Chapter 610: Returning to the Jianghu
Two lives lost.
No one can blame Zhao Xuefeng for this incident; he did his best.
Yet, he still feels an overwhelming sense of self-blame and guilt.
As a doctor, besides the basic medical skills, the most important thing is one’s mindset.
Birth, aging, illness, and death are natural events; they should be accustomed to life and death, and indifferent to dead bodies.
But in his decades of practice, Zhao Xuefeng has rarely failed, let alone caused a death?
Struggling, Zhao Xuefeng stepped over the threshold, inching his way to stand before the child’s father, continuously apologizing and bowing.
The child’s father and villagers did not blame him. After all, such a premature birth is too dangerous and has nothing to do with Zhao Xuefeng; they couldn’t put the blame on him.
Instead, it was the father of the child who blamed himself, regretting not spending the money to let his wife stay in the hospital, not knowing such a premature birth would happen!
...
Everyone around listened quietly to his recounting of past events.
Besides the reporters, everyone else present was from the same profession. They were all doctors, and how many people can go their whole life without one mistake?
So they understood Zhao Xuefeng’s feelings, and naturally, there was no intention to blame him.
Under those circumstances, it’s unlikely anyone could have done better than him. It wasn’t easy to deliver a child without any professional tools.
Lin Tian, Liou Qingcheng, Sisi, and others now realized why Zhao Xuefeng was so strict with them.
Those unqualified in medical skills cannot graduate!
This is Zhao Xuefeng’s self-discipline and also his responsibility to students and patients.
Zhao Xuefeng believes that at least after a hundred years, no one will criticize him.
Some journalists sympathized with Zhao Xuefeng, while others just wanted a story.
Some journalists, no matter how miserable your experiences are, only focus on the value of the story.
They wrap it in sharp language to enhance its appeal, as that increases the number of clicks, and that’s enough for them.
No one can blame Zhao Xuefeng for this matter, everyone knows this.
But he is the foremost figure in traditional medicine, representing it.
In the eyes of those with vested interests, his failure equates to the failure of traditional medicine.
So his past, and his recent ’sacrificial’ speech, are in conflict.
In the eyes of journalists, this is sensational.
In the eyes of Western medicine that suppresses traditional medicine, it is a great opportunity.
They want to see traditional medicine bow down! Trampled underfoot by Western medicine!
Why do they do this?
Isn’t it for the sake of profit, for more funding? And that sense of superiority over traditional medicine.
On stage, Zhao Xuefeng clenched his fists tightly, tears streaming down his face.
At this moment, besides guilt, he also feels a sense of relief. This act of making his transgressions public feels excellent.
This incident has troubled him for five years, and for five years he hasn’t had a good night’s sleep.
To make up for his guilt, he took out half of his life savings to improve the living conditions of that family.
But what he didn’t expect was that the child’s father would refuse his help. Though he is poor, he can still distinguish right from wrong.
Zhao Xuefeng, seeing the family wouldn’t accept compensation, used the money to improve the living quality of the villagers.
With the help of Zhao Xuefeng’s students, Ankang Mountain changed drastically over five years.
Mud houses and tiled houses turned into western-style houses. A Hope Primary School was built, along with a hospital...
Suddenly, another reporter raised his hand, wanting to ask the next question.
"Let them ask," Zhao Xuefeng said facing the podium.
"It’s your call," Sun Chuanrong had no other opinion.
The reporter asked, "So, it seems you were not confident in your traditional medical skills, which is why you refused to practice medicine for five years?"
This question was very sharp, overly critical.
If Zhao Xuefeng has lost confidence in traditional medicine, who else in this world would dare to believe in it?
This reporter, even if not associated with Liu Mang, surely is not a good person.
Listening to Zhao Xuefeng’s rousing speech just earlier, someone still questions him like this?
This type of question, isn’t it just for exposure, and more content to write about?
"No, traditional medicine is great. Even though I’m hailed as the number one in traditional medicine, I’ve never acknowledged that title. I’m just an ordinary old traditional doctor, dedicating my life to it. Unfortunately, even if I spent my entire life, it’s impossible to fully explore it."
"I have dabbled in gynecology but never deeply researched it, leading to failure. This is not the fault of traditional medicine, it’s my fault!"
Suddenly, an elderly man with a white beard stood up from below the stage. Hunched over, he spoke loudly, "Old Zhao! Are you still a man! Isn’t it just a failure! Why be disheartened! What you should do is to heal and save. Spring silkworms spin silk till they die, and candles shed tears only when they turn to ashes. It doesn’t only refer to teachers; our traditional medicine is the same!"
A young man also stood up, he was a student Zhao Xuefeng had taught, "Teacher! Your understanding of traditional medicine, probably no one present can match. But no one is perfect, you just lack understanding in gynecology. Those Western doctors, they are divided into internal medicine, surgery, neurology, etc., are their understandings of the human body as comprehensive as yours?"
One of Zhao Xuefeng’s students stood up and bowed to him, "Teacher, that matter cannot be blamed on you, please come back, traditional medicine needs you!"
Yet another of Zhao Xuefeng’s students stood up...
In the hall, more than twenty people suddenly stood up. They were all famous traditional doctors in the country.
Their medical skills were not as comprehensive as Zhao Xuefeng’s, but each had their specialty, like acupuncture, massage, cupping.
Combined, Zhao Xuefeng’s students could form the most advanced traditional medical hospital in the world.
To confront Western medicine on equal terms, it would only take a word.
At the summit, so many of Zhao Xuefeng’s students suddenly appeared, creating a striking visual impact.
This is the Healers’ Summit, a grand event for Luan Continent’s medicine, and who among those present isn’t an industry elite?
Zhao Xuefeng can cultivate so many; who has the right to doubt him?
The title of the foremost figure in traditional medicine is well-deserved!
Even Lin Tian, whose skills surpass Zhao Xuefeng’s, does not fit that title.
This title is a tribute, a public affirmation of Zhao Xuefeng’s contributions to traditional medicine.
With tears in his eyes, looking at the students below the stage, Zhao Xuefeng’s mind was filled with thousands of thoughts.
He nodded, straightening his hunched back and said, "You are right, avoiding it is my irresponsibility to traditional medicine. I have been avoiding it for five years, I should not hide any longer. Tomorrow’s clinic, count this old man in."
The crowd was in an uproar, knowing that, in the last two sessions, Zhao Xuefeng had refused to attend.
Finally, he is returning to the field!
Looking down at the students, Zhao Xuefeng suddenly made a very important decision in his heart.
Although this decision is difficult to achieve, how will you know unless you try?