Tang Qingshan's expression changed, and he chuckled awkwardly, saying, "We've become friends through this misunderstanding! Song Hao, since you're from a family of renowned doctors, we apologize for our intrusion. But that Heavenly Saint Acupuncture Bronze Figure..."
Song Hao said, "Uncle Tang, the acupuncture bronze figure is indeed in my hands, and I have hidden it in a safe place. But I cannot hand it over to anyone before I have obtained its owner's consent."
Tang Qingshan wanted to say something more, but Tang Ji stopped him, saying, "Qingshan, Song Hao is now a guest of the Tang family, and our two families have some connection. He is also your nephew. Don't mention the acupuncture bronze figure anymore. It's a secret in his heart. He has his reasons for not telling you. Don't force him."
"Well... fine!" Tang Qingshan nodded reluctantly.
"Song Hao!" Tang Ji smiled and said, "You were brought here by our Tang family because of a misunderstanding, but it's also fate. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, you are free to stay or leave. However, things are very tense right now, and many people are looking for your whereabouts. We hope you can stay a little longer, as it will be relatively safer. Besides, protecting that medical treasure—the Song Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure—is also the responsibility of us medical practitioners. If you trust the people of our Tang family, let us protect it together. Of course, you only need to know the location where the bronze figure is hidden, so that everything will be absolutely safe."
Upon hearing this, Song Hao was deeply moved and said gratefully, "Thank you for your understanding, sir. I am under a lot of pressure right now. That acupuncture bronze figure is a priceless treasure left to us by our ancestors. I cannot bear the responsibility if anything happens to it. Now, with everyone's support, I feel much better."
“That’s right! How can such a huge responsibility be borne by a child like you! The most precious treasures of medicine should be protected by all of us in the medical profession,” Tang Ji said with a smile.
Tang Qingshan looked quite relaxed, but also somewhat apologetic, saying, "Song Hao, you are truly a righteous child. Compared to you, we are really ashamed! Although we kidnapped you to protect the acupuncture bronze figure, our method was inappropriate."
Tang Qingshan hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'd like to add something, Song Hao. What are you going to do with that acupuncture bronze figure in the future? Its original owners, the Dou family of the Golden Needle Sect, have all fled, making it extremely difficult to find them. Even if it is returned to its original owner in the future, it will only bring endless trouble to the Golden Needle Sect, and its safety cannot be guaranteed. You need to have a long-term plan!"
Upon hearing this, Song Hao said with concern, "Yes! I'm also troubled by this matter. In the end, we couldn't return it to its rightful owner, so we had no choice but to hand it over to the state."
Tang Ji and Tang Qingshan exchanged a glance, both displaying strange expressions.
Tang Qingshan shook his head and said, "This is inappropriate. If it were just a cultural relic, that would be fine, but this Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure has immeasurable medical value in addition to its cultural relic value. Only when something is put to use can its true value be realized. Handing it over to the state would be a safe and good thing, but the true medical purpose of this medical treasure would be lost, which would go against Wang Wei's good intentions in casting this acupuncture bronze figure. Because once it's handed over to the state, it will be protected as a key cultural relic, kept in a high-end location. If physicians want to study or learn from it, the procedures will be very difficult. Even if the state entrusts the acupuncture bronze figure to relevant medical..." Research institutions offer little benefit to those experts who excel only in theory and lack clinical experience. These experts possess vast theoretical knowledge, and on a whim, they can find a few sentences in a pile of old papers and overturn thousands of years of established theories to showcase their pedantic expertise. It's a real pity the Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure is in their hands; at most, they could produce a few grand-sounding papers related to it. Legend has it that this bronze figure has the miraculous effect of enhancing acupuncture strength; it should be provided for use by acupuncturists who need it, thus fulfilling Wang Wei's original intention in casting the Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure. This medical treasure is best used by true physicians!
