Zhuang Rui wasn't lying. He discovered from archaeological documents at Peking University's School of Cultural Heritage that gold and silver needles used for acupuncture had been unearthed in many ancient tombs.
For example, several gold needles specifically used for acupuncture were unearthed in the Mawangdui tombs. In the Han tombs in Mancheng, Hebei, not only were gold and silver needles of various styles unearthed, but there was also a document recording the earliest Chinese Qigong. The jade carving "Xingqi Yupei Ming" from the early Warring States period, along with later unearthed commentaries on works such as "Suwen" and "Lingshu," which are collectively known as the "Huangdi Neijing," immediately became the most authoritative books on ancient Chinese acupuncture after their publication. All subsequent writings on acupuncture theory are derived from these two books.
The emergence of these items demonstrates that acupuncture held an absolutely dominant position in ancient Chinese medicine. From emperors and generals to ordinary people, everyone relied on traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture to treat and regulate their health when they fell ill.
Unfortunately, the nine volumes and eighty-one chapters of the Ling Shu have all been lost or damaged in later generations. What we can see now are mostly annotations by famous doctors throughout history, but no original texts have been unearthed.
Zhuang Rui is currently studying archaeological theory. He plans to wait until he starts his internship to see if he can find the complete nine volumes of the Ling Shu from the unearthed tombs, which would fill a gap in Chinese acupuncture.
"Xiao Rui, try getting your grandparents a few acupuncture treatments later and see if it has any effect..."
Although he had been treated by Zhuang Rui several times with remarkable results, Grandpa Ouyang was nearing the end of his life, and Zhuang Rui didn't have the opportunity to regularly take care of the two elders' health, so Grandpa Ouyang's spirits hadn't been very good lately.
As the saying goes, "hibernation is a time of hibernation," and every winter is a hurdle for the elderly, especially for people of Mr. Ouyang's age, whose numbers are decreasing every year. The young Red Guards of yesteryear are now very old.
Although Ouyang Zhenshan has entered the central government, the backbone of the Ouyang family is still the old man. As long as he is there, he can make many people with ill intentions hide their thoughts. This effect is similar to nuclear deterrence.
So as the weather got colder, the old man's health became the top priority for the Ouyang family. With his mother-in-law taking care of his daughter-in-law, Ouyang Wan would occasionally go to stay with the old man for a few days. However, it was obvious that the old man's energy and spirit were not as good as in the spring and summer.
After disinfecting the silver needles, Zhuang Rui put them away and asked, "Mom, will the doctors agree to give Grandpa acupuncture?"
The people living on Yuquan Mountain were at least vice-national level leaders before their retirement. The country attaches far more importance to them than to the giant panda, a national treasure. Each of them has a specific medical expert team to ensure their health, and these experts are not ordinary people either.
The medical staff living on Yuquan Mountain are all top figures in their respective fields, including many experts in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture. It would be a joke if Zhuang Rui's "acupuncture skills" that only involve one acupoint were to be mentioned.
Moreover, given the old man's status, even changing a type of medicine would require layers of reporting and approval, let alone having an outsider give him acupuncture. The old man is not like the people in the courtyard, where Zhuang Rui can just take a needle and prick him at will.
Zhuang Rui asked this question with the intention of playing hard to get. Otherwise, if he rushed to treat the old man's illness and the effect was so good, it would definitely arouse the suspicion of the doctors. It was most appropriate for his mother to bring it up.
Sure enough, after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Ouyang Wan hesitated for a moment. However, having personally experienced the effects of silver needles, she thought for a while and then said, "Tomorrow is the weekend, you shouldn't have classes, right? Come with me to see your grandfather, and we can discuss it with Dr. Dou then..."
The next day, it wasn't just Zhuang Rui and his mother who went to Yuquan Mountain. Qin Xuanbing, who was heavily pregnant, also came along. Ouyang Jun even brought his wife and son. The elderly like children, so bringing them along was to entertain the elderly.
"Oh my, this child is so handsome..."
Upon seeing Ouyang Jun's child, the old lady's eyes narrowed with laughter. She leaned over the cradle and started playing with the baby, pushing the old man, who wanted to see his great-grandson, aside.
"Old woman, move aside, let me see..."
The old man got impatient and simply stretched out his arm to push the person.
The old lady protested, saying, "What are you looking at? You look so fierce. Don't scare the child..."
"What are you talking about? I'm not going to eat people..."
The old man unreasonably pushed his wife away. His wrinkled face looked at the little one in the cradle, and his large hand even touched the little one's crotch a couple of times, but the little one kicked him away.
"Ya ya..."
The little guy can't speak yet, but he clenched his little fists and was very dissatisfied with the old man who was playing with his little thing.
"Good, good lad, you dare kick me? You've got guts!" The old man laughed heartily, the family hierarchy completely messed up. After teasing the child for a while, he turned and saw Ouyang Jun, his face hardening as he cursed, "You brat, even as a father you're still so useless..."
When the old man saw Ouyang Jun, he still didn't have a good look on his face. This kid was too useless. He sent him to the army back then, but he actually deserted. If this were on the battlefield, the old man might have just shot him dead.
