Chapter 23: This Thing Could Save Your Life

Guangzhou City, South China. Tianhe District.

Lin Zhiyuan held a prescription in his hand, his expression grave. After a moment of thought, he let out a long sigh, took out his phone, and made a call.

"Dean Tang, it is very difficult to find wild ginseng over eighty years old on the market. However, I did see a fifty-year-old wild ginseng at 'Rongji Traditional Chinese Medicine Hall' last week!"

A solemn voice came from the other end of the line: "A fifty-year-old wild ginseng won't have enough potency. Didn't Rongji use a sixty-year-old one before? The results weren't good!"

Lin Zhiyuan replied: "Dean, the fifty-year-old ginseng I saw last week has very potent medicinal properties, not inferior to an average eighty-year-old one. It is hard to find ginseng with sufficient age on the market right now; should we try using this one first?"

Dean Tang nodded. "That is our only option! Call Rongji and have them deliver it to the Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine."

"Understood, I will arrange it immediately!" Lin Zhiyuan said.

Half an hour later, Lin Zhiyuan and his assistant arrived at the high-end convalescent wing behind the Municipal Hospital. Standing in the lobby was an elderly man in a white coat, waiting with his hands behind his back.

"Dean Tang!" Lin Zhiyuan greeted him.

The old man waved his hand. "Where is it? Let me see."

"Yes, Dean!"

This old man was not only the vice president of the Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine but also Lin Zhiyuan’s mentor, Tang Zhengyan. While one might not call Tang Zhengyan the absolute pinnacle of the domestic TCM community, his prestige throughout South China was undeniably top-tier.

Seeing the wild ginseng, Tang Zhengyan didn't waste any words; he pulled off a tiny rootlet and began chewing it. A moment later, his eyes lit up.

"Not bad! This is authentic Changbai Mountain wild ginseng. Its medicinal properties are very strong—a treasure among treasures. Although it is slightly lacking in age, it should be enough to activate the medicinal properties and serve as a catalyst."

Hearing this, Lin Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief. "Since you say it can be used, then it must be right!"

Tang Zhengyan suddenly frowned, asking with surprise: "Wild ginseng like this should only be found in primeval forests, and usually not just a single stalk. How much did you pay for it?"

Lin Zhiyuan smiled and replied: "Just last week, a young man called Rongji saying he wanted to sell wild ginseng. I went to inspect it; there were six stalks in total, and the other five were about thirty years old."

Tang Zhengyan nodded, didn't ask further, and said: "Let’s go, let's meet Mr. Bai."

***

Lin Zhiyuan followed Dean Tang into a building in the high-end convalescent wing. A man in his forties sat on the sofa in the lobby. He was wearing a simple T-shirt, yet he radiated an imposing aura. When he saw Dean Tang enter, the man stood up and asked anxiously: "Dean Tang, have you found the medicinal catalyst?"

Tang Zhengyan nodded. "Found it. Although the age is slightly insufficient, the potency is enough. It should be no problem."

The man breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your trouble. How much is it?"

Tang Zhengyan didn't speak but turned to look at Lin Zhiyuan.

Lin Zhiyuan quickly said: "It was acquired by Rongji. The purchase price for this fifty-year-old wild ginseng was five hundred thousand."

"Fine! I will have someone settle the payment with Rongji later. Thank you for your help!" the man said gratefully.

Lin Zhiyuan smiled and nodded without saying more. Establishing a connection with the Bai family was very important to him. He was already in his forties; if he wanted to climb higher, he needed massive connections. A small favor like this not only earned him the Bai family’s gratitude but also cost him nothing—why wouldn't he do it?

While wild ginseng exists on the market, it is far from common. Especially specimens with enough potency to act as a medicinal catalyst are rare. Even if they exist, they are usually hoarded by collectors and never enter the open market.

It couldn't be helped; this stuff saves lives. Some patients, especially the elderly, are not fit for immediate surgery and need time for their vital functions to recover to a certain level before they can undergo treatment. Western medicine alone cannot sustain a patient for that long, and this is where traditional Chinese medicine becomes crucial.

This is why high-quality wild ginseng is often "priceless but unavailable." There is plenty of artificially cultivated ginseng, grown in mountain environments to mimic the wild, but it lacks the environment of the deep mountains and the necessary age. While the nutritional difference is small, it fails to trigger the medicinal properties required for a "catalyst," greatly reducing its value.

Only true experts in traditional Chinese medicine can discern the value of wild ginseng based on its properties.

The Bai family holds significant prestige in South China; they even donated a medical building to the hospital. With the elderly Mr. Bai critically ill, the family was desperate for a catalyst. Bai Yiheng had been frantic, so he was relieved to finally secure this fifty-year-old specimen from Rongji.

However, Bai Yiheng knew clearly that while this fifty-year-old ginseng might help the old man pull through this time, what would happen next?

After a moment of thought, Bai Yiheng asked: "Professor Lin, you mentioned that this ginseng was acquired by Rongji? From whom did they get it?"

Lin Zhiyuan hesitated. "Uh—this—"

Bai Yiheng said calmly: "It’s fine if it’s inconvenient to say. I will check with Rongji later."

Lin Zhiyuan hurriedly replied: "No, Mr. Bai, that’s not what I meant. I have the person's contact information, but I’m worried about bothering them without permission—"

He took out his phone and said helplessly: "Forget it, it’s not some big secret. Rongji has it too. Here, take it down."

Bai Yiheng smiled. "No need! You are right; it would be improper to disturb them rashly. I will go through Rongji. Who was the one who contacted them?"

Lin Zhiyuan put his phone away and replied: "Little Yuan, the purchasing department assistant, Yuan Lu."

Bai Yiheng nodded. "Alright, thank you!"

He had a gut feeling that if the person could sell a fifty-year-old wild ginseng, they might have even older ones in their possession. Regardless, it wouldn't hurt to ask. If he could secure a few more high-quality specimens for the Bai family, they wouldn't be so vulnerable in the future.