Chapter 80 of 100
Chapter 80
13 min read3,323 words
PS: Thank you to the readers who have supported me with donations. I've been automatically posting for a while and haven't had the chance to thank those who have donated. I'll make a list of thanks in the relevant section of the work after some time. Of course, I haven't forgotten those who have been voting for me all along. Thank you!
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After the Lesser New Year comes the Greater New Year. As the Greater New Year approaches, the atmosphere in Chang'an City noticeably changes.
Leaving the坊 (ward), one can almost see fully armed soldiers patrolling the city everywhere. The checks at the city gates have become even stricter than usual. Anyone who can't clearly state their identity will be detained on the spot. If they can't explain themselves in a short while, they'll have to go to the Ministry of Punishments to cool off!
Out with the old, in with the new. The Tang Dynasty is truly out with the old and in with the new. Li Er has just ascended the throne and will announce a new era name during the New Year. At this time, no one wants to see any unexpected events. Although no one is causing trouble for the new emperor, it's better to be safe than sorry!
Zhao Chen hasn't seen Old Qin for many days. After the Lesser New Year's Eve, Old Qin moved to the Left Wuwei Camp. Not only Old Qin, but also Cheng Yaojin and all the generals of the Sixteen Guards personally went to their respective camps to take charge.
All the officials in the court are busy. Just because Li Er said that no one can leave their post without permission, even Zhao Chen, a low-ranking official, has to return to his duties.
Fortunately, the Institute of Natural Studies is dispensable. Under normal circumstances, as long as Zhao Chen doesn't stir up trouble, no one will pay special attention.
Zhao Chen went to the Institute of Natural Studies to check in, greeted everyone, and then left the institute, heading to Yongping Ward in Wannian County.
It's almost the New Year, but the old Taoist is still in Yongping Ward. Zhao Chen arranged for Zhang Lu to send some New Year's goods to the prisoners in Yongping Ward and to bring the old Taoist, Sun Simiao, back home.
Unfortunately, according to Zhang Lu, a few prisoners in Yongping Ward had caught a cold, and the old Taoist had to take care of them. Therefore, he could only appreciate Zhao Chen's invitation to spend the New Year at his residence.
This is just an excuse! Zhao Chen couldn't understand why the old Taoist was so hesitant and unwilling to come to his residence.
"Doggy, Doggy!" As soon as Zhao Chen entered Yongping Ward, he heard a hoarse voice from a thatched hut. Then, an old woman with white hair stumbled towards him.
Seeing the old woman, Zhao Chen felt a bitter smile. This old woman was the one who mistook him for her son when he came to repair the houses in Yongping Ward. He didn't expect that after so long, she could still recognize him at first sight.
"Why aren't you staying at the Institute of Natural Studies? Why did you come here?" After finally persuading the old woman to leave, Zhao Chen entered Sun Simiao's herb shed, where the old Taoist scolded him a bit.
"Do you think I want to come?" Zhao Chen was furious when he heard Sun Simiao's words: "It's all because of you! If you hadn't been so stubborn, you could have gone back with Zhang Lu, and I wouldn't have to come here myself!"
Seeing Zhao Chen's anger, Sun Simiao suddenly smiled. He had lived a long life and met many people. Some didn't understand him, while others respected him, but all of them respected him for his medical skills.
Only this young man genuinely cared for him from the heart. This care sometimes moved him and made him waver, but the more he felt this way, the more he couldn't go to Zhao Chen's residence.
He was a Taoist, and this young man had a bright future, destined to become a high-ranking official. How could he, an inauspicious person, ruin the young man's future?
"What are you laughing at?" Zhao Chen knew it was wrong to be angry with the old Taoist, but he couldn't help it, especially when the old Taoist laughed after being scolded.
"I'm laughing because you misunderstood me!" Sun Simiao pointed to the several pots of herbal medicine boiling in the herb shed and said to Zhao Chen, "I already told you that many people in Yongping Ward have caught a cold. If I went to enjoy myself at your place, these people would suffer!"
"Really, someone caught a cold?" Zhao Chen looked at the pots of herbal medicine on the clay stove, feeling deflated.
"Why would I lie to you!" Sun Simiao said, lifting one of the pots to pour out the medicine and then said, "If you don't believe me, you can follow me and see for yourself!"
Forget it! Zhao Chen immediately shook his head. He was most afraid of those people. If not necessary, he wouldn't even come to Yongping Ward, let alone see those people. A group of people with missing limbs was enough to make anyone shudder just thinking about it.
Sun Simiao probably knew Zhao Chen wouldn't go to see those people, so he smiled lightly and left the herb shed with the bowl of medicine. After a while, he returned after delivering the medicine.