The usually sharp-tongued young master Ouyang was as obedient as a good boy in front of Ouyang Gang, keeping his head down and not daring to breathe loudly until the old man had finished scolding him. Only then did he slink away to his grandmother.
"Grandpa, your voice is still so loud..."
Zhuang Rui approached the old man with a grin. In the Ouyang family, he was the only one who dared to speak to the old man like that, without any hesitation.
"Of course..."
The old man proudly raised his head; his loud voice indicated he had a strong voice, and among his still-living old friends, none were as physically fit as him.
"Hehe, anyone who didn't know better would think you're hard of hearing..."
Zhuang Rui knew that his grandfather had a bit of a childlike temper, so he couldn't help but tease him, which made the old man so angry that he almost fainted.
"How can this child talk like that..."
Ouyang Wan couldn't stand it anymore and tapped Zhuang Rui on the head, saying, "Dad, Xiao Rui has been learning acupuncture recently. He tried it on us yesterday, and the effect was quite good. How about I give you a needle to try?"
"Acupuncture? That's something passed down from our ancestors, very good, very good..."
The old man looked at Zhuang Rui with curiosity. He only knew that his grandson was involved in those crude antique paintings that were too rough to even wipe one's bottom with. He didn't expect him to be learning this kind of thing. However, the old man just nodded and said okay, but did not agree to let Zhuang Rui give him acupuncture.
"Dad, you should try it, it feels really good..."
Seeing that the old man remained noncommittal, Ouyang Wan couldn't help but offer a word of advice: the feeling of spiritual energy entering the body really makes one feel like they're floating on air, and their mind becomes clearer than usual.
"I don't use that. Xiao Dou has given me acupuncture before, and I don't feel anything..."
The old man waved his hand, explaining that he used to rely on physical massage and acupuncture to exercise his leg muscles when he couldn't get out of bed, so he was quite familiar with acupuncture.
Seeing that the old man refused to give in, Zhuang Rui grinned mischievously and said, "Mom, forget it. Grandpa's afraid of pain. He might cry from the needle..."
"Stop your mother's stench... stench..."
As Ouyang Gang uttered the curse, he realized that Zhuang Rui's mother was none other than his own daughter, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.
The old man joined the army when he was a teenager. During the war years, he fought in countless battles, big and small, and was wounded countless times. But when it came to the end, he was told that he was afraid of pain. This made the old man furious. "Xiao Rui, you are not allowed to be so rude. How can you talk about your grandfather like that?"
Ouyang Wan quickly scolded Zhuang Rui, saying that the old man was very competitive and that if this had happened when he was young, he would have reached for the waistband and snatched it.
"Then why are you afraid to let me give you acupuncture..."
Zhuang Rui muttered something unconvinced, his voice not loud, but just loud enough for the old man to hear.
"Bullshit, what am I afraid of? I'll do it!" There's a saying that old people are like children, meaning that as people get older, their personalities become like those of children. The old man was just like that. He sat down on the recliner and started rolling up his trouser legs. In his memory, acupuncture was always done on the legs.
"Commander, what are you doing?"
The special nurse had just seen the leader talking to his daughter and grandson, so he was a bit far away. However, when he saw the old man suddenly become emotional, he rushed over, just in time to see the old man rolling up his trousers.
"This brat actually said I'm afraid of pain. Back in my day..."
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the old man gave Zhuang Rui and the others another lesson in war education. He even lifted his shirt to show Zhuang Rui the scar on his stomach, clearly displeased with Zhuang Rui's words.
"Sir, this won't do. Your health is being taken care of by the expert team. This...this..."
Zhuang Rui was performing acupuncture on the old man, which was against the rules, and the highly experienced special nurse immediately felt very embarrassed.
Chapter 803 Acupuncture (Part 2)
"No, absolutely not, sir. We are responsible for your health. If you feel unwell anywhere and would like acupuncture, I can give you a few needles myself, that's no problem..."
Upon hearing the news, Dr. Dou immediately rejected Zhuang Rui's idea. These elderly people, frail and elderly, are the most precious assets of the Republic and cannot be allowed to suffer even the slightest mishap.
These leaders usually report even minor illnesses like colds and flu to higher levels. How could Dr. Dou possibly let Zhuang Rui, who has no acupuncture background, rashly give the old man acupuncture?
If Dr. Dou really agrees, she'll probably be isolated and investigated the next day, and might even be labeled a dangerous element lurking around the leader.
"Dr. Dou, it's not a big deal to let Xiao Rui give his grandfather an injection, is it? It's just a prick in his hand..."
Having witnessed her son's miraculous abilities, Ouyang Wan interjected, saying that in the year or so she had been in Beijing, she had become very familiar with the doctors who cared for her parents.
"Sigh, Sister Ouyang, every acupoint on a person's body is interconnected, and you can't just stick needles in randomly. If something happens to the chief, no one can bear the responsibility..."
Upon hearing Ouyang Wan's words, Dr. Dou sighed. He hadn't expected that Ouyang Wan, who was always reasonable, would actually speak up for Zhuang Rui.
