r18novel Chapter 79 Sincere Worship, Mountains and Rivers Reject Disciple
Chapter 79 Sincere Worship, Mountains and Rivers Reject Disciple
Chapter 79 Sincere Worship, Mountains and Rivers Reject Disciple
I. Wash away superficiality and cultivate piety
For days, they followed Chen Shanhe on his rounds to observe and treat patients. After returning home, the two reflected on their experiences day and night, repeatedly reviewing the entire process of each consultation and treatment.
Zhou Deshan and Xu Jingming had long since shed the arrogance and worldly vanity they had accumulated over half a lifetime of practicing medicine.
All the arrogance and haughtiness he once displayed, relying on his seniority and looking down on others, have vanished completely. Now, all that remains in his heart is the guilt of sudden realization and the sincere desire to learn.
The two quietly reflected on their lifelong journey as doctors, how they had clung to outdated methods, stuck in their ways and unable to adapt.
They rigidly follow ancient prescriptions to prescribe medicine and practice medicine for years, without understanding the importance of differentiation of syndromes and tracing the origins of the disease, or treating patients according to their individual conditions. Their thinking is rigid and they are bound by old theories.
Throughout my life, I have misjudged the true condition of countless patients, delayed the best time for diagnosis and treatment for so many people, and missed countless opportunities to save their lives. Looking back, I am filled with guilt and self-blame.
Recalling Chen Shanhe's groundbreaking medical theory of the common origin of medicine and military affairs, his accurate and unique diagnostic insight into the true and false lesions, and his calm, composed, and smooth treatment methods, the two felt even more deeply moved.
The more I reviewed the events, the more ashamed and uneasy I felt; the more I pondered and understood, the more sincere awe I felt.
The two finally realized that the medical skills they had learned in their lives were merely superficial techniques, with narrow vision and shallow understanding, and they had never touched the true origin of traditional Chinese medicine.
The prejudice I once held against Chen Shanhe, who came from a rural background, has long since vanished, leaving only utter admiration and respect in my heart.
The two looked at each other and understood each other perfectly. They had already discussed and finalized their plans in private and were no longer willing to delay or hesitate, lest they miss the opportunity to pursue their studies.
He deliberately found a secluded, quiet, and peaceful place to wait quietly for Chen Shanhe's arrival.
He made up his mind to set aside his status as a renowned doctor and all his pride, and to openly express his true feelings and sincere intention to become an apprentice.
The two men looked solemn and dignified, their eyes filled with earnestness and expectation. They no longer had the airs of the renowned doctors from the provincial capital. They were wholeheartedly devoted to sincerely paying homage to their teacher and restoring the orthodox path of traditional Chinese medicine.
Poems as proof:
Self-reflection led to a sudden realization of one's true nature.
Cast aside arrogance and abandon fleeting fame.
Knowing full well that his past medical practice was wrong,
I only wish to devoutly worship the Holy One.
II. Bowing respectfully to express one's gratitude to one's teacher
Chen Shanhe walked slowly and leisurely toward the secluded spot.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Deshan and Xu Jingming, who were waiting there, immediately stepped forward with respectful and upright movements.
The two men's faces lost all their usual arrogance, their expressions becoming humble and solemn as they bowed deeply to Chen Shanhe.
His demeanor was humble and sincere, and his manners were impeccable and respectful. There was no trace of the arrogance that had once shown him to belittle and despise the country boy.
The two straightened up, looked up at Chen Shanhe in front of them, and slowly spoke, revealing the true feelings that had been building up in their hearts for many days.
Every word came from the bottom of his heart, and every sentence was sincere and moving, honestly revealing his inner regret and awakening.
Zhou Deshan's face was filled with deep shame, and his eyes were full of remorse. He was the first to speak and reflect on his actions.
"The two of us, the little miracle doctors of the mountains and rivers, have been practicing medicine in the provincial capital for forty or fifty years. We have spent half our lives stuck in our ways, clinging to old and outdated prescriptions, and never knowing how to be flexible and adaptable."
"We have a narrow and short-sighted vision, rigid and inflexible medical thinking, and we are arrogant and conceited because of our accumulated seniority."
"I spent my whole life failing to grasp the true essence of medicine, only knowing how to prescribe medicine according to prescriptions, which in turn delayed the lives of countless patients. Looking back now, I am filled with guilt and unease."
Xu Jingming followed closely behind, his eyes filled with genuine sincerity and expectation, and then spoke up to express his true feelings.
