Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1261 Determination of Disability and Deformity Acupoint Dislocation: Which Unit Does Dr. Fang Work For? (Two Chapters Combined)
Fang Yan had always admired other people's skill in color diagnosis, but now he has unknowingly become able to use it himself.

Of course, it's still quite different from the kind of color diagnosis that can see right through a person at a glance.

After Fang Yan finished speaking to Gu Yuan, Gu Yuan nodded in shock. As the patient confirmed it, everyone around them was also shocked.

"Amazing!" Yi Donglai gave Fang Yan a thumbs up and praised him sincerely.

Qin Nong also spoke to the dialect:

"No wonder Director Liao of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office was able to get you to attract foreign investment. With this level of expertise, who wouldn't be confused when she talks to overseas Chinese businessmen?"

"Haha, you flatter me!" Fang Yan cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd.

"Actually, there are specific study categories for this in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The more you study, the more you'll naturally understand. It's like a policeman can tell if someone has a problem just by looking at their demeanor." (PS: Speaking of which, there was a time when I was working overtime and the police kept checking my ID on the subway...)
"Traditional Chinese medicine says: 'What is inside will manifest outside,' meaning that problems in the body will show on the face! For example, people with liver problems will have yellow eyes, and people with heart problems will have a red tongue tip. Comrade Gu, this is because your kidneys, spleen, and lungs are all a bit weak, which is why your complexion has so many changes!"

Qin Nong patted Gu Yuan on the shoulder with a smile: "Do you believe me now? He's a top expert in this field. He can not only give acupuncture, but also 'diagnose diseases by looking at faces.' If he takes a look at your leg, it will definitely get much better."

Gu Yuan finally put aside his concerns, his face showing genuine anticipation: "Director Fang, then... then I'll have to trouble you! My leg has been hurting for three years, if it could really stop hurting, I would truly..."

For a moment, Gu Yuanzhen didn't know what to say.

Fang Yan nodded and took out two sea dragon needles from the medical kit: "The treatment of limb pain is different from that of eye disease. It should start with clearing the meridians and replenishing qi and blood."

After hearing this, Gu Yuan no longer doubted it and said:
"Then I'm sorry to trouble you!"

After speaking, he sat down to the side, rolled up his trouser leg, hooked his fingers onto the buckle at the interface of the prosthetic limb, and gently twisted it. With a slight "click," the prosthetic limb, covered in metal and fabric, was slowly removed and placed on the ground beside his feet.

The exposed limb was shorter than Fang Yan had imagined. A thin layer of gauze was wrapped around the joint, and the skin at the edges was a pale red. Near the knee remnant, there were several scars of varying depths.

"How did this scar get like this?" Anton asked curiously from the side, unable to understand what kind of landmine had caused the injury.

Fang Yan explained to Anton:
"That's a mark left from repeated cleaning and suturing after a landmine explosion."

"Director Fang is right!" Gu Yuan nodded.

Anton suddenly realized.

“I have to wrap it with gauze every day, and it’s easy to get infected if I’m not careful.” Gu Yuan gently touched the edge of the gauze with his fingertip, his tone carrying a sense of helplessness. “On rainy days, it feels like there are countless tiny needles pricking my stump. Sometimes I can break out in a cold sweat from the pain in the middle of the night and can only get through it by taking painkillers.”

Fang Yan squatted down, his gaze falling on the stump. His fingertips avoided the gauze and gently pressed on the skin below the remaining knee: "Is this the most painful spot? When you press down, can you feel the tightness inside?"

Gu Yuan was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "How did you know? Every time it hurts, I try to press hard here, but when I press down, it feels empty, like pressing on cotton, it doesn't help at all."

"This is due to blocked meridians in the stump, preventing blood and qi from reaching this area, which causes pain." Fang Yan took out an alcohol swab from his bag and carefully wiped the acupoints on the stump.

He paused, then said:
“The normal Zusanli point is three inches below the knee. Since your limb is shorter, the acupoint has shifted upwards. I will first needle this ‘displaced Zusanli’ point, which can help you regulate the Qi and blood of the spleen and stomach and relieve the pain.”

"Move to Zusanli?" Anton asked, taken aback.

"Master, these acupoints can shift?"

