Chapter 56! Chapter 56! It's over! It's over! It's set a record! ...
Seeing that the comments section was about to escalate into a major battle, Liu Chan immediately took control of the situation, signaling his assistant to mute those who were making defamatory remarks and jumping around, and then shifted the camera to the dougong (bracket set).
It had something stuck to its body, and Liu Chan knew what it was, of course, but the fans in the live stream didn't, so he had to ask them:
"Professor Lin, what are those sensor-like things stuck on it?"
“That is indeed a sensor,” Professor Lin explained. “It’s for collecting and amplifying sound. If the fibers inside the wood break, we can hear it through this sensor.”
Liu Chan continued, "And what about this protective shield?"
Professor Lin: "Of course, it's to prevent the wood from bursting and scattering in all directions... Xiao Xu, now we'll begin the extreme test, increasing the value by 10 kilonewtons every 30 seconds. When it reaches 120, increase both units sequentially."
Xu, the graduate student operating the machinery, immediately nodded: "Understood!"
Under his control, the hydraulic press jacks pressed down with increasing weight and force, from two thousand Newtons to ten thousand Newtons and then to twenty thousand Newtons... The brackets didn't seem to change much.
The live stream quieted down, and when it reached 120 kN, a loud "click" sound was finally heard.
The craftsmen who made this bracket set slumped their shoulders in disappointment.
They knew that this was the wood grain starting to break.
At 122 kN, the angzui (a type of bracket arm) on the dougong (another type of bracket arm) began to bend; at 126 kN, the entire dougong was crushed by the jacks and collapsed downwards. Fine wood chips flew out in all directions, but were blocked by the transparent acrylic cover.
Lu Xiaoqi had been watching nervously the whole time, and only then did she finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"That's pretty good, it can actually withstand 13 tons of pressure."
She really thought the result was pretty good, after all, it was just wood, not steel.
Next, two more dougong brackets were tested, and the data for these two was better than that for the first. The second one only started to crack when the hydraulic press was increased to 130 kN, and the third one was about the same.
It's worth noting that the dougong brackets of ancient buildings that have survived for thousands of years can only withstand this much pressure, which shows that the construction teams she hired are truly skilled.
Next up was the bracket set made by Master Xiang and his team.
【nervous. 】
[Tense +1.]
Don't worry, Master Xiang and his team are definitely the best. Didn't Professor Lin say before that their mortise and tenon structure is more conducive to load-bearing?
The above are the concerns expressed by fans. Of course, there are also those who simply want to watch the drama unfold, some even with malicious intent, and others who always think they are the only ones who are truly enlightened while everyone else is delusional.
It would be hilarious if it was hyped up so much before, but turned out to be the worst one out there.
It's hard to say. At first glance, it's all flash and no substance; it looks nice but isn't very practical.
[I'm looking forward to the moment when my fans are proven wrong; I'll record the whole thing.]
Lu Xiaoqi had no time to watch the live stream; she was completely focused on the scene. Everyone present shared the same thought, and they quieted down considerably as they watched the Xiang family move the bracket set under the hydraulic press and secure it.
A small incident occurred during this time.
While carrying the bracket set, Xiang Dazhu accidentally tripped over a wire connected to a machine on the ground, almost stumbling forward and dropping the bracket set. Several craftsmen from another team rushed over to help him up.
"careful!"
"Brother, are you alright?"
Xiang Dazhu was relieved and quickly thanked him, only to receive a few words of encouragement in return.
"Go for it, bro!"
"It's up to you guys now."
He was a little confused. Weren't they competing? Why were they suddenly being encouraged?
The craftsmen couldn't help but blurt it out, but once the words were out, they all felt much relieved—at this point, it was no longer just about their honor and dignity, but about testing the limits of the traditional architectural form of dougong, and about the dignity of traditional Chinese architecture!
Therefore, they sincerely hope that the dougong (a type of bracket system) for their family can last longer.
It wasn't just them; many people in the live stream, especially ancient architecture enthusiasts and those in the construction industry, were cheering them on.
"Go for it!" A shout suddenly came from the dormitory of the Architecture Department at Qinghe University.
Such scenes have occurred in many other places.
......
