Chapter 1643: Chapter 1643: Voluntary Surrender
When Luo Ziling was speaking with Ishihara Naka and Ishihara Tarou, the others did not join in.
The Japanese officials receiving them and some well-known figures from the traditional medicine sector were greeting Hu Wenjun and discussing the upcoming arrangements.
The Japanese reception of the Huaxia delegation felt quite perfunctory, or perhaps intentionally difficult.
They actually decided to discuss with Hu Wenjun at the last minute about the following arrangements.
The other members of the delegation could only stand around in groups chatting.
At least ten minutes later, under Hu Wenjun’s forceful demand, the Japanese side finally invited everyone into the cultural park.
The organizers ushered the already dissatisfied members of the Huaxia delegation into the conference room, planning to announce the next steps once everyone was gathered.
Luo Ziling, Ishihara Naka, and Ishihara Tarou all walked into the conference room together.
“This time you’ve been too high-profile, and our organizers are quite annoyed,” Ishihara Naka whispered to Luo Ziling as they entered the conference room. “So, they aren’t willing to save face for you and have also prepared multiple competitions today to compete with you.”
Luo Ziling smiled and asked Ishihara Naka in return, “And do you want to compete with me?”
“I dare not,” Ishihara Naka shook his head. “In no aspect am I your match, I willingly concede.”
He then pointed to his grandfather, “My grandfather is your real opponent.”
Luo Ziling smiled but said nothing.
If Ishihara Tarou would put aside his pride to compete with him, even if he defeated Ishihara Tarou, there would be no disgrace in it. But if he could defeat Ishihara Tarou, it would carry a different significance.
So, Luo Ziling was quite looking forward to the contest with Ishihara Tarou.
Once everyone was in the conference room, several key figures from both sides took seats on the stage.
The vice minister of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the official who had welcomed them on the first day and was chided by Luo Ziling, began his speech with a tone full of tension, stating that this Huaxia delegation visit was invited for a certain level of technical exchange, which would continue today. The purpose of the exchange is to improve, and to improve, one must learn, naturally the one with lower medical skills should learn from the one with higher skills. How is one’s level of medical expertise assessed? Naturally, it’s through competition.
Although the saying goes, “In literature, there’s no first; in martial, no second,” competition is still necessary, especially in traditional medicine, a skill based on experiential diagnosis and treatment.
Therefore, today’s main activity is a competition to see whose medical skills are superior. After some discussion, it was decided to compete in areas such as acupuncture, physical therapy, pharmacology, medication preparation, and the most fundamental skills like observation, listening, and inquiry.
The Ministry official specially introduced Ishihara Tarou.
Ishihara Tarou is very well-known in the Japanese medical field.
He is a senior advisor to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, a former court physician, and currently also serves as the head of the Japanese traditional medicine field and the highest-ranking advisor of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Committee. With so many titles and honors attached to Ishihara Tarou’s name, just by hearing the introduction, everyone would think that Ishihara Tarou is the most outstanding traditional medicine doctor in Japan, with the highest skill level in the Japanese traditional medicine field. Today, Ishihara Tarou will preside over the medical competition and will represent the Japanese traditional medicine industry to face Huaxia’s esteemed physicians.
After the Ministry official finished the introduction, applause erupted from the audience below, mostly from the Japanese people.
Ishihara Naka clapped the most enthusiastically, standing up to applaud.
Then, the Ministry official introduced some other famed Japanese physicians.
Of course, these physicians were entirely unfamiliar to the Huaxia people.
The renowned physicians back home, they have heard of at least a few, but Japanese physicians—sorry, their names are so hard to remember, plus the sea separates the two countries, who could remember even if they had significant achievements.
Even Ishihara Tarou wasn’t known by many!
After the introduction, the Ministry official invited Ishihara Tarou to say a few words.
To everyone’s surprise, Ishihara Tarou, who seemed otherworldly, did not say anything inflammatory after standing up.
Looking at Luo Ziling, he said calmly, “There’s a saying in Huaxia, ‘Having ambition is not about being old.’ I always considered my medical skills to be outstanding, even when I was younger. Until I met a famous Huaxia physician of my age, then I realized I was just a frog in a well.”
Ishihara Tarou spoke in Japanese, but there was simultaneous translation, though it did not fully convey his intended meaning.
Thus, Ouyang Feifei volunteered to translate for Luo Ziling.
Luo Ziling listened attentively to Ouyang Feifei’s translation without distraction.
“That famous Huaxia physician was Luo Liansheng, his skills were incredibly exquisite, and his profound acupuncture skills completely impressed me. I was willing to accept him as my mentor, wanting to learn his improved Taiyi Divine Needle technique, but he refused. He said it was Huaxia’s national essence and could not be taught to an outsider like me unless I took Huaxia nationality and lived in Huaxia forever, serving the Huaxia people. I refused his condition, so I never got the chance to learn his acupuncture techniques.”
Luo Ziling never expected there was such a past between Ishihara Tarou and his grandfather Luo Liansheng, which surprised him.
Translator Ouyang Feifei was also quite surprised. However, she somewhat understood now and softly said to Luo Ziling after translating, “You understand a bit why they wanted to invite you to visit their home?”
Luo Ziling nodded.
The two didn’t speak further, continuing to attentively listen to Ishihara Tarou’s speech.
When reaching this point, Ishihara Tarou looked regretful, paused for a while, glancing towards the direction where Luo Ziling was sitting.
After a brief pause, he continued, “I didn’t expect to meet the descendant of an old acquaintance this time. The grandson of Mr. Luo Liansheng, who had impressed me back then, also set foot on Japanese soil. I believe Mr. Luo Ziling’s acupuncture skills have truly inherited Mr. Luo Liansheng’s mastery. After watching his acupuncture video, my only thought was that I have another opportunity to learn. I hope Mr. Luo Ziling can enlighten me!”
As he spoke, he bowed towards Luo Ziling.
After bowing, to the astonishment of the entire audience, he said several more shocking words: “Today, in the competition with Huaxia medical experts, I voluntarily concede. I am very clear that in terms of acupuncture and prescription preparation, I am not at all as good as Mr. Luo Ziling.”
Ishihara Tarou, this most renowned physician in the Japanese traditional medicine field, unexpectedly conceded defeat in front of so many people, not only stunning the members of the Huaxia delegation but also shocking the Japanese officials and other renowned figures in the Japanese traditional medicine field.
The level of shock in their hearts exceeded that of the Huaxia delegation.
Damn, what happened? Surrendering without a fight, where’s the samurai spirit in that?