"When treating illnesses and prescribing medicine, you must master the theory of the Five Movements and Six Qi, as well as the changes in seasons, climate, and weather. These theories might seem esoteric, but they contain the very essence of Chinese medicine. Only by mastering them can you truly achieve the ideal: ’A superior physician prevents illness, a mediocre physician treats illness as it develops, and an inferior physician treats illness that has already taken hold.’"

Li Xu then offered an example.

"One summer, a measles epidemic broke out in Chengdu, and many children fell ill. At the time, many doctors used a standard cooling therapy to vent the pathogen, but the results were minimal, and many of them were at a loss."

"But one doctor, after deep consideration, realized something. It was the height of summer, and Chengdu was experiencing continuous, heavy rain. The streets were flooded for days. The elderly, the infirm, and young children were confined to their beds, not daring to step onto the wet ground. While adults could endure it, the children were frail. How could they withstand the assault of heat and dampness from the summer rains?"

"Therefore, as soon as the peak of summer passed and autumn drew near, this damp heat began to steam forth. Sure enough, the children started developing fevers, but the measles rash remained trapped beneath the skin, unable to surface. This was a textbook case of dampness suppressing latent heat from a rainy summer. That doctor decisively changed his approach, using a method to restore yang circulation and drain the dampness. He quickly brought the illness under control with outstanding results."

"Afterward, all the other doctors in Chengdu adopted his prescription and treatment methods, following his lead. And just like that, they successfully contained the measles epidemic."

Tang Changchun felt his blood stir as he listened.

’Containing an epidemic...’

’What even is an epidemic?’

’It’s only called an epidemic because it’s difficult to treat. If you could control it and cure it right away, it wouldn’t be much of an epidemic, would it?’

’So many people falling ill, hospitals and clinics overflowing with patients, countless doctors at a loss, and lives hanging by a thread.’

’And then, a Great Physician appears, contains the epidemic, and saves lives. That sense of accomplishment is incomparable to anything else.’

Tang Changchun then recalled last winter when the flu was rampant. Other doctors had recommended Lianhua Qingwen Granules with little success, but Li Xu had developed Sour Jujube Seed Lianhua Granules, which had a miraculous effect.

His admiration for Li Xu grew even deeper.

After leaving the treatment area, Li Xu took a moment to comfort the child’s parents and ease their anxiety.

"Rest assured, your son will get better."

Li Xu said, "Go get the herbs for this prescription, decoct them, and give the medicine to your son. Sometime after midnight, his fever should break. By tomorrow morning, his condition will have improved, and he should be out of the woods."

Hope ignited in the parents’ hearts, and they thanked him profusely.

Now, all anyone could do was wait.

Wait for Li Xu’s prescription to take effect.

...

「The next morning.」

Just as Li Xu had predicted, the child’s labored breathing began to ease after midnight, and his temperature started to fall.

His previous delirium and nonsensical speech vanished. He slept peacefully for a while, and when he awoke, his eyes were bright and he was completely lucid.

By dawn, the child had all but recovered. His fever was gone, and a healthy rosy glow had returned to his small face.

And all this was from just one prescription of medicine, taken in three separate doses.

Li Xu made a special trip to conduct a follow-up examination.

By now, the child’s fever had completely subsided, and his abdomen was no longer distended.

Li Xu performed another tongue diagnosis. The coating had thinned considerably, and the tongue’s body had returned to a normal color.

His pulse was calm and strong, but he still had a slight cough.

That single prescription had truly resolved all the child’s symptoms.

Keep in mind, the child had been diagnosed with severe pneumonia just yesterday!

The doctors and nurses on the ward had been at their wits’ end, terrified the worst might happen.

And yet, after just one night, the illness had practically vanished.

It had come on fast and left even faster.

So much for the saying that illness ’comes like a landslide but leaves like unraveling silk.’

This was a miraculous recovery from a critical illness!

You could even say he was cured with a single prescription.

When Li Xu walked back into the hospital room, all the medical staff stared at him, their eyes filled with shocked admiration.

His reputation was well-deserved. Seeing him in person was far more impressive than just hearing about him.

Tang Changchun, in particular, had witnessed the entire process and was now completely in awe.

’I have to stick close to Li Xu and learn everything I can,’ he silently vowed.

Hu Qiming also shared the exciting news in their group chat, exclaiming, "Li Xu even has an intern now, and a top student at that! Man, if I’d known, I would’ve tried to get in on that too."

Miaoli teased, "It’s not too late, Old Hu. Don’t you go to Li Xu’s clinic to ’help out’ every week? You have the inside track. Go on and ask to be his apprentice!"

Jiang Peng chimed in, "Exactly! Old Hu, if you go ask him now, you might even learn a thing or two."

Li Baojie just laughed and said, "Old Hu, stick with Li Xu, and you’ll only become a better doctor!"

...

「Meanwhile.」

Lin Guorui was also very excited. He humbly asked, "Dr. Li, the child’s condition has improved. What should be the next course of medication?"

Li Xu replied, "At this stage, the pathogenic cold has been dispelled and the heat has been cleared; the illness has been resolved both internally and externally. There are no major problems left. I’ll write another prescription to harmonize his Lungs and Stomach and ensure a full recovery."

Li Xu took out a pen and began writing quickly on a prescription pad.

After he finished writing, he handed the prescription to Lin Guorui.

Lin Guorui took the prescription.

The prescription was gentle yet ingenious, designed to regulate the child’s spleen and stomach functions, consolidate his lung qi, and prevent a relapse.

When the child’s mother saw that Li Xu had written the prescription, she quickly bowed, thanking him over and over with great emotion. "Doctor, thank you, thank you so much! Doctor, you are our family’s great benefactor."

Li Xu waved his hand dismissively and said gently, "You give me too much credit. You should also thank Doctor Lin here. Without his initial emergency care to stabilize the boy’s condition, my prescription wouldn’t have worked nearly as well."

Lin Guorui was slightly taken aback. He didn’t expect Li Xu would actually share the credit with him.

He smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Thank you, thank you!" The mother quickly turned to thank Lin Guorui.

Lin Guorui quickly said there was no need.

The mother wiped her tears emotionally and said, "If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what I would have done. He’s our only son. If something really happened to him, how could I go on living?"

The mother wiped her tears, sniffled, and then turned to a nearby nurse. "And you said I was just panicking and grabbing at straws by looking for another doctor. See? I told you there’s strength in numbers. When you have more people helping, you can always find a solution."

The nurse was at a loss for words. It was true; when the mother had gone to register for another consultation yesterday, the nurse had tried to talk her out of it.

After all, the boy’s condition was critical, and he was already being treated in the ward. Registering to see another doctor had seemed like a pointless endeavor.

Mostly, she just hadn’t expected Li Xu to be as incredible as the rumors claimed.

Li Xu shook his head but didn’t say anything.

’When it comes to treating an illness,’ he thought, ’it’s often not a case of strength in numbers.’

’Having more doctors doesn’t necessarily mean a better outcome.’

’Sometimes, too many doctors just makes it harder to reach a consensus.’

’Sometimes it just comes down to luck, or what you might call fate.’

’Just like this time. If another doctor had come, the result might not have been this good. That’s what you call fate.’