People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 434, Angrily Rebuking the Medical Clan (4k)

The next day.

Early in the morning, Wang Ben bid farewell to Xu Qing and embarked on his journey back to Xianyang with a letter. After having breakfast, Xu Qing went to the residence of the medical family members.

Meanwhile, the medical community was listening to Nian Duan teach medical skills in an open space. Just as everyone was listening with great interest, Duanmu Rong ran up to Nian Duan's side.

"Master, that person has arrived and is waiting outside the door."

Duanmu Rong showed a hint of displeasure on her face and said reluctantly.

Duanmu Rong's voice wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear it clearly. Although she explicitly stated who the person was, everyone understood that Duanmu Rong was referring to Xu Qing, since they had come to Taiyi Mountain specifically for Xu Qing.

All the doctors looked at Nian Duan, their expressions varying. Some looked expectant, some couldn't contain their excitement, and some remained calm.
"Since he's here, let him in."

After Nian Duan finished speaking, he glanced at the group of doctors and then got up from the prayer mat.

"it is good."

Although Duanmu Rong had some opinions about Xu Qing, she couldn't disobey Nian Duan's orders, so she could only go to greet Xu Qing.

Seeing that Duanmu Rong had left, the medical staff all got up from their prayer mats and stood aside, waiting for Xu Qing to arrive.

Outside the residence, Xu Qing watched as Duanmu Rong walked over with a cold expression. Confused, he scratched his head, wondering what he had done to offend this little girl so much that she harbored such hostility towards him.

"Master wants you to come in," Duanmu Rong said in a completely emotionless voice.

"Mr. Nian Duan is also my teacher, so it's not wrong for me to call you junior sister. I'd like to ask, have I offended you in any way?"

Xu Qing did not respond to Duanmu Rong's words, but instead asked in confusion.

Duanmu Rong glanced at Xu Qing without saying a word, then turned and walked into the residence.

She didn't have much hostility towards Xu Qing, but she just couldn't stand him. She and her teacher traveled from Mirror Lake in Yan State all the way to Taiyi Mountain in Qin State. Along the way, Nian Duan led her to visit one medical family after another and their families.

Nian Duan went to great lengths to persuade these people to come to Qin and help Xu Qing, using all sorts of persuasion to convince them to agree.

However, since they came to Taiyi Mountain, Xu Qing, the person involved, should have taken the initiative to visit her, not to mention being grateful for what her teacher did for her, just based on her medical instruction. But Xu Qing was slow to come, and Nian Duan even asked her to invite Xu Qing over.

This made it impossible for Duanmu Rong, who treated Nian Duan like a mother, to have a good attitude towards Xu Qing.

Seeing that Duanmu Rong had left, Xu Qing helplessly shrugged and could only follow behind her into the residence.

Upon entering the courtyard, Xu Qing saw the group of doctors standing in neat rows. There were more than thirty people, some old and some young, but most of them were middle-aged. They wore different clothes, representing the styles of the five states of Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, and Qi.

Xu Qing glanced at everyone, and the medical community all looked at Xu Qing. Except for a few people, most of them had a cold look on their faces.

Seeing this scene, Xu Qing felt helpless. He knew why the medical community treated him coldly.

These people were all unorthodox medical practitioners, and they were already at odds with him, a court-affiliated physician who served the powerful and sought wealth and glory. They were particularly disdainful of him.

He was also the first person to break the rule that physicians were not allowed to enter Qin. Back then, Bian Que, the patriarch of physicians, entered Qin with the intention of saving people and spreading medical skills, but he was killed by Li Mi, the Qin royal physician, out of jealousy. Therefore, in the eyes of others, he had forgotten his ancestors.

Looking at Nian Duan sitting at the stone table, Xu Qing bowed to Nian Duan and the medical family members under everyone's gaze.
"Greetings to Mr. Nian Duan, and greetings to all fellow physicians."

"No need for formalities, let's sit down and talk," Nian Duan said with a slight nod.

Seeing Xu Qing take the initiative to bow, the expressions of the medical family members softened slightly. Although they were from a wild sect, they were not savages, and they naturally had the proper etiquette.

"Mr. Xu," the group greeted, bowing respectfully.

Hearing the way people addressed him, Xu Qing knew that he would have to put on a show of persuasion today, otherwise it would be difficult to convince these people to follow him into Qin.

"I called you here today because your fellow medical practitioners do not recognize your status as the deputy head of the medical family, and they do not understand why you came to Qin. So I asked you to explain."

