This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

Now, having heard Du Heng’s first explanation, he felt Du Heng was right. For a moment, he didn’t know whom to believe.

Dr. Wei was completely infuriated. No longer caring about his image as a revered expert, he asked harshly, ”You are blatantly slandering me! On what basis do you claim I don’t understand stroke?”

”Then listen carefully to my explanation,” Du Heng said. ”First, what is a stroke? It’s a condition where the patient’s heart fire rages and their kidney water is deficient; it’s an illness arising from the body’s own qi. Second, why do stroke patients lose consciousness in the early stages?”

At this point, Du Heng suddenly chuckled, easing the tension slightly. ”I must say, you were right about one thing: phlegm-related illnesses mostly originate from dampness, and when phlegm and dampness combine without dispersing, heat is inevitably generated. You’re correct on that point.”

Seeing Du Heng smile and hearing him concede a point, Dr. Wei felt a sense of relief.

However, Du Heng’s next words made his eyes widen. ”Phlegm generates heat, and extreme heat gives rise to wind. This doesn’t mean, as you claimed, that the heat must stem from liver fire exuberance. Any student of clinical traditional Chinese medicine knows these concepts are completely unrelated.”

Du Heng’s smile vanished, giving Dr. Wei no chance to speak. ”Let’s return to the previous question. Due to the patient’s deficiency of kidney water, yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire are inevitable. This causes phlegm to surge upwards with wind and fire, directly impacting the brain, which is what causes the patient to lose consciousness.”

Dr. Wei’s lips trembled slightly. ”That’s utter nonsense.”

A slight smile touched Du Heng’s lips as he replied softly, ”Is it? Heh. Well then, let’s talk about your supposedly infallible prescription.”

”There are many causes for an outbreak of heart fire: qi deficiency, blood deficiency, or both qi and blood deficiency. Depending on the underlying cause, different meridians are blocked by wind-phlegm. Let’s not discuss other scenarios today; we’ll use the case this gentleman mentioned as an example. A blood deficiency stroke affecting the left side leads to left-sided paralysis, while a qi deficiency stroke affecting the right side results in right-sided paralysis. If the patient also has difficulty speaking, then the wind-phlegm has likely affected the root of the tongue.”

Du Heng spoke as if he were back in his office, lecturing Wu Buwei and Xiao Li, tapping his fingers on the armrest of his chair. ”The patient has suffered a stroke, but its fundamental cause is a deficiency of both qi and blood. And your prescription consists entirely of Expelling Wind Medicine. Do you really think that’s useful?”

Then, his expression turned serious, and he said with a hint of rebuke, ”Given your level of diagnostic skill and that worthless prescription of yours, your actions are purely those of a charlatan.”

Dr. Wei grew flustered, his lips trembling and his eyes turning red.

Du Heng had pointed out two errors in Dr. Wei’s statements and even provided explanations. Dr. Wei desperately wanted to refute Du Heng, but he couldn’t find any flaws in Du Heng’s reasoning. Forget finding errors, he couldn’t even find a weak point to attack. What Du Heng had just said was remarkably consistent and coherent; any attempt to interject would seem jarring.

Dr. Wei was now panicking, his hands and feet trembling, his gaze unsteady.

If I’m defeated like this today, I’ll be utterly finished. This program will be televised, and Du Heng already has a significant following. I’m certain I’ll become famous, but it will be in infamy. No, I absolutely must find a point to counter!

After a moment’s thought, he actually found a point he could use for deliberate obfuscation. ”You… you… you say my diagnosis is wrong, but how can you prove your own diagnosis is correct? Aren’t you just spouting nonsense?”

Self-vindication!

Du Heng suddenly burst out laughing. ”Dr. Wei, do you remember when I asked if you knew what the XX journal is for? Hahaha, the XX journal is the core publication for papers on traditional Chinese medicine in the country. It’s the most authoritative industry journal for all traditional Chinese medicine practitioners nationwide. And the theories I’m discussing right now have all been published in this very journal.”

Du Heng’s laughter ceased abruptly, his eyes filled with an icy resolve.