In Dr. Dou's opinion, this was nothing more than Zhuang Rui showing off the little bit he learned at school to his maternal grandfather, probably just trying to please the old man and be more favored in the family.
To be honest, Dr. Dou really looked down on Zhuang Rui. Using this method to curry favor with the elderly is something that younger generations might not value, but doctors like them would never dare to joke about the health of the elderly; it's their duty.
However, what Dr. Dou didn't know was that Zhuang Rui's vast wealth didn't rely on the Ouyang family's influence at all; it was all earned by himself, and within just two short years.
If we're talking about who benefited, the Ouyang family probably benefited from Zhuang Rui's influence. If Zhuang Rui hadn't cured the old man's illness last year, Ouyang Zhenshan probably wouldn't have been able to take over smoothly, and the Ouyang family might not have achieved their current glory.
"It should be fine, right? Xiao Rui gave us all acupuncture before, and it felt really good..."
Ouyang Wan didn't know anything about traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, but she had personally experienced the effects of Zhuang Rui's acupuncture. Even if it couldn't relieve her father's pain, it wouldn't do any harm.
While Ouyang Wan and Dr. Dou were talking, Zhuang Rui remained silent. Intervening would only backfire.
If Dr. Dou can be persuaded by Zhuang Rui, that would be best. If not, he can simply come to Yuquan Mountain to stay for a few days in the future and help the elderly with their health during their midday nap.
"No, we have to be responsible for the leader's safety and health. Even if I agree, the expert group won't agree..."
Dr. Dou shook his head repeatedly. He and his colleagues were already busy enough all day long, and he didn't expect these family members to cause trouble. This made the dutiful Dr. Dou feel very depressed.
"Grandpa is afraid of pain, but Nannan isn't. Grandpa is so embarrassed..."
While Ouyang Wan was negotiating with Dr. Dou, the little girl came over and, incredibly boldly, started drawing on her face with her finger, embarrassing Old Master Ouyang.
"Nonsense... Why would I be afraid of pain, you little brat? Say it again and I'll spank you..."
As the saying goes, children speak without restraint. What the little girl said was exactly what she was thinking, which was unbearable for the old man who had always prided himself on being strong-willed.
"Xiao Dou, it's alright. A needle won't kill you. Back when Xu Laohu joined the suicide squad, he was shot in the head and managed to dig the bullet out himself. Am I any less capable than him?"
In fact, Old Master Ouyang is not as good as that Tiger Xu. That guy was one of the top generals in the early days of the People's Republic of China. He became a monk at Shaolin Temple when he was young, joined the revolution when he was young, and had a fiery temper. Even when he was a division commander, he still took up a big knife and formed a suicide squad. He was a very legendary figure in the army.
Although both were founding generals, Ouyang Gang was no less accomplished in military achievements than the other, but he was less renowned in popular legends and reputation. This was the reason why the old man always felt resentful and liked to compare him with Xu Laohu whenever something happened.
"Sir, you're making me make a mistake..."
Upon hearing the old man's words, Dr. Dou couldn't help but smile wryly. He had worked here for over ten years and was very familiar with the personalities of these elderly people. Each of them was decisive and ruthless, and once the leaders spoke, he knew he couldn't stop them.
"What mistake? My grandson treated me, what kind of mistake is that?"
Ouyang Gang widened his eyes, then looked at the little girl beside him and said, "Girl, I'm not afraid at all. I'm not afraid even if a big knife cuts my neck. What's a scar the size of a bowl?"
Well, this old man and the real child are really going at it, and everyone in the courtyard can't help but laugh. Even Ouyang Jun, who is terrified of the old man, is hiding in a corner and chuckling.
"Grandpa is amazing! Grandpa is so great!" The little girl gave a thumbs up. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Nannan was just being childlike, but only Zhuang Rui knew that this was all a deal he made with the little girl in exchange for a box of chocolate-flavored Häagen-Dazs.
"Of course, back in my day, your great-grandfather..."
The old man had heard countless kind words in his life, but none of them felt as comforting as the praise from his great-granddaughter. He couldn't help but start reminiscing again.
"But Grandpa, you haven't given me the acupuncture yet. You're still not as good as Nannan..."
Fearing that the old man might not be able to stop and would continue his two-hour-long tale of past suffering, Zhuang Rui quickly gave Nannan a wink, and the little girl immediately cut off the old man's words.
"Uh, get the needle, kid, hurry up and give me the needle, it's not a big deal..."
The old man was embarrassed by what the little girl said and kept beckoning to Zhuang Rui. Right now, even if Zhuang Rui took a knife and cut a piece of flesh off him, the old man could probably grit his teeth and bear it. But to be looked down upon by a little girl, who could stand it?
Zhuang Rui did not answer, but instead looked at Dr. Dou.
"What are you looking at Xiao Dou for? Hurry up..."
When the old man saw that Zhuang Rui didn't speak, he became anxious. His expression was like that of a child who was desperate to prove himself when no one believed him, which made Dr. Dou both amused and exasperated.