Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1435 The Veteran Cadre Who Needs to Undergo Surgery in the Capital After Enhancing the Xiao Family's Meridian Technique (Two Chapters Combined)
Li Ke needs to wait here until their procedures are completed, then he will return to Lingshi County to complete the process of restoring his reputation.

With Zhang Yi here to protect us, things will definitely go smoothly from here on out.

There's no need to worry about the dialect; Li Ke escorted Fang Yan to the door as they were leaving.

Fang Yan said to him:
"I should come back again when the pilot project is ready for acceptance in a while. See you then."

Upon hearing the dialect, Li Ke quickly replied:
"Okay, I'll wait for you to come!"

"Please come to my house for a visit sometime."

Fang Yan smiled and said:
"Please put in a lot of effort during this pilot phase and try your best to develop a mature promotion plan for us. When it comes to promoting it in the Northwest, we might just need your experience here."

"Hopefully your name will appear on the promotional materials then."

"Okay!" Li Ke nodded again. Although they had only known each other for a short time, Fang Yan had been a great help to him, and it could be said that he had rewritten his life.

He was of course obliged to do such a small request.

Fang Yan was about to get on the bus and leave when he paused after taking two steps, then turned around and asked:
"By the way, the certificate for the National Medical Achievement Award for the 'Exceptional Heart-Saving Decoction' will be sent to me when I return to Beijing. Remember to pick it up."

Li Ke was stunned for a moment when he heard "Breakthrough Heart-Saving Decoction" before he remembered that it was a modified version of the dialectal formula, the heavy dose of Sini Jiashen Decoction.

"There really is one for me?" Li Ke was somewhat incredulous. How could a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner like him, who had wasted half his life in a remote county, actually receive a national medical achievement certificate?
Fang Yan said with a smile:

"Of course it's true. Maybe I'll even let you set up a traditional Chinese medicine hospital here in the future."

Upon hearing the dialect, Li Ke scratched his head. "Establish a Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital? That's quite a bold idea!"
I've only thought about this in my dreams, and now that I'm saying it in dialect, I guess I'm joking, right?
He didn't know how to answer, so he just smiled and scratched his head.

"Alright, wait for my message, I'm leaving now." Fang Yan waved to Li Ke and got into the car.

……

Fang Yan then returned to the health department's guesthouse and asked them to arrange his return.

As previously instructed, they will contact the airport in Taiyuan when Fang Yan leaves.

After contacting them, Xiao Hanxi and his team confirmed that the flight to Beijing would depart at 9 p.m. tonight.

Then they immediately arranged return tickets for them.

These days, domestic airlines are mostly used by government officials, and they're rarely full.

Therefore, arranging seats on the plane is quite convenient.

Fang Yan was also surprised that he could leave tonight; he had originally thought he could only leave tomorrow.

My flight is at 9 PM, so I'll be home by midnight.

It was a five-day trip.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Next, while there was still some time, Fang Yan exchanged some knowledge about pulse diagnosis with Xiao Hanxi. This was something Fang Yan had mentioned before, and he was quite interested in the Xiao family's pulse diagnosis.

Some of Li Ke's works were available for purchase in his later years, and many of his works were not secrets to most people. However, the pulse diagnosis of Xiao Hanxi's family was different; it was not available for purchase.

So in the afternoon, Fang Yan spent two hours talking with Xiao Hanxi.

In the office, Fang Yan and Xiao Hanxi sat facing each other, with a yellowed thread-bound ancient book lying on the table.

This is a manuscript summarized by his father.

He was able to bring these things out not because he thought highly of Fang Yan, but because Fang Yan brought out the pulse diagnosis techniques he had read in ancient books to share.

That's when he brought out his family heirloom.

"The Xiao family's pulse diagnosis emphasizes 'observing the pulse to determine its nature and listening to the sound to discern the underlying mechanism,' unlike ordinary pulse diagnosis which only focuses on the depth and speed of the cun, guan, and chi positions."

