A divine healer, a general, a young marquis! Who can rival them!

Having cured the reclusive old man, Yang's reputation as a doctor in the east of the city soared even higher.

The news that he could even bring back patients with terminal illnesses like blood deficiency and choking was quite embarrassing for the seasoned doctors in the city. A young man in his early twenties, barely out of his teens, had stolen the limelight from them. How could these veteran doctors, who had practiced medicine for decades, be at peace with that?

On this day, a wealthy family surnamed Jiang in the city held a joyous occasion and invited many prominent figures from the city. Yang Hu, a renowned physician, was among those invited.

During the gathering, there was a renowned old doctor named Kong, a resident physician at the Jishetang Pharmacy in the west of the city. He had practiced medicine for over forty years and was known for his arrogance. Holding his wine cup, he strolled over to Yang Hu's table, gave a forced smile, and bowed slightly: "I've long heard of Doctor Yang's miraculous medical skills, even his ability to cure terminal illnesses. But having practiced medicine my whole life, I don't believe in any miracle cures. Young man, if you're lucky enough to cure a few, don't think you're omnipotent. You're likely to stumble and fall."

These words, though seemingly gentle, were actually barbed, and everyone at the table fell silent, their gazes shifting between the two.

Everyone in town knew that Jishetang in the west of the city was a decades-old establishment, and Physician Kong was one of the city's most renowned doctors, a regular customer of many wealthy families. But ever since Yang's family in the east of the city gained fame, Jishetang's business had become increasingly deserted, with most of its former regulars now going to the east side. Physician Kong had been holding this in for a long time, and today, fueled by alcohol, he finally let it all out.

Those watching were all worried for the young doctor. Doctor Kong was a veteran in the city, with deep roots and wide connections. Even if this young man was capable, publicly humiliating the old doctor would make it difficult for him to work as a doctor in the city in the future.

Yang Hu, holding his teacup, remained expressionless and said calmly, "Master Kong is right. The art of medicine is boundless, and I dare not claim to be omnipotent. I will treat what I can, and I will not presume to be able to treat what I cannot."

These words were neither too soft nor too hard, leaving Physician Kong feeling awkward. He was about to say something else—

A sudden commotion broke out during the meal.

An elderly man at the head of the table was eating fish sashimi when, for some reason, a piece of fish got stuck in his throat. At first, he tried to cough, but the coughing became more and more urgent. In the blink of an eye, his face turned red, and he reached out and desperately grabbed his neck. His lips gradually turned purple, and he couldn't utter a single word. It looked like he was about to pass out.

Chaos erupted at the table. Family members rushed over, patting his back and pouring water down his throat, but the old man was convulsing, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Quick! Get a doctor!" someone shouted hoarsely.

The danger of an acute illness that causes airway obstruction lies precisely in the word "acute." If one cannot catch their breath, they will die in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. There is no time for a doctor to leisurely diagnose the patient, prescribe medicine, and prepare the decoction.

Physician Kong was among the guests, pushed forward by the crowd. He checked the old man's breath and pinched his philtrum, sweating profusely with anxiety, but he was helpless. This acute illness of choking had come on fiercely, and despite forty years of medical practice and a vast repertoire of medical books and prescriptions, he was utterly useless. Watching the old man slowly lose his breath, his hands trembled uncontrollably.

"Get out of the way!"

A deep shout rang out. Yang Hu rushed forward. He grabbed the old man from the chair, wrapped his arms around him from behind, placed his hands on the old man's soft ribs below his chest, and thrust upwards and inwards with a sudden force.

The old man groaned softly and remained silent. Everyone at the table held their breath, their hearts pounding in their throats. The old doctor surnamed Kong stood to the side, his face ashen, muttering, "This won't do, such treatment could kill someone," but no one paid him any attention.

Yang Hu's expression remained unchanged. The first thrust hadn't been successful because his hand position was slightly off. He quickly adjusted the position of his hands, placing them on the soft area between the old man's chest, heart, and navel, and with all his might, he thrust upwards and inwards again.

With a "plop," a piece of fish stuck in his throat, along with a mouthful of saliva, was forced out.

The old man who had passed out gasped for breath and coughed violently. His purplish face gradually lost its color.

The room was deathly silent for a moment, then erupted in uproar.

"He's alive! He's alive!"

"Amazing! They managed to save them!"

The guests at the banquet, who had previously looked at the young doctor with disdain, now all changed their expressions, their eyes filled with shock and respect as they looked at him.

The old man, having caught his breath, slumped in his chair, still shaken. He grabbed Yang Hu's hand and thanked him repeatedly, saying that Doctor Yang had pulled him back from the brink of death.

All eyes at the table turned to the physician Kong who had just been mocking him.

Kong Langzhong stood there, his face flushed red, then turned pale. His former arrogance, which had once been associated with seniority, had long since vanished. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. With a sullen face, he sheepishly retreated back to his seat.

"The path of medicine is boundless." Yang Hu helped the recovered old man sit up and said calmly, his voice not loud but clear, "This junior dares not call himself a god. But whether this life-saving skill is real or not, Master Kong just witnessed it."

The way everyone at the table looked at Yang Hu had changed.

The story spread like wildfire. This tale of saving a life on the spot and humiliating the old doctor spread throughout the city in just a few days, becoming even more sensational than the stories told by storytellers. Some said that Doctor Yang's skill was "a lifesaver on the brink of death," while others said that Physician Kong was so ashamed on the spot that he wanted to disappear. The more it was told, the more vivid and detailed it became.

The doctor from Jishetang was so ashamed that he didn't dare to go out for several days. It was said that even the business of Jishetang became a bit quieter because of this incident—people in the city said that if the old doctor couldn't even save a life on the spot, who would dare to entrust their life to him in the future?

Several old doctors who had previously joined him in secretly gossiping about Yang Hu have now fallen silent and dared not utter another word against him. A few sensible ones, however, turned around and prepared gifts to visit him, hoping to establish a good relationship with this renowned doctor from the east of the city.

After this incident, the reputation of the "Divine Physician of the East City" was firmly established in the minds of the city's prominent figures. No one dared to use words like "young" or "lucky" to assess his abilities anymore.

Night, in the backyard. Lu Yan refilled his teacup, her eyebrows curving into a smile: "You certainly made quite a splash at the Jiang residence today."

"It's not about showing off." Yang Hu held his hot tea, his expression calm. "It's just that someone insisted on walking into the line of fire, and since they did, they can't blame anyone else."

Qin Ying, who was tidying up the worn-out dagger by the lamplight, looked up when she heard this and said calmly, "That guy surnamed Kong today was just angry about losing business; he's not a threat. I'm afraid that those who target us in the future won't all be the kind of people who are so open about it."

Yang Hu nodded. Everyone in this courtyard had their own skills, and they kept this seemingly peaceful but turbulent little courtyard in the east of the city airtight. He felt an indescribable sense of security.

The lights were warm and inviting. But Yang Hu knew in his heart that the brighter the fire of his medical reputation burned, the more numerous and complex the eyes would be watching this courtyard. Those competitors openly vying for his attention were merely a minor ailment; the hand lurking in the shadows was the real menace. The open and covert battles in this city had likely only just begun. What he needed to do was firmly establish himself, understand the hearts of everyone in the city, and wait for that hidden hand to reveal its weakness.