"Oh! That's good!" Tang Yuman replied.
"What if... I mean, what if this Aunt Du is your mother?" Tang Yu finally mustered up her courage and asked.
“Mom!” Song Hao was taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head and said, “How could I be so lucky to have a mother like this! Don’t mention the Qi family anymore.” His tone was solemn as he said the last sentence.
Upon hearing this, Tang Yu knew that Song Hao harbored resentment towards the Heavenly Medicine Sect. She sighed inwardly, said nothing more, and walked away silently.
The Song family's old residence.
Song Zihe had prepared a meal and was waiting for Song Hao and Tang Yu's return. From the time Tang Yu came to find Song Hao and spent several months with him learning pulse diagnosis, Song Zihe had come to understand their relationship. He was also secretly happy for Song Hao.
Hearing a knock at the door, Song Zihe hurried out to greet them.
"Grandpa!" Song Hao and Tang Yu stood in front of him with smiles on their faces.
"I'm back!" Song Zihe said happily.
Seeing that his grandfather looked even more haggard, Song Hao felt a pang of sorrow and quickly stepped forward to help him up, saying apologetically, "Grandpa, I've been gone for several months, leaving you alone at home waiting for me every day, I..."
"It's alright. You're going there to learn skills, which is the important thing. Besides, I'm doing just fine on my own," Song Zihe said with a smile.
"Miss Tang Yu, please come inside and have a seat," Song Zihe hurriedly said to Tang Yu.
After taking their seats at the table, Song Zihe asked, "Was your apprenticeship with a master going smoothly?"
"It went fairly smoothly," Song Hao replied, though he didn't know how to voice his doubts.
“Grandpa, Song Hao is smart; he mastered that pulse technique in just a few months,” Tang Yu said from the side.
Song Zihe, unaware of the melancholy on Song Hao's face and the unease in his heart, nodded and smiled, "Song Hao was born for medicine. His intuition and comprehension in this area are unmatched by ordinary people. I have long had confidence in him."
"Grandpa..." Song Hao hesitated for a moment, unable to resist asking about his own background.
Tang Yu then secretly nudged Song Hao under the table with her foot, signaling him to finish the meal before asking the question. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to finish their meal.
Song Hao understood and didn't ask any more questions.
Seeing that Song Hao hesitated to speak, Song Zihe realized what was going on and said, "Song Hao, I have something to tell you after we finish eating."
"Oh!" Song Hao lowered his head. At that moment, he suddenly felt that he had no face to face his grandfather, who had raised and nurtured him with such care. Because he had brought disaster upon the Song family.
Song Zihe was unaware of Song Hao's current thoughts and planned to tell him everything after dinner; it was time to tell him everything. A week ago, Song Hao's mother came to their house again, pleading with Song Zihe to explain the whole truth after Song Hao's return, so she could formally acknowledge him as her son. Understanding the bond between mother and son, Song Zihe agreed.
Seeing that Song Hao's low spirits were affecting the atmosphere at the dinner table, Tang Yu smiled and said, "Grandpa, do you know how Song Hao mastered that pulse technique? He had to first undergo a kind of 'molting' ordeal, a complete transformation, before he could enter the gate of that divine pulse technique."
Upon hearing this, Song Zihe exclaimed in surprise, "What? There are so many hurdles to overcome in learning that pulse diagnosis technique?!"
Tang Yu then gave a general account of Song Hao's experience learning pulse diagnosis from Lin Fengyi.
Song Zihe looked at Song Hao's fingers, which had turned white, and said in surprise, "Is there really such a method of pulse diagnosis in this world? I've never heard of it before!"
Tang Yu laughed and said, "Being soaked in that peeling medicine really increased the sensitivity between Song Hao's fingertips. Normally we can distinguish two or three pulse types, but he can distinguish five, six, or even seven or eight or more. I don't know how he can distinguish those pulses within pulses."
Song Zihe nodded and said, "Extraordinary techniques require extraordinary methods! In ancient times, physicians' understanding of pulse diagnosis was mostly developed through independent enlightenment; it cannot be learned simply by memorizing those pulse diagnosis books. When Song Hao's great-grandfather was alive, he once said that the principles of pulse diagnosis are subtle and profound, with the wondrous changes of Yin and Yang. All the phenomena of the human body can be reflected in the pulse points through the flow of Qi and blood. When the mind and fingers are in harmony, and the spirit senses, one can observe even the slightest changes and know all the ailments of the human body. There is a whole world within it; the pulse diagnosis is divine, and this is what it means."