Nian Duan didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point with Xu Qing.

Nian Duan also didn't quite understand Xu Qing's choice to go to Qin, not only because of the hatred between Qin and the medical family, but also because in the eyes of the world, Qin, which had conquered the six states, was the biggest source of war.

If it weren't for the Qin state's repeated wars against other countries, there wouldn't have been so many wars in the world. For physicians who cherish life and want to use their medical skills to protect people, they, like the Mohists, were very resistant to the Qin state.

Although she didn't understand, Nian Duan believed in Xu Qing's choice. She didn't believe that Xu Qing, who cared about the common people and truly understood the goals of physicians, would choose Qin for no reason. So she gathered the most influential and prestigious physicians among them.

If Xu Qing can persuade them, he can not only secure his position as the deputy head of the medical family, but also get them to abandon their hatred for the Qin state and join Qin.

Seeing that Nian Duan had said so, Xu Qing turned to the group of doctors, cupped his hands, and said...

"Fellow disciples, do you have any questions about my entry into Qin?"

"Do you know why my ancestor of medicine, Bian Que, died?" An elderly physician stepped forward and asked Xu Qing.

"This junior naturally knows that our ancestor was harmed by Li Xi, the imperial physician of the Qin state," Xu Qing replied.

"Since you know about the feud between my medical family and the Qin state, why did you still go to Qin? Back then, our ancestor did it to bring blessings to all living beings. Moreover, the Qin state has waged countless wars against foreign powers over the years, killing countless people. Calling such a country a tiger and wolf is an understatement."

"The medical practices of the Qin state are different from those of my school of medicine. Why do you still choose to assist the Qin state?"

The old man remained calm and his tone was not aggressive; he simply asked Xu Qing a normal question.

After he finished speaking, everyone in the medical community looked at Xu Qing, waiting for his reply.

Xu Qing glanced at Nian Duan out of the corner of his eye and saw that Nian Duan looked indifferent. He then realized that Nian Duan was only providing him and the medical family with an opportunity to talk and would not participate in the conversation.

Since Nian Duan wasn't participating, he didn't need to save face for these people. Xu Qing withdrew his gaze, looked at the medical family members, coughed twice, and said...
Before answering your question, I would like to ask you all a question: what exactly is the purpose of my medical practice?

"What is the purpose!?"

Everyone frowned and looked at Xu Qing, their eyes filled with confusion. They naturally knew what the ultimate goal of the medical profession was.

"Naturally, it is through medical skills to heal the world, to be a guardian of all people, and to enable them to live a peaceful and happy life," the old man said.

"Judging from your expressions, you all remember the highest goal of my medical school. So I would like to ask you, what methods do you have to achieve this goal and accomplish the objective that my medical predecessors have pursued for generations but could not achieve?" Xu Qing asked in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, everyone present was instantly speechless, exchanging bewildered glances without offering a reply.

If they had a way to achieve this goal, they wouldn't be asking Xu Qing here.

"Is the question from Elder Lu asking why you entered Qin? Is the ultimate goal of our medical school the reason you entered Qin?"

A righteous-looking middle-aged man stepped forward, his brow furrowed, and asked.

"What if I say yes? My entry into Qin was indeed to fulfill the highest goal of my medical school. I know you all don't understand this, so please let me explain slowly."

Xu glanced at everyone and continued speaking
“I once discussed medical schools with Mr. Nian Duan in Xinzheng, South Korea. My assessment of medical schools at that time was that both the court faction and the night faction had long forgotten their original intentions.”

“I know that you all have always looked down on court physicians, thinking that they are dedicated to serving the powerful and wealthy and pursuing riches and glory, while forgetting the original purpose of being a physician.”

As soon as Xu Qing finished speaking, one of the doctors couldn't help but speak up.

"Is not it?"

“Of course, that’s true of the court physicians, I don’t deny that, but aren’t you outsiders just like them? In fact, in my opinion, you’re even worse than them,” Xu Qing said in a firm and powerful voice.

"What did you say!?"

"We came to Mount Taiyi today only because of our master's sake. We spoke to you politely, but you humiliated us. Do you really think we're made of clay?!"

Xu Qing's words immediately provoked the anger of the medical community, who all glared at him.

Faced with the crowd's anger, Xu Qing showed no fear. Instead, she looked at them with an arrogant expression and continued speaking.

"Although the physicians in the imperial court have forgotten their original intentions, they never hide their desire for wealth and glory, and their behavior is open and undisguised. On the other hand, what about those in the opposition?"