Song Hao nodded and said, "Uncle Tang is right. After things stabilize, I will find the original owner of the bronze figure and then discuss its future. At that time, we will find a safe place for it and provide convenient conditions for physicians who need it to practice, so that it can be put to good use. This Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure can indeed give people a unique experience, with the wonder of pinpointing acupuncture points at a glance. If acupuncturists are fortunate enough to observe and practice it for a few days, it can indeed improve their needling skills and greatly benefit their medical abilities. This medical treasure should not be allowed to lose its true practical value. If we can do this, it will be a complete explanation to both the ancients and the moderns."
Upon hearing this, Tang Ji and his nephew Tang Qingshan looked at each other and smiled.
Tang Yu sat to the side, silent, her brows furrowing slightly.
That evening, in a room, Tang Ji and his nephew Tang Qingshan were having a private conversation behind closed doors.
"Second Uncle, it seems your method worked," Tang Qingshan said with some pride.
“Song Hao has a fierce and unyielding air about him. He cannot be forced. Even if we drive him to his death, we may not be able to find out the whereabouts of the Heavenly Saint Acupuncture Bronze Man. Therefore, we will use this appeasement strategy to gradually lower his guard against us. When the time is right, we will make him tell us on his own. As long as he is in our hands, the bronze man will naturally fall into the hands of our Tang family in the future.”
"Qingshan!" Tang Ji's tone changed, and he said excitedly, "You've done a great service this time, achieving two goals at once! This Song Hao is no less valuable than that acupuncture bronze figure. I never expected him to be a descendant of Song Jingchun, the famous doctor of the Republic of China. When he used acupuncture to stop that strange bone-cracking ailment, I knew he had a long family tradition in medicine. After asking around, I found out he was indeed a descendant of a famous doctor. If we can obtain the Song family's Nine Needles for Rejuvenation technique, our Tang family's medical skills will be able to advance in both acupuncture and medicine. Furthermore, we can make an exchange with the Heavenly Medicine Sect, which will greatly enhance our Tang family's status among the nine sects and eighteen medical sects. Our future development will not be limited to the few hospitals we currently run."
"Besides, this matter can't be rushed. We have to take it slowly and let things unfold naturally. We'll get what we want then. Tang Yu is a straightforward girl, so we shouldn't let her know the truth yet, otherwise it will ruin things and change her impression of us elders. Alas! We had no choice but to do this. It's shameful to say, I've saved people all my life, thinking I have a clear conscience, but now that I'm old, I have to do this to a young person."
Tang Ji shook his head, sighing deeply.
Tang Qingshan said, "Second Uncle, please don't blame yourself. This matter is really too special, so we have no choice but to use special methods. For the future development and growth of the Tang family, let's play the villain for now."
Tang Ji sighed and said, "You need to strengthen Song Hao's security. We've already wronged him enough; we mustn't let anything else happen to him. There are no secrets in this world; the news that he was captured by our Tang family will leak out. We must strengthen security in the manor in the near future. Even if we succeed in obtaining the bronze man, we will still be responsible for Song Hao's safety."
"Also, bring those two patients in the hospital who were treated with the Luo family's magic needles here tomorrow. Let Song Hao treat them with acupuncture; perhaps there will be some improvement. Otherwise, if it goes on for too long, the patients will be crippled. If Uncle Lin hadn't sent me this news, I wouldn't have known that there was such a thing as 'reverse needles.' Luo Beiming is too ruthless and vicious. Using this method to swindle money from people and benefit himself at their own expense is against the natural order," Tang Ji added.
Tang Yu, who had overheard everything outside the door, shook her head, sighed inwardly, and quietly left.
Chapter Twenty-Six of the Record of Strange Writings: Reverse Needle
In ancient times, those who understood the Dao followed the principles of Yin and Yang, conformed to the arts of numerology, ate and drank in moderation, maintained regular daily routines, and did not overwork themselves. Therefore, their bodies and spirits were in harmony, and they lived out their natural lifespan, passing away at over a hundred years old. People today are different. They treat wine as water, and recklessness as the norm. They enter the bedroom drunk, exhausting their essence with lust and dissipating their true energy. They do not know how to maintain fullness or regulate their spirit, pursuing only their own pleasure, going against the joy of life, and their daily routines are irregular. Therefore, they decline by fifty. (Suwen. On the Primordial Innocence of Heaven)
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That morning, Tang Ji invited Song Hao to have breakfast with him.
