Chapter 139 — The Astonished Guan Xuewen

"Ha, I practiced for a while." Wei Zhao nodded. "So naturally I owe my squad members a word of thanks in their stead."

"Since Mr. Lin puts it that way, I won't stand on ceremony. Please, come into my study. I have a few difficult questions in medicine on which I hope Mr. Lin will not begrudge me some instruction," Guan Xuewen said.

"Call me Wei Zhao, or Little Yi. 'Mr. Lin' feels a bit awkward." Wei Zhao said. "As for instruction, I wouldn't put it that way — let's just compare notes."

"Good. Then I'll take the liberty of calling you Little Yi, and you mustn't call me Director Guan either. 'Grandpa Guan' or 'Old Guan' sits better. Hearing you say 'Director' rather puts me to shame." Guan Xuewen was not one for false modesty; after all, his age was plain enough. By seniority he was Yang Huaijun's elder, and Wei Zhao was of Yang Huaijun's generation, so calling him Grandpa Guan cost the young man nothing.

"Then I'll call you Grandpa Guan." Wei Zhao was easy about it. He was not an arrogant man: give him a foot of respect and he would return a yard. Treat him courteously, and he would naturally hold you in higher regard.

The two went into the study. Yang Huaijun knew nothing of medicine, so there was no use in his going along; this time he had served only as the go-between, and now that his task was done, there was nothing left for him to do.

"Grandpa Guan, you two talk — I'll watch some television outside for a while." Yang Huaijun did not enter the study, but spoke from the doorway.

"That's fine too. Make yourself at home — if you want something to eat, help yourself from the kitchen." Guan Xuewen nodded. He knew well enough that Yang Huaijun would have no interest in this sort of occasion.

Guan Xuewen's study was steeped in the atmosphere of a scholar. Long bookshelves lined both walls, packed with medical volumes — Chinese and Western, from thread-bound handwritten copies to foreign-language originals, everything one could wish for.

"I'm afraid you'll find it laughable," Guan Xuewen said with a smile, seeing Wei Zhao surveying the shelves. "Many of these books are flashy but hollow — fine for a casual read after buying them, but hard to learn anything real from."

"The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor is worthwhile, though. It was the first book I read when I began studying." Wei Zhao nodded, pointing to several volumes on one side of the shelves.

"The Inner Canon — indeed, one of the few treasures of Chinese medicine to survive," Guan Xuewen nodded. "But what a pity..."

"A pity?" Wei Zhao was puzzled by this. "Grandpa Guan, a pity in what way?"

"A pity that the Bibliographic Treatise of the Book of Han records eleven schools of medical classics, and today only the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor remains!" Guan Xuewen said with regret. "If the Inner Canon is already so remarkable, one can only imagine how fine the others must have been!"

"Ha." Wei Zhao smiled faintly, and looking at Guan Xuewen's pained expression, did not know what to say.

"Judging by the 'seven classics' recorded in the Bibliographic Treatise of the Book of Han, at that time there existed alongside the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor the Outer Canon of the Yellow Emperor, the Inner Canon of Bian Que, the Outer Canon of Bian Que, the Inner Canon of the Bai Clan, the Outer Canon of the Bai Clan, and the Miscellaneous Chapters." Guan Xuewen had not noticed Wei Zhao's expression; speaking of these sorrowful regrets, he was overcome with anguish. "If all of these still existed, the glory days of Chinese medicine would be within reach... A pity, ah, a pity!"

"Ha, I've read the Inner Canon of Bian Que." Wei Zhao hesitated a moment, then said it anyway. For one thing, his impression of Guan Xuewen was good; for another, the treatment plan for Yang Huaijun had been extrapolated from a case recorded in the Inner Canon of Bian Que, and if Guan Xuewen later asked about the pharmacology involved, he would be hard-pressed to explain it. Better to attribute it directly to the Inner Canon of Bian Que.

"You — you've read the Inner Canon of Bian Que?" Guan Xuewen's head had been hanging in dejection, and no wonder he lost some composure: his study of Chinese medicine had reached a peak, and to go one step further was exceedingly difficult. After all, there were no other reference materials to consult, and relying on his own pondering was no solution. Suddenly hearing Wei Zhao say he had read the Inner Canon of Bian Que, he was struck dumb. "Not a forgery?"

Forged editions of the Inner Canon of Bian Que had appeared before, though they were later proved not to be the genuine work. Guan Xuewen had read them too; the contents were decent enough, but to call them a medical masterwork on a par with the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor was a stretch.

"I read some of it as a child, at an elder's home." Wei Zhao nodded. "Brother Jun's present condition resembles a case mentioned in the Inner Canon of Bian Que. I merely extrapolated certain things from it and wrote out the prescription on that basis."

In saying this, Wei Zhao was also indirectly explaining that what he had seen was no forgery — and Guan Xuewen naturally caught that. He had read the forgeries himself; where in them was there anything about an injury like Yang Huaijun's?

"Truly?" Guan Xuewen was excited. "Might I have a look..."

No sooner had he spoken than, without waiting for Wei Zhao's reply, Guan Xuewen gave a somewhat ashamed, bitter smile. "Forgive me, I've lost my composure. Since it belongs to your elder, it naturally would not be shown lightly. It is I who have been presumptuous — Little Yi, I hope you won't take offense."

"Ha, it's nothing." Wei Zhao smiled. This elder was, of course, his own old man, who back then had brought back a great trove of rare ancient texts from a Miao village in Yunnan. It was said that a fool called the "Right Elder," a traitor to that Miao village, had collected them to practice some crooked art, and in the end the Right Elder had been done away with by his master; the Right Elder's hoard had then been divided between his master and his own old man.

"If the chance arises, I could invite Grandpa Guan to have a look." Wei Zhao was not a petty man. Though Guan Xuewen had not cured Yang Huaijun, without him back then Yang Huaijun would have died and could never have lasted until now; so Wei Zhao had always held a gratitude toward Guan Xuewen.

"Truly... that would be wonderful!" Guan Xuewen was visibly stirred, though it occurred to him that Wei Zhao might only be speaking out of courtesy, and that he ought not to presume. Guan Xuewen had heard tell that certain reclusive families of Chinese medicine kept lost, unique medical texts in their possession, but it was only hearsay; he had never laid eyes on such a thing. Hearing Wei Zhao now, Guan Xuewen naturally took it that Wei Zhao's elders belonged to one of those hidden lineages, and how could he presume to go and view another family's heirloom? So he hastened to say, "If it would put you out, then never mind. It is no matter."

"It is nothing at all." This was a matter Wei Zhao could decide for himself; with his master at his back, the old man of the house would have no objection. "The next time I go home, I will bring it back with me."

"Ah? How could I let you do that?" Guan Xuewen was startled. "A rare treasure like that, how can it be carried back and forth? What if it were lost? Even a photocopy could not be passed about so carelessly! If it is convenient, might I come along to pay a visit?"

"Mm, that will do as well." Wei Zhao nodded. "..."