"Old Wang, how about… I give it a try?"
Chen Feng asked without hesitation, a strong sense of national pride surging within him.
"You?"
Old Wang asked, his face filled with confusion.
"Yes, me."
"No, you're too young. Assisting in difficult surgeries with TCM acupuncture requires an extremely experienced senior TCM physician. The Japanese doctor I mentioned earlier is precisely such a physician. To put it frankly, only this Japanese doctor in the entire hospital can be my assistant. If there were any Chinese senior TCM physicians available, I wouldn't use a Japanese doctor as an assistant. I still have that sense of national integrity."
Old Wang explained patiently.
"..."
Chen Feng didn't want to argue with Old Wang any further.
He was also a TCM practitioner and understood that in TCM diagnosis and treatment, as well as surgery, the mind must be absolutely calm. Arguing with Old Wang over a damned Japanese doctor was unnecessary.
Since Old Wang said this Japanese TCM physician was very skilled, he would just watch from the side and see if this Japanese doctor was as legendary as claimed.
Soon, the Japanese TCM physician arrived, looking quite self-satisfied.
"Dr. Wang, there are so many Chinese compatriots in the hospital today. You could just find one of them to assist you in surgery. There's no need to call me over, is there?"
The Japanese doctor said mockingly.
"The patient has a problem with the neurons in the right brain. It requires acupuncture, a very complex acupuncture procedure. Ordinary doctors cannot cooperate with me, so only you can."
Old Wang explained word by word.
Although he was displeased, he had to tolerate it.
There was no other way. It wasn't that this Japanese doctor was so impressive, but rather that he was older than the other Chinese TCM physicians present.
TCM, to a certain extent, relies on the physician's age.
An older doctor signifies more practical experience in TCM.
Conversely, a younger doctor indicates less practical experience.
A skilled TCM physician with divine hands could only be a doctor with more time invested in TCM.
Without the accumulation of time, it was impossible to become a qualified senior TCM physician.
"Dr. Wang, say that again. What surgery are you about to perform?"
The Japanese doctor's demeanor changed by a hundred and eighty degrees.
He had been arrogant moments ago, looking down on all the TCM physicians present, but now he seemed to have wilted.
"Right brain neuron disorder."
Old Wang, not understanding why, replied truthfully.
"Oh, right, Dr. Wang. I just remembered, I have another patient who urgently needs me for surgery, so I won't be able to be your assistant."
With that, the Japanese doctor left in a hurry, looking disheveled.
"Old Wang, what's going on?"
Chen Feng asked knowingly.
"Ah, what else could it be? This patient's condition requires acupuncture, which is too difficult. The Japanese doctor got scared too. Chen Feng, you've seen it yourself. It's not that I'm refusing to save a life, but there's simply no one to assist me. A surgery, especially a difficult one, cannot be done without an assistant."
After saying that, Old Wang was about to signal Chen Feng to take the patient and leave.
"Old Wang, how about I give it a try?"
"You try?"
"Yes, I'll try. We'll treat a dead horse as if it were alive. If I take the patient back to China now, the patient will only have a dead end. Since the patient is already facing a dead end, why not try to save a dead horse?"
Chen Feng explained.
"That makes sense. Let's try to save the dead horse, then."
After some thought, Old Wang agreed.
Thus, the surgery commenced immediately.
Initially, Chen Feng thought assisting Old Wang in surgery would be very difficult.
However, as he began to operate, Chen Feng found that being Old Wang's assistant wasn't as difficult as he had imagined.
It was simply a matter of accurately predicting what acupuncture needle Old Wang would need next and quickly handing it to him.
This was also the profound depth of Chinese medicine.
A small acupuncture needle could come in thousands of varieties.
Each type of needle had a specific function.
They couldn't be used carelessly; they had to be applied precisely to the ailment!
In this manner, the surgery proceeded smoothly until the very end.
Just as Old Wang was preparing to use a "Little Phoenix Needle" for the patient's final step, Chen Feng stopped him.
