Merchant and doctor

Chapter 1828 12 Passports
Hongyang Pharmaceutical Company is frugal in everything it does. The rest area for employees in the office area is also built in a rather simple way, with brick and stone tables and chairs that are a bit hard to sit on. Fortunately, the surrounding trees are very lush, so it is quite cool to sit under the shade of the trees.

With no one around, Mr. An said with a forced smile, "I've already met my daughter, Bian Guanzhu. She'll be thirty in a few years, and she's been quite carefree every day. To this day, she still hasn't found a suitable boyfriend. Perhaps you have some good suggestions, Bian Guanzhu?"

Upon hearing this, Bian Mu was momentarily stunned.

"What does this mean?! Is this a blind date arranged for a friend? Is this a matchmaker for me? It doesn't sound like it! Oh... so it's for that..." Thinking of this, Bian Mu couldn't help but chuckle.

“Your daughter is elegant and knowledgeable, and she will surely find a good marriage in the future. With such good qualities, you don’t need to worry!” Bian Mu said with a smile.

"Sigh! To be honest, she seems perfect on the surface, but in reality... that's not the case. I've heard that Master Bian is an unparalleled expert in diagnosing illnesses and judging character. To be honest, her mother and I have been quite anxious. We would appreciate some guidance from Master Bian so we can at least settle down and start a family. I think the earlier you get involved in marriage, the more choices you have! She seems completely clueless in this regard, like a fool. When we push her, she resorts to being against marriage and being childless to deal with us. It's really worrying!" The CEO An spoke quite sincerely, clearly treating Bian Mu as an insider.

"Well... Mr. An! Although this is our first meeting, we've gotten along very well. Since you trust me so much, I'll just say a few words!" Bian Mu said politely with a smile.

"Not at all, not at all! Master Bian is too modest."

“From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, if a young lady is not yet fully developed in her studies and is forced into marriage, it would be quite detrimental to both the man and woman and their parents. Therefore… we suggest that you consider this carefully,” Bian Mu replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Mr. An was taken aback.

"Gezhi?! I'm a complete novice in this field. Please explain, Master Bian."

"Here's the thing: in life, there are twelve categories, also known as the twelve categories of virtue. In the old days, this standard of judgment was only suitable for men. Later, as society progressed, this standard naturally became more generalized and is also suitable for evaluating women. Theoretically speaking, both men and women should possess all twelve categories of virtue before they can discuss marriage. I don't know why, with the development and changes in society, this theory now only exists in our TCM practice. It is considered part of traditional Chinese medicine. We only use it occasionally when there are psychological problems caused by marital discord or when it directly leads to infertility. Few people outside the TCM practice understand it."

"Oh! Is that so? I'd like to hear more details!" Mr. An said very politely.

"The so-called twelve categories begin with the Heavenly Category, Earthly Category, and Human Category. The Heavenly Category is further divided into four subcategories: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermilion Bird. The Earthly Category is divided into four subcategories: Inner, Outer, and Internal. The Human Category is divided into four subcategories: Inner Response, Outer Sensation, Mysterious Harmony, and Central Divine Power. Adding them together, there are a total of twelve categories. Theoretically, any person, regardless of gender, from the moment of birth until reaching marriageable age, should have traversed all twelve categories. Only at that moment can the man and woman be said to be 'moved for marriage.' This is not mystical or burdensome; it is the truth." There's an inherent philosophy behind this. Looking at your daughter's face, her Heavenly Stem is perfect; her Earthly Stem is somewhat lacking; her Personality Stem is only slightly flawed; the other four minor stems are not yet satisfactory. So… theoretically speaking, her marriage hasn't started in the near future. If there's any human intervention, she'll most likely… either divorce, or suffer in silence, harboring resentment and hurting herself and others, or have drastically different values, leading to a miserable and difficult old age.” As he finished speaking, Bian Mu's expression gradually became serious.

Hearing this, Mr. An's expression became somewhat uncertain. To be honest, with his level of knowledge in classical Chinese studies, he probably couldn't even catch a glimpse of Bian Mu's back. However... he had long admired Master Bian's illustrious reputation, and he was taking every word Bian Mu said to heart as golden rules!
"I'm sorry! My knowledge is limited, and I didn't understand most of it... However, I can accept your conclusion, really! I truly believe it!"

"Mr. An, you're too kind! Actually, it's quite understandable. To put it simply, regardless of gender, from birth to now, you need to obtain 12 life passes before you can even talk about marriage. Missing one means there's a major loophole in your life. If you force yourself to get married, you'll eventually have to fill the gap with other living expenses, such as divorce and remarriage, separation from your spouse and children, and never recognizing each other again. Some are even worse off, and it might even lead to death... Don't worry, Mr. An! Such tragedies definitely have nothing to do with your family. I'm just stating the facts. Marriage is a very important matter, and the word 'important' has a profound meaning, no less important than the word 'life and death.' Therefore, I completely understand why you specifically called me aside to discuss this matter so seriously. Parents always have the same heart for their children!"

"I see... So... which life skills is my Xiaoxuan missing?!" Mr. An asked anxiously.

"Hehe... just an analogy... let's put it this way, your daughter probably spends most of her time in Lijin City, right?"

"That's right. She grew up at Lida University with her aunt since she was in the first year of junior high school. Her aunt is a teacher in the foreign language department of Lida University."

"Really? That sounds pretty good, but... your daughter has one foot in Lijin City, while the other foot is firmly planted in our county. She's also very loyal and has a pretty sunny personality, so... you'll have to think about it later!" Feeling that further words were pointless, Bian Mu prepared to take his leave and return to the city.

Mr. An was completely confused by what he heard, but he was certain of one thing: whether his beloved daughter would have a happy marriage in the future largely depended on Bian Mu's important advice.

“It’s getting late. Your company’s terms and conditions are pretty much what I had planned. After I return to the city, I’ll discuss it further with Mr. Huang. I might have to come back for an inspection in a while. If all goes well, we can probably sign the contract,” Bian Mu said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Mr. An was both surprised and delighted.

"Don't laugh at me, but our factory is barely surviving right now. Market competition is too fierce. If you and Mr. Huang don't lend a hand, we might be acquired by someone else!"

"Not at all! It's clear that you are all seasoned professionals who are genuinely committed to running businesses. I hope that we can all benefit from joining forces. Alright! Let's discuss the specific details of the cooperation next time!" With that, Bian Mu stood up and took his leave.

Along the way, herbalist Lao Pei casually mentioned that "Sword Face" and the young lady of the An family got along quite well. Bian Mu casually mentioned the old school of 12-grid marriage prohibition. Lao Pei was also a master of old school, so he didn't say anything at the time.