Chapter 9: A Doctor’s Benevolence, A Villain’s Rise

At the intersection near the park, a beautiful girl in a purple dress knelt on the ground, cradling an elderly man dressed in a traditional Tang suit. The old man struggled to speak, his mouth and nose twisted, but he could only let out incoherent gasps before his body convulsed and suddenly went still. It was clear he was suffering a medical crisis of the most dangerous kind, one where an ambulance might not arrive in time.

"Grandpa! Help! Someone, please help! Save my grandfather, and I’ll give you a hundred million..." The beautiful girl, Zhao Linxuan, was terrified and weeping as she pleaded for help.

Many pedestrians and drivers stopped to watch, but not a single person dared to step forward. The old man was the patriarch of the Zhao family, one of the five great families in Linzhou. Even with such a high reward—ten million, a hundred million—not everyone had the capability to earn it. If they failed to save him, they would at best end up in prison, and at worst, their entire family might be buried with him. No one could withstand the fury of the Zhao family.

A taxi driver had also stopped; traffic ahead was gridlocked, so he had no choice.

"Sister, I’m going down to take a look," Jiang Chen said to Jiang Qing. When his master taught him medicine, he had emphasized that a healer must possess a benevolent heart, a lesson Jiang Chen always kept in mind.

"Young man, don't be impulsive! That money isn't worth earning; if things go wrong, you could be facing a death sentence!" the taxi driver warned, startled.

"I am a doctor. I am not doing this for money, but to save a life," Jiang Chen replied, opening the door and rushing over.

Seeing the young man step forward to help, the crowd whispered about his audacity, thinking he was trading his life for money.

"Are you a doctor? Please, save my grandfather!" Zhao Linxuan looked at Jiang Chen, her voice frantic.

"I practice traditional Chinese medicine. Your grandfather needs acupuncture. Lay him flat on the ground and take off his jacket and pants!" Jiang Chen commanded quickly. After checking his pulse, he positioned the old man on his side to better access the acupuncture points.

Zhao Linxuan was overwhelmed, struggling to follow his instructions, her movements far too slow.

*Rip! Rip!*

Jiang Chen tore through the old man's clothing, pulled out the silver needles he carried, and began to strike. From the Renzhong point above the lips to the Jiquan point under the armpit, the Chize point at the elbow, the Neiguan on the inner forearm, the Weizhong behind the knee, and the Sanyinjiao on the inner calf—his movements were fast, precise, and fluid.

"Miss Zhao, I know him! He’s not a doctor at all; he’s a con artist trying to scam your money! Make him stop, or he’ll kill your grandfather with those needles!" A shrill, piercing female voice suddenly cut through the air.

Du Yalan ran over from a Maybach, pointing at Jiang Chen and scolding Zhao Linxuan.

"That’s right! Miss Zhao, this despicable, shameless fraud not only hired actors to put on a show but also rented a luxury car to act big. Now, to swindle money, he doesn't even care if the Zhao patriarch lives or dies!" Feng Junwei followed behind Du Yalan, adding fuel to the fire. He had been looking for a way to cripple Jiang Chen earlier and failed, but now that Jiang Chen was trying to earn a hundred million, he couldn't have hoped for a better way to see him court his own death. Even heaven was on his side!

"What are you saying? He’s a con artist?" Zhao Linxuan’s face paled. She looked at Jiang Chen, demanding, "Are you really a doctor or not?"

"I already told you, I am a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine!" Jiang Chen replied, continuing to apply the needles.

"Miss Zhao, he’s just making excuses! Have you ever seen a traditional Chinese doctor as young as him? He’s a quack, just sticking needles into people at random. He’s going to kill someone!"

"Exactly, Miss Zhao! If you don't make him stop, your grandfather will be dead! Look, he’s poked him with so many needles and there’s no reaction—he’s probably already killed him!" Du Yalan and Feng Junwei chimed in, baselessly accusing Jiang Chen of murder for profit, hoping to use Zhao Linxuan to deal with him.

The more she heard, the more terrified Zhao Linxuan became. Afraid to trust him any longer, she shouted, "You fraud, stop right now!" She grabbed the needles and ripped them all out of her grandfather’s body.

"Are you trying to kill your grandfather?" Jiang Chen’s expression shifted drastically. He quickly pressed acupoints on the old man, reaching for his needles to continue the treatment. He was on the verge of saving the old man, but with the needles pulled out, his progress was undone. Furthermore, the backlash from the interrupted acupuncture would worsen the condition—the old man was now in grave danger!

"You’re the one trying to kill my grandfather! Don't touch him! Get lost!" Zhao Linxuan screamed, pushing Jiang Chen away.

Jiang Chen frowned. If he didn't intervene, the old man wouldn't last another minute. Since the family refused his treatment, he wouldn't force it, but he couldn't simply stand by and watch a man die. He pressed the acupoints once more, secretly channeling his internal energy into the old man to ensure he could hang on until he reached the hospital.

"Bastard! Take your filthy hands off him!" Zhao Linxuan cursed, striking Jiang Chen’s hand and warning with venom, "If anything happens to my grandfather, I will make you pay with your life!"

Seeing this, Du Yalan and Feng Junwei exchanged a triumphant look, smirking to themselves as their scheme unfolded perfectly.

"I acted out of kindness to save your grandfather, but you chose to believe the slanders of villains. If he suffers any harm, it is entirely your own doing!" Jiang Chen said coldly, then turned and walked away.

"Stop! Jiang Chen, you’ve put the Zhao patriarch in this state and you think you can just leave? Do you really think the Zhao family is so easily bullied?" Du Yalan shouted, intentionally using his name to make Zhao Linxuan hate him even more.

"The Zhao family is one of the five great families of Linzhou. The former patriarch is the man you've murdered. There is only one path for you now—death!" Feng Junwei twisted the facts, effectively passing a death sentence on Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen ignored the two clowns and kept walking without looking back. Du Yalan and Feng Junwei were furious and wanted to attack him, but an ambulance arrived just then.

Zhao Linxuan, distracted by the medical staff, helped load the old man into the ambulance and rushed to the hospital. Du Yalan and Feng Junwei, hoping to curry favor with the Zhao family to gain benefits, jumped into their Maybach and followed them to the hospital.

The ambulance arrived at the Linzhou Military General Hospital, the closest facility to the park, located near the Lin-Du Tiange district. After extensive resuscitation efforts, the hospital's doctors were helpless, and even when the current head of the Zhao family, Zhao Tingshan, summoned the renowned miracle doctor Li Xuanming, there was nothing to be done.

"How can this be? It can't be! There must be another way!" Zhao Tingshan’s eyes were bloodshot as he shook his head, unable to accept that his father was merely waiting to die.

"Grandpa, I'm sorry... it's all my fault..." Zhao Linxuan sat on the floor, weeping uncontrollably, consumed by guilt.

"Patriarch Zhao, Miss Zhao, there is a miracle doctor far more skilled than I am who might be able to save your father!" Li Xuanming said, having thought of a solution.

"Which miracle doctor?" Zhao Tingshan and Zhao Linxuan asked with desperate hope.

"The Village Chief!" Li Xuanming blurted out.

"The Village Chief? Master Li, please, I beg you to help me invite this miracle doctor. No matter the cost, you must save my father!" Zhao Tingshan was stunned for a moment before pleading with Li Xuanming.

"I will try!" Li Xuanming pulled out his phone and dialed Jiang Chen’s number.