"Adjust the hydraulic press to a load of 10 kN," Professor Lin instructed his graduate student, Xiao Xu. "Once it's stable, increase the load by 10 kN every thirty seconds, continuing at the previous frequency."
"clear."
The jacks of the large hydraulic press pressed down like heavy stones, increasing the pressure by a thousand pounds every thirty seconds. The machine was silent, and the brackets beneath the jacks were also silent; they were engaged in a silent contest.
Only Xiao Xu's voice reached everyone's ears through the microphone.
"...eighty thousand oxen...one hundred thousand oxen...one hundred and one...one hundred and two..."
When he shouted 120, the arena fell even quieter. It should be noted that the first bracket set broke at 120 kN, when the wood fibers broke.
Fortunately, just like with the previous boost, nothing happened.
The brackets remained quietly under the jack, resisting it without making a sound.
Young craftsmen like Xiang Dali and Xiang Dazhu ultimately lacked the composure of Xiang Qi and Xiang Ming, clenching their fists and looking tense.
Soon, Xiao Xu shouted, "One hundred and twenty-two."
Nothing happened.
The weight was then increased to 124, 126, and 128.
When he shouted 128, Xiao Xu was a little excited. The weight he lifted next made his voice rise a few decibels: "130 kN!"
The best data for the dougong brackets present so far is 130.
But it remained quiet.
The sensors attached to the bracket set did not detect any subtle sounds.
After waiting for about ten seconds, Xiao Xu increased the load again: "132!"
There seemed to be far fewer comments flooding the live stream.
Damn! This got me so excited, I was too scared to even breathe!
Me too! I'm so nervous!
[It's at 134! Still no sound. Does this mean Master Xiang Qi and his team have won?]
We won! I told you they were the best!
But this is testing the limits; even if you win, you still have to continue.
Xiao Xu continued to adjust the range of motion upwards as instructed by the teacher: "138...140!"
Unlike the brief pause earlier due to nervousness, the comments section in the live stream started flooding again:
[I'm so nervous, my legs are weak, someone help me up!]
[Didn't Professor Lin just mention what the maximum load-bearing capacity was in previous domestic tests?]
[145! Almost there!]
Please, please! God, Buddha, Lao Tzu... please let us surpass this limit!
Lu Xiaoqi couldn't help but pray in her heart, "Please."
Su Jun stared intently at the scene, his face as gentle and calm as ever. Only the bulging veins on his hands, hanging at his sides, revealed how nervous he was.
Everyone was on edge.
"144!" Xiao Xu's voice was hoarse.
Nothing happened.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"146!"
It remained calm.
[It's over! It's over! It's a record!]
I told you, this mortise and tenon joint looks the most sturdy!
In the live stream, many people started spamming "carnival" in the chat, and fireworks effects exploded on the screen, but no one paid any attention; some even started cursing.
Stop scrolling, I can't see the screen anymore!
[Wait a while until the results come out before refreshing!]
No one in the room was watching the live stream; everyone was waiting, waiting for Xiao Xu to speak, waiting for that faint sound to ring out. However, Xiao Xu kept increasing the bet to 156, but the exquisite bracket set remained silent.
The jack continues to move downwards.
“158!” Xiao Xu’s voice cracked.
The craftsmen from the other construction teams clenched their fists, their eyes gleaming with excitement. The villagers of Xiangjia Village, who had initially remained calm, couldn't help but become excited at this crucial moment.
"160!"
As Xiao Xu's voice faded, everyone finally heard the amplified "click" from the sensor and microphone!
After withstanding nearly 16 and a half tons of pressure, this dougong (bracket set) – constructed entirely of wood without a single nail or drop of glue, and secured by mortise and tenon joints – finally began to change. The wood started to break along the grain.
At 164 kN, its beak inevitably bent.
Even so, it held up to 168 kN before finally bursting and collapsing under the pressure of 17 tons.
Lu Xiaoqi let out a long sigh of relief: "17 tons!"
The craftsmen of Xiangjia Village jumped up, even the most composed ones had smiles on their faces, clearly relieved.
In the room, craftsmen from several construction teams came forward to congratulate Xiang's family; Liu Chan, her assistant, and some audience members cheered happily, filling the live broadcast room; Professor Lin and several graduate students led the other half of the audience in applause.
