That day, Ma Ji came to Tianyi Hall and found Song Hao, bringing with him a patient, his cousin who lived in another city and had been diagnosed with a terminal illness by several major hospitals.
"Song Hao, please save my cousin's life! He's been given a death sentence by a major hospital. They only notified me a few days ago, and I immediately called him to Tianyitang," Ma Ji said urgently.
Seeing that the patient was emaciated and had a sallow complexion, Song Hao knew he was terminally ill and frowned slightly. He stepped forward to take the patient's pulse and found that the pulse indicated death.
“Late-stage liver cancer!” Song Hao shook his head.
"Yes, it's cancer. But hasn't Tianyi Hall cured several cancer patients before? They should have a way to treat it. Song Hao, please think of something!" Ma Ji pleaded.
"It seems unlikely that he can be cured; his pulse has already stopped. How about this, let Teacher Lin and Grandpa have a joint diagnosis," Song Hao said, trying to comfort Maggie.
"Alright! You can make the arrangements." Magee felt a glimmer of hope.
After examining the patient, Song Zihe and Lin Fengyi also shook their heads. Lin Fengyi was about to say, "The pulse is already showing signs of death, why did you come to us for diagnosis!"
Seeing Magee beside him, Lin Fengyi realized that it was Magee who had brought the patient. Song Hao had been begged to come and asked him and Song Zihe to consult on the case. He swallowed back the words he was about to say and shrugged helplessly at Magee, meaning: there's no cure.
"Song Hao, please think of another way. I grew up with my cousin, and I can't bear to see him die like this," Ma Ji said, sobbing.
Unable to refuse Ma Ji's persistent pestering, Song Hao hesitated for a moment and said, "Then let's try another method."
"Song Hao, we doctors can cure illnesses, but we may not be able to save his life!" Lin Fengyi said, then turned and left.
"What other options are there?" Magee pulled Song Hao aside and asked.
“I’ll record your cousin’s image and find a master to treat him with a miraculous method. If he can be cured of this terminal illness, I will do nothing else in this life but dedicate myself to this,” Song Hao said earnestly.
Magee was taken aback upon hearing this.
Wansongling, Baicaoyuan.
Song Hao handed a videotape to Tang Yu and said, "This is a video of a patient. Show it to Ji Dongyang. If it doesn't work, bring the patient here again. Then ask him if there's no cure!"
Tang Yu laughed and said, "You really want to use his miraculous cure to treat some difficult diseases?"
Song Hao said, "This is a relative of Ma Ji. I was persuaded by Ma Ji to help me, so I thought of Ji Dongyang. My grandfather, Teacher Lin, and I have already been diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Let's see if this 'miracle cure' can have the same effect as a miracle cure."
"Then let's give it a try!" Tang Yu said. "I just don't know if he can diagnose it with this image." After saying that, he turned and left.
Song Hao sat alone in the hall, waiting. He had come without disturbing anyone, wanting to verify whether the miraculous remedy could reverse the terminal illness.
Before long, Tang Yu and Ji Dongyang arrived.
As soon as Ji Dongyang sat down, he shook his head and said, "This person's information is completely messed up, and his fate is no longer discernible. Countless people can be identified, but his lifespan has come to an end. This person won't live long. There are no miraculous cures that can cure all diseases, but they can't save lives, so there's nothing I can do."
Upon hearing this, Song Hao sighed, "It seems there truly are no miraculous medicines in this world that can bring the dead back to life. Those whose fate is not yet sealed can always be saved. But when their time is up, even immortals cannot cure them. A doctor treats illness, not destiny! This has always been true!"
Song Hao then called Ma Ji and told him to prepare for his cousin's funeral.
"Even Tianyitang can't cure him. It seems my cousin's life is over!" Ma Ji said helplessly on the phone.
After finishing his call with Magee, Song Hao said to Ji Dongyang, "Brother Ji, why are you out again? It would be better to stay in a secluded room for now."
Ji Dongyang said, "I'm feeling really bored, so I'll just stay in the Hundred Herbs Garden. Sister Tang also limits my movements to this courtyard; I'm not allowed to step out the gate."
Song Hao said, "There's a group of people targeting you. They haven't left yet, and they haven't made a move for so long. I have a bad feeling about this. For safety's sake, Brother Ji, it would be best if you showed yourself less."
At this moment, Qiu Ru walked in and said, "Song Hao, you really came. No wonder there was a man named Gu Xiaofeng outside the Hundred Herbs Garden who led a large group of people and specifically asked to see you."
"Gu Xiaofeng has arrived!" Upon hearing this, Song Hao's expression changed slightly.
"You go back to the secret room quickly, we'll deal with this here," Tang Yu hurriedly said to Ji Dongyang.
Upon hearing this, Ji Dongyang realized something and stood up nervously.
"Come with me!" Qiu Ru led Ji Dongyang away first.
"This Gu Xiaofeng is coming here today; he might not be easy to deal with," Song Hao said worriedly.
"Let's go out and find out his intentions first," Tang Yu said.
Outside the gate of the Hundred Herbs Garden, a sergeant and about twenty security personnel were facing off against Gu Xiaofeng and a dozen or so members of the Life and Death Gate. The atmosphere was tense. Gu Xiaofeng stood there smiling silently, clearly confident.
"So it's Mr. Gu!" Song Hao and Tang Yu came out to greet him.
"Song Hao, you seem to have a lot of free time!" Gu Xiaofeng said with a smile.
"I wonder what brings Mr. Gu to this desolate place today?" Song Hao asked. Song Hao still harbored some apprehension towards Gu Xiaofeng, who was both a friend and foe.
"The herbs produced in Wentian Medical Hall's Herb Garden are all top-grade. I have some free time today and would like to come and visit. I hope you will grant me this favor," Gu Xiaofeng said with a smile.
"This..." Song Hao found it difficult to refuse, even though he knew the other party's true intentions were not what they seemed.
Tang Yu then said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Gu, the Hundred Herbs Garden is an important medicinal herb supply base for Tianyi Hall. It is not open to outsiders and is not suitable for visits. Please understand!"
"Can't I either?" Gu Xiaofeng asked with a smile.
“Even people from the Heavenly Medicine Hall cannot enter casually,” Tang Yu said.
"Really? But as far as I know, two outsiders who aren't from the Heavenly Physician's Hall have moved into the Hundred Herbs Garden. One of them is that Li He, I suppose. When we captured him, we found he was seriously ill. However, we heard he's now fully recovered. Did he take some kind of miraculous medicine produced by the Hundred Herbs Garden? Song Hao, I'm very interested in this kind of medicine and would love to see this extraordinary remedy." Gu Xiaofeng said with a smile.
Seeing Gu Xiaofeng's calm and composed demeanor, Tang Yu suddenly realized something and hurriedly whispered to Song Hao, "Something's not right. I'll go check on Ji Dongyang." After saying that, she turned and left in a hurry.
However, Tang Yu hadn't gone far when she turned around and ran into a panicked Qiu Ru.
"Sister Tang, something terrible has happened! Ji Dongyang has been snatched away by two workers from the garden. Those two people applied for jobs at Baicao Garden a month ago," Qiu Ru said anxiously.
"What!" Tang Yu and Song Hao, the squad leader, and the others behind him were all shocked.