Chapter 139 - Guan Xuemin, Stunned and Surprised

Xuemin couldnt help but look at Lin Yi in admiration, and also in shame at his attitude towards him earlier. The kid was right, he should have more self-respect as an elder. Although, practitioners of medicine were known to be quite daring- Xuemins unorthodox behavior was actually quite understandable.

Yep, in the past. Lin Yi nodded. Its only natural that I thank you for taking care of a teammate of mine.

I understand, Ill stop with the courtesies since Mister Lins said so yourself. Please, come to the study with me- I have a couple of medical inquiries I must ask you, Mister Lin I hope you dont mind teaching me a thing or two. Xuemin said.

Call me Lin Yi, or Yi. Mister Lins too much. Lin Yi replied. Lets not treat it as teaching, too- we both have things to learn from each other.

Alright, Ill call you Yi then. It goes the same for me, as well- call me Grandpa Guan, or Elder Guan. I must admit my shame when a man such as yourself calls me professor. Xuemin said, not backing down from accepting Lin Yis courtesies. He was his elder, after all, and Huaijun, who was of the same generation as Lin Yi, called him Grandpa Guan as well.

Ill call you Grandpa Guan, then. Lin Yi said casually. He was a humble man- hed repay any sort of respect with even stronger respect.

The two made their way to the study as Huaijun stayed behind. There was no point in him joining the two doctors, after all, and he was just supposed to be acting as a middleman in the first place.

Grandpa Guan, Lin Yi, you two take your time. Ill watch some TV outside for a bit. Huaijun said from outside the study.

Alright, make yourself at home! Theres food in the kitchen; get yourself something to eat if you get hungry. Xuemin said with a nod, understanding that Huaijun wouldnt have any interest in medical topics.

Xuemins study was filled with a thick, scholarly scent- both sides of the room were lined with long bookshelves all equipped with medical book selections, inclusive of both Eastern and Western medicine. The variety of knowledge packed in the room was quite comprehensive indeed.

A humble collection, Im afraid. Xuemin said with a chuckle, noticing that Lin Yi was sizing his library up. Ive a variety of selections in here, but nothing too substantial; good reads, but quite ineffective when seeking new knowledge.

Emperors Inner Studies is a good one, its the one I read when I first started my medical studies. Lin Yi said with a nod as he pointed at a couple of books on the bookshelf.

Emperors Inner Studies...... Indeed, one of the few remaining gems of Eastern medicine legacy. Xuemin nodded in response. What a pity.

A pity? Lin Yi asked curiously. What do you mean by that, Grandpa Guan?

A pity that of the eleven medical classics of Chinese Archives- Arts and Culture, Private Studies of the Emperor is the only one that remains!

Ah Lin Yi smiled faintly, unsure of what to say as he looked at the pained expression on Xuemins face.

From the Seven recorded by the Chinese Archives, the ones that once existed with Emperors Inner Studies were namely Bian Ques Inner Studies, Bai Shes Outer Studies, Bai Shes Inner Studies, and Miscellaneous Articles... Xuemin continued on, failing to notice the look on Lin Yis face as he grieved melancholily. Just imagine the glories of Eastern Medicine should all these masterpieces still exist A pity indeed!

(okay my translations for the titles are pretty arbitrary, theres just too many interpretations for me to go for)

Ah, Ive read Bian Ques Inner Studies before. Lin Yi said after some hesitation. After all, his impression of Guan Xuemin was pretty good so far. The prescription hed written for Huaijun had its origins in Bian Ques Inner Studies, and hed decided to just give the book credit for the recipe, since Xuemin was probably going to inquire about that in the conversation.

Youve read Bian Ques Inner Studies before? Xuemin asked. It was no surprise that hed be taken aback by the statement- he was just grieving for its extinction a while ago. After all, he was a medical man whod reached a certain apex of medicine, and improving from there was nothing short of extreme difficulty. There wasnt any material for him to read from, and the only way to go up was through practical testing and study, something known for its inefficiency. A genuine copy?

There had been instances of non-genuine copies appearing before, copies that were proven to be fakes. Xuemin read one once, finding the contents quite interesting Yet itd be quite a stretch for a book of that quality to stand side by side with a masterpiece like Emperors Inner Studies.

Yeah, in my elders house when I was little. Lin Yi said with a nod. Jun Bros condition was quite similar to an example written in Bian Ques Inner Studies, and my recipe was but an extension of some of the concepts inside that book.

Lin Yis explanation was a disguised one, and Xuemin naturally noticed that, having read the non-genuine copies. There was no such example at all!

Really? Xuemin was getting a little excited. Could I see it

Xuemin didnt wait for Lin Yis response before speaking up again, a shameful and bitter smile on his lips. I apologize for my excitement. It belongs to your elder, of course it isnt something you could just show around. Yi, I hope you dont mind my outburst.

Ah, its really nothing. Lin Yi smiled in response. He was, naturally, referring to Old Lin when he talked about his elder, whod brought back a whole collection of ancient rarities. Apparently, they belonged to a traitor of Miao Village, called Elder You. Hed been collecting the rarities for some dark arts, only to be ended by Lin Yis sifu, whod then split the loot with his old man.

Well, Id like to invite Grandpa Guan for a look at it, should the opportunity arise. Lin Yi wasnt a petty man. The doctor hadnt cured Huaijun, but it was a concrete fact that Huaijun wouldve been dead without Xuemin, let alone hold out for that long. As such, Lin Yi had only gratitude towards the savior.

...Really? Thats just splendid! Xuemin exclaimed, getting excited again before a thought came to his mind. There was a possibility that Lin Yi was only being courteous and polite- he shouldnt be taking that invitation for granted. Hed heard that hidden masters of Eastern medicine had a couple of lost masterpieces of medical writing in their hands, but those were just rumors- hed never actually seen any before. Xuemin had to assume, then, that Lin Yis elder was one of these hidden masters He couldnt just walk up to the guys home and look at his treasured collection, after all. Although, its fine if its too much trouble, I wouldnt want to intrude.

Its fine. Lin Yi had authority over stuff like this- Old Lin wouldnt make too much of a fuss with his sifu backing him up. Ill bring some with me the next time I visit my old place.

Ah Is that truly fine? Xuemin wasnt quite sure what hed just heard- treasure of that caliber shouldnt be moved around like souvenirs, should they? What if they got lost? Itd be a disaster even if those were copies! If its alright with you, I could come along with you during your visit?

Yeah, thats okay too. Lin Yi nodded...