Chapter 121: The Power of Advertising

To support Fang Xuanling’s campaign to eliminate superstition, Merton poured out all the solid, practical knowledge he possessed. Meanwhile, the *Mo Journal* released a special supplemental issue dedicated entirely to exposing the various tricks used by sorcerers and charlatans.

"Master Hua’s article is excellent! One must never trust these witches and shamans; for medical issues, one must go to the Mo Hospital," Cheng Chumo declared in the Imperial Academy, slamming his hand down on his copy of the *Mo Journal* with righteous indignation.

"Indeed, exactly. Think of how many innocent lives those witches and shamans have ruined over the years. Master Hua’s medical skills are truly superior," Zu Mingjun agreed earnestly. He had been treated at the Mo Hospital for a fracture previously, and not only was the treatment free, but he had also recovered rapidly without any lingering issues.

It wasn't just Zu Mingjun; the other students in Class C were in full agreement. During this period, Master Hua’s Mo Hospital had won the hearts of the Imperial Academy students. The hospital’s medical expertise was profound, its service thoughtful, and it offered half-price fees to students of the Academy. Whenever a student fell ill, they naturally headed straight for the Mo Hospital.

Having benefited from the hospital, the students were no longer as hostile toward the Mohists. Consequently, the *Mo Journal* found its way into the Imperial Academy and became quite popular among these young men. After all, in this era, even for Imperial Academy students, the channels for obtaining information were extremely limited.

Moreover, the quality of these recent issues was exceptionally high. From the dangers of consanguineous marriage to the initial reports on the severe drought in Guanzhong and the military’s disaster relief efforts, followed by this current feature on debunking superstition, every issue left the students wanting more and sparked intense discussion and reflection.

Suddenly, the *Mo Journal* had become the voice of Chang'an, discussed by everyone and driving a massive surge in half-year and full-year subscriptions.

"Those witches and shamans truly do immense harm!" Yuchi Baolin chimed in, sounding as if he spoke from personal experience.

Merton and the others couldn't help but roll their eyes. "Didn't you just play the role of a victim a few times? How exactly do you have 'personal experience'?"

Listening to everyone praise the Mo Hospital, Merton couldn't help but feel a touch of pride. By continuously publishing Master Hua’s articles alongside large-scale advertisements—a blend of soft and hard copy—the *Mo Journal* had propelled the reputation of the Mo Hospital throughout the Guanzhong region.

"Where is Qin Huaiyu?" Merton turned around and noticed Qin Huaiyu was missing.

"Don't know, he was just here a moment ago!" Cheng Chumo shook his head.

"Merton, it’s bad!" Qin Huaiyu, who had been missing a moment ago, rushed into the classroom, breathless.

"I’m doing just fine!" Merton replied, his face darkening.

"No, it’s the Mo Hospital! Master Hua!..." Qin Huaiyu gasped.

Merton was startled and stood up abruptly. "What happened to Master Hua?"

"Someone is challenging Master Hua’s medical skills!" Qin Huaiyu panted.

"Oh!" Merton breathed a sigh of relief. He gave Qin Huaiyu an annoyed look for making such a fuss and said, "It’s not like we don’t know Master Hua’s medical skills. Who is there to fear?"

"Exactly!" Zu Mingjun immediately stood up in support.

"It’s different this time! The one challenging Master Hua is the Divine Physician Liu!" Qin Huaiyu said anxiously.

"What? Divine Physician Liu?" Cheng Chumo exclaimed from the side.

"Who is Divine Physician Liu?" Merton asked, bewildered.

"Divine Physician Liu is the number one doctor in Chang'an!" Qin Huaiyu explained. Or, to be precise, he *was* the number one doctor in Chang'an. Ever since the Mo Hospital appeared, Master Hua’s reputation had soared under the promotion of the *Mo Journal*, surpassing Liu and becoming the top physician in the city.

The power of advertising was manifesting in the Tang Dynasty for the first time. Propelling Master Hua to the top of Chang'an’s medical world was only a small fraction of that power. The more terrifying impact was seen in the Mo Hospital itself. After three consecutive issues of advertising bombardment, combined with the hospital's accessible pricing, attentive service, and the added prestige of Master Hua’s name, the Mo Hospital had become the first choice for the people of Guanzhong when seeking medical care.

From dawn until dusk, the Mo Hospital was packed with a constant stream of patients. Furthermore, those who were cured at the hospital would spread the word, creating a chain reaction that left other clinics deserted.

Divine Physician Liu was the greatest victim of this shift. Not only had he lost his position as the top doctor, but his own clinic’s business had withered—and the direct culprit was the Mo Hospital.

"So that’s how it is!" Merton finally understood the sequence of events.

"Let him challenge! As if Master Hua would be afraid of him!" Zu Mingjun said indignantly. Ever since he was cured by Master Hua, he had become a die-hard fan. Besides, Master Hua had built the hospital’s strength on genuine skill and medicine. If patients didn't go to Liu's clinic, who was to blame?

"You don't understand! While this Divine Physician Liu charges high fees, his medical skills are beyond reproach. His unique skill of 'diagnosing through a hanging silk thread' is absolutely breathtaking," Cheng Chumo said anxiously.

"Diagnosing through a hanging silk thread? Does such a technique really exist?" Merton asked, surprised.

"Of course! Divine Physician Liu is currently blocking the entrance of the Mo Hospital, ready to challenge Master Hua’s skills with his thread-diagnosis technique!" Qin Huaiyu pointed toward the door.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go see!" Merton ran out excitedly, leaving Zu Mingjun and the others staring at each other in confusion. Watching Merton’s overly excited back, they wondered whose side he was really on.

Merton didn't care what others thought. That was "diagnosing through a hanging silk thread"! It was the legendary, supreme technique of medicine. Merton had long heard of it, and now that he could witness it in person, he couldn't help but be thrilled.

Outside the Mo Hospital, the crowd was already three layers deep. Since the *Mo Journal* advertisements began, the hospital had been crowded, but now, with two of Chang'an’s greatest physicians facing off, it attracted even more spectators.

However, no matter how crowded it got, a path two carts wide was always kept clear—this was the Mo Hospital’s emergency lane.

"The Mo Hospital truly has its own unique ways," Liu Mingcheng remarked with a sigh.

Just by looking at this emergency lane, in the short span of half an hour, four or five carriages carrying patients had entered the Mo Hospital smoothly without stopping. In contrast, his own clinic had no such convenience. Liu Mingcheng had arrived feeling aggressive, convinced that the Mo Hospital was merely using gimmicks and had an empty reputation, but now, it seemed he had been a bit biased.

"Father, these are just ways for the Mo Hospital to fish for fame. When it comes to pure medical skill, our Liu family’s silk-thread diagnosis is the true mark of a medical master," said Liu Licheng, Liu Mingcheng’s son, with a proud expression.

Indeed, the Liu family’s technique was a hereditary secret, passed down from father to son, never to daughters. Liu Licheng was the next heir to the technique.

Liu Mingcheng nodded gloomily. Regardless of the Mo Hospital’s medical skills, it had blocked his family’s path to wealth. As the saying goes, depriving someone of their livelihood is like killing their parents, so he wouldn't hold back. Liu Mingcheng simply did not believe any hospital’s skills could compare to his silk-thread diagnosis.

"Brother Liu, well done!"

"Brother Liu, we are counting on you!"

From the crowd, several voices of support rang out. These were doctors from other clinics in Chang'an. The rise of the Mo Hospital hadn't just hurt the Liu family; many other small and medium-sized clinics in the city, lacking both skill and competitive pricing, had gone bankrupt under the onslaught of the Mo Hospital’s advertisements.