The elderly man, referred to as Mr. Lu, listened to Xu Qing's words, a flicker of emotion crossing his previously cold face. He raised his hand and said...

"Today we are inquiring about the reasons with Mr. Xu, not debating or arguing. He should be allowed to finish speaking first."

Upon hearing Elder Lu's words, the angry medical staff glared fiercely at Xu Qing, then suppressed their anger and remained silent, waiting for Xu Qing's reply.

Seeing that this old man Lu had subdued everyone with just one sentence, Xu Qing couldn't help but take a few more glances at him. Although he was called the deputy head of the medical family, he actually didn't know much about the medical family, especially the unorthodox school.

"Thank you, sir. I know you are all very angry, but I am not talking nonsense."

Xu Qing bowed respectfully to Elder Lu, then stared solemnly at the crowd and spoke in a passionate voice.
"The unorthodox school claims to practice medicine and save the world, and looks down on court physicians who serve the powerful. But I want to ask you all, have you truly practiced medicine and saved the world in the common people?"

“I know that you may come from families of physicians or have studied under a senior physician, thus acquiring superb medical skills, opening clinics in your localities to treat the sick and save lives, and being highly praised by the people in your areas, gaining both fame and fortune.”

"May I ask you all, is what I said correct?"

After being swept over by Xu Qing's gaze, the medical family members fell silent, and they were indeed as Xu Qing had said.

“You’re right, but we also need to make a living. However, we have not used our medical skills to harm patients, nor have we been arrogant or discriminated against patients seeking help,” one doctor argued.

"I am not saying that what you are doing is wrong. It's just that the unorthodox school takes upholding the highest goal of medicine as its banner and aims to emulate the medical patriarch Bian Que by traveling the world to practice medicine and save lives. But have you really done these things?"

"Faced with the suffering of the people, the unorthodox faction can comfortably hide in the countryside, open a clinic, and reap fame and fortune simply by saying 'I am powerless'. Is this what it means to uphold the highest goal of medicine?"

"Is this what our ancestor Bian Que did back then? In those days, when the world was in constant turmoil, our ancestor Bian Que traveled to various countries to prescribe a remedy for the world's problems. He used healing as a starting point to explain the way of medicine to the rulers of each country."

"Wasn't the world in chaos back then? Compared to the world, wasn't the patriarch's personal power insignificant? But what did the patriarch do? Knowing it was impossible, he still did it, even if it cost him his entire life, he still tried to change the chaotic world!"

"Although the physicians in the imperial court have deviated from the original intention of medicine, at least they are open and honest and never hide their true intentions. On the other hand, you all look down on the court faction while claiming to be protecting the people of the world, but at the same time you are doing things that deceive yourselves. You use the excuse that the world is in chaos and that your strength is too small to help you to hide away."

"Therefore, in my opinion, you are not even as good as the court officials; at least they act with integrity."

"And what about you gentlemen? You do the same things as the court physicians, yet you think yourselves noble and immaculate. You are both true villains and hypocrites, the latter being even more despicable!"

Xu Qing coldly surveyed the crowd. Apart from the leader, Old Master Lu, none of the members of the medical family, who were originally furious, dared to meet Xu Qing's gaze. They all lowered their heads and dared not utter a word.

Are there any mistakes made by unorthodox medical practitioners? They retreated to a remote place amidst the chaos of the world and opened clinics to treat and save lives; there is nothing wrong with that.

However, they shouldn't have the audacity to use goals they couldn't achieve or even didn't pursue to mock and look down on others. How is that any different from the hypocrites of later generations?
Of all the unorthodox medical schools, only Nian Duan truly emulated Bian Que. It was for this reason that both the unorthodox and the court factions of the medical school revered him as the head of the medical school.

"Mr. Xu's words are thunderous and thought-provoking, but I would like to ask you another question: what does this have to do with your entry into Qin?" Mr. Lu asked in a deep voice.

"Of course there are. It was precisely because the medical community had strayed from its original purpose and retreated to a corner in the face of a chaotic world that I realized that studying medicine could not save the world, much less protect the people of the world. That is why I had to learn to change it."

"I want to set an example to awaken the medical profession. As a physician in the imperial court, my task is to choose an enlightened ruler, pass on the medical profession's virtue of cherishing life, and instill in him a kind heart so that he can treat the people well. In doing so, I will assist him in strengthening the country, stopping war with war, pacifying the world, and ending this chaotic era."

Xu Qing looked at everyone, her voice rising and falling, her expression firm.

(End of this chapter)