At this moment, a message caught Tang Yu's attention. After reading it carefully, she was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be this Shui Mingyang...?"
Tang Yu checked several more related pieces of information, which only made her feel more confused.
"If that's the case, then all of this is..." Tang Yu suddenly realized.
Volume Three: The World of Healers, Chapter One: The Divine Art of Massage
Tianyitang Pharmacy, Wansongling Herb Garden, and Tianyitang Pharmaceutical Factory have all entered a normal development track, and a series of talent recruitment plans are also proceeding smoothly. Tianyitang has shown signs of becoming a large-scale enterprise.
That day, a middle-aged man came to the recruitment department to apply for a job. He introduced himself as Lei Heng, skilled in massage. The young staff members in the recruitment department, seeing that he was not a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, initially didn't think much of it, saying that their renowned Tianyi Hall would not hire massage therapists, and were about to send Lei Heng away. Just then, Wu Qiguang came by and accidentally saw Lei Heng's name on the application form, and was taken aback.
"Lei Heng? May I ask, what is your relationship with Lei Yuangang, the famous massage therapist?" Wu Qiguang asked.
“That’s my father!” Lei Heng replied calmly.
"You are the successor of the Lei family massage technique!" Wu Qiguang was overjoyed upon hearing this. He then led Lei Heng to Song Hao's consultation room. Tang Yu was also there, consulting with Song Hao on a patient.
This was a young boy who, after accidentally eating cold food, experienced a sudden rise in stomach qi, making it impossible for him to eat or drink anything; he would vomit immediately after eating. Tang Yu had initially treated this patient, but seeing that medication was ineffective, she referred him to Song Hao, hoping he could administer acupuncture to stop the rising qi. However, the boy was naturally afraid of needles and avoided Song Hao, refusing any treatment. Seeing this, Song Hao took out a needle himself, intending to frighten him, hoping that "fear would cause the qi to descend." This method proved very effective for such occasional hiccups.
However, the boy was used to being startled. He cried out incessantly, ran around wildly, his breathing worsened, and he was panting heavily, his face flushed red. Seeing this, Song Hao had no choice but to stop the acupuncture and let him rest.
"I'll give it a try!" Lei Heng said slowly as he stepped forward.
Upon seeing a stranger appear, Song Hao and Tang Yu were naturally taken aback. Wu Qiguang gestured to them, indicating that he had brought a physician. Song Hao and Tang Yu understood and stood aside to watch.
"Little one, don't be afraid. Uncle will massage you, and you won't feel nauseous in a bit," Lei Heng said softly.
The boy seemed hesitant, unsure of what method the doctor intended to use to subdue him. His parents offered words of comfort.
Lei Heng smiled, stepped forward and grasped the boy's right hand, gently kneading and pressing between his palm and arm, then rubbing and rotating a single finger on the boy's Zhongwan acupoint on his abdomen. After only three or four minutes, the boy's symptoms of shortness of breath eased considerably, and he calmed down, his mind at peace.
"He truly is a massage master! He resolved the ailment that acupuncture and medicine could not treat in an instant!" Song Hao and Tang Yu exclaimed in astonishment.
"Teacher Wu, who is this expert you've brought here?" Tang Yu asked Wu Qiguang softly.
"The Lei family's massage technique, which is from the same medical school as your Tang family! Its direct descendant, Lei Heng, has arrived," Wu Qiguang replied.
"The legendary massage technique of the Lei family, a medical sect, which has been lost for a long time!" Tang Yu exclaimed in surprise, "So there are still successors! It seems that the medical skills of the nine sects and eighteen schools of medicine have never been lost!"
"The so-called lost arts are simply not displayed in the world. In fact, most of them are hidden among the people and passed down in one lineage. The fame of Tianyi Hall has attracted those masters to come out of seclusion and reveal their unique skills. They are all here to revitalize traditional Chinese medicine," Wu Qiguang said.
"Is he here to apply for a job at Tianyi Hall?" Song Hao asked with delight upon hearing this.
