"Excellent move!" Ning Fan couldn't help but exclaim.
Just now, Ning Fan was only focused on the offensive, completely oblivious to the fact that Elder Tang had already begun setting up his strategy.
This move was truly unparalleled in brilliance.
At that moment, the entire chessboard merged into one. Ning Fan's pieces resembled a giant dragon, while Elder Tang's pieces seemed to transform into a vast heavenly net.
As they collided, Ning Fan suddenly found his pieces completely trapped.
A thick smile appeared on Elder Tang's lips as he said, "Ning Fan, I can see your aggressive tendencies, and indeed your attacks are sharp, catching me off guard several times. However, you only focus on the attack, neglecting the overall situation. Sometimes, revealing your edge might not be a good thing."
His meaning was simple: your skills in chess are indeed good, but they are too ostentatious, focusing only on pursuing your opponent, completely forgetting to consider the bigger picture.
The opponent might not seem impressive, but imperceptibly, he had started setting a large trap, eventually leaving Ning Fan with no way out.
"Truly a good tactic, but do you really think you have me completely under control?" Ning Fan stared at the chessboard in front of him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled and spoke.
"Oh? What will you do?" Elder Tang asked in surprise, looking at Ning Fan.
Ning Fan did not move immediately but continued to watch intently. It had been a long time since he had taken anything so seriously.
"Guiguzi once said that Chinese medicine emphasizes spontaneity and worldliness, but in my view, it has been oppressed by Western medicine, forced to claim its own unique system and forge a new path. Otherwise, it would eventually be consumed. What do you think?" Elder Tang spoke again when he saw Ning Fan hesitating.
Was this his view on Chinese medicine?
Ning Fan shook his head, smiling, "As a physician, as long as you can help those in need, whether on the streets, in alleys, or in mansions, you should treat patients everywhere. Everything still depends on medical ethics, just as my master said, 'Everything is spontaneous, cultivating the self is also cultivating the divine!'
After speaking, Ning Fan decisively made his move.
But this move left Elder Tang somewhat puzzled.
At least for now, Ning Fan's move seemed completely desperate, not only failing to escape the trap but likely to lose several pieces as well.
Elder Tang looked up at Ning Fan and noticed his eyes growing increasingly brighter. He didn't dare take it lightly and carefully studied the board, but he couldn't discern anything.
Such is the nature of Go; it is hard to guess the opponent's thoughts. The chessboard is vast, filled with many schemes, much like life itself.
As they played, they began to delve into a discussion on differing opinions about Chinese medicine.
Initially, Elder Tang didn't think much of it, always feeling confident in his positions, but as time passed, he grew increasingly alarmed.
"This chessboard, like life and the path of medicine, with hearts intertwined, appears to be just a piece falling, avoiding solidity for emptiness, turning a thousand pounds of force into nothingness. This is my understanding of the paths of chess, life, and medicine!" Ning Fan placed another piece and looked at Elder Tang.
As they continued, their game transformed into a profound clash of differing views on Chinese medicine.
The pace of Ning Fan playing accelerated, and finally, with three pieces down, Ning Fan settled into stillness.
"Old Tang, do you still feel that your views are correct?" Ning Fan chuckled as he looked up at Old Tang.
Sweat was streaming down Old Tang's forehead.
Throughout the Go match, Old Tang felt as though he was climbing a mountain, arduous and exhausting, and in the end, he actually lost.
In the beginning, Ning Fan's seemingly reckless moves had cost him many pieces.
But later on, Ning Fan's play became smoother and smoother.
It was as if a small gap had been torn open by the dragon under Ning Fan's command, expanding more and more ferociously.
And now, Old Tang realized he had lost.
"Haha... truly a good strategy, not bad at all." Old Tang laughed heartily, looking at Ning Fan with eyes twinkling with admiration, "It seems I'm old indeed. Your skill in Go is truly sharp, truly fitting for the youth, haha..."
Ning Fan's expression suddenly became a bit unusual as he looked down at the chessboard before him, not saying much, merely nodding.
"I feel somewhat ashamed; before, I actually valued that broken sign so much. As a prestigious family in the medical field, despite many years of thoughtful management, I veered off from the original purpose, alas..." Old Tang sighed deeply, appearing much older all of a sudden.
This Go match also made many things clearer to Old Tang.
"It is an honor for a junior like me to play Go with Old Tang today, and acquiring guidance from Old Tang is a fortune I've cultivated. Oh, and thanks for the great tea. Such a talk went by just like that." Ning Fan, smiling, stood up and continued speaking to Old Tang, "Actually, Old Tang, you don't have to be so modest; the current might of the Tang Clan is certainly remarkable, it's just slightly deviated from the fundamental principles of traditional Chinese medicine, but fundamentally, the Tang Clan's medical technique is still very impressive."
"I dare not accept such praise, I dare not," Old Tang said, bowing humbly.
It seemed that the person speaking to Old Tang was not merely a junior, but rather a towering figure in the medical field, every word heavy with significance.
"In that case, I'll take my leave now," Ning Fan said as he walked to the door. Just as he was about to exit, he suddenly turned back to Old Tang and said, "You're right, life is like a game of chess; sometimes, you might not even see through life itself, right?"
Old Tang paused, a bit confused, but still nodded his head.
It was only after Ning Fan had left that Old Tang finally took a deep breath, facing this junior, he felt unusually nervous.
With a click, one wall of the private room slowly slid aside, and Tang Xinyuan walked out from behind it.
"Grandfather, how did it go?" Tang Xinyuan asked eagerly.
"Ning Fan's insights into traditional medicine, his understanding of life, and his grasp of Go has far exceeded my expectations. His future is boundless!" Old Tang's eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke to Tang Xinyuan.
This casual conversation had indeed far exceeded Old Tang's understanding of Ning Fan.
Ning Fan's understanding of medical principles and Go, along with his cleverness, made Old Tang feel as though he was dealing with someone as cunning as himself.
But still, Old Tang felt that what Ning Fan said was right.
Many things that had troubled him before now seemed clear because of Ning Fan.
It must be said that Ning Fan truly astounded him.
"Is he really that impressive?" Tang Xinyuan said somewhat unconvinced.