Xiao Hanxi pointed to the hand-drawn pulse diagram on the page and said to Fang Yan:

“Take the ‘Six Yin Pulses’ for example. Ordinary doctors often diagnose it as a deficiency syndrome, but our Xiao family believes in combining it with the patient’s breath and voice. If the breath is steady and the voice is loud, it may not be a deficiency syndrome, but rather an excess syndrome of cold stagnation and blood stasis.”

Fang Yan frowned, trying to understand.

Xiao Hanxi then gave another explanation, and Fang Yan finally nodded and said:

"This is quite different from the pulse diagnosis methods I've encountered before. Most pulse diagnosis methods focus more on the correspondence between pulse shape and symptoms, such as a wiry pulse indicating liver disease and a surging pulse indicating heat. Your Xiao family's pulse diagnosis incorporates 'qi' and 'sound,' which broadens our thinking..."

I can't even say which dialect is better.

He paused, recalling cases he had encountered in his clinical practice at Tongrentang, and said:
“Once I encountered a patient whose pulse was as thin as a thread. Normally, he should be given tonifying medicine, but he spoke with strength and had a rosy complexion. I didn’t dare to prescribe medicine at the time. Now that I think about it, it fits the ‘false pulse for actual symptoms’. The pulse diagnosis of the Xiao family can be matched perfectly. However, if we use ordinary pulse diagnosis, we will make a mistake. We can only judge from other aspects.”

Xiao Hanxi's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly:

“That’s right, that makes sense! My dad said that the pulse is the window to qi and blood, but what you see behind the window is not necessarily the whole picture. There’s a family saying that goes, ‘If the pulse is weak and the qi is strong, you should clear the stagnation; if the pulse is strong and the qi is weak, you should replenish the original qi.’ That’s the key to diagnosis.” He reached out and placed his hand on Fang Yan’s wrist, pressing lightly with his fingertips. “Try my technique. Press without squeezing, search without stagnation. You need to feel the flow of qi in the pulse, not just feel the shape of the pulse.”

Fang Yan raised her hand as instructed, placing her fingertips on Xiao Hanxi's pulse point, and slowed down the pressure. Sure enough, she felt a subtle flow of energy surging under his pulse.

Just then, the system's blessing voice rang out.

After the "ding" sound, Fang Yan's mind was immediately filled with countless experiences about the Xiao family's pulse techniques.

Suddenly, I felt a connection between the sensations in my hands and the information in the pulse diagnosis manual.

"This feeling of 'pulse energy' is more difficult to capture than simply feeling the strength of the pulse. It's like a thread moving under your fingertips, sometimes visible and sometimes hidden. This is the core of Xiao family pulse diagnosis - 'chasing the energy and seeking the opportunity'."

Xiao Hanxi said to Fang Yan:

"There is also the seasonal pulse diagnosis method. In spring, the pulse should be wiry but not too tight; in summer, the pulse should be surging but not too floating; in autumn, the pulse should be floating but not too scattered; and in winter, the pulse should be deep but not too hesitant. However, it is also necessary to consider regional differences. In the dry Northwest, the pulse tends to be more floating, while in the humid South, the pulse tends to be more soothing. It cannot be generalized."

Fang Yan nodded, saying that the Xiao family's pulse technique was more suitable for the Northwest.

It belongs to a regional pulse.

He said in dialect:

"The Xiao family's pulse diagnosis method combines specific symptoms with regional climate. People from the Northwest often suffer from wind and sand damaging their lungs, and dryness and blood stasis combine. This is all experience gained from practical application..."

The two chatted for two hours, from basic pulse diagnosis to pulse diagnosis of difficult and complicated diseases, from the "nine abnormal pulses" secretly passed down by the Xiao family to the "emergency pulse method" summarized by Fang Yan in clinical practice. They both felt that they had benefited a lot. Then Xiao Hanxi discovered that Fang Yan learned very quickly and could also apply what he learned to other situations.

In just one afternoon, he went from finding it hard to understand to being able to explain it fluently. In some places, Xiao Hanxi even found that he was not as fluent as the dialect.

He had previously thought that Fang Yan was just a slightly smarter young man who had achieved his current success because he had more resources in the capital. Now it seems that this is not the case; this guy's learning ability is terrifying.

