Physician's Odyssey Chapter 194

Jin Guoxiang charged into the resting area and Su Tao instantly opened his eyes. He paid no attention to Jin Guoxiang's reaction and quickened his steps into the ward. After examining Sire Shui's condition, he took out a silver needle from his medical box and inserted it into the old man's Renzhong Acupoint. A few breaths later, Sire Shui gently breathed out, opened his eyes and started tearing, "Old Qiao, why did you leave me… wuu… wuu…"
Along with Su Tao, Mao Yongsheng and Kan Bo came in as well. When they heard that Sire Shui had fainted, they instantly started sweating, since they had thought that Sire Shui's condition had worsened. After all, even if Jin Guoxiang said that he would be responsible if anything happened, they wouldn't be able to escape from responsibilities as well.
But the outcome had left them surprised. Su Tao had used the simplest technique of using acupuncture on the Renzhong Acupoint to wake Sire Shui. At the same time, Sire Shui had recovered his ability to speak. Although his voice was hoarse, his words were clear and everyone could understand what he's saying.
"I've fought with you for my entire life, and we've never accepted each other. That year when you wanted to be the vanguard, I stubbornly refused to let you do so. At the end, when the nation stabilised, you secretly sent someone to learn from me after knowing how formidable I was, and we even quarreled over that matter. Despite being competitors, we also understood each other the most. Why did you leave without waiting for me…" The more Sire Shui spoke, the more sorrowful he became. When Jin Guoxiang witnessed that the old man's ability to speak has returned, he knew that Su Tao's treatment had achieved an effect and rejoiced in his heart.
But he also knew that Sire Shui was now intoxicated, so he had no control over what he said. So in order to protect his image, Jin Guoxiang got everyone to leave with only Su Tao staying behind to look after the old man.
Su Tao silently stood by and watch Sire Shui vent the emotions in his heart.
Sire Shui was psychologically ill, which started a year ago when his old friend, Sire He passed away. When one gets older, they would start to feel fear for death. Sire Shui had experienced the battlefield and was fearless even when facing the gunfire of the enemy, so he wasn't afraid of death. But telling him to die peacefully was undoubtedly torture, and he has been unknowingly affected by the fear, which caused the illness to sprout within his body. So after it accumulated, his body started to be sick with the first symptom being losing his ability to speak.
It was the nerves in his brain that issued out an order to cause his vocal cords to lose their function without his consent. Naturally, these organs failure was caused by his psychology, which was something that couldn't be discovered with those apparatus in western medicine.
Su Tao knew that Sire Shui was stubborn, so it's tough to let his mind relax through ordinary means. Thus, he had opted to use alcohol as a medicine. Although alcohol could harm the liver and the body, an appropriate amount could stimulate the blood flow in his body to relax. As the saying goes, intoxication can disperse worries. So suddenly telling him a piece of grievous news was akin to pouring a bucket of water down and caused his emotions to be stimulated. Thus, his psychological illness had instantly found a space to exit.
After crying for half an hour, Sire Shui finally calmed down and Su Tao handed napkin over. As the old man wiped his face, he said in a hoarse voice, "Why are you here? Where's the rest? Where's Guoxiang? Holler him in, I have something to ask him."
Su Tao shook his head with a smile. "Old man, you don't have to ask him anything. He was lying when he told you that Sire Qiao passed away." Su Tao knew that there's no need to conceal this matter since it wasn't real, to begin with, and not to mention that Sire Shui's ability to speak has recovered. So it didn't matter whether he told him the truth.
After a brief stun, Sire Shui helplessly shook his head as he self-ridiculed, "I never expected that I would be bluffed by that brat, it's your idea, right?"
Su Tao also did not hide it from the old man and patiently explained, "Old man, your illness is classified as a small sorrow illness, so you'll need a great sorrow to counter it."
"Small sorrow? Great sorrow?" Sire Shui revealed a puzzled expression as he said, "I've only heard of a great sorrow harming the body, and I've never heard of any small sorrow illnesses."
Su Tao faintly smiled as he explained, "Let's put it this way. Great sorrow can be considered as an acute illness, and when it breaks out, the situation will be critical. For example, it often happens in elderlies after witnessing their other half passing away. Thus, they will also pass away swiftly under sorrow and their five viscera and six bowels of the body will be greatly damaged from the great sorrow. On the contrary, small sorrow illnesses can't be easily detected, and it is something that flares after a long accumulation. So the moment it flares up, the situation would be even more serious, just like your case."
Sire Shui sighed, "So you relied on white spirit and peanuts to cure my small sorrow illness?"
