Chapter 11: The Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique

Having been in the state of despair for 20 years, Ye Shulan was more than shocked upon seeing the hope. She subconsciously looked at Shen Muyang.

The key to letting that stubborn young man cure her daughter was Shen Muyang the trouble maker.

“Damn you. Is it that hard for you to apologize?” She made up her mind to call her husband at dawn and let him persuade this little stubborn donkey.

Mr. Hu was old and frail. He now finally had fetched the report in his shaking hands. When he compared the report with the ultrasound, he trembled with excitement, and his face shone an inexplicable brilliance.

He said, “This… This is the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique.”

“Old Hu, what did you say? This is the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique?”

Doctor Zhang’s body shook as he asked excitedly.

“Correct. I’ve seen the hand-manipulating of needles of the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique on an ancient medical book. The track on the book is very similar to the acupuncture technique used by this young man. I’m 80% sure that he used the long gone Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique.”

Doctor Hu was so thrilled and said with excitement, “If the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique really has reappeared in this world, it’s a great fortune to the traditional Chinese medicine and all living mankind.”

“Old Hu, what is this Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique exactly? Tell us about it.”

Director Zhao immediately became highly spirited. If this Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique was really that incredible as Old Hu said, it would add a great credit to his achievements in the official career.

“Yeah, Old Hu, tell us about it.”

Executive Zhou also responded quickly. He realized that this was a great opportunity. The traditional Chinese medicine had been on the decline for a long time. If he could recruit this Ding Ning under the banner of revitalizing traditional Chinese medicine, the reputation of the Changjiang Hospital would surge.

Doctor Hu was so glad to hear this. He stroked his beard and said, “As you all know, ‘The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine’ was written between the Period of Warring States and Qin and Han Dynasty. It was the earliest medical book in Chinese history. The truth is that it’s not. According to the ancient medical books, before ‘The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine’, there was a school of incredible medicine in ancient times. The legend of Shennong tasting a hundred herbs is the best proof of it.”

“Humph, as you said, Shennong tasting a hundred herbs was just a legend. Who can prove that he really existed?”

John Mac said with disdain. Although he was also shocked by the report, he thought it was just a coincidence. He did not believe in traditional Chinese medicine at all.

Doctor Hu did not care to retort this hopeless Fake Foreign Devil. He rolled his eyes up and said, “I said only because Director Zhao asked me to. You can go home if you don’t want to listen.”

“You…” When John Mac was about to refute, he saw Director Zhao glaring at him. He then made a smart move to shut his mouth.

Doctor Hu finally made this Fake Foreign Devil quiet. He then said at ease, “The Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique is an acupuncture technique at the times of Shennong. It was Chiyou that invented this.”

“What? Chiyou? Wasn’t he the nemesis to the Yan Emperor and Yellow Emperor? How could he know about medicine?”

John Mac impolitely interrupted Old Hu again, which made Director Zhao incensed. He said coldly,

“Doctor Mac, have you forgotten the most basic manners of our country? Don’t you know that people should respect the elders? Don’t you know that it’s impolite to interrupt others? You can go out if you don’t want to listen.”

John Mac blushed after being reprimanded in public. If someone else did this to him, he would definitely stand up and retort back. However, facing Director Zhao, he did not have the courage to do so at all.

He could only force a smile and said, “Director Zhao, please don’t get angry. I won’t speak. I won’t speak now.”

“Humph!” Director Zhao snorted coldly. When he turned his head to Old Hu, he said with a beaming face, “Elder Hu, please continue.”

Doctor Hu stroked his beard, shot John Mac a winner’s glance and said, “In your knowledge, there was a war between Chiyou’s tribe and Yan Huang’s tribe. The truth was that Chiyou was relative to Shennong. In ‘Lushi—Biography of Chiyou’, it says that Chiyou was surnamed Jiang and also a descendant of Yan Emperor. Many people think that Shennong was Yan Emperor himself, it’s wrong. Both Yan Emperor and Chiyou were descendants of Shennong’s tribe and they both had developed their farming tribes. Yan Emperor’s tribe was the lineal descendant of Shennong’s tribe. Because of his ancestor Shennong’s great achievement of inventing the ploughs and plowshares, Yan Emperor’s tribe became the leader of the farming tribes and was titled ‘Yan Emperor’. Yan Emperor and Shennong were at different periods of times.”

The crowd was fascinated by the story as if they were listening to myths and legends. Even John Mac had an animated expression.

“Chiyou was the chieftain of the Jiuli Tribe and the leader of the Wu Tribe. He was good at taming ghosts and deities and exorcising evil spirits. It was said that the witch doctors and poisonous magics in Southwest China and the Tame Head skill in the South Sea were passed down from Chiyou. The Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique was invented by him to exorcise evil spirits, and it had an incredible effect. Unfortunately, he died in the war, and the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique was lost.”