Fang Yan said to Anton:

“When I taught you, I didn’t actually teach this part. In fact, in traditional Chinese medicine theory, acupoints are not nails driven into the body. They are more like ‘temporary stations’ that follow the meridians. When the body’s condition changes, the station’s location will naturally move.”

He pointed to the spot on Gu Yuan's stump that he had just pressed, and then compared it to his own normal knee: "Look, the normal Zusanli point is three inches below the knee, just like a coordinate fixed on the meridian."

“But even though Comrade Gu’s leg was amputated, the ‘main road’ wasn’t cut off, but the road became shorter. The original coordinates lost their support, so the acupoints could only move upwards along the meridians to find a new ‘stopping point.’ That’s the principle of displacement.”

Anton was still a little confused, scratching his head: "How do we know where it's been moved to? What if we look for the wrong place?"

“Don’t worry if you find the wrong one, we have two ‘navigation’ tools to help us calibrate.” Fang Yan said, holding up two fingers. “The first is ‘meridian circulation,’ just like finding a bus stop requires following the bus route. Even if the acupoint moves, it will not deviate from the meridian it belongs to. Zusanli belongs to the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming. This meridian runs on the outside of the lower leg. Comrade Gu’s amputated limb only has this section on the outside, so the acupoint must be on this line and cannot go to the inside.”

He paused, then pointed to the sore and swollen spots on Gu Yuan's stump: "The second is 'using pain as acupoint,' which means that wherever there is soreness, swelling, or pain, that's likely a displaced acupoint. Just now, I pressed below Comrade Gu's knee, and he said it felt 'tight.' This is a signal that the qi and blood are stagnant here, indicating that the acupoint has moved here. Think about it, where the qi and blood are blocked, the 'station' must be set up near the blockage point to clear it, right?"

Gu Yuan, who was listening from the side, nodded repeatedly and couldn't help but add: "When Director Fang pressed it just now, I felt that the soreness was more obvious than other places. So this is the trick to finding acupoints? Before, when I pressed it myself, I just pressed randomly and never found the right place."

“Smart! That makes sense.” Fang Yan nodded with a smile, then looked at Anton: “Last time when you were acupuncturing Aunt Natasha’s back and looking for the Shenshu acupoint, did you also notice that Aunt Natasha was too fat and the acupoint was a little off the standard position? That’s also because the acupoint is shifted. Because of the thicker fat, the ‘route’ of the meridian looks off, but it still follows the flow of qi and blood.”

Anton's eyes lit up as he instantly remembered what had happened before: "That's right! When I inserted the needle in the standard position, Aunt Natasha didn't feel anything. But when I moved it outward by half an inch, she immediately said, 'It's sore and swollen.' So that was the displaced acupoint!"

“That’s right.” Fang Yan patted Anton on the shoulder. “Traditional Chinese medicine doesn’t follow dogma. Acupoints often shift. When children grow, acupoints grow with them; when the elderly’s muscles atrophy, acupoints move closer to the bones; and for those like Comrade Gu who have external injuries, acupoints will adjust according to the body’s changes. When we learn acupuncture, we can’t just memorize the coordinates in the book. We have to learn to ‘follow the body’ so that we can find the acupoints accurately and insert them in the right places.”

Comrade Liang, who had an eye problem, listened intently and couldn't help but interject: "Director Fang, does that mean that as long as you follow the meridians and press to see if there is any soreness or distension, you can find the displaced acupoints no matter what the situation is?"

"That's roughly the idea." Fang Yan nodded, his gaze returning to Gu Yuan's stump. "Like now, we've found Comrade Gu's 'displaced Zusanli' acupoint. When we insert the needle, the Qi and blood can flow along the Stomach Meridian to the stump, and the phantom pain will naturally lessen—you'll see, after we finish the needle, he'll definitely say he feels comfortable."

Anton finally understood. He picked up his notebook and quickly wrote it down: "Master, I've got it! Acupoint displacement: follow the meridians, find the 'pain, soreness, and distension' points, don't stick to standard coordinates!"

Since learning medicine from Fang Yan, he has developed the habit of taking notes at any time, even noting down the angle and force of his master's acupuncture.

Gu Yuan took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and was clearly still a little nervous. Fang Yan picked up a sea dragon needle, aimed the tip at the "Yiwei Zusanli" point she had just located, and with a slight dip of her wrist, the silver needle pierced the skin steadily.

