The 008th session: How can one be as cunning as a monkey, when the malevolent winds have long tainted the physician's spirit

Could you please loosen your grip a bit? I will call Grandpa right away. Mei Xi held her shoulder tightly, her tone tense yet sincere. For some reason, Qu Yi Min was immediately swayed by her words, took out her phone to dial, while her other hand rubbed her shoulder.

After completing his studies, Master Mei told Mei Xi that the monkey whip technique he learned was not complete. The technique of the stunning whip was merely one move within a comprehensive set of whip techniques, but the Mei family tradition only included this much. Although there was only one unique skill, its applications were quite remarkable. It is said that it can strike both humans and spirits in the world. As for whether it can hit its target and what effects it may have afterward, that depends on Mei Xi's own abilities and the cultivation of the opponent.

On the other side, Director Wang cast a glance at the two of them, seemingly displeased with Mei Xi's unnecessary complications. However, Qu Yimin had already dialed the phone, and he covered his mouth without saying anything.

Qu Yimin thought for a moment and replied: "This is a manifestation of rampant evil fire and the absence of a divine master; the primary task is to eliminate the evil and extinguish the fire"

At this moment, Qu Yimin in the operating room called out: "Director Wang, this seems to be a symptom of demonic frenzy; we cannot send him to the psychiatric hospital for electroshock therapy. How about trying the Thirteen Ghost Needles?"

The tearful police officer's wife was called in. Just as she was about to speak, Professor Qu gestured for her to stop. The elderly man asked kindly, "You are a family member of the patient, right? Could you please try to tell me about your husband's life and work situation during the period leading up to his illness?"

Qu Yimin stared at him as if he were an alien, and after a long pause, she finally asked in a hesitant voice: "How did you know? What exactly is in your sleeve? Who are you?"

As the two prepared the medication, Director Wang's expression changed, and he half-covered his mouth to advise, "Professor Qu, it's not that I don't trust your medical skills, but your approach to medication is truly too risky! ... ... If you don't use the medication, we can handle this conventionally; even if he dies, it won't be our hospital's responsibility. However, if you administer the medication and something goes wrong, it will be troublesome, and we won't be able to explain ourselves!" It was only because Professor Qu was prescribing that Director Wang dared not stop him and could only persuade him; had it been any other doctor doing this, he would have already lost his temper.

Director Wang replied impatiently: "It's not like an outsider is possessed, why use the Thirteen Ghost Needles? Besides, can he even handle the needles like this? ... Hurry up and transfer him to another hospital, we can't ... ... " Looking outside at the police watching closely, Director Wang finally swallowed back the words 'die here'.

Professor Qu: "Don't get agitated yet, tell me what medical history he has? What medications has he taken recently?"

Qu Yimin stood up upon hearing this: "Is there really a ghost? What on earth is going on with that woman?"

Close the door of the operating room, support the weak-bodied Qu Yimin to sit up again, and pour her a glass of water. Only then did Mei Xi gently say: "Drink a cup of hot water to calm your nerves. No matter what that thing is, it won't appear again within three days. Trust me, there is no need to be afraid.

Director Wang waved his hand and said: "Sit down, don't just stand there talking. What you saw tonight was the long-haired woman lying on the operating table, right? She hasn't appeared for a long time... That was a jumper; when she was brought in, it was quite strange. Her clothes were neat, and there were no obvious external injuries, but she was already beyond saving. During the resuscitation, she kept staring with wide eyes and gasping for breath, and she never closed them until she died."

"Is the pain in the front or the back? What kind of medicine is in the alcohol?" Professor Qu interjected.

Initially, he was not sent to Jinghua Hospital, but was expelled by the emergency department of that hospital because they could not restrain the agitated patient on the operating table, and the sedatives were ineffective. The hospital suggested transferring this officer to a psychiatric hospital. How could he have suddenly become mentally ill? His colleagues were incredulous and reluctant to do so, so they tried another hospital, and only then was he sent to Jinghua Hospital, at which point his family members were also brought in.

Before she could finish speaking, Mei Xi tightened her grip: "Sister, I beg you, could you please call Professor Qu and ask him to come and help this person? I know this police officer; he is a good man and has helped me before." He had already recognized this police officer, the one he had encountered by chance at the train station.

Professor Qu: "Alright, you may leave now. Rest assured, we will do our utmost."

Qu Yimin: "You speak so casually, as if you have no feelings at all? It's haunted, just now, right here!"