However, this chaos doesn't upset the fans in the live stream; they're enjoying it too.
【ox! 】
[Record broken!]
[Sprinkle flowers! Applause!]
My hands were sweating from nervousness.
I didn't even dare to look.
Sitting on the sofa in the lounge, Lu Feng watched the entire live stream and suddenly felt that the joy he felt was no less than that of closing a big deal today. Without thinking, he sent a Carnival gift.
This time, the carnival fireworks completely filled the screen, one after another.
A loud shout suddenly rang out in the dormitory of the Architecture Department at Qinghe University: "Awesome!"
The students passing by were startled and asked their classmates in confusion, "What happened? Did the national team score a goal?"
He doesn't remember there being a game today.
The students around him were terrified: "Don't talk nonsense! This is the national destiny balancer."
......
Provincial Capital Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.
Wang Zhu accompanied her mother, Zhao Yueying, to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital for a medical check-up today.
While waiting outside the department, she naturally started scrolling through her phone and saw a live stream of Qinghe Ancient Town recommended on the homepage. The waiting time was the most boring, and Wang Zhu watched it quietly and with great interest for half an hour, just as the test ended and she heard the announcement calling her mother's name.
"They're gone, they're gone." Wang Zhu led her mother through the door of the consultation room, where Zhang Zhongjing and several members of the expert panel were waiting to greet her.
The expert group decided to hold the clinical assessment at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, and selected an internal medicine clinic for Zhang Zhongjing to oversee, where he would see ten patients and that would be the end of the assessment.
Seeing so many people, all of whom looked like highly experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctors, Wang Zhu subconsciously thought he had come to the wrong place and immediately stepped back, saying, "Excuse me, doctor."
She tugged at Zhao Yueying's sleeve.
Zhao Yueying was also a little confused: "Did we go to the wrong place?"
One of the experts chuckled and said, "Zhao Yueying, right? If so, you haven't gone to the wrong place."
Zhao Yueying nodded hesitantly, "It's me."
Wang Zhu felt as if facing a formidable enemy. What was going on? So many doctors... As everyone knows, if a doctor is indifferent and tells you to leave after a few words, you're probably not sick; if a doctor is friendly and welcoming, you should be nervous; but if a doctor is not only friendly but also has a lot of people who look like big shots around, then...
She felt her legs go weak.
"My mom just wanted to come in for a menopause checkup. Is there anything seriously wrong with her?" Wang Zhu's voice became flustered.
That's not right! They just came in, they haven't checked anything yet...
Seeing the mother and daughter's bewildered expressions, the attending physician in the clinic quickly explained the situation with a smile and then asked if they were willing. The mother and daughter, seeing him sitting on a small stool to the side, behaving like a well-behaved student in front of these powerful figures, knew the extent of their influence.
Of course I would!
"Doctor, I'm going through menopause after my period ended. I often feel hot all over, and my clothes get soaked with sweat. I also frequently experience heart palpitations and anxiety, and I have insomnia at night..."
Zhao Yueying looked distressed. Menopausal syndrome is something no one can avoid, but she has been suffering from it for several years and it is still not getting better.
She had seen a Western doctor, who only offered the same diagnoses: sinus arrhythmia, estrogen deficiency, etc., and prescribed estrogen and sleeping pills. Zhao Yueying didn't see any improvement after taking them, so after much thought, she decided to try traditional Chinese medicine.
After clarifying the situation, Zhang Zhongjing asked her to extend her hand.
The panel of experts behind him immediately perked up.
Zhao Yueying perked up; there aren't many doctors these days who can properly take a pulse. This doctor seems really skilled.
"The pulse is thin and rapid, generally fast, but as thin and weak as a thread..." Zhang Zhongjing said slowly, placing one hand on her pulse. The attending physician next to him quickly wrote it down in his notebook. "The cun pulse is floating and slightly rapid, with little force when pressed, while the chi pulse is deep, thin, and weak, almost non-existent."
The attending physician wiped away a bead of sweat. Luckily, his theoretical knowledge was solid; otherwise, he would have been completely lost listening to these technical terms.
He humbly asked, "Dr. Zhang, both the cun and chi pulses are very weak and superficial..."
