Chapter Nineteen: The Tournament of the Sage of Medicine

Qi Gang nodded in agreement, forcing a bitter smile. “It’s almost certain this is the handiwork of Zhongbao Hall. Three years ago, the renowned Renyi Clinic in Qing City was ruined by something similar. Their reputation was tarnished, and after struggling for half a year, they had to close down.”

With a calm expression, Hong Chen raised his hand slightly. “This is an open scheme, not a covert plot. Even if a patient has just a breath left, once they come to you, you either refuse the case or take responsibility for the outcome. If you accept and fail to cure them, the blame falls squarely on the doctor. In the end, it’s only your own lack of skill to blame... For now, let’s take care of the patients outside, and you can fill me in on the details later.”

Five minutes later, Qi Gang had his assistant wheel the patient in. Five family members accompanied, just as before. Qi Gang was the lead physician, with Hong Chen checking the pulse to monitor the patient’s state at every moment. This time, the process took longer: Qi Gang applied nineteen needles to the patient’s chest and abdomen, and the patient coughed up a mouthful of black blood. Instantly, the color returned to his face.

Qi Gang wrote a prescription, and after Hong Chen nodded his approval, they handed it to the patient’s family.

Once the group had been sent off, Qi Gang reassured the two middle-aged doctors, dispersed the crowd outside, and the pharmacy resumed business. Only after all this did Qi Gang finally feel a weight lift from his heart.

He brewed a cup of tea for Hong Chen and recounted the entire sequence of events. At present, Baijian Hall had five shops in total, with three resident doctors including Qi Gang himself—the other two being the middle-aged man and woman from earlier. At eight-thirty that morning, patients arrived simultaneously at the pharmacies where those two were seeing patients. Both were diagnosed with ordinary gastroenteritis, but during acupuncture treatment, the patients’ conditions suddenly worsened. The families refused to heed advice to send the patients to the hospital, instead demanding a written statement to make Baijian Hall accept full responsibility for the treatment.

Naturally, the two middle-aged doctors didn’t dare act rashly and called Qi Gang for instructions. Eventually, the families agreed to bring the patients to Qi Gang’s branch. After his diagnosis, Qi Gang felt uncertain and first called his grandfather for help, but the old man was out of town and couldn’t make it. With no other recourse, he sought Hong Chen’s aid.

“Some of the people gathering at the door were there just out of curiosity, but some were there specifically to film. There may even have been reporters among them, and the patient’s family surely recorded videos as well. If we’d failed to cure the patient, we’d have faced either lawsuits or massive compensation claims. Either way, Baijian Hall’s reputation would have taken a serious hit.”

Qi Gang said, a little frustrated, “I’m so certain Zhongbao Hall is behind this not just because of what happened with Renyi Clinic, but also because I’ve heard of many similar cases in other cities. The instigators are always the industry giants: Zhongbao Hall in the south, Jiuyao Hall in the north, Zhenyao Pharmacy in the east, and so on. On one hand, it’s a way to test the competition’s medical skills; on the other, it clears the way for their own expansion. When the competition’s reputation is ruined, their own name shines even brighter.”

Qi Gang glanced at Hong Chen. “You’re right, this is an open scheme. The patients are real, and you took their case. If treatment fails and the patient worsens, who else can you blame but your own lack of skill? You have to swallow your grievance in silence.”

He paused before continuing, “In half a month, the once-every-five-years Sage of Medicine Tournament organized by the Xuan Medical Society will be held: first city preliminaries, then provincial qualifiers, and finally the national finals. Qing City only has one spot in the provincial qualifiers, and it’s practically within reach. Zhongbao Hall’s move to test Baijian Hall’s strength is both unexpected and inevitable.”

A flicker of curiosity passed through Hong Chen’s eyes. “I’ve only ever heard of the Chinese Medical Association—what is the Xuan Medical Society? And to call an event the Sage of Medicine Tournament? Though a Sage of Medicine may not bring the dead back to life, they’re certainly ranked just below the Divine Healer in legend.”

For thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine has maintained an explicit and rigorous hierarchy for practitioners’ skills, as chronicled in the notes left by Hong Chen’s father. For instance, the likes of Hua Tuo and Bian Que, celebrated throughout history, are popularly called Divine Healers, but the precise term is Sage of Medicine. The chief imperial physician of a unified dynasty would be called Medical Elder. The title Divine Healer is reserved for those mythical creators of the lost “Fuxi Nine Needles” and “Heaven and Earth Thirty-Six Needles”—masters who, with a silver needle, could resurrect the dead and regenerate flesh, though they live only in legend.