Gu Yuan felt a gentle soreness on his stump, unlike the sharp pain he usually experienced. Instead, it felt like someone was gently massaging a sore spot that had accumulated over three years with their fingertips. The soreness spread upwards along the stump and actually "circled" around the joint, reaching his lower abdomen, which made his previously tense stomach relax.

"Try moving your residual limb slowly, don't strain, just follow the sensation of soreness and swelling," Fang Yan gently guided while twisting the needle.

Gu Yuan gently lifted the stump as instructed, and was surprised to find that the stump, which had been stiff when lifted, was now more flexible. Even the frequency of the phantom pain had slowed down. The previous "tick-tock" pain, which was like the second hand of a clock, had now turned into an occasional light numbness, like the wind blowing across the skin, which was completely bearable.

“Needling this Yanglingquan point again can soothe the liver and clear the meridians. Do you often feel depressed?” Fang Yan took another needle and inserted it into another acupoint on the outside of the stump.

The soreness from this injection was more pronounced, but it also carried a penetrating energy. Gu Yuan could clearly feel that there was a flow of energy slowly moving through the stump, gradually clearing away the "blockages" in the meridians. The heaviness he usually felt on rainy days was actually much lighter.

Yi Donglai stood to the side, his eyes wide with amazement.
"Brother Gu, how are you feeling now? Is it still in pain?"

Gu Yuan slowly lowered the severed limb, a long-lost sense of relief appearing on his face:

"It doesn't hurt much anymore! That 'prickling' sensation is gone, just a little soreness, which is quite comfortable." He said, unable to resist moving his stump again, his eyes almost overflowing with joy. "This is the first time in three years that I've felt this comfortable without painkillers!"

Fang Yan flicked the needle tip with his fingertips, and the sea dragon needle trembled gently on the skin of the stump. He stared at Gu Yuan's expression and saw that the other's brows were gradually relaxing, so he slowed down the force of the needling: "If you can bear this soreness, then persevere a little longer and let the qi and blood flow more smoothly."

Gu Yuan nodded quickly, even softening his breathing, afraid of disturbing this rare feeling of comfort: "It's bearable! It's much more effective than painkillers. It feels like I have a hot water bottle in my stump now, and even the remaining bone gaps in my knee don't feel heavy anymore."

Comrade Liang, who was standing to the side, nodded in agreement and couldn't help but say to Qin Nong, "I always thought that traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture was slow, but I've seen it for myself today. After just two needles, Comrade Gu's complexion has brightened up, and the dark circles under his eyes seem to have faded a bit."

Qin Nong took a closer look and found that, just as Comrade Liang had said, Gu Yuan's skin under his eyes, which had originally been bluish, now had more color, and even the corners of his mouth had a smile on them. He was no longer the tense man he had been before.

He chuckled and patted Gu Yuan's arm: "How about that? I didn't lie to you, did I? Fang Yan's acupuncture is much more reliable than your painkillers."

Gu Yuan was about to speak when he suddenly hissed. It wasn't from pain, but from surprise. He instinctively tried to stretch his leg, and the stump actually moved slightly. The movement wasn't large, but it was much more flexible than usual, and even the friction at the prosthesis joint was less.

"Director Fang, I... I think I can raise my stump higher than usual!" His voice was filled with excitement as he tried to raise it again, this time with a greater range of motion, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He said in dialect:

"This is just the beginning. I'll prescribe an external wash for you later. Boil mugwort, safflower, and angelica in water and soak your limb in it every day. It will help improve blood circulation and remove blood stasis, so it won't hurt as much on rainy days."

As soon as he finished speaking, Anton leaned over, his small notebook filled with notes: "Master, I'll write this down too! Can I use it like this for patients with stump pain in the future?"

“It depends on the patient’s constitution.” Fang Yan took the notebook and circled “Angelica sinensis”. “If the patient is prone to getting internal heat, add less Angelica sinensis and some honeysuckle; if they are afraid of cold, add some ginger. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes diagnosis and treatment, and you can’t just apply the formula blindly.”

Anton nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Fang Yan glanced at his watch, then said to Gu Yuan, who was still basking in the relief of the severed limb, "Comrade Gu, please wait a moment. It's time for Comrade Liang to start stitching."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Fang Yan returned to Comrade Liang's side.