Wu Qiguang nodded and said, "That's right. Luckily, I discovered it in time, otherwise I would have been dismissed by the recruitment department."
Tang Yu said, "To prevent any experts from being overlooked, I check the recruitment registration form every day. However, it's easy to miss experts like these who I'm not familiar with, unless Teacher Wu makes an unexpected discovery. The recruitment department needs to be more meticulous in its work."
At this moment, under Lei Heng's miraculous touch, after seven or eight minutes of massage and kneading, the boy had returned to normal, and the upward-flowing energy had dissipated without a trace. The boy and his parents were overjoyed and extremely grateful.
“Mr. Lei, you truly have the skill of a massage master! Please come to the inner office to speak.” Song Hao stepped forward and respectfully gestured for him to enter.
"Are you Song Hao?" Lei Heng glanced at Song Hao.
“It’s me!” Song Hao nodded in response.
"I've come to find you. If you don't mind my humble appearance and limited skills, please join the Heavenly Doctor's Hall," Lei Heng said.
"You're too kind, sir!" Song Hao then invited Lei Heng into the inner office to sit down.
"Song Hao, the Lei family's massage technique has a long-standing reputation, especially in the north during the Qing Dynasty. It disappeared during the Republic of China era due to war, but I never expected it to reappear today. It is truly a blessing for patients and a good thing for doctors!" Wu Qiguang said with emotion.
Song Hao said happily, "With a massage master like Mr. Lei joining Tianyi Hall, it can truly make up for the shortcomings of Tianyi Hall. Just now, Mr. Lei's divine skill was beyond our imagination. In the ancient medical system, massage was one of the thirteen branches. Is there really such a divine skill among them!"
Lei Heng said, "Tianyi Hall does not reject minor skills, so it seems that coming here was the right decision. This is also why my father, after seeing Tianyi Hall's recruitment information, carefully considered the matter before sending me to apply."
Wu Qiguang exclaimed in surprise, "So it was Mr. Lei Yuangang's idea! He truly has extraordinary insight. I heard twenty years ago that Lei's massage technique still exists, but I never had the chance to see it. Your father recommended you today, probably so that you can work with the colleagues of Tianyi Hall to promote the medical profession."
Lei Heng said, “The Lei family lives in seclusion in a remote border town. Although they teach and pass on their skills, most of their disciples go to the bathhouses in big cities to earn money before they have mastered even a fraction of the techniques. Nowadays, massage is only regarded as a health care technique. Even with secret methods, it cannot help the world. I have heard that Tianyi Hall is famous for its medical skills. There must be a place for the Lei family’s massage techniques to be put to good use.”
Wu Qiguang nodded and said, "That's right. Even nowadays, most doctors regard massage as a means of rehabilitation. They don't know that massage can be very effective for diseases that acupuncture and medicine cannot treat, and can even cure serious and stubborn diseases."
Lei Hengdao said, "Massage has its own diagnostic and treatment system. In ancient times, it was mostly used for infants and young children because their internal organs are delicate, and needles and medicines are easily injured and difficult to be effective. Therefore, massage is used to unblock the meridians and regulate yin and yang. Lei's massage technique has been passed down for more than 700 years, combining the strengths of various schools. Now, my father and I have integrated it, selecting the essence of ancient massage books such as 'Secrets of Massage,' 'Infant Care Divine Techniques,' 'Secrets of Massage,' 'Correcting the Essentials of Massage,' and 'Extensive Meaning of Pediatric Massage,' and combined it with the Lei family's ancestral massage techniques, summarizing a new set of massage techniques that are simple, convenient, and effective. For example, the rebellious qi movement just now..." For vomiting, massage the spleen meridian to promote the flow of qi and blood; symptoms can be relieved within minutes. Ancient massage techniques comprised 3,400 methods, which can be simplified into pressing, rubbing, pinching, kneading, pushing, moving, rolling, shaking, sweating, vomiting, purging, acupuncture, moxibustion, stone needle therapy, bathing, exterior-releasing, interior-clearing, irritability-relieving, opening and closing, phlegm-expelling, qi-regulating, meridian-clearing, pain-relieving, ironing, and incantation techniques, among others. Moreover, like acupuncturists, one must first understand the meridians and acupoints; more importantly, one must develop sufficient palm and finger strength—that is, manual technique—to use it freely; otherwise, it will be ineffective.