Actually, Xiao Hanxi was willing to bring out his most treasured knowledge because he thought that two hours would be enough for everyone to have a rough exchange and get a general understanding of the subject.

As it turns out, Fang Yan has clearly mastered the pulse diagnosis technique; at least he has mastered the parts that Fang Yan has told me so far.

If we let them talk any longer, what would happen?
Xiao Hanxi hadn't learned much from the dialect before they emptied him out. It was like they were opening each other's treasure troves to dig out; he had just taken a pearl, and the other party drove over and took everything.

It gives me a feeling of being completely cheated.

Xiao Hanxi closed the secret book, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said:
"Director Fang truly lives up to his reputation as a doctor who has become famous in the capital at such a young age. His extensive knowledge and excellent memory are astonishing. I never thought I would be able to meet such a master in my lifetime. It has broadened my horizons. Many things that I couldn't understand about pulse diagnosis before have now become clear."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Director Xiao is too kind. I have benefited more from this. Xiao's pulse diagnosis has broadened the dimensions of diagnosis. It not only looks at the pulse, but also at the qi, the voice, and the region. This is very enlightening for clinical diagnosis."

Xiao Hanxi twitched the corner of his mouth and said to Fang Yan:

"I think it's about time. How about we go grab a bite to eat first? We'll need to get to the airport beforehand."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yan glanced at his watch. It was already a little past four o'clock. Although it was a bit early to have dinner, he thought he might have other things to do later, so he agreed.

"Okay, let's go eat then."

After saying that, he called Li Chong and the others, and then they went together to the guesthouse canteen.

Several dishes have been prepared, and the kitchen is still bustling with activity.

Xiao Hanxi invited Fang Yan and the others to eat first, and they ate while waiting. Fang Yan and the others did not stand on ceremony and ate dinner with Xiao Hanxi and a deputy leader from this area.

At the dinner table, Xiao Hanxi and his colleagues brought out some reports, hoping Fang Yan could help them take them to Beijing. These were reports they needed to submit to the Ministry of Health.

It has nothing to do with liver disease, so Fang Yan had no objection. He asked Li Chong and the others to keep it safe and that he would hand it over to the Ministry of Health once they arrived in Beijing.

After the meal, the staff brought them commemorative gift bags. The dialect was very familiar with these things. When I went to Hong Kong with Director Liao last time, I passed through Shanghai and Guangzhou and had these kinds of things. It seems that companies are used to doing this these days.

Inside were some postcards and some local specialties.

If we had more time, we might take them to a scenic spot to take photos, then edit the photos, add some text, frame them, and give them to the individuals as a souvenir.

This time, we obviously didn't have enough time for the dialect section, so we didn't do those things.

Before they knew it, it was six o'clock, and it got dark. Fang Yan and the others had finished packing their bags. Two cars were arranged, one to carry the large and small bags, and the other to carry them. They were then taken to the airport.

It was already seven o'clock when we arrived at Wusu Airport.

After saying goodbye to Xiao Hanxi and the people who came to see them off, Fang Yan and the others carried a large pile of packages into the terminal.

When Fang Yan came here last time, he felt that the airport facilities were quite basic. Now, on his second visit, he felt the same way. The temperature has dropped, but it is still freezing cold inside the terminal.

A cold wind blew in through the cracks in the doors and windows, and Fang Yan and the others couldn't help but wrap their coats tighter.

Once inside, follow the staff to the check-in counter. The cement floor here is uneven and bumpy, and because there aren't many people, you can hear your footsteps echoing in the empty hall.

Several faded propaganda posters hung on the wall, bearing the slogan "Safe Flight, Serving the People," with their edges curled up.

Upon checking the date, the dialect speaker exclaimed, "Good heavens, it's from five years ago!"

The check-in counter was a simple wooden table, behind which sat two women in blue uniforms, who were quickly checking IDs and tickets.

These days, you don't need to check baggage tags when flying. The staff just wrote the character "京" (Jing) on ​​the package in chalk and told them to carry it on board themselves.

Li Chong and his companions were carrying large and small bags, which weighed down their arms. Fortunately, there weren't many people on the flight, so they could find a place to put them later.

Going through security is even simpler; there are no scanners, everything is done manually.