Song Zihe then shook his head and sighed, "The principles of pulse diagnosis are subtle and profound. There are very few people in the traditional Chinese medicine world today who truly understand pulse diagnosis; it's practically on the verge of being lost. How many people throughout history have truly mastered the pulse, meridians, medical theories, and prescriptions? Medicine is connected to the universe! Few can comprehend such a level of understanding; most have fallen into inferior medical skills. Without understanding the Way, the techniques are difficult to grasp; though they may have some effect, they cannot benefit future generations!"
"Grandpa, don't worry. In a few days, we will return to Baihe Town to establish Tianyitang. In addition to serving the world with medicine, I also want to systematically organize traditional Chinese medicine into an explanation that the public can understand what traditional Chinese medicine is. It can't just be about treating and saving lives with a few prescriptions at Tianyitang. What is medicine? Ninety-nine percent of those who study medicine today don't understand it."
Chapter Eleven Parents (1)
Upon hearing this, Song Zihe said with satisfaction, "Only by transcending technique and following the Way can one achieve the Way of a great physician! Understanding the principle of the correspondence between heaven and man and the communication with all things means one has entered the Way!"
"Girl, do you understand?" Song Zihe said to Tang Yu with a smile.
Tang Yu replied, "Could it be understood this way: a secret prescription can be very effective in treating diseases. But if one does not know the composition of the medicine and how it works, and is merely applying the technique, then one is naturally at a lower level. If one can understand medical principles and pharmacology, know the reasons why it works, choose the right medicine for the right time, and change the prescription at will to increase the efficacy, then one has entered the path of a great physician."
Song Zihe laughed and said, "There's no secret to a remedy. A withered roadside herb that can cure a serious illness is a miraculous cure. As long as you understand why it works, that's enough. Everything can be medicine, everything can be the medicine of a so-called secret remedy. In my eyes, everything is good medicine! Fallen leaves carry a desolate air, flowing water has the nature of going up and down, but as a guide to medicine, they can all produce miraculous effects. That's the essence of medicine!"
The three, young and old, discussed medicine and philosophy in a pleasant atmosphere, temporarily dispelling the somber mood from the beginning.
After dinner, Tang Yu went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, intentionally avoiding the grandfather and grandson so they could talk privately.
Song Hao brewed a pot of tea and sat down on the sofa with his grandfather. He could already sense that his grandfather wanted to say something to him.
"Song Hao, there's something I need to tell you today. You've grown up now, and it's time for you to know," Song Zihe said with a sigh.
Upon hearing this, Song Hao felt a pang of pain in his heart, realizing that his fears had indeed come true.
"Do you know why Qi Yannian of the Tianyi Group treats you so well? Because he is..." Song Zihe sighed and said, "Because he is your biological father. You are a descendant of the Qi family of the Tianyi Sect, and your real name is Qi Hao. Fifteen years ago, an unexpected event left your parents unable to take care of you, so they entrusted you to me at Ping'an Hall..."
"Grandpa!" At this moment, Song Hao burst into tears, stood up and knelt in front of Song Zihe, shaking his head and saying, "This is not true."
"Silly child! It's true, and it's a good thing for you too." Song Zihe stroked Song Hao's head and said affectionately.
“No, I don’t have any parents. I only have one relative, and that is my grandfather,” Song Hao said firmly.
Song Zihe was taken aback upon hearing this, then realized and said, "It seems you already knew about this!"
Song Hao nodded and said, "Another person from the Qi family came to see me, but I don't believe what he said. Grandpa, please don't mention this matter again. My name is Song Hao, and I am your grandson. I have no connection with the Qi family of the Heavenly Doctor Sect."
Song Zihe hadn't expected Song Hao to be so indifferent after learning about his origins, assuming he was still unable to accept the truth. So he said, "Don't blame your parents. They were truly in a hurry and entrusted you to me. What parents in the world would be so heartless as to abandon their own children? I hope you can understand them. Besides, the Tianyi Sect is the leading sect among all medical sects, which will greatly benefit your future development and fulfill your ambition to revitalize traditional Chinese medicine. After you left last time, your parents came home, intending to claim you. They were afraid of hindering your studies, so they waited until now. Song Hao! You're an adult now; you need to face this reality. Don't act like a child."
"The Qi family has been here!" Song Hao exclaimed in surprise.
“Yes! They came to Baihe Town looking for you before, but we had already left by then. It was because of that bronze statue that they found you again,” Song Zihe said.
At this moment, Song Hao also felt an urge to reconnect with his parents and experience their love. However, knowing about Song Gang's murder saga instilled in him an intangible resentment towards the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect. Furthermore, he absolutely could not tell his grandfather about this, otherwise the pain of losing his son would return, and he would be unable to face this cruel reality. At the same time, Song Hao was neither psychologically prepared nor had any way to confront this hatred; for now, he could only deny its existence. The entire incident was a conspiracy orchestrated by his parents, and he was the protagonist in this conspiracy.