Merchant and doctor

Chapter 2242 Testing the Cauldron
A tall tree catches the wind, and wealth invites trouble!
Bian Mu's influence on the front lines of clinical practice and in the field of traditional Chinese medicine is growing. Now, his influence in the medical field is also beginning to emerge, which inevitably attracts the attention of some people.

In some people's eyes, Bian Mu hardly ever plays the big game or uses empty rhetoric; he's serious!

The medicine cauldron, a medical topic that had been dormant for a century, was suddenly brought back to the forefront by Bian Mu, and even placed in a prominent position. What was he trying to do?!

The theory of medicine tripods spans three major fields: clinical treatment, academic research, and traditional Chinese medicine preparation. For a long time, due to a severe lack of successful cases, medicine tripods have been buried in obscurity and neglected. Even antique collectors look down on them, considering them as worthless junk.

Bian Mu suddenly put on such a high-profile show... what is his intention?!

The "New Concept" Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic has opened three branches, and each clinic is packed with patients every day. Patients of different levels, categories, and degrees of illness are naturally and orderly assigned to each clinic. Occasionally, there are minor disputes, but they are not serious. The two parties sit down and talk it out calmly. At worst, they all gather at the main clinic and Bian Mu will mediate for a period of time, and then everything will be fine.

The "new concept" traditional Chinese medicine clinic has become the preferred clinic for a considerable number of patients. This is somewhat similar to Apple mobile phone stores. No matter how expensive the mobile phone is, there are always customers. Moreover, the price of second-hand mobile phones has always remained high.

Unconsciously, those long-established and well-known traditional Chinese medicine clinics, famous medical centers, and renowned TCM studios, represented by Nie's Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, have gradually faded in comparison.

Still not enough?!
Consequently, people from all walks of life speculated that Bian Mu's actions were not a personal matter, but rather backed by an exceptionally powerful team—a professional team that combines medicine and business.

Perhaps it was precisely to investigate Bian Mu's true abilities that Dr. Fang and Dr. Zhang meticulously arranged two technical exchange activities with a strong academic atmosphere.

Bian Mu was naturally well aware of this.

As for Cai Huaixin... his thoughts were somewhat similar to those two PhDs, but... his schemes were much more cunning. He was adept at using small investments to achieve big results and leveraging others' success. Whenever he had the chance, he would subtly shift the blame. Even though it was Bian Mu and the others who took the lead and put in a lot of effort, and the project had only just begun to show promise, Cai Huaixin would immediately either "cherry-pick" the best or indirectly take a tiny share to participate in the profit sharing. With minimal effort, he could turn everything into his own achievements.

Master!

Cai Huaixin is quite extraordinary.

And isn't that exactly what he's captured – this new trend in the industry of technical innovation for professional TCM physicians?!

Without asking any further questions, as long as Bian Mu gives the go-ahead, those long-unused archives, abandoned laboratories, and small meeting rooms in the small white building can be lent to Gu Yuefeng and his group free of charge. They'll have plenty of tea, free parking, and a 85% discount at the canteen. In short, there are plenty of benefits.

However, though he doesn't show off, he's the one who makes the decisions on many crucial matters later on. Isn't Bian Mu powerful?! We have to listen to him.

Occasionally, when Bian Mu thinks of Cai Huaixin's self-righteous pale face, he can't help but laugh.

Bian Mu chose to remain silent and immediately deleted all three text messages!
Forget about academic gatherings of over 300 people, high-level academic seminars, and projects promoting new TCM clinical medicine... To hell with them all!
For Bian Mu, the most urgent task was to find an expert to authenticate the two medicine cauldrons!
……

That evening, by sheer luck, Bian Mu managed to get rid of the last patient before 8 p.m., so he could leave work early and meet up with forest ranger Lao Liangtou and herb farmer Lao Pei at the "Drunken Eight Immortals" restaurant.

On the second floor, Bian Mu had called ahead to reserve a small private room, the one on the far east side of the shady side, quiet and perfect for discussing business! The owner of this branch got along quite well with Lao Pei. As soon as the three of them sat down, a waiter brought over some fine fruit tea, and the three of them chatted while drinking.

When he arrived, Bian Mu dragged the medicine cauldron over in a specially made suitcase. After chatting for a few words, he got up, squatted down next to the suitcase, and gently unzipped it.

"Where did you get that box? It looks pretty professional." As he spoke, Old Pei got up and went over to help.

"It was borrowed from Master Yang on the spot. You can find all sorts of things at the Flower Field Ghost Market, right?" As he spoke, Bian Mu placed a medicine cauldron with a bluish-purple glow on the dining table. Old Pei was worried that the cauldron might be in the way, so he specially stepped forward and moved it closer to Old Liang.

Old Liang stretched his neck and sniffed the cauldron a few times.

The second medicine cauldron was also placed, slightly larger in size, cast from alloy sand. Although it didn't look very big, it was quite heavy. Bian Mu estimated that it weighed at least fifty or sixty catties.

"This one is alright. This bigger one must weigh at least sixty pounds. If I'm not mistaken, it should be exactly 64 pounds, or maybe, I'd deduct 64." After gently stroking it a few times, Old Pei stood there and muttered to himself.

"The old scale weighs 16 liang. This thing has been around for at least 500 years. The 64 he is based on the I Ching, directions, and time sequence. It doesn't necessarily have to be based on weight." Old Liang casually retorted a few times. Listening to his words, the old man was truly knowledgeable. With just a few unintentional words, he immediately revealed many key points about the medicine cauldron.

"That's right, that's right! Then... which one comes first?" Old Pei asked with a smile after glancing at the two of them.

“Let’s check the smaller one first. It looks unremarkable on the surface, but if it’s genuine, it’s the main cauldron!” Old Liang replied calmly.

At this moment, as a junior, Bian Mu really couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"These two tripods together are quite a lot! Won't they crush the dining table?" Old Pei suddenly felt sorry for the dining table.

"It's not that bad. It's made of beech and locust wood, and there's even a lot of elm wood in the key parts. Adding five or six more pieces wouldn't be a problem! Let's apply the medicine!" Old Liang said with a smile.

Nodding slightly, I saw Old Pei take out several small boxes and a small bottle from the bag he was carrying.

Picking out a small box, Lao Pei gently opened the lid and asked Bian Mu with a smile, "Can you tell what this is?"

"Realgar powder?" Recognizing the medicine by its smell, Bian Mu responded with a smile.

"Not bad! Now, what should I add?" Old Pei asked Bian Mu with a smile.

"Yellow wine! And some indigo, and according to tradition, shouldn't we also add some mercury or something? Oh no! I forgot to wear my lab mask. It's not convenient for us to use that stuff here, is it?" Bian Mu replied humbly.

"That's all ancient history. Back in the day, many pharmacists contracted serious illnesses because of this. Looking back now, they were just malignant tumors like lung cancer! What era are we living in? Just use some millet infested with worms. Sigh! If Situ Jianqing had owned a proper laboratory back then, he might still be alive now..." As he spoke, Old Liang sighed deeply.