He could overlook many things, but not when it came to treating patients with traditional Chinese medicine. That was non-negotiable. These current charlatans, barely possessing any real knowledge, who dared to use such specious prescriptions and even promote them on television—that was even more intolerable. If people like this were allowed to become famous, it would be the greatest stain on the traditional Chinese medicine profession, an insult to all dedicated colleagues in the field, and a betrayal of the trust of all patients who believed in traditional Chinese medicine.

Du Heng glanced towards the audience below the stage and gestured for Director Zheng, who had been watching, to hand him the journal he was holding. ”See this?” Du Heng said, indicating the journal. ”My latest paper, on the treatment of stroke paralysis, is in this issue. I had originally planned to present this during my introduction to, you know, boost my credibility a little and inform everyone how this condition should be treated and where to seek treatment. I never expected I’d need to use it in a confrontation like this.”

Du Heng then thrust the journal into Dr. Wei’s hands. ”This is my author’s copy. I’m giving it to you now, Dr. Wei. I hope you’ll study it carefully.”

Startled by Du Heng’s action, Dr. Wei fumbled to catch the journal, sweat pouring down his face relentlessly.

Du Heng looked at Dr. Wei, whose face was as white as his hair, clearly not intending to let him off the hook. ”You might argue that these are just words on paper, not practical evidence. You might also try to refute me by citing the few patients you’ve successfully treated.

”In that case, allow me to boast a little. To date, I have personally treated and cured over two hundred patients suffering from paralysis, hemiplegia, and full-body numbness.

”Furthermore, I collaborate with four treatment institutions: the Provincial First Hospital, the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Municipal First Hospital, and the Zhonghu Town Health Clinic. Collectively, these four institutions have cured nearly one thousand patients. The Zhonghu Town Health Clinic, my former workplace, accounts for the highest number, with over four hundred successfully treated cases.

”Is that evidence enough for you?”

Du Heng’s words were not only for Dr. Wei but also for the live audience. And if this program ever aired, his words were also for the viewers watching on television.

In fact, the Jinzhou Evening News had reported last year that he could treat tumors and paralysis, which had indeed caused quite a stir for a time. However, the tumor patients who sought him out were typically already in advanced stages, desperately hoping for a miracle. Most cancer patients discovered their illness late; furthermore, many remained skeptical of traditional Chinese medicine and distrustful of a doctor from a mere health clinic.

As for patients with paralysis, the lengthy treatment period was one factor, and the limited reach of the Jinzhou Evening News was another. Many who learned of Du Heng did so through word-of-mouth referrals.

Over time, Du Heng’s patient flow had stabilized. He wasn’t overwhelmingly busy, nor was he idle; patients came and went in a steady stream.

This is a perfect opportunity to promote my main services again, Du Heng thought. And now, with the added reach of short videos, I’m sure the next wave of patients isn’t far off.

Having said his piece, Du Heng felt there was no reason to stay longer and prepared to leave. But just as he rose to his feet, he turned back and added, ”Dr. Wei, I don’t know how many patients you’ve treated with this prescription, nor whether it was, as you claim, effective every single time. However, judging by your earlier diagnosis and the composition of your prescription, I find your claims hard to believe. Therefore, after leaving here, I intend to report you to your local health supervisory department. I sincerely hope, for everyone’s sake, that you are entirely correct, and I am mistaken.”

Watching Du Heng turn to leave, Dr. Wei slumped into his chair, all pretense of the venerable master utterly gone.

”President Du, why must you be so ruthless? I’m just trying to make a living,” Dr. Wei’s voice trembled slightly, tinged with a plea.

Du Heng paused, leaned close to Dr. Wei’s ear, and said softly, ”You might just be trying to make a living, but for the patients you ’treat,’ it’s not nearly so simple. If you are wrong, then right now, some of them are enduring unnecessary suffering, and others... others may have already been ’sent on their way’ by you. If that’s truly the case, then you are a... mur-der-er.”

Those last three words, delivered with icy severity, made Dr. Wei break out in a cold sweat all over.

Du Heng turned to leave; he truly didn’t want to stay a moment longer.

I’ve already decided, he thought, the first thing I’ll do when I get back is have the finance department refund the money to the TV station. I need an explanation. Why would they arrange for someone like him to share the stage with me, even providing him a platform to promote that utterly baseless theory and prescription? If their explanation isn’t satisfactory, I won’t hesitate to leverage the power of the internet, or even pull a few strings.