Chapter 17: Master Physician Mo

"Please wait a moment."

Just as he returned to the street, the elegant young woman caught up with him.

Lin Yuan paused, asking, "Is there something you need?"

She extended her hand and said, "Let’s get to know each other. I’m Ye Peilan, a physician at Licorice Hall. My mentor is Master Mo Fuqing, a National Medical Grandmaster. You must have heard of him."

"My name is Lin Yuan. As for Mo Fuqing, I don’t know him." Lin Yuan shook her hand briefly.

"Your acupuncture skills are impressive; you must have been trained by a master. If you’re willing, you can come to Licorice Hall and be the head of our acupuncture department," Ye Peilan offered.

"Not interested. I only go after big money," Lin Yuan refused, turning to leave.

"Wait! Why are you in such a hurry? If you want to make big money, I have a job for you," Ye Peilan called after him.

"What kind of job?" Lin Yuan’s curiosity was piqued.

"You know the Jin family, right? Old Master Jin has lung cancer, but he refuses chemotherapy. Right now, they’re seeking a brilliant traditional physician, but no one dares to take the case. If you can cure him, the Jin family is willing to pay fifty million."

"The reward is high, but so is the risk. If you fail, the Jin family won’t pay a cent. If anything happens to Old Master Jin during treatment, you’ll be held responsible as well."

"You must think this through carefully." Ye Peilan’s tone was grave.

"I’ll take it!" Lin Yuan replied at once.

"Really?" Ye Peilan looked at him skeptically. "Are you sure you can cure his lung cancer?"

"I’m confident. If he hasn’t had chemotherapy, I can cure him with decoctions alone," Lin Yuan replied, brimming with certainty.

"Good, I’ll take you to the Jin family right now." Ye Peilan wasted no more words, calling her assistant on her phone.

"Bring the car around. I’m at..."

When she finished the call, Lin Yuan asked, "What’s your connection to the Jin family?"

"My aunt married into the Jin family. Right now, she’s on the rise in her career. If Old Master Jin dies, it’ll be disastrous for her and even the whole Jin family."

She made no attempt to hide anything.

Lin Yuan asked no further questions.

Soon, the assistant arrived with the car. The two got in and rode in silence.

They arrived at the Jin family estate.

Familiar with the way, Ye Peilan led Lin Yuan straight to the sickroom on the first floor.

The room was already crowded.

"Peilan, you’re here." A graceful woman with a weary face forced a smile at her.

"Aunt, you must get some rest," Ye Peilan said with concern, seeing her condition.

"I’m fine, really, it’s just Old Master Jin... sigh..." Ye Shixuan cast a disappointed glance at the group of doctors in white coats and sighed.

"They’re... Yi Tianming’s team?" Ye Peilan recognized them at once.

"Yes," Ye Shixuan nodded.

"Old Master Jin, your condition is not optimistic. The tumor has reached the late stage and is showing signs of spreading to the liver."

"Our treatment plan involves injections of chemical agents. These drugs can eliminate some cancer cells but will also cause some damage to the liver and kidneys."

"If you’re willing to accept this, please have a family member sign the consent form. Our team will begin treatment immediately," a female doctor from the team explained.

Old Master Jin, looking frail, spoke slowly, "I don’t want injections. I want Peilan to treat me..."

"Father, don’t be stubborn. How could those roots and barks possibly cure disease? Listen to Dr. Yi—he’s a renowned master of internal medicine!" The speaker was a rotund, large-eared middle-aged man, Jin Gao, Old Master Jin’s eldest son.

"Big brother, let Peilan try," his second son, Jin Yue, interjected. Tall and thin, with gold-rimmed glasses, he exuded a gentle elegance.

"No. I said no, and that’s final," Jin Gao said with an air of authority.

"What nonsense, this power struggle is more complicated than you let on. Why didn’t you warn me?" Lin Yuan muttered, losing any inclination to treat the patient.

"I didn’t know either," Ye Peilan replied, equally helpless.

"Forget it, I’m leaving. I don’t need the money anyway," Lin Yuan decided, turning to go.

"Wait..." Ye Peilan grabbed his hand and stepped to the bedside. She addressed Old Master Jin, "Grandpa Jin, let him try. He’s confident he can help you. Just a short while ago, he saved a little girl who was on the brink of death."

"Very well, I trust Peilan. Let him proceed." Old Master Jin didn’t have high hopes, but he trusted Ye Peilan.

"Don’t worry. Since I’m here, I have absolute confidence," Lin Yuan said, immediately taking out his silver needles.

Seeing this, the doctors from Yi Tianming’s team grew agitated.

"No, I object!" the female doctor declared.

"That’s right, we object!" Yi Tianming agreed.

"Father, I object as well!" Jin Gao added.

"I approve!" Old Master Jin mustered his strength and spoke loudly.

Yi Tianming gritted his teeth. "Old Master Jin, please reconsider! Herbal medicine can be highly toxic to the liver and kidneys. Your condition can’t afford any more delays! If anything happens, we can’t bear the responsibility!"

The female doctor glared fiercely at Lin Yuan, "Kid, you’re so young—how could you possibly understand medicine? You must be a charlatan, daring to swindle Old Master Jin. Will you take responsibility if something happens?"

"If you know what’s good for you, get out now. If I report you for practicing medicine without a license, you’ll end up in prison!"

Lin Yuan slowly pulled out a certificate from his sack.

"Sorry, I have a license."

"What?" Seeing his medical license, the dozen or so doctors on Yi Tianming’s team were dumbfounded.

Lin Yuan looked no older than eighteen, yet he was certified?

All of them had spent over a decade studying before they earned their credentials!

"Since Old Master Jin has agreed, you may all leave," Lin Yuan said coolly, wasting no more words. "Sir, please lie on your stomach."

"All right." Old Master Jin complied obediently.

Witnessing this, Yi Tianming was far from reconciled.

He was just considering how to drive Lin Yuan out when footsteps sounded outside.

"Am I late?" An energetic old man carrying a medicine chest strode in.

"Master Mo!" The entire room was startled.

Even Yi Tianming’s team of doctors greeted him respectfully.

For before them stood a National Medical Grandmaster!

"Master Mo, you’ve finally arrived." Jin Yue breathed a sigh of relief.

"Master, weren’t you abroad treating the Queen?" Ye Peilan exclaimed in delight. With her teacher here, she felt even more assured.

"Haha, I finished last night. She had a gynecological infection—antibiotics didn’t work, and she’d even cultivated a superbug. I used a heat-clearing method and cured her on the spot!" Mo Fuqing laughed heartily, then turned to Lin Yuan, who was preparing his needles, and barked, "What do you think you’re doing? Don’t touch the patient!"

Yi Tianming declared, "Master Mo, this young man is a charlatan—I have no idea where Peilan found him."

"Old Master Jin has given me permission. Please all leave so I can get to work," Lin Yuan said calmly.

The female doctor sneered, "You’re still pretending in front of Master Mo? Who gave you the right to treat Old Master Jin?"

"Exactly! Now that Master Mo is here, even our team must step aside. Who do you think you are?"

"That’s right—are you claiming to be better than a National Medical Grandmaster?"

"Hurry up and get out. Make way for Master Mo!"

The crowd of doctors all joined in, criticizing and pressing him to leave.