The staff carefully checked their luggage and verified everyone's company ID. After confirming that everything was in order, they pointed to the small door leading to the tarmac: "Follow the signs. The plane is at gate number three."

Contrary to what Fang Yan had expected, the plane had been waiting for today.

Arrange for them to board the plane directly.

I'm a bit lost when it comes to dialects.

It's only 7 o'clock now, which means we'll have to wait on the plane until 9 o'clock before it takes off.

But then again, waiting in the departure lounge is probably not going to be very pleasant; it's much warmer to wait on the plane.

Stepping out of the small gate, the helipad in the night was illuminated only by a few old streetlights, casting a dim, yellowish light.

The path underfoot was made of gravel, which felt rough and uncomfortable. In the distance, an Ilyushin Il-18 passenger plane was parked.

The maintenance crew, dressed in thick cotton coats, were conducting final checks on the aircraft, their flashlight beams swaying back and forth across the fuselage.

Even those in dialects don't know whether this scenario is plausible or not.

“This plane is the same one we took when we went to Hong Kong last time,” Li Chong whispered to Fang Yan.

Fang Yan nodded.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Li Chong shudder.

Li Chong shrank back and said to Fang Yan:

"This place is much colder than the capital..."

Fang Yan then realized that Wang Feng, this big guy, had deliberately walked on the windward side to block the wind from coming, while the others did not have this treatment.

No wonder he didn't feel any wind.

"Come on, come on, board the plane from here!" the guide called out to them.

Fang Yan and the others hurried over and climbed up the gangway, which was made of iron and was freezing cold, with a thin layer of frost on the handrails.

Stepping into the cabin, a wave of warmth hits you, making it feel like a completely different world from the outside.

Everyone felt much better immediately.

The flight attendants, with polite smiles, guided them to their seats: "Comrades, please sit wherever you like, there are plenty of empty seats."

Okay, no need to take it personally.

Fang Yan chose a window seat and sat down. The seat back was hard, but it was much warmer than outside.

He draped his coat over his lap, looked out at the tarmac, and thought about his upcoming trip back to Beijing. Besides work, he hadn't seen his wife and children for many days. He hadn't noticed it when he was busy, but now he was missing them quite a bit.

After a while, passengers began to board the plane again, one by one.

I noticed that most of the people speaking were cadres wearing Zhongshan suits and carrying briefcases.

Most of them knew each other and were probably local officials.

According to their dialect, they came from the capital for an inspection.

Fang Yan didn't feel like speaking, so she just listened to the quiet conversations of the people around her.

Around 8 o'clock, a slight commotion suddenly came from the cabin door. Accompanied by the creaking of wheels rolling over the gangway, Fang Yan saw several people in cadre uniforms pushing a wheelchair up.

An elderly man with gray hair sat in a wheelchair, covered with a thick quilt. An IV needle was inserted into his left wrist, and a thin tubing was connected to a glass IV bottle held by someone next to him, from which liquid was slowly dripping. The man was about seventy years old, and his complexion was not good. Under the cabin lights, he looked almost bloodless, which was a bit frightening.

As they got closer, Fang Yan noticed that his lips were an abnormal bluish-purple, his breathing was short and rapid, and each breath was accompanied by a soft groan.

He was panting heavily, "Hmph... Hmph..."

"Excuse me, excuse me," the staff member pushing the wheelchair said in a low voice, walking straight toward the seat next to Fang Yan.

As they got closer, Fang Yan's gaze fell on the veteran cadre, and he subconsciously began to observe him.

His brows were slightly furrowed, and fine beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Even though he was covered with a quilt, his shoulders couldn't help but tremble slightly, clearly indicating that he was in great discomfort.

Looking at his breathing, his inhalation was short and his exhalation was long, with obvious shortness of breath. His chest was rising and falling quite a bit, but it seemed like he couldn't get enough air.

Fang Yan's gaze shifted to the old cadre's wrist. The IV needle was firmly in place, but the back of his hand was somewhat swollen, and there was a faint bluish-black tinge under his fingernails.

