"Don't worry, Aunt Chen. Take this medicine and your cold will be gone in no time. Just remember—soak the herbs in clean water for half an hour, then simmer for another half hour. Do it twice, combine the decoctions, and drink it all in three doses. You'll be fine."
"Got it, Doctor Song! Thank you so much—really, thank you!"
Outside the Song Family Clinic.
Ian Song saw the grateful woman out of the clinic, his manner gentle as ever.
The Song Family Clinic had been open for over a month now, and thanks to word of mouth, business was booming.
"Time to close up!"
Ian strolled toward the backyard, telling his two apprentice assistants to shut the doors.
Just as they moved to close up, a gang of club-wielding thugs barged in, shoving the apprentices aside and storming into the clinic.
"Smash it! The harder, the better!" barked the scar-faced leader, waving his saber.
Ian turned, face darkening. His voice was calm but carried weight: "Who dares?"
His words weren't loud, but every thug froze, clubs raised mid-swing, intimidated by the quiet force in his tone.
Ian strode up to the leader, voice cold. "Who sent you?"
The thug started to blurt out, "It was Zhu—"
He caught himself halfway, clamping his mouth shut. Furious, he couldn't believe he'd let a 'stinking quack' scare him.
"Get lost, you damn quack!"
Grinning nastily, the leader swung a slap at Ian's face.
"Watch out, sir!"
"Careful!"
The two apprentices shouted in panic.
Smack!
A crisp slap echoed through the clinic, followed by a scream as someone was sent flying out the front door.
The thugs stared after the airborne figure, stunned—it wasn't Ian Song who'd been sent flying, but their own boss.
Even the two apprentices were left gaping in disbelief.
Their master was always gentle and polite, never harsh with them. Seeing him send a gang leader flying was beyond belief.
Chen Fourth lay dazed on the ground for a moment before slowly getting up. Suddenly he felt something odd in his mouth, spat—and out came a big yellow tooth.
He froze, then flew into a rage. Snatching up his saber, he charged back into the clinic, yelling at his men, "You idiots! Are you all dead? Get in there and kill that quack!"
The rest of the gang finally snapped out of it, swinging their clubs as they rushed Ian Song.
"Get out of my clinic!"
Ian flashed forward, diving into the mob. With every kick, a thug went flying—within seconds, he'd booted them all out of the clinic.
Chen Fourth had just charged in, saber raised, when one of his own men crashed into him, sending him screaming back out the door.
Ian hadn't crippled them, but they'd be sore for days.
Not far from the clinic, two men watched nervously from the street—a middle-aged pharmacy owner and a skinny old doctor who ran a nearby medical hall.
Before Ian opened the Song Family Clinic, these two had colluded to overcharge patients and pocket the profits.
But ever since the Song Family Clinic opened, their business had tanked. Lately, they'd been lucky to see even three customers a day.
It was all because of the Song Family Clinic.
Not only was Doctor Song a brilliant physician, his fees for treatment and medicine were absurdly cheap.
Great doctor, cheap medicine—only a fool wouldn't come to the Song Family Clinic.
If things kept going like this, they'd both be out of business. So, after a quick huddle, they hired a gang of thugs to wreck the clinic.
But to their shock, Doctor Song wasn't just a miracle worker—he could fight. In less than a minute, he kicked all ten-plus thugs out the door.
Now they deeply regretted provoking him—and feared what might happen if he found out they were behind it.
If Doctor Song found out the thugs were working for them... what then?
Both men instantly regretted their decision.
Just then, Ian Song—still in his middle-aged disguise—strode out of the clinic and glanced at the street corner.
Feeling his gaze, the two conspirators ducked their heads, silently praying he hadn't noticed them.
"Song, I'm not done with you!"
Chen Fourth staggered up, snarling at Ian Song.
"I was going to let you off, but since you're so eager to die, I'll oblige!"
As soon as he finished, Ian vanished from sight.
Chen's vision blurred, then—crack, crack!—blinding pain shot through his arms. Ian had dislocated both his elbows.
The other thugs shivered at the sound of bone snapping.
Ian gave them a cold sweep of his eyes, then turned and walked back into the clinic.
News of Doctor Song single-handedly thrashing a gang spread fast, and his reputation among the locals soared.
Backyard of the Song Family Clinic.
Ian lounged in a chair, eyes closed, pondering how to spread his fame across the empire so Lily, Autumn, and the others would hear of him.
"That's it!"
Suddenly inspired, Ian thought up a sly plan. That night, dressed in black, he slipped into the Imperial Palace.
The next morning...
Chaos erupted in the palace—the once-vigorous Emperor Aiden Qin had fallen ill.
Every doctor in the Imperial Medical Bureau was mobilized, but none could cure the emperor.
Emperor Aiden was furious, nearly ordering all the imperial doctors executed. Only the thought of leaving the palace without any physicians held him back.
One day passed.
Then two.
Three days.
Five days.
With the Imperial Medical Bureau helpless, the emperor finally posted a proclamation throughout Sunvale: every physician and healer in the city was summoned to treat him. Whoever cured the emperor would receive a thousand taels of gold—and be made a baron.
The reward was too tempting to resist. Even though treating the emperor was risky, countless doctors flocked to the palace.
But soon, every one of them left the palace dejected.
Not a single one could cure Emperor Aiden Qin.
All of Sunvale buzzed with curiosity—what illness had struck the emperor? People crowded around the doctors who'd been inside, desperate for answers.
But none of the doctors dared breathe a word. Palace officials had warned them: reveal the emperor's condition, and your whole family would be executed.
Crash!
The sound of jade shattering.
"Quacks! Useless quacks!"
Emperor Aiden hurled jade across the room, cursing at the top of his lungs.
A crowd of eunuchs knelt nearby, trembling in terror.
"Your Majesty, Consort Jade requests an audience."
A young eunuch stepped forward to report.
"No! I won't see her!" Emperor Aiden roared. He was a man, but now he'd lost his manhood. Even before his favorite consort, he felt nothing but humiliation.