Mei Xi stood up somewhat awkwardly: "No, I am a student of Teacher Qu. Teacher Qu is afraid during the night shift, so I came specifically to keep her company"

It was already late at night when the two were conversing. The duty deputy director, Dr. Wang, returned, pushed the door open, and said with a smile: "Xiao Qu, you brought your boyfriend to the duty shift? What are you two talking about?"

Mei Xi had heard the sound long ago. While she was in a state of surprise and suspicion, she saw two police cars arriving outside the emergency room, sirens blaring. As soon as the cars stopped, several police officers rushed in, struggling with a person. Someone shouted, "Doctor, emergency!"

Professor Qu glanced at him and said: "Are you very anxious? I am anxious too, but we cannot let our urgency lead to chaos. Rest assured, this person's condition is difficult to diagnose with acupuncture but can be treated with medication. If we administer the medication before dawn, there is still hope; any later and his life will be in jeopardy. Fortunately, you called me... This is likely a case of emotional illness. I need to inquire about the cause of the illness; please bring the patient's family members in."

Chapped lips, dark purple tongue coating, pulse at the wrist is strong, large, and rapid, while the guan and chi pulses are nearly absent. The neck pulse corresponds with the wrist cun pulse, and the fu yang pulse corresponds with the wrist chi pulse. There is persistent agitation, and the spirit is unstable. Prior to admission, a higher dose of sedative injection was administered, but it was ineffective; the entire body is convulsing with muscle spasms, making intravenous drip impossible... This is a case of manic syndrome in the Yangming channel. Such acute onset conditions are extremely rare in medical literature, and doctors often find themselves unprepared when encountering them. Yimin, please carefully document my pulse diagnosis, diagnosis, and medication.

Director Wang, upon hearing this, pushed open the door to the operating room and angrily exclaimed, "Are other hospitals just sending their patients here? Can the police beat people at will? What about my tooth? ... You might as well send them to a mental hospital, hurry up and send them!"

In the past, although the monkeys used by monkey trainers were domesticated, very few were bred in captivity; most were captured from the mountains. No matter how well-trained they are, they are still animals. What should one do when encountering a monkey that becomes aggressive and attempts to attack? At such times, there is a secret technique— the fainting whip

At a glance, it appeared that a police officer had been injured while carrying out a task. The nurses at the station were also alerted and hurried over. Everyone assisted in bringing the patient into the emergency treatment room, while Mei Xi, unable to help, could only stand outside the door and watch. He noticed that seven or eight people had arrived, some in police uniforms and others in plain clothes. Among them was a disheveled mother and her son, who looked to be around sixteen or seventeen years old. The boy's eyes were wide with panic, his body trembling slightly, while his mother held him close, wiping away her tears.

I knew my sister would be quite surprised; in fact, there is nothing extraordinary about it, just a whip. As he spoke, Mei Xi rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, revealing a long, slender whip wrapped around his arm, about the thickness of a regular telephone wire, golden-yellow and semi-transparent, seemingly made of beef tendon. Since Qu Yimin had already seen it, Mei Xi did not hide it and introduced the origin of this long whip

The police officer's wife stepped forward and pleaded, "We will compensate for any damage caused, he is a patient, a doctor, I beg you!"

Director Wang: "Xiao Qu, you are still too young. Once you have been a doctor for a while, you will understand. People die in hospitals all the time; what is there to be surprised about? Isn't it just a matter of crying and wiping tears?" His tone remained flat, but Mei Xi secretly sighed. There is a saying in the medical community: "Long practice leads to fatigue," which describes this situation. When one frequently witnesses life and death, they often become numb. This condition has both advantages and disadvantages. Calmness and lack of emotionality are fundamental requirements for a doctor on the operating table, yet the numb indifference can erode a doctor's inherent compassion for saving lives. When Qu Zhengbo discusses the medical path, he often emphasizes this point—be calm, but do not become numb.

I originally thought Director Wang would explain a few things; after all, no doctor would admit that the hospital is haunted. To my surprise, he casually responded as if joking, "Oh, really? You are new here. Such things prey on the inexperienced; once you get used to it, it will be fine."

After Professor Qu arrived, he glanced at the patient with a very serious expression. He instructed Mei Xi to release one of the police officer's hands and began the examination. He spoke to Qu Yimin in a manner that ordinary people might find difficult to understand, and then asked, "How should we treat Yangming meridian mania?" The elderly man did not forget to educate his granddaughter while diagnosing the patient.