Through every dynasty, national medical competitions have always required official approval. The authorities have always deferred to the medical community’s own ranking conventions, never allowing events to bear titles above their true level—much like the strict hierarchies of the Confucian scholars, where even a king would not dare overstep.

Even now, in a new era where Western medicine has eroded traditional practice, and Chinese medicine is in decline, the ancient customs persist. As long as Chinese medicine exists, its contests will uphold ancestral rules—out of respect for a tradition that’s lasted millennia.

For the Sage of Medicine Tournament, even if the champion doesn’t reach that legendary level, they are at least at the Medical Elder rank, with hope of becoming a Sage in the future. What kind of organization has the standing to host such a high-level event, and be acknowledged by the traditional medicine community?

Qi Gang was visibly surprised—Hong Chen, with his extraordinary medical skills, didn’t even know about the Xuan Medical Society...

Recovering from his surprise, Qi Gang hesitated briefly before explaining, “Let’s put it this way. The Chinese Medical Association is the authority known to the public, but the Xuan Medical Society is the true authority within the traditional medicine community. The president is also the president of the Chinese Medical Association, but from the vice presidents to the members, there are reportedly no more than twenty people in total. These include all past Sage of Medicine Tournament champions and the current heads of established medical families, all of whom are at least at the national master level.”

“In every Sage of Medicine Tournament, you’ll rarely find experts from major hospitals in the finals—it’s always people from medical families or private clinics and pharmacies. The true masters of traditional medicine, with their remarkable skills, are always hidden beyond the mainstream.”

As he spoke, Qi Gang’s eyes grew fervent. The intensity of his gaze made Hong Chen uncomfortable. Sipping his tea, Hong Chen said irritably, “I have no interest in being in the spotlight. Aren’t you from a medical family yourself? A once-in-five-years chance—think of it as a valuable experience. You should sign up, and I’ll cheer you on at the event.”

Qi Gang hastily waved his hands. “I don’t count as a medical family. My ancestors left no medical texts or secret formulas, just three generations who studied Chinese medicine. Before meeting you, I thought my grandfather and a college mentor were the most skilled I knew. I’ve absorbed about eighty percent of my grandfather’s knowledge, and thought my skills were respectable. Now, well... Maybe after you mentor me for five years, I’ll have the confidence to enter the next one.”

He shifted the topic back to Hong Chen. “But this isn’t just about making a name for yourself. The rewards are concrete. For example, if you represent Baijian Hall and earn a spot in the provincial qualifiers, our hall will immediately become the top name in Qing City and gain the right to open branches across the province. And if you place in the top three at the provincial level and qualify for the national finals, you’ll become an honorary member of the Xuan Medical Society, which brings many privileges in the field. Baijian Hall would also gain the right to expand nationwide.”

Hong Chen listened quietly, and to be honest, he was tempted. If Baijian Hall was to have a future, it needed to expand beyond Qing City, to the province and even the nation. Otherwise, what was the point? Five shops wouldn’t generate much in a year.

He had once thought that money alone would be enough to grow the business, but after speaking with Gao Tianxiong yesterday, he realized that every industry has its own unwritten rules—money alone won’t let you do as you please.

If Baijian Hall wanted to open branches in other cities and provinces, there would inevitably be restrictions and obstacles. Rather than fighting every battle as they came, here was a chance to settle it all at once. Wouldn’t it be a shame to let it go?

But there was still one issue: now was not the time for him to step into the spotlight.

“If I sign up, can I disguise myself?”

Qi Gang was momentarily taken aback by the sudden question, then quickly understood. “Many contestants come from private backgrounds or medical families and don’t want to reveal their identities. They’ll affiliate themselves with a properly licensed clinic, pharmacy, or hospital to avoid the organizer’s qualification checks. During the competition, you don’t need a disguise, just wear a mask.”

A glimmer flickered in Hong Chen’s eyes. If that was the case, he didn’t have to worry about being recognized. After thinking it through, he found no reason to refuse. He nodded. “Alright, I’ll represent Baijian Hall in the tournament. I’ll leave the registration to you.”

Qi Gang readily agreed, his eyes brimming with eager anticipation.