plane landed at the airport last night, and I came to see you first thing this morning."

"After this meeting, if nothing unexpected happens, I will stay in Beijing."

Fang Yan asked curiously:
What kind of meeting are you having?

Jin Wubing said:
"A report meeting for outstanding young and middle-aged cadres—as a member of a political party, I can also attend!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yan realized that he had indeed guessed correctly.

He nodded and smiled at Jin Wubing, saying:
"You kid can do it!"

"But I don't have any patients today. I have to take an elder in my family to the train station later, so you won't have a chance to see me for treatment today."

Jin Wubing said:
"I never intended to come here for treatment."

"I'm here to see your certificates and awards! I also need to take a picture with you and send it back to my home in the US so they know what I'm doing here and what kind of friends I'm making."

"I saw it all in today's newspaper. Your nine medical achievements made you stand out at the Ministry of Health's mid-year conference!"

As he spoke, he showed Fang Yan the camera in his pocket.

This kid...

Fang Yan was speechless, but still greeted him:
"Let's go then. Take some pictures when we get home."

Jin Wubing immediately started speaking in dialect with great joy.

He also spoke in dialect:

"I also brought you a gift."

As he spoke, he took out a long, rectangular box and handed it to Fang Yan.

"What?" Fang Yan looked at Jin Wubing curiously.

Jin Wubing lowered his voice and said:

"The bullets that come with the gun you're holding!"

PS: The basic chapter of 6000 words has been updated.

(End of this chapter)