The Yangming chapter of "Shanghan Lun" records the Dachengqi Decoction: 4 taels of rhubarb, 0.5 jin of magnolia bark, 3 he of glauber's salt, and 5 pieces of bitter orange. Except for the glauber's salt, the other three herbs must be prepared through a熟制 process, and the decoction yields approximately two medium bowls, around 1 jin. It is important to emphasize that this medicine is toxic, and the dosage used is quite large.

This whip technique is said to have been passed down through generations primarily for the purpose of training monkeys. Monkeys are notoriously unruly, and when training them, one must not only coax but also intimidate, while also preventing their escape. The monkey whip technique can deal with even the most obstinate monkeys; no matter how mischievous or agile they are, the long whip can be unfurled to strike them without a place to hide, and the force is skillfully applied so as not to harm the monkeys

Meixi had not yet grasped the situation when a piercing scream echoed from the operating room, followed immediately by Qu Yimin's shout: "Meixi, come help!"

Director Wang let out a gentle sigh and said, "It is quite a coincidence that the woman took her own life due to a romantic dispute, and the man involved is a doctor at our hospital. That night, he happened to be on duty in the emergency room, and the woman was staring at him the whole time; it is hard to describe the feeling!"

A whip, let me take a closer look later, but first, let's turn off this light, it's fine... Can you tell me where the switch is? ... This switch seems to have poor contact, I should find someone to fix it tomorrow. Mei Xi walked into the operating room and turned off the ultraviolet light, the buzzing sound disappeared, and everything was as if it had never happened. Even Mei Xi admired herself; not long ago, she was terrified by the sounds in the corridor, and in the blink of an eye, she saw a ghostly figure in front of Qu Yimin, yet she managed to remain so composed.

This exceptional skill is not something that everyone can master. Among the eighteen martial arts, the long whip is the most difficult to practice. Without sufficient skill, one cannot only fail to strike an opponent but may also injure oneself. Once mastered, it becomes the most elusive and difficult to guard against. My uncle's son did not learn it, and my uncle himself did not fully master it; only Mei Xi has completely grasped all the intricacies of this fainting whip technique.

Director Wang: "Xiao Qu, you are a doctor, are you still afraid of ghosts?"

Director Wang: "You don't recognize him; it was several years ago. That doctor resigned long ago. I heard he went to a hospital in the south and is doing quite well now"

Qu Yimin gasped, taking a few steps back, and stood beside Mei Xi: "Which doctor from our hospital?"

This whip, infused with internal strength, can strike the monkey at the back of its ear from any direction and angle, whether from the left or the right. The force can vary; it can render the monkey unconscious for half an hour or for three days and nights, yet upon awakening, it suffers no real internal injuries. It is said that in the past, during busy farming seasons, the Mei family's monkey trainers would release the monkeys back into the mountains. When they needed to summon the monkeys, they would simply stand at the foot of the mountain, crack the long whip, and with three sharp sounds of the whip, the monkeys would hear the call and come down on their own.

Professor Qu: "Not bad, you have finally made good use of your study of 'Treatise on Cold Damage.' The current condition is critical; you should administer the Da Chengqi Decoction. Quickly prepare the medicine. Mei Xi, you go help with the decoction."

Mei Xi hurriedly pushed the door open and entered. The police officers were all outside the operating room, while Qu Yimin and several nurses were clearly struggling to restrain the police officer on the operating table. The scream just now had come from Director Wang, whose eye was already bruised. He was crouching there with his mouth covered, and a bloodied front tooth lay on the ground, evidently lost in the earlier scuffle. Mei Xi quickly stepped forward, flipped the police officer on the operating table over, and twisted his arm to control his lower back, preventing him from moving around. She could feel that the man was convulsing all over, exhibiting an astonishing amount of strength.

... ...

Meixi learned the monkey whip technique from his third uncle. His third uncle's family originally made a living as itinerant performers. In the past, itinerant artists had many opportunities to travel through remote areas, and it was impossible to survive without some self-defense skills. Therefore, the entire family of his third uncle practiced martial arts, and Meixi's earliest foundation was built upon this training. While we need not elaborate on his skills in hand-to-hand combat, the most remarkable aspect is a set of monkey whip techniques.

Upon hearing this, Qu Yimin forgot her fear and smiled as she asked, "Is it really that exaggerated? Can you catch monkeys on the mountain near your home?"

In a hospital, when family members of a patient see doctors and nurses in a flurry, they often become quite anxious, speaking in a disjointed manner. However, upon seeing this kind-hearted elderly gentleman calmly asking questions, the family feels somewhat reassured. With a trembling voice, they lament: "My work involves public security patrols, enduring hardships in all kinds of weather. There are many things I cannot stand but cannot intervene in. My son is not doing well in school and is disobedient. Despite working for so many years, he has not been promoted. He feels frustrated and has taken to drinking. How did it suddenly come to this..."