"Old Wang, for the final step of the procedure, you shouldn't use the Little Phoenix Needle. It would be better to use a Little Dragon Needle."
Chen Feng said in a very low voice.
"Chen Feng, you say you understand TCM. Are you sure you truly understand it? The difference between a Little Phoenix Needle and a Big Phoenix Needle is known to anyone with even a little knowledge of TCM."
Old Wang furrowed his brow and said.
He had originally intended to heavily praise Chen Feng for bravely stepping up to be his assistant and for thoroughly teaching that arrogant Japanese TCM physician a lesson. But now, at the very end, he had made a fatal mistake.
To be precise, any TCM practitioner knew the difference between a Little Phoenix Needle and a Big Phoenix Needle.
"Old Wang, according to standard TCM practice, you would certainly use a Little Phoenix Needle for the conclusion of this surgery. However, the problem is that the most important aspect of Chinese medicine is that it doesn't strictly adhere to standard practice. TCM emphasizes analyzing specific situations and prescribing accordingly."
Chen Feng explained with a serious expression.
"Then tell me, why should you use a Big Phoenix Needle instead of a Little Phoenix Needle? If you can't give me a clear and logical reason, then I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave Japan immediately, so as not to be ridiculed by the Japanese for us Chinese."
Old Wang replied with a stern expression.
"Old Wang, please take a closer look. Are the patient's brainstem capillaries of normal size, or are they larger than normal?"
Chen Feng asked calmly.
Old Wang looked closely and immediately understood.
If the brainstem capillaries were of normal size or even smaller than normal, a Little Phoenix Needle would be used for the conclusion.
However, if the patient's brainstem capillaries were larger than normal brainstem capillaries, a Big Phoenix Needle must be used.
He had been careless earlier. Because the surgery had gone so smoothly, he assumed the final step would also be smooth and didn't bother to observe further.
Who would have thought that this very last step, due to his carelessness, almost led to a fatal mistake?
Using a Little Phoenix Needle to conclude a procedure for large brainstem capillaries would result in an imprecise conclusion that would likely rupture soon.
Once the brainstem capillaries ruptured, the patient would surely die.
"Chen Feng, I was wrong. You are correct."
Old Wang said, breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Old Wang, you shouldn't think of it that way. TCM is inherently profound and ever-changing. Making mistakes is perfectly normal."
Chen Feng comforted Old Wang.
"You young man, you're quite good at comforting people. To be honest, if it were anyone else, they would have probably mocked me mercilessly. Hmm, your actions remind me of a characteristic of TCM: it is profound and vast, yet it doesn't show off; it's very low-key. How about this, since you're here in Japan, would you be willing to give a TCM lecture to the Japanese doctors?"
Old Wang asked excitedly.
"At my age, giving a TCM lecture might not be appropriate, would it?"
Chen Feng replied humbly.
"It's appropriate, why wouldn't it be? Generally, TCM does emphasize seniority and medical age. However, TCM has another significant characteristic: as long as your practical skills are superb, nothing else matters."
Old Wang strongly urged Chen Feng to give a lecture.
"Old Wang, after you put it that way, it does make sense. I do have some insights into TCM. Moreover, in terms of promoting traditional Chinese medicine, giving a TCM lecture shouldn't be a major issue."
Chen Feng said with a serious expression.
"Chen Feng, so you mean you agree to give a TCM lecture in Japan?"
Old Wang asked excitedly.
"We can hold a lecture, but we must first clear the political obstacles."
Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Chen Feng, a TCM lecture is purely academic. What does it have to do with politics?"
Old Wang asked, utterly bewildered.
"Of course, it's related! Japan and China have always had a hostile relationship. If we were to hold a TCM lecture without the approval of the Japanese political circles, then the Japanese political circles could use this matter to stir up trouble in the relationship between Japan and China. You've been in Japanese political circles for so many years, you should know that in Japan, anything that opposes China is considered right, and it gains support."
Chen Feng explained.
"That makes sense! The question is, which big figure in the Japanese political circles would be best to approach for this discussion?"
Old Wang asked.