"Ever since I heard about your supreme path of integrating military strategy with medical skills, and then witnessed you treating all kinds of difficult and strange diseases."
"Only then did we both finally realize our own shallowness and ignorance."
"The medical skills we have studied and researched for half our lives are nothing more than superficial and shallow knowledge."
"We have spent half our lives trying to understand the true path of medicine, which connects heaven and earth and is based on the fundamental principles of medicine, but we have never even touched the threshold of entry."
The two bowed again, their voices earnest and firm.
"Today we completely set aside our lifetime of experience and all pride, and cast aside empty fame and arrogance."
"I only sincerely ask to become your disciple, and to follow you wholeheartedly in the future to cultivate and comprehend the Tao, so as to make up for the shortcomings and mistakes we have made in our medical practice for half our lives."
Poems as proof:
Bowing and scraping, he revealed his true feelings.
I regret that I went down the wrong path in the past.
Only after experiencing countless trials can one truly appreciate the shallowness of things.
I humbly bow and pray for spiritual practice.
III. Shanhe politely declined, her mind made up.
Chen Shanhe stood quietly in place, his expression calm and composed, his mind at peace.
He listened quietly to their heartfelt words and sincere desire to become their disciples, his face calm and composed, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.
Having already seen through the matter, and having made his own considerations and judgments, he would not be easily swayed.
Faced with the two elderly traditional Chinese medicine doctors' sincere and humble pleas for knowledge, he calmly and gently declined their request to become his disciples.
His gaze was calm and gentle as he looked at the two people before him. He spoke clearly and calmly, slowly revealing the true reasons in his heart.
"These two senior doctors have been practicing medicine for decades and are quite old. Their lifelong practice of medicine has cultivated deeply ingrained and difficult-to-change fixed medical mindsets."
"The old medical habits, outdated treatment methods and prescriptions, and unchanging diagnostic thinking accumulated over the years have long been deeply ingrained in my bones and integrated into my daily medical practice."
"These long-standing obsessions and old methods are difficult to completely reverse or change, and even more difficult to abandon what has been learned in the past and start from scratch to accept a completely new medical philosophy."
"Secondly, the two have been deeply involved in the medical field in the provincial capital for many years, and have a great reputation. They have been respected and admired by people for half their lives and have always been regarded as seniors in the medical field."
"If I were to set aside my life's experience and pride now and humbly become the disciple of a young man from the countryside like myself, it would surely attract all the gossip and idle chatter in the city."
"It would be a waste to tarnish the reputation and dignity that you two have worked so hard to build up over half a lifetime."
"Practicing medicine and seeking enlightenment should be about following the natural course of things and learning as one pleases. There is no need to force a formal apprenticeship ceremony. A forced master-disciple relationship will only increase the chaos in the world."
Chen Shanhe's words were sincere and heartfelt, and his intention to take on disciples was already unwavering.
No matter how earnestly the two elderly traditional Chinese medicine doctors pleaded and begged him, he remained steadfast in his original aspiration and showed no room for compromise.
Poems as proof:
A mind as clear as a mirror reflects all things.
He politely declined the earnest offer of becoming a disciple.
Old habits die hard and minds are hard to break.
Do not blindly follow worldly trends and make hasty promises.
IV. Unwavering Desire Despite Disappointment
After hearing Chen Shanhe's words, the earnest expressions on Zhou Deshan and Xu Jingming's faces instantly dimmed.
Their hopes were dashed in an instant, and a deep sense of loss and melancholy welled up in their eyes, their hearts filled with unspeakable disappointment.
He thought that his sincerity would move the other party and successfully become a disciple, but he did not expect to be firmly rejected on the spot.
Although they were both disappointed, they did not harbor any resentment, dissatisfaction, or hatred.
They knew perfectly well that everything Chen Shanhe said was true and reasonable, leaving no room for argument.
The two looked at each other, remained silent for a moment, and were still unwilling to give up this rare opportunity to study.
The two secretly resolved in their hearts that even if they were rejected now, they would never give up.
I will continue to persevere and use my sincerity and earnestness to gradually win over Chen Shanhe.
They tried every possible means, pleading and begging repeatedly, determined that one day they would surely get Chen Shanhe to agree to take them in so they could study medicine and truly understand the great principles of traditional Chinese medicine.
Poems as proof:
All my hopes have turned to dust.
Disappointed and speechless, yet earnest.
Even if I am politely refused today,
Unwavering in my original aspiration, I will ask for help again.