"Grandma!" Yan Liangfei’s eyes welled up instantly upon seeing the elder’s complexion worsen. He quickly reached out to wipe the sweat from her brow, his voice choked with tears, "Let me take you to the hospital right now!"

"Fei’er!" The elder gripped Yan Liangfei’s arm tightly, forcing back the pain. She shook her head and said, "Our family has practiced medicine for generations; I know my own body better than anyone. I’m fine, Fei’er, don’t worry."

After speaking, the elder looked toward Zhang Yang again, enunciating every word: "Young man, I don’t know what Haozi told you, nor do I wish to know. Now, I ask you to take my grandson back to Changjing immediately. If you can ensure Fei’er returns to his Great Uncle Guo Yong, the Yan family will be eternally grateful to you."

Zhang Yang frowned. He hadn't expected the elder of the Yan family to adopt such an attitude upon his arrival.

"Grandma!" Hearing the elder’s words, Yan Liangfei grew even more anxious.

"Fei’er, listen to your grandmother!" At that moment, Tang Xiaolan glared at Yan Liangfei, extremely sternly. But Yan Liangfei stubbornly stood his ground, biting his lip, refusing to move an inch.

Seeing this, Tang Xiaolan’s demeanor softened, almost pleadingly: "Be a good boy, Fei’er, listen to your mother. Go back to Changjing quickly. It’s not too late to return after your internship is done!"

"Mom—Grandma’s condition…" Yan Liangfei wept, his grandmother’s pained expression clearly visible. But he couldn't understand why his grandmother and mother were suddenly being so obstinate.

"Fei’er, are you defying your grandmother now!" The elder’s body trembled with anger. She grabbed Yan Liangfei’s arm and shook him sharply, scolding him: "Go back to Changjing at once! If you don't leave, I’ll be angered into sickness even if I were perfectly healthy!"

With both his grandmother and mother holding such firm ground, Yan Liangfei was completely at a loss. He looked around helplessly and his eyes suddenly lit up when he saw Zhang Yang, who had remained silent beside them!

"Zhang Yang, Brother Zhang!" Yan Liangfei, too distraught to wipe the tears from his face, called out to Zhang Yang, "Brother Zhang, I know your medical skills are extraordinary. Could you please persuade my grandmother to let me take her to the hospital? You must see it too, Grandma definitely has acute appendicitis. This is absolutely not a minor issue that can be cured by just taking medicine and resting at home. Grandma is old; we cannot afford any delay!"

Zhang Yang now understood clearly: the Yan family elder knew she was poisoned, not suffering from another illness, and Tang Xiaolan was also fully aware of this. That was why they both flatly refused Yan Liangfei’s request to go to the hospital. The culprit for the poisoning could only be the Jiang family. The elder and Tang Xiaolan were rushing Yan Liangfei back to Changjing out of fear that the Jiang family might target him once they learned he had returned to the Northern Suburbs.

As Yan Liangfei was now the last remaining male heir of the Yan family, the elder and Tang Xiaolan absolutely could not risk any mishap befalling him.

"Fei’er!"

But before Zhang Yang could speak, the Yan family elder called out again in distress!

Tang Xiaolan hesitated for a moment, then sighed heavily. She supported the elder and said, "Mom, you raised Fei’er since he was small; you know his temperament. Why don't you accompany him to the hospital this once?"

As she spoke, Tang Xiaolan repeatedly signaled to the elder with her eyes, then added, "I’ll step out now and borrow a car from our neighbor."

The elder paused slightly, then immediately understood. She then turned to Yan Liangfei and said, "Fine, Fei’er, Grandma agrees to go to the hospital. But you must promise me in return that as soon as I am settled there, you will leave with this young man for Changjing immediately. You can let your mother stay and look after me."

"Yes, yes!" Seeing that his grandmother had finally changed her mind, Yan Liangfei was overjoyed. As long as his grandmother agreed to seek medical treatment, he would agree to anything.

Tang Xiaolan discreetly wiped a tear and then started walking toward the courtyard entrance.

Just then, Zhang Yang intercepted Tang Xiaolan.

"Zhang Yang, what are you doing?" Yan Liangfei was momentarily stunned, then his anger flared.

"Your grandmother's condition is not acute appendicitis," Zhang Yang stated calmly, blocking Tang Xiaolan. "She has merely been poisoned; there is no need for a hospital."

Zhang Yang's words landed like a thunderclap!

Yan Liangfei’s mouth dropped open instantly, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Tang Xiaolan’s face instantly turned deathly pale, and her body swayed dangerously, nearly causing her to fall. Only the elder, upon hearing Zhang Yang’s diagnosis, merely narrowed her eyes; her expression showed little change.

"How is that possible!" Yan Liangfei finally reacted, his first words a sharp challenge to Zhang Yang: "How could my grandmother possibly be poisoned!"

Zhang Yang sighed inwardly. Yan Liangfei was still too young, his medical practice too brief, and compounded by the fact that the patient was his closest kin, panic inevitably led to error.

