Chapter 34 Visiting Su Xipo

It is early winter now. A heavy snow fell last night. As the car drove north, the world was covered in silver white.

We chatted all the way, and I had no idea who I was visiting. When you're with a master, there are certain rules and conventions. For example, if he doesn't tell you, it's best not to ask.

I pondered this for a long time, and finally figured it out. This is due to the nature of a master's profession. If a master doesn't have a touch of mystery, what kind of master is he?

If the master doesn’t tell me, I won’t ask.

When we passed a market town, although the snow on the ground had not melted yet, my master asked me to stop the car because he saw several people selling eggs.

"Go buy some free-range eggs. Your wife only eats free-range eggs."

After getting off the bus, we found a small street selling all sorts of things, including three or four egg vendors. My master and I strolled over, and a woman in her forties waved at us. As we approached, we saw she was sitting on a small stool with a basket of eggs in front of her.

"They are definitely country eggs," said the woman.

The man selling fish nearby chimed in, "You can absolutely trust her. She brings a basket of eggs from her own farm every day. She sells them here three hundred days out of three hundred and sixty-five. Everyone's vying for them."

I was about to negotiate the price when Master said, "Go to the front and take a look."

I was puzzled. This was a perfect basket, and it was good stuff. The master said nothing. He walked about twenty meters and saw an old woman with half a basket of eggs. She took one, shook it, and said, "Buy it."

After getting on the bus, I asked, "Why don't you want the middle-aged woman's? The people next to her said she only sells one basket a day. So she's not a dealer."

The master sneered, "You should think twice before you act. Do her chickens lay exactly one basket a day? And do they lay eggs every day? She could mix some free-range eggs with feed eggs. Why would anyone fall for that? It's because she only sells one basket a day."

It suddenly dawned on me: “This turned out to be a marketing tactic.”

My master taught me: "Crystal-clear jade without a single impurity is fake; a flawless personality without a single blemish is divine; passing by one's home three times without entering is a show. Selling free-range eggs every day is fooling ghosts."

I burst out laughing.

My master continued to instruct me, "The same goes for making friends. Don't make friends with people who don't have any hobbies. What's wrong with drinking a little, smoking a little, and talking a little dirty talk? If you don't have any hobbies and act all the time, you're just living for others to see."

I listened and thought.

At this time, the master said, "The person we are going to visit, you can just call him Mr. Su. His name is Su Xipo."

I burst out laughing: This name is easy to remember.

The master introduced: "Su Xipo's father said that their branch was the direct descendant of Su Dongpo. In order to remember the ancestor, he gave his son this name.

The Xipo family, while not known for its literary prowess, has been a family of renowned physicians for ten generations. They specialized in treating difficult and complex illnesses, including venomous snakes and water retention. His father hoped his son would also be versatile, cultivating excellent calligraphy alongside his medical practice. Even his prescriptions were composed into a work of art—the so-called Xipo style.

Thus, Xipo was not only a famous doctor, but also a master of calligraphy. His prescriptions were collected by others as calligraphy works. Xipo was so happy to boast: "Those who write prescriptions well cannot write as well as me; those who write well cannot write prescriptions as well as me."

I laughed and said, "This is one of the most bizarre stories in the history of Chinese medicine."

I suddenly remembered that Master could repel snake water, so I hurriedly asked:

"Did Mr. Xipo teach you how to treat snake bites?"

The master nodded and said, "One year, a man came to my shop. From the way he was dressed, I could tell he wasn't someone who did manual labor, but he didn't look like a cadre, a worker, or a teacher either."

I hurriedly said, "Master, wait a minute, first teach me how to distinguish between cadres, teachers, and workers."

Master said, "It's just a professional trait. When a cadre enters, he smiles. This smile is a courtesy, and he quickly retracts it. We live in a society where officials are the most important. Among the 72 professions, cadres hold the highest status. A smile and a retraction both show courtesy and let you know he's a person of status."

The workers were different. When they smiled, their two large front teeth were exposed, giving them a somewhat goofy, but persistent smile, full of humility, was a reflection of their deep admiration for knowledgeable people. Furthermore, in their minds, my profession was a bit mysterious and therefore held in higher regard.

The teacher's smile is even more different. It's a fake smile, because he thinks he's an intellectual, teaching others materialism every day, and that yours is just a trick to fool people. So his smile is very ugly.

I was secretly impressed. This really hit the nail on the head.

The master added, "I'm referring to those who come to our fortune-telling shop. This is how I identify them. As for those who come to other places, that's another matter."

I said calmly, "I know that."

The Master continued, "The man who came that day was neither a cadre, nor a worker, nor a teacher. Who was he? As soon as he sat down, I could tell he was a doctor."

I asked, "What are the characteristics of a doctor?"

The master smiled and said, "When the visitor put his hand on the table, he blew on it out of habit, fearing that there would be dust on the table."

Oh, pay attention to hygiene. I thought to myself.

The master continued, "I waited until he sat down. I looked at him and smiled without saying anything. He smiled back and said, 'Let me test the character 'West' and ask if you passed the test.'

I saw he was in his thirties, so this wasn't a degree exam, it was a certification exam. I felt certain. At that moment, wasn't I just trying to be completely accurate? If I was right, I'd be completely right. If I was wrong, I'd be completely wrong. So, I made my ultimate move.

I said, "Sir, you are a doctor. This time you are going to the city to take the Chinese medicine license examination. Congratulations, you will pass every exam."

The visitor was shocked and asked, "Sir, how do you know that I am a doctor and am taking the Chinese medicine license exam? You are so specific. I must explain it to you."

I smiled and said, "Reverse the logic. You're in your thirties, so you can rule out university entrance exams. You must be taking exams." Regarding the character "西," in ancient times, private school teachers or assistants were called "西熙."

I don't think you look like a teacher, so you're probably an assistant. Assistants include those who practice medicine, Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Therefore, I've decided you're a physician. Since you took the "West" character in your divination and are sitting, I've already hired you as a "Western tutor." You'll undoubtedly pass the exam.

The man said that his reasoning was impeccable, but you have to tell me why you were sure at first glance that I was a doctor.

I smiled and said, "If you teach me a useful medicine recipe, I will teach you how to judge people." From then on, we became friends, and he taught me the secret trick of repelling snake water.

When Master finished, I said, "You are my role model. Pay attention to everything and gather wisdom from all sides."

The master advised: "You have a unique skill, so you should learn more about medicine in the future."

Then I understood the reason why my master brought me to visit Su Xipo.

After walking another five miles, I received a phone call from someone who said it was Xiao Liming. I remembered him and said, "Hello, Mr. Xiao."

Xiao Liming said, "Boss Deng asked me to contact you to order some drinks. Besides red wine, do you have any white wine?"

I said, "Yes, yes. We have all kinds of wine."

Xiao Liming said, "I'm in charge of public relations at Mr. Deng's company. I'll text you the varieties you need."

An idea suddenly struck me, and I changed my tone and said, "Thank you, Minister Xiao. I'm driving now. See you later."

The master asked, "Who called you?"

I said, "Xiao Liming, the one you predicted would be a rising star, was recently promoted by CEO Deng to head the sales department. He's looking after my sister's business and wanted her to place an order for some alcohol."

“Oh——” The master pointed to the fork in the road and signaled me to turn left.

The car left the national highway, turned onto the provincial road, and after five or six miles, it entered a rural road. A mile down the rural road, it turned left and went uphill. On the high slope, there was a flat area, with seven or eight houses scattered on either side. No need to guess, the best courtyard was Mr. Su's house.