As he spoke, Lei Heng picked up a glass from the table, gently held it in both hands, rubbed it between his palms a few times, then pinched it between two fingers and placed it back on the table. At first, it seemed undamaged, but a few seconds later, the originally solid, transparent glass miraculously shattered, peeling away a layer of its outer layer, making the glass half its original thickness, yet still able to hold water. Song Hao and Wu Qiguang watched in stunned silence, thinking it was magic. Such palm and finger strength was enough to penetrate deep into the internal organs, even dissolving bones and flesh.
"Impressive skill! I wonder how you managed to achieve this through such rigorous training?" Wu Qiguang exclaimed in amazement.
Lei Heng said, “When I was four or five years old, my father made me rub and press wood and hard objects. Over time, my strength grew and I was able to control the strength of force. As long as I pay attention when performing the technique, I can not hurt myself or others. I can separate Yin and Yang, push the three passes, retreat the six internal organs, scoop up the bright moon, cross the Milky Way, operate the internal and external eight trigrams, and regulate water and fire. Under the technique, I also use the power of my fingers and palms to treat diseases, heal injuries and relieve pain.”
"This is a divine skill among Chinese martial arts! Tianyi Hall has gained another massage department!" Song Hao exclaimed with delight.
Song Hao and Wu Qiguang had long been engaged in acupuncture and had developed extraordinary skills. They knew that Lei Heng's massage techniques and acupuncture methods had similar effects, and they were both pleased that such a remarkable person had joined the Gaoxing Tianyi Hall.
That very day, Song Hao experienced Lei's full-body massage technique. Lei Heng first focused his mind and calmed his breath, then spread his hands, kneading and pressing with his fingers and pushing and releasing with his palms. His movements were light and varied, almost like an invisible dance. He followed the meridians, clearing the channels and guiding the Qi, using his finger strength to stimulate the pulse, achieving effects comparable to acupuncture. Song Hao felt a gentle force emanating from Lei Heng's fingers and palms, slowly spreading out, penetrating his skin and reaching his bones, permeating his entire body. His muscles seemed to be loosened, and he felt an indescribable tingling and pleasant sensation in his bones. He felt as if he were floating on clouds, on water, or in a state of bathing.
“If this massage technique is performed once a month starting from childhood, it can ensure that the child will be free from illness for life,” Lei Heng said while performing the technique.
"The best doctors treat illness before it manifests! That's the essence of it!" Song Hao, who was lying there enjoying himself, casually replied.
The onlookers, including Wu Qiguang, Song Zihe, Lin Fengyi, and Zhang Jiafang, were filled with admiration and amazement, realizing that there were also miraculous techniques within massage.
That evening, Song Hao sat down with Tang Yu, Luo Feiying, and Jiang He to discuss something.
Song Hao said, "Tianyi Hall is progressing smoothly in all aspects. Renowned folk doctors are constantly joining, and the number of outpatients is increasing daily. Judging from this momentum, when the hall is overflowing with patients, it will be a time when all the teachers are overwhelmed. Therefore, it is time for us to implement the training of Tianyi Hall's reserve force, which is the previously planned Famous Doctors' Training Institute. We should arrange reasonable times for the teachers to teach medical skills to young doctors on the second line, so that they will be able to take over front-line outpatient services in the future. It is better for us to prepare for this as early as possible."
Chapter Two: Tianyitang Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Jiang He nodded in agreement, saying, "It's a good thing that President Song has thought so far ahead, and it's also a matter of utmost urgency. I'll make the arrangements starting tomorrow. The outpatient volume is lower in the afternoon, so let's schedule it there. Each of the teachers will give two lectures per week. In addition to the second-line doctors from Tianyi Hall, the interns can also attend. Those who perform exceptionally well can be considered for a permanent position at Tianyi Hall."