This doesn't sound like there's much difference?
The cun section refers to the heart, and the chi section refers to the kidneys.
Zhang Zhongjing shook his head: "The cun pulse is floating, and the chi pulse is deep; there is still a big difference."
The expert reviewers behind her, with their own intentions, obtained Zhao Yueying's consent and began to take her pulse as well. One of them immediately noticed that Zhao Yueying's pulse was thin, and even he found it difficult to discern the difference. However, after careful consideration, he realized that it was indeed as Zhang Zhongjing had described.
He released Zhao Yueying's hand, nodded to the other judges, and then smiled at the relatively young attending physician, saying, "If you want to practice until you're as good as Dr. Zhang, you'll need to spend a lot more time."
This statement, however, affirms Zhang Zhongjing's pulse diagnosis results and medical skills.
Wang Zhu didn't understand any of this and asked anxiously, "What does this 'pulse' mean?"
"This indicates that your mother's heart and kidneys are not in harmony, and her true yin is severely deficient and not being nourished, which naturally causes palpitations, irritability, and insomnia." Zhang Zhongjing asked Zhao Yueying, "Is it that you feel palpitations more easily at night or when it is quiet? Night sweats should also occur at night, perhaps accompanied by tinnitus?"
Zhao Yueying's eyes lit up as she listened, and finally she slapped her thigh: "Yes, yes, yes! That's exactly what you said."
Amazing!
“It’s not a big problem.” Zhang Zhongjing smiled calmly. “I’ll prescribe three courses of herbal decoction for you. It will tell you exactly how to make it. Go back and follow the prescription, and you’ll get better.”
Wang Zhu accompanied her mother, Zhao Yueying, to get medicine, and watched the live stream whenever she could find a spare moment.
Zhao Yueying rolled her eyes: "All you do is watch that nonsense all day!"
Wang Zhu was very self-righteous this time: "What's so messy about it? This is traditional culture!"
Forget it, Mom's going through menopause, don't argue with her. She simply put on her headphones and waited for her mom to get her medicine in line.
The competition has ended, and the live broadcast is clearly coming to a close.
But for some reason, the comments section descended into a heated argument. Wang Zhu, eager to see the drama unfold, quickly scrolled up and finally saw the cause of the incident.
An ID named "New York Wind" posted a comment: "What's the use of having the strongest load-bearing capacity? In modern times, wasn't it still replaced by reinforced concrete invented by the West? Instead of wasting so much time, why not study how to surpass others in modern architecture? All this talk of winning and losing is laughable."
Wang Zhu rolled her eyes.
There are so many inexplicable people online who believe everything from abroad is the best. They not only praise it, but they also have to constantly compare and contrast different products. Everything foreign is good, and everything domestic is bad. If domestic products are good, then it's a matter of "What's the use then?" and "What's the cost?"
As expected, many netizens criticized him.
[Let me start by saying, what is the price?]
Wang Zhu couldn't help but chuckle.
[It's useful. It makes people like you very uncomfortable, so it's very useful.]
[It's clear you really don't want China to win.]
[You admire the West so much, but you probably don't know that the West you're talking about has also been researching mortise and tenon joints, right? Everyone wants good things, but your unworthy descendants think they're useless. It's truly pathetic.]
[Upstairs, who's related to him? He's the only one listed on his household registration.]
Zhao Yueying leaned closer: "What are you looking at so intently?"
Wang Zhu took off her earplugs and excitedly talked to her mother.
Zhao Yueying: "What a worthless piece of trash, why bother with him? But mortise and tenon furniture is indeed rare these days. Our chairs were custom-made by a carpenter, without nails, and they're incredibly sturdy. They've been used for over twenty years and are still in good condition. Look at those chairs you bought online, they break after just a few uses, what kind of quality is that..."
Wang Zhu was exasperated. How did things get so tangled up around him again? His mother wasn't usually this nagging.
No, I must go back and prepare her medicine immediately.
Qinghe Ancient Town.
Liu Chan and Professor Lin, of course, also saw the argument in the live stream. As a professional who initially studied modern architecture but later switched to studying ancient architecture and mortise and tenon joints, Professor Lin felt it was necessary to say a few words.
