Wu Shengnan was highly efficient, or perhaps Captain Tao, whom Du Heng had only met once, was genuinely concerned about his subordinates’ health. Consequently, not long after the afternoon shift began, Du Heng received a call from Wu Shengnan. She informed him that Captain Tao was coming to see him to discuss Leader Zhang’s situation in person.

Moreover, Leader Zhang himself was being transferred directly to the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital and would be accompanying Captain Tao.

This resolved the matter cineseffectively, alleviating Du Heng’s previous concerns from the very root.

Du Heng arranged for someone to assist Leader Zhang with the hospital admission procedures while he personally escorted Captain Tao to his office.

As soon as they entered and sat down, Captain Tao spoke with particular sincerity, "President Du, we’ll be troubling you with Old Zhang’s matter. During his illness, I’ve sought out every doctor in Jinzhou with any reputation related to this disease. But in the end, he didn’t get better; he even developed dementia. Seeing Old Zhang’s child and his elderly parents, I’m truly ashamed to face them."

Du Heng consoled him, "Leader Tao, please don’t worry excessively. Leader Zhang’s problem stems from overexertion, prolonged periods of working late, and severe depletion of his body’s essence and blood. Additionally, he suddenly caught a cold, placing immense pressure on his organs, which led to his body’s abrupt collapse.

After Nannan and I visited him this morning, I returned and carefully considered Leader Zhang’s condition. He has wind-heat stagnation, repletion in both exterior and interior, and triple burner heat depression.

Our traditional Chinese medicine predecessor, Master Hejian, formulated an excellent prescription called the Saposhnikovia Sage-Inspired Pill. It relieves both exterior and interior conditions and has the effects of clearing heat and detoxification, which precisely matches Leader Zhang’s current state."

Listening to Du Heng’s articulate explanation and observing his confident demeanor, Captain Tao coughed lightly and said, "President Du, treating illnesses is your expertise; I don’t understand much about it.

However, among the doctors I previously consulted for Old Zhang were several renowned old traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in Jinzhou, yet you saw the outcome.

You are Wu Shengnan’s fiancé, so you’re one of us. I just want to ask: what distinguishes your methods from others? Can you genuinely cure Old Zhang?"

It’s only human nature to harbor doubts. Since the patient has been ill for a long time without recovery, it’s understandable that his family and superiors are especially worried.

So Du Heng, understanding Captain Tao’s concern, didn’t get angry. Instead, he patiently explained, "I don’t know how the other traditional Chinese medicine practitioners you consulted diagnosed him, so I can’t say how they prescribed medication.

However, following the Western medicine philosophy of ’treating the head for a headache and the foot for a foot ache,’ Leader Zhang likely received anti-viral treatment. Blood tests were probably run, his body’s immune function was likely tested, and perhaps some neurological tests were performed as well.

And this highlights the most significant difference between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in treating ear ailments."

Du Heng spoke in a calm, measured tone, pausing briefly before continuing, "In traditional Chinese medicine theory, the ear is considered the orifice of the kidney and is also traversed by the gallbladder meridian. Therefore, concerning deafness, sudden deafness is typically a repletion pattern, while gradual or long-term deafness are mostly deficiency patterns. Repletion patterns usually involve the liver and gallbladder, while deficiency patterns often involve the spleen and kidney.

Most repletion patterns are caused by factors such as wind and fire fanning each other, accumulated heat in the viscera, fire due to extreme emotions, or cold evil entering the interior, transforming into heat, and attacking upwards. Leader Zhang’s current condition falls into the latter category: cold evil has entered the interior and transformed into heat, creating a repletion pattern. This blocks the upper orifices and obstructs the lower passages for defecation and urination.

Of course, when I say this, I’m excluding deafness caused by external injuries or congenital insufficiency."

At this point, Du Heng chuckled softly and then continued, "For Leader Zhang’s current situation, I plan to slightly modify the Saposhnikovia Sage-Inspired Pill, changing it from a pill form to a decoction.

I will use a combination of three methods: sweating, purgation, and clearing. This approach will disperse wind and relieve the exterior, allowing heat to be expelled through perspiration. It will also unblock the bowels and promote the discharge of dampness, enabling heat to be cleared through both defecation and urination. This achieves a separation and elimination of pathogenic factors from both the upper and lower body. Furthermore, it will clear heat from the Lungs and stomach, nourish blood, and generate essence. Finally, it will invigorate the spleen, harmonize the middle burner, and protect the stomach qi. This ensures that sweating does not damage the exterior, and purgation does not harm the interior."

This wasn’t the first time Captain Tao had heard a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner discuss Old Zhang’s condition, but it was the first time he’d heard such a detailed explanation delivered with Du Heng’s level of confidence.

Although he didn’t understand all the details, he could grasp the logic and coherence in Du Heng’s words. He asked, "How long will it take to cure him?"

Du Heng chuckled, his voice filled with profound confidence. "Fast treatment for acute diseases, slow treatment for chronic diseases. With Leader Zhang’s situation, clearing the orifices and unblocking the bowels—one dose will be sufficient."

Captain Tao shot up from the sofa, his eyes wide as he stared at Du Heng.

He’d initially thought Du Heng was a reliable person, but now he sounded like he was just full of hot air! So many doctors, so many experts, had tried for a week without any improvement. And Du Heng was claiming one dose would be effective? Wasn’t that a bit of a tall tale? Had Du Heng really reached such a god-like level?

Unable to contain his shock, he blurted out, "Just one bowl of decoction medicine will do? It can really cure him?"

Du Heng looked at the standing Captain Tao and smiled faintly. "Captain Tao, don’t be surprised. For every acute illness I can treat, whether it’s a matter of survival or alleviating symptoms, one dose is invariably enough. Hmm... At least, that’s been the case so far."

In front of Captain Tao, Du Heng, for the first time, shed his usual modesty, fully displaying his confidence and authoritativeness. This wasn’t to show off; rather, he wanted to give Wu Shengnan a bit more confidence in him.

Wu Shengnan’s father was indeed her greatest support, but according to current regulations, his holding a position in Jinzhou wasn’t entirely compliant with the rules.