Chapter 59: A Scholar Does Not Seek Gain (Part 1)

"Is it not a pleasure to learn and practice what you have learned? Is it not a joy when friends come from afar? Is it not the mark of a gentleman to remain unperturbed even when others do not understand him?"

After a half day of hard work, Han Gang finally had a chance to rest. The warm sunlight dispelled the winter chill, and without the howling north wind, sitting outdoors was not unbearable. Han Gang leaned back on a wooden bench and recited passages from the Analects of Confucius aloud. His eyes were half-closed, and his hand rested on the page, but he was not actually reading the book. The words, deeply ingrained in his mind, flowed out of his mouth without any hesitation.

As Han Gang recited the classics, the people bustling around him walked past with light steps, not daring to disturb him. Many even bowed to him before moving on.

"Never forgetting to study, he truly lives up to being a scholar."

"I heard that the scholar not only busies himself with camp affairs but also reads books until late into the night."

"The scholar has great knowledge. Even the famous Doctor Qiu from the capital and Doctor Chou are in awe. Think about it, if even Sun Zhen comes to treat the scholar, isn't he a celestial being?"

"Don't keep calling him 'scholar, scholar.' Soon, he will be called 'official.' The old supervisor has already submitted the recommendation. In a few days, he will be a real official."

"I heard that the scholar... Official Han will be in charge of the medical camps for all the cities and forts in the Qin-Feng region. In the future, those who fall ill or are injured won't die in vain."

Many people whispered about Han Gang's diligence in studying and the official position he was about to take. There was admiration, but no jealousy. In Gangu City, anyone who had seen the new medical camp had the same impression.

The discussions of others did not affect Han Gang's recitation. Being studious, diligent, and always holding a book was a significant virtue. Han Gang's predecessor had left him a wealth of knowledge in classics and history, but memory fades over time and must be refreshed. Knowledge was fundamental; when conversing with scholars, one could not be ignorant of the classics and historical texts. If someone told a joke related to the Analects or the Book of Songs, and he did not understand, he would become the laughingstock.

The long bench on which Han Gang sat had just been made and still had the distinctive smell of new wood. It faced south, allowing him to bask in the rare winter sun. There were now eleven such benches in the medical camp, and the empty camp in the southeast of Gangu City, which had been converted into a medical camp, had completely transformed.

Since the previous day when Zhang Shouyue handed over the empty camp to Han Gang, he did not hesitate to turn all the civilian laborers from Chengji County into attendants. He assigned the city's craftsmen and laborers to transform the new medical camp from inside out.

The barracks in the camp were all long dormitories, with only officers having private rooms. Although there was not enough time to create individual beds for the patients, Han Gang still managed to partition the dormitories with wooden boards after repainting them. The fourteen large and small barracks, excluding the attendants' quarters, could accommodate 230 beds. Patients were arranged in different barracks based on the severity and type of their injuries or illnesses. Each barracks had a varying number of dedicated attendants, and for the severely injured, there were even one-to-one attendants.

Outside the barracks, there was a washing room. The washing room had no walls, just a shed, with several large pots continuously steaming. This was used to boil and disinfect the bed sheets and clothes of the patients. The bed sheets and clothes were first washed in running water to remove dirt, then boiled, dried, and reused.

All the cleaning and washing in the camp were done by the patients' relatives and the patients themselves. Through education and guidance, which could also be seen as propaganda and brainwashing, Han Gang made them understand the benefits of mutual assistance. Without spending a single coin, even the patients who could walk voluntarily came out to clean and maintain the environment.

On the south-facing open ground, Han Gang had the city's craftsmen make a row of long benches with backrests. On sunny days, patients could sit and bask in the sun. In addition, he planned to leave space for flower beds, intending to transplant some plants in the spring. He also planned to change the camp's roads to gravel paths instead of the muddy yellow earth paths that turned to mud in the rain. Since it was a medical camp, there was no need to worry about the gravel paths injuring the horses' hooves. He also planned to dig sewers to drain waste through hidden channels instead of the current open ditches.

There was still much to do, but this was just the beginning. The medical camp, or rather, the convalescent hospital, had already garnered countless amazed looks and earned Han Gang a ninth-rank military official position.