"I've seen many people in the comments section discussing whether mortise and tenon joints are still practical today, and which is better compared to modern steel and concrete. I don't quite understand. This isn't really an either-or question. They each have their own advantages and strengths."
Lu Xiaoqi nodded in agreement. She used to like high-rise buildings, but after living in Qinghe Ancient Town for a long time, she now feels that these low-rise, open courtyards are the most comfortable. Traditional aesthetics are more in line with her own.
She believes that many people make the same choice as her.
“Modern reinforced concrete can support skyscrapers hundreds of meters high, and it’s much simpler to build. But the mortise and tenon joints used in bracket sets are the culmination of human wisdom and aesthetics.” He pointed to the bracket set that Xiang Qi and his team had built, which had already cracked, and then looked up and pointed to the ceiling above his head, where the caisson ceiling was located. “I just don’t believe that you can’t see the beauty in these things.”
The live stream chat was flooded with messages:
【beautiful! 】
【beautiful! 】
Absolutely gorgeous!
Professor Lin and Yuwen Kai, among others, all showed a smile.
Professor Lin: "Furthermore, dougong (bracket sets) has unique advantages in earthquake resistance, which is why building materials science is currently studying it. For example, the Yingfu Wooden Pagoda has stood for over a thousand years precisely because its unique mortise and tenon structure can dissipate the energy of seismic waves, using softness to overcome hardness. It's not just being studied domestically, but also internationally."
"It also has amazing evolutionary capabilities. Wood is strengthened under long-term pressure, and its compressive strength can even increase!"
"These are things that modern reinforced concrete cannot achieve."
Everyone present and those in the live stream listened intently, just like the attending physician in the clinic.
......
The attending physician continued to obediently assist, while also listening to lectures and learning from others.
The second patient was a programmer in his thirties who came for a follow-up appointment. He had a consultation and several tests done yesterday, but the results wouldn't be available until today, so he booked a follow-up appointment.
Just as the attending physician was about to tell Zhang Zhongjing about his condition, an expert coughed and stopped him.
"Dr. Zhang, I've noticed your pulse diagnosis skills are quite impressive. I wonder if you could confirm his condition through pulse diagnosis?"
This is to focus on assessing his pulse diagnosis skills, rather than just his prescriptions and treatment plans.
The other experts exchanged glances and looked over with great interest.
Zhang Zhongjing readily agreed: "Of course."
When the programmer came in and heard this, he agreed.
Zhang Zhongjing placed his hand on his pulse, closed his eyes, and carefully felt the subtle changes transmitted through his fingers. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke: "The pulse is wiry and strong, like pressing a zither string. The left Guan position is particularly strong, with a clear throbbing... Are you often irritable and easily angered?"
The programmer nodded in surprise: "Yes, doctor, I've been feeling irritable lately, and I often get angry over the smallest things."
Zhang Zhongjing: "That's because the liver qi has been stagnant for a long time, turning into fire that rises upwards and disturbs the sensory orifices. Besides being irritable and easily angered, do you also experience headaches and dizziness?"
The programmer was so excited that he started speaking in archaic language, echoing the other person's words: "Exactly! Exactly!"
Can pulse diagnosis really detect these things?
Zhang Zhongjing looked at the attending physician's inquisitive eyes and said with a smile, "His pulse is wiry, hard, and forceful, which means that his liver yang is overactive and transforms into wind that rises upward, hence the headache and dizziness; but at the same time, his pulse is heavy and feels slightly hollow when pressed, which indicates that his yang is overactive and out of control."
"His irritability and anger are signs of liver fire disturbing the heart."
The attending physician could understand some of it, but the programmer looked completely bewildered and confused.
He blurted out, "I was previously diagnosed with high blood pressure..."
It's truly sad and frustrating that he was diagnosed with high blood pressure at such a young age. He was taking his blood pressure medication as usual, but recently he's been experiencing recurring headaches and feeling short of breath after taking the medication.
He had already undergone examinations, but the results showed no problems in his brain. The doctor suspected it might be a side effect of his blood pressure medication and adjusted his dosage, but there was still no improvement. Left with no other option, the programmer turned to traditional Chinese medicine.
"The doctor yesterday also prescribed Doppler ultrasound for me..." The programmer took out the films he had just received today and handed them to Zhang Zhongjing to look at.