Considering the regional characteristics of Northwest China and the symptoms of the retired cadre, several possible diagnoses quickly came to mind:
One possibility is an acute attack of pulmonary heart disease. After all, the Northwest is dry and windy, and the elderly cadres may already have poor lung function. In addition, they may have underlying heart disease, which can easily trigger heart failure, which corresponds to symptoms such as bluish-purple complexion and shortness of breath.

Secondly, could it be an acute myocardial infarction? However, myocardial infarction usually presents with severe chest pain. The elderly man was not clutching his chest; instead, he was breathing with his mouth slightly open, suggesting that his breathing was the primary concern. This possibility can be ruled out for now.

Third, is it an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, accompanied by respiratory failure? This also fits the symptoms of shortness of breath and cyanosis. However, in addition to the cyanosis, the old cadre's face also had a distinct waxy yellow tinge, as if there was blood stasis. Further diagnosis can only be made by combining pulse diagnosis.

Another possibility is pulmonary embolism? But this disease usually has a more rapid onset. Although the elderly cadre is in poor condition, he can still sit steadily while receiving intravenous fluids, so it is not a priority for now.

As Fang Yan was pondering this, the staff member pushing the wheelchair arrived and gave Fang Yan and Li Chong an apologetic smile:
"Comrade, I'm really sorry, but our old leader is not feeling well and needs to go to Beijing for medical treatment. Could you please find another seat for him? There are many of us here, so we can take care of him."

The two cadres standing beside him quickly echoed:

"Yes, comrade, could you please make an exception? The old leader is not doing well and needs to be taken care of."

Upon seeing this, Fang Yan immediately thought of getting up.

When you're out and about, it's only natural to be considerate of others, especially when the other person is a sick retired cadre.

He had just lifted his buttocks and hadn't even had a chance to speak when the elderly cadre in the wheelchair suddenly shook his head slowly, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable force: "No need... trouble."

He took a breath and looked at Fang Yan. Although he was weak, his eyes were clear: "Comrade...you sit where you want, no need to change. We...a few of us are enough to take care of you."

The staff member was taken aback for a moment, then quickly advised:

"Old leader, with them here, we can't do much to take care of you."

"It's nothing." The retired cadre waved his hand, his breathing becoming more rapid again. The person next to him quickly patted his back. He calmed down, then looked at Fang Yan and said softly:
"It's alright... I won't die for now."

They wanted to say something more, but the old man glared at them, and they immediately fell silent.

Fang Yan sat down again and said to them:

"I'm a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. If there's anything I can help with, just let me know." It's a habit from her profession; whenever she sees a patient, Fang Yan always thinks she can lend a hand.

However, someone nearby said:
"We are going to Beijing for surgery."

Fang Yan suddenly understood, nodded, and said no more.

Seeing Fang Yan's attitude, Li Chong and Wang Feng moved the packages next to them closer to themselves, trying to make more space for the wheelchair.

Then the plane started closing its cabin doors.

Then, the flight attendants announced the takeoff instructions, and the plane's engines emitted a deep roar, causing the fuselage to vibrate slightly.

Many people subconsciously gripped the armrests of their seats.

Fang Yan remained calm, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the old cadre beside him. The old man had his eyes closed, his brows furrowed even more, and the bluish-purple color of his lips seemed to have deepened. His breathing had changed from light panting to rapid gasps, with each inhale accompanied by violent heaving of his chest, as if he were fighting against an invisible pressure.

Fang Yan became a little worried when he saw this.

He subconsciously touched the box of sea dragon needles beside him.

"Boss, hang in there, we'll take off soon and be in Beijing," a staff member whispered reassuringly.

Then the plane began to taxi on the runway, its speed increasing, wind pressure coming through the windows, and the fuselage tilting slightly.

Fang Yan felt a pressure on his chest, and then the plane took off.

Just then, the elderly cadre next to him suddenly trembled, let out a painful groan, and gripped the armrests of the wheelchair tightly with both hands.

His face turned deathly pale instantly, his already bluish-purple lips almost lost all color, and his breathing suddenly became shallow and rapid, as if he couldn't breathe.

A whooshing sound came from his throat, and the accompanying officials' expressions changed drastically:
"Hey!? Old boss! What's up?!"

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

(End of this chapter)