Chengqi Decoction

The body has always been quite healthy, having rarely fallen ill. However, due to frequently being on duty, my eating schedule is irregular, which has led to some gastrointestinal issues. Additionally, after prolonged periods of external duties, I have been suffering from leg pain, and the hospital has been unable to provide a clear diagnosis. By the way, someone recently informed me of a folk remedy involving soaking traditional Chinese medicine in liquor, which I have been consuming for some time now

Qu Yimin: "Why doesn't she leave when so many people are dying in the emergency room?"

Since childhood, Mei Xi had walked many night roads, traversing the desolate hills and chaotic graveyards around the Mei family area, yet he had never encountered a ghost, let alone a deity. Therefore, he was unaware of the truth behind the tales of humans, ghosts, and gods. Unexpectedly, on this day, while accompanying Qu Yimin for a night shift for the first time, he encountered ghosts one after another. In the corridor, he heard strange sounds; discerning the source, he swiftly unleashed a fainting whip, which indeed extinguished the eerie noise. In the emergency operating room, he again saw a 'ghostly shadow,' and without hesitation, he struck with another fainting whip, which proved effective once more. It seemed that Old Man Mei had not deceived him. At this moment, Mei Xi, skilled and bold, was no longer particularly afraid.

The front of my thigh hurts, from the knee all the way to the calf. The liquor contains Eucommia, Angelica, safflower, and Achyranthes. I prepared it myself, and I remember it very clearly

Meixi also smiled: "The Mei family is located in the foothills of the Qinling Mountains. In the past, there were many monkeys on the mountain. Now, the macaque is a nationally protected species of level II. Monkey shows have been eliminated, but the tradition of using monkey whips has been passed down."

Director Wang stood up and shouted, "Quick, high-dose sedation!"

After hearing a few remarks, Meixi learned that the patient had not been injured while on duty, but rather had suddenly fallen ill after drinking with colleagues during a shift change. The onset of the illness was strange and abrupt; he suddenly went into a frenzy, swinging a bottle and smashing things, unable to speak or recognize anyone, his mind unclear and in a state of agitation. Fortunately, there were police officers nearby who subdued him on the spot and called for patrolling colleagues to drive him to the hospital.

Upon hearing the word "ghost," Qu Yimin's expression changed slightly, and she furrowed her brows as she asked, "The emergency treatment room is haunted; there have long been rumors in the hospital. I asked the nurses, but they were evasive and refused to say anything. Why didn't the director inform me? I truly saw it just now; it wasn't an illusion, and he saw it too."

Meixi interjected anxiously: "Professor Qu, can his illness be treated?"

The patient's family has left, Professor Qu pondered: "The mind is not affected by evil, but pent-up emotions have turned into a fiery agitation, indicating a condition in the Yangming stomach channel. The pain in the front leg suggests that there have been symptoms for some time. The herbal wine he brewed is a remedy for strengthening bones and marrow, which is fundamentally inappropriate for the condition... Yimin, what do you think should be done regarding the medication?"

This remarkable skill is not limited to just striking monkeys; it can be used against anyone with nine orifices, and it also serves as a self-defense technique

Outside, a police officer shouted loudly: "Doctor, I was already injected at another hospital just now. It’s not effective; the syringe is bent. Will too much dosage cause problems?"

While lamenting at Meixi, Director Wang seemed to recall something and added, "The emergency room being haunted is not just a superstition; there are many rumors in the hospital. It is said that wherever someone is about to die, it might just be haunted. It is very likely that someone will die in the emergency room tonight." Before he finished speaking, the sound of a whistling car and screeching brakes came from outside. Director Wang frowned and smiled, saying, "Look, the harbingers of death have arrived, right? ... Oh, why is it not an ambulance but a police car?"

Mei Xi said apologetically: "I am sorry, I hurt your shoulder."

As they spoke, a few hissing sounds were heard. It turned out that Mei Xi had torn off several medical bandages to bind the hands and feet of the police officer. She then turned and grabbed Qu Yimin's shoulder, asking: "What is his condition? Can you treat him?"

Qu Yimin asked in confusion, "Aren't we supposed to be fighting monkeys? How come you can even fight ghosts?" Upon mentioning the word 'ghost,' she showed a hint of fear and secretly glanced towards the direction of the operating room

Qu Yimin shook her head: "This is a critical and dangerous condition. If it continues to develop, it poses a risk to life. I cannot treat it; I fear only grandpa..."