Shaking his head, Su Tao patiently explained, "Treating small sorrow illnesses is akin to controlling a flood. What I did was open the gate to let the flood out, draining all the emotions that you kept in your heart. So your body needs to be nurtured, after all, your body has been riddled with holes from the flood. Both your blood flow and Qi has suffered a great injury. Thus, it's just a short break before you turn sick again."
Although Su Tao's explanation was a little profound, he had his own set of theories in it. So Sire Shui heard it with great interest before he asked, "So my difficulty in breathing and spasms were because of the illness?"
Nodding his head, Su Tao replied, "Indeed, and if you're not properly treated, it might even turn into a tumor that might become cancerous and worsen your situation."
Sire Shui took a deep breath. He had been relieved of his torment and he could finally talk now. Looking at Su Tao, Sire Shui nodded and gently said, "Boy, I have to first thank you for saving this old man's life. Furthermore, I have to apologise to you for having doubts about you before." As he paused, he knitted his brows and smiled. "It's rare for me to apologise to others."
To have such an authoritative figure apologise to you, it's truly not easy.
Su Tao immediately gave a modest smile. "Old man, don't say that. As the saying goes, one who doesn't know is not guilty. If I were in your position, I would also feel doubtful upon seeing an unusually young doctor."
Seeing how Su Tao was neither servile nor overbearing with wisdom flashing in his eyes, the old man felt more of a liking to him and smiled. "Then I'll leave my tattered body to you."
Mu Chen nodded his head and wrote down a prescription. "Take this medicine for a month to nurture your lungs and replenish your vigor. You'll recover swiftly."
Sire Shui examined the prescription in his hand. Su Tao did not use a cursive style of writing; it was upright and neat with power behind every stroke. As someone that had studied calligraphy, he could judge a person from their handwriting alone. Thus, he could tell that Su Tao was an upright, honest, and sincere person. The old man nodded his head with a smile. "I will surely remember your instructions and take my medicine."
With a smile, Su Tao continued, "Old man, actually you need to think through something for your illness to be completely recovered."
After a brief stun, Sire Shui asked, "What is it that you feel that I can't think through?"
"Life and death." Su Tao bitterly smiled as he continued, "This is the toughest question in the world, and no one can escape from it."
Hearing Su Tao's words, Sire Shui shook his head. "I'm not afraid of death. If I'm someone afraid of death, how would I have come this far?"
Nodding his head, Su Tao smiled. "I know that you're not afraid of death, but you're afraid of dying too ordinarily."
The old man was instantly speechless. This brat that didn't look that old managed to see through his heart. With a faint smile, he asked, "Oh? Interesting, carry on!"
Su Tao knew that if he wanted to treat Sire Shui, he would have to undo the knot in his heart and patiently responded, "Old man, do you know why Buddhism can make others sincerely worship the religion?"
Knitting his brows, Sire Shui replied, "Through religious talks to achieve brainwashing."
Su Tao smiled as he shook his head. "Reading Buddhism scriptures can allow you to understand the secret behind life and death and deal with your mentality to prepare in facing life and death."
Shaking his head, Sire Shui firmly refused, "I'm a Marxism that emphasizes on materialistic. I don't believe in those superstitions thoughts."
Su Tao continued to explain, "Reading Buddhism scriptures is not joining the religion, it's just a method to find a path for you to deal with life and death. As for your interpretation, that's something for you to ponder."
The old man was stunned before he bitterly smiled. "I never expected a brat so young like you to talk with such experience. If it's someone else standing here, I would've thought that an old monk was trying to purify me."
Su Tao smiled. "I'm just sighing at this moment that I'm not those achieved monks, since it's really not easy to persuade you."
"You're implying that old people are more stubborn, right?" Sire Shui sighed before giving in, "Fine, I'll treat it as a treatment and listen to your words. I'll get someone to get some Buddhist scriptures for me to read. Everyone says that feudal superstitions are harmful, so I'll research and see how they brainwash others."
Seeing Sire Shui accepting his suggestion, Su Tao felt relieved, since the former's illness had to be treated by himself, and Buddhist scriptures were a good option. He was afraid that the old man wouldn't listen to him. Although he managed to resolve the former's small sorrow illness, he still hasn't treated the roots of the issue. So if it flared up in the future, then it wouldn't be as smooth as this time.
Thereafter, Su Tao performed acupuncture for the old man mainly to balance out the latter's five viscera and six bowels.
When Su Tao walked out of the office, Jin Guoxiang was already waiting there and he walked to Su Tao, then firmly patted him on the shoulder. "Physician Su, I have to thank you on behalf of many people! Sire Shui is our backbone, so nothing can happen to him!"