Qian Family Main House
Old Master Qian’s eyes fluttered open from his coma, landing on a young man before him. Puzzled, he asked, “Who are you?”
“I’m,” Ye Qiu began, but before he could finish, Qian Jinglan rushed to the bedside, her voice thick with concern, “Father, are you alright?”
“Jinglan!” Old Master Qian’s eyes lit up, then he murmured, “This isn’t a dream, is it?”
Qian Jinglan grasped his hand, tears welling, “No dream, Father. It’s really me, Jinglan.”
“Jinglan, it’s truly you? You’re back?”
“I’m back, Father. I’ll never leave you again.”
Old Master Qian sat up, trembling with emotion. He stroked Qian Jinglan’s head, voice heavy, “Jinglan, I’m sorry. Back then, it was my fault, I shouldn’t have cast you out. I was wrong.”
“No, it was my fault,” Qian Jinglan sobbed, tears streaming. She knew her father’s rigid nature, he’d never apologized before. This “sorry” revealed his deep guilt.
“Father, let the past stay past. I’m here now, aren’t I? Oh, this is your grandson, Ye Qiu.”
She shot Ye Qiu a look.
Ye Qiu bowed respectfully, “Grandfather!”
Old Master Qian studied him, nodding, “Jinglan, this son of yours has a commanding presence, a spark of valor in his brow. He’ll achieve great things.”
Ye Qiu grinned, “Grandfather’s got a sharp eye.”
“You rascal, watch how you talk to your grandfather!” Qian Jinglan glared.
Ye Qiu shrugged inwardly, just stating facts.
Old Master Qian chuckled, then scanned the room, noticing the crowd. He recognized family and Governor Han, but not the three master physicians. Still, his seasoned gaze pegged them as extraordinary, “Jinglan, who are these three?”
Ye Qiu stepped in, “Grandfather, this is pharmacology master Li Chunfeng, orthopedics expert Nie Xueliang, and acupuncture king Zhang Jiuling, three national medical saints here to treat you.”
So that’s it.
Old Master Qian cupped his hands toward them, “Saints, I’m a decaying relic with few days left. To trouble you three to come here, it’s my sin.”
“Master Qian, you’re a world-renowned scholar. Treating you is our honor,” Zhang Jiuling smiled.
“You’re too kind,” Old Master Qian said gratefully, “Thank you for healing me.”
Li Chunfeng laughed, “Master Qian, it wasn’t us three who cured you, someone else did.”
“Oh?” Old Master Qian blinked, “Which divine doctor saved me?”
“That divine doctor’s right in front of you,” Nie Xueliang grinned.
Old Master Qian looked, only Qian Jinglan and Ye Qiu stood there. He knew Jinglan had no medical skill, leaving just Ye Qiu.
“You cured me?” he asked, incredulous.
Ye Qiu nodded with a smile.
It really was him!
Old Master Qian’s heart jolted.
Zhang Jiuling added, “Master Qian, you don’t know, Ye Qiu’s medical skill rivals us three saints.”
“Really?” Old Master Qian doubted, Ye Qiu was so young. How skilled could he be?
“Old Zhang’s wrong,” Li Chunfeng interjected.
Old Master Qian thought, I knew it, Zhang’s exaggerating to cheer me up post-coma.
But Li Chunfeng’s next words floored him, “Old Zhang said Ye Qiu’s skill matches ours. I say it surpasses us by far.”
Nie Xueliang nodded, “Old Li’s right. Take your case, we were helpless, but Ye Qiu saved you. His skill outshines ours.”
Zhang Jiuling chimed in, “I’m ashamed. They call me the acupuncture king, but Ye Qiu’s needlework’s a hundred times better.”
Old Master Qian scanned their faces, earnest, no lies. Could his grandson be a prodigy?
“Jinglan, is this true?” he asked.
Before she could reply, Ye Qiu said, “Grandfather, they’re just being modest. Don’t mind them.”
Li Chunfeng grew stern, “Master Qian, no modesty here. Your grandson’s a once-in-a-century medical genius. Soon, he might be the first Medical Saint in three hundred years.”
Medical Saint!
The words hit Old Master Qian like thunder. A Medical Saint was the pinnacle of Chinese medicine, none had risen in three centuries. If Ye Qiu achieved it, the honor would be boundless.
Nie Xueliang nodded, “Little Ye just needs to beat the four national saints to claim it. We three can’t match him, only Xu Liu remains.”
Zhang Jiuling chuckled, “That cranky old Xu Liu, holed up for years. I’d love to see Little Ye take him down.”
Ye Qiu’s eyes gleamed. Beating the four saints to become a Medical Saint? Thrilling.
He laughed, “Seniors, keep praising me, and I’ll blush.”
Old Master Qian’s gaze swept the room, “Where’s that unfilial Qian Bowen?”
Silence dropped like a pin.
“Where’s Qian Bowen?” he pressed Qian Weidong, “Weidong, fetch him now.”
Ye Qiu jumped in, “Grandfather, you just woke, let the seniors check you first!”
The three saints caught his drift. Ignoring Old Master Qian’s protests, they stepped forward to examine him.
Twenty minutes later, they finished, stunned anew. When they’d arrived, he’d been near death. Now, post-Ye Qiu, he was healed, a miracle!
Ding!
Zhang Jiuling’s phone chimed. He checked, a text. His face darkened.
“Old Li, Old Nie, Little Ye, trouble’s coming.”
He handed the phone over.
Li Chunfeng read aloud, “I’ve long heard of China’s vast land, rich resources, and abundant talents, its medical saints renowned. I’ve yearned to test myself. Thus, on Mid-Autumn Day, I challenge China’s four national medical saints and Jiangzhou Hospital’s Ye Qiu. Victory means life; defeat, death. Do you dare accept? Signed, Korean Medical Saint, Li Zhengxi!”