One must remember that as a physician, one must maintain absolute composure while treating patients; only then can one avoid overlooking or forgetting minor details that could lead to misdiagnosing similar conditions.

The most distinct characteristic of acute appendicitis is pain that begins in the upper abdomen or around the navel, shifting hours later to the lower right quadrant. Although the Yan elder's symptoms mirrored acute appendicitis exactly, the toxins inside her body had already begun affecting her gastrointestinal tract, mimicking the presentation of appendicitis and leading to Yan Liangfei’s misjudgment. He had overlooked a crucial point: the elder was only uncomfortable and could still tolerate the pain. If it were truly acute appendicitis, the pain would inevitably intensify over time, let alone her having the strength to speak.

Furthermore, the elder’s complexion was sallow, and the area between her eyebrows showed a faint darkening. Coupled with the preliminary diagnosis made by pulse-taking, Zhang Yang was certain that the elder's current state was entirely due to poisoning. As for the specific poison, that would require Zhang Yang to take a proper pulse reading to confirm.

"Leave it to me. I guarantee your grandmother will be fine," Zhang Yang walked over, gently supported the elder from Yan Liangfei’s grasp, and instructed Yan Liangfei to fetch a chair.

"Young man, don't bring trouble upon yourself. Just take my grandson and go," as Yan Liangfei went to fetch a chair, the elder leaned close to Zhang Yang and whispered, "Since you have recognized the poison within me, you should also know how troublesome this poison is. Young man, our Yan family does not wish to implicate you."

Zhang Yang smiled faintly without answering.

Yan Liangfei, caught between belief and doubt, returned with an old bamboo recliner from the yard, helping Zhang Yang settle the elder into it.

Zhang Yang then placed his fingers on the elder’s wrist. To gain a clearer picture of her current physical condition, Zhang Yang channeled a thread of Neijin (internal energy), sending it through her body once.

Yan Liangfei knelt beside the chair, holding his grandmother’s other hand, his face etched with worry.

As Zhang Yang’s Neijin circulated within the elder’s body, a flicker of light flashed in her eyes, as if she had suddenly realized something, and her whole body visibly relaxed.

After checking the pulse, a slight smile appeared on Zhang Yang’s face. He now understood the elder's condition completely.

The Yan family elder's situation was actually quite straightforward: she was first afflicted by one poison, and then consumed another. The two toxins reacted synergistically within her body, suppressing each other, causing both to lose their original potency. However, they only neutralized each other; they couldn't be completely expelled. Over time, and given the elder's already low resistance, the mixture began disrupting the normal function of her five major organs, resulting in her present state.

"How is Grandma? Is she alright?" Seeing the smile on Zhang Yang’s face calmed Yan Liangfei significantly, but he couldn't help asking.

"Rest assured, there are no serious problems," Zhang Yang gave Yan Liangfei a reassuring look, released the elder’s hand, and said, "It’s just that the poisoning has been ongoing for too long, so the toxins are too dispersed within the body to be cleared all at once."

Tang Xiaolan looked at Zhang Yang in disbelief. She hadn't expected that not only could Zhang Yang identify the poisoning, but he also seemed genuinely capable of curing it completely. She was most aware of the elder’s suffering; if a cure were available, the elder wouldn't have endured such torment recently.

"Auntie, please help me. Undo the elder’s clothing, just enough to expose her abdomen. I need to perform acupuncture," Zhang Yang then looked towards Tang Xiaolan, indicating she should assist in undressing the elder.

Now seeing Zhang Yang’s confidence in eradicating the toxin that had plagued the elder for so long, Tang Xiaolan was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly.

The elder cooperated fully as Tang Xiaolan loosened her garment, exposing her navel area for Zhang Yang’s needles. Zhang Yang directly retrieved his silver needle case from his canvas bag and selected three needles. Tang Xiaolan paused upon seeing them.

The Yan family, being traditional Chinese medical practitioners for generations, were no strangers to acupuncture needles. But the silver needles in Zhang Yang’s hands were exceptionally sharp and possessed a chilling aura, clearly indicating they were no ordinary implements.

Clamping the three needles between his fingers, Zhang Yang focused his gaze on the Zhongwan acupoint, located at the midpoint of the line connecting the lower end of the elder’s sternum and her navel. The first needle was carefully rotated and inserted there.

The Zhongwan point directly affects the digestive system. Zhang Yang inserted the needle here to use his Neijin to seal off the elder's digestive tract, controlling the further spread of the toxins.

The next two needles followed, piercing the Tianshu acupoints on either side of the elder’s navel. These two needles were aimed at alleviating the discomfort and pain caused by the toxins.

Indeed, as soon as the three needles were placed, the look of agony on the elder’s face immediately smoothed out. Moreover, as Zhang Yang's Neijin followed the needles into her body, subtly relaxing the muscles tightened by pain, the elder leaned back comfortably, her eyes half-closed, appearing almost drowsy.