Chapter 373: Chapter 373: Chicken Gallbladder

In the treasure trove of traditional medicine, there’s a precious medicinal ingredient often discarded by many households—the Chicken Gallbladder.

It looks ordinary, yet it holds untold wisdom for health preservation.

Chicken Gallbladder—it sounds like some kind of mystical Chinese medicinal herb.

In fact, it’s the tough, yellow, horny membrane on the inner layer of a chicken’s stomach, commonly seen in daily cooking.

In the *Compendium of Materia Medica*, Li Shizhen detailed the medicinal value of the Chicken Gallbladder.

The Chicken Gallbladder is primarily used to treat "painful urination, acid reflux and vomiting, dysentery with loss of appetite, throat obstruction and tonsillitis, all types of mouth sores, and sores on the shins."

This seemingly ordinary inner wall of a chicken’s stomach has been regarded by traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times as a "superb digestive aid," possessing excellent effects in dispelling food stagnation, strengthening the stomach, and aiding digestion.

Why is the Chicken Gallbladder so magical?

According to modern pharmacological research, the Chicken Gallbladder possesses multiple bioactive properties.

It is rich in digestive enzymes like protease and amylase, which help break down protein and starch in food, making it a natural "digestive agent."

Furthermore, it contains special polysaccharides that have antioxidant and immune-regulating effects, providing comprehensive support for human health.

Traditional Chinese medicine, on the other hand, believes that,

the Chicken Gallbladder is neutral in nature and sweet in taste, affecting the spleen and stomach meridians, and has a good effect on dispelling food and relieving stagnation.

For issues like indigestion and bloating caused by poor dietary habits or overeating, the Chicken Gallbladder can provide significant relief.

This is especially true for people who frequently consume rich, greasy foods; taking an appropriate amount of Chicken Gallbladder can help their gastrointestinal tract better digest these hard-to-process foods.

The Chicken Gallbladder is rich in digestive enzymes that can break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in food.

In traditional Chinese medicine theory, spleen deficiency and excess dampness are common causes of diarrhea.

The Chicken Gallbladder has the effect of strengthening the spleen and dispelling dampness, which can help improve symptoms like diarrhea due to spleen deficiency and loose stools.

It also dissolves stones.

This might be one of the Chicken Gallbladder’s most well-known effects.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes the Chicken Gallbladder has the effect of softening hardness and dispersing nodules, and it can serve as an adjunctive therapy for gallstones, urinary tract stones, and the like.

Modern pharmacological studies have also confirmed that certain components in the Chicken Gallbladder can inhibit the formation of calcium oxalate crystals and reduce the concentration of oxalic acid in urine, thereby reducing the formation and growth of stones.

Other effects include lowering blood sugar, and having antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

However, the information he had indicated that the raw chicken gallstone is a medicine for softening hardness and dispersing nodules, capable of treating stones and tumors.

It was perfectly suited for Ai Shengbing.

It was the main medicine for the second phase of his treatment.

However, Li Xu had a concern.

Most chickens nowadays are factory-farmed "fast-growth" chickens with short lifecycles. The medicinal efficacy of their gallbladders is greatly diminished, and the Chicken Gallbladders sold on the market are generally of average quality.

The best Chicken Gallbladders must come from free-range chickens, specifically country chickens raised in rural households.

These chickens have a long growth cycle, are very active, and have strong digestive systems, which makes the medicinal effects of their gallbladders superior.

Li Xu decided to find them himself.

There were fewer people in the countryside now, and many families no longer raised chickens.

But then he remembered something from his last meal with Ding Kaifang.

Ding Kaifang had mentioned that the Feng City Restaurant used free-range mountain chickens, which tasted superb and had a stable supply.

’I’ll go buy some chickens myself.’

Li Xu dialed Ding Kaifang’s number.

"President Ding, keeping busy?" Li Xu asked, making small talk.

"Yeah, things at the factory have been hectic lately. I’ve been swamped."

Ding Kaifang sounded a bit tired, but his tone carried a hint of excitement. "Doctor Li, do you have more good news for me?"

Li Xu chuckled. "There isn’t that much good news to go around. I wanted to ask you something. Last time, you mentioned the stir-fried chicken at Feng City Restaurant is from free-range chickens. Who’s their supplier?"

"Oh, you’re asking about the chickens at Feng City Restaurant."

As one of the invested enterprises of the Ding Group, Ding Kaifang was very familiar with Feng City Restaurant. He answered without a second thought, "We use ’Yude Free-range Chicken.’ They’re raised free-range on Jiuding Mountain in the suburbs, completely natural and pollution-free. They supply several major restaurants and supermarkets, and they’re a big hit online too."

"Yude Free-range Chicken?"

Li Xu committed the name to memory.

"Doctor Li, do you want to eat some chicken? Or buy some? I can call the restaurant and have them send some over to you," Ding Kaifang said.

"No need. I want to go see for myself."

After hanging up, Li Xu searched for "Yude Free-range Chicken" online.

Sure enough, a ton of search results about the chicken farm popped up. "All-natural free-range," "grain-fed," "organic certified"... his eyes glazed over from all the glowing descriptions.

The Chicken Gallbladder was a core component in Ai Shengbing’s treatment.

Li Xu wouldn’t be at ease until he saw it with his own eyes.

He told Song Sisi to watch the house.

Li Xu hailed a cab and headed straight for Jiuding Mountain in the suburbs.

About an hour later, the taxi stopped beside a winding mountain road.

"That’s Jiuding Mountain up ahead. The chicken farm is on the mountain; the car can’t go any further."

The driver pointed to a distant, tree-covered hillside.

Li Xu paid the fare and started walking up the mountain road.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and plants, and he could occasionally hear the crisp chirping of birds.

After walking for about ten minutes, an open area came into view.

From a distance, he could see a large area where a number of energetic-looking chickens were running about.

As Li Xu got closer, he saw that the chickens had glossy feathers and sturdy builds. They certainly looked the part of free-range country chickens.

However, what surprised him even more was that there was still quite a bit of green grass on the ground inside the chicken farm.

Having grown up in the countryside, Li Xu knew chicken behavior like the back of his hand.

Chickens are extremely destructive, especially free-range ones. If there are enough of them, they will quickly peck a grassy area clean, leaving it completely bare.

But at this chicken farm, despite the considerable number of chickens, the grass on the ground was still lush and green.

He felt a pang of suspicion, but didn’t dwell on it. ’Maybe the grass just grows especially fast here?’

He passed through a simple wooden gate and entered the chicken farm.

A tan, lean middle-aged man came up to greet him.

"Hello, are you here to buy chickens?" the middle-aged man asked with a beaming smile.

"Yes. Are you Boss Zhang, Zhang Youde?" Li Xu asked.

"Ah, that’s me!"

Zhang Youde enthusiastically extended his hand. "Our chickens here are genuine free-range country chickens. You’ve definitely come to the right place!"

Zhang Youde led Li Xu on a tour, chattering nonstop about their chicken-raising philosophy.

"Our ’Yude Free-range Chicken’ is the talk of Feng City! They’re all raised free-range on Jiuding Mountain, fed whole grains, and drink mountain spring water. Absolutely natural and pollution-free. We even have a registered trademark and organic certification. If you don’t believe me, take a look."

As he spoke, he pointed to the various certificates and plaques hanging on a wall.

"Right now, many large supermarkets and high-end restaurants are partnering with us. Even online pre-orders have a waiting list."

Zhang Youde’s face beamed with pride. "Look at these chickens! Every one of them is so full of spirit. They run faster than dogs."

Li Xu looked at the chickens foraging in the grass. They did indeed look pretty good.