Zhang Zhongjing paused for a moment, then handed it over directly to several expert reviewers.
He found it strange, but couldn't understand it...
The expert held up the scan and read out the doctor's diagnosis: "Increased blood flow velocity in both middle cerebral arteries indicates cerebral vasospasm or increased tension... From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, this is indeed a case of liver wind disturbing the upper body and liver yang rising excessively."
He put down the film, let out a long sigh, and looked at Zhang Zhongjing with admiration in his eyes: "Dr. Zhang's pulse diagnosis technique is simply divine!"
The programmer, convinced that this doctor was a miracle worker, looked at him expectantly and asked, "Doctor, how can my illness be treated?"
"You need to calm the liver and subdue the yang, clear heat and extinguish wind." After thinking for a moment, Zhang Zhongjing prescribed him a medicine, "I'll prescribe you a course of Tianma Gouteng Decoction first..."
After seeing the patient off, Zhang Zhongjing sighed, "It seems that most patients only consider traditional Chinese medicine as a backup option." He paused for a moment, then added, "The various diagnostic methods of modern medicine are indeed miraculous."
It exceeded his expectations.
A whole new world slowly opened its doors before him.
It's no wonder that people's first choice is Western medicine nowadays. He also has a certain understanding of the situation of traditional Chinese medicine in this era.
The experts all nodded in agreement.
However, some veteran traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are optimistic: "Modern medicine also has its limitations. For example, the two patients mentioned earlier did not have any organic lesions or clear abnormal indicators. If modern medicine were used to treat them, it would be impossible to know where to start."
Another expert nodded in agreement: "In traditional Chinese medicine, we say that the best doctors treat diseases before they occur, the average doctors treat diseases that are about to occur, and the worst doctors treat diseases that have already occurred. This approach treats the human body as a whole and has a clear advantage in addressing functional imbalances in the body."
"Therefore, Dr. Zhang, we veteran doctors of traditional Chinese medicine must not be discouraged."
Zhang Zhongjing was listening to the experts discuss the differences and advantages and disadvantages between modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine when he heard his own name mentioned. He laughed and said, "Don't worry, everyone. I just had a momentary feeling. I'm not discouraged."
For him, treating illness is simply treating illness; there's no distinction between superior and inferior treatments. He just wants to do what he wants to do.
While they were discussing the case, the attending physician was diligently taking notes. He appeared silent, but his mind was in turmoil—these were all renowned TCM experts in the province, so why were they acting so humble and polite towards this Dr. Zhang?
However, this doctor is indeed quite skilled...
No, he absolutely must add Dr. Zhang on WeChat after this is over. Maybe he can ask him for advice later.
......
In Qinghe Ancient Town, as Professor Lin finished speaking, the live broadcast came to an end.
"Let's go..."
Lu Xiaoqi told Su Jun beside her that she planned to sneak away while there weren't many people around, so she wouldn't have to say a lot of hellos later. But she hadn't taken more than a few steps when Sun Yingying grabbed her arm.
Sun Yingying asked expressionlessly, "Boss, where are you planning to go?"
Lu Xiaoqi blinked and slapped her forehead: "Ah, I remember now, we have a meeting, right? Oh dear, I almost forgot."
The administrative supervisor lowered his head and bit his lip tightly, afraid that he would laugh out loud.
Su Jun also smiled.
Sun Yingying gave a forced smile and pulled her back, saying, "Now that we've finished watching the competition, let's go back to the conference room."
Lu Xiaoqi was being supported by her, and as they were leaving, she even tried to drag Su Jun into it: "Isn't Assistant Su coming to the meeting with me?"
How can one endure such suffering alone? That is definitely not possible.
Su Jun: ......
In the end, she obediently went with her.
The meeting lasted until 4 PM, and finally, it was confirmed that the two existing buildings in Anping County would be rented and converted into employee dormitories. These two buildings were previously employee dormitories for a factory in Anping County, but now the factory is not doing well and does not need so many employees, so it has been looking for buyers.
Lu Xiaoqi has been spending money like water lately, and she's reluctant to buy the property outright. She plans to rent it for five years first. She'll consider these expensive purchases once the business opens and generates income and profits.