Doctor Hu shook his head and sighed, saying, “Since the beginning of history, the winner takes it all. The winner wrote history books. Chiyou was defeated in the tribe war, so it was up to Yan Huang tribe to say if Chiyou was a good man or not. After all, Chiyou and Yan Emperor were both competing for the chieftain of the Shennong tribe. After Yan Emperor lost, he joined forces with Yellow Emperor and defeated Chiyou. Yan Emperor naturally did not want to say good things about his enemy. There was another version in the ancient medical books, that Shennong taught the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique to Chiyou. Strictly speaking, Yan Emperor and Chiyou were both descendants of Shennong. The truth had long been buried in the long river of history. We could only conjecture from pieces of words on ancient history books. There are pieces of evidence indicating that the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique did exist. Chiyou had used this technique to make his soldiers stronger, thus defeating Yan Emperor in the early stage.”

“Correct. I’ve read the introduction of the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique from ancient medical books. It’s said that this needle skill could snatch the fortune of heaven and earth and turn one’s fortune against heaven’s will. I thought it was just a legend. It has never come to me that it really exists.”

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Doctor Zhang nodded and affirmed that the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique was recorded in ancient books.

Now, everybody could not stay calm, especially those who studied traditional Chinese medicine. This kind of incredible needle technique was tremendously good news to traditional Chinese medicine.

However, it was not good news for people who advocated western medicine, such as John Mac. With Director Zhao present, he dared not say anything bad about it again in case offending Director Zhao.

Ye Shulan and his son were thinking more about it. If Ding Ning really had commanded the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique, it was now hopeful for Shen Muqing’s disease to be cured.

Director Song from the cardiothoracic department of Renhe Hospital asked in a low voice, “Elder Hu, if that kid really used the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique, why didn’t he just completely cure the patient?”

“Haha, Director Song, there’s something you don’t understand. The traditional Chinese medicine is not like western medicine, and its essence is advancing gradually in due order. With more experience, one’s capability will grow much stronger in older age. As incredible as the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique is, a kid at his 20s cannot take the full command of this technique. A doctor has his professional integrity, so if he really has complete command of the Nine Ghosts and 13-needle Technique, he shouldn’t have just used seven needles to stabilize the patient’s condition. I reckon that the seven needles are his current limit. To completely cure the patient, I’m afraid that we have to wait until he becomes able to wield the eighth or even ninth needle.”

Doctor Hu stroked his beard on his chin and said with a smile, “According to Executive Zhou, that kid, Ding Ning, saved the patient out of his sense of justice. We can tell that he is a young man with medical ethics. Such a lofty youth will not save a patient without his full effort.”

“Correct. I’ve asked this young man, and he told me that he is unable to cure my daughter yet. So, I think Elder Hu’s conjecture is quite correct.”

Ye Shulan suddenly interrupted, affirming his speculation.

Doctor Zhang and Doctor Hu looked at each other with surprise and said, “Lady, you have met that youth?”

“Yes, I have.” Ye Shulan looked at them in surprise.

Doctor Hu said with some embarrassment, “Uh… Would you do us a favor and introduce us to him?”

“Introduce? Do you want to see a doctor?” Ye Shulan was more confused.

“No. We uh… We want to acknowledge him as our master.” Doctor Zhang rubbed his hands and said with a strange face.

“Acknowledge him as your master? Are you sure? You’re the leading scholars in traditional Chinese medicine!” Ye Shulan was stunned. She could not comprehend their thoughts.

The two famous old doctors flushed upon hearing this. Doctor Hu said at ease,

“There is no age difference in the course of pursuing knowledge. One who knows more is the master. Although he is young, his capability is better than us. So, there’s no humiliation to take him as our master. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine has declined, and if we want to revitalize it, we have to swallow our pride. As long as we can revitalize it, it doesn’t matter if we kneel and kowtow to him.”

“Yeah. Traditional Chinese medicine is the most precious treasure that our ancestors gave us, yet we have just learned a little about it. We failed to promote it. Every time I thought of this, my heart ached. If I die, I won’t have the face to go down there and meet our ancestors.”

Doctor Zhang said sadly.

The crowd was moved by these two doctors’ true feelings and real intentions, and even John Mac was shocked. What kind of charm did traditional Chinese medicine have, that even two leading authorities could swallow their pride like this?

Ye Shulan was in a dilemma. She could not refuse these two old, enthusiastic doctors out of courtesy. But would that stubborn and eccentric little guy, Ding Ning, be mad at her because of her introduction?

What if he then refused to cure her daughter? Wouldn’t she be hoist with her own petard?

She then smiled bitterly and said, “Elders, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. I just can’t promise you before I ask him. What about this? When I meet him next time, I will try to sound out his opinions. If he is willing to meet you, I’ll let you know. Is this okay?”

Doctor Hu and Doctor Zhang also knew that it was too abrupt to meet that youth directly. They handed over their business cards to Ye Shulan and said nicely,

“Then may I trouble you, lady Ye. Please let us know in time.”

“Sure thing!”

Ye Shulan took the business cards speechlessly and thought, “This Ding Ning. Since when have I become someone who passes words.”

…

On the 12th floor of the inpatient department, Li Wensheng woke up and found himself lying on the cold corridor. He was blank at the moment. “Why am I sleeping here?”

It was not until he remembered the previous scene that his face changed dramatically, and he stood on his feet, shivering. He then looked around carefully, encouraged himself and turned the lights on before he did not find that evil ghost.

When the corridor was lit up, he felt relieved. He then rushed to the nurse duty room and shouted in a low voice, “Wang Juan. Wang Juan.”