"Song Hao, our Tang family owns a hospital in the county town. We currently have two hospitalized patients whose treatment results are not ideal. I have already had someone bring those two patients here today, and I hope you can use your acupuncture skills to treat them," Tang Ji said after hesitating for a moment.
“Then I’ll give it a try!” Song Hao replied.
He thought to himself, "The Tang family is quite powerful, they even run a hospital. It seems that the old nine schools and eighteen medical families have also kept up with the times and started to become formalized, no longer wandering around treating people."
Around noon, several cars drove into Tangzhuang, and the people who came were clearly not ordinary people.
Tang Ji went to greet them and shook hands with two middle-aged men who looked alike, exchanging pleasantries. Tang Liang had accompanied them. The two men were brothers, two well-known private entrepreneurs in the area, one named Meng Wu and the other Meng Wen.
"Your Tang family is truly attentive to service! You actually sent my brother and me to Tang Manor to receive treatment personally from Elder Tang. It is an honor!" Meng Wu said with a smile.
"You two are too kind! I'll be uneasy as long as your illnesses remain unresolved; it's something I've always been concerned about. Luckily, a skilled physician has come to my home to give you both a consultation," Tang Ji replied with a smile.
"I don't know how to thank you enough for taking such good care of my brother! Once my brother recovers, I will definitely donate money to Tang Family Hospital to express my gratitude!" Meng Wu said gratefully.
"You're too kind! You're too kind!" Tang Ji smiled faintly and ushered the Meng brothers into the house.
Song Hao, who was waiting in the room, stood up.
"This is Doctor Song, a descendant of a famous doctor."
"These two are the chairman and general manager of Meng's Enterprise, and they are well-known entrepreneurs in our local area and even the whole province."
Tang Ji introduced them to each other.
"oh!"
Seeing Song Hao's young age, the Meng brothers couldn't help but feel suspicious. Even as the son of a renowned doctor, how much skill could someone so young possess? Out of politeness, the two brothers still stepped forward and shook hands with Song Hao.
Tang Ji then described the Meng brothers' illness. About ten days prior, the brothers had simultaneously fallen ill with a rather strange ailment in the middle of the night. Meng Wu experienced intense itching all over his body, while Meng Wen suffered from numbness, both experiencing excruciating pain, but recovering within a few hours. This continued for several days, with the strange illness flaring up simultaneously every night. They were forced to seek treatment at the hospital run by the Tang family in the county town. A series of examinations ruled out allergies and other causes, leaving the cause of their illness unknown. According to Western medicine, it fell under the category of neurological disorder. After more than a week of internal and external treatments with traditional Chinese medicine, there was some relief, but the symptoms returned at night. The strange thing was that both brothers fell ill at the same time at night, only their symptoms differed.
After listening to Tang Ji's explanation of his illness, Song Hao was at a loss. He then examined the pulses of the Meng brothers. Both brothers had normal and steady pulses, without any signs of external wind-evil.
Song Hao frowned and carefully examined the pulses again. Although both brothers had normal pulses, he could sense a kind of disorder in their pulses. They could be felt faintly when they were superficial, but not when they were deep, and it was not very clear. Perhaps the symptoms and pulses would only match when the illness flared up at night.
“It’s a matter of resting during the day and acting at night, which is due to the movement of Qi and blood. Since the internal organs are not disturbed, it must be caused by the disorder of Qi and blood in the meridians!” Song Hao suddenly realized, and then exclaimed in surprise, “Your meridians have been accidentally punctured at unrelated acupoints, causing your Qi and blood to be disordered. Have you been treated for other diseases with acupuncture at the same time within the past three months?”
Song Hao recalled the "reverse needle technique" recorded in the "Secret Words of the Bronze Man Needle Classic".
"Impressive!" Tang Ji thought to himself. He exchanged astonished glances with Tang Qingshan and his daughter Tang Yu, who were standing to the side.