Comrade Liang's condition at this moment was completely different from before the acupuncture. The muscles around his eyes, which had been stiff, had completely relaxed, and his eyeballs were moving flexibly from side to side. He even tried to look outwards again, and the movements were smooth and effortless, without a trace of his previous strabismus. His face showed obvious surprise and joy. "Comrade Liang, how do you feel? Is there any difficulty or discomfort in moving your eyeballs?" Fang Yan asked gently as she examined his eyes.

"No! Absolutely not! It's amazing, Director Fang!" Comrade Liang's voice was filled with excitement and disbelief. "It rotates very flexibly, just like before I got sick! And my eyes aren't dry or swollen anymore. When the needle went in, especially the last few needles, I felt something 'click' loosen. Now my whole head feels relaxed and clear!"

Fang Yan nodded, a satisfied smile on his face, but his movements didn't stop. He focused his mind, extended his fingers, and landed precisely and steadily on the row of gleaming sea dragon needles.

He did not pluck them randomly, but rather operated them one by one in a certain order and with gentle techniques:

Fang Yan held Liang's neck firmly with one hand, and with the other hand, he pinched the needle handle with his thumb and forefinger, and while slightly twisting it, he slowly removed the needle with a very gentle and steady lifting motion.

During the needle removal process, Comrade Liang only felt a slight warm current flowing from his neck to his shoulders and back, taking away the last feeling of heaviness.

When taking needles from both temples, the movements are symmetrical and swift, involving a gentle twist followed by a pull, clean and efficient.

Comrade Liang felt a slight radiating sensation at the needle hole, as if the remaining heat was dissipating with the needle.

When it comes to needles in the hands, feet, and limbs, the movements in the dialect are even faster.

He deftly twisted the needle with the grace of flowing water, as naturally as brushing away fallen leaves.

Comrade Liang felt the soreness and numbness in his limbs quickly subside after the needles were removed, and he felt a sense of relief.

The Jingming acupoint is located at the inner corner of the eye, which is the closest acupoint to the eyeball. Therefore, Fang Yan was extra careful. With one thumb, he gently fixed the skin near Comrade Liang's eye socket, while with the other hand, he rotated and lifted the needle very slowly and steadily.

Comrade Liang held his breath nervously, but the discomfort he had imagined did not occur; only a slight itching and tingling sensation disappeared as the silver needles were withdrawn.

The Qiuhou acupoint is the most crucial and also the most difficult acupoint to operate.

Fang Yan's expression became even more focused, signaling to Comrade Liang not to move his eyes.

He twisted the needle handle with extremely small movements, and as the needle was withdrawn inch by inch and very slowly, Comrade Liang could clearly feel the binding force applied to the extraocular muscles being gradually withdrawn and dissipated.

When the needle was completely removed, he felt as if the last bit of sluggishness in his eyes had completely disappeared, and his vision had become clearer and brighter.

"Come on, look at my finger!" Fang Yan disinfected the needle hole while holding up a finger to Comrade Liang, making him follow his hand and move his gaze.

Comrade Liang followed Fang Yan's hand and moved his gaze accordingly, feeling no sense of hindrance at this moment.

"Very good, the needle marks are clean, and eye movement is completely normal. Is the dry mouth, bitter taste, and lower back weakness still there? But it's definitely much better than before. These will require further treatment and consolidation with medication." Fang Yan straightened up and said to Comrade Liang.

"That's wonderful! Director Fang, you're a miracle worker! I thought I'd have to suffer for a long time, but it was resolved in just ten minutes! This sea dragon needle is truly amazing! My dry mouth is much better, and I have more strength in my lower back!" Comrade Liang was overjoyed. He even stood up and stretched his neck and waist, feeling much more relaxed all over.

"See? I told you Fang Yan had a solution! You've come to the right person this time! Let's strike while the iron is hot and have Fang Yan prescribe another remedy to help you consolidate your recovery! Work is important, but your health is even more important!" Qin Nong said happily to Comrade Liang from the side.