"In a village of ten households, there must be someone as loyal and trustworthy as I, but not as fond of learning."

Reading this, Han Gang closed the book. Unintentionally, he had already memorized a quarter of the twenty volumes of the Analects.

'The classics are so short!'

Han Gang stood up and stretched. The classics, passed down from ancient times, usually had few words, making up only a small part of what needed to be memorized and understood. However, the commentaries over the generations were hundreds of times longer. There were commentaries, annotations, and further annotations. To memorize all the vast literature throughout history, even another life would not be enough. Even the original owner of his body had only memorized the more important parts.

Of course, using the memorized texts and his own unique interpretations, Han Gang might still be able to pass as a scholar in the relatively low academic level of the northwest border. However, the current imperial examinations for the Jinshi degree were not closely related to these classics; they focused on poetry and literature. Without any poetic talent, Han Gang had no hope of winning the grand prize.

Feeling tired from reading, Han Gang was about to return to the barracks for a walk to rest. A attendant ran over hurriedly, "Official Han, there's a Wang Daguang at the gate who wants to enter the camp!"

"Wang Daguang?" Han Gang was taken aback. He thought it was most likely Wang Shao, as he only knew one Wang official. He quickly said, "I'll go over."

Han Gang walked towards the camp gate, inwardly sneering. No matter how he thought about it, Wang Shao could not have come to Gangu without a reason. If there was something, it must be related to him. He had to thank Zhang Shouyue; this recommendation made Wang Shao uneasy. The mentality of buying high and not low, it seemed, existed even a thousand years ago!

However, this was also good for Han Gang. With two powerful families vying, he could sell himself at a good price. He had been worried that Xiang Bao might secretly sabotage his future, but now, with a high-ranking official from the military planning office recommending him, he no longer had to worry about any setbacks.

"Is this a medical camp?"

Standing at the camp gate, Wang Shao was a bit stunned. The medical camp, now called a convalescent hospital, completely subverted his previous understanding. There was no longer the usual lifeless and dirty atmosphere of a typical medical camp. Patients walked and sat around, chatting and laughing. Their wounds were wrapped in clean bandages, and their eyes, instead of being empty, now sparkled with hope. Some laborers with blue cloth tied around their arms were busy cleaning the courtyard and moving clothes. However, their expressions were not the usual numbness but the calm smiles of everyday life.

Since taking charge of the Qin-Feng region, Wang Shao had visited many camps and seen a wide range of conditions. Depending on the time or the commander, a camp could be noisy, quiet, sad, or angry. But a clean, fresh, and even somewhat homely camp, he had never seen before...

Was this still a camp for the injured and sick? How did Han Gang achieve this miracle?

'Han Gang... Han Yukun...' Wang Shao silently repeated the name of the miracle worker, 'Jade from Kunlun. This unpolished jade is truly extraordinary.'

Wang Hou, however, did not think as deeply as his father. Seeing the transformed medical camp, he only marveled and hurried inside, eager to find Han Gang.

"Wait!" Wang Shao called out to his impetuous son, looking ahead, "He's already here!"

Watching Wang Shao and Wang Hou from a distance, along with their guards, Han Gang walked calmly and composedly, displaying the demeanor of a nobleman's son.

Wang Shao seemed even thinner and darker than the last time they met, probably due to his constant travels. When he approached, Han Gang performed the proper etiquette: "Student Han Gang greets the Chief Advisor." After standing up, he also greeted Wang Hou with a nod. His manners were impeccable.

Confucianism emphasized propriety. When children started school, the first thing they learned was not reading but etiquette. Rituals for different occasions, such as weddings, funerals, and social interactions, were all carefully studied. The slightest mistake could invite criticism. 'A great civilization is known for its rituals,' this saying was not without reason. Zhang Zai, a great Confucian scholar, was well-versed in rituals. As his student, Han Gang was deeply influenced by this. His usual demeanor also reflected this.

Leading Wang Shao and his son into the camp, Han Gang introduced the surroundings and casually asked, "What brings the Chief Advisor and Brother Chudao here?"

---

The page above starts with an advertisement.

The page above ends with an advertisement.