"Old Taoist, have you ever thought about taking on a disciple or two?" While Sun Simiao was out, Zhao Chen stayed in the herb shed, thinking about something. When Sun Simiao returned, Zhao Chen frowned and said, "If you take on a disciple or two, you won't have to handle these things personally in the future!"
Hearing this, Sun Simiao seemed to think of something, suddenly looked up, and sighed deeply. After a long silence, he said, "I have had a disciple, but I can't see him now!"
Well, he's brought up a sad memory! Zhao Chen, hearing this, opened his mouth, scratched his head awkwardly, and said, "I didn't mean for you to take on one disciple, but many, like the Confucian school, which widely accepts students!"
"Easy to say!" Sun Simiao suddenly sneered, "Do you think this is a joke? Those who study medicine need to be literate, but literate people are all from good families. Why would they give up their status to study medicine?"
"Why must they be from good families?" Zhao Chen said, "We can recruit children from poor families. It's not a problem if they can't read; they can start learning from a young age! They can learn to read and study medicine at the same time. Why not?"
Zhao Chen had promised Li Er to print books next year, and Sun Simiao naturally knew about it. If there were a large number of books for poor children to read and gradually learn medical skills, it could indeed work!
When Sun Simiao heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up. However, thinking that it would take over a decade to see results, the hope in his eyes quickly dimmed.
It's not that he was impatient, but the large sum of money needed for this project was beyond anyone's means!
"No money!" Sun Simiao sighed, looking at Zhao Chen with disappointment.
Hearing this, Zhao Chen immediately sighed in frustration. No economic sense!
With your high medical skills and great reputation, if you just opened a pharmacy in Chang'an, hired a few doctors to diagnose patients, and spread your name, you could support a medical school, even if you didn't make a fortune!
"Do you want me to make money?" The old Taoist immediately widened his eyes and shouted angrily when he heard Zhao Chen's words.
"Why are you so upset?" Zhao Chen, seeing the old Taoist's anger, was a bit intimidated but still said, "I'm not asking you to make money, but to continue practicing medicine in a different way! The doctors in the pharmacy can handle most cases, and you only step in when they can't. Is there anything wrong with saving lives?"
The old Taoist's fingers trembled as he pointed at Zhao Chen's nose, his chest rising and falling with anger. He knew the young man had twisted the argument, but he couldn't find the words to refute it!
"Old Taoist, you are a doctor. You should know how important medical skills are!" Zhao Chen pushed away the old Taoist's finger and said seriously, "What I said isn't just talk. What if, in five, ten, or twenty years, you could teach more students? What would that be like?"
"So what?" The old Taoist, hearing Zhao Chen's grand vision, felt a surge of enthusiasm, but thinking that he would still be a craftsman at the end, he sighed in disappointment.
"Maybe you won't be a craftsman in the future!" Zhao Chen said something that confused Sun Simiao.
Establishing a high-level medical school in the Tang Dynasty was a new idea that just came to Zhao Chen. He had a wealth of medical knowledge in his phone, both traditional and Western medicine. Once the medical school was established, he could provide all the medical knowledge.
"Let me think about it more!" Sun Simiao stared blankly at a spot in the herb shed, clearly lost in thought.
Seeing this, Zhao Chen sighed and left the herb shed. With the prisoners in Yongping Ward sick, the old Taoist wouldn't leave. Fine! He would send someone to bring the old Taoist some medicine when the time came.
Leaving Yongping Ward, Zhao Chen went directly to the Institute of Natural Studies. He had to follow Li Er's orders, after all, he was the emperor of the Tang Dynasty!
However, as soon as he entered the Institute of Natural Studies, he felt that the atmosphere was different, more serious, as if a big shot had arrived.
Seeing the bastard Chai Lingwu passing by, Zhao Chen grabbed him and asked quietly. The news he heard shocked him: the mysterious director of the Institute of Natural Studies, who had always been hiding, finally came to work under the emperor's order.
"Who is it? Do I know him?" Zhao Chen, stunned, grabbed Chai Lingwu's arm and asked.
"Ah!" Chai Lingwu shook his head with a gloomy face and said, "You'd better see for yourself!"
Saying this, Chai Lingwu broke free from Zhao Chen's grip and went to his room with the solemnity of a man going to the execution ground.
The new director was establishing his authority in the Institute of Natural Studies! Chai Lingwu was the third unlucky person to be punished by the director today, the first two being Cheng Chumu and Li Jingheng.
Impressive! Seeing Chai Lingwu go to his room to copy scriptures, Zhao Chen immediately became extremely curious about this mysterious director!
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