He's the one who called Fang Yan over today, and now that he's cured the person's illness, he's got face too!
At this point, Fang Yan had already written the prescription. After writing it, he tore it off and handed it to Comrade Liang. He didn't know what position this person held. At this time, young cadres were being promoted, and many young people could be promoted to high positions. The person in front of him was of suitable age, and it seemed possible that Fang Yan, who was from the inner circle, could be considered a suitable candidate.

After all, Director Liao's friend, who was also Director Qin's direct superior, had just held a memorial service. Now that a new official has taken office, it's certain that some of his associates will be transferred to higher positions.

Comrade Liang said to the dialect:

"Oh, thank you so much, Director Fang, for today."

"The medicine cured me perfectly! I'll have to write a thank-you letter to your company later!"

After saying that, he paused, then asked:

"Oh, by the way, are you employed by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council or Peking Union Medical College Hospital?"

Qin Nong said with a smile:

"Whatever, he holds several positions; he's also our department's trace evidence technology instructor."

"If you don't mind, you can send it to the Municipal Bureau."

Comrade Liang was at a loss for words, wondering if the dialect was actually from his subordinate.
"It's nothing! No need to make it so complicated, it's just a doctor's visit," Fang Yan said, waving his hand.

Then he added:
"And for the next few days, remember to go to Peking Union Medical College Hospital in the morning. If it's early, I can give you an injection; if it's late, you can go to the inpatient department and I'll arrange for a doctor to give you an injection."

"Okay!" Comrade Liang nodded in agreement.

After finishing here, Fang Yan looked at Gu Yuan's severed limbs, and then it was time to leave.

The sea dragon needle was removed and disinfected.

As Fang Yan tidied up, she asked Gu Yuan:

"Could you try wearing the prosthesis now? Let's see if it still causes any chafing?"

Gu Yuan was stunned for a moment, then realized that he also wanted to try it. So he picked up the prosthesis, but as soon as his hand touched the interface, he was stunned... He usually had to rub the stump for a while before wearing the prosthesis, otherwise the skin at the interface would rub painfully. But now he didn't feel any discomfort at all. He easily fastened the buckle and stood up.

Then he took two steps, his steps were much more steady than usual, and it felt as if the prosthetic left leg had grown onto his body.

"No more grinding! It's really no more grinding!" Gu Yuan took two more steps, this time even turning around deliberately, his face beaming with undisguised joy. "Before, I had to stop after three steps, but now I can walk ten steps without any problem. Director Fang, your acupuncture is amazing!"

Yi Donglai was itching to try it and couldn't help but move closer to Fang Yan: "Director Fang, my shoulders are always stiff after training. Could you give me a couple of acupuncture needles? I promise I won't move around!"

Fang Yan glanced at his reddened shoulder and nodded with a smile: "Okay, but we'll have to wait a bit. Let's write down the prescription for Comrade Gu first." He took out paper and pen and quickly wrote down the prescription, then marked the boiling time and temperature next to it: "Boil for twenty minutes after the water boils, let it cool down before soaking, so you don't burn your skin."

Gu Yuan carefully folded the prescription and put it into his pocket, as if holding a treasure: "Thank you, Director Fang. I'll get the medicine tomorrow! If you want to practice shooting in the future, come find me anytime, and I'll teach you everything I know!"

Fang Yan said with a smile:
"Haha, okay, I've got it written down! I'm just worried that Director Qin won't approve the bullets later."

Qin Nong said:

"No, come over here. Use all the bullets you want. I'm just afraid you'll get tired of shooting."

After saying that, he glanced at his watch and said:
"It's almost time, and it's almost lunchtime. Come to our cafeteria for lunch today. It's been a long time since you've been here, and your students miss you."

Upon hearing Qin Nong's words, Fang Yan immediately nodded in agreement:
"Sure, it's been a while since I ate at the Municipal Bureau. I wonder how the food is in the cafeteria today?"

Qin Nong said:

"Since you're here, I'll definitely have to treat you to some stir-fries!"

After saying that, he called to the others:

"Let's go! All together!"

"Gu Yuan too!"

Gu Yuan was taken aback, not expecting that he had a share.

"Should I skip it?"

Comrade Liang, who was standing to the side, said:
"Together, together! No special treatment!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuan finally nodded in agreement.

At this moment, Qin Nong said to Yi Dong:
"Yi Donglai, go and call Zhang Zhichao and Zhao Yuanchao. We'll have dinner together later."

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

(End of this chapter)