Merchant and doctor

Chapter 1912 We cannot take the benefits of the times as our own ability.

Of all the people in Lijin City, only Bian Mu and Nie Yixiong truly knew what state Cen Songxue was currently in.

When Bian Mu suddenly came to this conclusion, Master Chi naturally dared not say anything more. She knew very well that Bian Mu's divine skills were completely outside the scope of ordinary TCM masters, boundless and unfathomable. Since he had already said so, it would be too heartless for her to insist on changing the ownership of the clinic.

“Well… the deadline agreed upon between our family and the Cen family is approaching. I’ll definitely have to go back to Nanjin after a while, since that’s where my family is! The Cen family can only let things take their course,” Master Chi said helplessly.

"As the saying goes, a family's fate is not entirely in one's own hands! Old Master Cen's actions back then... accumulated bit by bit to this day, even if someone with Old Master Nie's qualifications intervened, he would be powerless. I am grateful for your continued trust, and there are some things I shouldn't have said. But taking advantage of this beautiful lakeside scenery, I'll say a few more words. Actually... what exactly is the core of Cen family medicine?! Is it more traditional? Or more innovative?! What substantial contributions does it make to contemporary new traditional Chinese medicine? Let's discuss it now and see how many points we can come up with!" Bian Mu suddenly said these words.

By this time, the refined charcoal had burned down to almost nothing. Bian Mu steadied the rudder, gently paddled a few times with his left foot to lock the saddle, discarded the oar with his right hand, and pressed a few switches to sink the anchor to the bottom of the lake. The pleasure boat came to a steady stop in a secluded spot, surrounded by Menglian, creating an incredibly picturesque scene.

The side dishes and sliced ​​meat had already been prepared. Bian Mu got up and used chopsticks to put the ingredients into the small casserole one by one. Although it was the tail end of summer and there were still a few days before the start of autumn, while other places were still hot, the lakeside area was a cool and beautiful world! Enjoying a hot pot dish and a drink was wonderful!

After racking his brains for a long time, the pool owner's mind was still completely blank.

"To be honest... although the old man has published quite a few high-quality papers, I really don't remember any of his unique insights. Could it be..." He trailed off, unable to say anything out of respect for Cen Songxue.

The Chi and Cen families are old friends, sharing both interests and losses; they rise and fall together!
"If I were in the city right now, there are some things I really wouldn't be able to say. But floating on this lake, I feel much less burdened, haha... I usually like to read all sorts of professional papers, maybe partly out of self-protection. I've actually read Professor Cen's work many times, and to be honest... it's not very original! Specifically, based on most of his life's clinical practice, the old man is indeed talented. He hasn't reached the pinnacle of the six skills of traditional Chinese medicine, or even the unorthodox skills beyond them. Compared to his contemporaries, he is already a rare genius." "That's it. The medical community and industry colleagues have already highly recognized it. To be honest, you know more about many things than I do. Over the decades, how much money has the Cen family made in Lijin and even the surrounding cities and counties?! Isn't this heavenly reward enough?! His departure is natural, it's the way of heaven, there's nothing we can do about it. His children, disciples, and students are all far inferior to Elder Cen in every aspect, so how can the legacy be passed down?! Even if I follow all your arrangements, can our three parties really defy the heavens by joining forces?!" By the end, Bian Mu's expression was unusually serious.

The lake was cool and refreshing. The fragrance of flowers, carried by the cool breeze unique to the lake, blew gently a few times. The owner of the pool, dressed in very light clothing, couldn't help but sneeze a few times.

She was starting to feel a little guilty.

Bian Mu quickly got up and pulled the windproof screen on one side of the ship halfway closed. He was particularly sensitive to his position and his calculations were very precise. In a short time, the cabin was able to maintain good ventilation without letting the night wind blow on the owner of the pavilion.

"Thank you! You're absolutely right! How come I've never reflected on the Chi and Nie families from this perspective all these years?! No wonder the older generation praised you so highly; you're quite different from us!"

"Stop talking about their business and eat!" With that, Bian Mu expertly rearranged the dishes on the table.

The two chatted as they ate. Most of the ingredients were local specialties from Lianhu, and they were very fragrant and pleasant. You really can't find them in other restaurants in the city. No wonder the business here is always booming. They really have a knack for it!
The two had to drive and couldn't drink alcohol, so they substituted fruit tea. They would occasionally toast each other, and gradually, Master Chi clearly felt that Bian Mu's profound thoughts were completely inconsistent with his actual age. "It's fortunate that we are friends, and he can be called a gentleman, otherwise... if he really gains power in the future! How will we survive?!" For a moment, Master Chi's thoughts became somewhat scattered.

"Furthermore, I should say something I shouldn't: Old Cen was lucky! He was born in the great era of reform and opening up. In a sense, he and Old Nie were lucky to catch the train of the new era. Of course, they also worked very hard, which is why they shone so brightly and further promoted traditional Chinese medicine. Society also gave them great reputation and amazing benefits. Personally, I think that no matter how capable a person is, if they really take the benefits of the times as their own personal ability, then... it will be very detrimental to him and his descendants!" Bian Mu said this calmly.

Upon hearing this, Master Chi suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his back, making him uncomfortable.

Seeing that Master Chi didn't say anything, Bian Mu was afraid that she would overthink things and bring up the Chi family's medical lineage in Nanjin, which would be pointless. So he quickly got up and added some fruit tea to her cup and offered a few words of advice about the dishes.

The dishes were indeed exquisitely prepared, and although he was in a somewhat bad mood, Master Chi still enjoyed his meal quite a bit.

“What you said makes sense… So you’re saying that the Cen family’s business has only developed to this point today thanks to the hard work of Old Master Cen alone. Now that the old man has retired, the so-called Cen family is actually just a huge empty shell. Even if a celestial being descended to earth, he would be powerless to save it. Is that what you mean?” Master Chi said thoughtfully.

Bian Mu didn't want to say anything too outrageous, so he just nodded gently and quietly ate the delicious food in front of him.

"Then... will those street-front shops be able to survive? Such a good location, how many years would it take for future generations to even get a piece of it! It's such a pity. Let alone anyone else, I'm tempted myself!"

"Hehe... What's ours will never escape, and what's not ours will vanish without a trace no matter how much we protect it. I'm so young and I can accept this, so you're more experienced and don't need to say more! The original site of the Cen family's main residence was a prince's mansion, do you remember that?"

"Really? This is the first time I've heard of this. Is it true?"

"Of course! The original fiefdom of the Iron-Capped Prince was quite large, over three hundred acres! I only found out by chance. And now? Where are the descendants of the Prince?! On the contrary, Old Master Cen has been practicing medicine and helping people there for decades, which is quite remarkable!"

Hearing this, Master Chi felt much more relieved.

A night breeze swept by, carrying the rich fragrance of flowers. It had been a long time since they had felt so relaxed. They had talked thoroughly and felt much more at ease. They chatted and laughed as they ate their food in peace. Such beautiful scenery was a rare treat, and one could only experience it a few times in a lifetime. The Cen family's medical lineage was just like that; let it all fade away with the wind.