This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

”No, I’m busy here.” When Du Heng received Director Wu’s phone call, he showed great reluctance.

He wasn’t a saint, so he couldn’t just let it slide. A month ago, he had been looked down upon. As soon as they met, he was subjected to all sorts of lectures. Although he hadn’t suffered any actual losses, that indignation wasn’t so easy to swallow.

Director Wu, on the other end of the phone, seemed to have anticipated Du Heng’s reaction. Hearing his words, he wasn’t surprised at all. He continued to persuade him softly, ”Xiao Du, you’re not helping Qian; you’re helping the Patient. I just checked, and it’s highly probable that it’s a collapse of Yang. The longer we delay, the more danger the Patient is in.”

Although Director Wu couldn’t see him, Du Heng still shook his head. ”Let him handle it himself. He’s a Western Medicine Doctor. Without consulting anyone or seeking out a TCM practitioner, he dared to prescribe such a potent decoction medicine for the Patient. Does he look down on Chinese herbal medicine, or does he look down on us TCM practitioners? It’s clear he thinks he can manage it on his own and doesn’t want us around, finding us an eyesore.”

Director Wu’s voice suddenly hardened. ”Xiao Du, we can discuss personal grievances later. Saving a life is the priority now. Besides, this Patient took the Mirabilite and Radish Seed Decoction. If something irreversible happens, it will have a significant impact on traditional Chinese medicine as well. Alright, I’ll find an opportunity to restore your dignity later. But for now, hurry over and take a look at this Patient. All the emergency measures in the Department of Digestive have been tried, but the results are far from ideal. We really can’t delay any longer.”

Du Heng sighed. Now that Director Wu had put it that way, what else could he do?

Upon arriving at the Department of Digestive, neither Du Heng nor Director Qian said a word. There was a palpable sense of mutual dislike between them. Fortunately, Director Wu was present. As a mediator, he prevented the situation from becoming too awkward. Under Director Wu’s guidance, Du Heng finally saw the Patient. The Patient was lying on the bed, trembling gently.

After a quick examination, Du Heng turned to Director Wu and said, ”That’s right, it’s a collapse of Yang.”

”You’re familiar with this condition. Think of a solution quickly,” Director Wu said without mincing words, directly asking Du Heng to intervene.

Du Heng glanced at Director Qian beside him and then said directly, ”Aconite, cassia oil, agarwood, amomum, red ginseng... Prepare a decoction with strong fire. Serve it as soon as it’s ready. Quickly.”

Director Wu stood there, slightly confused. But after just three seconds, he suddenly realized something was amiss. Who was Du Heng talking to? It must be the people standing behind him. But among those people, aside from himself—a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who understood what Du Heng meant—the others didn’t understand a single word. With no other choice, Director Wu had to act as Du Heng’s gofer, picking up the phone to make the arrangements.

Meanwhile, Du Heng wasn’t idle. He stood up and called Cao Binghe, asking him to quickly bring the large moxa column from their department. Even if the decoction was prepared with strong fire, the aconite in it meant it would take at least a quarter of an hour to be ready. So, Cao Binghe was the first to arrive.

”Doctor Du, here’s the moxa column you asked for.” Cao Binghe, panting slightly, handed Du Heng the large moxa column from his pocket.

Du Heng took it, glanced at the moxa column in his hand, then at the Patient on the sick bed. ”Family member, please lay your father flat and pull up the clothing over his stomach. By the way, do you smoke? Let me borrow your lighter.”

Once the family member had everything ready, Du Heng placed the lit large moxa column directly onto the old man’s navel. ”Watch your father carefully. Don’t let him knock the moxa column off; it will cause a burn.” Du Heng nervously observed the burning moxa column, simultaneously instructing the family member to monitor the Patient’s condition. The skin on the abdomen is quite delicate. If that burning moxa column were to topple, it would undoubtedly cause a burn, and a very painful one at that.

Director Qian and his group watched Du Heng’s activities with curiosity, having no idea what the purpose of his actions was. Moreover, they were aware of the issue between Du Heng and their Director, so to save their Director’s face, they didn’t dare to ask.

Cao Binghe, however, wasn’t concerned with such things. If there’s something I don’t understand, I’ll ask. Ever since Lan Changhua had gone home, his biggest backer in the Hospital was gone. When he encountered something he didn’t understand, there was no one left to consult. Although he and Director Wu shared the same Teacher, their relationship was no different from that of ordinary acquaintances. But thankfully, Du Heng had appeared. Du Heng’s foundational knowledge was very solid, so he wouldn’t let any opportunity slip by.

”Doctor Du, why are you applying moxibustion to the Spirit Gate Tower acupoint?”

The Spirit Gate Tower acupoint is located in the center of the navel, at the umbilicus. Du Heng, carefully watching the burning moxa column, heard Cao Binghe’s question and whispered in reply, ”The Spirit Gate Tower acupoint is part of the Ren meridian. It has the effects of cultivating original qi, consolidating the root, covering yang and stemming dying.”

Cao Binghe opened his mouth, wanting to ask more, but he didn’t quite know how to phrase his next question.

Fortunately, Du Heng continued, ”The Patient’s limbs are currently cold. This is a sign of severe damage to the original yang of the spleen and kidney. Furthermore, as Director Wu relayed earlier, the Patient also feels a cold qi surging upwards from his abdomen. This indicates that the Ren and Chong meridians are failing to anchor below. Therefore, to save the person, isolated treatments are ineffective. We must achieve four things simultaneously: warm kidney, settle tetany, stem counterflow, and stem desertion. Only by this four-pronged approach can we achieve the desired outcome.”