As for the canteen, half of the outermost Zone 7 has been designated as a canteen, rest area, and storage area for employees.
Once these two resolutions are passed, it means that there will be more and more construction workers and employees in Qinghe Ancient Town, and it will no longer be the small-scale operation it was before.
The meeting had just ended when Lu Xiaoqi received a call from Zhang Zhongjing.
"You'll be back in a week?" She was overjoyed and eagerly asked how the assessment went.
Zhang Zhongjing said casually, "There shouldn't be any problem. We discussed medical principles this morning and saw ten patients this afternoon."
In fact, what followed hardly counted as an assessment; in fact, most of the time it was the expert panel members consulting him about pulse diagnosis. In the end, he had to examine each patient for a full thirty minutes!
He felt that obtaining the title of renowned doctor was a sure thing.
However, he still had to give three lectures at the provincial capital's Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, as he had promised Wang Jingde, so he needed to stay for a few more days.
Lu Xiaoqi had no objection: "You can stay in the provincial capital a little longer. The interns that Manager Chen recruited for you won't be here for a few days, so there's no rush."
After hanging up the phone, she chuckled to herself. Her sachets and pills were ready to be put into production soon!
However, to Lu Xiaoqi's surprise, Qian Bojiang was one of the three people Chen Yingying recruited for Guanmaitang.
She asked, somewhat puzzled, "Don't you help out at the pharmacy in your hometown?"
Qian Bojiang was a little embarrassed. Of course, he came to become an apprentice. What if these newly recruited people took advantage of his proximity and got the job first? So he had to come too. His grandfather, Qian Chenghai, also agreed.
As for his father, well, his opinion doesn't matter.
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaoqi immediately said, "Before Doctor Zhang returns, don't just sit around. Take them and make some sachets. I'm being pressured to my death."
Besides the customers in the food group, her parents were also among them. She had sent back a few sachets before, and her parents thought they were very useful. After they promoted them, people started coming to ask for them, and it's been more than half a month since then.
Qian Bojiang nodded loudly: "Okay, boss!"
The day after the new employee joined Guanmaitang, Zhang Zhongjing's certification as a renowned physician was already in hand. The esteemed Sage of Medicine had finally shed the stigma of practicing medicine illegally—a cause for celebration!
Even more gratifying is that the previous live broadcast actually made it onto the national television news!
Lu Xiaoqi's parents called to tell her about this—there was nothing they could do, she hadn't watched TV for years.
It was almost 10 p.m. that night when Ms. Xiao Meiyun called: "Xiaoqi, was that girl on the news just now you? She looks so much like you. She's also from Qinghe Ancient Town. Your ancient town was on the news!"
Lu Xiaoqi had told her parents before that she was working in Qinghe Ancient Town, but she didn't know how to explain it, so she just said that she was the head of the self-media department.
She looked confused: "What news?"
"Oh, it's the national television news at eight o'clock."
Lu Xiaoqi immediately turned on the TV, but the news had already ended. She then searched for the replay online and discovered that the live broadcast had actually been broadcast on national television. Moreover, the news report highly praised them.
"Recently, a unique test and skills competition was held in Qinghe Ancient Town, Qinghe City..." The live broadcast on television featured the host speaking clearly, "Mortise and tenon joints represent the millennia-old wisdom of our Chinese nation. Today, Qinghe Ancient Town showcases the charm of traditional Chinese craftsmanship through such a scientific test..."
They even interviewed experts from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center, basically praising it in every way.
In the footage from the scene, Lu Xiaoqi appeared briefly as an audience member, with a shot lasting about two seconds.
She also greatly admires her parents, for they were able to discover her...
She never expected that a live stream that happened by accident would suddenly bring Qinghe Ancient Town into the spotlight and into the official view.
The next day, Liu Chan happily told her that their video accounts, including the personal accounts of the craftsmen from Xiangjia Village, had gained a lot of followers, a large portion of whom came after seeing the news. It seems that although traditional media is declining, the influence of national television should not be underestimated.
Moreover, the impact of this event is not limited to gaining followers; its significance in other aspects is clearly more profound—Ren Zhijiao also called very quickly:
"You did a great job this time! The director specifically praised Qinghe Ancient Town during the meeting!"
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